Data Transparency
Overview
Mello is committed to being transparent with how we handle your information, in full compliance with local, national, and international laws like GDPR, COPPA, FERPA, and others.
This document outlines what information we collect, why and how we collect it, where it's stored, and how it differs across user types on our platform.
User Types
Our platform serves several types of users:
- Teacher: Educators using Mello in their classroom
- Student: Children enrolled in classes using Mello
- Parent: Parents or guardians connected to students
- School Leader: School administrators and leaders
- Logged-out Users: Visitors to our website not logged into an account
- Outside School User: Users using Mello outside a school context
Information We Collect
Personal Information
| Information Type | User Types | Collection Method | Purpose | Storage Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First and Last Name | All users | Direct input on website/app, teacher input for students, surveys, customer service | Establishing identity within school community | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), Zendesk (US), SurveyMonkey (US) |
| Email Address | Teachers, Parents, School Leaders | Direct input on website/app, surveys, customer service | Account identification, communications | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), Zendesk (US), SurveyMonkey (US) |
| Phone Number | Teachers, Non-logged-in users | Direct input for invitations, optional in support requests | Sending SMS invitations, support contact | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), Zendesk (US), SurveyMonkey (US) |
| Username | Students | Direct input during registration | Account access | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), Zendesk (US) |
| Password | All users | Direct input during registration | Account security | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
| Age | Students | Input during account creation | COPPA compliance | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
| Gender/Title | Teachers, Parents, School Leaders | Input during account creation | Proper identification in communications | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
School Information
| Information Type | User Types | Collection Method | Purpose | Storage Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Name | Teachers, School Leaders | Direct input during signup | Creating connections within school community | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), SurveyMonkey (US) |
| School Address | Teachers, School Leaders | Direct input during signup | Ensuring users connect to correct schools | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
| School District ID | Not collected from users | Third-party service (MDR Education) | Improving school database quality | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
Automatically Collected Information
| Information Type | User Types | Collection Method | Purpose | Storage Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Device ID | All logged-in users | Automatic collection from devices | Product improvement, diagnostics | AWS (US), Crashlytics (US) |
| IP Address | All users | Server requests | Service delivery, security | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), DataDog (US) |
| Geolocation (Precise) | Teachers, Parents, School Leaders | During account creation | School search functionality | Algolia and AWS Elastic Search (US) |
| Browser Details | All users | Web and mobile clients | Browser-specific optimizations | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), DataDog (US), Google Analytics (US) |
| Usage Data (page views, clicks, etc.) | All users | Website/app usage | Product improvement | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US), DataDog (US), Google Analytics (US) |
| Language Information | All users | Device settings, browser settings, user selection | Providing service in preferred language | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
Content and Activity Data
| Information Type | User Types | Collection Method | Purpose | Storage Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photos, Videos, Documents, Audio | All logged-in users | Product features (messaging, portfolios, etc.) | User communication, student work sharing | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
| Feedback Points | Teachers | Product feature | Student feedback | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
| Student Attendance | Teachers | Product feature | Class management | AWS (US), MongoDB Atlas (US) |
Data Sharing and International Transfers
Third-Party Service Providers
We share certain information with these third-party providers:
- Sendgrid (US): For email communications
- Zendesk (US): For customer service
- SurveyMonkey (US): For surveys
- DataDog (US): For monitoring and analytics
- Google Analytics (US): For website analytics
- Crashlytics (US): For app crash reporting
- Algolia (US): For search functionality
International Transfers
Most data is transferred to and stored in the United States. For European Economic Area (EEA) users, we ensure appropriate safeguards for your data in accordance with GDPR requirements.
Legal Basis for Processing
The legal basis for processing your information under GDPR depends on the specific data and user type:
- Legitimate interest and performance of contract: For most basic user data
- Consent: Where specifically required by law
- Processing as data processor: Where Mello acts as a processor and the school/organization is the controller
Your Rights
Depending on your location, you have rights regarding your personal data, including:
- Access to your data
- Correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion of your data
- Restriction of processing
- Data portability
To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@mello.life.