Bible Study Fellowship Privacy Policy

Last Modified: July 29, 2021

This privacy policy (“policy”) describes the types of information that Bible Study Fellowship (“BSF”) may collect from you or that you may provide when you visit one of our websites, which may include the following domains and any subdomains, bsfinternational.org, mybsf.org, bsfonline.org, wordgo.org, runwordgo.org, or access or use any of our applications, mobile applications, software, services, or platforms, which may include BSF classes or groups, BSF Online, Word in the City, WordGo, the WordGo app, and the BSF app (each individually a “Site”, and collectively the “Sites”), and explains BSF’s practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and disclosing that information. This policy also applies to information collected when you communicate directly with BSF (e.g., by email, electronic text, in writing, or submitting physical forms).

By using any of the Sites or communicating with BSF, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this policy and that you agree to be bound by the terms of this policy. If you do not agree to the terms of this policy, then you should not use the Sites or provide information to BSF. This policy may change from time to time, as described more fully in the “Changes to This Policy” section below. Your continued use of any of the Sites, or if you continue to provide information to BSF, after BSF makes changes to this policy constitutes your agreement to the changes to the policy.

Information BSF May Collect About You

BSF may collect Personal Information and Non-Personal Information from you when you use a Site or communicate directly with BSF.

• “Personal Information” is information that identifies you personally, which may include your name, mailing address, e-mail address, IP address, device id, telephone number, or any other information by which you may be personally identified or which is otherwise designated as personal information under applicable law where you reside.
• “Non-Personal Information” is information that does not identify you personally, such as your operating system, browser type, your internet connection, the URL of the previous website you visited, the equipment you use to access a Site, device information (e.g., device year, device platform), BSF app data (e.g., session id, app settings, language settings, bible version),and details about how you use a Site.

This policy refers to Personal Information and Non-Personal Information collectively as “Information.”

• “Sensitive Information.” It may be necessary in some circumstances for BSF to collect sensitive information about you to facilitate your voluntary participation in BSF. Examples of the types of sensitive information that BSF may collect include your gender, religious beliefs or affiliation, or health information related to any special accommodations you may require. While certain types of sensitive information may be implied by the collection of other personal information, BSF’s policy is to collect sensitive information directly from you. BSF does not maintain sensitive information not collected directly from you. BSF only discloses your sensitive information for purposes that are directly related to the reason you provided BSF with such sensitive information in the first place and where you would reasonably expect BSF to disclose such information. BSF will not disclose your sensitive information for any other purpose without your consent unless BSF is legally required to disclose it, or BSF believes disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of BSF or its affiliates and subsidiaries, members, participants, others, or you. This policy’s terms regarding Data Processing and Storage, and Data Security also apply to your sensitive information. Personal Information, as defined and discussed in this policy, does not include Sensitive Information.

How BSF Collects Your Information

BSF may collect Information about you (1) when you provide it to BSF, and (2) automatically through any of the Sites.

Information You Provide to BSF

You may provide BSF with your Information at various times when accessing any of the Sites or communicating with BSF, including when you:

• Register or create an account on a Site;
• Use a Site;
• Fill out physical or electronic forms;
• Complete transactions on a Site, including providing donations [See BSF Donor Privacy Policy];
• Request additional services or information from BSF;
• Report a problem with any of the Sites; or
• Contact BSF.

Information BSF Collects Automatically

BSF may automatically collect Information when you visit a Site, as well as what pages are viewed on a particular Site. The Information BSF collects automatically helps BSF to improve the Site and to deliver a better and more personalized service to Site users, including recognizing you when you return to a Site, and storing your Site-specific preferences.

BSF may use some of the following tools to automatically collect Information about your interactions with a Site:

BSF may work with third-party service providers to automatically collect Non-Personal Information. Except as otherwise described in this policy, BSF does not permit these third-party service providers to keep or use your Information for purposes other than the services they provide to BSF.

Dealing with BSF Anonymously or using a Pseudonym

It may be possible to contact BSF to make a general inquiry about the types of services BSF offers without providing Personal Information.  While local law may provide you the right to seek to deal with BSF anonymously or using a pseudonym, if you choose to participate in one of our Bible Study classes, it would be impracticable to provide those services to you if you do not supply BSF with at least some Personal Information.

How BSF Uses Your Information

BSF may process your information based on your consent, to fulfill its obligations under contract, for compliance with a legal obligation, or based on BSF’s legitimate interests.  BSF’s legitimate interests may include maintenance of BSF’s website, to fulfill our obligations as an employer, managing our communications with you, managing, growing, and expanding BSF’s services, and managing BSF’s service providers and business.

BSF may use the Information it collects about you in order to:

• Make the Sites, their contents, and functionality available to you;
• Provide you with information, products, or services that you request from BSF;
• Provide you with information, messages and services that may be of interest to you;
• Allow you to participate/engage with BSF’s activities;
• Administer BSF’s activities;
• Process donations;
• Provide you with notices about your account;
• Notify you about changes to the Sites or any additional services BSF may offer or provide through them;
• Allow you to participate in interactive features on the Sites;
• Enforce BSF’s Terms of Use [BSF Terms of Use] or other policies;
• Address technical problems with and improve the Sites and BSF’s services;
• Fulfill any other purpose described at the time you provided the Information, or, as appropriate, where you consented to the purpose;
• Prevent, detect, mitigate and investigate fraud, security breaches and activities that are or potentially may be prohibited or illegal;
• Comply with legal processes and as BSF believes is required or appropriate under applicable law to respond to requests from government authorities; or
• Respond to questions, comments, complaints, or requests.

Disclosure of Your Personal Information

BSF may disclose Personal Information that BSF collects or you provide in the following ways:

• To BSF’s related organizations;
• To manage communications with you, to enable participation in classes, and to otherwise provide our services to you;
• To manage our Sites;
• For any other purpose disclosed by BSF when you provide the Information, or for which you agree BSF may disclose your Personal Information;
• To contractors, service providers, and other third parties BSF uses to provide services on its behalf, including website hosting, information technology services, and communications services, such third parties use Personal Information only for the purposes for which BSF discloses it to them;

• To comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request;
• To enforce or apply BSF’s Terms of Use [BSF Terms of Use] and other agreements, including for billing and collection purposes; or
• If BSF believes disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of BSF or its affiliates and subsidiaries, members, participants, or others.

Disclosures and Third Parties

BSF may disclose aggregated and anonymized information about its users and Non-Personal Information that does not identify any individual without restriction.

BSF or the Sites may suggest, use, link to, or be linked to, other websites not maintained by or related to BSF to facilitate the provision of services or to fulfill its obligations to you. BSF does not control the privacy policies or data collection practices of such third parties and their third party tools or third party websites (“Third Party Sites”). BSF encourages you to carefully review the privacy policies of any Third Party Sites before disclosing your Information or consenting to the use of such Third Party Site.

You may be able to create an account or log in to a Site using your social media account (ex. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Google) through a Single Sign On (“SSO”) process. This allows BSF to confirm your identify and may give BSF access to certain Information that you have authorized your social media account to share with BSF. Your social media platforms have their own data handling procedures and privacy policies. BSF does not control these policies. You should review the privacy policies of your social media platforms to fully understand how they store, use, and share your Personal Information. If you use your social media account to log in to a Site, BSF will only use the Information it receives for the purpose of supporting SSO and does not collect any Personal Information via the SSO process.

Certain features in certain BSF apps including but not limited to the WordGo App may ask you to provide your phonebook or contact list information. Your contacts’ email addresses will not leave your device. Matching is done in a way that prevents BSF servers from seeing the email addresses. BSF may use information from your phonebook or contact list to match you with other BSF app users, including but not limited to WordGo users, that you already know from your contact list in order for you to create a group invite within the app.

Your Rights

BSF takes reasonable steps to ensure the Information collected is accurate, up-to-date, and complete.  As provided under applicable law, you may have the right, free of charge, to:

• Withdraw your consent to the processing of your Personal Information or Sensitive Information;
• Request access to, or a copy of, your Personal Information;
• Request correction of the Personal Information BSF holds about you;
• Request that BSF delete or remove any Personal Information it has about you where there is no legitimate reason for BSF to retain or process such information. You also have the right to ask BSF to delete or remove your Personal Information where you have exercised your right to object to processing such Personal Information (see below);
• Object to or request a restriction to processing; and
• File a complaint with the relevant authority in your jurisdiction.

If you would like to exercise any of your rights above, please contact BSF using the contact information provided at the end of this policy.

BSF may not accommodate a request to change Information if BSF believes the change would violate any law or legal requirement or cause the Information to be incorrect.

BSF may take reasonable steps to confirm the identity of the requestor.  Only to the extent permitted under applicable law, BSF may charge a reasonable fee for administrative costs associated with a request.

How Long BSF Keeps Your Information

BSF will only hold your Personal Information for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, as required by law, or as set out in any other agreement BSF may have with you. To determine the appropriate retention period for Personal Information, BSF considers the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the Personal Information, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of your Personal Information, the purposes for which BSF processes your Personal Information and whether BSF can achieve those purposes through other means, as well as applicable legal requirements.

International Transfers and Storage

BSF is headquartered in Dallas, Texas however it has facilities and offices outside of the U.S. If you reside outside of the U.S., please be aware that, for the purposes enumerated, including administering BSF’s activities, BSF does transfer and store Personal Information in the United States. BSF will only transfer Personal Information outside the country in which you reside where adequate technical and organizational safeguards are in place to ensure that any Personal Information transferred remains secure and is protected. For more information about transfers of your Personal Information, please contact BSF using the contact information provided at the end of this policy.

Data Security

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the Internet is not completely secure. Although BSF has appropriate measures in place to protect your Personal Information, BSF cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information. You understand that you are providing your Personal Information to BSF at your own risk. BSF is not responsible for failure or circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures BSF may have in place to protect your Personal Information.

Minors

The Sites are not intended for minors, as defined by the laws applicable to where you live.  For purposes of this policy, a minor is a child under the age in which your jurisdiction recognizes the ability of a child to consent. BSF does not knowingly collect personal information from minors without the prior express and informed consent of the child’s parent or guardian in compliance with applicable law. In the United Sates, if you are under 13, you may not use any Site or provide any information on any Site unless you have parental consent that has been verified by BSF. Outside of the United States, you may not use any Site or provide any information on any Site if you are under the age of consent unless you have parental consent that has been verified by BSF.  If BSF learns that it has collected or received Personal Information from a minor without verification of parental consent, BSF will delete that information. If you believe BSF might have any information from or about a minor, please contact BSF using the contact information provided at the end of this policy.

Changes to This Policy

From time to time, BSF may change this policy to accommodate new technologies, industry practices, regulatory requirements or for other purposes. If these changes are material BSF will provide notice to you (by email to you at the last email address you provided to us, or by posting notice of such changes on the Sites) and, where required by applicable law, BSF will obtain your consent. The date this policy was last revised is listed at the top of the page. You are responsible for ensuring that BSF has an up-to-date active and deliverable email address for you, and for periodically visiting the Sites and this policy to check for any changes.

Contact Information

To ask questions, inquire about your rights, comment about this privacy policy and BSF’s privacy practices, or to make a complaint contact BSF at:

Bible Study Fellowship
PO Box 675241
Dallas, TX 75267-5241
Privacy@bsfinternational.org
210.492.4676

You may also lodge a complaint by contacting the appropriate agency in the jurisdiction where you reside.  A non-exhaustive list of agencies is provided here:

Agency Contact List – English

Agency Contact List – Traditional Chinese

Agency Contact List – Simplified Chinese

Agency Contact List – Spanish