Terms of Service — Scout Learning Lab LLC

Effective Date: 2026-05-29 Last Updated: 2026-07-13 2026-07-13: editorial correction of the operator's legal name (Scout Learning Labs → Scout Learning Lab LLC); no substantive change.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By purchasing, downloading, installing, accessing, or using the Products and Services, you agree to these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the Products and Services. These Terms form a legally binding agreement between you and Scout Learning Lab LLC ("Scout," "we," "our," or "us").

You must be at least eighteen (18) years old to enter into this agreement on behalf of yourself and any minor in your household. If you are a guardian or other legal custodian acting on behalf of a child, you represent that you have the authority to do so.

These Terms incorporate by reference our Privacy Policy, Direct Notice, Acceptable Use Policy, AI Disclosure, and any addenda that apply to your use (such as the Research Cohort Addendum).

2. Definitions

See the definitions in the Privacy Policy §17. In addition:

3. Eligibility and Account

You must (i) be at least 18 years old; (ii) provide accurate registration information; (iii) maintain the security of your account credentials; and (iv) accept responsibility for all activity under your account.

To use Lantern with a child, you must successfully complete the consent flow described in the Privacy Policy and provide verifiable parental consent (VPC) before any data is collected from that child.

You may add up to four (4) additional adults (Permitted Adults) to your Parent App account. Each Permitted Adult is bound by these Terms.

4. License Grant

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Scout grants you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable license to:

• Use the Lantern hardware you purchased
• Install and use the Parent App on devices you own or control
• Access and use the Service for personal, non-commercial purposes

You may not:

• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Software except as permitted by law
• Modify, adapt, translate, or create derivative works of the Software
• Rent, lease, lend, sell, sublicense, or transfer your rights
• Use the Products and Services for any commercial purpose (resale, service-bureau use, etc.)
• Use the Products and Services in violation of any law
• Bypass safety guardrails or attempt to make Lantern behave outside its intended scope (see Acceptable Use)

5. Hardware Purchase Terms

If you purchase a Lantern device:

• Title: title to the hardware transfers to you upon full payment.
• Software: the Software embedded in the Device is licensed, not sold. Continued use requires accepting Software updates.
• Warranty: Lantern hardware carries a one (1) year limited warranty against manufacturing defects. Full warranty terms are in the Refund Policy.
• Returns: see refund-policy.md.
• Tax: sales tax is charged where required.

6. Subscriptions and Fees

Lantern is currently sold as a one-time hardware purchase with no recurring subscription. If Scout introduces optional subscription tiers in the future, those terms will be disclosed at point of purchase and will not apply retroactively to existing Lantern owners.

7. Privacy and Data

Your use of the Products and Services is governed by our Privacy Policy. You acknowledge that:

• Lantern captures voice, camera frames, and other content from your child during sessions.
• We process this content as described in the Privacy Policy.
• You have obtained any consents required from members of your household before using Lantern in shared spaces.

For research-cohort families, the Research Cohort Addendum applies.

8. AI Disclosure and Limitations

Lantern uses large language models from third-party providers. AI output:

• Is not reviewed by a human in real time. While our system has safety guardrails, the AI may occasionally produce inaccurate, inappropriate, or unhelpful responses.
• Is not a substitute for parental supervision. Lantern is a learning tool, not a babysitter or caregiver.
• Is not professional advice. Lantern does not provide medical, mental health, legal, financial, or other professional advice. If your child raises a topic that requires professional input, Lantern redirects to "talk to a trusted adult."
• Is not always accurate. Educational content generated by Lantern should be verified against authoritative sources for any high-stakes purpose.

Full AI disclosure is at ai-disclosure.md.

9. User Conduct and Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use Lantern in a manner that violates any law or regulation
• Attempt to make Lantern produce content that violates our Acceptable Use Policy
• Use the Products and Services to harass, abuse, or harm any person
• Upload or transmit any malicious code, virus, or other harmful component
• Interfere with the security or integrity of the Service
• Use automated means to access the Service without our prior written consent
• Use the Products and Services in violation of any third-party rights

We may suspend or terminate your account for violations of this section.

