Last updated: July 1st, 2026
At Paul's Handkerchief ("we", "us"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information, and what rights you have over it. Operated from New Zealand, this policy complies with the Privacy Act 2020 (NZ).
By accessing or using Paul's Handkerchief, you agree to this Privacy Policy.
1. Who We Are
A Bible study membership platform operated by Jean Paul Joseph, based in Auckland, New Zealand. Our privacy officer can be contacted here — see Sections 10 and 13.
2. Information We Collect
You provide directly:
- Name and email address
- Date of birth (to confirm our 18+ minimum — see Section 7)
- Content you submit — comments, contact messages, member contributions
- Payment-related information for donations (see Section 4)
Collected automatically:
- IP address, browser type, device information
- Pages visited, time on site, usage patterns — to improve performance
- Reading progress, XP, badges, and gamified data tied to your account
We collect no more than is reasonably necessary for the purposes here.
3. How We Use Your Information
- Create and manage your member account
- Respond to inquiries, comments, or submissions
- Operate reading plans, XP tracking, and bookmarks
- Process donations (see Section 4)
- Improve functionality, content, and experience
- Analyse usage trends to enhance the website
- Send digest emails and announcements where you opted in
Opt out of marketing emails anytime via the 'Manage Subscription' link in every email (Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007).
4. Payments and Donations
Donations are processed through Stripe and PayPal under their own privacy policies — we never see, collect, or store your full card details. We retain transaction records (amount, date, donor name/email) for accounting and legal purposes.
5. Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies to keep you logged in, remember preferences, and analyse usage. You may refuse cookies in browser settings, but some features — including staying logged in — may not work. See our Cookie Policy.
6. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell or trade your personal information. Limited sharing:
- Service providers: Resend (emails), Stripe & PayPal (payments), hosting and analytics — only what they need, never for their own purposes.
- Overseas disclosure: some providers store data outside NZ (e.g. US) under comparable safeguards or contractual protection per the Privacy Act 2020.
- Legal compliance: where required by law, valid authority request, or to protect rights, safety, or property.
7. Age Requirement and Children's Privacy
Accounts are for 18 and over. Date of birth is collected at signup. F.O.G. Jr. is designed for adults to read aloud with children 7+ — the adult holds the account; the child never creates a profile or submits information. Under-18 accounts are deleted promptly — report via contact details in Section 10.
8. Data Security
Reasonable technical and organisational measures protect your information — though no internet transmission is 100% secure. In a notifiable breach likely to cause serious harm, we notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner per the Privacy Act 2020.
9. Data Retention and Account Deletion
Delete your account and data anytime, immediately, via your profile settings — irreversible. Legal, accounting, or tax records (e.g. donation receipts) are retained only as required by law.
10. Your Privacy Rights
Under the Privacy Act 2020, you may:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information
- Be told, where practicable, if we collect information about you indirectly — and why
- Opt out of marketing communications anytime
Exercise these rights or raise concerns via contact us. Unsatisfied? Complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) at privacy.org.nz.
11. Third-Party Links
External links are beyond our responsibility — review third-party privacy policies when you follow them.
12. Changes to This Policy
Updates are posted here with a new "Last updated" date. Continued use after posting indicates acceptance.
13. Contact Us
Questions, concerns, or requests about this policy or your data: contact us — addressed to our privacy officer.
but the Word of our God will stand forever
Your Journal
This website is 100% donor-funded. Your generosity allows someone else to do the cover-to-cover Bible Challenge free.