1. Your Privacy at iSurf.pics

At iSurf.pics, we are dedicated to safeguarding your personal information. This Privacy Provisions document outlines how iSurf.pics ("we", "us", or "our") gathers, utilises, discloses, and protects information about you when you engage with our platform, including our website and any associated services (collectively, the "Services").

This document is an integral part of our overarching Service Provisions. By using iSurf.pics, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood both our Service Provisions and these Privacy Provisions, and you agree to be bound by them. If you do not concur with these terms, please refrain from using our Services.

We may periodically update these Privacy Provisions. Any significant alterations will be communicated by revising the date at the top of this document or through other prominent notices on our platform. We encourage you to review these provisions regularly to stay informed about our practices.

2. Information We Collect

2.1. Information You Will Provide Directly

We collect information that you directly provide to us when you interact with iSurf.pics. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Account Registration Details: When you create an account, you provide information such as your name, email address, and chosen username. You also have the option to include other profile details like your location or a personal description.
• Payment Information: Should you choose to purchase services, such as premium features, or engage in transactions on our marketplace, you will provide payment details, including credit card numbers, billing addresses, and other financial information necessary to process these transactions.
• User Content: Any photos, videos, descriptions, tags, comments, or other materials you upload, post, or display on iSurf.pics are collected. This User Content may contain personal information about you or others, such as faces, identifiable locations, or embedded data.
• Communications: When you contact our customer support, participate in surveys, or engage in other forms of communication with us, we collect the information you provide in these interactions.

2.2. Information We Collect Automatically

As you use our Services, we automatically gather certain information about your device and activity:

• Usage Data: We log information about your engagement with iSurf.pics, including the pages you view, the features you use, the time spent on our platform, and your navigation paths.
• Device Information: We collect data about the device you use to access our Services, such as the hardware model, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
• Location Data: If you upload photos with embedded geographical data (e.g., from a mobile device or camera) or manually geotag your content, we collect and store this location information. With your explicit consent, our mobile application may also collect your device's precise location when you use the camera function.
• Image Metadata (EXIF Data): When you upload photos or videos, we automatically receive and store Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) data, which includes details about the camera, settings (e.g., aperture, shutter speed), and potentially location, unless you have configured your device or software to remove this data prior to uploading.
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We utilise cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to enhance your experience. These small data files are stored on your device and help us to keep you logged in, understand popular features, remember your preferences, and support our analytics and advertising efforts.
• IP Address: Your Internet Protocol (IP) address is collected, which can provide general information about your geographical location.

2.3. Information We May Receive from Other Sources

In some instances, we might obtain information about you from external sources and combine it with the data we collect directly:

• Social Media Integrations: If you link or log into your iSurf.pics account through a social media platform, we may receive certain details from that service, such as your name, account identifier, and friends list, based on your privacy settings on that platform.
• Financial Institutions: We may receive updated billing information (e.g., updated credit card expiration dates) from financial institutions to ensure uninterrupted service for paid subscriptions or purchases.
• Referrals: If another user shares your email address with us to invite you to view content or join iSurf.pics, we receive that information from them.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, all aimed at providing, improving, and securing the iSurf.pics experience:

• To Provide and Maintain Services: We use your information to operate, deliver, and maintain iSurf.pics, including displaying your User Content, managing your account, and facilitating purchases and sales on our marketplace.
• To Enhance and Personalise Your Experience: Your data helps us to understand your preferences, improve our platform's functionality, and personalise the content and features you see.
• For Communication: We use your contact information to respond to your inquiries, provide customer support, send important notices about your account or the Services, and deliver promotional communications (from which you can opt out).
• For Business Operations and Monetisation: As detailed in our Service Provisions, we may utilise User Content that you have uploaded (even if initially free) for commercial purposes to support the running costs of iSurf.pics. We also use your information to process transactions, manage commissions from sales, and generally operate our business sustainably.
• For Security and Fraud Prevention: We employ your information to verify your identity, monitor for and prevent fraudulent or unauthorised activities, protect the security of our Services, and enforce our Service Provisions.
• For Legal Compliance: We may use and disclose your information to comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and governmental requests.
• Analytics and Research: We analyse user behaviour and trends to improve our Services, develop new features, and understand audience engagement. This often involves aggregated or anonymised data that does not directly identify you.

