Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

OpenWebcamDB ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information

• Name and email address (when you create an account or submit a webcam)
• Location information for webcam submissions (coordinates, city, country)
• Contact information when reporting issues

Automatically Collected Information

• IP address and browser information
• Device and operating system information
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Webcam viewing preferences and history

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information to:

• Process and review webcam submissions
• Manage user accounts and authentication
• Respond to reports and inquiries
• Improve our website and services
• Send administrative communications
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Essential Cookies

We use essential cookies required for the website to function properly:

• Session cookies for authentication and security
• CSRF protection cookies
• User preference cookies (theme selection)

Third-Party Cookies

Third-party services integrated into our website may set their own cookies:

• YouTube (for embedded video streams)
• Apple MapKit (for location services)

5. Third-Party Services

We integrate the following third-party services that may collect data:

• YouTube: For streaming live webcam feeds. View YouTube's Privacy Policy
• Apple MapKit: For displaying webcam locations. View Apple's Privacy Policy
• CDN Providers: For delivering website resources efficiently

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS)
• Secure password storage using industry-standard hashing
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Limited access to personal information

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

European Union (GDPR)

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing

California (CCPA)

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including:

• Active account information: retained while account is active
• Submission data: retained indefinitely unless removal is requested
• Server logs: retained for 90 days
• Inactive accounts: may be deleted after 2 years of inactivity

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws different from your country. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.