Privacy policy

Information you provide

• Optional account and profile: If you create a profile, you provide a display name, email address and password. Your profile may include an optional home island, selected ocean activities and your preference for showing your name on reports. We record the version and time of required acknowledgments and consents.
• Reports: Reports include the site name, map coordinates you choose, observation date and time, dive activity, condition ratings and any notes you add. Historical contributions may also include wildlife observations, photos, discussions or replies.
• Support and moderation: We receive the information you include when contacting the team or reporting content, along with relevant report or account identifiers.

What other people can see

Dive-condition reports, selected site coordinates, observation times and notes are visible to other divers. Your display name appears on reports only when you enable that preference; otherwise profile reports show “VizPing diver.” Guest reports show “Anonymous guest.” Anonymous reporting hides your name, not the report’s location, time or notes. Do not put private information in a report.

Your account email, password, optional home island and profile activity selections are not public profile information. Activities included in a report are part of that public report. Previously shared photos and discussions are retained, but are not displayed in the current conditions-only version.

Guest reporting and information on your device

You may browse and submit reports without creating an account. A randomly generated credential stored on your device identifies guest submissions and permits deletion from that device. Clearing app data or reinstalling can remove that access. Guest reporting is not a promise that all technical information is anonymous.

Saved sites, filters and session information are stored on your device. Session information uses the phone’s secure storage when available. The app also stores preferences needed to remember your choices.

Location, maps and technical information

VizPing does not need your live device location or access to your photo library for its current condition-reporting features. Report coordinates come from the pin you choose on the map.

Maps use Leaflet software and Esri map tiles. Loading a map sends network information, including your IP address and the map area requested, to map providers. We do not send your account email to those providers. Their handling of information is subject to their own policies; see Esri’s privacy information.

Basic app usage and error diagnostics may be collected to understand usage and improve reliability. Hashed guest-device and network identifiers help limit spam and abuse. Raw network addresses are not stored with reports.

How information is used and shared

Information is used to operate sign-in and profiles, publish and display reports, remember preferences, process support and privacy requests, moderate content, limit abuse and maintain the service.

VizPing uses Newly Backend to store and serve account and contribution information, and hosting and technical service providers to deliver the app and website. These providers process information as needed to provide their services. Public report information is shared with other app users as described above. Information may also be disclosed when required by law or as necessary to address fraud, abuse or threats to people or the service.

We do not sell your personal data.

This website

This is an informational landing page, not the interactive reporting app. It does not display live reports or provide sign-in, report-submission or newsletter forms. The pages do not include advertising trackers or analytics scripts. Loading the site sends ordinary connection information, such as your IP address and requested files, to the website hosting service so it can deliver the pages.

Retention, deletion and your choices

Public contributions remain until you delete them or moderation removes them. Account information is retained while your account is active. Abuse reports and related information are retained to address moderation and support needs; no fixed retention period is specified for these records.

• Use the options on your own contribution to remove it. Guest deletion requires access to the submitting device’s credential.
• Change your display-name preference or other profile details from your profile.
• Use “Delete account” in your profile to request permanent removal of your account and contributions.
• Use the app’s reporting and blocking controls for unwanted content or abusive contributors.

Public information may have been copied or saved by others before deletion; removing it from VizPing cannot remove independent copies. Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct or delete personal information, or object to certain processing. Contact the team to make a request. Verification may be needed to protect your information.

Security

Technical safeguards help protect accounts, stored information and access to contributions. No online service or device storage is completely secure. Keep your account credentials private and avoid sharing sensitive personal information in reports or support messages.

Changes to this policy

This page may be updated when VizPing’s features or information practices change. The date above identifies the latest revision. Material changes that require notice or consent will be handled as required by applicable law.