Privacy Policy
Your privacy matters. We're committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about our data practices.
Last Updated: January 2025
Our Principles
These core principles guide how we handle your personal information.
Data Minimization
We only collect the minimum amount of personal information necessary to provide our services.
Transparency
We are clear about what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we use it.
Security First
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information.
Data Control
You have the right to access, modify, or delete your personal information at any time.
1. Information We Collect
Account Information
When you sign in with GitHub, we collect your GitHub username, email address, and profile information. We use this information to create and manage your account, and to identify you when you interact with our platform.
User-Generated Content
When you submit content to our platform (such as news posts, event listings, business listings, or op-ed pieces), we collect and store that content along with your user information. This content may be publicly visible once approved by our moderators.
Usage Information
We collect information about how you use our website, including pages visited, features used, and interactions with content. This helps us improve our platform and understand how our community engages with our services.
Technical Information
We automatically collect certain technical information such as IP address, browser type, operating system, and device information. This information is used for security purposes and to ensure our platform functions properly.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve our community platform
- Create and manage your user account
- Process and display your submitted content after moderation
- Send you notifications about your content submissions and account activity
- Communicate with you about platform updates, events, and community news
- Enforce our Terms of Service and Code of Conduct
- Protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
- Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience
- Comply with legal obligations
3. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
Public Content
Content you submit and that is approved by our moderators (such as news posts, events, business listings, and op-eds) will be publicly visible on our website along with your display name.
Service Providers
We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our platform, such as hosting providers, email services, and analytics tools. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or legal process, or if necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of our community, users, or the public.
Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring organization. We will notify you of any such change in ownership or control.
4. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:
- Encrypted data transmission using HTTPS/TLS
- Secure authentication through GitHub OAuth
- Database sessions for secure authentication state management
- Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning
- Access controls and authentication requirements for administrative functions
- Secure hosting infrastructure with regular backups
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
5. Your Rights and Choices
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
Access and Portability
You can access and review your personal information through your account settings. You can request a copy of your data in a portable format.
Correction and Updates
You can update your account information and profile at any time through your account settings.
Deletion
You can request deletion of your account and associated personal information by contacting us. Note that some information may be retained for legal or operational purposes.
Content Removal
You can request removal of content you've submitted by contacting our moderation team or through administrative controls if you have the appropriate permissions.
6. Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to maintain your session, remember your preferences, and analyze site usage. These include:
- Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and basic site functionality
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling certain cookies may affect site functionality.
7. Third-Party Services
Our platform integrates with the following third-party services:
- GitHub: For authentication and account creation
- Email Service Providers: For sending notifications and communications
- Hosting Providers: For infrastructure and data storage
These third-party services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them to understand how they handle your information.
8. Children's Privacy
Our platform is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately so we can delete the information.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Your continued use of our platform after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Have Questions?
We're committed to transparency and protecting your privacy. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.