Your privacy is important to us
Effective Date: February 23, 2026
Last Updated: February 23, 2026
Thank you for choosing to be part of our community at OceanHero GmbH ("Company", "we", "us", "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy notice, or our practices with regards to your personal information, please contact us at support@oceanhero.zendesk.com.
When you visit our website http://oceanhero.today (the "Website"), use our mobile application, as the case may be (the "App") and more generally, use any of our services (the "Services", which include the Website, mobile Apps, and our browser extensions), we appreciate that you are trusting us with your personal information. We take your privacy very seriously. In this privacy notice, we seek to explain to you in the clearest way possible what information we collect, how we use it and what rights you have in relation to it. We hope you take some time to read through it carefully, as it is important. If there are any terms in this privacy notice that you do not agree with, please discontinue use of our Services immediately.
This privacy notice applies to all information collected through our Services (which, as described above, includes our Website, mobile Apps, and our browser extensions), as well as, any related services, sales, marketing or events.
Please read this privacy notice carefully as it will help you understand what we do with the information that we collect.
1. SCOPE AND CONTROLLER
2. DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING
2.1 Search Query Data
2.2 Browser Extension Data
3. THIRD-PARTY DATA PROCESSORS AND PARTNERS
3.1 Search and Advertising Partners
3.2 Analytics Provider
3.3 Data Processing Agreements
4. ADVERTISING AND REVENUE MODEL
4.1 Business Model Disclosure
4.2 Advertising Types
5. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
5.1 Cookie Categories
5.2 Consent Management
6. DATA RETENTION AND ANONYMIZATION
7. DATA SECURITY AND TRANSFERS
7.1 Security Measures
7.2 International Transfers
8. DATA SUBJECT RIGHTS
9. LEGAL DISCLOSURES
9.1 GDPR Compliance (EEA, UK, Switzerland)
9.2 California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
9.3 Children's Privacy
10. BROWSER EXTENSION DISCLOSURES
10.1 Permissions
10.2 Extension Limitations
11. POLICY MODIFICATIONS
12. CONTACT INFORMATION
13. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION
This Privacy Policy governs the collection, processing, and use of personal data by OceanHero GmbH ("OceanHero," "we," "us," or "our"), a company organized under the laws of Germany with registered offices at Goethestr. 38, Düsseldorf, Germany.
This Policy applies to all users ("you" or "User") of our search engine platform accessible at oceanhero.today and associated browser extensions (collectively, the "Services").
For purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 ("GDPR"), OceanHero GmbH is the data controller.
When you utilize our Services, we collect and process:
- Search queries and terms
- Internet Protocol (IP) address
- User agent and browser information
- Timestamp and session data
- Approximate geolocation (derived from IP address at country/region level)
Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) for service provision and fraud prevention; Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) for advertising purposes.
Our browser extension utilizes official browser APIs to modify search provider settings and display customized new tab pages. The extension processes:
- Frequently visited sites (for shortcuts feature, stored locally)
- Extension preferences (stored locally)
- Aggregate search statistics (for impact counter display)
No browsing history or personal data from third-party websites is transmitted to our servers.
We engage the following processors to deliver search results and advertisements:
Microsoft Corporation (Bing Search and Ads)
- Data Shared: Search queries, IP address, user agent, cookies (with consent)
- Retention: IP anonymization after 6 months
- Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/privacystatement
- Search Result Providers: https://oceanhero.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/33622750632978-Search-Result-Providers
Google LLC (AdSense for Search)
- Data Shared: Search queries, IP address, user agent, cookies (with consent)
- Retention: Data anonymization per Google's published retention schedule (approximately 9 months)
- Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
With your consent, we utilize Microsoft Clarity for behavioral analytics to optimize user experience and detect fraudulent activity.
All third-party processors operate under executed Data Processing Agreements incorporating Standard Contractual Clauses where applicable, ensuring GDPR-compliant data transfers.
OceanHero generates revenue through cost-per-click advertising via Microsoft Bing Ads and Google AdSense for Search. We allocate approximately 80% of net profits to ocean cleanup initiatives through vetted nonprofit partners including Plastic Bank and similar organizations.