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share information about you in the following circumstances:

• With Service Providers: We engage third-party vendors and service providers to perform functions on our behalf, such as hosting, payment processing, data analysis, and customer support. These providers have access to your information only as necessary to perform their services and are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Through Our Marketplace: If you participate in our marketplace as a buyer or seller, relevant information (e.g., your username, payment details for processing) will be shared as necessary to facilitate transactions between users and with our payment processors.
• For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or if we believe it is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of iSurf.pics, our users, or the public. This includes cooperating with law enforcement and regulatory authorities.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or other corporate transaction, your information may be transferred as part of the business assets.
• With Your Consent: We may share your information with third parties when you provide us with explicit consent to do so.
• Publicly Shared Content: Please remember that any User Content you choose to make public (e.g., photos in public galleries, comments) is accessible to other users and potentially the wider internet. This includes embedded metadata like EXIF data if you have not removed it. You are responsible for the privacy of information you choose to make public.
• Social Sharing and Third-Party Integrations: If you use social sharing features or integrate third-party applications with your iSurf.pics account, information may be shared according to your settings and the privacy policies of those third-party services.
• Aggregated or Anonymised Data: We may share aggregated or anonymised information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you.

4.1. Special Note on User Content You Upload

For the photos, videos, and associated descriptions you upload ("User Content"), you remain the owner and primary controller of that data. While you grant iSurf.pics a broad license to use this content as per our Service Provisions (including for commercial purposes), the responsibility for ensuring that personal data within your User Content (e.g., faces of individuals, private locations) is appropriately handled (e.g., obtaining consent from depicted individuals) largely rests with you as the uploader. If a privacy-related request pertains to specific User Content you posted, we may direct the requester to contact you directly, as you hold the primary responsibility for that data.

5. Data Security

We implement a range of reasonable physical, technical, and administrative measures to help protect your information from loss, theft, misuse, and unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. However, no internet transmission or electronic storage is entirely secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. You acknowledge and accept the inherent risks associated with online data transmission and storage.

6. Data Retention

We retain the information we collect about you for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in these Privacy Provisions, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. This includes keeping information to resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and for tax or accounting obligations. For instance, certain financial transaction records may be kept for a period mandated by law.

User Content designated for deletion, or content within a terminated account, will typically be de-published from public view swiftly and then permanently removed from our backup systems within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., 30 days), though backup copies may exist for a longer period for business continuity purposes.

We highly recommend that you maintain your own backup copies of all User Content you upload to iSurf.pics.

7. International Data Transfers

To provide our Services, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside of where you reside, including countries where our servers or service providers are located. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from those in your country.

When transferring personal data across international borders, especially from regions with strong data protection regulations (e.g., Europe, the United Kingdom) to countries not deemed to provide an adequate level of protection, we implement appropriate safeguards. This may include relying on mechanisms such as standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities or other recognised legal frameworks designed to protect your data during transfer.

By using iSurf.pics, you understand and agree to your information being transferred and processed in these locations.

8. Your Choices and Rights

We believe in providing you with control over your personal information and privacy settings:

• Account Information: You can review, update, correct, or delete certain personal information in your iSurf.pics account settings at any time. You may also request to delete your account, though we may retain some information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.
• Content Privacy Settings: Our Services offer privacy options for your User Content, allowing you to control who can view your photos and galleries (e.g., public, private, password-protected, unlisted). You are encouraged to utilise these settings to manage the visibility of your content.
• EXIF and Location Data: You can choose to hide the display of EXIF data on your individual photo pages via your gallery settings. You also have the option to disable location tagging on your camera or mobile device before uploading to prevent this data from being included.
• Promotional Communications: You can opt out of receiving promotional emails from iSurf.pics by following the unsubscribe instructions in those emails or by adjusting your notification preferences in your account settings. Please note that we may still send you non-promotional communications regarding your account or our ongoing business relationship.
• Cookies: You can manage cookie preferences through your web browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies. However, disabling cookies may impact the functionality and experience of our Services.
• Requests Regarding User Content: As noted above, if your privacy request pertains to personal data contained within User Content uploaded by another user, we encourage you to contact that user directly to address your concerns.
• Other Data Protection Rights: Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have additional rights concerning your personal data, such as the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing, or object to processing. We will endeavor to respond to such requests in accordance with applicable laws.

9. Children's Privacy

iSurf.pics is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 13. As per our Service Provisions, users must be at least 18 years old, or between 13 and 17 years old with the explicit consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided us with personal data without their consent should contact us immediately.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, and services that are not operated by us. This includes advertisements and integrations with other platforms. These third parties have their own privacy policies, which we encourage you to review. iSurf.pics is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites or services. Your interactions with any third-party services are solely at your own risk and subject to their respective terms and policies.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding these Privacy Provisions or our data practices, please reach out to the iSurf.pics support team through the designated contact methods available on our website.