# Privacy Policy

2026-07-02 · Arizona Watcher

> How Arizona Watcher collects, uses, and protects your information.

**Last Updated: June 1, 2026**

Arizona Watcher ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard information when you visit our website at [www.arizonawatcher.com](https://www.arizonawatcher.com) and any related pages or services.

Please read this policy carefully. By using our website, you agree to the practices described below. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our site.

## 1. Who We Are

Arizona Watcher is an independent nonprofit digital news portal based in Phoenix, Arizona.

📍 **Mailing Address:** 455 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States

📧 **Privacy Inquiries:** [privacy@arizonawatcher.com](mailto:privacy@arizonawatcher.com)

## 2. Information We Collect

We collect two types of information from visitors to our website:

### a) Information You Provide Directly
This is information you voluntarily give us, such as when you:
- Sign up for our newsletter
- Submit a news tip or contact form
- Create a reader account or subscription
- Donate to Arizona Watcher
- Apply for a position on our team

This may include your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and payment information (for subscriptions or donations).

### b) Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and tracking technologies, including:
- Your IP address and approximate location
- Browser type and version
- Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Referring website (how you found us)
- Links clicked within our site
- Date and time of your visit

## 3. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us understand how visitors use our website. We use the following types of cookies:

- **Essential Cookies** - Required for the website to function properly. These cannot be disabled.
- **Analytics Cookies** - Help us understand traffic patterns and reader behavior so we can improve our content and user experience.
- **Marketing Cookies** - Used to measure the effectiveness of our outreach and advertising campaigns.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website.

## 4. Third-Party Tools We Use

To help us operate and improve our website, we use the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy governing how it handles your data.

### Google Analytics
We use **Google Analytics** to collect anonymous data about how visitors interact with our website. This includes information such as pages viewed, session duration, traffic sources, and general geographic location (city or region level - not precise location).

Google Analytics uses cookies to track this information. The data collected is aggregated and does not personally identify you.

- You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the [Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On](https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout)
- To learn more, visit [Google's Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)

### Google Tag Manager
We use **Google Tag Manager** to manage and deploy tracking scripts and tags on our website, including Google Analytics. Google Tag Manager itself does not collect personal data - it simply controls which tags are active on the site.

- To learn more, visit [Google Tag Manager's Terms of Service](https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/tag-manager/use-policy/)

### Google Search Console
We use **Google Search Console** to monitor our website's performance in Google Search results. This tool provides us with aggregated data such as search queries that lead users to our site, click-through rates, and indexing status. Google Search Console does not collect any personally identifiable information from our visitors.

- To learn more, visit [Google's Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)

## 5. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

- To deliver news content and newsletters to our readers
- To process subscriptions, donations, and account registrations
- To analyze website traffic and improve our content and user experience
- To respond to inquiries, tips, and complaints
- To detect and prevent fraud, spam, or abuse
- To comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Ever.

## 6. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

- **Service Providers:** We share data with trusted third-party vendors (such as email newsletter platforms and payment processors) who assist us in operating our website. These vendors are contractually required to protect your data and may not use it for their own purposes.
- **Legal Requirements:** We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority.
- **Protection of Rights:** We may share information when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of Arizona Watcher, our staff, or our readers.

## 7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy or as required by law.

- Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe
- Contact form submissions are retained for up to 12 months
- Anonymized analytics data may be retained indefinitely for trend analysis

## 8. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

- **Access** - Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- **Correction** - Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- **Deletion** - Request that we delete your personal data
- **Opt-Out** - Opt out of newsletter communications at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send
- **Cookie Preferences** - Manage your cookie settings through your browser or our cookie consent tool

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [privacy@arizonawatcher.com](mailto:privacy@arizonawatcher.com). We will respond within 30 days.

## 9. Children's Privacy

Arizona Watcher is a general-audience news website not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at [privacy@arizonawatcher.com](mailto:privacy@arizonawatcher.com) and we will delete it promptly.

## 10. Links to External Websites

Our articles and pages may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.

## 11. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If you are submitting sensitive information (such as a confidential news tip), we recommend using our **SecureDrop** service. Instructions are available on our Contact page.

## 12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

For significant changes, we will notify subscribers by email.

## 13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please reach out to us:

📧 **Privacy Inquiries:** [privacy@arizonawatcher.com](mailto:privacy@arizonawatcher.com)

📍 **Mailing Address:** 455 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States

*This Privacy Policy was prepared for informational purposes. Arizona Watcher recommends consulting a qualified legal professional to ensure full compliance with applicable federal and state privacy laws.*

*© 2026 Arizona Watcher. All rights reserved.*

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