Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Faith Near Me (the operator of faithnearme.com, “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you visit or use our website and related services (the “Service”).

By using the Service, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

Faith Near Me is a United States directory that helps people find places of worship and related listing details.

Privacy and data requests: privacy@faithnearme.com.

We collect information in these categories:

a. Information you provide

• Search and location text you enter (for example a city, ZIP code, or place name), including recent searches we store in your browser so we can restore your last location across the Service.
• If we add accounts, claim flows, reviews, tips, or contact forms later: information you submit there (such as name, email, phone, messages, or listing updates).
• Any other information you choose to send us by email or through the Service.

b. Information collected automatically

• Usage data such as pages viewed, referring URL, approximate timestamps, and search-related events.
• Device and browser information such as user agent and similar technical data from your request.
• A temporary first-party session identifier stored in your browser’s session storage (not a cookie) so we can group analytics events during a browsing session.

c. Location-related information

• We do not request your device’s precise GPS location through the browser geolocation API.
• When you type a location into search, we may send that query to our location suggestion provider (Mapbox) to return place suggestions. Suggested results can include coordinates that we may use to power search and, when applicable, analytics.
• We store your most recent search location and a short history of prior location searches in your browser’s local storage (on your device). This helps keep your last search available as you move around the Service. Clearing site data in your browser removes it. When accounts are available, we may also offer to sync a preferred location to your account if you choose.

d. Listing and public-source information

We maintain a directory of places of worship and related organizations. Listing content may include names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, websites, hours, categories, photos, and similar details gathered from public sources, enrichment tools, operators, or (when available) claimed listing owners. That information is about organizations and public points of contact, not a private consumer profile you create by browsing.

When a listing has map coordinates but an incomplete street address, we may send those coordinates to Google’s Geocoding API (server-side) to fill structured address fields for the directory. We do this for listing data maintenance, not to locate your personal device.

We use information to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve the Service (including search, listings, and site performance).
• Understand how people use the Service through first-party analytics and, when enabled, Google Analytics.
• Show advertising, including ads served by Google AdSense and related Google advertising services, when ads are enabled.
• Prevent abuse, debug issues, secure the Service, and enforce our Terms of Service.
• Communicate with you when you contact us or when you opt into messages we offer.
• Comply with law and respond to lawful requests.

We may display advertisements on the Service. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to your website or other websites.

Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to your users based on their visit to our sites and/or other sites on the Internet.

Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also visit www.aboutads.info to opt out of personalized advertising from many participating companies.

Learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services in Google’s Partner Sites Policy.

Other third-party vendors or ad networks may also use cookies or similar technologies to serve ads on the Service. Where those vendors offer opt-outs, you can use their tools or the industry opt-out pages linked above.

Cookies are small files stored on your device. Similar technologies include pixels, local or session storage, and scripts that read or write identifiers.

On the Service today:

• Our first-party analytics session id uses browser session storage.
• Your most recent search location and recent location-search history use browser local storage so we can restore them on later visits.
• When Google Analytics or Google AdSense (or related Google tags) are enabled, Google and its partners may set or read cookies and similar technologies on your device.
• Mapbox may process location queries you submit for autocomplete. Their processing is governed by Mapbox’s own policies.
• Google’s Geocoding API may receive listing coordinates we already store when we reverse-geocode incomplete directory addresses. That processing happens on our servers and is governed by Google’s maps and related policies.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking cookies may limit some features, especially advertising and analytics. Where required by law (for example for visitors in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland), we will use an appropriate consent mechanism before storing or accessing information on your device for ads or non-essential cookies.

We collect first-party analytics events (such as page views and searches) on our own systems to understand product usage. When configured, we also use Google Analytics 4 to measure traffic and engagement. Google Analytics may use cookies and collect device and usage data as described in Google’s documentation and privacy policy.

Google Analytics opt-out tools and browser controls are described on Google’s opt-out page.

We may share information with:

• Service providers that help us run the Service (for example hosting, databases, analytics, geocoding, and advertising partners), under contracts that limit use to providing services to us where applicable.
• Google and other advertising or measurement partners when ads or analytics are enabled, as described in this policy.
• Professional advisors, or authorities, when needed to protect rights, safety, or comply with law.
• A buyer or successor if we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, subject to this policy’s protections where required.

We do not sell your personal information for money. Advertising and analytics partners may receive identifiers and usage data to show and measure ads. In some U.S. state privacy laws, that kind of disclosure can be treated as a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. You can opt out of personalized advertising using the links in Section 5.

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to:

• Access, correct, or delete certain personal information.
• Opt out of personalized advertising (see Section 5).
• Appeal a decision we make about a privacy request, where the law gives you that right.

To make a request, email privacy@faithnearme.com. We may need to verify your request before responding. If you use browser or device controls to block cookies or clear storage, some analytics, ad features, and remembered search locations may stop working as described above.

The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us personal information, contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

We keep information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, including to operate the Service, meet legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Retention periods vary by data type (for example analytics events versus listing records).

We use commercially reasonable safeguards to protect information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We operate the Service from the United States. If you access the Service from another country, your information may be processed in the United States or other locations where we or our providers operate. Those places may have different data protection laws than your home country.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page and may provide additional notice when appropriate. Continued use of the Service after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Questions about this Privacy Policy: privacy@faithnearme.com.

Related: Terms of Service.