THE CATHOLIC COMPASS
Privacy Policy
Effective 14 October 2026
1. Scope and contact
This policy explains how The Catholic Compass handles information through thecatholiccompass.world and its www address. The site publishes Catholic writings and reflections by Simeon O. Osuide, article reactions, and links to news and videos. For privacy questions or requests, contact simsuid@gmail.com. This policy covers this website; external services have their own policies.
2. Information you provide
If you email us, we receive your email address, message, and any details or attachments you choose to send. Authorized authors sign in through ChatGPT; the hosting platform supplies an account identifier, email address, and, when available, a name. Author verification also processes email addresses, verification attempts, and session records. We do not receive your ChatGPT password. Published articles and author names are public.
3. Browsing and technical information
Hosting and security providers process information needed to deliver and protect the site, which may include IP addresses, browser and device information, requested URLs, timestamps, error records, and security signals. This information supports availability, abuse prevention, and troubleshooting. Reading public articles does not require an author account.
4. Cookies and article likes
The article-reaction feature sets a compass_reader cookie containing a random browser identifier, including when the feature loads. Its configured lifetime is one year. The database associates that identifier with liked articles and timestamps; public pages show counts, not a list of readers. Removing a like deletes that reaction for the current identifier. Clearing cookies does not automatically delete an existing database record and may prevent us from linking the old identifier to your request.
5. Author and platform cookies
Author email challenges use the __Host-compass_author_challenge cookie for up to 10 minutes. The __Host-compass_author_verified cookie lasts up to four hours. The platform may set additional authentication and security cookies, including Cloudflare bot-management cookies. Cookie expiry is not necessarily the same as deletion of associated server records. You can block or clear cookies through your browser; doing so may affect likes, verification, or sign-in.
6. External images, links, and sharing
Video thumbnails may load directly from YouTube image servers, which receive the network information needed to serve the image even if you do not open a video. News and video links take you to independent publishers. Social-sharing links open services such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, or X and may pass the article title and URL. Those providers control their own collection and cookies. Our news feeds are retrieved by the server; the public page may show cached headlines.
7. How information is used
Information is used to deliver pages, maintain article reactions, authenticate authorized authors, send requested verification codes, respond to correspondence, investigate errors or abuse, and comply with applicable legal obligations. We do not use the article-like identifier to create advertising profiles. The current site does not offer a public newsletter subscription, checkout, or public comment form.
8. Service providers and disclosures
The site uses ChatGPT Sites and Cloudflare infrastructure for hosting, security, and database services. Author verification email uses Resend when configured, and correspondence is handled through email providers. Information may be available to authorized administrators and providers as needed for these functions, or disclosed where legally required or necessary to address fraud, security incidents, or protection of rights. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
9. Sensitive information and children
Religious interests and messages can reveal sensitive information. Please do not send passwords, verification codes, confidential pastoral disclosures, medical records, or unnecessary information about other people. This is a general-audience publication, not a service directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly solicit personal information from children under 13. A parent or guardian who believes a child provided personal information can contact us to request review and deletion where appropriate.
10. Retention and security
Published content remains available until edited or removed. Reaction records remain until unliked or otherwise deleted. Verification challenges and sessions have expiry checks; expired records are cleaned up during relevant verification operations, rather than through a guaranteed immediate deletion schedule. Correspondence and operational records may be retained as needed to handle requests, protect the site, or meet legal obligations. Providers may retain their own logs and backups under their policies. We use HTTPS and restricted author access, but no internet service can guarantee absolute security.
11. Your choices and rights
You may request access, correction, or deletion of information associated with you by emailing simsuid@gmail.com with the subject Privacy request. Depending on applicable law, you may also have rights to restrict processing, object, receive a portable copy, withdraw consent, appeal a decision, or complain to a regulator. These rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions. We may request proportionate information to verify a request; do not send identity documents unless a secure, necessary process has been agreed. We cannot identify a reader solely from a public like count.
12. International visitors and legal bases
Providers may process information in countries other than your own. Where applicable data-protection law requires a legal basis, processing may rely on providing a requested service, legitimate interests in operating and securing the publication, legal obligations, or consent where required. This notice does not replace any consent required by law or waive your rights. We do not make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects solely through automated processing.
13. Changes
This policy reflects the features currently described above. We will update it when material practices change and provide additional notice or seek consent where required. The effective date below identifies the current version. Privacy requests and complaints can be sent to simsuid@gmail.com.
Contact: simsuid@gmail.com