Privacy Policy

The Bloom Project and its associated tools (including the Bloom Network Explorer) are research and public engagement resources developed by the University of Oxford’s research team. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in a transparent and secure manner.

1. Who We Are

This website is maintained by the Bloom Project, a research initiative supported by the University of Oxford. Our goal is to explore and visualise historical plant collections, digitised specimens, and related scientific data to support scholarship and public understanding.

For questions about this policy, please contact us at madeline.white@history.ox.ac.uk.

2. Information We Collect

We collect minimal personal data, and only when necessary for the operation and improvement of this website.

a. Information you provide

• Contact forms: If you contact us or subscribe to updates, we may collect your name, email address, and message.
• User submissions: If you contribute research information or feedback, we will store it only for the purpose of correspondence or curation.

b. Automatically collected data

• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Anonymised IP address
• Pages visited and duration of visit

This helps us understand how visitors use our website to improve content and performance. We use tools such as Google Analytics configured to anonymise IP addresses and respect “Do Not Track” settings.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Responding to enquiries or feedback
• Improving website functionality and accessibility
• Analysing anonymised usage trends
• Maintaining security and performance

We do not sell, rent, or share your data with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Cookies

Our site uses essential cookies for functionality and analytics cookies to understand visitor engagement. You can disable non-essential cookies in your browser settings. A cookie banner appears on your first visit to explain and request consent for analytics cookies.

5. Data Storage and Security

All personal data is stored securely on University-approved servers or research infrastructure. We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to prevent unauthorised access, alteration, or loss of information.

6. Your Rights

Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to:

• Request a copy of your personal data
• Ask us to correct or delete your data
• Withdraw consent (where applicable)
• Lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office

To exercise these rights, please contact us at madeline.white@history.ox.ac.uk.

7. External Links

Our site may contain links to external resources or partner projects. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices and encourage you to review their policies before providing personal information.

8. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in law or research practices. The most recent version will always be available on this page, with the date noted above.

9. Contact

Bloom
University of Oxford
📧 madeline.white@history.ox.ac.uk