Acceptable Use Policy

Effective Date: February 13, 2026
Last Updated: February 13, 2026

1. Introduction

This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") governs your use of Ekkleios ("Service," "Platform," "we," "us," or "our"). This policy is part of our Terms of Service and applies to all users, organizations, and visitors.

By using the Service, you agree to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy.

2. Purpose

Ekkleios is designed to help religious organizations, churches, ministries, and nonprofits manage their operations, engage their communities, and further their mission. This AUP ensures the Platform is used responsibly, legally, and in accordance with its intended purpose.

3. Acceptable Uses

You may use the Service to:

3.1 Ministry Operations

Manage church members, contacts, and guests
Track attendance and participation
Organize events and small groups
Facilitate volunteer coordination
Manage pastoral care and follow-up

3.2 Financial Management

Process donations and tithes
Track giving and generate donor statements
Manage funds and financial reporting
Issue tax receipts

3.3 Spiritual Development

Track discipleship journeys and spiritual growth
Manage ministry pathways and programs
Record milestones and achievements
Facilitate mentorship and accountability

3.4 Community Engagement

Create community posts and updates
Share testimonies and encouragement
Facilitate prayer requests and support
Build connections among members

3.5 Communications

Send newsletters and announcements
Communicate with members and donors
Provide event reminders and updates
Share ministry resources

3.6 Public Presence

Create donation pages and landing pages
Share ministry information publicly
Accept online donations
Provide donor portals

4. Prohibited Uses

You may NOT use the Service for any of the following:

4.1 Illegal Activities

Any activity that violates local, state, national, or international law
Money laundering or terrorist financing
Fraud, theft, or embezzlement
Tax evasion or financial crimes
Violation of export control laws
Unauthorized access to computer systems

4.2 Harmful Content

Hate speech, discrimination, or harassment based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics
Threats of violence or harm to individuals or groups
Content promoting terrorism or violent extremism
Child exploitation or abuse material
Graphic violence or gore
Self-harm or suicide promotion

4.3 Fraudulent Activities

Misrepresenting your identity or organization
Creating fake accounts or organizations
Phishing or social engineering attacks
Pyramid schemes or multi-level marketing
Fraudulent donation solicitation
Misuse of donated funds

4.4 Spam and Abuse

Sending unsolicited bulk emails (spam)
Automated or excessive messaging
Harvesting email addresses or contact information
Using the Platform for commercial advertising unrelated to ministry
Distributing malware, viruses, or harmful code

4.5 Intellectual Property Violations

Uploading copyrighted content without permission
Trademark infringement
Plagiarism or unauthorized use of others' work
Distributing pirated software or media

4.6 Privacy Violations

Sharing others' personal information without consent (doxxing)
Unauthorized surveillance or tracking
Violating donor privacy or confidentiality
Selling or trading personal data

4.7 Platform Abuse

Attempting to hack, breach, or compromise security
Reverse engineering or decompiling the Platform
Scraping or automated data extraction
Creating excessive load or denial-of-service attacks
Circumventing access controls or security measures
Reselling or redistributing the Service without authorization

4.8 Misuse of Funds

Using donation features for personal gain
Misrepresenting the purpose of donations
Failing to use donations for stated purposes
Commingling personal and organizational funds

4.9 Inappropriate Content

Pornography or sexually explicit material
Excessive profanity or vulgar language
Content promoting substance abuse
Gambling or betting activities
Content inappropriate for a religious/ministry context

4.10 Impersonation

Impersonating Ekkleios staff or representatives
Impersonating other organizations or individuals
Creating misleading or deceptive profiles

5. Content Standards

5.1 User-Generated Content

All content you upload, post, or share must:

Be accurate and truthful
Comply with applicable laws
Respect intellectual property rights
Be appropriate for a ministry context
Not contain malicious code or viruses

5.2 Organization Responsibility

Organizations are responsible for:

