Privacy Policy

Last Updated: July 30, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Tafawwaq, an online marketplace connecting students with private tutors for personalized one-on-one tutoring sessions. Tafawwaq (referred to herein as “Tafawwaq,” "the Platform," "we," "us," or "our") is operated by Karajeh group FZE, a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Sharjah.

This Privacy Policy describes how Tafawwaq collects, uses, processes, and discloses your personal information in connection with your access to and use of the Tafawwaq website, including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through www.tafawwaq.com (the "Website"), whether as a guest or a registered user. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in a transparent and secure manner.

By accessing or using the Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy, our Terms and Conditions, and Cancellation and Refund policies. If you do not agree with the practices described in this Privacy Policy, you must not access or use the Website.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Your continued use of the Platform after any modifications to this Privacy Policy will constitute your acknowledgment of the modifications and your consent to abide and be bound by the modified Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors, users, and others who access or use the Service ("Users").

2. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information from and about Users of our Platform, including information that may directly or indirectly identify you ("Personal Information"). We collect this information to provide and improve our Services, to communicate with you, and to ensure the security and integrity of our Platform.

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect information that you directly provide to us when you register for an Account, use our Services, or communicate with us. This includes:

  • Account Information: When you create an Account, we collect your name, email address, password, and role (Student or Tutor). Tutors may also provide additional details such as qualifications, experience, educational background, a profile picture, and more.
  • Profile Information: You may choose to provide additional information for your public profile, such as a biography, subjects of expertise, teaching methodology, and availability.
  • Communication Information: When you communicate with us (e.g., customer support inquiries, feedback, surveys) or with other Users through the Platform (e.g., chat messages, virtual whiteboard interactions), we collect the content of these communications.
  • Payment Information: When you make or receive payments through the Platform, our third-party payment processors collect payment card details or other financial account information. Tafawwaq does not directly store your full payment card details but receives limited information about transactions (e.g., last four digits of card, transaction ID).
  • Lesson Information: Details related to tutoring sessions, including scheduled times, duration, subjects, and any notes or materials exchanged during the session.
  • Verification Information: For Tutors, we may collect information necessary for identity verification, background checks, and qualification assessments, which may include government-issued identification, educational certificates, and criminal record checks.

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you access and use the Platform, we automatically collect certain information about your device and your activity. This information helps us understand how our Services are used and to improve your experience.

  • Usage Data: Information about your interactions with the Platform, such as the pages or content you view, the features you use, the time and date of your visits, the duration of your sessions, and your navigation paths. This includes booking history, session attendance, and communication patterns.
  • Device Information: Information about the device you use to access the Platform, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and mobile network information.
  • Log Data: Server logs that automatically record information when you access or use our Services, such as your IP address, access dates and times, browser type and settings, and the page you visited before navigating to our Platform.
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities, remember your preferences, and personalize your experience. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. You can control the use of cookies through your browser settings, but disabling them may affect the functionality of the Platform.
  • Session Recordings: Live Tutoring Sessions conducted through the Platform may be recorded (audio and video) for quality assurance, dispute resolution, and for the Student's personal review and revision purposes. We collect and store these recordings.

2.3 Information We Collect from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, such as our business partners, service providers, and publicly available sources. This includes:

  • Social Login Providers: If you choose to register or log in using third-party services like Google or Facebook, we receive certain profile information from these services (e.g., name, email address, social ID) as authorized by you and the third-party service.
  • Payment Processors: We receive confirmation of payments and transaction details from our payment processing partners.
  • Background Check Providers: For Tutors, we may receive information from third-party background check services as part of our verification process.
  • Analytics Providers: We may receive aggregated or anonymized data from analytics providers about user behavior on our Platform.

3. How We Use Your Information

Tafawwaq uses the information we collect for various purposes, primarily to provide, maintain, protect, and improve our Services, and to develop new ones. Below are the specific ways we use your Personal Information:

3.1 To Provide and Maintain Our Services

  • Account Management: To create and manage your Account, verify your identity, and provide you with access to the Platform and its features.
  • Facilitating Tutoring Sessions: To enable Students to find and book Tutors, and for Tutors to offer and conduct sessions. This includes scheduling, communication, and access to the virtual classroom.
  • Payment Processing: To process payments for tutoring services, manage billing, and disburse payouts to Tutors.
  • Communication: To send you transactional messages, such as booking confirmations, payment receipts, password reset instructions, and important service updates via email and, where applicable, WhatsApp.
  • Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries, provide technical support, and resolve issues you may encounter.

