PRIVACY POLICY
Last Modified: April 01, 2023
Effective Date: April 15, 2023
Ark Connect LLC, a Virginia limited liability company (referred to in this Privacy Policy as “Ark Connect LLC”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) respects your privacy and we are committed to protecting it through compliance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy is part of The Ark Connect User Agreement, located at https://www.thearkconnect.com/user-agreement/ (the “Agreement”). Except as otherwise defined herein, all terms used in this Privacy Policy have the meanings set forth in the Agreement. Please read this Privacy Policy and the Agreement carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding how we use your information.
1. Introduction: This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may collect through your use of The Ark Connect Services (as defined in the Agreement), including The Ark Connect website located at https://www.thearkconnect.com (collectively, together with https://app.thearkconnect.com and/or any other subdomains of thearkconnect.com, the “The Ark Connect Website”) and The Ark Connect Apps, and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and sharing that information. This Privacy Policy does not apply to information that other users of The Ark Connect Services collect about you through your use of The Ark Connect Services (such as information that you choose to share or make publicly available in your Profile, posts, comments, or prayer requests). User Content that you post within your Connected Organizations or Groups is subject to the privacy policies of those Connected Organizations and may be stored in servers owned and controlled by those Connected Organizations.
2. Updates to Privacy Policy: As technology changes and as our The Ark Connect Services grow and develop, we may modify this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes to this Privacy Policy will be made and will become effective as described in the Agreement.
3. Children Under Age 13: We are committed to protecting the privacy of children under the age of thirteen (13) years (each a “Child” and collectively, “Children”). Access to and use of The Ark Connect Services by Children is prohibited. The Ark Connect Services are not designed for or marketed to Children, and we do not knowingly collect Personal Information (as defined below) from Children. If we learn we have collected or received Personal Information from a Child, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a Child, please contact us.
4. Definitions: As used in this Privacy Policy:
4.1. “App Diagnostic Information” means information collected through your use of The Ark Connect Apps, including device state information, unique device identifiers, device hardware and operating system information, information relating to how The Ark Connect Apps function, and the Location Information of a device at the time one of The Ark Connect Apps malfunctions or crashes.
4.2. “App Installation Information” means the information provided to us by Apple or Google when you purchase or download The Ark Connect Apps, such as operating system version, device manufacturer and model, device name, country, language, wireless carrier name, and app version.
4.3. “Location Information” means global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), iBeacon, or other geolocation information that can be used to identify the precise location of a person or device, but excluding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
4.4. “Non-Personal Information” means information or content other than Personal Information, including, for example, aggregated, anonymized, or de-identified information about our users and other information that does not identify any individual.
4.5. “Personal Information” (or “Personal Data”) means personally-identifiable information (information relating to an individual that can be used to identify, locate, or contact that individual, alone or when combined with other personal or identifying information), such as: name, home or physical address, e-mail address, phone number, or personal characteristics (such as descriptions of physical appearance and photos of individuals), Location Information, and any Sensitive Information (as defined below), or any other information about an individual that we collect through The Ark Connect Services and maintain in personally identifiable form in combination with other personally-identifiable information.
4.6. “Sensitive Information” means Social Security numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers, credit or debit card numbers, insurance policy numbers, login or authentication credentials (such as passwords and API keys) (“Login Credentials”), or other similar information.
5. Types of Information Collected:
5.1. Device and Activity Information: We may automatically collect information about you when you use The Ark Connect Services, such as the pages, materials, and features you access and use, the amount of data transferred, the links and buttons you click, the amount of time you spend interacting with the components of The Ark Connect Platform, and other information about your interactions with The Ark Connect Services, as well as certain standard information that your browser or device sends to every website or Internet server that you visit, including your Internet Protocol (IP) address, operating environment (such as browser type and version, browser plugins installed, operating system version, regional and language settings, screen size and/or resolution, windows size, and page size), access dates and times, and referring websites. We may also collect diagnostic information, including without limitation App Diagnostic Information, device hardware and operating system information, and information relating to how The Ark Connect Platform and other aspects of The Ark Connect Services function on the device you use to access The Ark Connect Services. We may share such diagnostic information and other Non-Personal Information with our service providers to diagnose and improve The Ark Connect Platform and other aspects of The Ark Connect Services. The Ark Connect Platform may use cookies, flash cookies, web beacons, pixel gifs, HTML 5 local storage, and other technologies for a variety of purposes, such as saving and retrieving information about you, your visit, and your preferences and settings. We may use such technologies to share Non-Personal Information with third parties or to retrieve Non-Personal Information from third parties. At this time, The Ark Connect Website does not respond to “Do Not Track” signals sent to us by your browser.
