1. Introduction

Welcome to Paraclete. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care and respect. This Privacy Policy explains how Paraclete ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your information when you use our mobile application and website (collectively, the "Service").

By using Paraclete, 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 Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Email Address: When you create an account or sign in, we collect your email address for authentication and account recovery purposes.
Reflections: The spiritual reflections and journal entries you write within the app. You control whether these are kept private or shared publicly with the community.
Follow-up Questions and Contributions: Any questions or comments you contribute to community reflections.
Preferences: Your chosen Bible translation, meditation duration, notification preferences, and other settings.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device Identifier: A unique identifier for your device, used to deliver push notifications and maintain your session.
Usage Metrics: We collect information about how you use the Service, including your reflection streak, meditation time, and engagement patterns. This helps us improve the app and provide features like leaderboards.
Push Notification Tokens: If you enable notifications, we collect device tokens to send you reminders and updates.

2.3 Information We Do Not Collect

Location Data: We do not collect or access your location information.
Contacts: We do not access your contact list or address book.
Photos or Media: We do not access your photo library or camera roll.
Health Data: We do not collect any health or fitness data.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide the Service: Process your reflections, match relevant Scripture verses, and enable meditation features.
Personalize Your Experience: Remember your Bible translation preferences and customize content based on your settings.
Enable Community Features: Allow you to share reflections publicly and participate in the community, if you choose to do so.
Send Notifications: Deliver reminders, updates about community interactions, and other communications you have opted into.
Track Progress: Calculate and display your reflection streak, meditation time, and other personal metrics.
Improve the Service: Analyze usage patterns to enhance features, fix issues, and develop new functionality.
Ensure Security: Protect against unauthorized access and maintain the integrity of the Service.

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 Public Reflections

When you choose to share a reflection publicly, it becomes visible to other Paraclete users. Public reflections display your anonymous moniker (not your email or real name) along with the reflection content and matched verses.

4.2 We Do Not Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

4.3 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating the Service, such as:

Cloud hosting providers for data storage
Push notification delivery services
Analytics services to understand app usage

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

5. Data Storage and Security

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

Encryption of data in transit using HTTPS/TLS
Secure authentication mechanisms
Regular security assessments and updates
Access controls limiting who can view your data

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Service. Specifically:

Account Information: Retained until you delete your account.
Reflections: Retained until you delete them individually or delete your account.
Usage Metrics: Retained in aggregated, anonymized form for analytics purposes.

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or legitimate business purposes.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access and Portability

You can view your reflections, metrics, and account information within the app at any time.

7.2 Correction

You can update your preferences, email address, and other account settings through the Profile section of the app.

7.3 Deletion

You can delete your account at any time through the Profile section of the app. This will permanently remove your account information, reflections, and associated data from our systems.

7.4 Notification Preferences

You can enable or disable push notifications at any time through your device settings or within the app.

7.5 Privacy Controls

You control whether your reflections are private (visible only to you) or public (shared with the community). You can change this setting for each reflection.

7.6 Additional Rights for Certain Jurisdictions

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or California, you may have additional rights under applicable data protection laws, including:

Right to object to processing
Right to restrict processing
Right to data portability
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

8. Children's Privacy

Paraclete is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it promptly.

9. Third-Party Services

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

9.1 Screen Time API (iOS)

If you enable the app blocking feature, Paraclete uses Apple's Screen Time API (Family Controls) to help you manage access to other apps on your device. This feature:

Operates entirely on your device
Does not send information about which apps you block to our servers
Requires your explicit authorization through Apple's Family Controls picker
Can be disabled at any time through the app or iOS Settings

9.2 Bible Content

Scripture quotations are provided through licensed Bible APIs. The verses displayed to you are fetched based on your reflection content but are not associated with your personal identity in our systems.

10. 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 your jurisdiction. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure your information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy. For significant changes, we will notify you through the app or via email.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

12. Contact Us

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

Email: support@paraclete.me

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.