Microsoft MakeCode Privacy FAQ

As an educational product at Microsoft, student data privacy is very important to us. We abide by Microsoft’s Privacy Statement and you can read more about Microsoft’s Privacy for Young People. Our privacy policy applies to all Microsoft MakeCode products and sites including https://makecode.com, https://makecode.microbit.org, https://minecraft.makecode.com, and https://arcade.makecode.com.

1. What information does MakeCode collect and what do you do with it?

MakeCode collects anonymized product telemetry data (like what browser is being used, or if a button is clicked on the web page) that is used to understand product usage behavior and ultimately helps us improve key features in the product. There is no personally identifiable information attached to product telemetry data. For more details on the type of telemetry collected, see MakeCode Telemetry. Some users may optionally choose to sign into MakeCode with a Microsoft or Google Account – see more information on MakeCode Sign In. You can learn more about how to access and control your personal data with your Microsoft Account in Microsoft’s Privacy Statement.

2. Are you COPPA compliant?

Yes, MakeCode aligns with the guidance provided in the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other frameworks like the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which endorse the protection of children and their data.

3. For students who do Sign In, is Parental Consent required?

Depending on where you live, local laws might require us to obtain parental or guardian consent under a certain age before you can use a Microsoft product or service. No matter where you live, your parent or guardian can create a Microsoft or Google Family group. This lets them decide what you are allowed to do using your account. Depending on the laws where you live, they can also see, edit, or delete the personal data we collect from you. Learn more about Microsoft Family settings and controls.

For students signing in using a school account, the school controls student access to MakeCode.

4. Do you use Student data for advertising?

No. Microsoft gives extra protection to student personal data:

• We don’t sell student personal data.
• We don’t use or share student personal data for advertising.
• We gather information about a student only to support educational or school purposes, or as allowed by a parent or guardian.
• We may share student personal data with other organizations working on our behalf for educational purposes. These organizations must agree to the same protections. See more about Student Data Protection.

5. Does MakeCode share personal information with third parties?

No, any personal user data collected via the MakeCode product is not shared with any third parties.

6. Where is user data stored?

Any personal user data collected via the MakeCode product is stored in Microsoft data centers located in the United States.

7. Do you notify users if there are any changes to your privacy terms?

Any changes to the Microsoft Privacy Statement are posted and described on the Change History page. If there are material changes to the statement, such as a change to the purposes of processing of personal data that is not consistent with the purpose for which it was originally collected, we will notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes before they take effect or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to periodically review this privacy statement to learn how Microsoft is protecting your information.