Who COPPA Applies To
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a United States federal law that governs the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13 by online services. Formation Bible Study (operated by Berean Defense LLC) complies fully with COPPA and its implementing regulations enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Formation Bible Study is a Bible study application intended for users aged 13 and older. It is not directed at, designed for, or marketed to children under 13. We do not use age-directed content, cartoon characters, animated characters, or any other features that would primarily appeal to children under 13.
Legal Basis
This notice satisfies our disclosure obligations under 15 U.S.C. § 6501 et seq. (COPPA) and 16 C.F.R. Part 312. It is posted prominently and is accessible directly from our website and app at all times.
Children Under 13
Not Permitted
Formation Bible Study does not permit children under the age of 13 to create an account, use the app, or submit any personal information. If you are under 13, please do not attempt to register or send us any information about yourself.
We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 13. During the account registration process, we ask users to confirm they meet the minimum age requirement. If we determine — through user reports, parental contact, or our own review — that a user is under 13, we will:
Immediately suspend the account
Access to the Formation Bible Study account and all its features will be suspended pending review and deletion.
Delete all personal data within 30 days
All personal information associated with the account — including name, email, notes, highlights, and usage history — will be permanently deleted from our systems within 30 days.
Notify the parent or guardian (if known)
If we have a parent or guardian's contact information, we will notify them of the action taken and confirm when deletion is complete.
Users Ages 13–17
Users between the ages of 13 and 17 (minors) may use Formation Bible Study, but only with the verified consent of a parent or legal guardian. By allowing a minor to create or use a Formation Bible Study account, the parent or guardian represents that:
They have reviewed these Terms of Service and this Children's Privacy Notice and consent to their minor's use of Formation Bible Study.
They accept responsibility for ensuring their minor uses Formation Bible Study in accordance with our Terms of Service and Content Policy.
They consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of their minor's personal information as described in our Privacy Policy.
Formation Bible Study is Safe for Teen Bible Study
Formation Bible Study does not contain adult content, violent content, or user-generated content visible to the general public. The AI Study Assistant is configured for Bible study purposes only and will not engage with content inappropriate for minors. Community features (study groups, discussion threads) are moderated.
Parental Rights
If you are a parent or legal guardian of a minor who uses Formation Bible Study, you have the following rights under COPPA and Formation Bible Study's policies. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].
Review
Request a copy of the personal information we have collected from your child. We will provide this within 30 days of verifying your identity as the parent or guardian.
Delete
Request deletion of your child's account and all associated personal information. Deletion is permanent and will be completed within 30 days.
Withdraw Consent
Withdraw your consent to our continued collection or use of your child's information at any time. Withdrawal of consent will result in account suspension and data deletion.
Restrict AI Features
Request that the AI Study Assistant be disabled for your child's account, so their queries are not transmitted to our third-party AI provider (Anthropic).
Correct
Request correction of any inaccurate personal information we hold about your child — such as an incorrect name or email address.
Restrict Community Features
Request that your child's account be restricted from community features such as discussion threads, study groups, and public profiles.
How to Submit a Request
To protect children's privacy, we verify the identity of all parents and guardians before processing any request involving a minor's data. Here is how to submit a request.
Email us at [email protected]
Send your request from the email address associated with the parent or guardian. Include your name, your child's name, and the email address used to register their Formation Bible Study account.
State clearly what you are requesting
Tell us whether you are requesting to review, delete, correct, or restrict your child's data, or whether you are withdrawing consent. Be as specific as possible.
We will verify your identity
We may ask for reasonable verification that you are the child's parent or legal guardian before processing your request. This protects your child from unauthorized data requests by third parties.
We respond within 30 days
We will confirm receipt of your request within 5 business days and complete all actions within 30 days. For deletion requests, we will confirm in writing when the deletion is complete.
Note on Retention
Even after deletion, we may retain certain minimal information where required by law — for example, billing records may be kept for up to 7 years for tax and accounting compliance. We will clearly disclose what, if anything, is retained and why at the time of your request.
What Data May Be Involved
If a minor has used Formation Bible Study, the following categories of personal information may have been collected as part of normal app operation. This information is covered by any parental review, deletion, or correction request.
Account Information
Name and email address provided at registration. If the minor signed in with Google or Apple, their name and email were received from those providers.
Study Content
Notes, highlights, bookmarks, reading plan progress, and prayer journal entries created within the app. This content belongs to the user and is included in any deletion request.
Usage Data
Anonymized and aggregate usage information such as features accessed, session durations, and reading history. Used only for product improvement and not linked to a specific identity after anonymization.
AI Query History
Questions submitted to the AI Study Assistant. These queries are transmitted to Anthropic's API to generate responses. Formation Bible Study does not retain full AI conversation logs beyond the active session. See our AI Features Disclosure for full details.
Contact & Complaints
If you have questions about this Children's Privacy Notice, believe a child has provided us with information without parental consent, or wish to file a complaint, please contact us directly. We take all reports seriously and will respond promptly.
Children's Privacy & Parental Requests
[email protected]Berean Defense LLC
United States
Response Time
Acknowledgment within 5 business days · Full resolution within 30 days
FTC Complaints
If you believe Formation Bible Study has not complied with COPPA, you may also file a complaint directly with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).