Privacy Policy

Welcome to Bereans ("bereans.net", "we", "us", or "our"). Bereans is a Christian apologetics library, scripture study companion, and AI research application designed to help believers and seekers test, verify, and defend the biblical Christian faith.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and the choices you have regarding your information when using our web application, mobile applications (iOS and Android), and associated services.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us as well as data generated automatically during your use of Bereans:

• Account Data: When you register an account, we collect your full name, email address, and an encrypted hash of your account password.
• Study Preferences & Saved Items: Your bookmarked scriptures, saved apologetics entries, Bible translation choices, preferred audio narration voice, and standing mood themes.
• Anonymous Study Feedback: If you choose to rate AI responses or submit feedback, this data is collected anonymously to improve theological AI accuracy.
• Push Notification Identifiers: If you enable push notifications, we store an encrypted Expo Push Token associated with your device to deliver your requested daily scripture notifications.
• Technical & Device Data: Basic technical diagnostics including device OS version (iOS/Android), IP address for security rate-limiting, and application logs to ensure system reliability.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following specific purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and personalize the Bereans application and scripture study tools.
• To synchronize your bookmarks, preferences, and daily reading progress across devices.
• To process AI-driven Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) study queries.
• To deliver scheduled daily scripture push notifications according to your chosen frequency and time.
• To detect, prevent, and respond to security threats, system abuse, or unauthorized access.

3. Third-Party Services & Data Sharing

We only share data with trusted service providers strictly necessary to operate our infrastructure:

• AI Processing (Google Gemini API): Anonymized study query prompts are sent to AI processing infrastructure to generate scripturally grounded responses. Prompts do not contain personal account identifiers.
• Push Notification Delivery (Expo Notifications): Encrypted push tokens are processed via Expo services to deliver daily verse notifications to your device.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose information if required to do so by applicable law, regulation, or legal process.

4. Data Protection & Security

We implement robust technical and organizational security measures to safeguard your data:

• Encryption in Transit: All web and mobile communication with Bereans servers is encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS).
• Password Protection: Passwords are cryptographically hashed using industry-standard bcrypt algorithms prior to storage.
• Access Controls: Administrative access to user data is strictly restricted to authorized security personnel.

5. Account Deletion & Data Control Rights

You have full ownership and control over your personal data:

• Delete Account & Data: You may permanently delete your account and remove all associated personal data directly within the mobile or web app under Settings > Delete Account, or online via our dedicated Account Deletion Request Page. Alternatively, you may submit a deletion request by emailing support@bereans.net.
• Manage Preferences: You can update your Bible translation, notification schedule, or opt out of anonymous feedback at any time in the app settings.

6. Children's Privacy

Bereans is designed for general audiences interested in Christian theology and biblical research. We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under the age of 13. If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child under 13, we will promptly delete that information.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services or legal requirements. Any modifications will be posted on this page with an updated "Effective Date". Your continued use of Bereans after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

8. Contact Us

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

Bereans Support & Data Protection
Email: support@bereans.net
Website: https://bereans.net