AskToTeach (“we”, “us”) runs the website asktoteach.com and the AskToTeach mobile app. We help learners in India find tutors, join classes, buy video tutorials and practise for exams. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, who we share it with and the choices you have. It follows India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the Information Technology Act, 2000 and its rules.
1. Data we collect
You give us
- Account details: name, email address, mobile number, password (stored only as a secure hash) and profile photo.
- Learner profile: class or level, board, exams you are preparing for, guardian’s name (optional) and your area (state, district, city, pincode).
- Tutor profile: headline, bio, qualifications, experience, subjects, fees, teaching modes, availability, teaching area and, for verification, a government ID or qualification documents.
- Bookings and classes: dates, times, the address for home tuition, and messages you exchange with tutors or learners.
- Reviews and ratings you write, questions you report, and answers you give in tests.
- Messages you send to our support team.
Collected automatically
- Your test attempts, scores and practice history (for results, streaks and leaderboards).
- A random device identifier stored in a cookie and a hashed (not readable) IP address, used to prevent fake reviews and abuse.
- Basic logs (pages requested, errors, browser or app version) to keep the service secure and working.
- Usage statistics through Google Analytics on the website (pages visited, approximate location, device type). It does not receive your name, email or phone number.
- On the app, a push notification token so we can send you notifications, if you allow them.
Payments
Payments are processed by Razorpay. You enter your card, UPI or bank details on Razorpay’s secure checkout; we never see or store them. We receive and keep the payment reference, amount and status.
2. Why we use it
- To create and secure your account, sign you in (including by one-time code sent by SMS) and keep you signed in.
- To show tutor profiles and help learners find tutors near them or online.
- To run bookings, classes, chats, tests, tutorials, payments, refunds and tutor payouts.
- To verify tutors’ identity and qualifications before they are marked as verified.
- To send you notifications about your bookings, classes, messages and payments by email, SMS or push notification.
- To prevent fraud, fake reviews and misuse, and to resolve disputes.
- To understand how the service is used and improve it.
- To meet legal duties, such as tax and accounting records.
We do not sell your personal data and we do not use it for third-party advertising.
3. What other users can see
- Tutors’ public profiles show their name, photo, headline, bio, subjects, fees, area (not the exact address), ratings and reviews.
- A tutor sees a learner’s name and the booking details. The learner’s phone number and home-tuition address are shown to the tutor only after the tutor accepts the booking.
- Class meeting links and venues are shown only to enrolled learners.
- Reviews you write show your name to the tutor and on their profile. Leaderboards show a short form of your name (for example “Ananya S.”) and your score.
4. Who we share data with
We share data only with service providers that help us run AskToTeach, and only what they need:
- Razorpay: payments, refunds and payouts.
- Our hosting and cloud storage providers: servers, database and file storage.
- Google: sign-in with Google (if you choose it), Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications, and Google Analytics.
- SMS and email providers: one-time codes and notifications.
- OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) or Google Maps: turning an area or pincode into a location.
- Jitsi Meet, YouTube or Vimeo: online classes and tutorial videos open on those services, under their own policies.
We may also disclose data when the law requires it, to protect users’ safety, or as part of a merger or sale of the business (the new owner would be bound by this policy).
5. How long we keep it
- Your account data: while your account exists. When you delete it, it is removed at once (see section 7).
- Booking, payment, refund and payout records: up to 8 years, as Indian tax and accounting law requires.
- Tutor ID documents: until verification is complete or your account is deleted.
- Security logs: up to 180 days.
6. Security
Data is sent over encrypted connections (HTTPS). Passwords are stored as hashes, sign-in codes are hashed and expire quickly, and ID documents are private files that only our verification team can open. No system is perfectly secure; if a breach affects you, we will tell you and the authorities as the law requires.
7. Your rights and choices
- See and correct your data in your profile on the website or app.
- Turn off push notifications in the app (Account → Push notifications) or in your phone’s settings.
- Delete your account at any time, in the app (Account → Delete account) or on the website at asktoteach.com/delete-account.
- Withdraw consent, ask what data we hold, or raise a complaint by writing to us (section 9).
8. Children
Many learners on AskToTeach are school students. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must create the account or agree to your use of it and should supervise bookings and payments. We do not knowingly use children’s data for tracking or targeted advertising. A parent who believes their child’s data was collected without consent can ask us to delete it.
9. Contact and grievance officer
For questions, data requests or complaints, email our Grievance Officer at [email protected]. We acknowledge complaints within 48 hours and resolve them within 30 days. If you are not satisfied, you may approach the Data Protection Board of India.
10. Changes
We may update this policy. The date at the top shows the latest version. If a change is significant we will tell you by email or in the app before it applies.