Privacy Policy

Last updated: 26 October 2026

Linked Basins Palaeontological Survey (LBPS) respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly, fairly and transparently.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we may collect through the LBPS website, why we collect it, how it may be used, how long we may keep it, who it may be shared with and the choices and rights available to you.

Who We Are

Linked Basins Palaeontological Survey (LBPS) is an independent palaeontological project, platform and community.

The LBPS website and associated services are operated by Sam Harris.

For UK data protection purposes, Sam Harris is the data controller for personal information processed through the LBPS website and associated services.

Website: LBPS.org.uk

For questions about this Privacy Policy or personal information held through LBPS, please contact us through the Contact LBPS page or by email at:

info@lbps.org.uk

LBPS Accounts, Contributors and Research Access

LBPS uses several separate types of participation and access.

An LBPS Member is an ordinary registered website account holder.

An LBPS Contributor is an approved person participating in scientific, collection or data contribution.

Research Access is a separate approved entitlement providing access to the LBPS scientific research workspace.

Creating an LBPS account does not automatically make somebody a Contributor or grant Research Access.

Contributor status does not automatically grant Research Access.

Supporting LBPS financially or practically does not grant Contributor status, Research Access or other scientific permissions.

These distinctions are also reflected in how personal information and permissions are managed.

Information We Collect

Depending on how you use the website or interact with LBPS, we may collect:

• Your name
• Email address
• Telephone number where voluntarily provided
• Town, general area or other general location information
• Information used to create and manage an LBPS website account
• Information submitted through the Contact LBPS form
• Information submitted through a Contributor Application
• Information submitted through a Research Access application or related access process
• Fossil Site and collecting information
• Details about fossil specimens or discoveries
• Photographs uploaded for fossil identification, recording or collection purposes
• Information about your interests in fossils, palaeontology and LBPS activities
• Preferences regarding LBPS News and email updates
• Information submitted when recording collecting activities, fossil finds or Collection Items
• Information associated with scientific contributions, reviews or research activity
• Technical information generated through use of the website, such as IP address, browser information and security logs

We aim to collect only information that is relevant to the purpose for which it is required.

Fossil Identification Submissions

When you submit a fossil for identification, we may collect your name, email address, information about where the specimen was found, its approximate size, photographs and any additional information you choose to provide.

This information is used to review the submission, communicate with you and assist with identification.

Submissions may be reviewed by authorised LBPS identification reviewers or appropriate specialists where necessary to assist with identification.

Where you separately give LBPS permission to use submitted photographs for educational and non-commercial purposes, those photographs may also be used within the LBPS website, Fossil Database, Species and Specimen reference pages, articles, identification guides or other educational material.

Permission for photographic reuse is optional. You can request help identifying a fossil without agreeing to wider use of your photographs.

LBPS Website Accounts and Members

Anyone eligible to use the website may create an LBPS account through the website registration process.

An LBPS account may include information required to:

• identify the account holder
• provide access to My LBPS
• operate My Collection and collecting-record tools
• manage website permissions
• maintain account security
• communicate important information about the account
• maintain appropriate records of website activity

Creating an account makes the account holder an LBPS Member for website purposes.

Member status does not automatically provide Contributor status or Research Access.

Website Activity and Service Improvement

LBPS maintains a limited record of meaningful actions performed by signed-in website members to support users, monitor the operation of website features and improve our services.

This may include successful account logins and confirmed Collecting Records actions, such as trip submissions, edits, Matrix Processing and CSV imports.

Records contain limited operational information, including the member’s account ID, action category, date and time, and an internal event identifier. The Member Activity system does not collect browsing histories, page views, keystrokes, IP addresses, exact fossil find locations or scientific submission content.

This processing is carried out where necessary for LBPS’s legitimate interests in operating, supporting and improving the website, subject to an assessment of members’ rights and interests, including additional protections for younger members.

Activity records are accessible only to authorised administrators and are scheduled for deletion after 30 days, with manual follow-up where required.

Members may ask questions, exercise applicable data protection rights or object to this processing by contacting info@lbps.org.uk. Activity records are not used to rank members or make automated decisions about them.

Contributor Applications

People who wish to participate more directly in scientific, collection or data contribution may apply to become an LBPS Contributor.

Where you submit a Contributor Application, LBPS may collect and use the information supplied through that application in order to:

• assess the application
• communicate with you about it
• record the application outcome
• administer Contributor status
• manage appropriate Contributor permissions and activities

Contributor status is separate from ordinary Member access and from Research Access.

Historic or technical records associated with earlier versions of the Contributor workflow may be retained where necessary for continuity, administration, audit or record keeping.

Research Access

Research Access is a separate approved entitlement for the LBPS scientific research workspace.

