Privacy notice

Draft wording for Wild Trust to review and approve before launch. It is not legal advice.

Ocean Sightings is run by Wild Trust (the “responsible party” under the Protection of Personal Information Act, POPIA). This notice explains what we collect when you report a sighting, why, and your rights.

What we collect

• Your photos, and the information stored in them (such as the time, GPS location and camera model).
• What you tell us about the sighting: what you saw, when, where, and any notes.
• The display name you give us, and your email address if you choose to share it.
• A one-way scrambled (“hashed”) version of your internet address, and your browser type. We use these only to block spam and abuse; we never store your actual IP address.

Why we use it

• To build a record of marine life and pollution along the South African coast for research and conservation, with your consent.
• To credit you by your display name, and to contact you with follow-up questions or thanks if you gave us your email.
• If you agree, to show your photo, display name and the sighting on our public map and gallery.

What the public sees

Only sightings you agreed to show publicly, after a reviewer has approved them. Public pages use copies of your photos with all hidden information (including GPS) removed, and show the location only as precisely as you chose. Locations of sensitive species are always blurred. Your email address is never shown publicly.

Who else sees it

Wild Trust's reviewers and administrators. We may share sighting records (without your email address) with researchers and biodiversity databases. Your data is stored in South Africa.

How long we keep it

Approved sightings are kept as part of the long-term record. Rejected or deleted reports, and their photos, are permanently removed after 90 days.

Your rights

You can ask to see, correct or delete your personal information, or withdraw your consent, at any time. Email privacy@example.org with your sighting reference number (for example OS-2026-00042). You may also complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa.