Privacy Policy

Kinship Quest, LLC ("KinshipQuest™," "we," "us") collects information you provide directly and information collected automatically through your use of our platforms.

Information you provide:

• Contact information: name, email address, phone number, mailing address
• Research information: surnames, family data, documents, photographs you submit for genealogical research
• Account information: username, password (hashed), subscription tier
• Payment information: processed securely by Stripe; card data never stored on our servers
• Communications: emails, inquiry forms, community posts, and support messages
• Application data: pro-bono research applications submitted via kinshipquest.org

Information collected automatically:

• Log data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time and date of visits
• Cookie data: session cookies for authentication, preference cookies, analytics cookies
• Device data: device type, operating system, screen resolution

We use collected information solely for legitimate business purposes:

• Delivering genealogical research services and written reports
• Managing Academy subscriptions, course access, and certifications
• Processing and reviewing pro-bono research applications
• Communicating about your project, subscription, or inquiry
• Sending service updates, newsletters (with consent), and educational content
• Improving our platforms through anonymized analytics
• Complying with legal obligations

We use cookies to enable platform functionality, maintain your session, and understand how our platforms are used. You may disable cookies in your browser settings; this may affect platform functionality.

We use Google Analytics (anonymized IP) for aggregate traffic analysis. We do not use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking tools.

Cloudflare provides CDN and security services for all three domains and may set security-related cookies. See Cloudflare's privacy policy for details.

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide services and comply with legal obligations:

• Research files and reports: retained for 3 years after project completion, then securely deleted unless you request otherwise
• Account data: retained while your account is active; deleted within 90 days of account closure upon request
• Payment records: retained for 7 years per tax and accounting requirements
• Communication records: retained for 2 years

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements
• Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time via the unsubscribe link

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@kinshipquest.com or write to P.O. Box 1847, Oklahoma 73069.

We implement industry-standard security measures including SSL/TLS encryption on all platforms, Cloudflare DDoS protection and WAF, secure hashed password storage, and Stripe's PCI-compliant payment processing. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security but commit to prompt notification of any breach affecting your data.

We use a limited number of trusted third-party services to operate our platforms:

• Cloudflare — CDN, DNS, security, and performance services
• Stripe — Payment processing for research services and Academy subscriptions
• Google Analytics — Anonymized website traffic analysis
• Google Fonts — Typography delivery via Google's CDN
• Podcast hosting platform — Distribution of KinshipQuest podcast episodes

Each of these services has its own privacy policy. We do not share your personal information with these services beyond what is necessary for the stated function.

Our services are not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@kinshipquest.com.

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Material changes will be communicated to active account holders via email at least 14 days before taking effect. The "Last revised" date at the top of this page is always current. Your continued use of our platforms after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

• Email: privacy@kinshipquest.com
• Mail: Kinship Quest, LLC · Oklahoma, USA
• Phone: (405) 310-9186

This Privacy Policy was prepared for informational purposes. Kinship Quest, LLC recommends consulting a licensed attorney before finalizing and publishing this policy on live platforms.