1. Who We Are

Gully News (“we,” “us,” or “our”) provides news content through our website and mobile apps. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you access our services.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account and profile information: Name, email address, phone number, profile photograph, biography, and account identifiers provided when you sign in or edit your profile.
• Reporter registration: Name, email address, phone number, city, and state submitted when applying to be a reporter, together with your application status.
• News contributions and correspondence: Stories, photographs, videos, source information, corrections, complaints, and support messages you send us. Contact enquiries may include an optional phone number and postal address. Our website contact form prepares an email in your email application; you choose whether to send it.
• News interactions: Likes associated with your account for articles or reels, and device notification tokens used to deliver push notifications.
• Usage and device data: IP address, device and browser type, operating system, app version, language, time zone, log files (including crash/diagnostic data), and interaction data such as pages viewed and features used.
• Approximate location: Derivable from your IP address or device settings when needed to deliver relevant content. We do not collect precise GPS data unless you explicitly allow it.
• Cookies and similar technologies: Cookies, local storage, and SDKs for remembering preferences, maintaining sessions, and measuring performance.
• Information from third parties: If you choose to sign in, share, or interact through a third-party service (such as social login or embedded media), we may receive limited account information consistent with your settings on that service.

3. How We Use Information

We use information to:

• Provide and personalize news content, features, and notifications.
• Deliver newsletters or service messages you request.
• Manage reporter applications and profiles, record article or reel likes, and assess news submissions, source information, correction requests, and content or copyright complaints.
• Monitor performance, debug issues, and improve stability through analytics and diagnostics.
• Prevent fraud, secure our services, and enforce our terms.
• Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.

4. Legal Bases (EEA/UK users)

Where required by law, we process personal data based on: (a) your consent (e.g., optional marketing), (b) performance of a contract (providing the services you request), (c) our legitimate interests (service improvement, security), or (d) compliance with legal obligations.

5. How We Share Information

We do not sell personal data. We share information only with:

• Published contributions: Content submitted for publication, including its byline or credited contributor information, may be visible to readers. Do not include private contact details in material intended for publication. Contacting us with a tip or complaint does not by itself authorize public disclosure of your contact details.
• Service providers: Hosting, analytics (e.g., Google Analytics or similar tools), email delivery, crash reporting, and customer support vendors who process data on our behalf under confidentiality obligations.
• Legal and safety: To comply with law, respond to lawful requests, or protect the rights, safety, and property of our users and services.
• Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, subject to safeguards and notice where required.
• Aggregated or de-identified data: Information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you.

6. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies, local storage, SDKs, and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember preferences, measure performance, and understand how features are used. You can manage cookies via your browser settings and manage app permissions in your device settings.

7. Data Retention and Deletion

We keep personal data only as long as needed for the purposes described above, to comply with legal requirements, or to resolve disputes. You may request deletion of your account or personal data at any time through the instructions on our Delete Account page or using the contact details below; we will honor the request unless we need to retain data for legal or security reasons.

8. Data Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal data, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), access controls, and regular monitoring. No system is perfectly secure, so please use strong, unique passwords and contact us if you suspect unauthorized activity.

9. International Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries other than where you reside. When we transfer data internationally, we use appropriate safeguards such as contractual protections, consistent with applicable law.

10. Your Choices and Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your personal data, and to object or withdraw consent. You can:

• Update or request deletion of your information by contacting us.
• Opt out of marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link in messages.
• Manage cookies via your browser and control permissions (notifications, location, camera/microphone) through your device settings.

11. Push Notifications and Communications

If you enable push notifications or in-app alerts, we use device tokens to deliver them. You can disable notifications at any time in your device settings. We may send service announcements (e.g., policy updates); you cannot opt out of service messages needed to operate the app.

12. Third-Party Links and Content

Our services may contain links to third-party sites or embedded content. Those providers may collect data according to their own policies. We encourage you to review their privacy practices before interacting with them.

13. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required by your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided data, contact us so we can delete it.

14. Data Safety Summary (Google Play & App Store)

• Data collected: Account and contact information, profile photos and biographies, social-login identifiers, reporter application details (including city and state), submitted content and correspondence, article/reel likes, notification tokens, device/usage data, and approximate location as described in section 2.
• Purpose: App functionality, content delivery, analytics, security, support, and communications you request.
• Sharing: Submitted publication content and bylines may be public. Other disclosures include service providers and the circumstances described in section 5; no data is sold.
• Optional controls: You can withdraw consent, disable permissions (location, notifications), manage cookies, and request deletion of your data.
• Security: Encryption in transit, access controls, and monitoring to protect against unauthorized access.

This summary does not replace the privacy disclosures displayed in Google Play or the App Store.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. If we make material changes, we will post the updated policy here with a new revision date.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at:

Email: privacy@gullynews.com