Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Citizen Free Press handles information when you visit citizenfreepress.net subscribe to our newsletter, or contact us. We aim to collect only the information we need to run the Site and respond to you, and to be clear about what that is.
This policy describes how the Site works today. If we add new tools or services that change how information is handled, we will update this policy first. By using the Site, you acknowledge this policy. If you do not agree with it, please do not use the Site.
Information We Collect
Information you give us. You may give us information directly, for example your name, email address, and message when you contact us or sign up for our newsletter.
Information collected automatically. When you visit the Site, our web hosting provider ([hosting provider name]) and our systems may automatically record technical information such as your IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, the pages you request, referring page, and the date and time of your visit. This information is typically kept in server logs and is used to operate, secure, and troubleshoot the Site.
Information we do not collect. We do not ask you to create an account to read the Site, and we do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information such as financial account numbers or government ID numbers.
Information Submitted Through Forms
- Contact form or email: If you contact us, we collect the information you include, such as your name, email address, and message, so that we can read and respond to you.
- Newsletter sign-up: If you subscribe, we collect your email address so we can send you our newsletter. “Our newsletter is delivered through citizenfreepress@gmail.com , which processes subscriber email addresses on our behalf.”] You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send or by contacting us. [Remove this section until the newsletter is actually connected and working.]
- News tips and correction requests: If you send us a tip or a correction request, we use the information to review your submission, and we may contact you for more details. Please do not send sensitive personal information through our general contact channels unless it is necessary.
Cookies and Website Analytics
Cookies are small text files stored on your device. [Choose the version that is true on launch day.]
Current setup: “We use only the cookies that are necessary to operate the Site [and any cookies set by our WordPress software or security tools]. We do not currently use website analytics tools such as Google Analytics, and we do not currently use advertising or tracking cookies.”
If we add analytics or advertising services in the future, we will update this policy and our Cookie Policy before or when those services begin, and, where required by law, we will ask for your consent through a cookie notice.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how parts of the Site work.
Advertising and Third-Party Services
Advertising. [Current version: “We do not currently display third-party advertising on the Site.”] If we begin showing ads in the future, advertising partners may use cookies or similar technologies to show you ads, including ads based on your interests. We will describe those partners and explain how you can opt out before this begins.
Third-party services. The Site may rely on outside service providers, including:
- Web hosting and security providers
- Our email service provider for newsletters [name it]
- [Google Fonts, unless you self-host the fonts (see note below). If used: “Our pages load fonts from Google Fonts, which means your browser connects to Google’s servers and Google may receive your IP address.”]
- [Embedded content such as YouTube videos, if used. If used: “Some pages may include videos or posts embedded from other platforms. When you view or interact with this embedded content, the platform may collect information about you according to its own privacy policy.”]
Links on our Site may lead to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, and we encourage you to read their policies.
How Information Is Used
We use information to:
- Operate, maintain, and secure the Site
- Respond to your messages, tips, and correction requests
- Send you our newsletter, if you have subscribed
- Detect, prevent, and troubleshoot technical problems, spam, and abuse
- Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights
We do not use your personal information for purposes that are unrelated to these, except as permitted by law or with your consent.
Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell your personal information. [Confirm this is true. If it is not, or if you later start ads that may count as a “sale” or “sharing” under state law, change this sentence.]
We may share information:
- With service providers that help us run the Site, such as hosting, security, and email delivery, only as needed to provide their services to us
- When required by law, such as in response to a valid legal request, court order, or to protect legal rights and safety
- In a business change, such as a merger or sale of the publication, in which case the information may be transferred to the new owner under this policy or a successor policy
Data Retention
We keep information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy. [Set periods you can actually follow. Example:]
- Newsletter subscriber data: until you unsubscribe, after which we remove your email address from active lists [within X days].
- Contact messages and correction requests: [for up to X months/years], or longer if needed to handle a correction, legal matter, or dispute.
- Server logs: [for up to X days, according to your host’s settings].
Data Security
We use reasonable measures to protect information, including [HTTPS encryption on the Site, access controls, and keeping our software up to date. List only what you really do]. No website or transmission method is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Privacy Rights and Contact Information
Your choices. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, and you can contact us to ask about the information we hold about you.
U.S. state privacy rights. Depending on where you live, such as California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, Texas, and other states with privacy laws, you may have rights to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, and to opt out of certain uses such as targeted advertising or the sale or sharing of personal information. These laws often apply only to businesses that meet certain size or data-processing thresholds. [Have a lawyer confirm whether any apply to you. Do not claim compliance you have not verified.] We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights. To make a request, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
Children’s privacy. The Site is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
Contact us about privacy:
Email: [privacy email address]
Contact page: Contact Us
[Mailing address, if you choose to provide one]
Policy Updates
We may update this policy when our practices change, for example when we add analytics, advertising, or new features. We will post the updated version on this page and change the “Last updated” date. If the changes are significant, we will highlight them more prominently on the Site. Please review this page periodically.