Last Updated: May 2024

Earthshore Privacy Policy for Offline, Online and Electronic use

Earthshore.org respects your privacy, and we know that many people care about how their information is used and shared. This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of information in connection with the Earthshore.org website, online services and mobile applications. By visiting and accessing any of the Sites, and by providing information to Earthshore Foundation (including Earthshore Foundation volunteers, staff, agents, etc.), you are providing consent to Earthshore Foundation practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you disagree with any of the terms herein, please do not provide information to Earthshore and immediately discontinue use of the site.

Mission Purpose; Legitimate Interests

Earthshore.org values your privacy and understands your concerns about how your information is used and shared. This Privacy Policy outlines our practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of information related to the Earthshore.org website, online services, and mobile applications. By accessing our Sites and providing information to Earthshore Foundation, including its volunteers, staff, and agents, you consent to the practices described herein. If you disagree with any terms, please refrain from providing information to us and discontinue use of the site immediately.

Mission Purpose and Legitimate Interests

Earthshore’s mission is to collaborate with supporters and members to address major global challenges facing our oceans. We develop science-based solutions to promote a healthy ocean, benefiting wildlife and communities. The information we collect supports this mission and is used for purposes including:

  • Sending updates about Earthshore Foundation and its partners.
  • Personalizing interactions, including customizing web and email content and sending event invitations.
  • Responding to inquiries and fulfilling requests, such as processing donations and providing membership services.
  • Sending administrative updates, including information about the Sites and changes to terms and policies.
  • Managing contests and promotions, which may include additional rules and information about the use of your Personal Information.
  • Facilitating social sharing functions.
  • Conducting internal activities such as data analysis, fraud prevention, product development, and evaluating promotional effectiveness.
  • Engaging with potential supporters, donors, and stakeholders interested in supporting Earthshore’s mission.

What Information We Collect

Earthshore may collect personal information that you provide, including your name, address, email address, and payment details. “Personal Information” refers to data that identifies or relates to an identifiable individual. Additionally, we gather “Other Information” about your use of the Sites, such as your IP address, browser type, mobile device type, visited content, and visit duration, which does not identify you personally. If you submit Personal Information about others through the Sites or offline channels, you confirm that you have the authority to do so and consent to its use as described in this Privacy Policy.

No Collection of Special Data

Our policy is not to collect special categories of personal data, including information on racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, genetic data, or similar details. We also do not collect information about criminal convictions or offenses.

Credit Card Information

Earthshore Foundation does not disclose credit card information provided by donors or other customers. When you opt to make a payment using a credit card, Earthshore Foundation submits the necessary information to the relevant clearinghouse through secure channels to process the transaction.

How We Collect Information

Personal Information That You Voluntarily Provide to Us

You can explore certain sections of our Site without providing any Personal Information. However, to access additional content or participate in specific activities, we may request that you provide Personal Information for the following purposes:

  • when you fill out forms on the Sites, including, for example, e-newsletter sign-up forms, donation forms, surveys and advocacy action alerts.
  • When you sign up to participate in our events or programs

Information Received from Other Sources

We may supplement the information we collect from you with information we collect from and about you from other online and offline sources, such as public databases, social media platforms and from people with whom you are friends or otherwise connected on social media platforms. For example, if you choose to connect your social media account to your Site account, certain Personal Information from your social media account will be shared with us. This may include Personal Information that is part of your profile or your friends’ profiles. In addition, we may obtain publicly available contact information to connect with individuals who may share our values and goals.

