The Lay of the Land & Your Footprints (Our Privacy Policy)
Greetings. We believe in transparency, respect, and walking a good path, both on the land and in the digital world. This is the story of the tracks you might leave behind when you visit our little corner of the digital forest.
Who We Are
Our digital campfire is found at the address: https://bearwalkingbackwards.com.
Sharing Stories (Comments)
When you share a story at our campfire (leave a comment), we see the name you offer and the words you write. The digital spirits also show us your unique trail (your IP address) and the scent of your browser, which helps us keep the noisy crows (spam) from disrupting the circle.
An anonymous whisper created from your email may be sent to the Gravatar spirits to see if your face is known to them. If it is, and your story is approved, your picture will appear next to your words, so the circle knows who is speaking.
Leaving Traces (Media)
If you choose to share images from your own patch of land, be mindful. Like a footprint in the mud, images can carry location data (EXIF GPS). Other travellers on this trail could see exactly where you’ve been. It’s wise to smudge that data away before sharing, if you value your privacy.
Digital Trail Markers (Cookies)
Ah, cookies. Not the kind you share by the fire, but digital trail markers. They’re mostly for your convenience.
If you leave a story, we can leave a marker for you (a cookie) so you don’t have to re-introduce yourself all over again next time. It remembers your name and path for about a year.
If you have a camp here (an account), we’ll leave a few other markers to remember who you are and how you like to see the sky (your screen display choices). Some markers wash away when you leave the trail (close your browser), while others fade after a couple of days or weeks. It’s all a bit absurd, but it makes your return journey smoother.
Echoes from Other Valleys (Embedded Content)
Sometimes we share stories, songs (videos), or images from other digital valleys (like YouTube or other websites). When you interact with them here, it’s as if you’re also visiting their land. Be aware that those valleys have their own spirits and trackers. They might take note of your visit, and their rules for tracking are their own.
Sending Smoke Signals (Who We Share Data With)
If you forget the secret word to your path (your password) and ask for a smoke signal (a reset email), your unique trail (IP address) will be included in that signal to help guide it to you.
Stories We Remember (Data Retention)
Stories shared at the campfire, once told, become part of our collective memory. We keep your comments and their whispers (metadata) indefinitely so the circle recognizes you when you return. If you make a permanent camp here (register an account), you can always tend to your own story (edit your profile), though your name, once chosen, remains.
Controlling Your Tracks (Your Data Rights)
Your story and your tracks are your own. You can always ask us to gather all the whispers we hold about you and show them to you in a file. You can also ask us to let the rain wash your tracks away (erase your personal data). The only tracks we must keep are those required by the laws of the land or for the safety of our shared trail.
Where Your Trail Leads (Data Sending)
Your shared stories may be briefly shown to an automated crow-scaring service (spam detection) to ensure our circle remains peaceful and the stories shared are from the heart.