Privacy Policy

Last Updated: April 13, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to StudyHours. This Privacy Policy covers how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our platform. StudyHours is an online tutoring service connecting students with tutors for live video sessions. By using StudyHours, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

  • Personal identification: name, email address, profile photo, and phone number (verified via Twilio).
  • Payment information: transaction IDs and amounts. We do NOT store your credit or debit card details; these are handled securely by Razorpay.

Information collected automatically

We collect log and usage data when you access the platform, including your IP address, browser type, device info, and session activity.

Information from third parties

Authentication data: if you use social login (Google/GitHub), we receive authentication data from Clerk.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to maintain and improve our services, including:

  • Account creation and management.
  • Providing live tutoring services and video sessions.
  • Processing payments and managing billing.
  • Sending transactional emails (via Resend) and SMS verifications (via Twilio).
  • Improving platform functionality and monitoring performance (via Sentry).
  • Preventing fraud and abuse (via Cloudflare Turnstile).

4. Camera, Microphone & Session Recordings

Live tutoring sessions are conducted over a video service (Daily.co) and require access to the participant's camera and microphone. Your device will ask for permission before the camera or microphone is used, and access is only requested when you are about to join a session — never in the background.

Recordings are off by default. A session is only recorded when the student's parent or legal guardian has given explicit, opt-in consent. We do not rely on implied consent for recording a minor.

  • Parental consent: For students under 18, only a parent/guardian can enable recording, and they can withdraw that consent at any time from Profile → Settings. Withdrawal takes effect immediately and blocks any further recording.
  • In-session notice: All participants see a clear on-screen indicator during a session showing whether it may be recorded.
  • Purpose: Recordings exist so the student can review the lesson afterwards, and for safety and quality assurance.
  • Storage: Recordings are stored securely on Microsoft Azure Blob Storage and streamed through our servers; they are not publicly accessible.
  • Access: Access is limited to the enrolled student, their parent/guardian, the assigned tutor, and StudyHours support staff for dispute resolution.
  • Retention: Recordings are automatically deleted after 30 days.
  • Deletion: A parent/guardian may request earlier deletion of any recording of their child at any time.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our platform and hold certain information. This includes cookies for authentication (Clerk), analytics (Google Analytics GA4, Vercel Analytics), and functionality (Razorpay, Daily.co, Cloudflare Turnstile). For more details, please visit our Cookies Policy page.

6. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We share data with the following vendors to provide our services:

  • Clerk: Authentication and user identity
  • Razorpay: Payment processing (PCI-DSS compliant)
  • Daily.co: Video session delivery
  • Sentry: Error logs and performance monitoring
  • Resend: Transactional email delivery
  • Twilio: SMS delivery and phone verification
  • Azure: Secure file and recording storage
  • Google Analytics / Vercel Analytics: Anonymized usage analytics
  • Cloudflare: Bot protection and security

We do not sell personal data to third parties.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active plus a reasonable period thereafter for legitimate business or legal purposes. Payment records are retained as required by law. Session recordings are automatically deleted after 30 days.

8. Children's Privacy

The minimum age to use StudyHours is 13. If you are under 18, parental or guardian consent is required. Consent is obtained during the registration process. We do not knowingly collect data from children below the minimum age. If such data is discovered, it will be removed promptly. Please contact us to report any concerns.

9. Your Rights

You have rights regarding your personal data depending on your region:

  • All users: Access, correction, and deletion of data via account settings or by emailing support.
  • EU/EEA users (GDPR): Right to data portability, restriction of processing, objection, and lodging complaints with supervisory authorities.
  • California users (CCPA): Right to know, delete, and opt-out of sale (Note: we do not sell data).
  • India users (DPDP Act 2023): Right to access, correct, and erase data; right to grievance redressal.

10. Data Security

We use industry-standard security measures, including HTTPS, secure storage on Azure, and strict access controls. While we strive to protect your data, no system is 100% secure. Users are responsible for protecting their account credentials.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically. Significant changes will be announced via email or a banner on the platform. Continued use of our platform after changes constitutes acceptance.

12. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, please contact us at support@studyhours.com.