Children’s Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 5/1/2025
Last Updated: 5/3/2026

VarsIQ respects the privacy of children, parents, guardians, student-athletes, families, schools, teams, coaches, and community members. This Children’s Privacy Policy explains how VarsIQ collects, uses, shares, protects, and manages information involving children, including children under the age of 13.

This Children’s Privacy Policy is intended to supplement our general Privacy Policy. If there is any conflict between this Children’s Privacy Policy and our general Privacy Policy regarding children under 13, this Children’s Privacy Policy controls.

For purposes of this policy, “VarsIQ,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to VarsIQ and its website, digital services, published content, media coverage, photo galleries, forms, communications, and related online services.

1. Our Intended Audience

VarsIQ provides local sports coverage, photography, videography, news, commentary, features, recaps, galleries, and related media content. Our services may include coverage of youth, school, club, amateur, collegiate, semi-professional, and professional sports.

VarsIQ is not intended to be a website or online service primarily directed to children under 13. Children under 13 should not submit personal information to VarsIQ without verifiable consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Because VarsIQ may cover youth sports and school-related athletics, some published content may include information about minors, such as names, teams, schools, athletic participation, images, likenesses, performance information, game results, or publicly available sports-related information.

2. Children Under 13

VarsIQ does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent, except where permitted by law.

If we learn that we have collected personal information directly from a child under 13 without required parental consent, we will take reasonable steps to delete that information or obtain appropriate consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Parents or legal guardians who believe their child under 13 has submitted personal information to VarsIQ may contact us using the contact information listed at the end of this policy.

3. Information We May Collect

VarsIQ may collect information in several ways, including through our website, contact forms, email, photography services, event coverage, submissions, registrations, galleries, analytics tools, advertising tools, social media, and third-party service providers.

Depending on how a person interacts with VarsIQ, we may collect the following categories of information:

A. Information Submitted by Parents, Guardians, Coaches, Schools, or Adults

We may collect information submitted by adults, including:

• Parent or guardian name
• Parent or guardian email address
• Parent or guardian phone number
• Coach name
• Coach email address
• School name
• Team name
• Organization name
• Event information
• Athlete name
• Athlete grade level or graduation year
• Athlete team, jersey number, position, or sport
• Roster information
• Photo session information
• Payment or billing-related information
• Messages, requests, or other communications sent to VarsIQ

B. Information About Student-Athletes and Minors

VarsIQ may collect or publish information about student-athletes and minors in connection with sports coverage, photography, videography, features, recaps, rosters, galleries, or event reporting. This may include:

• Name
• Image or likeness
• School or team
• Sport
• Grade level or graduation year
• Jersey number
• Position
• Athletic statistics
• Game participation
• Awards, honors, or achievements
• Quotes, if provided by an authorized adult or obtained in an appropriate media context
• Publicly available athletic information

VarsIQ does not intend to collect sensitive personal information from children, such as home addresses, Social Security numbers, private school records, medical records, precise geolocation, or financial account information.

C. Information Submitted Through Forms

If our website includes forms for contact, registration, photo requests, media inquiries, event submissions, newsletter signups, athlete nominations, or similar purposes, we may collect the information submitted through those forms.

Children under 13 should not submit forms without a parent or legal guardian’s consent.

D. Photos, Videos, and Galleries

VarsIQ may photograph or record sporting events, media days, team sessions, tournaments, showcases, school activities, or community events.

Photos and videos may include minors. VarsIQ may publish, license, sell, share, display, or archive sports-related photos and videos in connection with legitimate media, editorial, promotional, commercial, or client-service purposes, subject to applicable law, contractual obligations, school/event rules, and this policy.

If a parent or legal guardian has a concern about a specific image or video involving their child, they may contact VarsIQ using the information listed at the end of this policy.

4. How We Use Information

VarsIQ may use collected information for the following purposes:

• Publishing sports coverage, recaps, features, galleries, highlights, announcements, opinion pieces, and related editorial content
• Providing photography, videography, media, gallery, and delivery services
• Responding to parent, guardian, coach, school, athlete, or customer inquiries
• Managing photo sessions, event coverage, registrations, payments, and service requests
• Communicating about services, scheduling, galleries, orders, or coverage
• Verifying consent, authorization, or parent/guardian identity where appropriate
• Operating, maintaining, securing, and improving our website and services
• Preventing fraud, abuse, misuse, security incidents, or unauthorized access
• Complying with legal, regulatory, contractual, tax, accounting, or business obligations
• Protecting the rights, privacy, safety, or property of VarsIQ, users, athletes, families, schools, teams, or others

VarsIQ does not knowingly use personal information collected directly from children under 13 for behavioral advertising without required parental consent.

5. Verifiable Parental Consent

When COPPA requires verifiable parental consent, VarsIQ will seek consent from a parent or legal guardian before collecting, using, or disclosing a child’s personal information under 13, unless an exception under applicable law applies.

