Privacy Policy
Tutornet (“we”, “us”) helps students and tutors find and book local tutoring sessions. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.
1. Information we collect
- Account information — name, email, role (student/tutor), school or university details, subjects, bio, rates, and availability you provide.
- Authentication data — if you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive basic profile details those providers share with your permission (such as name and email). For Google Sign-In, Tutornet only uses this to create or sign in to your Tutornet account. We do not request Gmail, Drive, Contacts, or other Google content, and we do not use Google account data for advertising.
- Location — location you choose so we can show nearby tutors. We also store the university campus you select so we can suggest public meeting places nearby (not your home pin).
- Photos — profile photos you upload.
- Session and messaging data — booking requests, session details (including a meeting place you choose), reviews, and in-app messages.
- Device information — push notification tokens and basic device/app info needed to deliver notifications and keep the service reliable.
- Identity verification (tutors) — if you choose to verify, we collect the result of a government ID / passport check and a live selfie. The scan itself is performed by our identity provider, Persona. We store verification status (for example verified or rejected) and Persona’s inquiry ID so we can show a Verified badge and handle support requests. We do not store copies of your ID document or selfie on Tutornet servers.
2. Why we collect it
- Create and manage your account
- Match students with tutors and support booking
- Send transactional emails (account confirmation, security, booking-related notices)
- Send push notifications you enable
- Improve safety, prevent abuse, and troubleshoot issues
- Verify tutor identity when you request a Verified badge
- Show maps so you can pick a nearby meeting place
- Comply with legal obligations
3. Who we share it with
We do not sell your personal information. We share data only as needed to run Tutornet:
- Other users — profile details needed for tutoring and session participants
- Service providers — hosting/database (Supabase), email delivery (Resend), authentication providers (Google/Apple when you choose them), identity verification (Persona, for tutors who verify), maps (Apple Maps on iOS; Google Maps SDK on Android), place suggestions (Google Places API, for public cafés and libraries near a campus), push delivery (Apple Push Notification service and Firebase Cloud Messaging via Expo), and app infrastructure (including Expo / EAS builds)
- Payment processors — when in-app payments are enabled, card data is handled by the processor (we do not store full card numbers)
- Legal reasons — if required by law or to protect users and the service
4. Cookies and similar tech
The Tutornet mobile app uses local storage/session tokens required to keep you signed in. Our website currently does not use Google Analytics, advertising pixels, or non-essential tracking cookies. If we add analytics later, we will update this policy and, where required, show a consent banner with a real reject option.
5. Emails
- Transactional — confirmation, security, and account/session notices related to using Tutornet
- Marketing — we will not send marketing emails unless you opt in; every marketing email will include a working unsubscribe link
6. How long we keep data
We keep account and session-related information while your account is active and as needed to provide the service, resolve disputes, and meet legal requirements. When you delete your account, we delete your auth account and associated profile data. Persona may retain verification records according to its own retention policy.
7. Your choices / deletion
- Update profile information in the app
- Control location and notification permissions in device settings
- Delete your account in the app: Profile → Settings → Delete account
- Or email admin@tutornet.app from the address on your account. See how to delete your account.
8. Security
We use industry-standard safeguards. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.
9. Children’s privacy
Tutornet is intended for users who can create an account under applicable law. Contact us if you believe a child provided personal information inappropriately.
10. Changes
We may update this policy. We will post the updated version here and revise the “Last updated” date.
11. Maps
On iOS, meeting-place picking uses Apple Maps. On Android, it uses the Google Maps SDK, which requires a Google API key in the Android app binary. Nearby study-spot suggestions use the Google Places API (New). We cache place names, coordinates, and opening hours for about 30 days near the student’s selected campus so we do not look them up on every screen open. Google Place IDs may be stored longer. Location is used to help you choose a nearby public meeting place and to show nearby tutors. Business owners can request removal at admin@tutornet.app.
12. Contact
Privacy questions: admin@tutornet.app