Last updated: 11 March 2026
1. Introduction
The Spirit of Search and Rescue (“SoS”, “we”, “us”, “our”) respects your privacy. This policy explains what personal information we collect through this website, why we collect it, how it is stored, and the rights you have over it.
2. Information we may collect
- Information you give us. Name, email address, organisation, country, role and any message you include when you contact us, sign a pledge or petition, submit a document, subscribe to updates, or request a service.
- Account information. If you create an account or a membership, we store your email address and authentication details.
- Purchase information. Orders and membership status. Card details are entered directly with our payment processor and are never received or stored by SoS.
- Technical information. Limited request data (such as a one-way, hashed fingerprint derived from IP address and browser) used only to prevent spam and abuse of public forms.
3. How we use it
- To respond to your enquiries and deliver services you request.
- To record pledges and petition signatures, and to publish only what you have consented to publish.
- To process purchases, memberships and receipts.
- To send updates where you have subscribed. You can unsubscribe at any time.
- To protect the site from spam, fraud and abuse.
We do not sell your personal information.
4. Cookies and similar technologies
This site uses cookies and local browser storage that are necessary for it to function — for example to keep you signed in, to remember a chosen translation language, and to hold checkout state. Third-party features you choose to use (such as the translation widget or the payment checkout) may set their own cookies.
5. Service providers
We use a small number of processors to run this site: a cloud hosting and database provider (site hosting, authentication and data storage), a payment processor (checkout and payment handling), and a translation widget provided by Google if you choose to use it. Each processes data only as needed to provide its service.
6. Third-party websites
The Library, SARticles and News pages link to external resources. SoS is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those websites.
7. Data security
We apply reasonable technical and organisational measures, including encrypted transport (HTTPS), access controls on administrative areas, database row-level security, input validation and sanitisation, and rate limiting on public forms. No method of transmission or storage is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Data retention
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, to meet legal or accounting obligations, or until you ask us to delete it.
9. Children’s privacy
This website is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with information, contact us and we will delete it.
10. International users
SoS operates internationally, and information may be processed in countries other than your own. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for such transfers.
11. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to our processing of your personal information, to withdraw consent, and to receive a copy of your data. To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The “last updated” date above shows when it was last revised.
13. Contact
Questions or requests about privacy: use the contact page or email contact@thespiritofsar.com.