Automatically Collected Data

As you interact with our Site, we may collect other Information in a variety of ways, including:

  1. We use “cookies” to help us monitor traffic and collect information about use of the Sites. Cookies are pieces of data placed on your device when you visit the Sites that help us recognize you when you come back to the Sites, allowing us, for instance, to remember the email address and password you use when you log in on a specific computer. Earthshore.org uses the aggregated information collected from cookies to measure the number of visits to the Sites, the average time spent on the Sites, the identity and number of pages viewed, and to gather other traffic data and information that allows us to improve the Sites. We also use the information for security purposes, to facilitate navigation, to display information more effectively, and to personalize your experience while using the Sites. Cookies further allow us to select which of our content is most likely to appeal to you and display it while you are on the Sites.
  2. You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. However, if the user declines the attachment of any cookie, the user may not have access to the full benefits of the website.
  3. For additional information, please review our “cookie policy”
  4. Earthshore also uses a variety of third-party web and mobile app analytics and optimization services to improve the Sites and enhance the visitor experience. For examples, the Sites use web analytics services that may record mouse clicks, mouse movements, scrolling activity, text you type in the Sites, and similar activity. The Sites do not use these services to collect any personally identifiable information not otherwise provided by you in using the Sites, and they do not track your browsing habits across other third-party websites on our behalf.
  5. We also use Google Analytics, which uses cookies and other, similar technologies to collect information about Site use anonymously and reports website trends, without identifying individual visitors. You can learn about Google’s practices by going to https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/, and opt out of them by downloading the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
  6. We may also use a third-party service provider called SAAS Solutions, which uses cookies and other technologies to help us analyze how visitors use the Sites, and which may record mouse clicks, mouse movements, scrolling activity, text you type in the Sites, and similar activity. The Sites do not use this service to collect any personally identifiable information not otherwise provided by you in using the Sites.
  7. We may use third-party advertising companies to serve advertisements that may be of interest to you when you access and use the Sites and other websites, based on information relating to your access to and use of the Sites and other websites. To do so, these companies may place or recognize a unique cookie on your browser (including through use of pixel tags). If you would like more information about this practice and to learn about your choices in connection with it, please visit https://optout.networkadvertising.org/ – !/and https://www.aboutads.info/.
  8. We may use pixel tags and other similar technologies to, among other things, track the actions of users of the Sites, measure the success of our marketing campaigns, and compile statistics about use of the Sites and response rates.
  9. We may use Adobe Flash technology (including Flash Local Shared Objects (“Flash LSOs”) and other similar technologies to, among other things, collect and store information about your use of the Sites. If you do not want Flash LSOs stored on your computer, you can adjust the settings of your Flash player to block Flash LSO storage using the tools contained in the Website Storage Settings Panel. You can also control Flash LSOs by going to the Global Storage Settings Paneland following the instructions (which may include instructions that explain, for example, how to delete existing Flash LSOs (referred to “information” on the Macromedia site), how to prevent Flash LSOs from being placed on your computer without your being asked, and (for Flash Player 8 and later) how to block Flash LSOs that are not being delivered by the operator of the page you are on at the time). Please note that setting the Flash Player to restrict or limit acceptance of Flash LSOs may reduce or impede the functionality of some Flash applications, including, potentially, Flash applications used in connection with the Sites or our online content.
  10. Certain information is collected by most browsers or automatically through your device, such as your Media Access Control (MAC) address, computer type (Windows or Macintosh), screen resolution, operating system name and version, device manufacturer and model, language and Internet browser type and version.
  11. We may collect your IP address, which is a number that is automatically assigned to the computer that you are using by your Internet Service Provider. An IP address may be identified and logged automatically in our server log files whenever a user accesses the Sites, along with the time of the visit and the page(s) that were visited. Collecting IP addresses is a common practice and is done automatically by many websites, applications and other services. We use IP addresses for purposes such as calculating usage levels, helping diagnose server problems and administering the Sites.
  12. When you download and use our mobile applications (each, an “App”), we may track and collect App usage data, such as the date and time the App on your device accesses our servers and what information and files have been downloaded to the App based on your device number.
  13. We may collect the physical location of your device by, for example, using satellite, cell phone tower or Wi-Fi signals. We may use your device’s physical location to provide you with personalized location-based services and content.
  14. Information that you provide, such as your preferred means of communication, does not personally identify you unless it is combined with your Personal Information.
  15. We may aggregate Personal Information. Aggregated information does not personally identify you or any other user of the Sites (for example, we may aggregate Personal Information to calculate the percentage of our users who have a particular telephone area code).

