The ALA currently does not have a “private” or “hidden” mode for submitting sightings, but it is something we are considering for a future release. In the meantime we suggest that users concerned about their privacy keep their last name hidden.

The vast majority of the records in the ALA come from other institutions (not sightings from the ALA), and they mostly show the full name of the person who did the collecting or observation. Because the data is used for scientific research, the majority of our institutional data providers allow the full name to be used as it provides transparency about the origin of the record, and allows researchers to have confidence in the data. For the most part the ALA follows this standard, and this is explained in our privacy statement.

What is the ALA's Privacy Policy?

View our Privacy Policy.