Legal
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to us. This policy explains how Deaf Bible Society collects, uses, and protects information when you use Deaf Church Where — the public map and church directory.
Who We Are
Deaf Bible Society ("we," "our," or "us") operates Deaf Church Where (the "Map"), a public website that helps people find Deaf and Interpreted churches. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit the Map.
Please read this policy carefully. If you do not agree with it, please do not use the Map.
Information We Collect
Church Directory Information
The Map displays church directory content that churches and partners publish through DCW Partners and related systems. That content may include:
- Church name, location (including map coordinates), city, region, country, and ministry type
- About text, denomination, website, address, phone, video phone, email, and social links
- Public services (schedules, livestream links, notes)
- Published sermons (titles, speakers, scripture, descriptions, dates, video links, thumbnails)
- Published leaders (names, photos, bios, and contact or social details they choose to publish)
- Upcoming published events (names, details, times, locations, pictures, and links)
Only published or public records are shown on the Map. Contact details for churches and leaders appear as directory information they provided — not as information collected through Map signup or contact forms. This Map does not offer visitor accounts, newsletters, or in-app church submission forms.
Visitor Information
When you use the Map, we (and our service providers) may process:
- IP address and approximate location from our GeoIP service, so the map can start near you
- Precise location from your device, only if you allow Location access (used to center the map, show distance, and support directions)
- Normal web request details such as browser type, device, and pages requested (including through our hosting provider)
- Display preferences stored on your device (for example map color, screen color, and miles/kilometers) using local storage — see our Cookie Policy
DCW Partners and “Add New Church”
If you use “Add New Church” or manage church content, you leave this Map and go to DCW Partners (https://partners.deafchurchwhere.com). Account details, forms, and edits on Partners are handled under that site’s practices, not through this Map’s own forms.
How We Use Your Information
We use information related to the Map to:
- Operate and maintain the Map and church directory
- Show published church profiles, services, sermons, leaders, and events
- Center the map near you, support search and place lookup, and show distance or directions when you ask
- Remember your display preferences on your device
- Keep the service secure and reliable
- Meet legal obligations
Information Sharing
We may share information in these situations:
- Service providers: map tiles and place search (Mapbox), approximate location (GeoIP), church images (our image service), and hosting.
- When you tap outbound links: YouTube sermons, Google Maps directions, church or leader websites and social pages, or DCW Partners — those services receive what your browser sends when you visit them.
- Legal requirements: if required by law, court order, or government regulation.
- Protection of rights: to protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property, or that of others.
Published church and leader directory details are shown publicly on the Map because churches chose to publish them.
Data Security
We use appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal information, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), access controls on systems that hold church data, and limiting access on a need-to-know basis.
No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights such as:
- Access: request a copy of personal information we hold about you
- Correction: ask us to fix inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion: ask us to delete personal information about you
- Opt-out: stop marketing messages you receive from us (when applicable)
- Data portability: request your data in a structured format where required by law
If you need a church listing changed or removed, contact the church or use DCW Partners when you have access. For privacy requests about how the Map processes visitor information, contact us using the details below. We will respond within a reasonable time.
Children’s Privacy
The Map is not directed to children under 13 (or the age of consent where you live). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child without proper consent, we will take steps to delete it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on this page and change the “Last Updated” date. Please review this page periodically.
Contact Us
Questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices:
- Privacy: [email protected]
- Legal: [email protected]
Related: Terms of Service · Cookie Policy.