Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 18, 2025

1. Introduction

OnceUponBooks ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of our users and the children featured in our personalized storybooks. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services at onceuponbooks.com (the "Service").

We take special care when handling information related to children. By using our Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

Important: Our Service creates personalized storybooks featuring children. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA") and take additional measures to protect children's privacy.

  • Our Service is intended for use by parents, legal guardians, and adults purchasing gifts for children.
  • We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13.
  • Parents and legal guardians may request to review, correct, or delete a child's personal information, and may refuse further collection or use, by contacting us at team@kairolabs.ai.
  • We collect and use children's information only as reasonably necessary to create and deliver the storybook you request.
  • When you upload photos of children, you represent and warrant that you are the parent, legal guardian, or have obtained verifiable parental consent to do so.
  • Photos of children are used solely to create personalized AI-generated illustrations for your storybook and are not used for any other purpose.
  • Photos are processed through secure AI systems and are not used to train AI models.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13 without proper parental consent, please contact us immediately at team@kairolabs.ai, and we will promptly delete such information.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide

  • Account Information: Email address and name
  • Child Information: Child's first name, age, and gender (for story personalization)
  • Photos: Photos of children and family members you upload for character generation
  • Family Member Information: Names and relationships of family members included in the story
  • Payment Information: Billing details processed securely through Stripe
  • Shipping Information: Delivery address for physical book orders
  • Communications: Messages you send us through our contact form or email
  • Reviews: Ratings, review text, and any optional review photo you choose to submit. Publishing a review photo requires separate, explicit consent.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

  • Device Information: Browser and device details needed to deliver and secure the site; optional analytics receive device details only after you allow analytics
  • Usage Data: Pages visited and interaction events are collected by optional analytics only after you allow analytics
  • IP Address: For security, fraud prevention, and approximate location
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: Necessary cookies protect order access, remember your privacy choice, and authenticate approved staff. Optional analytics cookies are set only after you allow analytics.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

  • Book Creation: To generate personalized AI illustrations and create your custom storybook
  • Order Processing: To process payments, fulfill orders, and deliver physical books
  • Customer Support: To respond to inquiries and provide assistance
  • Service Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our Service
  • Customer Reviews: To moderate and, if approved, display the rating and review text you submit. We display an attached review photo only when you separately agree to public display.
  • Communications: To send order confirmations and updates, and (if you opt in) marketing communications. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.
  • Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations
  • Fraud Prevention: To detect and prevent fraudulent transactions

Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR/UK GDPR)

  • Performance of a Contract: Processing necessary to create and deliver your personalized storybook (including processing photos you provide).
  • Consent: Marketing emails (opt-in), optional features, and where required for processing children's photos provided by parents/guardians.
  • Legitimate Interests: Service security, fraud prevention, and product improvement (where these interests are not overridden by your rights).
  • Legal Obligations: Tax, accounting, and compliance recordkeeping.

5. AI Processing of Photos

We use artificial intelligence technology to transform your uploaded photos into illustrated storybook characters. Here's what you should know:

  • Photos are processed using secure third-party AI services (OpenAI and Google Gemini)
  • Your photos are not used to train any AI models
  • AI-generated illustrations are created solely for your ordered storybook
  • Original uploaded photos are retained for up to 90 days to complete and support your order
  • AI processing occurs on secure servers with encryption in transit and at rest
  • You retain all rights to your original photos
  • We do not create or store biometric identifiers or facial recognition templates from your photos.

6. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:

  • Payment Processors: Stripe processes payments securely (see Stripe's Privacy Policy)
  • AI Service Providers: OpenAI and Google for image generation (photos processed per their data processing agreements)
  • Cloud Infrastructure: Amazon Web Services (AWS) for secure data storage and processing
  • Error Monitoring (If Enabled): Sentry receives privacy-filtered technical error reports needed to diagnose failures. Session replay and performance tracing are disabled.
  • Shipping Partners: Gelato and other printing/shipping partners to fulfill physical book orders
  • Approved Reviews: Approved ratings and review text may be displayed publicly. A review photo is displayed only if you gave separate photo-publication consent. We do not display the child's name with the review.
  • Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental authority
  • Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

7. Data Retention

We retain your data as follows:

  • Draft Orders (Not Purchased): Orders created but not completed expire after about 24 hours.
  • Original Uploaded Photos: Your original photos (used to create character illustrations) and their stored object versions are automatically deleted after 90 days.
  • Generated Books & PDFs: Your personalized storybook, including AI-generated illustrations and downloadable PDF, is retained for up to 7 years so you can re-download or request reprints.
  • Order Metadata: Order records (status, email, payment/shipping details) are retained for up to 7 years for legal and accounting purposes.
  • Reviews: Approved reviews remain published until removed or until you ask us to remove them, subject to legal recordkeeping requirements.
  • Marketing Preferences: If you opt in, we retain your preference until you unsubscribe.

You may request earlier deletion of your order assets and personal data by contacting us. In some cases, we may need to retain certain records to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce agreements.

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

  • All data transmission is encrypted using TLS/SSL (HTTPS)
  • Photos and data are stored in encrypted AWS S3 buckets
  • Payment information is handled by PCI-DSS compliant Stripe
  • Access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only
  • Regular security audits and monitoring

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security. If we discover a data breach that presents a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities as required by law.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

All Users:

  • Access: Request a copy of your personal data
  • Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data
  • Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time

California Residents (CCPA):

  • Right to know what personal information is collected and how it's used
  • Right to delete personal information (with exceptions)
  • Right to opt-out of "sale" or "sharing" of personal information (we do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising)
  • Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information (such as children's photos) for any purpose that would require offering a "Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information" link under the CPRA.

European Users (GDPR):

  • Right to access, rectify, and erase personal data
  • Right to data portability
  • Right to restrict or object to processing
  • Right to withdraw consent at any time
  • Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise these rights, contact us at team@kairolabs.ai. We will respond within the timeframes required by law (generally within 30 days under GDPR and 45 days under CCPA/CPRA).

10. Cookies and Tracking

Necessary cookies keep the order flow and approved staff access secure. We do not load optional analytics until you choose “Allow analytics.”

  • Necessary cookies: Used to prove access to your draft order, remember your privacy choice, and maintain Clerk sessions for allowlisted staff.
  • Optional analytics: PostHog, Google Analytics/Ads, and Meta may receive privacy-filtered usage or purchase events after opt-in. Personalized order IDs, payment-session IDs, upload tokens, emails, and photo references are removed from analytics URLs and event properties.
  • Local Storage / Session Storage: Used to maintain the order flow in your browser, prevent duplicate conversion events, and remember temporary interface state.

Select the “Privacy choices” control at any time to allow or withdraw optional analytics. Withdrawing removes known optional first-party cookies and stops future analytics events on this site. Necessary-only mode does not prevent you from creating or buying a book.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including standard contractual clauses for transfers from the EEA/UK.

12. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., social media). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. For significant changes, we may send you an email notification. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions, concerns, or to exercise your rights:

OnceUponBooks

Email: team@kairolabs.ai

We aim to respond to all privacy requests within 30 days.