Privacy Policy
Last Updated: March 15, 2026
Introduction
Welcome to Scriptures with Friends. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your information.
In short: We only collect what's necessary to provide the service, we never sell your data, and we don't use ads or tracking for marketing purposes.
Information We Collect
Account Information
- Email Address: Required to create an account, send you notifications, and help you reset your password if needed.
- Password: Stored securely using industry-standard encryption (bcrypt hashing). We cannot see your actual password.
Content You Create
- Study Notes: The study insights and notes you write are encrypted and stored to show you your progress and share with friends you've connected with. Your notes are encrypted at rest for your privacy.
- Study Plans: Your study plan configurations, schedules, and selected scripture series.
- Friend Connections: Information about which users you've connected with as friends.
Usage Information
- Push Notification Subscriptions: If you enable push notifications, we store your device's push subscription details.
- Activity Data: When you complete study insights, we track timestamps to show your progress and notify your friends.
- Basic Server Logs: Like most websites, our server automatically logs requests for technical troubleshooting.
How We Use Your Information
- Provide the Service: Display your study notes, manage your study plans, and track your progress.
- Friend Features: Share your study activity with friends you've connected with, and show you their activity.
- Notifications: Send you email notifications and push notifications (if enabled) about your study schedule and friend activity.
- Account Management: Help you log in, reset your password, and confirm your email address.
- Improve the Service: Understand how the app is used to fix bugs and add helpful features.
We do NOT: Sell your data, use it for advertising, share it with third parties for their marketing, or track you across other websites.
Information Shared with Friends
When you connect with friends on Scriptures with Friends, they can see:
- Your email address (so they know who you are)
- When you complete study insights
- Your study notes and responses (this is the core feature of studying together)
- Your study plans and series
You control this: You choose who to accept as friends. You can remove friends at any time, which stops all sharing between you.
Third-Party Services
Email Delivery (Mailgun)
We use Mailgun to send emails (confirmations, notifications, password resets). They process your email address only to deliver these messages. See Mailgun's Privacy Policy.
Hosting
Our application is hosted on Hetzner servers. Your data is stored securely on their infrastructure. See Hetzner's Privacy Policy.
No Analytics or Advertising Services
We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any other third-party tracking or advertising services.
Data Security
We take your privacy seriously and implement strong security measures to protect your information:
- Encrypted Study Notes: All your study notes and responses are encrypted at rest using industry-standard encryption (AES-256). This means even if our database were compromised, your personal spiritual reflections would remain unreadable.
- Password Security: Passwords are encrypted using bcrypt hashing, which is a one-way encryption. We cannot see your actual password.
- HTTPS/SSL Encryption: All data transmission between your device and our servers is encrypted using SSL/TLS.
- Regular Security Updates: We keep our software up-to-date with the latest security patches.
- Access Controls: Strict access controls on our servers limit who can access the infrastructure.
- No Admin Access to Your Notes: Because study notes are encrypted, even we (the administrators) cannot read your personal spiritual reflections without the encryption keys.
However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data with industry-leading practices, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your Rights and Choices
Access and Update Your Data
You can view and edit your study notes, plans, and friend connections anytime through your account.
Delete Your Account
You can request account deletion by contacting us at support@scriptureswithfriends.org. We will delete your account and associated data, though some information may be retained in backups for a limited time.
Export Your Data
You can request a copy of your data by contacting support@scriptureswithfriends.org.
Opt Out of Notifications
You can disable push notifications in your browser settings or unsubscribe from email notifications through your account settings.
Children's Privacy
Scriptures with Friends is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.
International Users
Our servers are located in Germany (Hetzner). By using Scriptures with Friends, you consent to the transfer of your data to Germany for processing and storage. We comply with GDPR requirements for users in the European Union.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by email or through a notice on the website. The "Last Updated" date at the top shows when this policy was last revised.
