musicing privacy policy
Your privacy matters to us.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal data Music_ing Limited ("we", "us", "our") collects when you use the music_ing Platform, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have. It also includes our Cookie Notice, which explains how we use cookies and similar tracking technologies.
We are the data controller for personal data processed through the Platform. This Policy applies to all users — Learners, Educators, and visitors to www.musicing.net.
1. Who We Are and How to Contact Us
1.1 Data controller: Music_ing Limited, registered in England and Wales, company number 17139708.
1.2 Privacy enquiries and rights requests: ben@musicing.net
1.3 You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at any time: ico.org.uk / 0303 123 1113. We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns before you contact the ICO.
2. What Personal Data We Collect
We collect personal data in the following categories:
Account and Profile Data
- Name, email address, date of birth (for age verification), profile photograph, biography, instrument(s) / genre(s), teaching experience and qualifications.
- For Educators: DBS/safeguarding clearance reference numbers (UK) or equivalent.
Transaction and Payment Data
- Subscription tier, payment history, booking records. Payment card data is processed by our payment provider (e.g. Stripe) and is not stored by us.
Usage and Technical Data
- IP address, browser type and version, device identifiers, operating system, pages visited, features used, session durations, clickstream data, and error logs.
Communications Data
- Messages exchanged between users on the Platform, support requests, and feedback submitted to us.
Session Content Data
- Where Sessions are recorded (with explicit consent from all participants), audio and/or video recordings and related transcripts.
Marketing Preferences
- Your opt-in/opt-out choices for marketing communications and notification preferences.
Special Category Data
- We do not intentionally collect special category data (e.g. health data, ethnicity). If you voluntarily share such information in a profile or message, you consent to our processing it solely for the purpose for which it was shared.
3. How We Use Your Personal Data — Lawful Bases
The table below sets out our processing activities and their lawful bases under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
4. Who We Share Your Data With
4.1 We do not sell your personal data. We share it only where necessary and with appropriate safeguards in place:
- Platform Educators / Learners: limited profile data is shared between matched users to facilitate Sessions (name, profile image, ratings).
- Payment processors (e.g. Stripe, GoCardless): to process subscription and session fees. Subject to their own privacy policies.
- Cloud infrastructure providers (e.g. AWS, Google Cloud): hosting and data storage under data processing agreements.
- Analytics providers (e.g. Google Analytics, Hotjar): anonymised / pseudonymised usage data under appropriate data processing agreements.
- Communication tools (e.g. email delivery services): for transactional and marketing emails where you have opted in.
- Legal and regulatory authorities: where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our users.
- Safeguarding bodies (NSPCC, IWF, law enforcement): where we are legally required or permitted to do so to protect minors.
4.2 Any third-party processors are bound by data processing agreements meeting UK GDPR requirements.
5. International Data Transfers
5.1 Some of our third-party providers are based outside the UK and EEA. Where we transfer personal data to countries not deemed adequate by the UK government, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:
- UK International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs) or Addendum to EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
- Adequacy decisions recognised by the UK Secretary of State.
5.2 You may request details of the specific safeguards applicable to any transfer by contacting us at info@musicing.net.
6. How Long We Keep Your Data
6.1 We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy, and in accordance with our legal obligations.
- Active account data: retained for the duration of your account.
- Transaction and financial records: 7 years from the date of transaction (Companies Act / HMRC requirements).
- Session recordings: 30 days from the date of the session, unless you request deletion or we are required to retain them for safeguarding purposes.
- Communications data: 12 months from last message, unless retained for legal or safeguarding reasons.
- Analytics data: up to 26 months in identifiable form; thereafter anonymised or deleted.
6.2 Following account deletion, we will delete or anonymise your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.
7. Your Rights Under UK GDPR
Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:
- Right of access: to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification: to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"): to request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations.
- Right to restriction: to limit how we use your personal data in certain circumstances.
- Right to data portability: to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Right to object: to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.
- Rights related to automated decision-making: to not be subject to purely automated decisions that produce significant effects.
7.1 To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@musicing.net. We will respond within one month (extendable to three months for complex requests). We will not charge a fee for most requests.
7.2 If you are a resident of the European Union, you may also exercise rights under the EU GDPR via the supervisory authority in your country of residence.
8. Children's Privacy
8.1 We take the privacy of young users seriously. Where users are aged 13–15, parental or guardian consent is required for registration. We apply enhanced safeguards to accounts of users under 18, including:
- Restricting profile visibility to authenticated users only.
- Disabling direct messaging with unverified Educators.
- Applying stricter content moderation to interactions involving minors.
8.2 We comply with the ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code (Children's Code) and have implemented privacy-by-default settings for all users aged under 18.
8.3 If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child under 13 without parental consent, please contact us immediately at privacy@musicing.net and we will take steps to delete it.
9. Security
9.1 We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, destruction or alteration. These include:
- Encryption of data in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest.
- Access controls and role-based permissions limiting data access to authorised personnel.
- Regular security assessments and penetration testing.
- Incident response procedures with ICO notification within 72 hours of a qualifying personal data breach.
9.2 No internet transmission is fully secure. While we take all reasonable steps to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information you transmit to us.
10. Cookie Notice
10.1 Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies and similar technologies (local storage, session storage, pixel tags) on the music_ing Platform.
10.2 On your first visit to the Platform, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner. You can accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or manage your preferences by category. You can also change your preferences at any time via the "Cookie Settings" link in the website footer.
10.3 Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. Note that rejecting certain cookies may limit Platform functionality.
The cookies we use are categorised as follows:
10.4 We use Google Analytics with IP anonymisation enabled. For more information on how Google processes analytics data, see: policies.google.com/privacy.
10.5 We do not use cross-site tracking cookies or share cookie data with advertising networks for the purpose of behavioural profiling without your explicit consent.
10.6 Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Visiting www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org provides guidance on how to manage cookies on your browser.
11. Third-Party Links and Integrations
11.1 The Platform may contain links to third-party websites and integrate with third-party services (e.g. calendar integrations, social login). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal data.
12. Changes to This Policy
12.1 We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. We will notify you of material changes by email or by a prominent notice on the Platform at least 14 days before they take effect.
12.2 The current version of this Policy is always available at www.musicing.net/privacy.
© Music_ing Limited 2026. All rights reserved. This document is protected by copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.