Last updated: July 1st, 2026

At www.paulshandkerchief.com ("Paul's Handkerchief," "we," "us"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information, and what rights you have over it. Paul's Handkerchief is operated from New Zealand and this policy is written to comply with the Privacy Act 2020 (NZ).

By accessing or using Paul's Handkerchief, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

Paul's Handkerchief is a Bible study membership platform operated by Jean Paul Joseph, based in Auckland, New Zealand. Our privacy officer (the person responsible for privacy queries and complaints) can be contacted here — see Section 10 and 13.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly, such as:

• Name and email address

• Date of birth (collected at signup to confirm you meet our minimum age requirement — see Section 7)

• Content you submit, such as comments, contact form messages, or other member contributions

• Payment-related information when you make a donation (see Section 4)

Information collected automatically, such as:

• IP address, browser type, device information

• Pages visited, time spent on the site, and general usage patterns, used to improve site performance

• Reading progress, XP points, badges, and similar gamified platform data tied to your member account

We do not collect more personal information than is reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your member account

• Respond to your inquiries, comments, or submissions

• Operate platform features such as reading plans, XP tracking, and bookmarks

• Process donations (see Section 4)

• Improve site functionality, content, and user experience

• Analyse usage trends to enhance the website

• Send digest emails, updates, or announcements, where you have opted in

You can opt out of marketing or digest emails at any time using the 'Manage Subscription' link included in every email, in line with the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007.

4. Payments and Donations

Gift donations on Paul's Handkerchief are processed through Stripe and PayPal. When you make a donation, your payment details (card number, billing information, etc.) are collected and processed directly by Stripe or PayPal under their own privacy policies — we do not see, collect, or store your full card details ourselves. We retain a record of the transaction (e.g. amount, date, donor name/email if provided) for accounting and legal purposes.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Paul's Handkerchief uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and analyse site usage. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse or be notified about cookies, but some features of the site — including staying logged in to your member account — may not work properly without them.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell or trade your personal information. We may share limited information in the following circumstances:

• Service providers: We work with trusted third parties who help us operate the platform, including:

  • Resend (sending account-related and digest emails)

  • Stripe and PayPal (payment processing for donations)

  • Hosting and analytics providers

• These providers only access the information needed to perform their function and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.

• Overseas disclosure: Some of the service providers above store or process data outside New Zealand (for example, on servers located in the United States or elsewhere). Under the Privacy Act 2020, we only do this where the recipient is subject to privacy laws providing comparable safeguards to New Zealand's, or has otherwise agreed to protect your information consistently with the Privacy Act. Information held overseas may not always receive the exact same legal protection it would in New Zealand.

• Legal compliance: We may disclose information if required by law, in response to a valid request from an authority, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Paul's Handkerchief or our members.

7. Age Requirement and Children's Privacy

Paul's Handkerchief accounts are intended for users aged 18 and over. We ask for your date of birth at signup and do not knowingly create accounts for, or knowingly collect personal information directly from, anyone under 18.

Some of our content — including the F.O.G. Jr. resource — is designed for adults to read aloud or share with children aged 7 and up. In this use, the adult holds the account; the child does not create a profile, log in, or submit information to us directly.

If we learn that an account was created by, or contains information belonging to, someone under 18, we will delete the account and associated personal information promptly. If you believe a child has created an account or provided us with information, please contact us using the details in Section 10 so we can act on it.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

In the event of a privacy breach that we reasonably believe has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020.

9. Data Retention and Account Deletion

You can delete your account and associated personal data at any time, immediately and without needing to contact us, via your profile settings. Once deleted, this action is immediate and cannot be undone by us.

Where we are required to retain certain records for legal, accounting, or tax purposes (for example, donation transaction records), we retain only what is necessary for that purpose and for as long as the law requires.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you

• Request correction of personal information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date

• Be told, where reasonably practicable, if we collect information about you from a source other than you directly, and why

• Opt out of marketing or digest communications at any time

To exercise any of these rights, or if you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to make a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (New Zealand) at privacy.org.nz.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit through a link on our platform.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the website after changes are posted indicates your acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us addressing your request to our privacy officer.