SoulSync — Privacy Policy

Last Updated: August 4, 2026

At SoulSync, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of our users globally. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, process, share, and protect your personal data, in compliance with the Kenyan Data Protection Act, 2019, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR / UK-GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), Brazil's LGPD, Canada's PIPEDA, South Africa's POPIA, and other comprehensive international privacy frameworks.

1. Scope & Core Architecture

This Policy applies to your use of the SoulSync website, mobile apps, creator studio, church management systems (ChMS), and associated services worldwide. SoulSync operates two distinct data pipelines:

• Peer-to-Peer (Social Layer): You share content (posts, devotionals, Synctoks, prayer requests, circle updates) with other users. You control the visibility of this data using your privacy settings.
• Staff-to-Member (Church CRM Layer): When you join a church tenant, specific data is shared with authorized church staff (pastors, elders, deacons, admins) for administration and pastoral care.

Multi-Tenancy & Isolation: Each church functions as an independent, isolated tenant. We use database-level Row-Level Security (RLS) to guarantee that Church A can never access or query Church B’s membership records, check-in data, or pastoral notes.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account Information: Your name, email address, password (stored hashed), display name, username, and custom URL slug.
• Christian Covenant Records: Your acceptance of the Sacred Christian Vow and Terms.
• Profile Details: Avatar, cover photo, biography, date of birth, gender, marital status, family relationships, hobbies, interests, location, hometown, favorite Bible verse, work history, and education history.
• Member & ChMS Records: Address, allergies/medical alerts (for children's check-in), attendance logs, and leadership appointment records.
• Communication Content: Posts, prayer requests, comments, testimonies, direct chat messages, and unified communication consents (Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Push).
• Ad Campaigns & Redemptions: Campaign targets, ad copy, budget amounts, and merchandise point redemption shipping addresses.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• IP address, device identifiers, and operating system.
• Coarse location data (derived from IP or coarse GPS services with permission).
• Analytics heartbeats for video playback (Synctoks and livestreams watch time).
• Diagnostic logs, crash data, and performance beacons.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your data only for lawful, faith-aligned purposes:

• To run and secure the SoulSync platform and manage account access (via Supabase Auth).
• To enable church CRM features, directories, attendance tracking, and service scheduling.
• To route emails (via Resend) and SMS notifications (via Africa's Talking / Twilio).
• To process subscriptions, ad campaign billing, and merchandise redemptions securely (via Stripe and Safaricom Daraja M-Pesa).
• To defend the safety and integrity of our community and enforce our Terms.

4. Sensitive PII Encryption & Security

We employ industry-standard security measures to safeguard your personal data:

• PII Encryption: Sensitive fields (phone numbers, physical addresses, allergies, check-in logs, and pastoral counseling notes) are protected with additional database-level encryption layers.
• Data in Transit: All communications are encrypted using secure Transport Layer Security (TLS/HTTPS).
• Access Restrictions: Access to CRM logs is strictly audited and limited to authorized church personnel and senior SoulSync database engineers.

5. How We Share Your Information

We never sell your personal information. We share your data only with processors under strict confidentiality contracts:

• Supabase: Identity and database hosting.
• Resend: Transactional email delivery.
• Africa's Talking / Twilio: Transactional SMS delivery for verification and broadcasts.
• Safaricom (Daraja API) & Stripe: Payment processing.
• Cloudflare Stream: Video hosting and livestream playback.

We may disclose data to legal authorities if required by a court of law, or to report safety emergencies (such as child protection concerns).

6. Global Rights of Data Subjects (GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, PIPEDA, POPIA, Kenya DPA)

Regardless of where you reside, we recognize and respect your privacy rights:

• Right to be Informed: To know what data we collect and how we process it.
• Right of Access: To request copies of your personal data via our instant Export My Data Report tool in Danger Zone settings.
• Right of Rectification: To request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete records.
• Right of Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): To request account deactivation or permanent account deletion with a 30-day retention and reactivation window.
• Right to Object/Restrict: To object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct communications.
• Right to Data Portability: To download a copy of your personal data in structured JSON format.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale or Share: We do not sell or share data for behavioral advertising.

To exercise any of these rights, use the Danger Zone in Profile Settings or email legal@soulsync.faith.

7. Children's Privacy (Under 18)

SoulSync is an adult-supervised platform for users aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly register or collect data from children under 13.

• If you are between 13 and 17, your parent or guardian must provide consent and supervise your account.
• Children's check-in details (e.g. allergies, name, age) within the CRM/ChMS layer are entered directly by parents or legal guardians and are only visible to authorized children's ministry staff.

8. International Data Transfers

SoulSync operates global servers. By using the platform, your data may be transferred to and stored in database regions outside your home country. We implement Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and appropriate data-transfer agreements to ensure that your personal information receives a level of protection equivalent to that required in your home jurisdiction.

9. Account Lifecycle, Retention & Data Deletion

A. Account Deactivation

Deactivating your account immediately hides your profile, posts, comments, and memberships from public view and search rosters. Your data remains stored securely, and you can reactivate instantly anytime simply by logging back in.

B. Account Deletion & 30-Day Soft Retention Window

When you initiate account deletion:

1. Immediate Soft-Deletion: Your account and all user data disappear from public view instantly.

2. 30-Day Retention Window: Your data is retained securely for 30 calendar days for statutory compliance, accountability, and user cool-off.

3. Reactivation via Login: Logging in within 30 days automatically cancels the deletion request and restores your account.

4. Automated Hard Deletion & Anonymization: After 30 days, an automated cron process permanently purges all PII across database tables, scrubs your identity from Supabase Auth, and records a non-PII audit entry in data_deletion_audit_logs (using a salted SHA-256 email hash).

For full details, read our dedicated Data Deletion Policy.

10. Contact Information

If you have questions or wish to file a request regarding your data, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

Email: legal@soulsync.faith

Regulatory Authorities: Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), Nairobi, Kenya | European Data Protection Board (EDPB) | California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA)