Controller
Klemens Ehret / B&U Software
Country/Federal state: Germany, Lower Saxony
Address: to be completed before publication with a valid business or c/o service address.
Email/privacy contact: Surpic@SeaControl.net
Public website
The public website currently serves a noncommercial public test with curated read-only catalog and map data. SURPIC does not currently offer public user accounts. Server logs may include IP address, user agent, request path, and timestamp for security and operations. Web server access and error logs are retained for up to 14 days. Security and system logs may be retained for up to 4 weeks for operational security.
Cookies and browser storage
The current code does not include analytics, advertising, or tracking cookies. A technically necessary admin session cookie is used only after private admin login. Public class favorite selections may be stored locally in the visitor's browser using localStorage and are not sent to SURPIC as a user profile.
Images and media
Public media is selected from curated sources or project uploads and should include license and attribution metadata. Remote images may be proxied through SURPIC for safe display.
VisID and mobile APIs
VisID can read public catalog and map data. If the user starts AI analysis, a selected or camera-captured ship image, manual hints, and optional coarse coordinates may be sent to SURPIC and may be processed by OpenAI for assistive ship/class identification. AI results are suggestions and are not automatically published.
If the user uploads a saved recognition as a review proposal, VisID sends the re-encoded JPEG image, coarse location label/coordinates when available, match data, upload consent version, and either a public uploader name or an anonymous-publication choice. Recognition proposal images are stored outside the public web root and are previewed only through admin-protected review routes. They may be reviewed, cropped/resized, used for catalog improvement, and published only after review and subject to the upload rights accepted in VisID.
Legal bases and retention
For the public test, SURPIC relies on consent for optional VisID uploads and AI analysis where consent is requested in the app, and on legitimate interests for security logs, abuse prevention, technical operation, and catalog quality review. Upload consent can be withdrawn for future use by contacting SURPIC; already reviewed public content may require case-by-case correction, removal, or attribution changes.
Web server access and error logs are retained for up to 14 days. Security and system logs may be retained for up to 4 weeks. Pending recognition proposal images are retained until review. Rejected recognition proposal images are eligible for deletion 30 days after rejection. Approved recognition proposal images are eligible for deletion from private proposal storage 180 days after approval; any separately reviewed public media remains governed by its media record and rights metadata.
External providers
SURPIC runs on a Hetzner VPS in Germany for the public test. SURPIC may also use external providers for OpenStreetMap map tiles, admin geocoding, source lookup, X/API review, and AI-assisted analysis through OpenAI. TODO before broader publication: confirm and document processor contracts and backup locations.
Rights
For privacy, deletion, attribution, or correction requests, contact Surpic@SeaControl.net. Phase 1 does not use a web contact form or contact-request database. You may also contact the competent data protection supervisory authority in Lower Saxony.