Student Safety & Compliance: Use Organization Accounts

Why Students Should Use Organization Accounts on Cloud Stop Motion

Cloud Stop Motion is loved by schools, students, and creative individuals around the world. While we offer both individual and organization accounts, it’s important to understand why students must be part of an organization account when using Cloud Stop Motion in an educational setting.

Free Individual Accounts Are Not for Classroom Use

As stated in our Terms of Service:

"Free individual accounts are not available for educational use and therefore students must be added to organization accounts."

If a student uses a personal account for school use, it may be:

  • Merged into their school’s organization account

  • Invoiced appropriately

  • Subject to removal or deletion

Why This Matters

🔒 COPPA Compliance: Why It Matters

If your students are under 13, COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) applies.

  • When students are part of an organization account, the school provides consent on behalf of parents, as permitted under COPPA.

  • When students create individual free accounts, Cloud Stop Motion must rely on direct parental consent.

If students use personal accounts for school without parental consent, COPPA protections may not apply — and the account may be subject to removal for non-compliance.

✅ Organization Accounts Offer Educational Protections

  • Teachers and admins can manage users, projects, and access

  • Students benefit from a controlled, safeguarded environment

  • Schools stay compliant with data protection and safeguarding requirements

❌ Individual Accounts Lack Oversight

  • No teacher/admin visibility

  • No moderation or content control

  • No project protection or student safety features

What Happens If You Use a Personal Account for School?

Aside from violating the Terms of Service, students using personal accounts may be missing important protections designed for educational use. There is no admin oversight, no ability for schools to manage project data, and no guarantee of COPPA compliance.

The Solution: Use an Organization Account

Creating a school organization account is free and gives you access to:

  • Full user and project management tools

  • Google or Microsoft SSO for fast student login

  • Better control over privacy, safeguarding, and educational settings

Get started here: Getting Started with the Cloud Stop Motion Organization Console

If you're an educator or IT lead with students using personal accounts, we highly recommend making the switch today.