Last updated: 15 March 2026
1. What data we collect
When you create an account we store your name, email address, and an encrypted password (or Apple ID identifier if you use Sign in with Apple).
As you use the site we also store:
- Comments you post (visible to all users)
- Saved favourites and bookmarks
- Direct messages you send to other members
- Feedback or reports you submit
2. Session and technical data
When you visit the site, your IP address and browser user agent are stored in our session table to manage your login and detect unauthorised access. This data is automatically deleted when your session expires (within 2 hours of inactivity). We also record the date and time you last accessed the site.
If you enable two-factor authentication and choose to trust a device, we store a device token and device name so you are not asked for a code on that device again.
3. Cookies
We use essential cookies only:
- Session cookie — keeps you signed in and stores your CSRF token. Expires when you close your browser or after 2 hours of inactivity.
- Cookie notice cookie — remembers that you have seen the cookie notice. Expires after 1 year.
- Trusted device cookie — if you opt to trust a device for two-factor authentication. Expires after 30 days.
We do not use analytics, advertising, or any third-party tracking cookies.
4. AI-generated content (Ask Claude)
Down The Road uses AI (powered by Anthropic) to generate descriptive content about places and historical census records. When you use the "Ask Claude" feature or the Research Assistant, your questions are sent to Anthropic's API to generate a response. Census records themselves are public domain historical data.
Anthropic may process your queries to generate responses but does not store your personal queries long-term. Queries are not used to train Anthropic's models. For more detail, see Anthropic's Privacy Policy.
We do not send your personal account information (name, email, password) to any AI provider. You should not share sensitive personal information (such as financial details, government ID numbers, or private medical information) in the AI chat, as queries are transmitted to a third-party service.
5. User-generated content moderation
Comments and other user-generated content are subject to automated content filtering and moderation. Content that contains profanity, hate speech, slurs, threats of violence or self-harm, or other inappropriate material will be automatically rejected.
We reserve the right to remove any user-generated content that violates our community standards, and to suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly post inappropriate content. If you believe content has been incorrectly filtered, please contact us at the address below.
6. Public visibility
The following information is visible to other signed-in users:
- Your display name on comments you post
- Your public profile (name, bio, research interests, join date, and recent comments)
Your email address is never shown to other users.
7. Third-party services
We use a small number of external services to operate the site:
- Mailgun — to send transactional emails (account verification, password resets, report notifications). Your email address is shared with Mailgun for this purpose only.
- Anthropic — to power AI-generated descriptions and the Ask AI feature. Only your queries and public census data are sent.
- Unsplash — to provide photographs of Irish places. Only place names are sent as search queries.
- OpenStreetMap — to display maps. Your browser loads map tiles directly from OpenStreetMap servers.
- Apple — if you use Sign in with Apple, we verify your identity token with Apple's servers.
We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook, or any advertising networks.
8. How we use your data
Your data is used solely to provide and improve the Down The Road genealogy research service. We will never sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.
9. Data retention
Account data is retained for as long as your account is active. Session data (IP address, user agent) is automatically deleted when your session expires. You may delete your account at any time through your account settings, which will remove your personal data.
10. Your rights (GDPR)
If you are in the European Economic Area, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data
- Object to or restrict processing of your data
- Data portability
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address below.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top will always reflect the most recent version. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact
For any privacy-related queries, please get in touch.