1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how The Shiawassee Signal ("we," "us," or "our"), collects, uses, and shares information about you when you visit our website at shiawasseesignal.com (the "Site"), subscribe to our newsletter, create an account, place an advertisement, or otherwise interact with us.

By using our Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our Site.

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Account and subscription information: When you subscribe or create an account, we collect your name and email address.
• Contact and form submissions: When you contact us, submit a correction request, submit a community event, or place an advertisement inquiry, we collect the information you provide (name, email, phone, message content, etc.).
• Newsletter subscriptions: We collect your email address and, if provided, your name when you sign up for our newsletter.
• Payment information: If you purchase a subscription or place an advertisement, payment is processed by our payment provider (Stripe). We do not store your payment card information on our servers.
• Classified ad submissions: Name, contact information, and ad content you provide.

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data: When you visit our Site, we may log your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and timestamps.
• Article view counts: We track the number of times articles are viewed. This count data is associated with article IDs, not individual users.
• Advertisement interaction data: We track clicks on advertisements displayed on our Site to measure ad performance for our advertisers.
• Cookies and local storage: We use browser local storage to remember your subscription status and preferences within our Site. We do not use third-party tracking cookies.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To provide you with access to our content and services
• To send you our newsletter and other communications you have requested
• To process and fulfill subscription and advertising transactions
• To respond to your inquiries, correction requests, and other communications
• To analyze how our Site is used and improve our content and services
• To send you transactional messages (login codes, subscription confirmations)
• To comply with legal obligations

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We work with third-party service providers (such as Stripe for payment processing and Google Fonts for typography) who may receive certain information to provide their services. These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Legal compliance: We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or other legal process, or to protect our rights, property, or the safety of our users or others.
• Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide services to you and fulfill the purposes described in this policy. Newsletter subscriber records are retained until you unsubscribe. Account information is retained as long as your account is active. You may request deletion of your data by contacting us at the address below.

6. Your Rights Under Michigan Law

Michigan residents may have certain rights regarding their personal information. You may contact us to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
• Opt out of our newsletter communications at any time using the unsubscribe link in any newsletter email

7. Children's Privacy

Our Site is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly.

8. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

9. Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of our Site after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

The Shiawassee Signal
Email: hello@shiawasseesignal.com
Michigan, United States