Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy forms part of the Wagenknecht Society for Marine Conservation’s duty to its members, correspondents, and supporters. It is to be read not only as a legal statement but as a reflection of our ethos: that stewardship of information, like stewardship of the sea, is an act of trust.
At the Wagenknecht Society for Marine Conservation (WSMC), the safeguarding of personal information is not merely a compliance matter but a trust placed in us by those who correspond, contribute, or align with our cause. We uphold that trust with the same seriousness with which we approach the sea itself.
Please read this policy, in concert with our Terms and Conditions, to understand how your information is collected, used, and preserved.
Who We Are
The Wagenknecht Society for Marine Conservation Inc. (WSMC) advances science beyond science: research and action devoted to species and habitats too often overlooked.
We are incorporated in Florida as a nonprofit corporation.
Principal Address:
1014 Broadway Street
#491
Santa Monica, CA 90401
U.S.A.
The Society is the “controller” of your personal information. Our officers bear responsibility for its proper use, as is our duty under the principles of accuracy, restraint, and stewardship.
How We Collect Personal Information
We receive personal information in the following ways:
Direct correspondence — when you write to us, register as a member, make a contribution, or volunteer.
Indirectly — when trusted third parties transmit details on our behalf (such as donation platforms or event hosts).
By social exchange — through interactions on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, subject to your own settings.
Through our website — where technical information such as IP addresses and browsing patterns may be recorded, together with cookies (see Squarespace’s Cookie Policy).
Publicly available sources — such as academic registers, professional directories, or open records, always with discretion and purpose.
What Information We Collect
Depending on the nature of your interaction, we may collect:
Identity data: name, title, date of birth.
Contact data: e-mail, postal address, telephone number.
Financial data: details necessary for contributions (processed securely by third parties; WSMC itself does not retain card details).
Transaction records: donations, memberships, or event participation.
Technical data: website usage and IP addresses.
Preferences: communications you elect to receive.
Sensitive personal information is sought only with explicit consent and only where necessity demands (e.g., health information for field volunteers).
How We Use Your Information
Your information may be used for:
Correspondence and dispatch of Society news or bulletins.
Administration of donations, memberships, or volunteer service.
Maintenance of accurate rolls and records.
Improvement of our website and communications.
Lawful governance, reporting, and financial stewardship.
Communicating With You
Administrative correspondence: confirmations, receipts, or instructions essential to your dealings with us.
Society updates and newsletters: sent only where you have given consent. You may withdraw at any time.
Membership and appeals: occasional notices regarding Society events, campaigns, or opportunities to support our mission.
Cookies
Our website makes use of cookies provided through Squarespace. Their Cookie Policy governs such use and may be consulted for further particulars.
Safeguarding of Information
Records are secured with limited and proper access.
Payments are processed only through compliant, trusted providers.
Reviews of practice are undertaken to ensure continuing propriety.
Sharing of Information
The Society does not sell personal information. Sharing occurs solely with:
Reputable service providers acting under contract (e.g., payment processors or mailing houses).
Legal or regulatory bodies, should duty require.
Where information is transferred outside the United States, safeguards are employed to preserve its security.
Retention of Records
Records are kept only as long as necessary for their purpose and in accordance with legal requirements (e.g., donation records for tax compliance). Thereafter, information is either respectfully erased or anonymised for statistical use.
Your Rights
You hold the right to:
Request a copy of the information the Society holds about you.
Amend or correct your details.
Withdraw consent for communications.
Request erasure of your records, subject to lawful exceptions.
To exercise these rights, kindly contact us at: info@wagenknecht.science
Complaints
Concerns may be addressed to the Society at the above e-mail. We welcome the opportunity to correct matters directly. Should further recourse be necessary, you may contact the appropriate data protection authority in your jurisdiction.
Changes to This Policy
The Society may from time to time amend this policy. The latest version will always be published upon our website.
Last updated: October 3, 2025
Support Our Work
The Wagenknecht Society began not in a boardroom, but in disillusionment: when the promise of space exploration proved narrower than truth itself. What was once sold as limitless turned out to be bound by politics and convenience. Out of that collapse came a rediscovery—the ocean, overlooked and ordinary, is often the greatest frontier of all.
From hermit crabs dismissed as “wreckers,” to giant clams forgotten because they hold no profit, our work begins with what others abandon. Balance restored in a single aquarium grew into a mission: that overlooked lives matter, and that precision, persistence, and care can change the outcome.
Your support helps carry that story forward. Every contribution fuels real research, care, and action—proof that science is not only data, but responsibility.