Privacy Policy
Windham Free Press — windhamfreepress.org — Effective March 2025
Windham Free Press (“WFP,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who visits or contributes to this site — and especially the privacy of young people.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect it. Please read it carefully. By using this site, you agree to the practices described here.
WFP is operated under Project Imo Inc. For information about how Project Imo handles data related to its programs, please see their privacy policy at projectimo.org/imo-and-your-privacy/.
1. Information We Collect
Visitors (no account)
When you browse the site without an account, we collect only standard server log data: your IP address, browser type, and pages visited. This information is used only to maintain site security and performance and is not linked to your identity.
We may use cookies to support basic site functions. We do not use tracking cookies for advertising purposes.
Community contributors (form submissions)
When you submit content through our community submission form, we collect:
- Your name (which may be a pen name)
- Your email address
- The content you submit
- Your selected section and content type
- Any optional fields you complete (photo credit, etc.)
Your email address is used only for editorial communication related to your submission — to acknowledge receipt, request revisions, or notify you of a publication decision. We do not add you to any mailing list without your explicit consent.
Registered contributors (account holders)
If you create a contributor account, we collect and store:
- Your display name or pen name
- Your email address
- Your contributor profile (bio, byline title, avatar selection)
- Your submitted articles and their editorial status
We do not collect or store payment information. We do not sell or share contributor data with third parties.
2. Youth Contributor Privacy — Special Protections
Windham Free Press serves youth participants in Project Imo’s ACME program. We apply the strongest available privacy protections to all contributors under 18.
For youth contributors:
- Real names are never published on the site
- Youth contributors use an editor-approved nom de plume (pen name) on all public-facing content
- Youth contributors use an illustrated frog avatar rather than a real photograph
- Real name, school, neighborhood, photograph, and other identifying information are never displayed publicly
- Youth contributor data is stored securely and accessible only to authorized editorial staff
- Author archive pages for youth contributors display only their pen name and published work
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without verifiable parental or guardian consent, in accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
If a youth participant’s parent or guardian wishes to review, update, or request deletion of their child’s information, please contact us at info@windhamfreepress.org. We will respond within 10 business days.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Operate and improve the site
- Manage the editorial workflow for submitted content
- Communicate with contributors about their submissions
- Protect the safety of youth contributors
- Maintain site security
We do not use contributor data for advertising. We do not sell data to third parties. We do not share data with Project Imo beyond what is necessary for program administration.
4. Data Security
Contributor data is stored in WordPress with restricted access. Only editorial staff with a legitimate need can access contributor profiles and submission data. Our site uses HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our server.
No internet transmission is 100% secure. While we take reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
5. Data Retention
Published articles are retained indefinitely as part of the public record of community journalism. Contributor account information is retained for as long as the account is active.
If you request deletion of your account and associated data, we will remove personally identifying information from our systems within 30 days. Published articles may be retained in an anonymized form (byline removed or changed to “Staff”) at editorial discretion, to preserve the integrity of the published record.
To request data deletion, email info@windhamfreepress.org with the subject line “Data Deletion Request.”
6. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Request a copy of the data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your account and personal data
- Withdraw consent for your submitted content to remain published (subject to editorial review)
To exercise any of these rights, contact info@windhamfreepress.org.
7. Cookies
We use cookies for basic site functionality — keeping you logged in as a contributor, for example. We do not use third-party advertising cookies. You may disable cookies in your browser settings; doing so may affect some site functionality.
8. Third-Party Services
WFP uses the following third-party services that may process data:
- Cloudflare — for site security and performance (see cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/)
- Gravity Forms — for processing community submissions
- Microsoft 365 — for editorial email communication
These services are used only for site operations and do not receive data for advertising purposes.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. For significant changes affecting youth contributor data, we will notify affected contributors directly.
10. Contact
Windham Free Press — Privacy Questions info@windhamfreepress.org windhamfreepress.org A program of Project Imo Inc. 54 North Street, 2nd Floor, Willimantic, CT 06226
Last updated: March 2025. For Project Imo’s privacy policy, visit projectimo.org/imo-and-your-privacy/