Last updated: July 27, 2026
1. What we collect
Heartland Bigfoot keeps its data footprint small. We collect only what's needed to run the site and track engagement:
- Anonymous visitor count. Each visit increments a public counter. We store a single integer — no IP addresses, no browser fingerprints, no user profiles.
- Sighting reports you submit. If you email us a report, we'll record what you tell us (location, date, description, witness name if you provide one). We don't require any personal information.
- Server logs. Netlify (our hosting provider) logs IP addresses and request metadata as part of normal operations. See Netlify's privacy policy.
2. How we use it
- Display the public visitor count.
- Review submitted sighting reports. If you submit one, we receive the name (optional), email (optional), location, date, type, and description you provide, and that report is emailed to the site operator's Gmail inbox. We may add it to the public map after review.
- Improve the site based on aggregate trends.
We don't sell, rent, or trade any data. We don't run third-party tracking or analytics scripts. When we add advertising (planned), we'll update this policy and request consent where required.
3. Cookies and local storage
We use a single piece of sessionStorage (cleared when you close the tab) to make sure the visitor counter doesn't double-count you when you refresh the page. We don't use persistent cookies. We don't use advertising cookies.
4. Third-party services
These services are loaded by the page and may collect their own data:
- Leaflet / OpenStreetMap — map tiles and sighting markers (privacy policy)
- Google Fonts — typography (Cinzel, Inter). Google may log IP addresses for font requests.
- YouTube — embedded videos. Loading a YouTube embed sends data to Google.
5. Your rights
You can ask us at any time to:
- Tell you what we have about you
- Delete a sighting report you submitted
- Remove your identifying details from an existing report
Email privacy@heartlandbigfoot.com.
6. Children's privacy
Heartland Bigfoot isn't directed at children under 13. We don't knowingly collect information from children under 13.
7. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the site grows. The "last updated" date at the top reflects when changes were made. Material changes will be noted on the home page.
8. Contact
Questions? Email hello@heartlandbigfoot.com.