1. Who we are
The person or entity operating Rediscover Earth and controlling rediscoverearth.com is the controller for the processing described in this policy. The service is operated from Romania.
Privacy questions and data protection requests can be sent to privacy@rediscoverearth.com.
2. Scope
This policy applies to the public Rediscover Earth website, including the atlas, editorial place stories, traveller story submissions, search, saved places, Daily and Near Me features. It does not cover third-party websites reached through external links.
3. Information we process
Technical request data
When a page or image is requested, the hosting and security infrastructure may process an IP address, browser and device information, requested URL, date and time, response status and referrer information supplied by the browser. This data is used to deliver the site, diagnose faults and protect the service.
Browser storage
The site uses first-party browser storage for saved places, Daily streak information, media-cache maintenance and the acknowledgement of the storage notice. These items remain on the visitor's device until they expire, are replaced or are cleared through browser controls.
Location
If a visitor chooses “Use my location”, the browser asks for permission. The coordinates are used in the browser to calculate approximate straight-line distances. The public interface does not intentionally transmit or retain those coordinates on Rediscover Earth servers.
Sharing and clipboard
Share actions use the browser's native share sheet or clipboard when available. Rediscover Earth does not receive the recipient list or the content of a native share action.
Images
Place photography is served from the Rediscover Earth server cache. Author, licence and original-source information is retained and published on the Image credits page.
Newsletter form
The current newsletter form is not connected to a mailing service and does not transmit or store the email address entered into it. This policy will be updated before newsletter registration is activated.
Traveller story submissions
When a visitor submits a first-hand story, Rediscover Earth processes the public name or pseudonym, private email address, visit period, story title and text, optional practical tip, optional unusual find, uploaded photographs, consent confirmations and moderation status. A one-way identifier derived from the request IP address and submission timestamps may be retained to limit abuse; the raw IP address is not intentionally stored in the story record.
Before approval, the submission and photographs are held in private server storage and are visible only to authorised moderators. After approval, the public name or pseudonym, visit period, story, practical tip, unusual find and approved photographs become public. The email address, abuse-prevention identifier and private moderation notes are never displayed publicly.
Story reports
A visitor may report a published community story. The report reason, optional details, submission time and an abuse-prevention identifier are processed so the report can be reviewed.
4. Purposes and legal bases
- To deliver pages, images and core functionality and respond to actions requested by the visitor.
- To maintain security, prevent abuse, investigate faults and protect the availability of the service, based on the operator's legitimate interests.
- To remember visitor-selected features on the device, where storage is necessary for that feature or where consent is required by applicable law.
- To review, communicate about and publish a community contribution at the contributor's request, based on consent and the steps necessary to provide that feature.
- To moderate submissions, prevent spam, investigate reports and protect visitors and the service, based on the operator's legitimate interests.
- To comply with legal obligations and establish, exercise or defend legal claims when necessary.
5. Recipients and service providers
Technical data may be processed by hosting, security, network and maintenance providers acting for the website operator. Data may also be disclosed when required by law, a competent authority or the protection of legal rights. Rediscover Earth does not sell personal data. Authorised moderators and technical hosting providers may process community submissions only for service operation, moderation, security and publication.
6. International transfers
The public interface does not currently load analytics, advertising or social tracking scripts from third parties. If a technical provider processes data outside the European Economic Area, the operator will use an applicable transfer mechanism and safeguards required by data protection law.
7. Retention
Browser-storage items remain on the visitor's device until cleared or replaced. Technical logs are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for security, diagnostics, service operation and applicable legal obligations.
Pending and rejected community submissions are retained for moderation, abuse prevention and possible follow-up only for as long as reasonably necessary. Approved stories remain public until removed, replaced or withdrawn. A contributor may request removal by writing to stories@rediscoverearth.com. Limited records may be retained where necessary for security, legal obligations or the defence of claims.
8. Your rights
Subject to the conditions of applicable law, a person may request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability or objection, and may withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. A complaint may also be lodged with the competent supervisory authority, including the Romanian data protection authority where applicable. A contributor may also request correction, withdrawal or removal of a community story and its photographs.
9. Security
Reasonable technical and organisational safeguards are used to protect the site and the limited data processed through it. Community submissions are stored outside the public document root before approval. Uploaded photographs are validated and re-encoded before they can be published, which removes embedded metadata handled by the original file. No internet service can guarantee absolute security.
10. Children
Rediscover Earth is a general travel-discovery resource and is not directed specifically to children. Community story submissions are intended for adults aged 18 or older. The site does not knowingly publish a submission from a child.
11. Changes to this policy
The policy may be updated when the service, legal requirements or technical providers change. The date shown at the top identifies the current version.