Your information, in plain words.
A short guide to what Ponder knows about a young learner, who can see it, and how to change or delete it. The full details are in our privacy policy.
For kids
What does Ponder know about me?
Only a little: the name or nickname your grown-up gave Ponder, what year you’re in, and the cartoon avatar you built. If your grown-up or teacher adds your subjects, marks or teacher comments, Ponder keeps those too, so it can suggest what to practise next.
Who can see it?
Your parent or carer. If your school uses Ponder, your teachers and your school can see your school work. Other kids and other families can’t see your records.
What about my Think Points?
Your points, streak, avatar pieces and game scores stay on the device you use. They are not sent to Ponder.
Friends and chat (coming soon)
If your grown-up switches on Friends, you can add a friend you know by swapping friend codes in person. A grown-up in your family and in your friend’s family both say yes first. You can challenge friends to quick-fire rounds and send friendly messages. Your grown-ups can read your chats. Never share your address, school, phone number or usernames, and tap Report and tell a grown-up if anything feels wrong.
When I ask Ponder a question
Ponder uses a computer helper called Claude to write its answers. Please don’t tell Ponder your full name, your address, your school, your phone number or passwords. You don’t need to! Ask about the thing you’re learning instead. If you talk to Ponder, your voice is turned into words and the recording isn’t kept.
If something feels wrong
Tell a grown-up you trust. You can also call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 any time.
For parents and carers
- Your child doesn’t have an account. You create and control their profile from your Family space. Ponder asks for a first name or nickname, a year level, an optional birth year (never a full date of birth) and a cartoon avatar. A nickname is fine.
- You’re in charge of what’s added. Subjects, results and teacher comments are only there if you (or your child’s school) add them. Try not to include health details or anything your child wouldn’t want shared.
- AI, carefully. When you ask for a learning plan, Ponder removes your child’s name, email addresses, phone numbers and links before sending the records to Claude (by Anthropic, in the USA). The plan is a suggestion for you to check, not a diagnosis. Anthropic doesn’t use this to train its AI by default.
- Photo avatars (only when this feature is switched on; it isn’t yet). You can choose to turn a photo of your child into a cartoon-style avatar. Only a parent or carer can do this, after agreeing each time; teachers can’t, and children can’t upload photos themselves. The photo is used once to make the avatar and then deleted: Ponder never stores it, and it isn’t used to train AI. Only the avatar is kept, and only your child, you and your family can see it. You can remove it any time.
- Friends and chat (not available yet; when it is, it stays off for your child until you switch it on in Family space → Friends and chat). Nobody can search for your child: they can only be found by a friend code they share in person, or by classmates if their school allows it and you linked them to the school. Other children see only the nickname or first name your child picks and their cartoon avatar. You and the other child’s parent or carer both approve every new friend. Chat is quick friendly phrases unless both families allow typed messages (age 10 and over); typed messages with links, contact details, addresses, personal questions or unkind words are stopped and you’re told. You can read every message, report, block and set quiet hours. Teachers can’t see chats; Ponder’s team only sees a message someone reports. Messages are deleted after 12 months.
- Report cards can’t be uploaded by families yet. When this is switched on, you’ll be asked to agree each time, the file will be stored privately, and the original deleted after 30 days.
- No ads, no selling data. We never market to children and never sell anyone’s information.
- Where it’s kept. In Ponder’s database in Sydney, Australia. Some of the services we use are overseas; the full list is in the privacy policy.
- Change or delete it any time. Edit or remove your child’s profile in the Family space; removing it deletes their records. To get a copy of your information or delete your whole account, go to My account → Your data and privacy, or contact us.
If your child’s school uses Ponder
- The school adds your child to its class list and is responsible for having permission to do that.
- The school can invite you to link its record with your Family space. Nothing is linked unless you accept, signed in with the email address the school used. You can unlink at any time.
- Once linked, you can see your child’s class, teachers’ names, homework, results and any learning plan the school shares with you. Your child’s teachers can see the results you add.
- Questions about what the school records? Ask the school first, or contact us.
Questions or worries
Email [Privacy contact email]. We reply within 30 days, and sooner for anything urgent about a child’s safety. If you’re not happy with our answer, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992.
Read the full privacy policy.