Your default location privacy is applied to every new observation, so you don’t have to choose it each time.
On the Website
- Click your name or avatar in the top-right corner and select Settings.
- Under Privacy Settings, find Default Location Privacy.
- Choose Open, Obscured or Private.
- Click Save Changes.
In the App
- Tap the Me tab, then the cog icon.
- Tap Default Location Privacy under Preferences.
- Choose Open, Obscured or Private. It’s saved straight away.
Your default is shared between the website and the app.
How the Default Works
- New observations use your default unless you choose a different setting when recording.
- On the website, the privacy menu on the observation form shows Use my default with your current default.
- Changing your default doesn’t change your existing observations.
- If you’ve never set one, your default is Open.
- Protected species may be given a stricter setting automatically. See Protected Species and Location Privacy.
Which Default Should I Choose?
- Open if you mostly record common species in public places.
- Obscured if you’d like to share the general area but not the exact spot.
- Private if you’d rather keep all locations to yourself. Private observations aren’t shared with the NBN Atlas.
Tip: You can always choose a different setting for an individual observation. See Changing Privacy Per Observation.