Depending on the circumstances, VarsIQ may use one or more reasonable methods to verify parental consent, such as:

• Requiring a signed consent form
• Requesting confirmation from a parent or legal guardian
• Requiring communication from a parent-controlled email address
• Confirming consent through a coach, school, team, or organization, where appropriate and legally permissible
• Using another legally acceptable consent method

VarsIQ may collect a parent or guardian’s contact information for the limited purpose of providing notice, requesting consent, responding to a request, protecting a child’s safety, or complying with legal obligations.

6. Parent and Guardian Rights

Parents and legal guardians have the right to contact VarsIQ to:

• Review personal information collected from their child under 13
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request the deletion of personal information collected from their child under 13
• Refuse to allow further collection, use, or disclosure of their child’s personal information
• Withdraw previously provided consent, where applicable
• Ask questions about VarsIQ’s children’s privacy practices

Before responding to a request, VarsIQ may take reasonable steps to verify the identity and authority of the requesting parent or legal guardian.

To make a request, please contact VarsIQ using the information listed at the end of this policy.

7. Publicly Available Sports Coverage

VarsIQ may report on sports events, publish game recaps, post galleries, identify athletes, discuss athletic performance, and share publicly available or newsworthy sports-related information.

Examples may include:

• Game scores
• Team names
• Player names
• Photos from public or credentialed sporting events
• Statistics
• Awards or honors
• Tournament results
• Quotes from coaches, athletes, or authorized representatives
• Information from schools, teams, leagues, public schedules, public rosters, or event organizers

VarsIQ strives to handle youth and school sports coverage responsibly. We do not knowingly publish private contact information for children under 13, such as home addresses, personal phone numbers, personal email addresses, or precise location information, except in the ordinary course of event/location coverage.

8. User-Submitted Content

VarsIQ may allow users, parents, coaches, schools, athletes, or organizations to submit content, including story ideas, photos, videos, rosters, nominations, event information, corrections, or other materials.

By submitting content involving a minor, the submitting person represents that they have the authority to provide the content to VarsIQ and that the submission does not violate the rights of the minor, the minor’s parent, guardian, school, team, organization, or any third party.

Children under 13 should not submit content directly to VarsIQ without verifiable parental consent.

VarsIQ may decline, remove, edit, or delete submitted content at its discretion.

9. Comments, Accounts, and Interactive Features

If VarsIQ offers comments, accounts, public profiles, forums, polls, contests, message boards, uploads, or other interactive features, children under 13 may not use those features without verifiable parental consent where required by law.

VarsIQ may disable or restrict interactive features for children under 13.

If we learn that a child under 13 has created an account, posted a comment, submitted content, or otherwise provided personal information without required parental consent, we may delete the information, disable the account, restrict access, or take other appropriate action.

10. Contests, Giveaways, Polls, and Promotions

VarsIQ may offer contests, giveaways, polls, surveys, nominations, voting features, promotions, or similar activities.

Children under 13 may not participate in contests, giveaways, promotions, or surveys that require personal information unless VarsIQ obtains verifiable parental consent or participation is otherwise permitted by law.

Specific contests or promotions may include additional rules, eligibility requirements, consent requirements, and privacy terms.

11. Cookies, Analytics, and Similar Technologies

VarsIQ may use cookies, pixels, log files, analytics tools, embedded content, and similar technologies to operate and improve our website.

These technologies may collect information such as:

• IP address
• Browser type
• Device type
• Operating system
• Referring pages
• Pages viewed
• Approximate location based on IP address
• Date and time of visit
• Interactions with website features
• Cookie or device identifiers

VarsIQ may use analytics tools to understand website traffic, improve content, measure performance, prevent abuse, and maintain security.

VarsIQ does not knowingly use cookies or similar technologies to conduct behavioral advertising directed to children under 13 without required parental consent.

12. Advertising

VarsIQ may display advertising on its website or digital services.

VarsIQ does not knowingly serve interest-based or behaviorally targeted advertising to children under 13 without required parental consent.

If VarsIQ uses third-party advertising providers, those providers may collect information through cookies, pixels, or similar technologies. VarsIQ will take reasonable steps to configure advertising services in a manner appropriate for its audience and legal obligations.

Where required, VarsIQ may restrict personalized, targeted, or behavioral advertising for content or users known to involve children under 13.

13. Third-Party Services

VarsIQ may use third-party service providers to operate the website, publish content, host galleries, manage forms, process payments, deliver emails, analyze traffic, display advertising, embed media, manage security, or provide other services.

These third parties may include, depending on VarsIQ’s current website setup:

• Website hosting providers
• WordPress plugins and website tools
• Analytics providers
• Advertising providers
• Email and newsletter providers
• Payment processors
• Gallery or photo delivery platforms
• Social media platforms
• Video platforms
• Security and spam-prevention tools
• Form providers
• Scheduling or booking tools

Third-party services may collect, process, or store information in accordance with their own privacy policies and terms. VarsIQ encourages parents and guardians to review the privacy policies of any third-party services linked, embedded, or integrated with our website.

VarsIQ is not responsible for the privacy practices of websites, platforms, or services that we do not own or control.

14. Embedded Content and Social Media

VarsIQ may embed or link to content from third-party platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, SmugMug, or other media platforms.

Embedded content may behave as if the visitor interacted directly with the third-party platform. Those platforms may collect information, use cookies, track interactions, or apply their own privacy practices.

When VarsIQ publishes or uploads content involving children, we will take reasonable steps to comply with applicable platform rules and legal requirements, including those related to child-directed content, where applicable.

15. Disclosure of Information

VarsIQ may share information in the following circumstances:

A. With Service Providers

We may share information with vendors and service providers who help us operate our website, provide services, process payments, deliver galleries, host content, analyze traffic, manage advertising, provide security, or communicate with users.

These providers are authorized to use information only as needed to provide services to VarsIQ or as otherwise permitted by law.

B. With Schools, Teams, Coaches, Parents, or Event Organizers

We may share information with schools, teams, coaches, parents, guardians, leagues, event organizers, or organizations when necessary to provide coverage, coordinate services, confirm authorization, manage galleries, resolve concerns, or fulfill a requested service.

C. With the Public Through Published Content

VarsIQ may publish sports-related content that is visible to the public, including articles, photos, videos, galleries, captions, names, teams, schools, statistics, honors, and other newsworthy or sports-related information.

D. For Legal or Safety Reasons

We may disclose information if we believe it is reasonably necessary to:

• Comply with law, regulation, legal process, subpoena, court order, or government request
• Protect the safety of a child, athlete, parent, user, employee, contractor, school, team, or the public
• Prevent fraud, abuse, harassment, exploitation, security threats, or illegal activity
• Enforce our policies, agreements, or rights
• Protect VarsIQ’s property, rights, security, operations, or reputation

E. Business Transfers

If VarsIQ is involved in a merger, acquisition, sale, restructuring, transfer of assets, or similar business transaction, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.

16. Sale of Children’s Personal Information

VarsIQ does not knowingly sell personal information collected directly from children under 13.

VarsIQ may sell, license, deliver, or provide access to photos, videos, galleries, editorial content, or media products as part of its sports media, photography, videography, or news services. Such activity is separate from selling a child’s personal information for targeted advertising or unrelated data brokerage purposes.

17. Data Retention

VarsIQ retains information only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information, the purpose of collection, legal obligations, accounting requirements, editorial value, archival value, client service needs, safety concerns, dispute resolution, and legitimate business needs.

Sports articles, published galleries, photos, videos, captions, and editorial content may remain publicly available or archived unless VarsIQ determines that removal is appropriate or legally required.

Parents or legal guardians may request deletion of personal information collected from their child under 13 by contacting VarsIQ. VarsIQ will review deletion requests and respond as required by applicable law.

18. Data Security

VarsIQ uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information from unauthorized access, disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction.

No website, system, storage method, transmission method, or online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Parents, guardians, coaches, schools, and users should avoid submitting sensitive information through general website forms or unsecured communication channels.

19. Links to Other Websites

VarsIQ may link to third-party websites, articles, social media pages, school websites, team websites, league websites, ticketing platforms, gallery platforms, video platforms, advertisers, sponsors, or other external resources.

This Children’s Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites or services. VarsIQ is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, policies, or security of third-party websites or services.

20. School, Team, and Event Responsibilities

Schools, teams, leagues, coaches, event organizers, and organizations may have their own privacy policies, media release forms, roster policies, photography rules, credentialing terms, and student privacy obligations.

VarsIQ may rely on information, permissions, access, rosters, credentials, or representations provided by schools, teams, leagues, coaches, parents, guardians, or event organizers.

If a school, team, league, or organization has specific restrictions involving a child’s name, image, likeness, participation, media coverage, or publication, the responsible adult or organization should notify VarsIQ in writing before coverage or publication whenever possible.

21. Requests to Remove or Modify Published Content

VarsIQ respects reasonable privacy and safety concerns involving children.

A parent or legal guardian may contact VarsIQ to request removal, correction, or modification of content involving their child. VarsIQ will review each request based on the circumstances, including:

• The child’s age
• The nature of the content
• Whether the content was submitted by an authorized adult
• Whether the content is newsworthy, editorial, archival, or publicly available
• Whether removal is required by law
• Whether the publication presents a safety, privacy, or security concern
• Any applicable contractual, school, team, league, or event obligations

VarsIQ does not guarantee that all removal requests will be granted, but we will take concerns involving children seriously.

22. Information From Children Outside the United States

VarsIQ is based in the United States and primarily serves U.S. audiences.

Children, parents, guardians, schools, teams, or users outside the United States should not submit personal information to VarsIQ unless they understand that the information may be processed in the United States and subject to United States law.

23. Changes to This Children’s Privacy Policy

VarsIQ may update this Children’s Privacy Policy from time to time.

When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date above. If changes materially affect how we collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 13, we will provide additional notice or obtain parental consent where required by law.

24. Contact VarsIQ

Parents and legal guardians may contact VarsIQ with questions, concerns, consent requests, review requests, correction requests, deletion requests, or privacy inquiries through our online Contact Us form.

Please include enough information for us to understand and respond to your request, including the child’s name, the relevant content or submission, your relationship to the child, and the specific action you are requesting.

VarsIQ may require reasonable verification before disclosing, correcting, or deleting information.