Effective Date: January 1st, 2026
BioBlitz, operated by Mitosisphere, a nonprofit organization based in Virginia, USA, is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how BioBlitz collects, uses, and safeguards data when you use our services.
When you create a BioBlitz account, we collect information that helps us provide a safe and personalized experience, such as your name, chosen username, account ID, email address, and any optional details you choose to share, like grade or location. Your authentication is securely handled via Google Authentication, and sensitive information is never stored in plain text.
We also gather information that helps us improve and maintain our services, including how you interact with the platform, content you create or share, technical details from your device, and any information you provide when reaching out to our support team. We do not use cookies or tracking technologies, and all data is collected directly from you.
Protecting younger users is important to us. Our services are not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children in this age group. If we discover that we have received personal information from a child under 13, we will promptly remove it from our records in accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
We use the information you provide to manage your BioBlitz account, support your participation in events and competitions, and keep you informed about important updates or announcements. Your data may be used to improve our services, ensure compliance with legal requirements, and protect the security and integrity of our community. Marketing emails or newsletters are only sent if you’ve given consent, and you can opt out at any time.
We partner with carefully selected third-party service providers to operate BioBlitz, ensuring your data is handled securely and responsibly. These providers process data strictly on our behalf and in accordance with their own privacy policies.
Your privacy is our priority: we do not sell, rent, or trade personal information, nor do we share your data for cross-context behavioral or targeted advertising.
BioBlitz welcomes users from around the world, though our primary audience is in the U.S. If you access our services from outside the U.S., please note that your personal information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S., where it is subject to U.S. law. These laws may differ from those in your country, but we take care to handle your information thoughtfully and in line with our privacy practices.
You may request access to the personal information associated with your account and ask that it be updated if any details are inaccurate. You may also request deletion of your personal information, except where we are required to retain certain data for legal, security, or operational purposes.
In appropriate circumstances, you may request that we restrict or discontinue specific uses of your information. To protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before processing a request. We will respond in a timely manner and in accordance with applicable law.
We keep your personal information only as long as it is reasonably necessary to operate BioBlitz, provide our services, and comply with legal obligations. Personal information may be deleted sooner if it is no longer needed.
Marketing or email communications are retained only as long as you have consented to receive them and are deleted when you unsubscribe. You can opt out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in emails, updating your account preferences, or contacting us directly.
We take reasonable steps to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These steps include administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to the type of data we collect. Access to personal information is limited to staff and volunteers who need it to operate the platform.
While we work to protect your information, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
We may review and update this Privacy Policy as needed from time to time. The effective date at the top indicates when it was last revised. We will inform you of any significant changes through our website, email, or other suitable channels to ensure you are always aware of how your information is protected.