Introduction

Welcome to BalloonTrack.org ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about the data we collect. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our service.

Important Notice: BalloonTrack.org is intended for users located in the United States. This service is not directed at individuals in the European Union, and we do not knowingly collect data from EU residents. If you are accessing this service from the EU or other regions with data protection laws, please be aware that our practices are designed to comply with United States privacy standards.

Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Username
• Email address
• Password (encrypted)

Balloon Report Data

When you submit a balloon sighting report, we collect:

• Description of the balloon found
• Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude)
• Date and time of the report
• Your username (publicly displayed with the report)

Location Data

If you choose to use the "Use My Location" feature, we access your device's geolocation. This data is only used to populate the location fields in the report form and is not stored separately from the balloon report itself.

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information to:

• Provide and maintain our service
• Display balloon sightings on the public map
• Attribute reports to users publicly via username
• Send account-related emails (verification, password resets)
• Communicate about service updates or issues
• Improve our service and user experience

Public Information

Important: All balloon reports are publicly visible on our map. When you submit a report, the following information is publicly displayed:

• Your username
• The balloon description
• The location coordinates
• The date and time of the report

Your email address is never publicly displayed.

Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information with:

• Service Providers: We use third-party services including Google Maps API for mapping functionality and SendGrid for email delivery.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights, safety, or property.

Cookies and Tracking

We use minimal cookies and local storage for:

• Session management (keeping you logged in)
• CSRF protection (security)
• Storing your "About" modal preference (localStorage)

Google Maps may also use cookies as described in their privacy policy.

Data Retention

We retain your account information and balloon reports indefinitely unless you request deletion. If you delete your account, your reports will remain on the map but will be attributed to "Anonymous" instead of your username.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Correct inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your account
• Opt out of non-essential communications

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the email address associated with the DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL setting.

Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information, including:

• Password encryption
• HTTPS encryption for data transmission
• Secure database storage
• CSRF protection

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children's Privacy

Our service is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of any material changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us through the email address displayed on our website.

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