Legal

Privacy Policy

Effective date: August 17, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how ClassWatcher ("we", "us", "our"), operated by David W Cooper, collects, uses, and protects information when you use the ClassWatcher Chrome extension, web application at classwatcher.com, and related services (collectively, the "Service"). We are committed to complying with applicable privacy laws including Canada's PIPEDA and, where applicable, FERPA.

By using the Service you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Service.

1. Information We Collect

Account information: When you register, we collect your name, email address, and a hashed password (or Google OAuth token if you sign in with Google).

Class and student data: Class lists, student names, Brightspace usernames and the internal ID numbers Brightspace uses to identify students, and parent contact information (phone numbers and email addresses). Some of this you enter yourself; some is imported from Brightspace when you choose to import a class. It is stored locally in your browser via Chrome storage and, for certain features, on our servers.

Extension-collected data: When you run a scan, the extension reads submission status information from Brightspace assignment pages currently open in your browser. This data is processed locally and summarized results may be stored on our servers to support your watch list and history features.

Using ClassWatcher without an account: The extension can show you who has not submitted on a Brightspace page without you signing up. In that mode the on-page list sends nothing to us: opening a page, checking who has not submitted, importing a class and sorting the list make no requests to our servers, and we receive no information about you, your school, your courses or your students. Three ordinary website visits are the only exceptions. When the extension is first installed it opens our getting-started page in a new tab; if you open the ClassWatcher side panel it loads our web app and asks our server whether you are signed in; and if you remove the extension, Chrome opens a short goodbye page on our site. That sign-in check carries a random installation identifier and nothing else, and when you have no account we store nothing from it. All three are covered by the usage data described below. Two things are kept on your own computer. First, if you choose to import a class, the student list Brightspace already holds — names, Brightspace usernames and the internal ID numbers Brightspace uses to identify students — is saved in your browser's local extension storage so the extension can tell who is missing work. Nothing is imported unless you confirm it, and this list is never sent to us while you have no account. Second, the extension counts how many distinct assignment or quiz pages you have opened, up to fifty, so it knows when to offer a first-run tip and when to ask you for a Chrome Web Store review. That count identifies pages by your school's Brightspace web address and the course and assignment numbers Brightspace itself uses — never student names or page content. The page count is kept in Chrome's synced storage, so Chrome may copy it between your own Chrome profiles through your Google account; your class lists are not — they stay in local storage on that computer only. If you later create an account, one number is sent with your sign-up: how many pages you had checked, capped at fifty. We use it only to understand how many people who try ClassWatcher go on to create an account. Neither the page list nor your class list is sent.

Messaging logs: Records of SMS and email messages sent through the Service, including recipient phone number or email address, student name, message content, timestamp, delivery status, and credit usage. If a parent replies to an SMS sent through the Service, that reply is stored but is not forwarded — texting through ClassWatcher is one-way, and the automatic reply tells the parent so. Message logs (outbound and inbound replies) are automatically deleted after 365 days.

Contact notes: Manual notes you record about a student (for example, "called home," "spoke with student") through the extension's student panel. Each note includes the student's name, the note text you enter, and a timestamp. Contact notes are stored on our servers so they are available across your devices, and are automatically deleted after 365 days.

Payment information: Processed entirely by Stripe. We do not store credit card numbers. We retain transaction records (plan, amount, date) for billing purposes.

Usage data: Standard server logs including IP address, browser type, and pages visited. Used for security and service improvement.

2. How We Use Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information or your students' information to third parties.

3. Student Data

ClassWatcher is a tool for teachers. Student names and submission data are processed solely to provide the Service to you (the teacher). We treat student data as strictly confidential. We do not use student data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond delivering the features you explicitly use. We do not share student data with third parties except as required to operate the Service (e.g., delivering a message you send).

If you are subject to FERPA or provincial student privacy regulations, you are responsible for ensuring your use of ClassWatcher complies with those regulations. ClassWatcher acts as a service provider/operator under applicable law.

4. SMS & Email Messaging to Parents

ClassWatcher allows teachers to send SMS and email messages to parents on behalf of the teacher. Messages are delivered via third-party providers (Twilio for SMS, AgentMail for email). You are responsible for ensuring you have appropriate authority to contact parents using the contact information you provide.

Opt-out: Every email sent through the Service includes an unsubscribe link. Parents who reply STOP to an SMS are immediately removed from future messages. Teachers can manually re-subscribe a parent who has opted out. Opt-out records are retained indefinitely to prevent further unwanted messages.

Parent replies: Texting through ClassWatcher is one-way. If a parent replies to an SMS sent through the Service, their reply is received and logged, but it is not forwarded to the teacher — it is not emailed to them, and it is not shown to them anywhere in ClassWatcher. The parent receives an automatic SMS telling them the number is not monitored for replies and asking them to contact the teacher directly; that automatic reply is sent at most twice, after which further replies are logged without any response. If the teacher has chosen to save a contact number of their own in ClassWatcher, and we can identify which teacher sent the original message, that number is included in the automatic reply so the parent knows where to reach them. The one exception is an opt-out keyword such as STOP, handled as described under Opt-out above, where the teacher is told that the parent has opted out. Reply content is stored for up to 365 days and then automatically deleted.

Message log retention: All outbound SMS and email records, including message content and recipient contact details, are automatically deleted after 365 days.

We may invite beta users to provide short feedback surveys to help improve ClassWatcher. Survey responses are used solely to improve the product, are not tied to student records, and will be retained for 90 days then anonymized.

To request earlier deletion of your messaging data, contact us at [email protected].

5. Google Services

If you use the Google Sheets export feature, ClassWatcher requests access to your Google account using Google's drive.file scope — a restricted, per-file permission that only covers spreadsheets ClassWatcher itself creates for you. It does not grant access to any other file in your Google Drive. This access is used solely to create and populate a new spreadsheet in your own Google Drive with your class and assignment data. We do not read, store, or share the contents of your Google Drive. You can revoke this access at any time via your Google account settings.

ClassWatcher's use of Google APIs complies with the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

6. Third-Party Service Providers

We use the following third-party providers to operate the Service:

Each provider has their own privacy policy governing their handling of data. We share only the minimum information necessary for each provider to perform their function.

7. Data Retention

8. Your Rights

Under PIPEDA and applicable provincial law, you have the right to:

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect your data, including HTTPS encryption in transit, hashed passwords, and access controls on our servers. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your information.

10. Children's Privacy

The Service is intended for use by teachers and school administrators aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from students or children. Student names and submission data entered by teachers are treated as described in Section 3.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy with a new effective date. For material changes, we will notify account holders by email. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance.

12. Contact

For privacy questions, requests, or concerns:

David W Cooper
ClassWatcher
[email protected]