This Privacy Policy describes how the Sela — Bible Chat mobile application ("Sela", "we", "us", or "our")
handles information when you use the app. We have tried to keep this document short and in plain English.
If anything here is unclear, please email us at jyemenzies@gmail.com.
1. Information We Collect
Sela is designed to collect as little information as possible.
Chat messages you send to Sela. When you ask a question or share something in the Chat tab,
your message (and the recent conversation it belongs to) is sent to our AI provider (Google Gemini) so a
response can be generated. Messages are processed in transit; we do not store your conversations on any
server we control. We understand that conversations about faith, prayer, and personal struggles are
sensitive, and we treat them that way.
Sign in with Apple (optional). If you choose to sign in, Apple provides us with a private
user identifier and — on first sign-in only — your name and email address, if you agree to share them.
These are stored only on your device. You can use Apple's "Hide My Email" option, and you can revoke
access at any time in your Apple ID settings.
Your journey data. Reading progress, streaks, daily plan history, preferences, and
settings are stored locally on your device. This data does not leave your device and is not visible to us.
Support correspondence. If you email us or submit feedback through TestFlight, we will see
the contents of your message and your email address so we can reply.
Advertising data (free version only). The free version of Sela is supported by ads. Our
advertising partners (see section 4) may receive device information such as your device model, coarse
location inferred from IP address, general app-usage signals, and — only if you allow it in Apple's
tracking prompt — your device's advertising identifier (IDFA). The content of your conversations,
prayers, and journey data is never part of this. Subscribers see no ads.
Sela does not track you across other apps or websites unless you explicitly allow it through Apple's App
Tracking Transparency prompt, and never collects your contacts or precise location.
2. How We Use Information
To generate responses to your questions and conversations through the in-app AI chat.
To personalise your experience (e.g. your name in greetings), using data kept on your device.
To deliver the daily reminder notification you schedule (processed entirely on your device).
To respond to support requests and bug reports you send us.
To operate, maintain, and improve the core features of the app.
3. Data Sharing
We never sell the content of your conversations, and we share data only in the cases below. Some US state
privacy laws treat advertising-related disclosures as a "sale" or "sharing" of personal information —
section 4 explains how to opt out.
Google Gemini (AI processing). Chat messages you submit through Sela are sent to Google's
Gemini API for the sole purpose of generating a response. Google's handling of this data is governed by
their own terms and privacy policy. We do not authorise Google to use your conversations to train their
general-purpose models.
Google AdMob (advertising, free version only). Google serves the ads shown in the free
version of Sela and may receive device information for that purpose, as described in section 4.
Meta (ad measurement). If you install or use Sela after seeing one of our ads on Facebook
or Instagram, Meta may receive basic app events and — only with your tracking permission — your device's
advertising identifier, so we can measure whether our ads work. Details in section 4.
Apple. If you purchase a subscription, billing is handled by Apple and we do not see your
payment details. We only receive a receipt token indicating whether your subscription is active. Sign in
with Apple is likewise processed by Apple under their privacy policy.
Legal requirements. We may disclose information if compelled by a valid legal process.
4. Advertising, Tracking, and Your Choices
The free version of Sela is supported by advertising; subscribing removes all ads. Here is exactly what that
involves and the controls you have:
Ads in the app (Google AdMob). Banner and occasional full-screen ads are served by Google.
Depending on your consent choices, ads are either personalised or non-personalised. Where required (for
example in the EU/EEA and UK), Sela shows a consent form before any ad is requested, and you can change
your choice at any time in the app under Settings → Legal → Privacy options.
Apple's tracking permission (ATT). Before any cross-app identifier is used, iOS shows
Apple's standard "Allow tracking?" prompt. If you decline — or simply never see the prompt — your device's
advertising identifier (IDFA) is not available to us or our partners, ads still work (just less
personalised), and ad measurement falls back to Apple's privacy-preserving, aggregated frameworks
(SKAdNetwork). You can change this any time in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
Ad measurement (Meta). When we advertise Sela on Facebook or Instagram, the Meta SDK in
the app reports basic app events — that the app was installed, opened, or a subscription was purchased —
so we know whether those ads are worth running. Your advertising identifier is included only if you
granted the tracking permission above. Under Apple's definitions this is "tracking", which is why the
prompt exists. Your conversations, prayers, notes, and reading history are never shared with Meta.
US state privacy rights (CCPA/CPRA and similar). For residents of California and other US
states with privacy laws, we enable Meta's Limited Data Use mode unless you have granted the tracking
permission, which restricts how Meta may process your data. You can opt out of ad-related sharing by
declining the tracking prompt and, where shown, using the in-app privacy options form. You will never be
discriminated against for opting out — the app works identically.
None of this changes our core promise: what you say to Sela stays between you, the app, and the AI that
answers you. Advertising partners receive device-level signals, never the substance of your faith life.
5. Data Retention
Chat messages are not retained by us after the AI response is returned. Your journey data, preferences, and
any sign-in details live on your device until you delete the app or clear its storage; uninstalling Sela
permanently removes this data. Support emails are kept for as long as needed to resolve your enquiry, then
deleted.
6. Children's Privacy
Sela is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 13.
If you believe a child has used the app and we have somehow received their information, please contact us
and we will delete it.
7. Your Rights
Because we do not store personal data on our servers, there is generally nothing for us to delete there. You
can erase all of your in-app data at any time by deleting the Sela app from your device, and revoke Sign in
with Apple in your Apple ID settings. If you have emailed support and want your support thread removed,
contact us and we will delete it. For advertising-related choices — including withdrawing consent, opting
out of tracking, and US state privacy opt-outs — see section 4. You can also reset your device's advertising
identifier at any time in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising.
8. Security
Chat messages are sent over encrypted HTTPS connections to Google Gemini, and all communication with our
advertising partners likewise uses encrypted connections. On-device data is stored using the operating
system's standard application storage. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we use
reasonable technical measures to protect your information.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Effective date" at the top of the page indicates
when it was last revised. Material changes will be highlighted in the app or at this URL.
