1. Who We Are & Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to:

• Our website: estherbiblecompanion.com
• Our apps and services branded as "Esther", "The Bible Companion" or "BibleCompanion.io"
• Features including (but not limited to) AI chat, audio/voice interactions, journaling, Bible reading plans, bookmarks, and highlights.

The data controller is:

The Bible Companion LLC

wethebiblecompanion@gmail.com

2. Information We Collect

We follow a principle of data minimization: we only collect what we need to operate and improve the Service.

a) Information You Provide Directly

We may collect:

• Account information - Name, email address, password (hashed), and authentication details if you create an account or sign in.
• AI chat and journaling content - Messages, questions, and prompts submitted to the AI assistant. Journal entries and summaries generated from your conversations.
• Audio/voice input - Audio you send when you use voice features. Transcripts generated from your audio for the purpose of creating summaries or responses.
• Bible reader usage content - Reading plans you follow. Bookmarks, notes, highlights, and passages you save.
• Feedback and support - Feedback or suggestions you send us. Information you provide when contacting our support team.

b) Information We Collect Automatically

When you use the Service, we may automatically collect:

• Device and browser information - Browser type, operating system, device type, app version.
• Log and usage data - IP address, timestamps, pages visited, features used (e.g., AI chat, Bible reader), and interaction data.
• Cookies and similar technologies (on the web) - Cookies, local storage, or similar technologies for analytics, preferences, and performance.

You can control cookies via your browser settings, but disabling them may affect some functionality.

3. Special Note on Audio, Call Logs & Transcripts

When you use our audio/voice features:

• We do not store full audio call logs as a default practice.
• Your audio is processed in real time (or near real time) to:
  • Convert speech to text.
  • Generate an AI response and/or a journal summary.
• Once processing is complete, we:
  • Retain only the resulting text summary and/or journal entry and necessary metadata (e.g., timestamp) so you can view your history.
  • Do not keep the raw audio call logs themselves, except where we are required to for security, debugging, or legal reasons (and then only for as long as necessary).

If we ever change our handling of audio storage in a material way, we will update this Policy and, where required, notify you.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

1. Provide and operate the Service - Deliver AI responses, Bible reading tools, journaling features, and app functionality. Generate and store summaries of your conversations for your journal/history.
2. Improve and personalize your experience - Remember your preferences and reading progress. Recommend plans, passages, or features based on your usage (where enabled).
3. Maintain safety, security, and reliability - Detect and prevent abuse, spam, or misuse. Monitor performance, troubleshoot issues, and improve stability.
4. Analytics and service improvement - Understand how the Service is used (e.g., which features are most popular). Improve the accuracy, responsiveness, and usability of our AI features and Bible tools.
5. Communicate with you - Respond to support requests. Send important service notices, such as policy updates or security alerts. With your consent, send optional newsletters or product updates.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.

5. AI Conversations, Journals & Model Training

• We may process your chat messages, audio transcripts, and Bible reader interactions to:
  • Generate responses and summaries.
  • Provide journaling and history features.
  • Improve our models and services in aggregate (for example, understanding common issues or failure modes).
• Where possible, we use anonymization or pseudonymization so that analytics and improvement activities do not directly identify you.
• We do not use your content for advertising or behavioral profiling.

If we work with third-party AI providers or infrastructure:

• We share only the data necessary to provide the Service (e.g., sending text to an AI API to generate a response).
• We contractually require providers to handle your data securely and only for the agreed purposes.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies (Web)

BibleCompanion.io may use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to:

• Keep you signed in.
• Save your preferences and settings.
• Analyze site traffic and usage patterns (e.g., via analytics tools).

Where required by law, we will display a cookie banner or consent mechanism to allow you to manage your cookie preferences.

You can usually remove or reject cookies via browser settings, but doing so may affect site functionality.

7. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We only share your data in limited circumstances:

1. Service providers and vendors - Hosting providers, analytics tools, customer support platforms, and AI/speech processing providers. These partners process data solely to help us provide and improve the Service and are bound by contractual privacy and security obligations.
2. Legal and safety reasons - When required by law, regulation, or legal process (e.g., a court order or subpoena). To protect our rights, property, users, or the safety of others.
3. Business transfers - If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of all or a portion of our business, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.

We do not sell your personal information.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to:

• Provide the Service to you.
• Fulfill the purposes described in this Policy.
• Comply with legal, accounting, or reporting obligations.

Generally:

• Audio call logs are not stored by default; only derived summaries/journals and minimal metadata are kept.
• Chat histories, journal entries, and Bible reader data are retained while your account is active so you can access your history, unless you delete them or close your account.
• We may retain certain records after account closure where required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., resolving disputes).

You can request deletion of your account and associated data as described below.

9. Data Security

We use industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including:

• Encryption in transit (e.g., HTTPS) and, where appropriate, at rest.
• Access controls and authentication to limit who can access personal data.
• Regular monitoring and review of our systems for potential vulnerabilities.

No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. However, we continually strive to implement reasonable safeguards to protect your information.

10. Your Rights and Choices

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

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Delete your data (subject to legal obligations).
• Restrict or object to certain types of processing.
• Export your data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

wethebiblecompanion@gmail.com

We may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests.

11. International Data Transfers

We may process and store your information on servers located in countries other than your own. Where required by law, we will implement appropriate safeguards for cross-border data transfers, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent mechanisms.

12. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under 13 (or a higher age where required by applicable law). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under that age.

If you believe a child has provided us with personal data without appropriate consent, please contact us at wethebiblecompanion@gmail.com, and we will take steps to delete such information.

13. Third-Party Links and Services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites, apps, or services (e.g., external Bible resources). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information to them.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as our Service evolves or as laws change. When we do, we will:

• Post the updated Policy on this page with a new "Effective Date."
• Take additional steps where required by law (e.g., sending a notice or requesting renewed consent).

Your continued use of the Service after the updated Effective Date means you accept the revised Privacy Policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

The Bible Companion LLC

wethebiblecompanion@gmail.com

https://estherbiblecompanion.com