Last updated: August 25, 2026
Dive4Help.org (“we,” “us,” “the site”) respects your privacy. This page explains what information we collect when you use this site — including the Citizen Science sighting map — and how we use it.
Information you provide directly
- Citizen Science account (registration/login): your email address and a password (stored securely, never in plain text). Used only to let you log in and submit sightings.
- Sighting reports: when you submit a Nudibranch or Crown-of-Thorns sighting, we store the dive site or location, date, depth, water temperature, species or reef condition, and any photo you upload. This data is shown publicly on the Sightings Map and statistics pages as part of the citizen-science project — please don’t upload photos or notes containing personal information you don’t want public.
- WhatsApp contact: the WhatsApp button on this site opens a chat directly in WhatsApp. That conversation is governed by WhatsApp/Meta’s own privacy policy, not this one — we only see messages you choose to send us there.
Information collected automatically
- Basic technical/analytics data (pages visited, approximate location from IP, browser/device type) via Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, so we can understand how the site is used.
- Spam-prevention checks on our forms (registration, sightings) via Akismet and Cloudflare Turnstile, which may process your IP address and submission content solely to detect bots and spam.
- Standard server logs kept by our hosting provider (IP address, request time, page requested) for security and troubleshooting.
Third-party services we use
| Service | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Google Analytics / Google Tag Manager | Site usage statistics |
| Akismet | Spam/bot detection on forms |
| Cloudflare Turnstile | Bot protection on account registration |
| WhatsApp (Meta) | Optional direct chat, via the floating WhatsApp button |
| Instagram (Meta) | Displays our public Instagram feed on the homepage |
| Brevo | Sends the confirmation email when you register for a Citizen Science account |
Each of these third parties has its own privacy policy governing how it handles data on its end.
How we use your information
- To run your Citizen Science account and display your sightings on the public map.
- To keep the site secure and prevent spam/abuse.
- To understand overall site usage and improve the project.
- We do not sell your personal information.
Data retention
Citizen Science sightings — including test/demo data submitted while this section is in its supervised testing phase — are kept as a historical record, as noted on the Citizen Science pages themselves.
Your rights
You can ask us to access, correct, or delete your account and the sightings tied to it at any time by contacting us at info@dive4help.org.
Children’s privacy
This site is not directed at children, and we don’t knowingly collect personal information from children under 16.
Cookies
Some of the third-party services above (analytics, Instagram embed) may set cookies in your browser. On your first visit, a simple notice lets you know about this and gives you the option to dismiss it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time; the “Last updated” date above will reflect the most recent change.
Contact us
Questions about this policy or your data: info@dive4help.org — Philippines.