Where you apply for or hold Research Access, LBPS may process information necessary to:

• assess an application
• communicate about an application
• record approval, rejection, withdrawal, revocation or reactivation
• administer Research Access permissions
• protect restricted scientific, collection or location information
• maintain appropriate audit and security records

Holding an LBPS account or Contributor status does not automatically provide Research Access.

Research Access does not itself provide access to private owner information, exact private find coordinates or other information that remains protected by separate privacy and visibility controls.

Contact Enquiries

When you use the Contact LBPS form, we collect the information you provide so that we can review and respond to your enquiry.

This may include your name, email address, subject, type of enquiry and message.

Enquiries may relate to account help, Contributor participation, Research Access, scientific or collection data, support, partnerships or general questions.

Support and Partnership Enquiries

Where you contact LBPS about supporting the project or forming an organisational partnership, we may use the information you provide to respond to and manage that enquiry.

Supporting LBPS does not determine Contributor status, Research Access or other scientific permissions.

If LBPS introduces a dedicated donation, payment or other financial-support service in future, this Privacy Policy will be reviewed and updated where necessary.

LBPS News and Email Updates

Where you choose to receive LBPS News, event or activity updates, we use your email address for that purpose.

You can unsubscribe or withdraw your agreement to receive these communications at any time.

Your choice about receiving email updates is separate from your ability to:

• hold an LBPS website account
• contact LBPS
• submit a fossil for identification
• apply to become a Contributor
• apply for Research Access

LBPS will only send direct marketing communications where permitted by law and will provide a way to stop receiving future marketing communications.

How We Use Your Information

We may use personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries
• Process fossil identification requests
• Create and manage LBPS website accounts
• Operate Member features
• Assess and administer Contributor Applications
• Administer Contributor status
• Assess and administer Research Access
• Maintain collecting and fossil records
• Develop and improve the LBPS Fossil Database
• Operate and secure the LBPS website
• Manage website permissions
• Communicate LBPS News and updates where appropriate
• Use submitted photographs where the necessary permission has been given
• Support scientific review, recording and research
• Maintain appropriate audit and security records
• Meet legal, administrative or record-keeping requirements where applicable

Our Lawful Basis for Using Personal Information

UK data protection law requires LBPS to have an appropriate lawful basis for each use of personal information.

The appropriate basis depends on why the information is being used.

Depending on the activity, we may rely on:

• Consent, where you have freely chosen to allow a particular use of your information
• Legitimate interests, where processing is reasonably necessary to operate, secure and develop LBPS and its scientific records and those interests do not override your rights and interests
• Steps taken at your request, where processing is necessary in connection with a service or arrangement you have asked us to provide
• Legal obligation, where processing is necessary to meet an applicable legal requirement
• Another lawful basis where appropriate under UK data protection law

Where legitimate interests are used, we will consider whether those interests are appropriately balanced against the rights and interests of the person concerned.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawfully carried out before consent was withdrawn.

Photographs and Fossil Records

Photographs submitted to LBPS may remain associated with information supplied about a fossil where necessary for identification, scientific recording or record keeping.

Where you have given permission for educational use, photographs may be incorporated into the LBPS Fossil Database or other LBPS educational resources.

Please avoid uploading photographs containing personal information or precise location information that you do not wish to provide to LBPS.

Where Fossil Site information relates to a sensitive, restricted or privately accessible location, LBPS may generalise or withhold precise location information when records are presented publicly.

Collecting Records, Collection Items and Member Submissions

LBPS Members may use the website to record collecting sessions, matrix processing, fossil finds, Collection Items, specimens and related scientific information.

These records may contain information such as:

• collecting dates
• Fossil Sites
• Geological Units
• fossil identifications
• photographs
• collecting effort
• specimen information
• other scientific observations

Scientific information may be retained as part of the continuing LBPS research and database record even where associated account or contact information is no longer required, where this can be done lawfully and appropriately.

Where information is displayed publicly, LBPS may restrict, generalise or withhold sensitive locality or personal information where appropriate.

Where a Member chooses to make Collection Item information available for research, that choice does not automatically make private personal information or private location information public.

Research Use and Visibility

Some LBPS records may include separate settings controlling whether scientific information can be used for research and whether the record is publicly visible.

Research Use and public visibility are separate controls.

Enabling Research Use does not itself make a private record public and does not automatically disclose private owner information or exact private location information.