Content posted by their authorized users
Ensuring users comply with this AUP
Monitoring and moderating user activity
Removing inappropriate content promptly

5.3 Donor Communications

When communicating with donors, you must:

Provide accurate information about your organization
Honor donor preferences and opt-out requests
Comply with CAN-SPAM Act and similar regulations
Provide clear unsubscribe options
Respect donor privacy

6. Enforcement

6.1 Monitoring

We reserve the right to:

Monitor use of the Platform for compliance
Investigate suspected violations
Review reported content or behavior
Access accounts as necessary for security or legal purposes

6.2 Reporting Violations

To report violations of this AUP:

Email: abuse@ekkleios.com
Subject: "AUP Violation Report"
Include: Description of violation, evidence, and relevant details

6.3 Actions We May Take

If you violate this AUP, we may:

Issue a warning
Temporarily suspend your account
Permanently terminate your account
Remove or disable violating content
Report illegal activity to law enforcement
Pursue legal action for damages

6.4 Immediate Termination

We may immediately terminate accounts for:

Illegal activities
Severe or repeated violations
Threats to platform security
Fraudulent activity
Child exploitation material

6.5 No Refunds

Violations of this AUP may result in account termination without refund.

7. Compliance with Laws

7.1 Applicable Laws

You must comply with all applicable laws, including:

CAN-SPAM Act: Email marketing regulations
TCPA: Telephone and SMS regulations
GDPR: EU data protection regulations
CCPA: California privacy regulations
PCI DSS: Payment card security standards
Tax Laws: Donation reporting and receipting requirements
Anti-Money Laundering (AML): Financial crime prevention
Know Your Customer (KYC): Identity verification requirements

7.2 International Users

If you use the Service from outside the United States, you must comply with your local laws regarding:

Data protection and privacy
Online communications
Financial transactions
Religious activities

8. Third-Party Services

8.1 Integration Responsibility

When integrating third-party services (Stripe, SendGrid, etc.):

You must comply with their terms of service
You are responsible for your use of their services
We are not liable for third-party service issues

8.2 External Links

If you include links to external websites:

Ensure links are appropriate and safe
Do not link to illegal or harmful content
We are not responsible for external content

9. Data Usage

9.1 Permitted Data Use

You may use data in the Platform to:

Manage your organization's operations
Communicate with your members and donors
Generate reports and analytics for your organization
Fulfill legal and tax obligations

9.2 Prohibited Data Use

You may NOT:

Sell or trade personal data
Share data with unauthorized third parties
Use data for purposes unrelated to your ministry
Combine data across multiple organizations without consent
Use data for political campaigning (unless explicitly permitted by your organization's mission)

10. Security Responsibilities

10.1 Your Responsibilities

You must:

Use strong, unique passwords
Enable two-factor authentication (recommended)
Keep login credentials confidential
Report security incidents immediately
Ensure authorized users only
Log out from shared devices

10.2 Prohibited Security Actions

You must NOT:

Share account credentials
Attempt to breach security measures
Access other organizations' data
Exploit security vulnerabilities
Disable security features

11. Modifications to This Policy

11.1 Updates

We may update this AUP at any time. Changes will be posted with an updated "Last Updated" date.

11.2 Notification

Material changes will be communicated via:

Email to registered users
Notice on our website
In-app notifications

11.3 Continued Use

Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated AUP.

12. Contact Us

For questions about this Acceptable Use Policy:

Email: legal@ekkleios.com
Abuse Reports: abuse@ekkleios.com
Support: support@ekkleios.com
Website: https://ekkleios.web.app

13. Acknowledgment

BY USING THE SERVICE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY, UNDERSTAND IT, AND AGREE TO COMPLY WITH IT.

Violations of this policy may result in account suspension or termination, legal action, and reporting to law enforcement.

Version: 1.0
Effective Date: February 13, 2026
Last Updated: February 13, 2026