Overview
Plants Findr ("we," "our," or "us") operates the website www.plantsfindr.com. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our plant identification services.
By using Plants Findr, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the site.
Data We Collect
Information You Provide
- Plant images: Photographs you upload or capture for plant identification. These images are processed by our AI system and may be temporarily cached to improve performance.
- Contact information: If you contact us via email, we receive your email address and message content.
Information Collected Automatically
- Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, clicks, and navigation patterns.
- Device information: Browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and device type.
- IP address: Used for rate limiting and approximate geographic location. We do not use IP addresses to identify individual users.
- Cookies and similar technologies: See the Cookies & Tracking section below.
How We Use Your Data
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide and maintain our plant identification service
- Improve the accuracy and performance of our AI identification system
- Analyse website usage to improve user experience
- Enforce rate limits to ensure fair access for all users
- Display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
- Respond to your enquiries and support requests
- Detect and prevent technical issues or abuse
Cookies & Tracking
Plants Findr uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience:
- Essential cookies: Required for basic site functionality, such as rate limiting and session management.
- Analytics cookies: Google Analytics (GA4) collects anonymised usage data to help us understand how visitors interact with the site. You can opt out via Google's opt-out browser add-on.
- Advertising cookies: Google AdSense may use cookies to serve personalised advertisements based on your browsing activity. You can manage ad personalisation settings at Google Ads Settings.
Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may collect data independently:
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to third parties beyond what is described above.
Image Uploads
When you upload a plant image for identification:
- The image is processed by our server to generate an identification result.
- A hash (digital fingerprint) of the image may be cached to speed up future identical requests. The original image is not permanently stored.
- The image is sent to the PlantNet API for species identification.
- We do not use your images for marketing, do not associate them with personal identifiers, and do not share them beyond the identification process.
Data Retention
- Image hashes: Cached identification results are retained to improve performance and may be cleared periodically.
- Rate limit records: IP-based rate limit counters are reset daily.
- Analytics data: Retained by Google Analytics per their data retention settings (default 14 months).
- Contact messages: Retained for as long as needed to address your enquiry.
Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data.
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data.
- Opt-out: Opt out of personalised advertising and analytics tracking.
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@plantsfindr.com.
For EU/EEA residents (GDPR): You have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation, including the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
For California residents (CCPA): You have the right to know what personal information is collected, request deletion, and opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information.
Children's Privacy
Plants Findr does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.
Policy Changes
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us: