Last Updated: March 18, 2026
This Privacy Policy describes how Stilly News (stillynews.com) collects, uses, and handles information when you visit our website. Stilly News is operated in Washington State, USA.
By using this site, you agree to the practices described in this Policy
1. Information We Collect
a) Information You Provide Voluntarily
- Comments: If you leave a comment on an article, we collect your name, email address, and any website URL you provide, along with your comment content.
- Contact Forms: If you contact us through any form on the site, we collect the information you submit (e.g., name, email, message).
b) Information Collected Automatically
When you visit Stilly News, certain information is collected automatically by our servers and third-party services, including:
- Your IP address
- Browser type and version
- Operating system
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Referring website
- Date and time of your visit
c) Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Stilly News and its third-party service providers may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate the site, remember preferences, and analyze traffic. You can control cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling cookies may affect site functionality.
2. How We use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Operate and maintain the website
- Respond to comments and inquiries
- Analyze site traffic and improve user experience
- Prevent spam and abuse
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
3. Third-Party Services
Stilly News may use third-party services that collect data independently, including:
- WordPress.org (site platform) — may set functional cookies
- Akismet or similar spam filtering — comment data may be processed to detect spam
- Google Analytics or similar analytics tools — anonymized usage data may be collected to understand site traffic
- Embedded content from third-party sites (e.g., news sources, social platforms) — these sites may collect data about you if you interact with their embedded content and have their own privacy policies
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party services. We encourage you to review their policies separately.
4. Comments
If you leave a comment on the site, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. We do this so we can recognize and approve follow-up comments automatically. Anonymous comments are not permitted; a name and email are required. Email addresses are not displayed publicly.
5. Data Retention
- Comment data is retained indefinitely unless you request deletion.
- Analytics data is retained per the data retention settings of the analytics provider (typically 14–26 months).
- Server logs may be retained for a limited period for security purposes.
6. Your Rights (Washington State)
Washington State residents may have rights under Washington privacy law, including the Washington My Health MY Data Act (if applicable) and the Washington Consumer Protection Act. Stilly News does not engage in the sale of personal data.
You may have the right to:
- Request access to personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate personal information
- Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 10.
7. Children’s Privacy (COPPA)
Stilly News is a general-audience news website and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has submitted personal information to us, please contact us immediately and we will promptly delete it.
8. Data Security
We take reasonable technical and administrative measures to protect the information we collect. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.
10. Contact
For privacy questions, data requests, or to request deletion of your information, please use the contact form on our website.