Open Sands Index™ Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 6, 2026

TL;DR: The Open Sands Index™ is a public-benefit mapping database. If you search for beaches, we do not track you. If you register to report beach closures, we only collect the minimum profile information needed to authenticate your account. Your submitted reports and photos are displayed publicly on the map, but your personal identifier (name/email) is kept strictly private.

1. Scope and Mission

The Open Sands Index™ (OSI) is operated by The Glass Collective LLC. Our mission is to track public shoreline accessibility and combat illegal beach privatization. This Privacy Policy outlines what information we collect, how it is stored, and your rights regarding your data.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in two scenarios: when you search the database, and when you submit citizen reports.

A. Search and General Navigation (No Registration Required)

You can search for beaches, view public access points, and audit property scores without creating an account. In this mode, we do not collect any personal data. Standard, anonymized telemetry (e.g. pageviews) is collected via Vercel Web Analytics to monitor site performance, but no IP addresses or location history leave your device.

B. Citizen Report Submissions (Requires Registration)

To prevent spam and ensure data integrity, users must log in via Google OAuth (managed by Firebase Authentication) before submitting beach access reports. When you register, we collect:

  • Account Details: Your name, email address, and Google profile photo.
  • Report Details: Geotagged coordinates, descriptions, dates, and photos of beach access obstructions (e.g., illegal gates, fences, or rows of commercial vendor chairs).

3. How We Use and Display Your Information

We process report submissions strictly to map public shoreline availability:

  • Public Display: The coordinates, comments, and photos you submit in a report are displayed publicly on the Open Sands Index map to help other beachgoers identify public access paths.
  • Reporter Privacy: Your name, email, and Google profile details are never displayed publicly. They are stored securely in our private backend database and are only accessible to administrators to prevent fraudulent reporting and manage moderator roles.
  • No Sale of Data: We do not sell, share, or rent your email address or account details to third-party advertisers or commercial entities.

4. Third-Party Integrations

Open Sands Index utilizes the following third-party integrations to power the platform:

  • Mapbox and Google Maps: Used to display interactive maps and satellite imagery. These services may collect standard device IP information to render tiles, operating under their respective privacy policies.
  • Google Places API: Used to lookup coastal property details and coordinate alignments.
  • Firebase Authentication & Database: Used to securely manage account credentials, roles, and store citizen reports on-device and in the cloud.

5. Disclaimer: Information and Estimation

The Open Sands Score and beach access information provided on this platform are informational estimates derived from satellite computer vision, public regulatory data, sentiment analysis, and citizen reports. They do not constitute legal determinations or formal legal opinions regarding property boundaries or beach access easements.

6. Your Rights and Data Deletion

You retain full ownership of your contributions. If you wish to delete your account or retract a citizen report you submitted, please contact us at glasscollectivellc@gmail.com. We will remove your profile details and associated contributions from our live databases within 30 days.