Global Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Global Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) describes how Maine News Now (“Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards personal information across all current and future websites, subdomains, and online services (collectively, the “Services”). This Policy sets a global standard for privacy compliance and data protection in accordance with the highest international legal frameworks, including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”), the California Consumer Privacy Act and Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), the Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and the Brazilian General Data Protection Law (LGPD). It applies to all users regardless of geographic location.

1. Scope and Applicability

This Policy applies to all visitors, customers, and users of our Services, and to all data collected online or offline through any form of interaction. By using our Services, you consent to the practices described herein.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal data directly and automatically, including identifiers (name, email, phone number, address), commercial data (transactions, purchases, payment methods), biometric and health data (where applicable), geolocation, internet activity, behavioral analytics, device identifiers, and any other data required for lawful and legitimate business operations.

3. Automated and AI‑Based Processing

We utilize Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (“AI/ML”) technologies to analyze behavioral data, enhance service personalization, detect fraud, and improve user experience. Automated decision‑making may influence personalized recommendations or fraud prevention mechanisms, never without appropriate human oversight and legal safeguards.

4. How We Use Information

We process data for legitimate business purposes: service delivery, account management, communication, compliance, analytics, marketing, personalization, and platform security. Processing is always grounded in a lawful basis under applicable law.

5. Disclosure and Data Sharing

We do not sell personal data. We share information only with trusted service providers, payment processors, affiliates, analytics vendors, advertising partners, and legal authorities when required by law. Each third‑party partner is expected to maintain appropriate data protection standards.

6. International Data Transfers

Data may be processed and stored in the United States and other jurisdictions. All transfers comply with GDPR Chapter V and equivalent safeguards through Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy decisions, or binding corporate rules.

7. Data Retention

Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law. Retention schedules are periodically reviewed for compliance and minimization.

8. Children’s Privacy

We comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and do not knowingly collect data from children under 13 years old (or 16 in applicable jurisdictions) without verifiable parental consent. Parents may contact us to review or delete their child’s data at any time.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict processing, object to processing, port your data, or withdraw consent. Requests can be submitted using the contact information below.

10. Security and Safeguards

We employ administrative, technical, and physical safeguards that meet or exceed industry standards, including encryption, pseudonymization, role‑based access controls, multi‑factor authentication, and continuous threat monitoring.

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, device identifiers, IP addresses, and similar technologies for site functionality, analytics, advertising, fraud prevention, security, and performance measurement. Users can control cookie preferences through browser settings, device settings, or any cookie consent tools we make available.

Some browsers and devices allow users to block, delete, or limit cookies and similar technologies. If you block certain cookies, parts of the Services may not function as intended, and advertising may still appear but may be less relevant.

12. Advertising, Google AdSense, and Third-Party Ad Partners

We may display advertisements on the Services, including ads served by Google AdSense and other third-party advertising partners. These partners may use cookies, web beacons, IP addresses, device identifiers, browser information, approximate location, interactions with ads, and other usage information to serve ads, limit repeated ads, measure ad performance, prevent fraud, and improve advertising systems.

Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our Services. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on a user's visit to our Services and other websites or apps. Third-party vendors and ad networks may also use cookies or similar technologies to serve ads on our Services.

Advertising may be personalized or non-personalized depending on your location, consent choices, browser or device settings, and applicable law. Personalized advertising may use information about your visits to this and other sites or apps to help show ads that are more relevant to your interests.

You can learn more about how Google uses information from sites and apps that use Google services at Google's partner sites policy. You can manage Google ad personalization at My Ad Center and opt out of some third-party interest-based advertising through industry tools such as the Network Advertising Initiative or Digital Advertising Alliance.

For users in jurisdictions where consent is required, including the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, we will seek consent for the use of cookies or local storage and for the collection, sharing, and use of personal data for ads personalization where required by law.

13. Cross‑Border Compliance

This Policy incorporates global privacy principles such as lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, integrity, and accountability. These principles apply uniformly across all operations and subsidiaries.

14. Data Protection Officer and Contact

We maintain a designated Data Protection Officer (“DPO”) to oversee compliance. Users may exercise their rights or submit complaints via email at privacy@mainenewstoday.com or by mail to our registered office in Florida, USA.

15. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Policy to reflect legal, technical, or business developments. The latest version will always be available on our website, with a new 'Last Updated' date. Continued use of our Services constitutes acceptance of any modifications.