Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 23, 2026

Introduction

The International Responsible Detectorist Institute ("IRDI," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you use the IRDI website, create an account, become a member, create a member profile, use the Member Directory, exchange member messages, submit or receive property owner feedback, participate in IRDI accountability processes, or contact us.

Information We Collect

We may collect information that you provide directly to IRDI, including:

• Your name.
• Your email address.
• Your account and membership information.
• Information you choose to include in your Member Profile.
• Profile images, biographies, websites, usernames, and location information you choose to provide.
• Messages and information submitted through contact forms, member messaging, reports, or other communications with IRDI.
• Property owner feedback, review invitation information, reviewer email addresses, ratings, comments, and related submission information.
• Private concerns submitted through the property owner feedback process and information created or maintained as part of moderation, enforcement, appeals, or other accountability processes.

Account and Authentication Information

When you create an IRDI account, we use your account information to provide access to membership and account features. Email addresses may be used for account verification, password resets, security notifications, and other account-related communications.

Passwords are not stored in plain text. They are processed and stored using secure password hashing provided by the application framework.

Membership Information

IRDI may maintain information related to your membership, including membership status and standing, membership start date, acceptance of the Code of Ethics and Best Practices, and records reasonably necessary to administer IRDI accountability, moderation, enforcement, review, suspension, restoration, or termination processes.

Member Profiles and the Public Directory

An active IRDI member can create one Member Profile. Directory visibility and personal-information privacy determine how that profile is displayed, subject to membership-status rules.

Depending on your privacy setting, your public profile may show your name, photo, location, biography, and website. Public usernames, membership details, and published feedback summaries support verification. Your account email address is not displayed on your public profile.

Your IRDI account email address is not automatically displayed on your public member profile.

Property Owner Feedback and Private Concerns

IRDI members may invite property owners to submit feedback through private, single-use invitations. IRDI collects the reviewer email address to verify access to that email address and to help prevent duplicate or fraudulent submissions. Email verification does not mean IRDI has independently verified property ownership or the truth or accuracy of the feedback submitted.

Ratings, answers, and public comments from eligible feedback may be displayed on or used to calculate information shown on a member’s public profile, subject to IRDI moderation and visibility rules.

A property owner may also submit a Private Concern and Private Concern Details. These fields are not displayed publicly and are not shown in the member-facing review experience. They are available only to authorized IRDI staff for review and may be used as part of IRDI’s accountability, moderation, or enforcement processes.

How We Use Information

We may use information we collect to:

• Create and maintain user accounts.
• Manage IRDI memberships.
• Provide and operate the Member Directory.
• Verify email addresses and account information.
• Send password reset and other security-related messages.
• Respond to questions, requests, and contact-form submissions.
• Maintain the security and proper operation of the website.
• Improve IRDI services and website functionality.
• Administer property owner feedback, moderation, member reports, and accountability processes.
• Evaluate and maintain current membership standing and enforce IRDI policies.

Public Information

Information that you intentionally publish through a public IRDI profile should be considered publicly available. Current membership standing and eligible public property owner feedback may also be displayed as part of IRDI’s public verification features. Private concerns, reviewer email addresses, internal moderation notes, and private enforcement details are not intended for public display. Please avoid including sensitive personal information in public profile fields or public feedback comments.

Cookies and Technical Information

The IRDI website may use cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for account authentication, security, session management, and normal operation of the website.

Our systems may also process basic technical information such as IP addresses, browser information, request information, and server logs for security, troubleshooting, and website operation.

Sharing of Information

IRDI does not sell your personal information.

We may share information with service providers when necessary to operate the website, deliver email, host data, provide security, or perform other services on behalf of IRDI.

We may also disclose information when required by law or when reasonably necessary to protect IRDI, our members, our users, or others from fraud, abuse, security threats, or unlawful activity.

Data Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures designed to protect information from unauthorized access, misuse, loss, or disclosure. However, no website, network, or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your Choices

You can manage certain information through your IRDI account, including your email address, password, member profiles, profile visibility, and other profile information.

IRDI does not offer self-service account closure, account deletion, or Member Profile deletion. Membership records, feedback, and enforcement history remain associated with the account. Use Hide My Personal Information to limit public access to personal profile details.

Hide your name, photo, location, biography, and website from other members and public pages. Authorized IRDI staff retain access for account administration. Your public username, membership verification, and published rating summaries remain available when your membership status permits public display.

Directory visibility and personal-information privacy are different settings. While privacy is enabled, an active member remains listed under their public username, even if directory visibility is switched off. Their name and location are excluded from directory searches and filters. Turning privacy off restores the saved directory-visibility preference.

Your username may identify you. Contact IRDI if you need an alias change. New incoming messages, including replies, and new or resent review invitations are unavailable while privacy is enabled. Existing unused review invitations are cancelled and will not reopen automatically.

This setting cannot recall information already shared in message text, delivered emails, downloaded images, or external caches. It hides personal profile details; it does not erase account records or make your public alias anonymous.

For a privacy concern, an alias-change request, or a request concerning your personal information, contact IRDI through the Contact page. These requests are reviewed separately from the public privacy setting.

Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide IRDI services, maintain memberships and accounts, administer property owner feedback and accountability processes, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent abuse or repeated violations, protect the security and integrity of IRDI, and enforce applicable policies. Different categories of information may be retained for different periods depending on these purposes.

Children's Privacy

IRDI services are not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children where parental consent or other legal authorization would be required. If you believe a child has provided personal information improperly, please contact IRDI.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as IRDI services, technology, or legal requirements change. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date.

Contact IRDI

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how IRDI handles information, please contact us through the IRDI Contact page.