Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Ancestral Lineage ("we", "our", or "us") is operated by FacioTech Foundation. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information, particularly the sensitive family and genealogical data you entrust to our platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your information when you use our website at https://ancestrallineage.org and related services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and password. If you sign in via a third-party provider (e.g. Google), we receive your name, email, and profile picture from that provider.

2.2 Family & Genealogical Data

You may provide names, dates of birth and death, locations, photographs, biographical information, and relationship data for family members. This data is treated with the highest level of care due to its personal and sensitive nature.

2.3 Financial Data

If you use our Susu (group savings) or wallet features, we process transaction records. Payment card details are handled directly by our payment processor (Stripe) and are never stored on our servers.

2.4 Usage Data

We automatically collect device information, browser type, IP address, pages visited, and interaction data to improve our services.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Provide and maintain the Ancestral Lineage platform
• Build and display family trees and clan pages you create
• Process financial transactions and Susu contributions
• Send service-related notifications and updates
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Improve our platform through aggregate analytics (never selling individual data)
• Comply with legal obligations and protect against fraud

4. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data only in the following circumstances:

• With your consent: When you share family trees or clan pages with other users or make them public.
• Service providers: We use trusted third parties for hosting (Vercel), payment processing (Stripe), email delivery (Resend), and file storage (AWS S3) — each bound by data processing agreements.
• Legal requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental regulation.
• Safety: To protect the rights, safety, and property of our users and the public.

5. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored on secure servers with encryption at rest and in transit. We implement industry-standard security measures including access controls, regular security audits, and secure development practices. While no system is 100% secure, we are committed to protecting your family data to the best of our ability.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: Update inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Portability: Export your family tree data in a standard format
• Restriction: Limit how we process your data
• Objection: Object to certain types of processing

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@ancestrallineage.org. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law (e.g. financial transaction records). Anonymized analytics data may be retained indefinitely.

8. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential site functionality, authentication, and optional analytics. For details on cookie categories and how to manage your preferences, see our Cookie Policy.

9. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not directed at children under 13. While family trees may include information about minors (added by parents or guardians), we do not knowingly collect data directly from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

10. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers, including standard contractual clauses and compliance with applicable data protection frameworks.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or a prominent notice on our platform. Your continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, contact us at: