All we’re trying to do is to output our experiences through this website. And all we’re hoping you do is to enjoy it (perhaps so much so that you may wish to contribute your own content so everyone benefits).

However, we’ve composed this page to cover some basic ground rules. That way there’s less likelihood of misunderstandings.

All content is copyrighted.  We encourage you to enjoy the website respectfully, but any material appearing on this website may be neither reproduced nor distributed without our expressed written consent with the following exceptions:

• Excerpts of 200 words or less may be republished as long as a link back to the source webpage is included and easily seen.
• Content being used must be properly attributed by including a link back to the specific content page from which it came.
• Entire web pages, posts, tables, descriptions, or maps are strictly prohibited (regardless of whether or not it has been credited).
• Photographs may not be reproduced nor republished unless they appear as linked images on social networking/media sites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Pinterest, etc. that send the user back to the original content page or post.

Logging into the World of Waterfalls is optional. You don’t need to log in to browse the website.

However, if you wish to…

• Write your own waterfall review (including posting pictures or videos)
• Publicly reply or comment on content we’ve written on the website (including posting pictures or videos)
• Reply or comment to content written by other visitors

…then you must login.

This helps us spend less time filtering out spam or junk content that serves no useful purpose to visitors of this website.

By having an account on this website, in return for identifying yourself (via a valid email address), we are trusting you with the ability to submit content for consideration to be published.

Generally the content quality improves (e.g. less likelihood for trolling, abuse, flame wars, spam, etc.) when people who are not anonymous interacts with the community.

When it comes to accepting submissions, we look for the following things…

• You write from the heart or from your own genuine experiences
• You have something interesting or useful to share with the community
• You have at least 500 words or at least one photo/video or a combination of both

In addition to the stuff we look for to add to the website, we also have some simple ground rules that we respectfully ask you to adhere to…

• You don’t plagiarize or put out copyrighted material that is not your own
• You don’t abuse or threaten or attempt to cause harm to anyone else
• You don’t blatantly plug or solicit products and/or services in a review, post, or comment (but we do allow you to plug a service, your own website, or whatever you want to say on your own profile page provided you’ve successfully submitted approved content)

As for that last bullet, you heard that right. We do allow you more freedom to write what you want only on your profile page. We know nothing is free in this world so if you have an ulterior motive to contribute to the World of Waterfalls, this is the vehicle by which you can get payback.

Of course, in order for this to be effective, you’ll want to submit enough quality content to gain a following (and even appear on the Top Contributors List). That way, your profile page is likely to be seen by more people, which means the message you’re conveying in there is likely to reach its target audience.

First and foremost, the only information we require you to provide when registering with the World of Waterfalls is a valid email address. That’s because you can’t get an email validation link or have the ability to reset your password without it.

The way the website works, every post (whether it’s a waterall review or reply to us or to someone else) must have an author. That author is associated with the email address provided.

You will only be contacted via email if one of the following happens:

• We contact you directly about your account (e.g. status, special requests you’ve initiated, questions about content you’ve submitted, etc.)
• You’ve registered and/or reset your password
• You’ve received an automated email concerning a change to your account

We also have IP address information upon registration and/or submission. This is only to identify users with a pattern of abusive behavior. We don’t do anything else with that information.

That is as far as we go regarding your information.

The information you put down in your public profile is under your control. You can present to the public how you want to be seen by logging in and editing your profile.

That said, we do earn money through affiliates (e.g. Amazon and Mediavine), and we also use apps that may collect information concerning your browsing behavior (e.g. Google Maps). You can read more about how your information is used in our Privacy Policy.

If you’ve contributed content to the World of Waterfalls in the past (and you’ve provided a valid email), then you have content that has been grandfathered into the new World of Waterfalls website.

As mentioned before, every post (whether it’s a waterfall review or reply to us) must have an author. So that is why your valid email is associated with the account that in turn is associated with your previously submitted content.

By using your valid email address to reset your password, you have the ability to login and own or take credit for all your past work. Thus, you can add to your existing contributions and ensure your content (as well as profile) is more visible to website visitors.

Of course, you always have the option to dissociate yourself with your prior content by coordinating with us to “anonymize” your account. We can accomplish this by having the administrator substitute a dummy email address in place of your valid one on the account.

The content remains associated with the account (we don’t delete content or the account unless there’s a very good reason to do so). However, you lose all ties with your prior content as well as the associated account if you choose to go this route. Should you change your mind, you’ll have to create a new account and start over.

This works in much the same way as grandfathered anonymous submissions where the original author would have no way of claiming credit for any of the past work done let alone accessing the associated author account.

You can read more about your privacy as well as the rules and regulations we must adhere to by reading our privacy policy.

There are two (2) primary scenarios concerning account deletion.

1. User-initiated Account Deletion
2. Admin-initiated Account Deletion

User-initiated account deletion is when a user initiates the deletion or anonymization of his/her account. The process of how this happens is described above.

Admin-initiated account deletion is when the administrator initiates the deletion or anonymization of his/her account. The conditions and process of how this occurs is as follows:

Generally, accounts must be in “good standing” to remain active. Accounts that have adhered to the terms and conditions outlined above are in good standing.

Accounts that are subject to be considered not in good standing typically involve:

• A violation of one or more of the terms and conditions outlined above
• Zero activity or no submissions/comments since creating the user account

The first item is pretty self-explanatory.

The second item is necessary for us to manage resource utilization.

Basically, we consider accounts subject to Admin-initiated deletion due to zero activity are those accounts that have been registered for over a year without submitting any approved content (i.e. a waterfall review, a user reply, or a comment to another user).

We also delete any accounts blatantly propagating spam, questionable links, or other forms of malicious intent within their profile and/or other user-submitted content.

In the cases of Admin-initiated deletion, we may attempt to contact the user via email to inform him/her of the account status, but contact is not guaranteed.

In the absence of mitigating action, then we will delete the affected accounts during one of our maintenance cycles, which can occur without warning.

That said, if you feel there’s room for improvement on the usability of this website (especially when it pertains to the user submitting content or the account standing is affected as a result), please contact us.

We know the website may still have issues to work out, but we rely on feedback from our users to identify such issues.

Content provided by us in our guides are written based on our own personal experiences. 

We are experts in what we’ve personally experienced, but we recognize that change is inevitable, and some of our experiences may not be reflective of your own experiences. 

As long as you practice safety, awareness, preparation, and a healthy respect and fear of Nature, you should be able to have fun and come back to share your experiences. 

You are responsible for your own safety and for those in your group (if you are the group leader).

Some content from the remaining posts and pages (e.g. blogs, travel advice, itineraries, travel journals, etc.) in addition to our guides may contain opinions and advice. 

You choose whether you may agree or disagree with these at your will. 

Everybody has an opinion and sharing them is inevitable. 

Reviews and comments provided by users are solely the opinions of the people who have left them.  They do not in any way reflect our own opinions or affiliations.