Privacy Policy | Candice Mandarin Tutor - How We Protect Your Data

Last Updated: November 14, 2025

Introduction

Welcome to Candice Mandarin Tutor (“we,” “our,” or “us”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website candicemandarintutor.com and use our Mandarin tutoring services.

By using our website and services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our website and services:

1. Information You Provide Directly

When you fill out our contact form or communicate with us, we collect the following information:

Full Name: To address you personally and maintain our communication records
Email Address: To respond to your inquiries and send you information about our services
Country: To understand your timezone and regional context for lesson scheduling
Age: To tailor our teaching approach and materials to age-appropriate content
Subject/Inquiry Type: To route your message to the appropriate response category
Current Chinese Level: To understand your learning background and provide relevant recommendations
Message Content: Your learning goals, questions, and any other information you choose to share

2. Payment Information

When you book lessons or make payments, we use Wise (formerly TransferWise) as our third-party payment processor. We do NOT store your:

Credit card numbers
Banking information
Payment credentials

Wise processes all payment information directly through their secure platform. We only receive confirmation of successful transactions and basic transaction details (amount, date, transaction ID). Please refer to Wise’s Privacy Policy for information about how they handle your payment data.

3. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is automatically collected, including:

Log Data: Your IP address, browser type, browser version, pages visited, time and date of visit, time spent on pages, and other diagnostic data
Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our website and hold certain information. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent
Device Information: Information about the device you use to access our website, including device type, operating system, and unique device identifiers

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Providing Services

Responding to your inquiries and questions
Scheduling and conducting Mandarin lessons
Customizing lesson content based on your level and goals
Providing learning materials and resources
Tracking your learning progress
Communicating important updates about your lessons

Improving Our Services

Understanding how visitors use our website
Analyzing user preferences to improve content and resources
Developing new teaching materials and courses
Testing new features and functionality

Communication

Sending you lesson confirmations and reminders
Providing customer support
Sending educational content and blog updates (only if you’ve opted in)
Notifying you about changes to our services or policies

Legal and Security

Complying with legal obligations
Protecting our rights and property
Preventing fraud or abuse
Ensuring the security of our website and services

How We Share Your Information

We do NOT sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and providing our services. These providers have access to your information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated to protect your information:

Wise: Payment processing (see their Privacy Policy)
Email Service Provider: For sending communications (if applicable)
Web Hosting Provider: For hosting our website and storing data securely
Video Conferencing Platform: For conducting online lessons (e.g., Zoom, Skype – their respective privacy policies apply)

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., court orders, government agencies).

Business Transfers

If our business is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will provide notice before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
Secure servers with restricted access
Regular security audits and updates
Password protection and access controls
Secure backup systems

However, please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Contact Form Inquiries: We retain your contact information and message content for up to 2 years after your last interaction with us
Student Records: For active students, we retain your information throughout our teaching relationship and for up to 3 years after your last lesson for record-keeping purposes
Payment Records: Transaction records are retained for 7 years to comply with tax and accounting requirements
Website Analytics: Anonymized usage data is retained for up to 26 months

After these retention periods, we will securely delete or anonymize your personal information.

Your Rights and Choices

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

Access and Portability

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

Correction

You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information we have about you.

Deletion

You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions (e.g., we may need to retain information for tax purposes).

Objection and Restriction

You have the right to object to our processing of your personal information or request that we restrict processing in certain circumstances.

Withdraw Consent

Where we rely on your consent to process your information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

Opt-Out of Communications

You can opt out of receiving promotional emails from us by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email or by contacting us directly. Please note that you cannot opt out of service-related communications (e.g., lesson confirmations, policy updates).

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

Email: cn@ninazengconstructiongmail-com
Contact Form: candicemandarintutor.com/contact

We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. A cookie is a small data file stored on your device.

Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function properly (e.g., session management)
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (e.g., Google Analytics)
Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings

Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

View and delete cookies
Block third-party cookies
Block cookies from specific sites
Block all cookies
Delete all cookies when you close your browser

Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may impact your experience on our website and limit certain functionality.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including:

Wise payment platform
Social media platforms
Educational resources and tools
External articles and references

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

Children’s Privacy

Our services are available to learners of all ages, including minors under 18. If you are under 18, you should have your parent or guardian’s permission before providing any personal information to us.

If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country.

When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws.

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know: You can request information about the personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
Right to Delete: You can request deletion of your personal information
Right to Opt-Out: You can opt out of the sale of personal information (Note: We do NOT sell personal information)
Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the “Contact Us” section below.

European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Right of access to your personal data
Right to rectification of inaccurate data
Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”)
Right to restriction of processing
Right to data portability
Right to object to processing
Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your country.

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

Contract: Processing is necessary to perform our contract with you (providing tutoring services)
Consent: You have given explicit consent for specific processing activities
Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (e.g., improving our services, fraud prevention)
Legal Obligation: Processing is required to comply with legal obligations

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page
Notify you via email if the changes are significant (for active students)
Post a notice on our website homepage for 30 days

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after changes are made constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Candice Mandarin Tutor

Email: [[email protected]]

Contact Form: candicemandarintutor.com/contact

Response Time: We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days

Data Protection Officer

For privacy matters, you can contact our Data Protection Officer at: