1. Overview

This Recording Consent Policy describes Coach Mode's requirements and recommendations for obtaining consent before recording and uploading tennis videos of players, particularly minors. This Policy supplements our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

2. Legal Background

2.1 Why Consent Matters

Video recording consent requirements arise from multiple legal frameworks:

• COPPA (Federal): The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information (including video/images) from children under 13 through an online service.
• State Recording Laws: U.S. states vary in their consent requirements for audio/video recording. Most states are “one-party consent” states (38 states), meaning only one person in the conversation needs to consent. However, 12 states require “all-party consent” (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington).
• State Children's Privacy Laws: Several states have enacted additional protections, including California (SOPIPA, CAADCA), Illinois (BIPA for biometric data), and others.
• FERPA: If Coach Mode is used in connection with a school program, FERPA may apply to student educational records.
• General Privacy Law: Recording individuals (especially minors) without consent can give rise to invasion-of-privacy claims under common law.

2.2 Sports and Educational Context

In most U.S. jurisdictions, recording players during sports lessons and activities is legally permissible when:

• The recording occurs in a setting where there is no reasonable expectation of complete privacy (e.g., a tennis court at a club, park, or school).
• The person being recorded (or their parent/guardian if a minor) has been informed of and consented to the recording.
• The recording is used for a legitimate purpose (coaching, instruction, performance review).
• Audio recording laws are observed (particularly in all-party consent states).

However, the fact that video is being uploaded to a cloud service and processed by AI elevates the consent requirements beyond what might be needed for a simple coaching video review on a phone. Digital processing, cloud storage, and AI analysis of a minor's likeness require explicit informed consent.

3. Consent Requirements by Scenario

3.1 Adult Students (18+)

3.2 Students Ages 13-17

3.3 Children Under 13

3.4 Bystanders and Third Parties

If a video captures other identifiable individuals in the background:

• Best practice: Coaches should minimize capture of bystanders (e.g., zoom in on the student, choose angles that limit background visibility).
• Incidental capture: Brief, incidental capture of bystanders in a public or semi-public setting (tennis club, park) generally does not require individual consent, as there is limited expectation of privacy in these settings.
• Identifiable minors: If other children are clearly and prominently identifiable in the video, the coach should either (a) obtain consent from those children's parents, or (b) re-record to avoid capturing them.
• Coach's responsibility: Coach Mode is not liable for bystander capture. Coaches bear responsibility for ensuring their recording practices comply with local laws.

4. Recommended Consent Flow (UI/UX)

4.1 Coach Onboarding

During coach onboarding, add the following step:

Step: Recording Consent Acknowledgment
────────────────────────────────────────

As a coach on Coach Mode, you will upload videos of your students
for AI analysis. Before uploading any video, you are responsible
for obtaining consent from:

- Adult students (18+): Verbal or written consent
- Students 13-17: Written consent from a parent/legal guardian
- Students under 13: Verifiable parental consent via our
  Digital Consent Form (COPPA requirement)

[ ] I understand that I am responsible for obtaining recording
    and upload consent from all students (or their parents/
    guardians) before uploading any video to Coach Mode.

[ ] I understand that videos of children under 13 require
    verifiable parental consent through Coach Mode's Digital
    Consent Form before upload.

[Continue →]

4.2 Adding a Minor Student (Under 18)

When a coach adds a student whose age/date of birth indicates they are under 18:

Step: Parental Consent Required
────────────────────────────────

[Student Name] is under 18. Before you can upload videos of this
student, a parent or legal guardian must provide consent.

How would you like to obtain consent?

[Send Consent Form via Email]
   Enter parent/guardian email address: _______________

[Consent Already Obtained Off-Platform]
   I confirm that I have obtained written consent from this
   student's parent/legal guardian for video recording and
   AI analysis. I will maintain this consent on file.

Note: For students under 13, consent MUST be obtained through
our Digital Consent Form to comply with COPPA.

4.3 Video Upload Gate

Before any video upload, the system should check:

IF student.age < 13:
  IF no verified parental consent on file:
    BLOCK upload
    SHOW: "Parental consent required. Send a consent form to
           [student]'s parent/guardian before uploading."
    [Send Consent Form →]

IF student.age >= 13 AND student.age < 18:
  IF no consent on file (digital or coach attestation):
    SHOW warning (non-blocking for 13-17):
    "Reminder: Ensure you have parental consent for recording
     and uploading videos of minor students."
    [ ] I confirm I have consent from this student's parent/guardian
    [Upload →]

IF student.age >= 18 OR student.age is NULL (adult assumed):
  No additional consent gate (Terms of Service covers it)

4.4 Parent Onboarding

When a parent creates an account and links to a child:

Step: Video Recording & AI Analysis Consent
─────────────────────────────────────────────

Your child's coach uses Coach Mode to analyze tennis videos using
AI technology. Here's what that means:

What happens with your child's videos:
- Videos are recorded by the coach during lessons/practice
- Videos are uploaded to Coach Mode's secure servers
- AI analyzes the video for tennis technique, movement, and tactics
- AI generates skill ratings and improvement recommendations
- Videos are automatically deleted after 14 days
- Analysis results (text, not video) are kept for progress tracking

What data is collected:
- Your child's first name (or initials)
- Age and skill level
- Video recordings of tennis activities
- AI-generated skill ratings and feedback

Who can see your child's data:
- You (as a linked parent)
- Your child's coach(es) on Coach Mode
- Your child (if they have a Student account, ages 13+)

Your rights:
- You can review all data collected about your child at any time
- You can request deletion of your child's data at any time
- You can revoke consent and have your child's profile deactivated
- You can contact us at privacy@coachmode.app with any questions

[ ] I consent to my child's tennis videos being uploaded to
    Coach Mode and analyzed by AI for coaching purposes.

