Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 13 May 2026 · DRAFT — pending legal review

1. Who we are

Shazly Academy (FZE) — شاذلى اكاديمى (م.م.ح) — a Free Zone Establishment licensed by SRTIP, Sharjah (, registered at Block C VL02-047, SRTIP, Sharjah, UAE) is the data controller for personal data collected through tutor.shazlyacademy.com. Our processing of personal data is governed by UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data ("PDPL"), and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Data we collect

From Students and Parents

  • Name, email, phone number, date of birth, country of residence;
  • For minors (under 18): parental contact details and proof of parental consent;
  • Profile picture (optional);
  • Payment data (handled by Stripe — we do not store card numbers);
  • Lesson booking history, attendance, ratings, written feedback;
  • Chat messages exchanged with Tutors (stored and monitored);
  • Video/audio recordings of Lessons (see Section 5);
  • Technical data: IP address, device type, browser, language settings.

From Tutors

The same general categories as above, plus: government-issued ID, teaching credentials, Certificate of Good Conduct (or equivalent), bank/payout details, qualifications, and references.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data to:

  • Operate the Platform and deliver booked Lessons;
  • Process payments and tutor payouts;
  • Verify tutor identities and qualifications;
  • Monitor and ensure the safety of all participants, including Students under 18;
  • Send transactional emails (booking confirmations, reminders, password resets);
  • Send marketing emails (only with your explicit consent — you may withdraw at any time);
  • Comply with legal obligations under UAE law;
  • Respond to safeguarding concerns and cooperate with law enforcement when required.

4. Lawful bases for processing

  • Contract — to deliver the booked Lesson and process payments;
  • Consent — for marketing communications and parental consent for minors;
  • Legal obligation — to comply with UAE PDPL, the Wadeema Law (Federal Law 3/2016 on Child Rights), and tax/accounting laws;
  • Legitimate interests — to ensure platform safety, prevent fraud, and improve our services.

5. Recording and AI monitoring

All Lessons are recorded and stored for at least 90 days as a safety measure. Chat messages are processed by an automated content-filtering system that detects:

  • Phone numbers, email addresses, and social-media handles (contact-exchange detection);
  • Profanity and abusive language;
  • Indicators of grooming behaviour;
  • External meeting links not associated with the Platform.

Recordings and flagged messages may be reviewed by our Designated Safeguarding Lead. We do not use recordings for marketing or commercial purposes.

6. Sharing your data

We share data only with:

  • Service providers — Stripe (payments), 8x8 Inc. (Jitsi as a Service for video), Google LLC (Workspace for email), AWS (hosting), all under contracts requiring data-protection compliance;
  • Law enforcement or regulators — only when legally required (e.g., UAE Public Prosecution, Ministry of Community Development under the Wadeema Law);
  • Professional advisors — lawyers, auditors under confidentiality.

We do not sell your personal data.

7. International transfers

Some of our service providers are located outside the UAE. We ensure adequate safeguards through Standard Contractual Clauses, the EU–US Data Privacy Framework, or equivalent mechanisms. Stripe transfers may pass through Ireland, the US, and other jurisdictions.

8. How long we keep your data

TypeRetention
Account dataUntil account deletion + 90 days
Lesson recordings90 days (longer if required by an investigation)
Chat messages2 years
Payment records7 years (UAE accounting law)
Tutor verification documentsLength of engagement + 2 years
Safeguarding incident reports7 years (or longer, per legal advice)

9. Your rights under UAE PDPL

You have the right to:

  • Access your personal data;
  • Request correction of inaccurate data;
  • Request deletion of your data (subject to legal-retention obligations);
  • Restrict or object to certain processing;
  • Data portability;
  • Withdraw consent at any time;
  • Lodge a complaint with the UAE Data Office.

To exercise these rights: admin@shazlyacademy.com. We respond within 30 days.

10. Children's privacy

We treat data of Students under 18 with particular care:

  • Parental consent is required at signup;
  • Minors' profile pictures and last names are not publicly visible;
  • Recordings of Lessons involving minors are available only to the linked Parent;
  • We do not process minor data for any marketing purpose.

In line with the Wadeema Law (Federal Law 3/2016), we maintain a Designated Safeguarding Lead who escalates suspected abuse to the UAE Ministry of Community Development and other relevant authorities.

11. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit, bcrypt-hashed passwords, server-side encryption at rest for recordings, multi-factor authentication for administrators, and network firewalls. No system is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security but we maintain a written incident-response plan.

12. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies. See our Cookie Policy for details.

13. Contact

Data Protection Officer: admin@shazlyacademy.com
Safeguarding Lead: safety@shazlyacademy.com


Shazly Academy (FZE) · شاذلى اكاديمى (Ù….Ù….Ø­)
Free Zone Establishment licensed by Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP)
Licence No. · Registered office: Block C VL02-047, SRTIP, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Authorised signatory: Abdullah Mohamed Mohamed Elshazly · Established 21 March 2024
Contact: admin@shazlyacademy.com · Safeguarding: safety@shazlyacademy.com

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