Deep Water | Tortoise Investigates
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After weeks of chasing him, Lydia finally speaks to Vitomir Maričić, the Croatian freediver at the heart of the scandal – and he tells his side of the story. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne Executive producer - Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
An anti-doping officer tells Lydia that drugs are only considered a problem in freediving on social media, and in podcasts. She learns the problem is bigger, and more complex, and more corrupt, than she realised. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne Executive producer - Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
The CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency – and the man who caught Lance Armstrong – has advice for Lydia. It’s not what she’s expecting. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne Executive producer - Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Vertical Blue, 2023, the moment the doping scandal erupts. The competition organiser, William Trubridge, recounts his plan to catch the dopers – and Lydia investigates the fallout of a very controversial drugs bust. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne Executive producer - Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lydia travels to Kalamata, Greece, a renowned freediving spot to investigate the doping allegations. What substances are athletes meant to be taking? And what are the risks – to them, and to the sport she loves? Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne Executive producer - Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Three years ago, travel writer Lydia Gard discovered freediving. An extreme and beautiful sport defined by one objective: to dive as deep as you can on one single breath. It soon became a calling. Then, she stumbled on a darker side of the sport. Rumours that a group of top divers were doping to go deeper. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne Executive producer - Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Three years ago travel writer Lydia Gard discovered freediving almost by accident. It’s an extreme and beautiful sport defined by one simple objective: to dive as deep as you can on one single breath. Record holders are now routinely diving to more than 120 metres, pushing the sport and their bodies to find out what’s humanly possible. Through her coach, Lydia was drawn into a small but fanatical community of competition athletes all united in their drive for depth, and that’s where she stumbled on a darker side of the sport. Rumours swirled that a group of top divers were doping to get deeper, faster. As the community began to turn on each other over the allegations, one prominent diver decided to take the law into his own hands. A secret sting operation was meant to put an end to the problem by bringing the alleged dopers out of the dark, and into the light. But the issue hasn't gone away. And now, a lot of people who’ve been too scared to speak up, are ready to talk. Episode 1 will be available to listen to on Tuesday 18th November. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rachel Sylvester travels to Greece to investigate whether genetic science could change the story in the case of Roula Pispirigou – a mother who was convicted of killing her three young children just last year. Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-04-28_science-uncovered-the-truth-of-why-my-children-died-and-set-me-free for sharing recordings and insights. Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings http://seeitfirst.com/ * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Scientist Carola Vinuesa and her team test their extraordinary genetic discovery in a court of law. Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-04-28_science-uncovered-the-truth-of-why-my-children-died-and-set-me-free for sharing recordings and insights. Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kathleen Folbigg is just trying to survive. She’s a grieving mother, sentenced to life in jail for killing her four infant children. That is, until a small group of people start to question whether she might be the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice. Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-04-28_science-uncovered-the-truth-of-why-my-children-died-and-set-me-free for sharing recordings and insights. Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Journalist Rachel Sylvester investigates the case of 'Australia's worst serial killer'. And discovers, in a story about mothers who have been accused of murdering their own children, there is one man who connects them all: a doctor called Roy Meadow. Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-04-28_science-uncovered-the-truth-of-why-my-children-died-and-set-me-free for sharing recordings and insights. Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Introducing...The Lab Detective Kathleen Folbigg experienced unimaginable loss. All four of her infant children died suddenly, over a 10-year period. Their deaths were unexplained. Until a police detective turned up at her door, and arrested Kathleen on suspicion of murder. She was labelled ‘Australia's worst female serial killer’, convicted, and was destined to spend most of the rest of her life in jail. Until a different type of detective entered her life. A scientist working in a lab who uncovered the truth behind the deaths. This is the story of a shocking miscarriage of justice, but as journalist Rachel Sylvester starts to investigate how this happened, she learns that Kathleen is not alone – other mothers have endured the same fate, and may also be in prison. The Lab Detective is a story about the power of science, and the determination of those