diff --git a/src/interface/pages/settings.svelte b/src/interface/pages/settings.svelte
index 5be5f0d2..bc1222db 100644
--- a/src/interface/pages/settings.svelte
+++ b/src/interface/pages/settings.svelte
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@
     closeExtensionPopup();
   };
 
+  const openPrivacyStatement = () => {
+    window.open("https://betterseqta.org/privacy", "_blank");
+    closeExtensionPopup();
+  };
+
   let { standalone } = $props<{ standalone?: boolean }>();
   let showColourPicker = $state<boolean>(false);
 
@@ -101,25 +106,34 @@
       />
 
       {#if !standalone}
-        <button
-          onclick={openAbout}
-          class="absolute top-1 right-[62px] w-8 h-8 text-lg rounded-xl font-IconFamily bg-zinc-100 dark:bg-zinc-700"
-        >
-          {"\ueb73"}
-        </button>
+        <div class="absolute top-1 right-1 flex items-center gap-2">
+          <button
+            onclick={openAbout}
+            class="w-8 h-8 text-lg rounded-xl font-IconFamily bg-zinc-100 dark:bg-zinc-700 flex items-center justify-center"
+          >
+            {"\ueb73"}
+          </button>
 
-        <button
-          onclick={openChangelog}
-          class="absolute top-1 right-10 w-8 h-8 text-lg rounded-xl font-IconFamily bg-zinc-100 dark:bg-zinc-700"
-        >
-          {"\ue929"}
-        </button>
+          <button
+            onclick={openPrivacyStatement}
+            class="w-8 h-8 text-lg rounded-xl font-IconFamily bg-zinc-100 dark:bg-zinc-700 flex items-center justify-center"
+            aria-label="Privacy Statement"
+          >
+            {"\uecba"}
+          </button>
 
-        <button
-          onclick={openMinecraftServer}
-          class="absolute top-1 right-1 w-8 h-8 bg-zinc-100 dark:bg-zinc-700 rounded-xl p-1"
-          aria-label="Open Minecraft Server"
-        >
+          <button
+            onclick={openChangelog}
+            class="w-8 h-8 text-lg rounded-xl font-IconFamily bg-zinc-100 dark:bg-zinc-700 flex items-center justify-center"
+          >
+            {"\ue929"}
+          </button>
+
+          <button
+            onclick={openMinecraftServer}
+            class="w-8 h-8 bg-zinc-100 dark:bg-zinc-700 rounded-xl p-1 flex items-center justify-center"
+            aria-label="Open Minecraft Server"
+          >
           <svg
             xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
             viewBox="0 0 64 70"
@@ -248,6 +262,7 @@
             />
           </svg>
         </button>
+        </div>
       {/if}
     </div>
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/monofile.ts b/src/plugins/monofile.ts
index 4a692dad..b595e869 100644
--- a/src/plugins/monofile.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/monofile.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,13 @@ export async function finishLoad() {
     console.error("Error during loading cleanup:", err);
   }
 
-  if (settingsState.justupdated && !document.getElementById("whatsnewbk")) {
+  // Show privacy statement notification on first open of this version (before what's new)
+  if (!settingsState.privacyStatementShown && !document.getElementById("privacy-notification")) {
+    showPrivacyNotification();
+    settingsState.privacyStatementShown = true;
+  }
+
+  if (settingsState.justupdated && !document.getElementById("whatsnewbk") && !document.getElementById("privacy-notification")) {
     OpenWhatsNewPopup();
   }
 }
@@ -601,6 +607,86 @@ export function showConflictPopup() {
   });
 }
 
+export function showPrivacyNotification() {
+  if (document.getElementById("privacy-notification")) return;
+
+  const background = document.createElement("div");
+  background.id = "privacy-notification";
+  background.classList.add("whatsnewBackground");
+  background.style.zIndex = "10000001";
+
+  const container = document.createElement("div");
+  container.classList.add("whatsnewContainer");
+  container.style.height = "auto";
+  container.style.maxWidth = "800px";
+  container.style.width = "90%";
+
+  const headerHTML = /* html */ `
+    <div class="whatsnewHeader">
+      <h1>Privacy Statement</h1>
+      <p>Important Information</p>
+    </div>
+  `;
+  const header = stringToHTML(headerHTML).firstChild;
+
+  const textHTML = /* html */ `
+    <div class="whatsnewTextContainer" style="overflow-y: auto; font-size: 1.3rem; line-height: 1.6;">
+      <p>
+        Several schools have expressed concerns about BetterSEQTA+. Security is at the core of what we do, and we would like to clarify any misinformation. As a Free, Libre, and Open Source software application, we ask you to thoroughly read our privacy policy and vet our code. We specifically want you to hold us accountable.
+      </p>
+      <p>
+        To view our privacy policy, please click the <strong>shield icon</strong> in the settings&nbsp;menu, or<a href="https://betterseqta.org/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" id="privacy-link" style="color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; cursor: pointer; white-space: nowrap;">&nbsp;click here</a>.
+      </p>
+      <p style="font-weight: bold; margin-top: 15px;">
+        We have never collected, are not collecting, and will never collect any personal information about any user. That is a guarantee.
+      </p>
+    </div>
+  `;
+  const text = stringToHTML(textHTML).firstChild;
+
+  const exitButton = document.createElement("div");
+  exitButton.id = "whatsnewclosebutton";
+
+  if (header) container.append(header);
+  if (text) container.append(text);
+  container.append(exitButton);
+
+  background.append(container);
+
+  document.getElementById("container")?.append(background);
+
+  if (settingsState.animations) {
+    animate([background as HTMLElement], { opacity: [0, 1] });
+  }
+
+  background.addEventListener("click", (event) => {
+    if (event.target === background) {
+      background.remove();
+      // Show what's new if it was waiting
+      if (settingsState.justupdated && !document.getElementById("whatsnewbk")) {
+        OpenWhatsNewPopup();
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  exitButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
+    background.remove();
+    // Show what's new if it was waiting
+    if (settingsState.justupdated && !document.getElementById("whatsnewbk")) {
+      OpenWhatsNewPopup();
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Handle privacy link click - ensure it opens in new tab
+  const privacyLink = document.getElementById("privacy-link");
+  if (privacyLink) {
+    privacyLink.addEventListener("click", (e) => {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      window.open("https://betterseqta.org/privacy", "_blank", "noopener,noreferrer");
+    });
+  }
+}
+
 export function init() {
   const handleDisabled = () => {
     waitForElm(".code", true, 50).then(AppendElementsToDisabledPage);
diff --git a/src/types/storage.ts b/src/types/storage.ts
index a085567d..5b6e7c1d 100644
--- a/src/types/storage.ts
+++ b/src/types/storage.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export interface SettingsState {
   subjectfilters: Record<string, any>;
   transparencyEffects: boolean;
   justupdated?: boolean;
+  privacyStatementShown?: boolean;
   timeFormat?: string;
   animations: boolean;
   defaultPage: string;