The only problem I can think of is this: Would visiting an obs made in an unsafe place make the original observer uncomfertable if they are still nearby? Especially for kids using iNat, or for women who have been stalked in the past? That is all I can think of, is people who are worried about their location being known, but then again, you can obscure your location, so maybe this isn’t too much of an issue.
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As you mention, any observer over age 13 who is concerned that a precise location of a particular observation could be used to track them should choose the option to obscure the location of that observation. Obscured observations do make it harder for identifiers and make the data less valuable for research, so I would encourage people to avoid this option if they don’t have a particular reason for concern. One common approach is for an observer to obscure observations near their home, but not those posted from more distant public areas. Also, obscured and private location data is not a guarantee, and people with serious safety concerns might instead choose not to post observations to iNat.
Anyone younger than 13 should use the Seek app instead of iNat.
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Yes, that is a good point. If you make an iNat account, you have to agree to terms and conditions.
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