searching for the truth. Episodes 1 and 2 will be available to listen on 22nd July. To listen to the full series on 22nd July, subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or download the Tortoise app. Reporters: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Executive editor: Basia Cummings Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Artwork: Lola Williams Fact checking: Ada Barume and Madeline Parr To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk http://observer.co.uk/ Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Introducing...The Wargame A bunker. A scenario. A group of former senior ministers, military chiefs and other experts. Russia knows our weaknesses – but do you? Sky News' security and defence editor Deborah Haynes presents The Wargame. From Sky News and Tortoise, it imagines how a Russian attack on the UK could play out... and how military chiefs and politicians might try to defend the country. Episodes will be released weekly - search for The Wargame https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wargame/id1547225334 wherever you listen to your podcasts. * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
When Lucky Boy launched back in March, there was an important detail that didn't make it into the podcast, for legal reasons: the team had discovered that they weren’t the only people who had been investigating the allegations made by Gareth - the Metropolitan Police had been too. Now, reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou has an update. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
We are partnering with Greenpeace and Crowd Network, so that we can continue to bring our listeners brilliant investigations on The Slow Newscast. You can join Tortoise as a member to get early and ad-free access to new series and support our investigations at https://www.tortoisemedia.com/invite/www.tortoisemedia.com/invite http://www.tortoisemedia.com/invite What does it sound like at the bottom of the ocean? In this new podcast from Greenpeace and Crowd Network, you can find out. Join Wildlife Filmmaker Hannah Stitfall as she embarks on a journey across the planet and under the waves. You’ll be swimming with dolphins, visiting the seabed, and meeting the people aiming to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. Part of the series was even recorded aboard the ship Arctic Sunrise in the Arctic Circle. Season 2 is out now, listen on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app https://podfollow.com/oceans-life-under-water. * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
We are partnering with Greenpeace and Crowd Network, so that we can continue to bring our listeners brilliant investigations on The Slow Newscast. You can join Tortoise as a member to get early and ad-free access to new series and support our investigations at https://www.tortoisemedia.com/invite/www.tortoisemedia.com/invite http://www.tortoisemedia.com/invite What does it sound like at the bottom of the ocean? In this new podcast from Greenpeace and Crowd Network, you can find out. Join Wildlife Filmmaker Hannah Stitfall as she embarks on a journey across the planet and under the waves. You’ll be swimming with dolphins, visiting the seabed, and meeting the people aiming to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. Part of the series was even recorded aboard the ship Arctic Sunrise in the Arctic Circle. Season 2 is out now, listen on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app https://podfollow.com/oceans-life-under-water. * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sally Anne Bowen doesn’t want to speak about her relationship with Gareth, but it turns out there is a way of hearing her version of events. And after months of searching, Chloe gets a message from another ‘lucky boy’. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall Sound design: Hannah Varrall Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chloe hears from a former teacher who seems to support what Gareth believes - that there was a cover-up. And it’s still going on today. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall Sound design: Hannah Varrall Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gareth is convinced that his memories are true and that there are plenty of witnesses who can corroborate his story, so why will no one help him? You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall Sound design: Hannah Varrall Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gareth spent years believing he was a lucky boy. He was the 14-year-old who got the attention of the attractive young science teacher. Now, decades later, he wants the truth to come out about the damage it’s caused him. But his story is not straight forward. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall Sound design: Hannah Varrall Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gareth’s whole life has been defined by a relationship he had 35 years ago when, as a 14-year-old schoolboy, he fell in love with an attractive young teacher at his school. He spent most afternoons in her bedroom and thought he was the luckiest boy in the world. But when she walked out of his life everything started to unravel. is a new four-part series in which Chloe Hadjimatheou asks who gets to be a perpetrator and a victim. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall Sound design: Hannah Varrall Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Neil Gaiman faces a lawsuit in the United States. The first woman to come forward and accuse the best-selling author of sexual assault has filed a complaint against him and his estranged wife, Amanda Palmer. In this episode she explains why she’s taking action. Neil Gaiman denies the allegations and says he has Reporter: Rachel Johnson Producer: Katie Gunning Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Lola Williams Editor: Jasper Corbett * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Last October, the head of MI5 said Russia was on a mission to cause "sustained mayhem" on European streets. It might be hard to spot at first, but it is there in plain sight. This is the unpredictable, violent world of the modern Russian intelligence services To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/tortoise/id1441428990 – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/channel/tortoise/id6442666997 on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member https://www.tortoisemedia.com/becomeamember/ and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
We are partnering with Audiochuck, so that we can continue to bring our listeners brilliant investigations like Elon's Spies. You can join Tortoise as a member to get early and ad-free access to new series and support our investigations at https://www.tortoisemedia.com/invite/www.tortoisemedia.com/invite http://www.tortoisemedia.com/invite. Introducing...Crime Junkie - MURDERED: JonBenet Ramsay The morning after Christmas Day 1996, six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was reported missing... only for her body to be discovered hours later in her family’s home. Nearly three decades later, the questions remain: What really happened that night? Who is responsible for her death? And why has this case gone unsolved for so long? For years, Ashley Flowers vowed never to cover this infamous case – unless she could hear directly from the Ramsey family. In this episode, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat explore the chilling details https://swap.fm/l/9d403zRVjuzRc0CiqpKV of JonBenét’s case, the infamous ransom note, and the lingering theories surrounding the investigation. With exclusive insights from JonBenét’s father https://swap.fm/l/HNVQS8sRaTMXrhALyjLC, John Ramsey, this is a story you won’t want to miss. Listen to the full episode here https://swap.fm/l/Irho0dN4UB7r8RnZBSuF. * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
When Donald Trump declared victory in the US presidential election, he told an adoring crowd that "a star is born". He was referring to Elon Musk. After months of reporting on the billionaire's use of private investigators, Alexi asks whether the insights he gained from that investigation reveal how Musk will operate in his new political era, and what that means for everything in his orbit. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reported and produced by: Alexi Mostrous, Gary Marshall, Matt Russell & Patricia Clarke Sound design: Bart Warshaw Original Music: Tom Kinsella Podcast artwork: Jon Hill Executive producer: Basia Cummings * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
To his surprise, Alexi finds himself speaking to a local reporter at the Gold Coast Bulletin in Australia. It’s not where he thought the story would take him but it reveals a new case involving Elon and his spies. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reporter: Alexi Mostrous Producer: Gary Marshall Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella Podcast artwork: Jon Hill Executive producer: Ceri Thomas * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
When Martin Tripp worked at Tesla, he took the advice of his boss Elon Musk - if you discover a problem, tell me about it. But when Martin shares his concerns, his world begins to spiral out of control. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reporter: Alexi Mostrous Producer: Gary Marshall Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella Podcast artwork: Jon Hill Executive producer: Ceri Thomas * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
In 2018, Vernon Unsworth is at the centre of a global news story. He plays a crucial role in rescuing a young football team who became trapped in a flooded cave system. Overnight, he is a hero. But there’s a darker side of his story that’s less well known. That’s where Elon Musk and his private investigators come in. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reporter: Alexi Mostrous Producer: Gary Marshall Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella Podcast artwork: Jon Hill Executive producer: Ceri Thomas * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Three years ago, we released our chart-topping investigative podcast Sweet Bobby. And now, Netflix are releasing the documentary Sweet Bobby on 16th October. Catch up with the original story across all 6 episodes by searching for Sweet Bobby wherever you get your podcasts. To listen to the exclusive ad-free and bonus episode with Kirat, the woman at the heart of this catfishing story, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or become a Tortoise member. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
Elon Musk is one of the most powerful men in the world. He's a billionaire, the founder of SpaceX, Tesla and more. To his followers, he's a hero; to his critics, a far-right rabble rouser. But for someone so public, there’s one part of his life that’s less well known. Elon’s Spies investigates how this free-speech champion uses private investigators and surveillance to target everyone from whistleblowers at his companies, to online critics and people in his own life. Episode 1 is available on Tuesday 8th October, with episodes releasing weekly. To get ad-free access and binge listen to all 3 episodes on Tuesday 8th October, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or by becoming a Tortoise member. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Reporter: Alexi Mostrous Producer: Gary Marshall Original Music & Sound design: Tom Kinsella Podcast artwork: Jon Hill Executive producer: Ceri Thomas * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.
