Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Effective Date: Jan 1st, 2026 Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2026

At NCST News (operated by R41D41 Industries, LLC, doing business as Newnan Coweta Scanner Traffic), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting any personal information you may share with us. Our website provides timely, factual coverage of local news, scanner traffic, emergencies, weather, and community events in Coweta County and surrounding areas in Georgia.

This Privacy Policy explains:

  • What information we collect
  • How we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard it
  • Your rights and choices regarding your data
  • Our use of cookies and tracking technologies

By accessing or using https://ncst.news (and any related subdomains, services, or linked properties like email reports or social channels), you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the site.

2. Information We Collect

We aim to minimize data collection. Much of the site content is publicly available without requiring personal information.

Information You Provide Voluntarily:

  • Contact or Inquiry Forms (if present): Name, email address, phone number, or message details if you submit tips, corrections, or questions.
  • Email Subscriptions (e.g., NCST Field Report or similar daily/periodic reports): Email address and any preferences for receiving morning updates or alerts (excluding Mondays in some cases).
  • Comments, Submissions, or User-Generated Content (if enabled): Any text, photos, or details you post or submit.
  • Account Information (if registration or login features exist in the future): Username, password, or profile details.
  • Business Inquiries: Details provided when contacting us for advertising, partnerships, or merchandise (e.g., via linked shops).

Automatically Collected Information:

  • Usage and Device Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, pages visited, time spent on site, referring URLs, and clickstream data.
  • Location Data: Approximate geographic location (e.g., city or county level) derived from IP address, relevant for local news relevance.
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: See section on Cookies below.

Publicly Available or Third-Party Data:

  • We may aggregate or reference publicly available scanner traffic, police/fire/EMS reports, court records, or weather data from official sources. We do not collect private personal data from these unless already public.

We generally do not collect sensitive personal information (e.g., Social Security numbers, financial details, health data beyond public incident reports, or precise geolocation) unless explicitly provided and necessary for a requested service.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected data for legitimate business purposes, including:

  • Providing and improving our news services, alerts, and content (e.g., personalizing local traffic or weather updates where feasible).
  • Responding to inquiries, tips, or support requests.
  • Sending subscribed newsletters, Field Reports, or emergency-related notifications (with your consent or opt-in).
  • Analyzing site performance, audience trends, and engagement to enhance user experience.
  • Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, or security issues.
  • Complying with legal obligations, court orders, or law enforcement requests (e.g., subpoenas related to public safety reporting).
  • Operating any linked services, such as merchandise shops or social integrations.

We do not sell personal information for monetary gain. Any sharing is limited to operational needs or legal requirements.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Like most websites, we or our third-party service providers may use:

  • Essential Cookies: For basic site functionality (e.g., remembering preferences).
  • Analytics Cookies: Tools like Google Analytics (or similar) to understand traffic patterns, popular articles, and user demographics.
  • Advertising/Remarketing Cookies (if used): To show relevant local ads or measure campaign effectiveness.
  • Social Media Widgets: Buttons or embeds from Facebook, X (Twitter), etc., which may set cookies when interacted with.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may limit site functionality. We honor “Do Not Track” signals where technically feasible, though support varies by browser.

5. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

We may share information in these limited cases:

  • Service Providers: With trusted vendors who assist with hosting, email delivery, analytics, security, or payment processing (under strict confidentiality agreements). Examples include web hosts, email platforms (e.g., for Field Reports), or cloud services.
  • Legal and Safety Reasons: To comply with laws, respond to governmental requests, enforce our terms, protect rights/property/safety, or investigate violations.
  • Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user data may transfer as part of the transaction.
  • Aggregated or Anonymized Data: Non-personal, statistical information (e.g., “most-read traffic stories in Coweta County”) may be shared publicly or with partners.

We do not share personal information with unrelated third parties for their own marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. However, no system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, especially for data transmitted over the internet. Users should use strong passwords and exercise caution when sharing sensitive details.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location (e.g., California residents under CCPA/CPRA, or other states with similar laws), you may have rights to:

  • Access, correct, or delete your personal information.
  • Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not sell data).
  • Limit use of sensitive personal information.
  • Withdraw consent for certain processing (e.g., marketing emails).

To exercise these rights, contact us using the details below. We will respond within required timeframes and verify your identity. You may also unsubscribe from emails via the link in each message.

Note on Public Content: Comments or tips submitted for publication may remain visible even after deletion requests, as they become part of public news coverage.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our site is not directed at children under 13 (or 16 in certain jurisdictions). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware of such collection, we will take steps to delete it. Parents/guardians should contact us if they believe their child has provided data.

9. International Users

If you access the site from outside the United States (particularly the EU, UK, or other regions with strict data protection laws like GDPR), note that your data may be transferred to and processed in the U.S., which may have different privacy standards. By using the site, you consent to this transfer.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our site may link to external sites (e.g., official government pages, social media, merchandise stores, or news sources). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Review their policies separately.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The “Last Updated” date will be revised. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy. We encourage you to review it regularly.

12. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, data requests, or to exercise your rights:

 

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Mail: R41D41 Industries, LLC, Attn: Privacy, 19 Perry St, Suite 402, Newnan, GA 30263