10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Scout's IP

Scout, Lantern, and all related trademarks, logos, software, content, and designs are owned by Scout or its licensors. These Terms do not transfer any IP rights to you except as expressly described in the license grant.

10.2 Your Content

You retain ownership of any content you provide directly (such as context notes about your child). By providing it to us, you grant Scout a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, copy, modify, and create derivative works of that content for the purpose of providing and improving the Products and Services.

10.3 AI Output

Output generated by Lantern during your sessions is provided to you for your personal, non-commercial use. Scout retains no IP claim on Output specific to your session. Scout retains all rights in the Software and AI models that produce Output.

10.4 Copyright Infringement Claims

See dmca.md for our copyright complaint procedure.

11. Termination

You may terminate by deleting your Parent App account at any time. Scout may suspend or terminate your access for violations of these Terms, with reasonable notice except for emergencies (security incidents, ongoing harm, etc.).

Upon termination:

• We delete your child's data per the Privacy Policy and your last-given preferences.
• We retain consent records and audit logs as required by law.
• Sections 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of these Terms survive.

12. Disclaimers

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THESE TERMS AND TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY. SCOUT DISCLAIMS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE.

Scout makes no warranty that the Products and Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components. Scout makes no warranty that any defects in the Products and Services will be corrected.

Educational outcomes. Scout makes no guarantee that use of Lantern will produce any specific learning outcome, reading improvement, test-score improvement, or other educational result. Lantern is a tool to support a child's practice; outcomes depend on many factors outside Scout's control.

AI output. You acknowledge that Lantern relies on third-party large language models that may produce inaccurate, unhelpful, or inappropriate responses despite Scout's safety guardrails. You should not rely on Lantern for medical, legal, financial, mental health, or other professional advice, and should verify any high-stakes educational content against authoritative sources.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties. To the extent such exclusions are not permitted, those exclusions do not apply to you, and your remedies are limited to those expressly provided by law.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, SCOUT'S TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES — WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER THEORY — SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO SCOUT FOR THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100.00).

IN NO EVENT WILL SCOUT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF USE, OR COSTS OF SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS, EVEN IF SCOUT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Carve-outs. The limitations above do not apply to: (i) Scout's gross negligence, willful misconduct, or fraud; (ii) liability that cannot be limited under applicable consumer protection laws; or (iii) Scout's obligations to honor verifiable parental consent requests under COPPA and applicable children's privacy laws.

California Civil Code §1542 waiver. If you are a California resident, you understand that California Civil Code §1542 generally provides that a general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in their favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by them would have materially affected their settlement with the debtor or released party. To the extent permitted by law, you waive §1542 with respect to any release given under these Terms.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. To the extent such limitations are not permitted, the limitations above do not apply to you and your remedies are limited to those expressly provided by law.

14. Indemnification

Your indemnification of Scout. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Scout, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any third-party claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) your misuse of the Products and Services; (c) your violation of any law or third-party right; or (d) any content you provide that infringes a third party's rights.

Scout's indemnification of you. Scout will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless you from any third-party claim that the Products and Services, as provided by Scout and used in accordance with these Terms, infringe a U.S. patent, copyright, trademark, or trade secret of a third party. Scout's obligation does not apply to claims arising from: (i) your modification of the Products and Services; (ii) combination of the Products and Services with anything not provided by Scout; or (iii) your use of the Products and Services in violation of these Terms or applicable law.

Procedure. The indemnifying party will: (a) promptly notify the other party of the claim in writing; (b) give the other party sole control of the defense and settlement; and (c) reasonably cooperate. The indemnifying party will not settle any claim without the other party's prior written consent if the settlement requires the other party to admit liability or pay any amount.

15. Dispute Resolution

Step 1: Informal resolution. Before filing any claim, you agree to first contact Scout at legal@lanternlearning.io with a written description of the dispute and your contact information. Scout and you will attempt to resolve the dispute through good-faith negotiation for thirty (30) days from receipt of the notice.

