Legal Information

Terms & Conditions

Effective Date: January 16, 2025

These terms and conditions apply to the SightTrack app (hereby referred to as "Application") for mobile devices that was created by SightTrack (hereby referred to as "Service Provider") as a Free service.

Acceptance of Terms

Upon downloading or utilizing the Application, you are automatically agreeing to the following terms. It is strongly advised that you thoroughly read and understand these terms prior to using the Application. Unauthorized copying, modification of the Application, any part of the Application, or our trademarks is strictly prohibited. Any attempts to extract the source code of the Application, translate the Application into other languages, or create derivative versions are not permitted. All trademarks, copyrights, database rights, and other intellectual property rights related to the Application remain the property of the Service Provider.

Service Modifications

The Service Provider is dedicated to ensuring that the Application is as beneficial and efficient as possible. As such, they reserve the right to modify the Application or charge for their services at any time and for any reason. The Service Provider assures you that any charges for the Application or its services will be clearly communicated to you.

Data Storage and Device Security

The Application stores and processes personal data that you have provided to the Service Provider in order to provide the Service. It is your responsibility to maintain the security of your phone and access to the Application. The Service Provider strongly advise against jailbreaking or rooting your phone, which involves removing software restrictions and limitations imposed by the official operating system of your device. Such actions could expose your phone to malware, viruses, malicious programs, compromise your phone's security features, and may result in the Application not functioning correctly or at all.

Internet Connectivity

Please be aware that the Service Provider does not assume responsibility for certain aspects. Some functions of the Application require an active internet connection, which can be Wi-Fi or provided by your mobile network provider. The Service Provider cannot be held responsible if the Application does not function at full capacity due to lack of access to Wi-Fi or if you have exhausted your data allowance.

Data Usage and Charges

If you are using the application outside of a Wi-Fi area, please be aware that your mobile network provider's agreement terms still apply. Consequently, you may incur charges from your mobile provider for data usage during the connection to the application, or other third-party charges. By using the application, you accept responsibility for any such charges, including roaming data charges if you use the application outside of your home territory (i.e., region or country) without disabling data roaming. If you are not the bill payer for the device on which you are using the application, they assume that you have obtained permission from the bill payer.

User Responsibilities

Similarly, the Service Provider cannot always assume responsibility for your usage of the application. For instance, it is your responsibility to ensure that your device remains charged. If your device runs out of battery and you are unable to access the Service, the Service Provider cannot be held responsible.

Limitation of Liability

In terms of the Service Provider's responsibility for your use of the application, it is important to note that while they strive to ensure that it is updated and accurate at all times, they do rely on third parties to provide information to them so that they can make it available to you. The Service Provider accepts no liability for any loss, direct or indirect, that you experience as a result of relying entirely on this functionality of the application.

Application Updates and Termination

The Service Provider may wish to update the application at some point. The application is currently available as per the requirements for the operating system (and for any additional systems they decide to extend the availability of the application to) may change, and you will need to download the updates if you want to continue using the application. The Service Provider does not guarantee that it will always update the application so that it is relevant to you and/or compatible with the particular operating system version installed on your device. However, you agree to always accept updates to the application when offered to you.

The Service Provider may also wish to cease providing the application and may terminate its use at any time without providing termination notice to you. Unless they inform you otherwise, upon any termination, (a) the rights and licenses granted to you in these terms will end; (b) you must cease using the application, and (if necessary) delete it from your device.

Changes to These Terms and Conditions

The Service Provider may periodically update their Terms and Conditions. Therefore, you are advised to review this page regularly for any changes. The Service Provider will notify you of any changes by posting the new Terms and Conditions on this page.

Cookie Policy

Effective Date: January 16, 2025

SightTrack ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency in how we use cookies and similar technologies on our website sighttrack.org and related services.

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how and why we use them, and your choices regarding their use.

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your browser or device when you visit a website. They allow the site to recognize your device, remember your preferences, and improve your experience. Cookies can be:

• Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser.
• Persistent cookies: Stored until they expire or are manually deleted.

2. Why We Use Cookies

SightTrack uses cookies only where necessary to ensure our platform functions properly and provides an accessible and personalized experience. We do not use cookies for marketing or advertising purposes.

Specifically, we use cookies to:

• Maintain secure login sessions for registered users.
• Remember user preferences, such as default location or display settings.
• Enhance performance and usability (e.g., ensuring map layers display correctly via Mapbox).

3. Types of Cookies We Use

We do not use advertising, behavioral tracking, or social media integration cookies.

4. Third-Party Services

SightTrack uses Mapbox for interactive mapping. While Mapbox does not set tracking cookies directly through our application, their services may involve the use of browser storage for rendering map features. You can read Mapbox's privacy practices here:

Mapbox Privacy Policy

We also use AWS (Amazon Web Services) for cloud-based infrastructure and storage, which may involve secure session handling or server-side logging, but not browser cookies.

5. Your Cookie Choices

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• Delete all cookies
• Block all cookies
• Allow cookies only from selected websites
• Notify you when a cookie is being set

Please note that disabling essential cookies may impair your ability to use certain parts of the site (such as login functionality).

For specific instructions:

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Safari

6. International Users & Legal Compliance

SightTrack may be accessed globally, including by users in:

• Canada (PIPEDA compliance)
• United States (including California, under CCPA)
• European Union/UK (GDPR readiness)
• China (limited data use and no behavioral tracking)

While our cookie use is minimal and privacy-focused, we encourage users from any region to contact us if they have concerns about data usage or want to exercise their rights under applicable data protection laws.

7. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy periodically to reflect changes in our technologies or legal requirements. When we do, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of the policy and may notify users if significant changes are made.

Data Usage & Attribution Policy

Effective Date: January 16, 2025

Last Updated: January 16, 2025

SightTrack ("we," "our," or "the platform") is committed to promoting open, responsible biodiversity science while respecting the rights and contributions of our users. This Data Usage & Attribution Policy explains how data submitted by users is handled, shared, and licensed.

1. User-Contributed Data

Users of SightTrack may contribute ecological observations ("Sightings"), which may include:

• Photographs of species or habitats
• Geolocation data (latitude, longitude)
• Date and time of observation
• Descriptive text or tags

Users retain the ability to edit or delete their submitted sightings at any time through their personal account.

2. Ownership and Licensing

All data submitted by users remains the intellectual property of the individual contributors. SightTrack does not claim ownership over any user-submitted data, including images, descriptions, or geospatial information.

To support open science and collaborative conservation efforts, contributors grant SightTrack a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to:

• Store, process, and display submitted data on our platform
• Use the data in aggregated or anonymized form for analysis, mapping, and research
• Share data with external organizations and platforms under open data terms
• Train AI models on de-identified datasets to support ecological and conservation-related outcomes

Unless otherwise noted, all data (excluding private user information) is made available under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 License, which allows reuse with attribution to the original contributor.

3. Public Access and Data Sharing

SightTrack enables open access to biodiversity data to advance research, education, and environmental action. Specifically:

• Public Access: We provide access to contributed data through interactive maps, downloadable files, and APIs.
• Collaborations: We share data with academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, schools, and governmental bodies engaged in biodiversity monitoring and restoration.
• Global Databases: We may publish de-identified user data to reputable open-science platforms, including:
  • GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
  • iNaturalist
  • DataCite and other data repositories

In all cases, we work to preserve the privacy and intent of our contributors while amplifying the scientific value of their observations.

4. Use in AI & Research

SightTrack uses contributed data to:

• Train artificial intelligence models for species identification and ecological trend analysis
• Support public reports and conservation recommendations based on aggregated community data
• Provide predictive recommendations and conservation alerts (e.g., via the ActionTrack engine)

No data is ever sold or used for commercial advertising or monetization purposes. Only research-aligned or mission-compatible third parties may be granted access under open-use agreements.

5. Attribution Guidelines

When third parties use or redistribute data originating from SightTrack:

• Attribution must be made to the original contributor (user), if identifiable, in accordance with the Creative Commons license.
• Attribution to SightTrack is not required, but encouraged where practical to support platform visibility and community growth.
• For citations in academic work or publications, we recommend the following format:

6. Data Modification and Removal

Users may:

• Edit their contributions through their personal dashboard
• Permanently delete individual sightings
• Request deletion of all associated data by contacting [email protected]

Once removed, the data will be purged from active databases and withheld from future redistribution. Previously published open data may remain in external archives but will no longer be updated or linked to user identities.

User Content & Upload Policy

Effective Date: January 16, 2025

Last Updated: January 16, 2025

SightTrack ("we," "our," or "the platform") is dedicated to fostering a respectful, science-driven community where users can document and share observations of biodiversity. This policy outlines the rules and expectations regarding content uploaded by users, including how it is moderated, used, and protected.

By contributing content to SightTrack, you agree to abide by this policy.

1. Types of User Content

Registered users of SightTrack may contribute the following forms of content:

• Photographs of species or habitats observed in nature
• Text descriptions such as species names, habitat notes, behavioral details, or other ecological observations

At this time, uploads are limited to image files and textual input. Video, audio, or other media formats are not currently supported.

2. Content Guidelines

To maintain the integrity and safety of the platform, all user-submitted content must comply with the following rules:

SightTrack reserves the right to restrict uploads to biodiversity-related content only. Content outside this scope may be removed without notice.

3. User Rights and Platform License

You, as the user, retain full ownership of your uploaded content, including photographs and written descriptions.

By submitting content to SightTrack, you grant the platform a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to:

• Display your content on our website and app
• Use your content in maps, dashboards, educational materials, and scientific tools
• Share or archive your content in public biodiversity repositories (e.g., GBIF, iNaturalist), with attribution when possible
• Use your content (in anonymized or transformed form) for AI model training, system optimization, and environmental research

This license remains in effect even if the content is later removed, but we will cease future use upon deletion when technically feasible.

4. Moderation Process

SightTrack employs a combination of automated filters, manual review by moderators, and community flagging to ensure all content meets our standards.

Moderation includes:

• Automated detection of inappropriate or duplicate images
• Manual inspection by trained admins
• Community reporting: Any user may flag a sighting they believe violates the policy

We reserve the sole right to remove or hide any content deemed inappropriate, irrelevant, or harmful—without prior notice. Repeat or serious violations may result in further enforcement actions.

5. Violations and Enforcement

Violations of this policy will be addressed with the following escalation process:

1. First offense – Written warning and optional content removal
2. Second offense – Temporary suspension of account privileges
3. Third offense or severe violation – Permanent ban from the platform

If you believe your content was mistakenly removed or your account was unfairly restricted, you may submit an appeal by contacting us at:

Our moderation team will review appeals within a reasonable timeframe and respond accordingly.

6. Final Notes

By uploading any content to SightTrack, you confirm that:

• You own the rights to the material
• You are not violating any third-party rights or local laws
• Your contributions align with the mission of biodiversity protection and education

SightTrack reserves the right to update this policy at any time. Continued use of the platform after updates constitutes agreement to the revised terms.