PRIVACY NOTICE

Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice explains what information VictimsGuide may collect, how it may be used, when it may be shared, how long it may be retained, and what privacy rights may apply.

Last updated: September 22, 2026.

What this notice covers

VictimsGuide is a public-interest educational and research website. This Notice describes the site’s data-handling practices in plain language. Submitting information through the site does not create an attorney-client relationship or legal-services relationship.

Data-minimization principle: VictimsGuide seeks to collect only information reasonably useful for site operation, public-interest research, communication, and the specific purpose for which information is submitted.

Information you may provide directly

Name.
Email address.
Phone number, if you choose to provide it.
City, state, or general location information you choose to provide.
Story submissions, messages, form responses, and related communications.
Documents or records you intentionally provide through an available submission process.
Any other information you choose to send to the site.

You should not provide more personal information than is reasonably necessary for the purpose of your communication.

Information that may be collected automatically

When you use the site, hosting, security, analytics, embedded-content, or similar services may process technical information such as:

IP address.
Browser and device type.
Operating system.
Date and time of visits.
Pages viewed.
Referring pages or links.
Approximate location derived from IP address.
Cookies, analytics identifiers, and similar technical information.

How information reaches the site

Browsing VictimsGuide pages.
Using contact, story, or other submission forms that are made available.
Signing up for updates or newsletters, if offered.
Interacting with embedded video or other third-party content.
Communicating directly by email or another available contact method.

How information may be used

Operate, maintain, secure, and improve the site.
Respond to messages, questions, and submissions.
Review, organize, and administer public-interest submissions.
Develop educational pages, research, summaries, videos, and reform materials.
Monitor site performance, traffic, and technical operation.
Prevent abuse and protect site security.
Comply with law or respond to lawful process.
Document recurring public-interest patterns in insurance, billing, disclosure, settlement, and crash-recovery systems.

Cookies, analytics, and similar technologies

VictimsGuide may use cookies, analytics tools, security tools, and similar technologies to understand site use, improve performance, remember preferences, prevent abuse, and support embedded content. Third-party services may place cookies or collect technical information according to their own privacy practices.

VictimsGuide is not designed as a targeted-advertising business and does not represent that it sells personal data in the ordinary commercial sense. If site practices materially change, this Notice should be updated accordingly.

When information may be shared

Information may be shared only as reasonably necessary for site operation, lawful administration, or a consented public-interest purpose, including:

Service providers: website hosting, email, form-processing, analytics, cloud-storage, security, and similar operational providers.
Embedded-content providers: when you interact with third-party media or services.
Security and protection: when reasonably necessary to protect users, the site, legal rights, or system security.
Legal process: when required by law, subpoena, court order, or other lawful process.
Public-interest and editorial work: when a submission is used consistently with the applicable submission policy and the consent choice associated with that submission.

Story information may be summarized, categorized, edited for clarity, or used in anonymous or de-identified form where appropriate and consistent with the submitter’s consent choice.

Sensitive information: what not to send casually

Do not send highly sensitive personal information unless VictimsGuide specifically asks for it through an appropriate process and you are comfortable providing it.

Avoid sending casually

Social Security numbers.
Full driver’s-license numbers.
Bank, credit-card, or financial-account numbers.
Passwords, credentials, or security codes.

Also use caution with

Full medical records.
Full claim files.
Tax, wage, or benefit records.
Any information you would not want exposed if transmitted insecurely.

Privacy rule: share only what is reasonably necessary for the purpose of the communication and what you are comfortable providing through that channel.

Retention

VictimsGuide may retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to operate the site, maintain records of submissions and communications, support editorial, educational, research, and reform activities, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce site policies, and protect site integrity. Retention periods may differ by category of information and purpose.

Security

VictimsGuide uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures appropriate to the nature of the site and the information involved. No website, email system, file transfer, cloud service, or online storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Users should therefore exercise judgment when transmitting personal information online.

Colorado privacy rights

The Colorado Privacy Act grants covered Colorado consumers rights that can include access, correction, deletion, data portability, and the ability to opt out of the sale of personal data or its use for targeted advertising or certain profiling. The Act applies only when its statutory requirements and thresholds are met.

To the extent VictimsGuide is subject to the Colorado Privacy Act for a particular processing activity, Colorado residents may contact VictimsGuide to ask how applicable rights can be exercised. The Colorado Attorney General explains that the Act can apply to nonprofits that conduct business in Colorado or target Colorado residents and meet the Act’s processing thresholds.

Colorado Attorney General — Colorado Privacy Act information

Universal opt-out signals

Colorado recognizes universal opt-out mechanisms for covered processing under the Colorado Privacy Act. The Colorado Department of Law currently identifies Global Privacy Control (GPC) as the recognized universal opt-out mechanism. For entities subject to the Act, applicable opt-out signals must be handled as required by Colorado law and rules.

VictimsGuide is not presently designed around targeted advertising or sale of personal data. If site practices change in a way that makes universal opt-out obligations applicable, this Notice and site controls should be updated accordingly.

Colorado Attorney General — Universal Opt-Out and GPC

Third-party services

The site may use third-party services for hosting, forms, email, analytics, embedded video, document management, security, and related site functions. Those third parties may process information under their own privacy notices and terms. A link to or use of a third-party service does not make VictimsGuide responsible for that provider’s independent privacy practices.

Children’s privacy

VictimsGuide is not directed to children under 13 and does not knowingly seek to collect personal information from children through ordinary site use. If you believe a child has provided personal information through the site, contact VictimsGuide so the information can be reviewed and, where appropriate, removed.

Changes to this Notice

VictimsGuide may update this Privacy Notice as site practices, legal requirements, technology, or project functions change. The current version will be posted on this page with a revised last-updated date.

Privacy contact

For privacy questions or requests, contact director@victimsguide.com.

Core notice

VictimsGuide provides public-interest educational information and commentary. Nothing on the site is legal advice, and ordinary site use or submission of information does not create an attorney-client relationship.