5.2. Location Information: When you use The Ark Connect Platform, we may collect your Location Information in order to provide The Ark Connect Services to you. If you disable GPS or other location services on your devices, you may be unable to use certain features of The Ark Connect Services. Except for Location Information that may be part of the App Diagnostic Information shared with our developers in connection with fixing and improving The Ark Connect Apps, we do not share your Location Information with third parties.
5.3. App Installation Information: When you purchase or download The Ark Connect Apps, Apple or Google may provide us information related to the device (or devices) used to purchase or download The Ark Connect Apps, such as operating system version, device manufacturer and model, device name, country, language, wireless carrier name, and app version.
5.4. Firebase: We may, from time to time, use Firebase, which is a third-party solution provided by Google, Inc. for facilitating the development of apps, distributing pre-release versions of apps, and analyzing information about apps when they crash. We may use Firebase to collect and analyze App Diagnostic Information, which helps us improve The Ark Connect Apps and identify and fix bugs. We may share App Diagnostic Information through Firebase, and the information provided through Firebase is subject to Google’s policies. For more information, see the Privacy and Security in Firebase page (located 3 at: https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy). The Ark Connect Apps may contain a setting to allow you to turn off the collection of App Diagnostic Information. We respect and value your privacy, and we never combine the information collected through the use of Firebase with Personal Information.
5.5. Google Analytics: We may, from time to time, use a tool called “Google Analytics” (including Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting features) to collect information about your use of The Ark Connect, which helps us provide content that is relevant to you and optimized for the devices that you use (such as smartphones and tablets). We respect and value your privacy, and we never combine the information collected through the use of Google Analytics with other personal data. We use the information we receive from Google Analytics only to improve our website and our content and marketing. Google’s use and sharing of information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to this site are restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Service (located at: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/terms/us/) and the Google Privacy Policy (located at: https://policies.google.com/privacy). For more information about Google’s privacy practices, see: How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps (located at: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/). You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize Google Display Network ads using Google’s Ad Settings tool (https://www.google.com/settings/ads/). As an added privacy measure, you can use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/).
5.6. Information You Provide: When you create and use a User Account, you may provide us with a wide variety of information, such as your name, photo, address, e-mail address, phone number, your search queries within The Ark Connect Services, messages you send us, and your User Content (as defined in the Agreement), and other types of information. We will store and use such information only in accordance with the Agreement and this Privacy Policy.
6. Use of Non-Personal Information: We may use Non-Personal Information (including, for example, aggregated information about our users or information that does not identify any individual) for any purposes whatsoever (including without limitation, advertising, marketing, enhancing, designing, or developing products and/or services, and research), and we may share Non-Personal Information with others, including our partners, affiliates, Participating Organizations, and our service providers.
7. Cookie Policy: We may use cookies and other similar technologies, such as HTML 5 local storage, to provide The Ark Connect Services.
7.1. Cookies and Local Storage: Cookies are small text files placed onto your device when you visit and interact with The Ark Connect Website. Local storage is a technology that allows a website or application to store information locally on your device. These technologies enable us to provide and enhance your experience using The Ark Connect Services.
7.2. How We Use Cookies and Local Storage: We use these technologies to provide The Ark Connect Services to you and to analyze and improve The Ark Connect Platform, and other aspects of The Ark Connect Services. Our uses generally fall into one of the following categories:
7.2.1. Essential Processes and Security: To enable essential functions of The Ark Connect Services, such as to facilitate logging you in to The Ark Connect Services, facilitating payments, protecting your security, and helping us fight spam, abuse, and violations of the Agreement.
7.2.2. Preferences: To remember information about your browser and your preferences.
7.2.3. Performance, Analytics, and Research: To help us understand and measure how you use The Ark Connect Services and to improve The Ark Connect Services.
7.3. Blocking and Removing Cookies: We are committed to protecting your privacy, as described in this Privacy Policy. Most browsers allow you to modify your settings to accept or deny all cookies or to request your permission each time a website attempts to place a cookie on your device, and most browsers allow you to delete cookies that have already been placed on your device. However, The Ark Connect Services will not function properly if you prevent The Ark Connect Services from placing cookies on your device.