3.2 To Improve and Personalize Our Services

  • Service Enhancement: To understand how Users interact with our Platform, identify areas for improvement, and develop new features and functionalities.
  • Personalization: To tailor your experience on the Platform, such as recommending Tutors to Students, or suggesting relevant learning materials.
  • Research and Development: To conduct research and analysis to improve our educational offerings, teaching methodologies, and platform technology.

3.3 For Safety and Security

  • Fraud Prevention: To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities.
  • Security Measures: To protect the security and integrity of our Platform, systems, and data.
  • Dispute Resolution: To investigate and resolve disputes between Users, or between Users and Tafawwaq.
  • Compliance: To comply with our legal obligations, enforce our Terms and Conditions, and protect the rights, property, and safety of Tafawwaq, our Users, and the public.

3.4 For Marketing and Promotional Purposes

  • Marketing Communications: To send you marketing and promotional communications about Tafawwaq's services, offers, and news that may be of interest to you, in accordance with your communication preferences. This may include using email services like MailerLite for marketing campaigns.
  • Personalized Advertising: To deliver targeted advertisements to you based on your interests and usage patterns.
  • Surveys and Feedback: To request your participation in surveys or to gather feedback on your experience with the Platform.

3.5 Session Recordings

Session recordings are used for:

  • Quality Assurance: To monitor and improve the quality of tutoring services provided on the Platform.
  • Dispute Resolution: To review and resolve any disputes or complaints that may arise regarding a Session.
  • Student Revision: To allow Students to review and re-watch their Sessions for revision and learning purposes.
  • Internal Training: For internal training and development of Tutors and Tafawwaq staff.

3.6 Aggregated and Anonymized Data

We may aggregate and/or anonymize data collected through the Services so that it can no longer be linked to you or your device. We may use and share such aggregated and/or anonymized data for any purpose, including for research and analytics, and to improve and promote our Services, as it does not constitute Personal Information under applicable data protection laws.

4. How We Share Your Information

Tafawwaq may share your Personal Information with third parties in various circumstances, as described below. We do not sell your Personal Information to third parties.

4.1 With Other Users

  • Tutor Profiles: Information provided by Tutors in their public profiles (e.g., name, qualifications, subjects, rates, availability, reviews) is shared with Students to facilitate booking decisions.
  • Student Information to Tutors: When a Student books a session, limited information (e.g., Student's name, subject interest, session time) may be shared with the Tutor to facilitate the session.
  • Session Content: During Live Tutoring Sessions, the content of your interactions (audio, video, virtual whiteboard) is shared between the Student and Tutor. Session recordings are accessible to the participating Student for review.

4.2 With Our Service Providers

We engage various third-party service providers to perform functions on our behalf and to assist us in providing, maintaining, and improving our Services. These service providers have access to your Personal Information only to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose. These include:

  • Payment Processors: For handling payment transactions.
  • Cloud Hosting and Storage Providers: For data storage and infrastructure.
  • Communication Services: For sending emails and WhatsApp messages.
  • Analytics Providers: For analyzing Platform usage and performance.
  • Identity Verification and Background Check Providers: For verifying Tutor identities and conducting background checks.
  • Video Conferencing Providers: For facilitating live tutoring sessions.

4.3 For Legal Reasons and to Prevent Harm

We may disclose your Personal Information if we believe it is reasonably necessary to:

  • Comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
  • Enforce our Terms and Conditions, including investigation of potential violations.
  • Detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security, or technical issues.
  • Protect the rights, property, or safety of Tafawwaq, our Users, or the public as required or permitted by law.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event that Tafawwaq is involved in a merger, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your Personal Information may be sold or transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your Personal Information becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

4.5 Aggregated and Anonymized Data

We may share aggregated or anonymized information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you with third parties for various purposes, including business or research purposes, and to improve our Services. This type of information does not constitute Personal Information.

5. Data Security

Tafawwaq is committed to protecting the security of your Personal Information. We implement and maintain a variety of reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the information we collect from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. These measures include:

  • Encryption: We use encryption technologies (e.g., SSL/TLS) to protect data transmitted between your browser and our servers.
  • Access Controls: Access to Personal Information is restricted to authorized employees, contractors, and agents who need to know that information in order to process it for us, and who are subject to strict contractual confidentiality obligations.
  • Secure Storage: Personal Information is stored on secure servers with robust security measures, including firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
  • Regular Audits and Assessments: We regularly review our information collection, storage, and processing practices, including physical security measures, to prevent unauthorized access to systems.
  • Third-Party Security: We select third-party service providers who also implement strong security measures and comply with relevant data protection standards.

