Privacy Notice | VictimsGuide.com
Privacy Notice

Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice explains what information the site may collect, how it may be used, when it may be shared, how long it may be retained, and what rights users may have. VictimsGuide.com is a public-interest educational website, not a legal-services portal.

Main purpose Explain how VictimsGuide.com may collect, use, retain, and share information.
Main caution Submitting information through the site does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Main privacy rule Do not send highly sensitive personal information unless the site specifically asks for it and you are comfortable doing so.
Updated date March 23, 2026.

What this notice covers

VictimsGuide.com respects user privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly. This Privacy Notice explains what information the site may collect, how it may be used, when it may be shared, how long it may be retained, and what rights users may have. VictimsGuide.com is a public-interest educational website, not a legal-services portal. Submitting information through the site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Direct and automatic information

Information you 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, uploaded documents, and related communications
  • Any other information you choose to send to the site

Information collected automatically

  • IP address
  • Browser type
  • Device type
  • Operating system
  • Date and time of visits
  • Pages viewed
  • Referring pages or links
  • Approximate location derived from IP
  • Cookie, analytics, and similar technical information

How information reaches the site

Browsing the siteWhen you browse pages or move through the site.
Forms and submissionsWhen you submit a contact form, submit a story, or upload documents.
Updates and newslettersWhen you sign up for updates or newsletters, if offered.
Embedded or third-party interactionWhen you watch embedded video or interact with third-party content.
Direct communicationWhen you communicate with the site by email or other direct means.

Site operation, communication, and public-interest work

Operate, maintain, and improve the siteSupport site function and performance.
Respond to messages, questions, or submissionsReview and organize communications received.
Develop educational and reform materialsHelp shape pages, videos, summaries, research, and reform materials.
Monitor site performance and user engagementReview traffic, usage, and technical performance.
Protect site security and prevent abuseSupport reasonable operational safeguards.
Comply with law or respond to lawful requestsAddress legal process or similar obligations.
Document recurring public-interest patternsTrack recurring patterns in crash recovery, insurance, billing, disclosure, and related systems.

Cookies, analytics, and similar technologies

VictimsGuide.com may use cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies to understand how the site is used, improve performance, remember preferences, and support embedded content. If analytics tools, video embeds, or third-party platforms are used, those services may place cookies or collect technical data according to their own privacy practices. VictimsGuide.com does not sell personal data in the ordinary commercial sense and is not designed as a targeted-advertising business. If that changes, this notice will be updated.

Service providers, legal process, and public-interest use

VictimsGuide.com may publish story information in anonymized, edited, summarized, or categorized form if consistent with site policies and any consent choices presented to the submitter.

Service providersWith website hosts, email providers, form processors, analytics providers, or cloud-storage tools that help operate the site.
Embedded-content providersWhen you interact with embedded media or third-party services.
Protection and securityWhen necessary to protect the site, users, rights, or security.
Legal processWhen required by law, subpoena, court order, or other lawful process.
Project administration and public-interest workIn connection with editorial review, research, or public-interest educational work.

What not to send casually

Please do not send highly sensitive personal information unless the site specifically asks for it and you are comfortable providing it.

Avoid sending this casually

  • Social Security numbers
  • Full driver’s license numbers
  • Financial account or credit-card numbers
  • Passwords or login credentials

Also be cautious with

  • Full medical records unless specifically requested later
  • Other information you would not want exposed if mishandled
Privacy rule: Share only what the site specifically asks for and what you are comfortable providing that way.

How long information may be kept and how it is protected

Retention

VictimsGuide.com 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, and enforce site policies.

Security

VictimsGuide.com takes reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational steps to protect personal information. However, no website, email system, file transfer, or online storage system is completely secure, and users should use caution when sending personal information through the internet.

Rights Colorado residents may have

Colorado residents may have rights under applicable privacy law, including rights to request access to, correction of, deletion of, or a portable copy of certain personal information, and to ask about applicable opt-out rights. If applicable law requires it, and to the extent VictimsGuide.com is subject to those requirements, Colorado residents may contact VictimsGuide.com to ask about those rights.

Future targeted-advertising changes

If VictimsGuide.com later uses targeted advertising or other practices requiring recognition of a valid universal opt-out signal under applicable law, this notice will be updated accordingly.

Third-party tools and child privacy limits

Third-party tools

This site may use third-party tools or services, including website hosting, forms and email tools, analytics tools, embedded YouTube or other video services, and cloud-storage or document-management systems. Those third parties may have their own privacy notices and terms.

Children’s privacy

VictimsGuide.com 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.com so the information can be reviewed and, if appropriate, removed.

Updates to the notice and privacy contact

VictimsGuide.com may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date or last-updated date.

Email for privacy questions or requestsdirector@victimsguide.com

Core legal notice

Important notice: This site provides public-interest educational information and commentary. Nothing published is legal advice, and ordinary site use or submission of forms does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Bottom line

This Privacy Notice exists to explain the site’s basic data-handling rules clearly: what may be collected, how it may be used, when it may be shared, what rights may apply, and why users should be careful about sending unnecessary sensitive information.

VictimsGuide.com