Privacy policy

Secular Fellowship – Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 31 May 2026

Secular Fellowship (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is an online community designed to allow individuals to connect, share ideas, and participate in discussions while maintaining control over their personal identity. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your information responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with widely recognized international privacy standards.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and the rights you have regarding your data.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Voluntarily

When you create an account, you provide:

  • Username (required; may be pseudonymous)
  • Password (required)
  • Email address (required for account verification and communication)

You may optionally provide additional information in your profile, such as:

  • City or country of residence
  • Demographic information
  • Personal interests or biography

All optional fields are clearly marked as such. You choose whether to provide them.

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

To operate the website securely and efficiently, we may collect:

  • IP address (for security, fraud prevention, and server logs)
  • Browser type and device information
  • Basic usage data (pages visited, timestamps)

We do not use third‑party advertising trackers, behavioral profiling, or cross‑site tracking technologies.

1.3 Cookies

We use only essential cookies required for:

  • Login sessions
  • Site security
  • Basic functionality

We do not use cookies for advertising or third‑party analytics.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

  • To create and maintain your account
  • To provide access to community features
  • To send essential service‑related communications
  • To maintain the security and integrity of the website
  • To improve site functionality and user experience
  • To generate anonymous, aggregated statistics (e.g., number of members in a city or region)

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.

3. Legal Bases for Processing

We rely on commonly recognized legal bases for processing personal data, including:

  • Your consent (for optional profile fields and communications)
  • Performance of a contract (providing your account and site access)
  • Legitimate interests (site security, preventing abuse, improving services)
  • Compliance with legal obligations (if required by law)

4. Sharing of Information

We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Service Providers: Trusted providers who assist with hosting, security, or email delivery. They are bound by confidentiality and data‑protection obligations.
  • Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or lawful request from authorities.
  • Protection of Rights: To prevent fraud, abuse, or security threats.

We do not share personal information with advertisers, data brokers, or social media platforms.

5. Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary for:

  • Maintaining your account
  • Operating the website
  • Meeting legal or security obligations

You may request deletion of your account at any time.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have the right to:

  • Access your personal information
  • Correct inaccurate information
  • Delete your data (“right to be forgotten”)
  • Withdraw consent for optional data
  • Restrict or object to certain processing
  • Request a copy of your data in portable format

We will respond to all valid requests within a reasonable timeframe.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

  • Encryption of passwords
  • Secure server configuration
  • Access controls
  • Regular security updates
  • Monitoring for unauthorized access

No system is completely secure, but we take privacy and security seriously and continuously work to protect your data.

8. International Data Transfers

Because the internet is global, your information may be processed in countries where our hosting or service providers operate. We ensure that such transfers follow widely accepted safeguards and privacy principles.

9. Children’s Privacy

Secular Fellowship is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect information from individuals under the age of 16 (or the minimum age required by local law). If we learn that such information has been collected, we will delete it promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The “Last Updated” date will always indicate the most recent version.

11. Contact Us

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

Email: Contact@SecularFellowship.org  
Website: SecularFellowship.org