Privacy Policy

Last updated: December 10, 2025

Privacy Reminder

Please be mindful of what you share: While we take measures to protect your data, you are responsible for not posting sensitive personal information (phone numbers, addresses, financial details, etc.) in your public posts, comments, or profile. Information you choose to share publicly may be visible to other users.

Welcome to Yeshua Word Fellowship (hereinafter referred to as "we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use our Bible study platform.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

  • Registration Data: Username, email address, and password (hashed)
  • Profile Information: Optional profile details you choose to provide
  • Authentication Data: Login timestamps and session information

1.2 User-Generated Content

  • Bible Notes: Personal notes you create on Bible verses
  • Comments: Verse-level and chapter-level comments and discussions
  • Community Posts: Posts, images, and content you share in the Community Feed
  • Study Resources: Resources, links, and descriptions you create
  • Audio Files: Audio recordings you upload for comments (mp3, wav, ogg format)
  • Images: Images you upload for posts or avatars
Important: We strongly advise against including sensitive personal information in any user-generated content. This includes phone numbers, physical addresses, email addresses (in public posts), financial information, social security numbers, or any data that could compromise your privacy or safety.

1.3 Usage Data

  • Activity Logs: Login times, feature usage, and interaction history
  • Search Queries: Search terms you enter (for service improvement)
  • Engagement Metrics: Likes, comments, and other interactions

1.4 Technical Information

  • Device Information: Browser type, device type, operating system
  • IP Address: Used for security monitoring and preventing abuse
  • Cookies: Session cookies for authentication and preferences

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information solely for the following purposes:

  • Account Management: Creating and maintaining your account, verifying your email, and providing login services
  • Service Delivery: Displaying your content, enabling interactions, and providing Bible study features
  • Security: Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
  • Communication: Sending account verification emails, password reset links, important service notifications, and policy updates
  • Service Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to enhance user experience and platform functionality
  • Content Moderation: Reviewing content to ensure compliance with our Terms of Service
We Do NOT:
  • Sell your personal information to third parties
  • Use your information for advertising without your consent
  • Share your private content with other users without your explicit action
  • Access your password-protected content unless required for moderation

3. Data Retention

We retain your information for the following periods:

3.1 Account Information

  • Active Accounts: Retained for the duration of your account's existence
  • Deleted Accounts: Account data is permanently removed within 30 days of deletion
  • Email Verification: Verification codes expire after 15 minutes

3.2 User-Generated Content

  • Public Content: Retained until you delete it or your account is deleted
  • Private/Password-Protected Content: Retained until you delete it or your account is deleted
  • Uploaded Files: Audio files, images, and other uploads are retained until you delete them or your account is deleted
  • After Account Deletion: All your content is permanently removed within 30 days

3.3 Usage and Technical Data

  • Activity Logs: Retained for 90 days for security and service optimization
  • IP Addresses: Retained for 30 days for security monitoring, then automatically deleted
  • Search Queries: Anonymized after 90 days (personal identifiers removed)

4. Data Security and Protection

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

  • Encryption: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt; sensitive data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS)
  • Access Controls: Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
  • Secure Storage: Data stored on secure servers with regular security audits
  • Session Security: Secure, HttpOnly cookies for authentication
  • Rate Limiting: Protection against brute-force attacks and abuse
Your Responsibility:
  • Use a strong, unique password for your account
  • Do not share your account credentials with anyone
  • Log out from shared or public devices
  • Be cautious about what information you post publicly
  • Report any suspicious activity immediately

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do NOT sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • With Your Consent: When you explicitly authorize us to share information
  • Legal Requirements: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes (e.g., court orders, subpoenas)
  • Safety and Security: To protect the rights, property, or safety of Yeshua Word Fellowship, our users, or others
  • Service Providers: With trusted third-party service providers who assist in operating our platform (see Section 6)

5.1 Public vs. Private Content

  • Public Content: Posts, comments, and resources marked as "public" are visible to all users
  • Private Content: Content marked as "private" is only visible to you
  • Password-Protected Content: Only accessible to users who enter the correct password
  • Profile Information: Your username and public profile information may be visible to other users

6. Third-Party Services

We may use third-party service providers to support our operations. These providers have access to your information only to perform their functions and are contractually obligated to protect your information.

Third-Party Services We Use:

  • Email Service Providers: For sending account verification, password reset, and notification emails
  • Hosting Providers: For server infrastructure and data storage
  • Database Services: For secure data storage and management

These third parties have their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing their policies for details on how they handle information.

7. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access

  • View your account information, profile, and personal data by logging into your account
  • Access your user-generated content (notes, comments, posts) through the platform

7.2 Correction

  • Update your username, email address, and profile information through account settings
  • Edit or delete your notes, comments, and posts at any time

7.3 Deletion

  • Delete individual posts, comments, notes, or uploaded files at any time
  • Request deletion of your entire account by contacting us at yeshuaword@outlook.com
  • Upon account deletion, all your data will be permanently removed within 30 days

7.4 Data Export

  • Request a copy of your user-generated content (notes, comments, posts) in a portable format (CSV or JSON) by contacting us

7.5 Account Security

  • Change your password at any time through account settings
  • Enable or disable email notifications
  • Control privacy settings for your posts and content

8. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

  • Authentication: Maintaining your login session
  • Preferences: Remembering your settings and preferences
  • Security: Protecting against fraud and abuse
  • Analytics: Understanding how users interact with our platform (anonymized)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect some functionality of our service.

9. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or best practices. We will notify you of significant changes by:

  • Sending an email to your registered email address
  • Displaying a notice on our website
  • Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy

We will provide at least 7 days' notice before significant changes take effect. Your continued use of the service after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

11. International Users

If you are accessing our service from outside the jurisdiction where our servers are located, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in a different country. By using our service, you consent to such transfer.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us:

Email: yeshuaword@outlook.com

Contact Form: Visit our Contact Us page

Our Commitment

We are committed to protecting your privacy and providing a safe, secure environment for Bible study and community interaction. Thank you for trusting Yeshua Word Fellowship with your information.