Parents ask “is AI safe for my child?” before they pay for any kids’ AI app. This page is a checklist you can run on any product. Then a short, honest scorecard for Buildaloo — only what our privacy policy and the shipped product already say. Not legal advice. Not a certificate.
If the worry is specifically Roblox chat and strangers’ games, see safer games like Roblox. This post stays on AI apps in general.
Who this is for
- A parent of a child roughly 5 to 12
- You are looking at an AI app, chatbot, or “AI for kids” tool
- Trust is the doubt before you pay — you want questions, not slogans
What “safe” is not
- A friendly mascot is not a safety design.
- “We use filters” with no detail is not enough.
- A “COPPA” badge with no children’s section in the privacy policy is not enough.
- “100% safe” is not a claim any honest product should make.
Calm checks beat scare headlines.
The parent checklist (any AI app)
Print or screenshot this. Ask each question of the app you are considering.
- Data collected — What does the privacy policy list for the child (name, age, voice, photos, location, biometrics)? Is voice stored or only processed live?
- Who the child can talk to — Only the AI? Other kids? Strangers? Open chat rooms?
- Ads, profiling, selling data — Does the policy say it sells data, shows ads, or profiles children for marketing?
- What the AI may say — Is it built for children? Does it refuse sensitive topics? Does it claim to be a friend, therapist or boyfriend/girlfriend?
- Parent controls — Who owns the account? Is there a PIN or password for the parent area? Can you see chats or activity?
- Deleting data — How do you delete a child profile or the whole account? How long are logs kept?
- Laws you hear about — For US under-13: does the policy talk about COPPA and parental consent? For EU families: does it explain children’s data, processors and deletion rights under GDPR-style rules? Treat these as questions to ask, not as legal advice.
How to run the checklist in 10 minutes
- Open the privacy policy — find the children’s section.
- Skim sign-up — does a parent create the account first?
- Open parent settings — what can you see, stop or delete?
- Try one awkward prompt yourself (if you can) — see how the AI responds.
- Optional reading from independent parent guides such as Internet Matters (UK) or klicksafe (DE) — useful context, not a Buildaloo endorsement.
How Buildaloo does on this checklist
Buildaloo is a voice-first AI game maker for kids ages 5 to 12. Below is what is true today. Where something is not built, we say so or leave it out.
| Checklist item | Buildaloo today |
|---|---|
| Data collected | Parent account: name, email, password (hashed), language, consent records. Child profile: display name (parent-chosen), date of birth, avatar, games created, voice during sessions. Voice is processed in real time and not permanently stored. (privacy §1, §3, §5) |
| Who they talk to | The child talks to Loo (the AI buddy for building games). No stranger chat. (llms.txt) |
| Ads / sell / profiling | We do not sell children’s data. We do not use children’s data for advertising or profiling. We do use named processors to run the service (e.g. speech and AI providers) — see privacy §2 and §4. |
| What the AI may say | Loo is instructed for ages 5–12: no personal info, no violence or scary content, stay on creative building. Maker turns can be blocked as unsafe. Game cover images go through a kid-safe prompt sanitizer (image path only — not a claim about every chat line). Privacy also lists content moderation as a use of data. AI can still err; you stay in the loop. |
| Parent controls | Parent dashboard for activity and games; you can open a project’s conversation. Optional parent PIN for the parent area. Publishing: parents can see games and unpublish; shared play links are noindex (not built for search). A full parent-controls help article is still coming soon. Daily screen-time limits are not in the product today — we do not claim them here. |
| Deleting data | Delete a child profile or the whole account from the parent dashboard, or email privacy@. Conversation logs: up to 90 days, then deleted. Deletion requests: within 30 days. (privacy §5, §6) |
| COPPA / children’s privacy | Privacy policy: Buildaloo complies with COPPA; parent consent before any child profile. On /parents we also show the badge wording “GDPR-K ready” — that is on-site wording, not a third-party certification. |
More parent answers: help FAQ (safety group) and the full help centre.
What we do not claim
- We do not say “100% safe.”
- We do not claim certifications or seals we do not hold.
- This page is not legal advice.
- AI can still make mistakes — parents stay in the loop.
- We do not claim daily time limits until they ship.
Next step if Buildaloo fits
- See the family plan ($14.99/mo or $119/yr — setup free; you pay when they build).
- Pick an age page: for 7-year-olds (or 5–12).
- Read privacy and help yourself — the checklist above is how we want to be judged.
Short FAQ
Is AI safe for kids in general?
It depends on the app, not the buzzword. Use the checklist: what data it collects, who the child can talk to, ads and profiling, what the AI is allowed to say, what you can see and delete, and how the privacy policy talks about children. No tool is “100% safe.”
Is ChatGPT or another adult AI OK for a 7-year-old?
Adult chatbots are built for adults. Their defaults, topics and privacy assumptions are rarely designed for a seven-year-old. Prefer a product made for children, with a clear children’s section in the privacy policy and controls you can use.
Does Buildaloo let kids chat with strangers?
No. On Buildaloo the child talks to Loo, the AI buddy used for building games. There is no stranger messaging.
What data does Buildaloo collect from children?
Child profiles hold a display name the parent chooses, date of birth for age tier, avatar, games they create, and voice during sessions. Voice is processed in real time and is not permanently stored. Full detail is in our privacy policy.
Can I delete my child’s data?
Yes. You can delete a child profile and its data from the parent dashboard, or delete the whole account. You can also email [email protected]. We process deletion requests within 30 days.
Is Buildaloo COPPA compliant?
Our privacy policy says Buildaloo complies with COPPA: a parent creates the account and consents before any child profile, we collect the minimum needed for the service, and parents can review or delete a child’s data. That is our policy wording — not a third-party seal.