Empower Bible Institute ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at empowerschool.co.za and use our educational services.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use our services.
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:
- Register for an account: Name, email address, password, country, phone number, date of birth, gender
- Subscribe to notifications: Email address for launch notifications and updates
- Complete your profile: Address, emergency contact information, biographical information
- Contact us: Email address and any information you include in your communications
When you access our platform, we may automatically collect:
- Usage Data: Video viewing history, session duration, completion rates, access times
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system
- Access Logs: Session codes used, access method (online/TV), user agent information
- Cookies and Tracking: Website navigation patterns, preferences, login sessions
- Video watch progress and completion status
- Session access history and learning patterns
- Course module advancement and achievements
- Notes and lecture note downloads
- Educational Services: Deliver video content, track progress, manage your learning experience
- Account Management: Create and maintain your student account, verify identity, process registrations
- Communication: Send course updates, notifications, technical support, and educational announcements
- Security: Prevent unauthorized access, protect against fraud
- Service Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to enhance content delivery and user experience
We may send you:
- Course launch notifications and updates
- Progress reports and completion certificates
- Technical announcements and platform updates
- Educational content recommendations
- Password reset and security notifications
🔒 Empower Bible Institute does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
We may share your information only in these circumstances:
- Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist in platform operations (hosting, email delivery, analytics)
- Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government regulation
- Safety and Security: To protect the rights, property, or safety of Empower Bible Institute, our users, or others
- Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with notice to users)
With your consent, we may share progress information with:
- Affiliated educational institutions or certification bodies
- Ministry partners for prayer requests or pastoral care
- Local churches for community connection (opt-in only)
- Encryption: Secure data transmission using SSL/TLS protocols
- Access Controls: Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
- Password Protection: Secure password hashing and storage
- Regular Updates: Ongoing security assessments and system updates
We retain your information for as long as necessary to:
- Provide our educational services
- Comply with legal obligations
- Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
- Maintain educational records as required
Account data may be retained for up to 7 years after account closure for educational record purposes.
You have the right to:
- Access: Request copies of your personal information
- Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
- Restriction: Limit how we process your information
- Objection: Object to certain types of processing
- Updating your profile information in your account dashboard
- Adjusting email notification preferences
- Reviewing your video access history and progress data
- Downloading your educational records and certificates
- Unsubscribing from marketing emails (educational notifications may continue)
- Updating notification preferences in your account settings
- Contacting us directly to modify communication types
- Essential Cookies: Required for basic platform functionality and security
- Performance Cookies: Help us understand how you use our platform to improve services
- Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
- Analytics Cookies: Provide insights into usage patterns and educational effectiveness
- Your browser settings (though this may affect platform functionality)
- Our cookie preference centre (when available)
- Opting out of non-essential cookies while maintaining core functionality
Empower Bible Institute is registered and operates primarily from South Africa. Our servers and primary data processing occur in South Africa. If you access our services from outside South Africa, your information may be transferred to and processed in the country of access. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers and comply with applicable cross-border data transfer requirements.
Our services are intended for users 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.
Our platform uses Vimeo for video hosting. Your interaction with embedded Vimeo videos is subject to Vimeo's Privacy Policy. We do not control Vimeo's data practices.
Our platform uses Zoom for live lecture hosting. Your interaction with Empower Bible Institute during live lectures is subject to Zoom's Privacy Policy. We do not control Zoom's data practices.
We use third-party email services for communications. These providers have access to email addresses and communication content as necessary to deliver our services.
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will:
- Post the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
- Notify users of material changes via email or platform notification
- Provide a reasonable notice period before changes take effect
- Maintain previous versions for reference
For our South African users, we respect privacy rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), including rights to access, correction, and deletion of personal information.
U.S. residents have rights under applicable state laws, which may include rights to know, delete, correct, and opt-out of the sale of personal information.
We respect privacy rights under applicable international laws including GDPR for European users and similar regulations in other jurisdictions.
As a registered South African ministry, Empower Bible Institute is committed to:
- POPIA Compliance: Protecting the confidentiality of educational records in accordance with POPIA, which sets out minimum requirements for the lawful processing of personal information
- Academic Integrity: Maintaining strict controls over student progress and performance data
- Ministerial Confidentiality: Respecting the privacy of spiritual and pastoral interactions
- International Student Privacy: Protecting students regardless of their geographic location
- Community Trust: Adhering to the conditions of lawful processing under POPIA to build and maintain trust within the community
The emergency contact information you provide is used solely for:
- Contacting someone in case of account security concerns
- Emergency situations related to your safety or welfare
- Administrative purposes as authorized by you
This information is never used for marketing and is kept strictly confidential.