NHRI is a genealogy hub where people researching their own family history — and fellow genealogists — can preserve records and discover records shared by others. This policy explains what information we collect, why, and what choices you have.
1. Information we collect
a. Account information. When you create a free member account, we collect the email address and display name you provide, and records of identity verification where applicable.
b. Records and content you upload. Anything you contribute to NHRI — scanned records, photos, transcriptions, family descriptions, forum posts, showcase items — is stored so it can be preserved and, where you permit, shared. Uploads pass through NHRI's consent flow, in which you confirm your sharing rights and that living people are redacted; unredacted information about living people is not permitted.
c. Newsletter subscriptions. If you join the email list (with or without an account), we store your email address and sending preferences so we can send newsletters, seminar announcements, and community news.
d. Third-party connections. If you connect NHRI to your FamilySearch account, FamilySearch provides account authorization tokens and the profile information you approve. We never see or store your FamilySearch password.
e. Research activity. Records you save, searches you run, and questions you ask the AI research tools are stored so your Research Desk stays available across visits and so we can improve the service.
f. Technical information. Like most websites, we automatically receive standard log data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, and approximate time — used for security, performance, and troubleshooting. Our hosting provider (Cloudflare) processes this traffic on our behalf.
g. Cookies. We use cookies and similar technologies for essential functions: keeping you signed in (e.g., the nhri_member_session cookie) and remembering your preferences. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
h. Payment information. NHRI membership is currently free and we do not process payments. If paid plans are introduced in the future, this policy will be updated and payments will be handled by our payment processor; we will not store card numbers on our own systems.
2. How we use your information
- To provide and maintain your account, Research Desk, saved records, and other features you use.
- To preserve and share the records you contribute, in line with the permissions you set.
- To review contributions before publication and to enforce our Terms of Use (for example, removing content that violates policy).
- To send the newsletters and updates you opted into, and essential service messages (e.g., security notices).
- To detect abuse, protect the security of the site, and comply with legal obligations.
- To understand, in aggregate, how the site is used so we can improve it.
3. How your contributions are shared
NHRI exists so one person's research can help another's. Content you publish on NHRI (public records, showcase items, forum posts, articles) is visible to other visitors according to the sharing settings you choose. Record details and family introductions are shared only with contributor permission as set in the upload flow. Do not upload private information about living people — the upload flow requires you to confirm living people are redacted, and we may remove content that does not comply.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers.
4. Service providers and third parties
We share the minimum necessary information with services that help run NHRI:
- Cloudflare — website hosting, database (D1), and file storage (R2).
- FamilySearch — only when you choose to connect your account; governed by FamilySearch's own terms and privacy policy.
- OpenAI — powers NHRI's AI research features; your research questions and relevant context are sent to OpenAI to generate answers. Do not include sensitive information about living people in AI queries.
We disclose information only as needed to operate the service, with your consent, or when required by law.
5. Data retention and deletion
We keep your account data and contributions for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the service. You may:
- Delete individual contributions or your account at any time — contact us using the details below and we will remove your account data within a reasonable time.
- Note that records you published may have been viewed, cited, or saved by other researchers; we will remove NHRI's copies but cannot retrieve copies others made while the record was public.
Backups may retain deleted data for a limited period before it is overwritten.
6. Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, export, or delete your personal information, and to opt out of marketing emails. Every newsletter includes an unsubscribe link, and account holders can update preferences in their account. Contact us at the address below for any request — we will respond within a reasonable time.
7. Children's privacy
NHRI is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.
8. Security
We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards — including hashed session tokens, access controls, and admin review of contributions — to protect your information. No internet transmission is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. International visitors
NHRI is operated in the United States, in the State of North Carolina. If you visit from another country, your information may be processed in the country where our servers operate, which may have different data-protection rules than your own.
10. Changes to this policy
If we make material changes, we will post the updated policy on this page with a new effective date and, where appropriate, notify you by email. Continued use of NHRI after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.
11. Contact us
Questions about privacy at NHRI: contact@nhrigenealogy.org
National Heritage and Research Institute, 2637 Graham Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28304