This Privacy Policy explains how The Princeton Journal collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects information when you use the website, create a TPJ account, participate in comments or the community forum, submit materials, sign up for alerts, or support the reporting.
By using this website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you should not use the site, create an account, or submit information through it.
Information You Provide
Depending on how you use the site, you may choose to provide information such as your name, email address, password, display name, username, anonymous posting handle, newsletter signup details, messages, tips, uploaded files, support-related information, or other materials you submit.
This can happen when you:
- create or use a TPJ account
- comment on an article or post in the community forum
- upload a file, image, screenshot, or document
- contact TPJ with a tip, correction, or question
- subscribe to emails, alerts, or other updates
- click a support or contribution link
Information Collected Automatically
Like most websites, this site and the services it uses may automatically collect technical and usage information such as IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, approximate location, referring pages, visited pages, timestamps, interactions, cookies, and similar identifiers.
This information may be used for analytics, advertising, fraud prevention, security, troubleshooting, moderation, traffic measurement, product improvement, and operational support.
Cookies, Analytics, And Advertising
The site may use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies for site functionality, session handling, analytics, consent handling, advertising, and security.
The site also uses third-party services that may set or read their own cookies or identifiers, including analytics and advertising providers. Google Analytics and Google AdSense may collect information about visits, device/browser activity, and ad interactions to measure traffic and serve or optimize ads.
Your browser settings may allow you to limit, disable, or delete cookies. Disabling cookies may affect how some parts of the site function.
How We Use Information
We may use information to:
- create and maintain accounts
- authenticate users and keep the platform secure
- publish, moderate, review, or remove comments and community posts
- store and display uploaded files attached to public community posts
- respond to messages, corrections, tips, and support requests
- send newsletters, account emails, and alert-related messages
- measure site traffic, improve the product, and understand usage patterns
- serve and optimize advertising
- enforce our policies and comply with law
Accounts, Anonymous Posting, And Internal Accountability
TPJ accounts can support public posting and anonymous posting. Anonymous posting means your real identity is not displayed publicly with the post. It does not mean the post is detached from your account internally.
We may keep internal records linking anonymous posts to the account that created them for moderation, safety, abuse prevention, legal compliance, and accountability.
Uploads, Tips, Documents, And Submitted Materials
Materials submitted to TPJ, whether through the community, the contact page, or direct communication, may be reviewed, verified, retained, moderated, and used for editorial, administrative, security, or legal purposes.
Public community uploads are public by design. If you attach a file to a community post, readers may be able to view, download, share, quote, screenshot, or archive it.
Files and images can contain metadata or identifying details. If anonymity matters to you, do not assume that anonymous posting removes metadata or other identifying information from a file. Review your uploads carefully before posting.
Sending information to TPJ does not create an attorney-client relationship, fiduciary relationship, or guaranteed confidential relationship. For more detail, review our Whistleblower Protections page.
Support And Payment Links
If you choose to support TPJ, payment processing is handled by third-party payment providers, not by TPJ directly through this site. TPJ may receive limited information associated with completed contributions, such as the contribution status, supporter name, or contact information made available by the payment provider.
TPJ does not store your full payment card number on this site. Payment processors have their own privacy practices, terms, and retention rules.
How Information May Be Shared
TPJ does not sell personal information to third parties for money.
Information may be shared with service providers, vendors, or platforms that help us operate the site, including hosting, database, analytics, email, app, advertising, moderation, and payment services.
Information may also be disclosed when reasonably necessary to:
- operate, maintain, or secure the website
- respond to legal obligations, lawful requests, subpoenas, warrants, or court orders
- protect the rights, safety, property, or integrity of The Princeton Journal, its readers, or others
- investigate abuse, fraud, or misuse of the website
- prevent harassment, impersonation, threats, exploitation, or other harmful conduct
Third Party Services
This website may rely on third-party services or platforms for hosting, database services, authentication, storage, mobile-app functions, analytics, newsletters, advertising, and payment checkout. Those services may have their own policies and practices.
TPJ is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites, services, or platforms that are not directly controlled by TPJ.
Data Retention
We may retain information for as long as reasonably necessary for editorial work, moderation, account functionality, analytics, security, recordkeeping, legal compliance, dispute handling, and site operations.
Public posts, comments, and community attachments may remain visible until removed. Even after removal, copies may persist in backups, logs, archives, screenshots, or records maintained for legal or operational reasons.
Data Security
TPJ uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect information. No method of internet transmission, cloud storage, email, account login, or electronic storage is completely secure.
Users should avoid sending highly sensitive, financial, medical, or legally privileged information unless they understand and accept the risks of electronic communication.
Children’s Privacy
This website is not directed to children under 13, and TPJ does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the site.
Your Choices
You may choose not to submit information, not to create an account, not to post publicly, and not to use cookies to the extent your browser or device allows. You may also contact TPJ regarding account or privacy questions.
If you would like to ask about deleting or correcting account information, contact TPJ. Some information may still be retained where necessary for legal, safety, moderation, recordkeeping, or operational reasons.
Changes to This Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. Any updated version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Continued use of the site after changes are posted means you accept the updated policy.
Contact
For privacy-related questions or general inquiries, contact:
theprincetonjournal@gmail.com