Last updated: 23/05/2026

​

This Privacy Policy explains how Church Cap collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information when you use our website at churchcap.org.

Church Cap is an open-source project that provides live captioning software for churches. Our website is mainly used to explain the project, provide download and GitHub links, share documentation, and allow people to contact us.

​

1. Who we are

Church Cap is operated from the United Kingdom.

For privacy questions, you can contact us at:

Church Cap
Website: churchcap.org
Email: info@churchcap.org

For the purposes of UK data protection law, the person or organisation operating Church Cap is the “controller” of personal information collected through this website.

​

2. What information we collect

We may collect the following types of personal information.

Information you provide to us

If you use our contact form or email us, we may collect:

• your name;

• your email address;

• your organisation or church name, if you provide it;

• the content of your message;

• any other information you choose to include.
   

Please do not send us sensitive personal information through the contact form, such as safeguarding details, medical information, pastoral counselling information, private prayer requests, or confidential church matters.

​

Technical information

When you visit the website, our website provider, hosting provider, security tools, analytics tools, or server logs may collect limited technical information, such as:

• IP address;

• browser type and version;

• device type;

• operating system;

• pages visited;

• referring website;

• approximate location based on IP address;

• date and time of access;

• error logs and security logs.
   

GitHub and third-party links

If you click links to GitHub, social media, documentation platforms, or other third-party websites, those services may collect information about you under their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for how third-party websites use your information.

​

3. How we use your information

We may use personal information to:

• respond to enquiries sent through the contact form;

• provide support or guidance where possible;

• improve the website, documentation, and software;

• understand how people use the website;

• protect the website from spam, misuse, abuse, or security threats;

• maintain records of correspondence;

• manage open-source community communication;

• comply with legal obligations.
   

We do not sell your personal information.
 

4. Our lawful basis for using your information

Under UK GDPR, we need a lawful basis to use personal information.

Depending on the situation, we may rely on:

Consent

​

We may rely on consent where you actively choose to submit information, sign up for updates, or agree to non-essential cookies or analytics.

You can withdraw consent at any time by contacting us or by changing your cookie preferences, where available.

​

Legitimate interests

We may rely on legitimate interests to:

• respond to messages you send us;

• operate and improve the website;

• protect the website from spam or security threats;

• keep basic records of communications;

• understand general website usage.
   

The ICO explains that legitimate interests can be used where there is a valid interest, the processing is necessary, and the individual’s rights do not override that interest. 

Legal obligation

We may use information where necessary to comply with a legal obligation, such as responding to lawful requests or keeping records where required.

​

5. Contact form messages

If you contact us through the website, we will use your details to read, manage, and respond to your message.

We may keep contact form submissions for up to [insert period, e.g. 12 months], unless we need to keep them longer for project administration, security, dispute resolution, or legal reasons.

If your message relates to a bug report, feature request, support question, or open-source contribution, we may keep a record for longer where it is useful for maintaining the project. We will avoid publishing your personal contact details without your permission.

​

6. Cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies.

Cookies are small files placed on your device. They may be used to make the website work, remember preferences, improve security, or understand how visitors use the site.

​

Essential cookies

Essential cookies are needed for the website to work properly. These may include cookies used for security, contact forms, session management, or basic website functionality.

​

Analytics cookies

We may use analytics tools to understand how visitors use the website, such as which pages are visited and which links are clicked.

If we use non-essential analytics cookies or similar tracking technologies, we will ask for consent where required.

The ICO explains that cookie consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and based on clear positive action; it should not be hidden only inside a privacy policy. 

​

Third-party cookies

Third-party services such as embedded videos, social media links, GitHub widgets, analytics tools, or spam protection services may set their own cookies.

You can usually control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how the website works.

​

7. Embedded content and external links

Our website may include links to or embedded content from third-party services, such as:

• GitHub;

• YouTube or video platforms;

• social media platforms;

• documentation platforms;

• analytics providers;

• hosting providers;

• form or spam-protection services.
   

Third-party websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional tracking, and monitor your interaction with their content.

You should review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use.

​

8. Church Cap software and local processing

Church Cap software is designed to support local live captioning for churches.

This Privacy Policy applies to the churchcap.org website. It does not automatically cover every installation of the Church Cap software run by churches, organisations, or individuals on their own devices or networks.

If a church installs and runs Church Cap locally, that church or organisation may be responsible for how audio, captions, logs, access records, or other information are handled in that local environment.

Churches using Church Cap should consider their own privacy notices, safeguarding policies, accessibility policies, and data protection responsibilities.

​

9. How we share information

We may share limited personal information with trusted service providers who help us operate the website and project, such as:

• website hosting providers;

• domain and DNS providers;

• email providers;

• contact form providers;

• spam protection providers;

• analytics providers;

• security and logging services;

• GitHub or open-source project platforms.
   

These providers may process information on our behalf or under their own terms and privacy policies.

We may also disclose information if required by law, regulation, court order, legal process, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of Church Cap, users, or others.

​

10. International transfers

Some service providers we use may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this happens, we will take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as using providers that offer suitable data protection terms, adequacy arrangements, or standard contractual safeguards where required.

​

11. How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary.

Typical retention periods may include:

• contact form enquiries: 12 months;

• support or project correspondence: 24 months;

• security logs: 12 months;

• analytics data: 26 months;

• legal or dispute-related records: as long as needed to protect our rights or comply with law.

You should replace these example periods with the periods you actually use.

​

12. How we protect information

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, such as:

• using reputable website and email providers;

• using HTTPS where available;

• limiting access to contact form submissions and email accounts;

• using strong passwords and two-factor authentication where possible;

• keeping website tools and accounts secure;

• monitoring for spam, abuse, or security issues.
   

No website or online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

​

13. Your rights

Depending on your location and the circumstances, you may have rights over your personal information, including the right to:

• ask for a copy of your personal information;

• ask us to correct inaccurate information;

• ask us to delete your information;

• object to certain uses of your information;

• ask us to restrict how we use your information;

• ask for your information in a portable format;

• withdraw consent where we rely on consent;

• complain to a data protection authority.
   

In the UK, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled. The ICO is the UK data protection regulator. 

ICO website: ico.org.uk

​

14. Children

Church Cap is intended for use by churches, organisations, volunteers, developers, and adults involved in accessibility and church technology.

The website is not aimed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the website.

If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us so we can review and delete it where appropriate.

​

15. Marketing

We will not send you marketing emails unless you have asked to receive them or there is another lawful basis for doing so.

If we introduce a mailing list or newsletter, we will explain what you are signing up for and provide a way to unsubscribe.

​

16. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

The latest version will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date.

​

17. Contact us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle personal information, contact:

Church Cap
Website: churchcap.org
Email: info@churchcap.org