How Long We Keep Information

LBPS does not intend to keep personal information for longer than is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

As a general guide:

• General contact enquiries will normally be retained for up to 12 months after the enquiry has been resolved.
• Support or partnership enquiries will normally be retained for up to 12 months after the enquiry has been resolved, unless a continuing relationship requires them to be kept longer.
• Website account information may be retained while the account is active and for an appropriate period afterwards where necessary for administration, security, audit or record keeping.
• Contributor Application and Contributor-status records may be retained for as long as necessary to administer Contributor participation and for an appropriate period afterwards for administration, audit and continuity.
• Research Access application and status records may be retained for as long as necessary to administer Research Access and for an appropriate period afterwards for administration, security and audit.
• Fossil identification enquiries will normally be retained for up to 24 months after the enquiry has been completed, unless information or photographs form part of an ongoing scientific, database or educational record.
• Email-update preferences will be retained until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove your details.
• Photographs authorised for educational or Fossil Database use may be retained for as long as they remain relevant to that resource, subject to applicable rights and any relevant permission.
• Scientific fossil, specimen, locality, collection and collecting records may be retained for longer periods where they form part of the continuing scientific or historical record of LBPS.

Where scientific information can reasonably be retained without continuing to retain unnecessary personal information, personal information will be limited or removed where appropriate.

Who We Share Information With

LBPS does not sell personal information.

Personal information may be accessible to authorised administrators, reviewers, editors or other approved users where they need it to perform an appropriate LBPS role.

Access is limited according to the role and purpose concerned.

Research Access does not by itself provide access to private personal information or owner-only data.

We may also use service providers to operate the website and associated services, including:

• website hosting
• email services
• security
• backups
• form processing
• website administration and technical services

These providers may process personal information on our behalf where necessary to provide those services.

Information may also be disclosed where required by law or where reasonably necessary to protect the security of the website or the rights and safety of LBPS users or others.

International Processing and Transfers

Some website or technical service providers may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.

Where UK data protection law requires additional safeguards for an international transfer, LBPS will use an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism or other permitted safeguard.

Where the use of a particular provider materially changes how personal information is processed or transferred, this Privacy Policy will be reviewed and updated as appropriate.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

The LBPS website may use cookies and similar technologies where they are needed for website functionality, security, administration, account access and other website features.

Where a cookie or similar technology is not strictly necessary, LBPS will obtain any consent required before it is used.

Technologies that are strictly necessary for the operation or security of a service requested by the visitor may be used without consent where permitted by law.

If LBPS introduces additional analytics, advertising or other tracking technologies in future, this Privacy Policy and any relevant cookie controls will be reviewed and updated as required.

Embedded Content From Other Websites

Some pages may contain embedded content such as videos, maps or material provided by third-party websites.

Interacting with embedded content may allow the third-party provider to collect information or use cookies in accordance with its own privacy practices.

Where consent is legally required before third-party technology can be activated, LBPS will use appropriate controls before that technology is loaded.

Website Accounts and Security Records

Most visitors do not need an account to use the public LBPS website.

Where Members, administrators, editors, identification reviewers, Contributors, Research Access users or other authorised users have website accounts, WordPress and associated website systems may store information required to manage those accounts and control access to website features.

Account information may be used where necessary to:

• administer access
• protect the website
• operate Member features
• manage appropriate permissions
• investigate technical or security problems
• maintain appropriate records of activity

Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis being used, UK data protection law may give you rights to:

• Be informed about how your personal information is used
• Request access to personal information held about you
• Ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected
• Request erasure of personal information in certain circumstances
• Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• Receive certain personal information in a portable format where applicable
• Object to certain uses of your personal information
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent

These rights do not all apply in every circumstance because some depend on the lawful basis and purpose of the processing.

Direct marketing

You have the right to object at any time to the use of your personal information for direct marketing.

If you ask us to stop using your information for this purpose, we will do so.

To exercise a data protection right, withdraw consent or ask a question about personal information held through LBPS, please contact us using the contact details above.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled through LBPS, please contact us first so that we can investigate your concern.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator.

The ICO helpline is currently:

0303 123 1113

Further information is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office website.

Security

LBPS takes reasonable organisational and technical steps to protect information held through the website against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Access to website administration, Member information, submitted records, Contributor information and Research Access information is restricted to people who require appropriate access for legitimate LBPS purposes.

Permissions are separated according to the functions and roles required by the website.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated when the LBPS website, project activities, legal obligations, technology or information-handling practices change.

When the policy is updated, the date at the top of this page will be changed so visitors can see when it was last reviewed.

Geological Suggestions

Eligible LBPS Website Members aged 18 or over may submit voluntary geological corrections and new Geological Unit proposals for private scientific review when this feature is enabled. A suggestion does not automatically change our scientific records. The separate Geological Suggestion Privacy Notice explains age declarations, personal information, confidentiality, legitimate interests, rights and retention. Read it alongside this wider Privacy Policy.

Read the Geological Suggestion Privacy Notice and Geological Suggestion Submission Terms.