Privacy Policy

Parkbeacon.org is an independently operated digital news publication. We take the privacy of our readers seriously and handle all data collected through this site with care, transparency, and respect. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how it is used, who it may be shared with, and what rights you have as a visitor.

This policy applies to all visitors accessing parkbeacon.org from within the United States and is designed to meet the standards expected by major publishing and advertising platforms including Google AdSense, Google News, NewsBreak, and MGID.

What Information We Collect

Information You Choose to Provide There are situations where you may voluntarily share information with us directly. This can happen when you contact us by email with a question, tip, or correction request, when you submit a comment or piece of feedback, when you sign up for any newsletter or alert service, or when you participate in a poll, survey, or community feature on the site.

The information you provide in these situations may include your name, your email address, and whatever details you choose to include in your message or submission. We do not ask for and do not want sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, financial account details, government ID numbers, or medical information.

Information Collected Automatically Every time someone visits parkbeacon.org, certain technical information is recorded automatically by our servers and third-party tools. This includes your IP address, the type of browser and device you are using, your operating system, the pages you visited and how long you spent on each, the website or search query that brought you to our site, your approximate geographic location at city or state level, and how you interacted with ads or content during your visit.

This data is used for operational purposes, performance monitoring, and improving the quality of our content and user experience. It is not used to identify you as an individual.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

parkbeacon.org uses cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to keep core site functions running properly, analyze how readers use and navigate the site, support interest-based advertising through our ad partners, and measure traffic patterns and content performance over time.

You may turn off cookies at any time through your browser settings. A full explanation of how we use cookies and how to manage them is available in our Cookie Policy.

How We Use the Information We Collect

Information collected through parkbeacon.org is used for the following purposes. To publish and improve local news, public safety reporting, weather coverage, and community stories. To respond to reader messages, tips, correction requests, and general inquiries. To deliver newsletters or content alerts where you have opted in. To analyze readership behavior and improve site performance and content quality. To display advertising through approved partner networks. To detect and prevent fraudulent activity, security threats, and abusive behavior. To comply with legal obligations and platform requirements.

We do not use any personal information to make automated decisions that carry legal or financial consequences for individuals.

How We Share Information

Trusted Service Providers To operate parkbeacon.org effectively we work with a small number of third-party service providers. These include our web hosting provider, email delivery platform, analytics services, advertising networks, and security tools. Each of these providers has access only to the information necessary to perform their specific function and is contractually prohibited from using that information for any other purpose or selling it to outside parties.

Advertising Partners Our advertising partners including Google AdSense, MGID, and other approved U.S.-based networks may use cookies and non-personal device identifiers to deliver relevant ads to visitors. These partners do not receive your name, email address, phone number, or any directly identifying personal information from us. Their data practices are governed by their own privacy policies which we encourage you to review.

Legal and Safety Disclosures There are limited circumstances in which parkbeacon.org may be required or compelled to share information. These include responding to a lawful subpoena, court order, or government request, cooperating with an active law enforcement investigation involving public safety, protecting the legal rights or property of parkbeacon.org and its operators, and preventing or responding to fraud, cyberattacks, or other security threats.

We will not voluntarily share your personal information with any outside party beyond what is described in this policy.

Data Security

parkbeacon.org takes reasonable and appropriate steps to protect the information in our possession. Our site operates over an encrypted HTTPS connection. Access to any collected data is strictly limited internally. We conduct routine monitoring for unusual or suspicious activity. Our server infrastructure is maintained with security as a priority.

No digital system can guarantee complete security against every possible threat. We are transparent about that reality while committing to doing everything within our reasonable control to protect your information.

Children and Minors

parkbeacon.org does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13. Our content is intended for a general adult audience. If you have reason to believe that a child under 13 has submitted personal information to us, please contact us immediately and we will take prompt steps to locate and remove that information.

Email: desk.parkbeacon@gmail.com

Your Privacy Rights as a U.S. Resident

Depending on the state you live in, you may have specific rights regarding your personal data. These may include the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, the right to request deletion of your personal data from our records, the right to opt out of interest-based advertising and behavioral tracking, and the right to unsubscribe from any newsletter or alert communications at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us directly and we will respond as promptly as possible.

Email: desk.parkbeacon@gmail.com

Third-Party Websites and Links

parkbeacon.org regularly links to external websites as part of our reporting. These may include law enforcement agency websites, National Weather Service pages, government portals, court record databases, and social media platforms. Once you leave parkbeacon.org and visit an external site, that site’s own privacy policy governs your experience. We are not responsible for the data practices of any third-party website regardless of how you arrived there.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as our practices evolve, as advertising partners change, or as legal requirements shift. When updates are made the Last Updated date on this page will reflect the most recent revision. Continuing to use parkbeacon.org after a policy update has been posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions, data requests, or concerns about how your information is handled, please reach out directly.

Email: desk.parkbeacon@gmail.com Website: https://parkbeacon.org