Privacy Policy

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for information submitted through this website is the Freemasonic Brotherhood Fraternal Relief Society. Our Data Protection Officer can be reached at any time via the contact details at the end of this page.

2. What We Collect

We collect only the minimum information necessary for the purpose for which it was submitted.

• Contact forms: name, email address, subject, and your message.
• Membership applications: full name, age, contact details, occupation, country of residence, and the information provided in response to application questions.
• Server logs: anonymized IP address, user-agent string, referrer URL, and timestamp — kept solely for abuse-prevention and security.
• Members-only portal: authentication credentials (stored as salted hashes), member ID, and account activity timestamps.

3. What We Do NOT Collect

• We do not sell personal information — ever.
• We do not deploy third-party advertising trackers, spy pixels, or behavioral advertising networks.
• We do not build advertising profiles on visitors.
• We do not share member lists or contact details with any third party, under any circumstance, except as compelled by a lawful court order served upon the Grand Secretary.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data on one or more of the following lawful bases: (a) your explicit consent when submitting a form; (b) the performance of a contract or pre-contractual steps in respect of a membership application; (c) our legitimate interest in preventing fraud and securing our systems; (d) compliance with a legal obligation.

5. How Long We Keep Data

• Contact-form submissions: replied to and then archived for a maximum of 24 months for audit purposes.
• Declined applications: securely deleted 12 months after final communication, unless the applicant requests earlier deletion.
• Accepted membership applications: retained for the duration of membership and up to 7 years thereafter for legal, accounting, and fraternal record purposes.
• Server logs: automatically rotated and deleted after 90 days.

6. Cookies

This site uses only essential, first-party session cookies and strictly limited local storage to maintain authentication state for signed-in members and prevent CSRF attacks. By default, no cookie is set for anonymous visitors.

7. Third-Party Subprocessors

A very small number of trusted subprocessors handle infrastructure or email delivery. Each is bound by contract or professional obligation to confidentiality and adequate data protection.

• Website hosting & storage infrastructure providers
• Form delivery services (email gateway)
• Email correspondence (WhatsApp business account provider)

8. Your Rights

You have the right to request access to, correction of, erasure of, or restriction on the processing of your personal data at any time. You also have the right to withdraw prior consent and to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority in your jurisdiction. To exercise any of these rights, please write to:

9. Children's Privacy

This website is not directed to children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly collect or retain any personal information from anyone under that age. If you believe we have inadvertently done so, please contact us immediately and the record will be deleted without delay.

10. Changes to This Policy

We review this Privacy Policy at least once per year and whenever our processing activities materially change. Material changes will be posted on this page with a revised effective date, and registered members will be notified by email.