Compliance & Security
CherryChat is built for schools and clinical providers serving nonverbal individuals. CherryChat's compliance program documents our controls for FERPA, COPPA and data protection. CherryChat is designed to support schools' FERPA and COPPA obligations. Schools remain responsible for their own compliance. We will sign a school's standard data privacy agreement on request.
Last updated: August 2026 · A plain-language notice for students and families
What CherryChat does
CherryChat helps you talk using pictures. You tap pictures on a board to build sentences, and CherryChat speaks them for you. Your teacher and family can see what you say so they can talk with you..
What information we have about you
- •Your name and a picture (avatar) that your teacher or parent set up for you.
- •The messages you send using the picture board.
- •When you join and leave sessions.
- •The boards and pictures your teacher made for you.
Who can see your information
People with an approved connection to you: your teacher and classroom staff, your parent or guardian, and family and friends you invite with a code (only if your parent says it's okay)..
Nobody else can see your information. We don't sell it or use it for ads.
How computers help us
Sometimes a computer helps your teacher write notes about your sessions, makes practice messages for you, builds your board, or reads a book with you. Before the computer reads your information, we take out your name and your parent's name. Some tools read the words on your board, so if a button has a name on it, the computer might see that..
Your parent's choices
- •Your parent can see your messages.
- •Your parent can say "yes" or "no" to you using CherryChat.
- •Your parent can ask for your information to be deleted.
- •Your parent can stop family or friends from chatting with you.
How long we keep your information
Each classroom has a message retention period, set to 365 days by default. Messages and session logs older than that period are automatically deleted. This is separate from deleting an account, which removes all of a student's records. Ending a plan does not delete a classroom right away. See When a plan ends.
Access, codes and chat
Only people with an approved connection to you can see your information. A connection comes from a classroom code, a guardian link or a chat code. What each person sees depends on their role..
Questions?
If you or your parent have questions about your privacy, ask your teacher or your parent. They can contact the school's privacy officer or see our full Privacy Policy..