8. Use of Personal Information:
8.1. How We Use Your Information: We will only store and use your Personal Information as is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with your use of The Ark Connect Services, including:
8.1.1. to contact you in connection with your use of The Ark Connect Services, including to respond to your inquiries;
8.1.2. for authentication and identification purposes;
8.1.3. to enable us to provide The Ark Connect Services;
8.1.4. to provide you with notices about your User Account;
8.1.5. to fulfill any other purpose for which you provide such information to us;
8.1.6. in any other way we may describe when you provide the information;
8.1.7. to carry out our obligations and enforce our rights;
8.1.8. to ensure your compliance with the Agreement and/or to investigate any potential breach of the Agreement;
8.1.9. to protect individuals, including children, our users, Participating Organizations, and other third parties; and
8.1.10. to protect our networks, data, software, or business interests.
8.2. How We Share Your Information: We are committed to protecting your privacy and we will not sell, lease, or disclose your Personal Information to any third party except as described in the Agreement and in this Privacy Policy. We may share with third parties any Personal Information that you choose to share or make publicly available through The Ark Connect Services (such as displaying your name in connection with your posts or messages). In addition to using and disclosing your Personal Information in the manner described above and elsewhere in this Privacy Policy, we may disclose your Personal Information:
8.2.1. to any person, entity, or organization which you consent for us to disclose your Personal Information to;
8.2.2. in the case of a user who requests to join a Participating Organization, to the applicable Participating Organization;
8.2.3. to a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution or other sale or transfer of some or all of our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceeding, in which Personal Information held by us about our users is among the assets transferred;
8.2.4. in the case of a minor, to such minor’s parents or legal guardians (and to the individuals identified by the minor as his or her parents or legal guardians);
8.2.5. to any person, entity, or organization in order to facilitate the provision of The Ark Connect Services;
8.2.6. to any of the Ark Connect Parties (as defined in the Agreement), our business partners, service providers, vendors, and agents who provide hosting services, technical support services, or other services, and as is necessary or appropriate in connection with the operation, maintenance, and support of The Ark Connect Services;
8.2.7. to comply with any legal requirements, subpoenas, discovery requests, or court orders, to defend any legal or administrative proceedings, or as we believe in good faith is necessary to comply with any laws or legal requirements;
8.2.8. to any person as we believe is necessary or appropriate in an emergency situation, including without limitation, to prevent criminal activity, personal injury, or property damage;
8.2.9. to law enforcement, financial institutions, or other appropriate authorities in connection with any investigation of suspected criminal or fraudulent activity by any person or entity; and
8.2.10. if we believe it is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Ark Connect Parties (as defined in the Agreement), children, our users, Participating Organizations, or other third parties (including, without limitation, to facilitate the enforcement of our rights under the Agreement).
9. Opt-In Sharing Features: We will not knowingly disclose your Personal Information to a third party if we know or have reason to believe that the third party will use your Personal Information for direct marketing purposes, unless you opt-in or otherwise expressly consent for such sharing.
10. Security: We have implemented measures designed to secure your Personal Information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure, including the use of TLS to encrypt information you send through The Ark Connect Website. The safety and security of your information also depends on you. You are responsible for safeguarding your Login Credentials associated with your User Account and notifying us immediately if you suspect your Login Credentials for your User Account have been compromised. We urge you to be careful about giving out information in public areas of The Ark Connect Services. The information you share in public areas may be accessed by any of our users. You are strongly cautioned to never share Sensitive Information with other users through The Ark Connect Services. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Despite our measures to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information transmitted to or through The Ark Connect Services. Any transmission of Personal Information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures of The Ark Connect Services or of our service providers, agents, or other third parties.
11. Third Party Sites: The Ark Connect Services may contain links to other websites that are operated by third parties, including the websites of Participating Organizations. Once you have clicked on a link connecting you to such third party website, you will leave The Ark Connect Services and be taken to a website that we do not control. This Privacy Policy does not apply to any Personal Information (or other information) collected on a third party site. You should read the privacy policy of the third party site before providing any Personal Information on such third party site. We are not responsible for any use by any person or entity of any information that you may provide while accessing or using any websites or services provided by a third party.
12. Access to and Change of Personal Information: You may contact us at any time to: (a) request the removal of the Personal Information you provided to us from our databases; or (b) update your Personal Information. However, certain information associated with your use of The Ark Connect Services may be retained permanently for legal, tax, and business reasons. In addition, because certain Personal Information may be necessary to provide The Ark Connect Services to you, you understand that the removal of that Personal Information may require us to delete your User Account. When your Personal Information or your User Content (as defined in the Agreement) is updated or deleted, copies of such information may remain in our backups.
13. Contacting Us: You may contact us with questions relating to this Privacy Policy by sending an email to support@thearkconnect.com.