Privacy Policy

1. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to ETX Christians at etxchristians.com and the website features operated through that domain. By using the website, you acknowledge the practices described in this policy.

2. Information we collect

Google Analytics information

We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors find and use the website. Analytics is optional and does not load unless you select “Accept analytics” through our privacy controls. When enabled, it may collect information such as page views, interactions, session statistics, approximate geographic location, browser type, device type, operating system, and related technical identifiers. Google Analytics may receive your IP address during collection and processes Analytics data according to Google's systems and privacy controls. Analytics is disabled on login, registration, profile, and donation-confirmation pages.

Account information

When you create an account, we collect the username, email address, and password you provide. Passwords are stored as password hashes rather than readable passwords. We also store account creation information, the version and date of your Terms of Use acceptance, email-verification status, security-session version, and may record the date of your most recent login. Short-lived, one-time token hashes may be stored for email verification, password resets, and email-address changes. The readable token is sent by email and is not stored in the database.

Account emails and recovery requests

When you request email verification, a password reset, or an email-address change, the website sends a transactional message to the relevant address. To limit abuse, one-way hashes derived from the request IP address and email identifier may be stored temporarily with the request time and action type.

Learning progress and quiz activity

If you use the learning platform, we may store course progress, completed lessons, quiz names, quiz scores, totals, achievement information, and timestamps. When you are signed in, this information may be associated with your account so it can be synchronized across devices. Some progress is also stored locally in your browser, including when you are not signed in.

Login security information

To reduce automated or repeated login attempts, the website creates a one-way hash based on the connecting IP address and a server-side secret. This security record is used for rate limiting and is not intended to identify you directly.

Donation information

When you make a donation, the selected amount, donation frequency, designation, and applicable Donation Policy version are sent to Stripe Checkout. Stripe collects and processes the payment and any contact or billing information entered on its checkout page. For monthly gifts, Stripe creates a customer and subscription record so the donor can use Stripe's secure portal to view billing history, update a payment method, or cancel future renewals. ETX Christians may receive donation confirmation and limited transaction details made available through Stripe. The website does not directly store your full card number or card security code.

Communications

If you contact us by email, we receive your email address and the information you include in your message.

3. Cookies and browser storage

The website uses cookies and similar browser technologies for the following purposes:

• Session cookie: a cookie named ETXCHRISTIANSSESSID helps keep registered users signed in and supports account security.
• Google Analytics: after you accept analytics, Google Analytics may use cookies or similar identifiers to distinguish visits and measure website usage. Analytics remains off when you reject it or have not yet made a choice.
• Local storage: the website uses local browser storage to save learning progress, quiz progress, your analytics-consent choice, and related preferences on your device.
• Session storage: temporary browser storage may be used to manage an active quiz attempt and prevent duplicate score awards.

You can change your Analytics choice at any time by selecting Cookie Preferences in the site footer. You may also clear or block cookies and local storage through your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may prevent account login or other features from working correctly.

4. How we use information

We use collected information to:

• operate, maintain, secure, and improve the website;
• verify email addresses, deliver password-reset links, and process account-security changes;
• create and manage user accounts;
• save learning progress and display quiz history;
• understand which resources are useful and how visitors navigate the website;
• process donations and maintain donation totals;
• respond to messages and support requests;
• prevent abuse, fraud, and unauthorized access; and
• comply with applicable legal obligations.

5. How information is shared

We may share or allow access to information in these limited circumstances:

• Google Analytics: website activity and technical information are processed by Google to provide Analytics services. Learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services.
• Stripe: donation, recurring billing, and donor-portal information is processed by Stripe. Review Stripe's Privacy Policy and our Donation Policy.
• Hosting and technical providers: service providers may process information as needed to host, secure, maintain, or troubleshoot the website.
• Legal and safety reasons: information may be disclosed when reasonably necessary to comply with law, protect rights and safety, investigate abuse, or respond to lawful requests.

ETX Christians does not sell personal information for money. Third-party providers process information under their own terms and privacy practices.

6. Data retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described in this policy, including operating accounts, preserving learning history, maintaining security, processing donations, and meeting legal obligations.

• Account, Terms acceptance, and account-linked learning information may be retained until the account is deleted or a valid deletion request is completed, subject to required legal, security, or recordkeeping retention.
• Unused account-verification and recovery tokens expire after a limited period, and request-rate records are intended to be cleared after approximately two days.
• Login-attempt security records are designed to be cleared after approximately one day.
• Information stored in your browser remains there until it expires, is overwritten, or you clear the website's browser data.
• Google Analytics data is retained according to the settings configured for our Analytics property and Google's applicable policies.
• Stripe retains payment information according to Stripe's policies and applicable financial or legal requirements.

7. Your choices and privacy requests

• You may browse most public resources without creating an account.
• You may allow or reject Google Analytics at any time through the Cookie Preferences control in the site footer.
• You may clear cookies, local storage, and session storage through your browser settings.
• You may use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, where supported.
• You may contact us to request access to, correction of, or deletion of account information associated with your email address.
• Signed-in users may download a copy of their account profile, Terms acceptances, saved quiz attempts, and learning progress from the Profile page.
• Signed-in users may change their password or email address, log out all active sessions, or permanently delete their account from the Profile page.

Depending on where you live, you may have additional privacy rights. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. Some information may be retained when necessary for security, legal compliance, fraud prevention, or recordkeeping.

8. Children's privacy

The account and donation features are not intended for children under 13, and ETX Christians does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without appropriate authorization. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child under 13 has provided personal information, contact us so we can review and delete it when appropriate.

9. Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures intended to protect information, including password hashing, secure session settings, prepared database queries, login and account-action rate limiting, one-time token hashes, reauthentication for sensitive account changes, session invalidation after password changes, and restricted server credentials. No website, storage system, or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as the website, service providers, or legal requirements change. The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Material changes may also be communicated through an additional website notice when appropriate.

11. Contact us

For privacy questions or requests, contact ETX Christians using the address below. Please do not send passwords, card numbers, or other highly sensitive information by email.