Last Updated: Oct. 20, 2026
The Pembroke Citizen Journal ("PCJ," "we," "us," or "our") is a free, community-based online newspaper serving Pembroke, Massachusetts and the surrounding area. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we collect, use, and safeguard your information.
This policy applies to our website and any related services, including our newsletter.
1. Information We Collect
A. Information You Provide
When you create an account on our website or sign up for our newsletter, we collect:
- Your name
- Your email address
- Your password (stored in encrypted form — we never see or store your password in plain text)
We do not require — and ask that you do not submit — sensitive personal information such as your Social Security number, financial account details, or government ID.
B. Information Collected Automatically
We use a privacy-focused analytics service run independently of us to understand which stories are read and how. When you visit a page, it records:
- the page you view, and the site, link or campaign that brought you there
- when you visit, including the hour on your own clock
- how far you scroll through a story, and how long the page is open in front of you
- your device type, browser, operating system and approximate screen size, and whether the visit looks automated
- your country (never a more precise location) and your browser's language setting
- which links inside a story are clicked, counted per link and never tied to you or your visit
- whether you're signed in as a free or paid member, or not signed in, but never which member you are
It receives your IP address as part of the connection, uses it to work out your country, and doesn't keep it. To count unique readers each day, it turns your IP address and browser into a code using a secret that's deleted at the end of the day. After that, the code can't be traced back to your IP address or linked to your visits on other days. It sets no cookies and stores nothing on your device, so it can't recognize you from one day to the next.
We don't use this data to build profiles of individual readers, and it isn't sold or shared. It's kept for as long as we use the service, and deleted when we stop.
C. Cookies
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored in your browser — primarily to keep you logged in and ensure the site functions correctly. You can configure your browser to block or delete cookies, though doing so may affect your ability to log in or use certain features.
We may in the future use additional analytics tools that rely on cookies to help us understand site traffic. If and when we do, we will update this policy and notify subscribers.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Deliver our newsletter and notify you of new stories and updates
- Maintain your account and allow you to log in to our website
- Improve the performance and usability of our website
- Comply with legal obligations if required
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information with advertisers. Our editorial decisions are independent of any advertising or sponsorship relationships, and advertisers have no access to reader data.
3. Newsletter & Email Communications
When an account is created on the PCJ website, you will be enrolled to receive our newsletter and updates by email. Each email we send includes an unsubscribe link at the bottom. You may opt out at any time, and we will honor your request promptly.
We use your email address only to send you PCJ content. We do not send marketing emails on behalf of third parties.
4. Third-Party Services
We use trusted third-party services to host our website, deliver our newsletter, and measure readership. These providers process data on our behalf and are bound by their own privacy and security standards. We do not authorize them to use your data for their own purposes.
We may include links to third-party websites in our articles. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites, and we encourage you to review their policies independently.
5. How We Protect Your Information
We take the security of your data seriously and have implemented the following measures:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is required for all PCJ administrators accessing our systems
- Encrypted passwords — your password is hashed and never stored or transmitted in readable form
- Access controls — only authorized volunteers with a legitimate need can access site data
- Regular review of our platform's security settings and access logs
- Reputable, established infrastructure for hosting and newsletter delivery
No system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a data breach that may affect your personal information, we will notify affected users as required by applicable law.
6. Data Retention
We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. If you close your account or request deletion, we will remove your personal information from our active records within a reasonable time, except where retention is required by law.
Newsletter subscription records are retained until you unsubscribe.
7. Your Rights & Choices
You have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link in any email we send
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the email address below. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.
8. Children's Privacy
Our website is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with their information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time as our services evolve. When we make significant changes, we will notify newsletter subscribers by email and post an updated version on our website with a revised effective date. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this privacy policy or your personal data, please reach out to us:
Pembroke Citizen Journal Email: privacy@pembrokecitizenjournal.com Website: https://pembrokecitizenjournal.com
The Pembroke Citizen Journal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, community-supported, volunteer-operated publication.
