Privacy Policy

Privacy Details

How information is handled

This policy applies to Our Unfinished Story and the features available on this website, including reading pages, search, contact forms, guestbook entries, support links, social sharing links, cookies, advertising, and site analytics.

1) Information We May Collect

We collect limited information to operate the site, understand how it is being used, prevent abuse, respond to messages, moderate submissions, process voluntary support, and improve the reading experience.

The type of information collected depends on how you use the site. Simply reading a chapter collects less information than submitting a form, signing the guestbook, clicking a support link, or using third-party tools.

2) Basic Site Analytics

Our Unfinished Story uses basic analytics to understand site activity. These analytics may appear publicly in simplified form as terms like Footsteps, Story Walkers, and Reads.

When you visit the site, we may record information such as:

• Pages viewed.
• Page path or URL.
• Date and time of the visit.
• Browser user-agent.
• IP address or a processed/hash-based identifier based on technical visit data.
• Estimated unique visitor activity.
• Referral source, when available.

This information helps measure total visits, page reads, repeat visits, and general reader activity. It is used to improve the site and understand which parts of the Life Library are being discovered.

3) Contact Form Information

If you use the contact form, we may collect the information you submit, such as your name, email address, subject, and message.

We may also store basic technical details, such as IP address and browser user-agent, for spam prevention, rate limiting, security, and response purposes.

Contact form information is used to read and respond to messages, manage abuse, protect the site, and keep communication tools functional. The contact form is not emergency support, therapy, legal help, medical help, or crisis response.

4) Guestbook Information

If you sign the guestbook, we may collect the name, city, and state you provide. Guestbook entries may be displayed publicly after approval, depending on the site’s moderation settings.

We may also collect basic technical information, such as IP address and browser user-agent, to help prevent spam, duplicate abuse, or misuse of the guestbook.

Do not submit anything to the guestbook that you do not want displayed publicly. Do not submit private information about children, former partners, family members, readers, or third parties.

5) Support Payments and Stripe

If you choose to support the writing through a payment link, the payment may be processed by Stripe or another third-party payment provider.

We do not store full payment card details on our servers. Payment information is handled by the payment provider according to its own privacy policy and security practices.

We may receive limited information from the payment provider, such as confirmation that support was received, the support amount, and related transaction details needed for records, support follow-up, or accounting.

6) Cookies and Similar Technologies

This site may use cookies or similar technologies for basic functionality, security, analytics, advertising, embedded content, social sharing, or third-party services.

Some cookies may be set directly by the site. Others may be set by third parties, such as ad providers, analytics tools, social platforms, embedded services, or payment processors.

You can control or block cookies through your browser settings. Some features may not work properly if cookies or related technologies are disabled. For more detail, read the Cookie Policy.

7) Advertising and Third-Party Ad Services

Our Unfinished Story may display advertisements through third-party ad networks, such as Google AdSense or similar providers.

Ad providers may use cookies, device identifiers, or similar technologies to deliver, measure, limit, or personalize ads depending on your location, consent settings, browser settings, and the provider’s own policies.

We do not control how third-party ad providers collect or use information once their services are loaded. Their own privacy policies apply.

8) Social Media Links and Sharing Tools

The site may include links to Our Unfinished Story social profiles and tools for sharing chapters or pages on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or other social platforms.

If you click a social media link or share button, that platform may receive information about your visit and handle it according to its own privacy policy, terms, cookies, and account settings.

9) Search and Site Interaction

If you use the site search feature, your search term may be processed by the site to return matching chapters. Search terms may also appear in normal server logs or analytics records, depending on the site configuration and hosting environment.

10) Public-Facing Statistics

The site may show simplified public statistics, such as total visits, reads, or estimated unique visitors. These are intended to show general site activity and are not meant to identify individual readers.

11) How We Use Information

Information may be used to:

• Operate, maintain, and secure the site.
• Measure total visits, page reads, and estimated unique visitors.
• Improve site layout, navigation, content discovery, and reader experience.
• Respond to contact messages.
• Display and moderate guestbook entries.
• Prevent spam, abuse, fraud, and automated misuse.
• Process voluntary support payments through third-party providers.
• Understand which parts of the Life Library are helping readers connect.
• Comply with legal, security, or operational requirements.

12) Sharing of Information

We do not sell your personal information.

Information may be shared with service providers that help operate the site, such as hosting providers, payment processors, analytics tools, ad providers, spam prevention systems, moderation tools, or email/contact-related services.

Information may also be disclosed if required by law, needed to protect the site, necessary to prevent abuse, or required to respond to a valid legal request.

13) Public Information

Information you choose to submit to public-facing features, such as the guestbook, may be visible to other visitors. Please do not submit sensitive personal information or anything you would not want publicly displayed.

14) Data Retention

Information may be kept as long as needed for site operations, analytics, security, moderation, recordkeeping, legal compliance, support-related purposes, or abuse prevention.

Some data may be removed, anonymized, or archived over time as the site grows and retention practices improve.

15) Security

Reasonable safeguards are used to protect the site and the information it handles. However, no website, server, database, payment provider, or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

16) Children’s Privacy

Our Unfinished Story is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through the site, please contact us so the issue can be reviewed.

17) Reader Safety and Sensitive Messages

OUS may discuss emotionally sensitive topics, but this site is not professional care. Please do not submit crisis messages, emergency requests, therapy needs, legal emergencies, or urgent safety concerns through the contact form or guestbook.

If you are in danger, in crisis, or afraid you may hurt yourself or someone else, please use emergency services or a qualified crisis resource. The When You Need More Help page lists starting points.

18) Your Choices

Depending on how you use the site, your choices may include:

• Using browser settings to block or delete cookies.
• Using privacy tools or browser controls to limit tracking.
• Choosing not to submit contact form or guestbook information.
• Contacting the site about a submitted message or guestbook entry.
• Leaving the site if you do not agree with its privacy practices.

19) External Links

This site may link to external websites, including social media platforms, Scripture resources, Stripe, ad-related services, support resources, crisis resources, or other third-party pages. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those external websites.

20) Updates to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated as the site changes, adds features, updates tools, changes support options, or improves privacy practices. The effective date above reflects the current version.