How to Manage Automatically Collected Information

  1. Set your web browser to inform you of when cookies are being set before a cookie is stored and refuse any request to set cookies, and do not accept cookies from Earthshore. Erase all Earthshore cookies from your hard drive.
  2. Do not provide your information when prompted by the Sites.

Please note, however, that if you choose to reject or erase cookies, your ability to navigate the Sites may be limited. Further, in the event you choose not to share information, Earthshore will be unable to respond to your request for Earthshore information, enter you in any sweepstakes or contests, facilitate your actions via Earthshore alerts or potential e-cards.

How We Disclose and Share Information

It is our policy to not share, disclose, or sell your information to any third party for promotional or marketing purposes unrelated to Earthshore’s mission. However, we may disclose and share your information in the following circumstances:

  1. With Partners: To collaborate on projects aligned with our mission.
  2. With Approved Vendors: Including service providers and data processors who assist us in providing relevant information and services.
  3. With Third-Party Service Providers: For services such as website hosting, data analysis, payment processing, IT infrastructure, customer service, email delivery, and auditing.
  4. With Nonprofit Organizations: Whose missions align with ours and may be of interest to you.
  5. With Contest Sponsors: For contests and similar promotions.
  6. Through Public Services: Such as blogs or other platforms where you post information. Please note that such information becomes public and may be accessible by other users and the general public.
  7. With Social Media Connections: If you connect your social media account to your Site account, we may share information with your social media account provider and friends. The use of this information will be governed by the privacy policies of the social media platforms.
  8. In Business Transactions: During reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer, or other disposition of operations or assets, including bankruptcy proceedings.

We may also use and disclose your information as necessary or appropriate for:

  • Compliance with applicable laws and legal processes.
  • Responses to public and government authorities’ requests.
  • Enforcement of our terms and conditions.
  • Protection of our operations, rights, privacy, safety, and property, as well as those of our affiliates and others.
  • Pursuit of available remedies or limiting potential damages.

Other Information may be used for any purpose, unless otherwise required by law. If combined with Personal Information, it will be treated as Personal Information.

Text messaging opt-in data and consent will not be shared with third parties. You may opt-out at any time by contacting info@earthshore.org.

How  to Stop Receiving Communications from Earthshore

If you would like to opt-out of receiving content from Earthshore, you can:

  1. Take the opportunity to opt-out in links on the bottom of marketing email Earthshore sends to you.
  2. Contact info@earthshore.org

Children’s Information

Earthshore does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13. The Sites are not directed at children under the age of 13. In the event that Earthshore learns that it has collected personal information from a child under age 13 without parental consent, we will take reasonable steps to delete the personal data. If you believe that we might have collected any personal information from a child under 13, please contact us.

Security Measures

Our Sites have security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under Earthshore’s control. When you enter sensitive information (such as a credit card number) as part of the purchase process, we encrypt the transmission of that information using secure socket layer technology (SSL).

When you submit information to Earthshore through our Sites , you should be aware that your information is transmitted across the Internet and that no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. Although we take reasonable security measures to protect your information when we receive it, you also need to ensure you take appropriate steps to protect your information.

If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us is no longer secure, please immediately notify us by contacting info@earthshore.org

Links to Third-Party Sites and Social Media Platforms

International Access, Cross-Border Data Transfers, and Data Storage

  • This Privacy Policy does not cover, and we are not responsible for, the privacy practices or information handling of any third parties, including those operating sites or services linked from our Sites. The presence of a link on our Sites does not imply our endorsement of the linked site or service. Additionally, we have no control over and are not responsible for the data collection, usage, disclosure, or security practices of other organizations, such as Facebook, Apple, Google, Microsoft, RIM, or any other app developers, social media platforms, operating systems, wireless service providers, or device manufacturers. Your interactions with these external services are governed by their respective privacy policies.

Changes and Updates to this Privacy Policy

Earthshore Foundation may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page to keep you informed about the information we collect, how we use it, and whether we share it with others. We encourage you to periodically review this page to stay updated on our privacy practices and any modifications to this policy.