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Information, it is important to understand that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. You also play a crucial role in protecting your data by choosing a strong, unique password for your Tafawwaq Account and keeping it confidential. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your Account credentials.

6. Data Retention

Tafawwaq retains your Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The specific retention periods depend on the type of data and the purpose for which it is used.

Generally, we will retain your Personal Information for the duration of your active Account on the Platform. Upon Account termination, we may retain certain information for a limited period to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and for legitimate business purposes such as auditing and record-keeping.

For example:

  • Account Data: We retain your Account information for as long as your Account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to allow for reactivation or to comply with legal obligations.
  • Session Recordings: Session recordings may be retained for a period necessary for quality assurance, dispute resolution, and student revision, typically for 12 months.
  • Transaction Data: Financial transaction records are retained for periods required by tax and accounting laws.
  • Communication Data: Communications with customer support may be retained for a period to help us resolve future inquiries and improve our service.

When we no longer need your Personal Information, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with applicable laws and our data retention policies. If you request deletion of your Personal Information, we will endeavor to do so in a timely manner, subject to our legal and operational requirements.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction and applicable data protection laws, you may have certain rights regarding your Personal Information. Tafawwaq is committed to facilitating the exercise of these rights.

7.1 Accessing and Updating Your Information

You can review and update most of your Personal Information by logging into your Account settings on the Platform. We encourage you to keep your information accurate and current.

7.2 Right to Access (Right to Know)

You may have the right to request a copy of the Personal Information we hold about you. Upon request, we will provide you with information about whether we hold any of your Personal Information.

7.3 Right to Rectification (Correction)

You have the right to request that Tafawwaq correct any inaccurate or incomplete Personal Information we hold about you.

7.4 Right to Erasure (Right to Be Forgotten)

In certain circumstances, you may have the right to request the deletion of your Personal Information. This right is not absolute and may be subject to legal obligations or legitimate business interests that require us to retain certain data.

7.5 Right to Restrict Processing

You may have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your Personal Information in certain situations, such as when you contest the accuracy of the data or object to its processing.

7.6 Right to Data Portability

Where technically feasible, you may have the right to receive your Personal Information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit that data to another controller.

7.7 Right to Object

You have the right to object to the processing of your Personal Information for direct marketing purposes or when the processing is based on our legitimate interests.

7.8 Withdrawal of Consent

Where we rely on your consent to process your Personal Information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent.

7.9 Opting Out of Marketing Communications

You can opt out of receiving promotional emails from us by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in those emails. Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you non-promotional messages, such as those about your Account or our ongoing business relations.

7.10 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided in Section 10. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable law. To protect your privacy and security, we may take steps to verify your identity before granting access or making changes to your Personal Information.

8. Children's Privacy

Tafawwaq is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Information from a child under the age of 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible.

For Users between the ages of 13 and 18, use of the Platform is permitted only with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian, as outlined in our Terms and Conditions. Parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring their children's use of the Platform and ensuring their compliance with these policies.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under 13 has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us at support@tafawwaq.com so we can take appropriate action.

9. International Data Transfers

Tafawwaq operates globally, and your Personal Information may be stored and processed in any country where we have facilities or where we engage service providers. By using our Platform, you understand and agree that your Personal Information may be transferred to countries outside of your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws than those in your country.

We take appropriate measures to ensure that your Personal Information receives an adequate level of protection when transferred outside your jurisdiction. These measures may include implementing standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities (e.g., the European Commission for transfers from the EU/EEA), relying on the recipient’s Privacy Shield certification (for transfers to the US, if applicable), or other legally recognized transfer mechanisms.

By providing your Personal Information, you consent to any such transfers and processing in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Tafawwaq may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document. We may also notify you through other means, such as email or a prominent notice on our Platform, prior to the change becoming effective.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Your continued use of the Platform after any modifications to this Privacy Policy will constitute your acknowledgment of the modifications and your consent to abide and be bound by the modified Privacy Policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or your Personal Information, please contact us at:

Email: support@tafawwaq.com