Important: Your use of the Services does not constitute direct compensation. The environmental impact counter represents collective community impact funded by aggregate advertising revenue, not individual user activity.
Personalized Advertising: Subject to your consent, we enable personalized advertisements utilizing cookies and interest-based targeting through our advertising partners.
Non-Personalized Advertising: Without consent to personalization, you will receive contextual advertisements relevant solely to your current search query.
Strictly Necessary Cookies (no consent required):
- Essential service functionality
- Security and fraud detection
- Load balancing and performance
Performance and Analytics Cookies (consent required):
- Microsoft Clarity session analytics
- Anonymized usage statistics
Advertising Cookies (consent required):
- Google AdSense targeting
- Microsoft Advertising personalization
We utilize a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) integrated with IAB Transparency & Consent Framework v2.3. You may modify your preferences at any time via our cookie settings interface.
OceanHero Data: We anonymize all search data within 24 hours of collection. Post-anonymization, data cannot be attributed to individual users or IP addresses.
Partner Retention:
- Microsoft: 6 months before IP anonymization
- Google: Approximately 9 months per published policies
We implement industry-standard security protocols including:
- TLS/SSL encryption for all data transmission
- Access controls and authentication mechanisms
- Regular security audits and penetration testing
- Incident response procedures
Data may be transferred to and processed in jurisdictions outside the European Economic Area. We ensure adequate safeguards through:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
- Adequacy decisions where applicable
- Binding Corporate Rules (where relevant)
Under GDPR, you possess the following rights:
- Access (Art. 15): Obtain confirmation and copies of your personal data
- Rectification (Art. 16): Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Erasure (Art. 17): Request deletion under specified circumstances
- Restriction (Art. 18): Limit processing in certain situations
- Portability (Art. 20): Receive data in structured, machine-readable format
- Objection (Art. 21): Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Withdraw Consent (Art. 7(3): Revoke consent at any time
To exercise rights: Submit requests to privacy@oceanhero.today with sufficient identification verification. We will respond within one month, with possible two-month extension for complex requests.
This Policy complies with GDPR and ePrivacy Directive requirements. Users may lodge complaints with supervisory authorities:
Germany: Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit
Friedrichstr. 219, 10969 Berlin, Germany
California residents have additional rights:
- Right to know categories and specific personal information collected
- Right to deletion
- Right to opt-out of sale (not applicable; we do not sell personal information)
- Right to non-discrimination
Requests: privacy@oceanhero.today
Services are not directed to individuals under 16. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. Upon discovery of underage data collection, we will promptly delete such information.
Our browser extension requests the following permissions via official browser APIs:
- "chrome.search" / "chrome_settings_overrides": Modifies default search provider settings
- "chrome_url_overrides": Customizes new tab page
- "topSites" (optional): Displays frequently visited sites shortcuts
The extension does NOT:
- Access, modify, or transmit browsing history
- Inject advertisements into third-party websites
- Access sensitive credentials or payment information
- Track activity across non-OceanHero websites
All extension preferences and impact counter data are stored locally via browser storage APIs.
We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy to reflect operational changes, legal requirements, or feature updates. Material changes will be communicated via:
- Updated "Last Updated" date
- Website notification banners
- Browser extension notifications (where applicable)
Continued use of Services after modifications constitutes acceptance of updated terms.
Data Protection Inquiries:
OceanHero GmbH
Goethestr. 38
c/o Burman
40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
Email: support@oceanhero.zendesk.com
Support Portal: https://oceanhero.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
This Privacy Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Berlin, Germany, without prejudice to data subjects' rights to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities.
Personal Data: Any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person as defined in GDPR Art. 4(1).
Processing: Any operation performed on personal data as defined in GDPR Art. 4(2).
Consent: Freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous indication of data subject's wishes as defined in GDPR Art. 4(11).
Anonymization: Processing rendering personal data irreversibly non-identifiable per GDPR Recital 26.
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