Opening a code remembers this browser and shows the item. It does not claim it. A shared public journey link only lets you view public contributions.
If the item is available or a handoff is open, choose a mark, a preset message and a country, or skip every choice. Check the public preview, then choose “Add my chapter”. Only that confirmation accepts the item in this browser. A scan does not prove physical possession.
Your mark and message appear in the journey. A selected country appears only after the next accepted handoff and at least 24 hours. While you keep the item, the country remains private.
If confirmation fails, your choices stay on the page. For an uncertain result, reconnect and retry the same request. If someone confirmed first, view the latest public journey; another scan cannot take over their chapter.
You can keep the item for as long as you like. In this browser, “Ready to pass on” lets you confirm a 24-hour handoff. Ask the next person to scan after you open it. You can cancel until someone accepts. If the window ends, the item stays with you; returning to the page does not reopen it.
Anyone with a copy of the physical code can try to accept during an open handoff. A public journey link cannot do that. If an opening or cancellation has an uncertain result, reconnect and retry the same request before starting another action.
Use “Save your place” after acceptance or from your private item view. Create a private link and copy it into a safe place. It lasts 180 days; creating another invalidates the old one. Anyone with this link can act as you, so never share it with the public journey. Opening it on another device only prepares confirmation. Confirm to sign in and replace the link; save the replacement. Other devices stay signed in. Without a saved link or a browser that still remembers you, private access may be lost.
Your private item view shows your chapters and how many accepted chapters followed each. Public journeys have earlier and later pages and never identify a chapter as yours. If a save or return response is lost, a link may already have changed. Use a device that still remembers you to create a new one. Do not assume the old link still works.
Choose “Report a concern” on an item or “Report this chapter” in its journey. Choose a reason and optionally add a private explanation of up to 1,000 characters. Leave out names, contact details and private return links. Reporting does not hide content or settle a disputed claim.
Open your private item view and choose “Remove my contribution” beside your own chapter. Read the confirmation before removing it. A neutral chapter remains, and the holder does not change. You can remove a chapter after passing the item on or returning with your private link. This is not full personal-data erasure.
If the public page becomes unavailable, reload your remembered item page or use your saved private link. “Your journeys” still offers a private link to your own chapter controls, without reopening the public story. You can remove your contribution there.
A separate “Publisher message” may link to a public publisher page. Visiting is optional; it never accepts an item or adds a chapter. The original publisher attribution remains part of the story even when a message changes or disappears.