A frequent request I receive from WELS congregations, schools and other organizations is for guidance on digital security and privacy. While this is a complex topic and varies by organization and even location, I have put together a document (available below) that attempts to give, at least at a high level, best practices and guidance for things like encryption, data storage, and privacy policies. If you are a WELS organization please feel free to reach out directly if you’d like more detailed information or have specific questions.

General Information Security Guidelines

This document provides guidance to WELS congregations, schools and other organizations for establishing best practices in handling user data and securing online resources. It is important to handle member information (personal and financial), as well as website visitor data, with care. Foreign, and now domestic legislation (depending on what state you operate in) may dictate what you can and can’t do, as well as the policies and procedures you need in place. Many of the new laws have to do with Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Disclaimer: These guidelines are recommendations but may not consider all local, state, federal or international law. They are meant to call attention to certain important compliance and safety areas but should not be taken as official legal advice. We will attempt to keep this document up to date with general best practices and conventional guidance.

View Full Document: General Information Security Guidelines.pdf