Welcome to Light of Godhead (“Light of Godhead,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit our website, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using our website and services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information in the following ways:
Information you provide to us
- Account information: When you register or log in, we collect your name, email address, and password (stored in encrypted form).
- Donation information: Donations are made through external services — a PayPal.Me link or by scanning a QR code (UPI for donors in India, or Zelle for international donors). Your payment is processed entirely by your chosen provider (such as PayPal, your bank or UPI app, or Zelle) under that provider’s own privacy policy. We do not collect or store your card, bank account, or other financial details.
- Donation details and tax receipts: After donating, you may optionally share your donation details with us — for example to receive an acknowledgement or a tax receipt. In that case we collect the information you choose to provide in the form, such as your name, email address, phone number, donation amount, PAN (for Indian tax receipts), an optional message, and an optional screenshot of your payment.
- Contact and communication data: When you submit our contact form, subscribe to updates, or reach out to us, we collect the information you choose to share, such as your name, email address, and the content of your message.
- Course and content activity: If you enroll in courses or interact with our content, we may record your progress and preferences to deliver the service.
Information we collect automatically
- Usage and device data: Like most websites, we automatically receive information such as your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit.
- Cookies and similar technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the site, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used. See the “Cookies” section below.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, operate, and maintain our website, courses, and services;
- Process donations and send receipts or confirmations;
- Create and manage your account and authenticate you;
- Respond to your enquiries, comments, and support requests;
- Send you updates, spiritual content, or newsletters where you have asked to receive them;
- Understand and improve how our website and content are used;
- Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, security, and technical issues; and
- Comply with our legal obligations.
3. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device. We use them for the following purposes:
- Essential cookies: Required for the website to function, such as keeping you logged in and securing donation transactions. These cannot be switched off in our systems.
- Preference cookies: Remember choices such as your theme and language.
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it. This data is aggregated and does not identify you personally.
When you first visit, we show a cookie banner so you can accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can also control cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling some cookies may affect how the site works.
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with trusted service providers who help us run our website and services, and only to the extent needed to provide those services. These include:
- Payment providers you choose to use when you donate (such as PayPal, your bank or UPI app, or Zelle). When you follow our PayPal.Me link or scan a QR code, your payment is handled directly by that provider on their own platform;
- Hosting and content delivery providers that store and serve our website and content;
- Embedded media providers (such as YouTube) when you view videos on our pages; and
- Communication and analytics tools that help us respond to you and improve the site.
We may also disclose information where required by law, to enforce our terms, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and the public.
5. Third-Party Services
Our website links to and integrates third-party services such as PayPal (for donations) and embedded YouTube videos. These providers may set their own cookies and process your information under their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party service you interact with. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of websites we link to.
6. Data Retention
We keep your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide our services, fulfil the purposes described in this policy, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it.
7. Data Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you;
- Request correction of inaccurate information;
- Request deletion of your information;
- Object to or restrict certain processing;
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
- Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the link in the email or by contacting us.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below. We will respond in accordance with applicable law.
9. Children’s Privacy
Our spiritual and educational content, including our learning materials and courses, may be enjoyed by children. However, accounts are intended to be created and managed by adults. Children should access our content only under the supervision of a parent or guardian, using the parent’s or guardian’s device and account.
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 13 (or the minimum age required in your country). Any personal information associated with a child’s use of our content is expected to be provided and overseen by a parent or guardian, who is responsible for supervising that use. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us so we can remove it.
10. International Users
We operate online and your information may be processed in countries other than your own. Where we transfer information across borders, we take steps to ensure it remains protected in line with this policy.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Significant changes may be communicated through the website.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please reach out to us:
- Through our contact page.
See also our Terms of Service.