Privacy Policy

1 Introduction

Vihiga Times respects the privacy of every individual who visits our website. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your information. It applies to all visitors, users, and anyone who accesses our website or submits information through our contact form.

By using the Vihiga Times website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of our website immediately.

We are committed to handling your information responsibly and transparently, in line with applicable data protection laws and best practices.

2 Information We Collect

Vihiga Times does not intentionally collect personally identifiable information from visitors unless they voluntarily provide it. The only personal information we collect is what you choose to share with us when contacting our team.

When you use our contact form or reach out to us directly, you may voluntarily provide the following information:

• Your full name (first and last)
• Email address
• Phone number
• The content of your message or inquiry
• The subject category you select (e.g., News Tip, Advertising, Correction)

This information is collected solely for the purpose of responding to your inquiry and is never collected without your explicit action. We do not require visitors to create accounts or provide personal information to browse our news content.

3 Automatically Collected Information

Like most websites, some technical information may be collected automatically by your browser, our web server, or trusted service providers to operate and secure the website. This information is collected in aggregate and is not intended to personally identify individual visitors.

Examples of automatically collected information include:

• IP address and approximate geographic location (derived from IP)
• Browser type and version
• Operating system and device type
• Mobile network information (if applicable)
• Date and time of visits
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring websites or search terms
• Clickstream data and navigation patterns
• Cookie and browser preference information

This data helps us understand how visitors interact with our website, identify technical issues, improve performance, and protect against spam, abuse, and security threats.

4 How We Use Information

Any information collected by Vihiga Times is used only for legitimate website operations and to serve our community better. Specifically, we use information for the following purposes:

• Providing and maintaining our news service and website
• Responding to inquiries submitted through the contact form
• Personalizing content and improving user experience
• Analyzing website traffic and performance through aggregate analytics
• Detecting and preventing spam, abuse, fraud, or security threats
• Complying with applicable legal obligations
• Sending newsletters or promotional communications only when you have explicitly agreed to receive them

5 Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information only when we have a lawful basis to do so. The legal grounds for processing your information may include:

• Consent: When you voluntarily submit information through our contact form, you consent to our processing of that information to respond to your inquiry.
• Performance of a contract: Where applicable, processing may be necessary to fulfill an agreement or service request.
• Compliance with legal obligations: We may process information when required to comply with applicable laws, regulations, or court orders.
• Legitimate interests: We may process information to improve website functionality, ensure security, and analyze usage patterns, provided these interests do not override your fundamental rights.
• Protection of vital interests: In rare cases, processing may be necessary to protect your vital interests or those of another person.

6 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Vihiga Times may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and improve website performance.

Types of cookies we may use include:

• Essential cookies: Necessary for the website to function properly (e.g., maintaining your session).
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences for a better experience.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website through anonymous data.

You can disable or manage cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some website features.

7 Third-Party Services

We rely on trusted third-party services to operate and improve the Vihiga Times website. These providers may have access to certain technical information to perform their functions, but they are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

Hosting and Infrastructure

Our website is hosted on GitHub Pages, which provides the infrastructure necessary to serve our content to visitors worldwide.

Analytics

We may use analytics tools to understand website performance and visitor behavior. These tools collect aggregate, anonymous data and do not identify individual users.

Email Services

When you submit our contact form, your message is sent via FormSubmit, a secure form-handling service that delivers emails to our team. FormSubmit processes your submission solely for the purpose of delivering your message to us.

8 Data Sharing

We do not share your personal information with third parties except in the following limited circumstances:

• With trusted service providers who assist in operating our website (as described in Section 7)
• When required by law, court order, or government authority
• To protect our legal rights, property, or safety, or the rights of our users
• To detect, prevent, or address fraud, abuse, or security issues

We want to emphasize again: Vihiga Times does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing or commercial purposes.

9 Data Retention

Information submitted through our contact form is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. This includes:

• Responding to your inquiry or request
• Complying with legal obligations
• Maintaining records for legitimate business purposes
• Resolving disputes or enforcing our agreements

Once the information is no longer needed for these purposes, we will securely delete or anonymize it. We do not retain personal information indefinitely.

10 Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect the information we collect from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security practices include:

• Secure hosting infrastructure provided by reputable platforms
• Access controls to limit who can view submitted information
• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/SSL)
• Regular software updates and security patches
• Protection against unauthorized access and cyber threats

However, it is important to understand that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11 Children's Privacy

Vihiga Times does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age required by applicable law without appropriate parental or guardian consent. Our website is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children.

If we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child without proper consent, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our records where practical.

If you believe we may have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately so we can address the situation.

12 Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to correction: Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to deletion: Request that we delete your personal information where applicable.
• Right to object: Object to certain types of processing, such as direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw any previously given consent at any time.
• Right to data portability: Request your information in a structured, commonly used format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in Section 18. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable laws.

13 International Data Transfers

Information collected through our website may be processed on servers located outside your country of residence, including through our hosting and service providers. While we strive to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, data protection laws may vary between jurisdictions.

By using our website, you acknowledge and consent to the transfer of your information to servers located in other countries, subject to the protections described in this Privacy Policy.

14 Legal Compliance

We may disclose your information when we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with a court order, subpoena, or other legal process
• Respond to requests from government authorities or law enforcement
• Enforce our terms of service or other agreements
• Protect our rights, property, or safety, or the rights of our users
• Investigate and prevent fraud, abuse, or illegal activities

We will only disclose the minimum amount of information necessary to comply with the legal requirement.

15 Business Transfers

In the event that Vihiga Times undergoes a merger, acquisition, restructuring, reorganization, or transfer of ownership, your personal information may be transferred as part of that business transaction. In such cases, we will ensure that your information remains protected under this Privacy Policy or an equivalent privacy policy that provides at least the same level of protection.

We will notify you of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information through a prominent notice on our website.

16 External Links

The Vihiga Times website may contain links to external websites, including social media platforms, news sources, and partner organizations. These third-party websites operate independently and have their own privacy policies.

Vihiga Times is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of any third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit through links on our website.

We are not liable for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of third-party websites linked from our platform.

17 Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or website functionality. When significant changes are made:

• The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will be revised
• We may post a notice on our website to inform visitors of the changes
• Continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

18 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are committed to addressing your privacy-related inquiries promptly and transparently.