[ ] I understand that videos are stored for 14 days and then
    deleted, but text-based analysis results are retained for
    progress tracking.

[ ] I understand that I can revoke this consent at any time.

Parent/Guardian Name: _______________
Relationship to Child: [ Parent / Legal Guardian ]
Child's Name on Coach Mode: [auto-filled]

[I Consent →]           [I Do Not Consent]

5. Digital Consent Form

5.1 Consent Form Content

The Digital Consent Form for parents/guardians of minor students should include:

5.2 Delivery Mechanism

The Digital Consent Form should be delivered via:

1. Email Link: When a coach adds a minor student, an email is sent to the parent/guardian with a unique, secure link to the consent form. The link expires after 30 days.
2. In-App: If the parent has a Coach Mode Parent account, the consent form can be completed in-app during onboarding.
3. Re-consent: Annual renewal emails are sent automatically. If consent is not renewed within 30 days of expiration, video uploads for that student are blocked.

5.3 Consent Verification (COPPA-Compliant)

For children under 13, the FTC requires “verifiable” parental consent. Our verification process:

1. Email-Plus Method: Consent form is sent to parent's email. Parent completes the form. A follow-up confirmation email is sent asking the parent to confirm within 48 hours by clicking a unique link. If not confirmed, consent is not considered verified.
2. If Higher Assurance Needed: For situations with elevated risk (e.g., disputes between parents, contested custody), we may request a copy of a government-issued photo ID, which is used solely for verification and deleted after verification is complete.

5.4 Consent Records Storage

All consent records are stored securely and include:

• Timestamp of consent
• IP address from which consent was given
• Email address of consenting parent/guardian
• Full text of the consent form presented
• Version number of the consent form
• Method of verification used
• Any subsequent revocations

Records are retained for the duration of the coaching relationship plus 3 years.

6. State-Specific Considerations

6.1 All-Party Consent States (Audio)

In the following states, all parties must consent to audio recording: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Recommendation for coaches in these states: If your video recordings capture audio (conversations, coaching instructions), ensure that the student (and parent, if a minor) has consented to audio recording as well. Our standard consent form covers both video and audio.

6.2 Illinois (BIPA)

Illinois's Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) requires written consent before collecting “biometric identifiers,” which can include face geometry data extracted from photos or videos. Coach Mode does not extract biometric identifiers from videos. The AI analyzes tennis technique (strokes, footwork, positioning), not facial features. However, coaches in Illinois should be aware of BIPA requirements and ensure their own practices comply.

6.3 California (SOPIPA / CAADCA)

California's Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) applies to services “designed and marketed for K-12 school purposes.” Coach Mode is designed for tennis coaching, not K-12 school purposes, so SOPIPA generally does not apply. However, if Coach Mode is used by a school tennis program:

• We will not use student data for non-educational purposes.
• We will not sell student data.
• We will delete data upon request.

The California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA) imposes additional obligations for online services likely to be accessed by children. Coach Mode applies heightened privacy protections for all users under 18.

6.4 Other States

Privacy legislation is rapidly evolving across U.S. states. Coaches should stay informed about their state's specific requirements. We maintain a list of state-specific considerations on our website and update it regularly.

7. Best Practices for Coaches

7.1 Before Recording

• Inform the student (and parent, if a minor) that the session will be recorded.
• Explain how the video will be used (uploaded to Coach Mode for AI analysis).
• Obtain consent (verbal for adults in one-party states; written/digital for minors).
• For new minor students, send the Digital Consent Form to the parent BEFORE the first recorded lesson.

7.2 During Recording

• Focus the camera on the student being coached, minimizing capture of bystanders.
• If other children are visible and identifiable, consider adjusting the camera angle.
• Be mindful of audio capture in all-party consent states.
• Do not record in areas where participants have a reasonable expectation of privacy (locker rooms, restrooms, etc.).

7.3 After Recording

• Upload the video to Coach Mode promptly.
• Do not share the video outside of Coach Mode without additional consent.
• Do not post the video on social media or public platforms.
• Inform the student/parent when the analysis is ready for review.

7.4 Record Keeping

• Maintain your own records of consent obtained, particularly for off-platform consent.
• Keep copies of signed consent forms (physical or digital).
• Note the date consent was obtained and any expiration/renewal dates.
• If a parent revokes consent, immediately stop recording and notify Coach Mode.

8. Revoking Consent

Parents, guardians, or adult students may revoke consent at any time by:

1. Contacting us at privacy@coachmode.app.
2. Using the “Revoke Consent” option in Parent account settings.
3. Notifying the coach directly (the coach must then update the Platform).

Upon revocation:

• No further videos of the student will be accepted for upload.
• Any videos currently stored (within the 14-day window) will be deleted immediately.
• Existing analysis data may be retained unless the parent also requests data deletion.
• The student's managed profile will be marked as “consent revoked” and deactivated for video features.

9. Contact

For questions about this Recording Consent Policy, contact: