Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

BrightBe One ("we", "our", "us") is an online 1-on-1 tutoring service operated by Mercy Global Education LLC, a company registered in Florida, USA. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect personal information of our users.

We serve students, parents/guardians, and tutors worldwide, with a focus on the United States. We are committed to protecting children's privacy and complying with applicable laws including COPPA, GDPR, CCPA, and Japan's APPI.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information you provide directly

When you create an account or use our service, we may collect:

• For tutors: Legal name, date of birth, email, phone, address, government-issued ID, professional qualifications, teaching experience, intro video, profile photo, hourly rate, availability schedule, payment account details (PayPal/Wise/bank)
• For parents/guardians: Name, email, phone, payment information (processed via Stripe)
• For students: Name (may be a nickname), age or grade level, learning preferences, subjects of interest
• Communications: Messages between users, customer support inquiries, feedback

2.2 Information collected automatically

• Device information (browser, OS, IP address, device type)
• Usage data (pages visited, features used, time spent)
• Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 9)
• Lesson session data (Zoom recordings if enabled, lesson duration)

2.3 Children's information (COPPA notice)

For students under 13 years old:

• We collect only the minimum information needed to provide the service
• A parent or legal guardian must create the account and provide verifiable parental consent
• We do not require children to provide more information than is reasonably necessary
• Parents can review, modify, or delete their child's information at any time

3. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our tutoring service
• Match students with appropriate tutors
• Process payments and payouts
• Send service-related communications (lesson reminders, account notifications)
• Provide customer support
• Verify tutor credentials and identity
• Prevent fraud and ensure platform safety
• Comply with legal obligations
• Send marketing communications (only with consent; you can opt out anytime)
• Analyze usage to improve our service

4. Information Sharing

With other users: Tutor profiles (name, photo, bio, video) are visible to parents browsing tutors. Student first name and grade level may be shared with their matched tutor.

With service providers:

• Stripe (US): Payment processing
• Supabase (US): Database and authentication hosting
• Resend (US): Email delivery
• Cloudflare (Global): Video hosting and CDN
• Zoom (US): Video conferencing

These providers process data on our behalf under contractual obligations to protect it.

We do NOT sell personal information to third parties.

5. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). For children under 13:

• Parental consent required: A parent or guardian must create the account and provide verifiable parental consent before we collect any information from a child
• Limited collection: We collect only what is reasonably necessary for the tutoring service
• No behavioral advertising: We do not use children's information for targeted advertising
• Safety measures: All tutors are manually verified, including ID checks where applicable

To exercise these rights, contact hello@brightbelearning.com.

6. Data Security & Storage

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS)
• Encrypted password storage
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security reviews

However, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data retention: We keep your information as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. After account deletion, we may retain certain information for legal, tax, or legitimate business purposes.

7. International Data Transfers

BrightBe One is operated from the United States. By using our service, you understand that your information will be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States.

For EU/UK users (GDPR): We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and other legal mechanisms to transfer data outside the EU/UK lawfully.

For Japan users: Data may be transferred to the United States and other countries where our service providers operate.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

All users: Access your personal information, correct inaccurate information, delete your account and information, export your data.

EU/UK users (GDPR): Object to processing, restrict processing, data portability, withdraw consent, lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

California users (CCPA/CPRA): Know what personal information is collected, delete personal information, opt-out of "sale" (we do not sell), non-discrimination for exercising rights.

To exercise any right, contact hello@brightbelearning.com.

9. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

• Authentication and session management
• Remembering preferences (language, settings)
• Analytics (Google Analytics, with anonymization)
• Marketing (Meta Pixel)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may limit some features.

10. Updates & Contact

We may update this Privacy Policy. Material changes will be notified via email or prominent notice on our service. Continued use after changes means acceptance.

Email: hello@brightbelearning.com

Mailing address: Mercy Global Education LLC, c/o Northwest Registered Agent LLC, 7901 4TH ST N STE 300, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33702, USA