For DSLs, senior leaders and governors
School information pack
A plain summary of how withsonder works, what it does for safeguarding and data, and where its limits are, so you can make your own decision. It describes the product as it is today.
1. What withsonder is
withsonder is a UK-built AI companion for ages 13 and over, available as an iPhone app and on the website. Users choose one of six companions for study support and company. It is not therapy, medical care, or a crisis service, and it does not replace a school's pastoral or safeguarding processes.
2. Age and access
- Minimum age is 13. There are no under-13 accounts.
- Users sign up in the iPhone app (email or Sign in with Apple) or on the website (email). Accounts are individual; there is no school-wide account or admin console yet.
- Free 14-day trial, then an optional Premium subscription, bought through Apple in the iPhone app or by card on the website (Stripe). Daily message limits apply and can change; ask us for the current figures.
3. Safeguarding
- Automated checks look for language that may indicate self-harm, abuse or severe distress, at two levels of concern.
- When a check triggers, the companion responds with care and encourages real-world help, the app shows UK crisis resources (999, Samaritans 116 123, Childline 0800 1111, text SHOUT to 85258), and a safeguarding event is logged for review by our team.
- Retention of safeguarding logs: 7 years.
- Reporting a concern: safeguarding@withsonder.ai, with a response within 24 hours.
- Limits: checks are automated and not perfect. withsonder does not currently send alerts to schools or parents.
4. Content safety and study use
- Companions keep language clean and will not produce sexual, violent or age-inappropriate content or help with harmful activities.
- Study support is designed to teach (questions, hints, checking understanding) rather than produce finished essays or coursework. No AI tool can guarantee this, so we recommend pairing it with your own assessment and AI-use policies.
- Companions are AI characters and say so if asked.
- There are no streaks, no guilt-based notifications and no advertising.
5. Data protection
| Item | Summary |
|---|---|
| Data controller | withsonder (withsonder.ai). Contact: privacy@withsonder.ai |
| Data collected | Name and email, an age range, language and companion settings, conversation history, short companion notes (for example a pet's name, a hobby or an exam date, which the companion saves so it can remember the student; sensitive topics and personal details are excluded by design), files a user chooses to upload, subscription status, and limited technical usage data. If a student sets a goal, the name of the college or sixth form they choose is shared with our AI provider so the companion can help. From app version 1.0.3 we also collect usage statistics: a random device ID (an identifier, but not linked to the account), which screens are used and which errors happen, never including chat text. |
| Sub-processors | Anthropic (AI processing of chats and uploads), Stripe (website payments), Resend (account emails such as password reset codes), Apple (in-app purchases), and our hosting provider. |
| Advertising and sale | We do not sell personal data and we do not use it for advertising. |
| Accuracy | withsonder is a study helper, not a source of facts. It teaches by asking questions and giving hints, uses checked reference notes for common set texts and topics, and runs an automatic second check on study replies. Like any AI it can still make mistakes, so students are told to check key facts against their notes and teacher, and every reply has a "Report this reply" button. Reports are reviewed within one working day. We test accuracy on a fixed set of exam-style questions after every change. |
| Retention | Conversation history and companion notes: 12 months after last activity. Account data: deleted within 30 days of account deletion. Billing records: 7 years. Safeguarding logs: 7 years. Usage statistics: deleted after 90 days. |
| Deletion | Users can delete their account from the app's Profile screen, or by emailing us. |
| Rights and complaints | UK GDPR rights apply (access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, objection). Responses within 30 days. Complaints can go to the ICO (ico.org.uk). |
| Children's Code | We aim to follow the spirit of the ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code for users aged 13 to 17. |
| Transport security | The website and API are served over HTTPS. |
See the full privacy policy, GDPR information and safeguarding policy.
6. Known limitations
- No school admin console or class lists yet. Pilot schools can give students a join code, and receive a monthly summary of group totals only (students joined, students active, messages, and how many safety checks were triggered), with numbers under 5 hidden. We never share names or conversations with schools.
- No automatic alerts to a school's DSL yet. We are exploring this with pilot schools.
- AI replies can occasionally be wrong or miss context. Students should be encouraged to check important facts.
- We have not yet completed formal third-party certifications. If your procurement process requires specific assurances, tell us and we will be straightforward about what we can provide.
7. Helpful questions to ask any vendor
We have written ten questions that apply to any AI wellbeing tool, ours included: Ten questions DSLs should ask.
Talk to us
Email hello@withsonder.ai or register your school's interest. We will answer your questions directly and in writing.