CCPA Compliance Policy

Last Updated:
https://theside.newsprivacy@theside.news

1. Introduction

This CCPA Compliance Policy explains the rights of California residents under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and how The Side News (“we,” “our,” or “us”) collects, uses, and shares personal information.

This policy applies to all visitors, users, and others who access https://theside.news and are California residents.

2. Personal Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information, as defined by the CCPA:

CategoryExamplesPurpose of Collection
IdentifiersIP address, browser user agentTo ensure fair survey participation and site security
Internet or Network ActivityPages visited, interactions, survey votesAnalytics, performance improvement, and audience insights
Commercial InformationAd interactionsAdvertising optimization via Google AdSense
Geolocation DataApproximate location (via IP)Regional content and ad relevance
InferencesPreferences or interestsPersonalizing news and survey content

We do not collect sensitive personal information such as race, gender, financial, or biometric data.

3. How We Use Personal Information

We use collected data to:

  • Provide and maintain our news platform.
  • Analyze site performance and audience engagement.
  • Prevent duplicate survey votes and fraudulent activity.
  • Display relevant ads through Google AdSense.
  • Improve overall user experience.

We do not sell your personal information for money. However, under CCPA definitions, some third-party advertising or analytics tools may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” of data for cross-context behavioral advertising.

4. Third Parties and Data Sharing

We may share limited personal information with:

  • Google (AdSense, Analytics)
  • Meta (Facebook Pixel)
  • Hotjar
  • Cloud hosting and security service providers

All partners are required to process data according to their own privacy policies and applicable laws.

5. Your Rights Under the CCPA

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights:

  1. Right to Know: You may request details about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.
  2. Right to Delete: You may request that we delete the personal information we hold about you, subject to certain legal exceptions.
  3. Right to Opt-Out of Sale or Sharing: You may opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal data with third parties for advertising purposes.
  4. Right to Correct: You can request corrections to inaccurate personal information.
  5. Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

6. How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise your CCPA rights, you may contact us by:

We may ask you to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. Authorized agents may submit requests on your behalf with proper documentation.

7. Opt-Out of Data Sharing

You may opt out of third-party data sharing for advertising purposes by:

  • Adjusting cookie preferences in your browser settings.
  • Using the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link (coming soon).
  • Managing your Google Ad settings: https://adssettings.google.com

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law. IP addresses collected for survey validation are typically retained for a limited period before being anonymized.

9. Updates to This Policy

We may update this CCPA Compliance Policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions or would like to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Form: Privacy Request Form

We aim to respond to inquiries related to privacy and CCPA rights within a reasonable timeframe.