Before you start using marine-ranger.org website and iOS and Android App (called “Marine Ranger” in further text) or submit any information to us, you should read this. Whenever you submit information (personal or non-personal) via Marine Ranger to us, you consent to the collection, use disclosure, transfer, and storage of that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. Registration and use of Marine Ranger is voluntary and at your own request.

Privacy Policy 

This Privacy Policy is guided by laws and rights as set out by European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If you are located outside the European Union, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein (European Economic Area (EEA)) where GDPR applies, your country specific privacy policy requirements may not be fully covered hence after consulting additional information relevant to your country you may accept our privacy policy or cancel your account with Marine Ranger in case you find it does not cover your rights appropriately. 

Purpose of Marine Ranger 

Marine Ranger is a citizen science application enabling collection of information on observations of live, injured or by-caught Cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and other marine mammals in the wild.  

The information provided through Marine Ranger rely on data obtained from different sources and we cannot guarantee its accuracy. The Marine Ranger does not provide or replace any permits, guidelines or advice provided or required by national legislation or legally responsible authorities in national or international waters, particularly those related to nature and biodiversity protection (or similar). Each user is required to obtain and follow relevant information regarding the status of protected species in each country or territory it is carrying out observation. 

What personal information do we collect? 

When opening Marine Ranger account, we collect your personal identification information such as your first and last name, telephone number and e-mail address, and if you register with Facebook, your profile photograph. 

Additionally, Marine Ranger collects information such as the IP address, device ID, browser type, language preference, referring site, pages viewed, cookies that may uniquely identify your browser, and the date and time of your access with the aim to understand how Marine Ranger is used. 

How We Collect Personal Information 

We are collecting your personal data when you are opening account or when you contact us or by using cookies, server logs and similar technologies. 

Your personal data are collected when you open account or use Marine Ranger, update your Marine Ranger profile, or upload sightings to Marine Ranger. When you add sighting through Marine Ranger, we are collecting your user ID, location, the date and time of the sighting, the metadata associated with sighting, image or video files you upload. This information is required for Marine Ranger to provide its service in sighting data collection and sharing. If you do not to provide needed personal information parts of the services, like registering your Marine Ranger profile, or uploading sightings to Marine Ranger may be unavailable.  If you withdraw your consent for the use or disclosure of your personal information for purposes set out in this Privacy Policy your access and use of Marine Ranger shall be limited to read-only basis. 

What is the basis to collect and purpose of processing of your personal data? 

Marine Ranger is used to collect data provided by citizens on sighting of large marine vertebrates.  

Your personal information provided under consent are used to manage, improve, and maintain Marine Ranger, respond to your questions, resolve legal issues, and to understand how you use Marine Ranger. When you open account and link your sightings to your account, we need to collect some of your personal data. If you open Marine Ranger account, you must provide accurate information and keep the information up to date. Your accurate personal data is needed in order to comply with legal obligations particularly related to copyright as you should ensure that content you will upload will not contain copyrighted or other proprietary rights material. Registering with Marine Ranger is free and voluntary hence your consent for such purpose is required. 

Who has access to your information and to whom is it disclosed?  

Access to personal information is given to administrators in the Blue World Institute and the system/software administrators maintaining the Marine Ranger. Access to personal information is provided to data super users (representatives of project partners and affiliated researchers and organisations) who use sightings data collected for non-commercial research, conservation, and public awareness purposes and that have agreed not to disclose it to others. 

Personal data you provide related to the sightings you post (username or nick name, date, time, location, photo, video and sighting description) is published on Marine Ranger where it is publicly shared with other Marine Ranger users, whether or not they are signed in. 

As some of data super users may be located outside of EU/EEA by using Marine Ranger, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. Marine Ranger will not provide or use any personal information for any commercial purposes. 

All personal data collected are stored on Amazon server in EU (Frankfurt). 
We use Amazon Web Services, Google Maps and OpenSea Maps (to display geographic content). 

Marine Ranger shall disclose personal information only if required to do so by law, if your actions violate any applicable terms of use or if we need to answer your questions. 

How is your information protected? 

Marine Ranger shall take all reasonable actions to ensure security of your personal information. As data are stored on servers out of Marine Ranger’s control and we cannot always guarantee security of the data transmitted over the Internet you are using Marine Ranger at your own risk. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use any part of Marine Ranger that might require you to provide your personal information.  

How can you verify, modify or delete your information?  

Registered users have direct password-protected access to their account and are able to update it or to cancel their registration. Safeguarding your account is your responsibility hence you should use strong password. In case there is any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with the above, we cannot and will not be liable for it. In case you request cancelation of your account all personal information related to your reported sightings will be removed and your sightings will become anonymised. The content that you have uploaded will remain on the Marine Ranger but will not be linked to you in any way.  

How long do we keep your data? 

Your personal information associated with your account and your reported sightings remains for as long as you maintain your Marine Ranger account. In case of disputes your personal information may be retained until dispute is resolved. Non-identifiable information associated with sightings (time, date, location, photo and video etc.) shall remain attached to sightings, even after you close your account. 

Cookies 

Marine Ranger website uses cookies to help identify and track visitors, their usage of the Marine Ranger and their access preferences. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of Marine Ranger website may become inaccessible or not function properly. 

Analytics 

We use Google Analytics to understand how Marine Ranger performs and how it is being used. To learn more about how Google processes your data, please visit: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/. To opt out of Google Analytics, please install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on by visiting: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. 

Posting sightings 

When you post your sighting, you are certifying that you hold exclusive copyright on the photos and/or videos that you are uploading, and you are granting the non-exclusive and irrevocable rights for use in non-commercial purposes of your uploaded sighting and/or photos and videos to Marine Ranger. Marine Ranger may at its discretion use the sighting information and/or photos and videos you uploaded in any way it deems appropriate for purposes of species conservation, scientific research or public awareness activities that may include copying, reproducing, processing, adapting, modifing, publishing, transmitting, displaying and distributing such content in any and all media or distribution methods now known or later developed. If you maintain your account, Marine Ranger may inform you of the planned use and may seek your consent for disclosure of information that may personally identify you (like name, surname and contact details). In case we do not obtain your consent within the reasonable time we may use received materials but without disclosing of your personal information. In case you cancel your account all the personal information that may identify you related to sightings you posted will be removed. Sighting details, including date, time, location, photos and/or videos will remain uploaded to the Marine Ranger, but your identifying personal information will be deleted. Deletion of your identifying personal information from your uploaded sighting is permanent and irreversible. 

Links  

Please note that the parts within Marine Ranger may be linked to external websites and applications that may have different terms of use and privacy policies. Hence refer to those sites for appropriate information. In addition, a hyperlink to other websites and mobile applications does not mean that the Blue World Institute and its partners are endorsing or accepting any liability for the content and/or use of linked websites or mobile applications. If you decide to access any of these sites or applications, you do so entirely at your own risk. 

Information for Users Outside the EEA 

The Marine Ranger is hosted and is storing data on servers in EU. When you use Marine Ranger and post your sightings you consent to have your personal information transferred and stored in EU and following the GDPR directive as main legal instrument guiding relevant privacy laws. We are taking all reasonable actions to ensure security of your personal information and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.  

Contact 

Please contact the Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 Veli Lošinj, info@blue-world.org 

Modified on 7 July  2021. 

Our Privacy policy is subject to our Terms of use at https://www.marine-ranger.org/terms-and-conditions  

Privacy policy may be updated from time to time and is available on https://www.marine-ranger.org/privacy-policy