Privacy at SilvaGrid

Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to SilvaGrid and the website at silvagrid.app. SilvaGrid is operated by Benjamin Dungey, based in South Korea, who is responsible for the personal information described in this policy.

External websites and services have their own privacy practices. This includes websites linked from SilvaGrid, Google Analytics when you allow analytics, and Google services that load when you use the reference-image search.

Information we collect

Server and security logs

Like most websites, SilvaGrid's server may automatically record technical information when a page or file is requested. This may include your IP address, browser and device information, the requested page, the referring page, and the date and time of the request.

We use this information to deliver the site, investigate errors, maintain security, prevent misuse and understand general system performance.

Optional SilvaGrid product analytics

If you choose Allow analytics, SilvaGrid records limited information about meaningful plant searches and the species results people choose to open. This helps us understand which parts of the site are useful and where the search experience needs improvement.

The analytics records may include:

• a plant search term and selected filters;
• the number of results returned;
• where the search began, such as a hub, family or genus page;
• the taxon opened from a results list; and
• its position in that results list.

These records are linked to a random analytics identifier, not directly to your name or email address. SilvaGrid does not use these product-analytics records for advertising.

Plant searches are intended for botanical names, common names and plant-related filters. Please do not enter personal or sensitive information into the search box.

Optional Google Analytics

If you choose Allow analytics, SilvaGrid also uses Google Analytics 4, provided by Google LLC, to understand overall visits, navigation and engagement. The Google Analytics tag is not loaded and no Google Analytics measurement data is sent unless you allow analytics.

Google Analytics may receive information about pages viewed, page titles and referring pages, traffic source, sessions and engagement such as scrolls, outbound-link clicks and file downloads, broad browser and device information, approximate location such as country or region, and pseudonymous browser identifiers. Google also uses an IP address at collection time for functions such as routing and approximate location, but states that raw IP addresses are not stored as Google Analytics data.

SilvaGrid has disabled Google Signals, User-ID, user-provided data collection, granular location and device collection, site-search measurement, form interactions and video engagement. We do not use Google Analytics data for advertising. The q URL query parameter is configured for redaction before affected Analytics data is sent, and Google's best-effort email redaction is enabled.

You can read more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services and in Google's Privacy Policy .

Information you send to us

If you contact SilvaGrid by email, we receive your email address and any name, inquiry type, subject, message or other information you choose to include. We use those details to respond to your request, consider corrections or feedback, and keep a reasonable record of the conversation.

Emails sent to SilvaGrid are processed by the email services used by you and SilvaGrid. This means those services also process the information contained in your message.

Cookies and analytics choices

A cookie is a small text file saved by your browser. Depending on your choice, SilvaGrid may use the following cookies:

When analytics are allowed, SilvaGrid may also use your browser's temporary session storage to connect a species click with the search that produced it. This temporary value is limited to the browser session and is cleared when analytics are turned off.

Managing your choice

You may choose Allow analytics or Continue without analytics. The main SilvaGrid search and plant pages remain available either way.

You can change your decision at any time using Privacy choices in the footer. Choosing to continue without analytics stops new optional analytics, removes the sg_analytics_id and Google Analytics _ga/_ga_* cookies from your browser, and prevents Google Analytics from loading on later page views unless you allow analytics again.

Changing your choice does not automatically erase analytics records that were collected before the change. Those records remain subject to the retention periods explained below. You may contact us if you have a privacy-related request.

Google reference-image search

Species pages include an optional Find Reference Images feature powered by Google Programmable Search. Google content is not loaded merely because you visit a species page. It is loaded only after you deliberately open the feature.

When you open it, your browser connects to Google and sends the scientific-name search query needed to display the results. Google may also receive technical information such as your IP address, browser information and the page making the request, and may use cookies or similar browser storage under its own policies.

Images shown through this feature come from the wider web and may be incorrectly identified. SilvaGrid does not verify or host those search results.

You can read more in Google's Privacy Policy .

Why we use information

We use information only where it helps us:

• provide and maintain SilvaGrid;
• keep the site secure and prevent misuse;
• diagnose technical problems;
• understand and improve plant discovery and navigation; or
• respond when you contact us.

Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, we generally rely on your consent for optional analytics; our legitimate interests in operating, securing and improving SilvaGrid; and taking reasonable steps to deal with requests you send to us. We may also process information where necessary to comply with a legal obligation.

When information may be shared

We do not sell or rent your personal information.

Information may be processed by service providers that help us operate SilvaGrid, such as website hosting, database, security and email providers. They receive only the information reasonably needed to provide those services.

When you allow analytics, the Google Analytics information described above is sent to Google LLC and may be processed by Google and its service providers to provide the Analytics service. Information is also sent to Google when you deliberately open the Google-powered reference-image search.

We may disclose information where required by law, or where reasonably necessary to protect SilvaGrid, its users or others.

How long we keep information

• SilvaGrid privacy and product-analytics cookies: sg_privacy_choice and sg_analytics_id last for up to 180 days unless you change your choice or remove them sooner.
• Google Analytics cookies: _ga and _ga_* are configured to last for up to six months from when they are first set, unless you withdraw analytics consent or remove them sooner.
• Detailed product analytics: detailed search and species-click events are kept for approximately 90 days. As part of routine database maintenance, older events are combined into daily totals and the detailed records are deleted.
• Google Analytics data: user-level and event-level data in SilvaGrid's Google Analytics property is configured for 14-month retention, with the user-retention period not reset by new activity. Google's standard aggregated reports are not governed by that user/event retention setting and may remain available for longer.
• Aggregated analytics: daily totals may be retained for longer because they help show broad changes in site use over time and are less closely linked to an individual browser.
• Server logs: logs are kept for a limited period based on operational, security and hosting needs, then deleted or rotated when no longer required.
• Contact messages: messages are kept for as long as reasonably needed to respond, manage related follow-up, maintain appropriate business records or meet legal obligations.

Security and international processing

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect the information handled by SilvaGrid. No website, email system or method of internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Some service providers may process information in a country different from the one where you live. Where applicable law requires additional safeguards for an international transfer, we will take appropriate steps to protect the information.

Google Analytics overseas processing

Google Analytics involves Google receiving and processing analytics information outside South Korea. The relevant details are:

• Information transferred: the Google Analytics information described above, including page and engagement information, traffic and referral information, broad browser and device information, approximate location and pseudonymous Analytics identifiers. The q URL query parameter is configured for redaction.
• Recipient and contact: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, California 94043, USA; privacy contact [email protected].
• Processing locations: Google LLC is based in the United States. Google states that it maintains servers around the world and that information may be processed on servers outside the country where you live. Google Analytics also uses regional data-collection centres before forwarding measurements to Analytics processing servers.
• Timing and method: only after you choose Allow analytics, and then as relevant pages and Analytics events occur. Information is sent electronically to Google over encrypted HTTPS connections.
• Purpose and retention: website measurement, reporting and related Analytics functions. SilvaGrid's Google Analytics user-level and event-level retention is set to 14 months, while Analytics cookies are configured for up to six months. Standard aggregated Analytics reports may remain available for longer.
• Refusal or withdrawal: choose Continue without analytics, or later use Privacy choices in the footer. Refusing analytics does not prevent you from using SilvaGrid's main search or plant-information pages.

By choosing Allow analytics, you consent to the optional Google Analytics processing described above, including Google receiving and processing Analytics information outside South Korea.

Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to ask for access to personal information, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to its use, or receive a portable copy. You may withdraw consent to optional analytics at any time. You may also have the right to complain to the data-protection authority where you live.

SilvaGrid's product analytics are pseudonymous and are not normally linked to a name or email address. Google Analytics is also configured without User-ID or user-provided data collection. Because these systems use pseudonymous identifiers, we may not always be able to identify which analytics records relate to a particular person without additional information.

We may need to confirm your identity before dealing with a request involving personal information.

Children

SilvaGrid is a general plant-information service and is not designed to ask children for personal information. If you believe a child has sent personal information to SilvaGrid by email, please contact us so that we can review and, where appropriate, remove it.

Future advertising and new services

SilvaGrid does not currently use data collected through its product analytics or Google Analytics for advertising or advertising personalisation. If we introduce advertising, accounts, subscriptions or other services that change how personal information or cookies are used, we will update this policy and the site's privacy controls where required before those new uses begin. Advertising may require separate privacy choices from the analytics choice described in this policy.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as SilvaGrid develops or when legal and technical requirements change. The date at the top of the page will be updated when material changes are made.

Contact us

For questions about this policy, a privacy request or a concern about how information has been handled, email [email protected] or use the SilvaGrid Contact page .