Step 2: Binding arbitration (with consumer carve-outs). If informal resolution fails, any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Products and Services (excluding the carve-outs below) shall be resolved through binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules and, where applicable, the Mass Arbitration Supplementary Rules and Fee Schedule. The arbitration will be conducted in English, and the arbitrator's decision will be final and enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class action waiver. You and Scout each agree to bring claims only in your or its individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. This waiver does not apply where prohibited by applicable law.

Carve-outs from arbitration. The following are not subject to mandatory arbitration: (a) small claims court actions within the court's jurisdictional limit; (b) injunctive or other equitable relief to stop unauthorized use or abuse of the Products and Services or violation of intellectual property rights; (c) COPPA-related parent rights and complaints, which may be brought directly to the Federal Trade Commission, a state attorney general, or any FTC-approved Safe Harbor program; and (d) claims that cannot be subject to arbitration under applicable law.

Governing law. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Wyoming, USA, excluding its conflict-of-laws principles. The federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and applicable state children's privacy laws apply regardless of the choice-of-law provision.

Venue (for non-arbitrable claims). For any claim not subject to arbitration, you and Scout consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Teton County, Wyoming, except where federal COPPA enforcement, a parent's statutory rights, or other applicable law requires a different forum.

Children-specific carve-out. Nothing in this Section 15 limits a parent's right to pursue COPPA-based complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (reportfraud.ftc.gov), a state attorney general, or any FTC-approved Safe Harbor program.

30-day opt-out from arbitration. You may opt out of the arbitration and class-action waiver provisions of this Section 15 by sending written notice to legal@lanternlearning.io within thirty (30) days of your first acceptance of these Terms. The opt-out applies only to those provisions; the remainder of these Terms continues to apply.

16. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms by:

1. Posting the updated Terms with a new effective date.
2. Notifying you at the email address on file at least thirty (30) days before the change takes effect.
3. Requiring re-acceptance through the Parent App for material changes.

Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

17. Miscellaneous

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect, and the unenforceable provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable while preserving the parties' intent.

Entire agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Children's Privacy Policy, Direct Notice, Acceptable Use Policy, AI Disclosure, and any addenda (including the Research Cohort Addendum where applicable), constitute the entire agreement between you and Scout regarding the Products and Services and supersede all prior agreements on the same subject matter.

No waiver. Scout's failure to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of that provision or of any other provision.

Assignment. Scout may assign these Terms or any of its rights or obligations to an affiliate, successor in interest, or in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of substantially all of its assets. You may not assign these Terms or your rights or obligations without Scout's prior written consent; any unauthorized assignment is void.

Force majeure. Scout is not liable for any delay or failure to perform caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, war, terrorism, civil unrest, government action, labor disputes, internet or telecommunications outages, supply chain failures, or natural disasters. Scout will use commercially reasonable efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable.

Notices. Scout may notify you by email at the address on your Parent App account, by in-app notification, by posting on lanternlearning.io or the consent app, or by any other reasonable means. You may notify Scout by emailing legal@lanternlearning.io or by mail to Scout Learning Lab LLC, 65 Mission Trail Rd, Woodside, CA 94062.

Government end users. If you are a U.S. Government end user, the Products and Services are "commercial computer software" and "commercial computer software documentation" pursuant to FAR 12.212 and DFARS 227.7202. The Products and Services are licensed to U.S. Government end users only as commercial items and only with the rights granted to all other end users under these Terms.

Export controls. You agree not to export, re-export, or transfer the Products and Services or any related technology in violation of U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations and sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

No third-party beneficiaries. Except as expressly stated, these Terms do not create any third-party beneficiary rights.

Headings. Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

18. Contact

Questions about these Terms: legal@lanternlearning.io Privacy inquiries: privacy@lanternlearning.io Address: 65 Mission Trail Rd, Woodside, CA 94062

Questions? Email privacy@lanternlearning.io. To file a complaint, contact the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or your state attorney general.