This Privacy Policy describes how Decoded Lemon ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and protects personal information in connection with HomeCellConnect (the "App"). We are committed to transparency and to safeguarding the privacy of our users.
1. Information We Collect
HomeCellConnect is a community platform that requires an account. As a result, we collect the following categories of personal information:
- Account Information — your name and email address, collected when you register for an account.
- Profile Data — your display name and any profile details you choose to provide.
- Attendance Records — church service attendance (including the specific service attended) and homecell meeting attendance that you log within the App, including any reasons you provide for absences.
- Zone & Homecell Data — information about the zone and homecell you belong to, your role within that group, and your membership status.
- Announcements & Notes — content you create as a leader, including announcements and pastoral notes. Notes are visible only to other leaders within your zone.
- Join Requests — when you scan a QR code or submit a join request, we record the request and any personalised response from a zone leader.
- Role History — a log of role assignments and changes is maintained for accountability within zones.
- Usage Data — basic technical information such as your device type and operating system version, used solely for app compatibility and stability purposes.
We do not collect payment information, precise geolocation, or any data unrelated to your community participation.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect solely to operate and improve HomeCellConnect. Specifically, we use it to:
- Create and manage your account and authenticate your identity.
- Display your community's service times, announcements, and homecell information.
- Record and display your attendance history to you and, where applicable, to leaders within your homecell or zone.
- Facilitate zone joining via QR codes and invite codes.
- Enable leaders to manage their homecell membership and communicate with their group.
- Maintain role audit logs for zone governance and accountability.
- Diagnose technical issues and improve app stability.
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes.
3. Who Can See Your Data
Access to your personal data within the App is governed by your role and the permissions of your zone:
- Members can see their own profile, attendance history, and their homecell's public information (meeting schedule, announcements).
- Homecell Leaders can view attendance records and membership details for the members in their homecell.
- Zone Leaders and Overseers can view information across all homecells within their zone, including role changes and audit logs.
- Pastoral Notes are visible only to leaders holding a recognised leadership role within the zone — they are never visible to general members.
4. Data Security
We take the security of your data seriously. HomeCellConnect is built with the following protections:
- Row-Level Security (RLS) — all data is protected at the database level so that each user can only access what they are authorised to see, regardless of how the App is used.
- Encrypted Connections — all data transmitted between the App and our servers is encrypted using industry-standard TLS.
- Role-based Permissions — your role determines precisely what data you can read, write, or modify within the system.
While we implement strong technical safeguards, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. If you become aware of any security concern, please contact us immediately.
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes. Attendance records and role history are retained to support the ministry's ongoing records. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us (see Section 9).
6. Children's Privacy
HomeCellConnect is intended for users aged 13 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). If you believe a child has created an account without parental consent, please contact us and we will promptly remove the account and any associated data.
7. Third-Party Services
HomeCellConnect relies on the following third-party infrastructure provider to operate the App:
- Supabase — our backend database and authentication provider. Supabase processes and stores the data you provide within the App on our behalf, under our instructions, with row-level security enforced. Their privacy practices are governed by the Supabase Privacy Policy.
We do not integrate advertising networks, social media tracking pixels, or analytics SDKs that share your data with third parties.
8. Your Rights
Depending on where you are located, you may have rights under applicable privacy laws such as:
- GDPR (European Union / United Kingdom) — the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, or port your data; the right to object to processing; and the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.
- POPIA (South Africa) — the right to access your personal information, request corrections, and object to processing.
- CCPA (California, USA) — the right to know what data is collected, the right to deletion, and the right to opt out of sale (we do not sell data).
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 9 below. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the App after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at:
Decoded Lemon
Email: info@decoded.ltd
Support: decoded.ltd/support