Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Effective Date: May 24, 2025 | Last Updated: February 28, 2026

PART ONE: PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

Carroll County Observer (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit carrollobserver.com (the “Site”).

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

• Personal Data: Your name, email address, and other information you voluntarily provide when registering or subscribing.
• Derivative Data: Information automatically collected when you access the Site, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, access times, and pages viewed.
• Financial Data: Payment information collected when you purchase a subscription. All financial data is processed and stored by Stripe. We do not store credit card numbers. Please review Stripe’s privacy policy at stripe.com/privacy.

3. Use of Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process subscription transactions and send confirmations and invoices.
• Manage your account and provide customer support.
• Send technical notices, security alerts, and administrative messages.
• Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities to improve the Site.

4. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• By Law or to Protect Rights: If required to respond to legal process or protect the rights, property, and safety of others.
• Third-Party Service Providers: We work with Stripe (payment processing) and Google (analytics and advertising) who may receive limited information to perform services on our behalf.

5. Tracking Technologies & Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may collect data about your use of the Site:

• Google Analytics: Collects information about how users interact with the Site. Governed by Google’s Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.
• Google AdSense: Displays advertisements on the Site and uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits. You may opt out at google.com/settings/ads.
• Stripe: Processes subscription payments. Governed by Stripe’s Privacy Policy at stripe.com/privacy.
• Paid Member Subscriptions: Manages subscriber accounts and access controls on the Site.

6. Cookies

The Site uses cookies to maintain login sessions, remember display preferences, and support third-party services including Google Analytics and Google AdSense. You may disable cookies in your browser settings, though some Site features may not function properly as a result.

7. Embedded Content

Articles on the Site may include embedded content such as videos, maps, or social media posts. Embedded content from other websites behaves as if you visited those websites directly and may collect data, use cookies, and track your interaction with that content.

8. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children’s Privacy

The Site is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we learn we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data, or to object to certain types of data processing. To exercise these rights, contact us at jesse@carrollobserver.com.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance.

12. Contact

Carroll County Observer

Email: jesse@carrollobserver.com

Website: https://carrollobserver.com

PART TWO: TERMS OF USE

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using carrollobserver.com (the “Site”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site. Carroll County Observer reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance.

2. Use of the Site

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of others or restrict their use and enjoyment of the Site. Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to:

• Using automated tools, bots, scrapers, or similar technology to systematically extract or reproduce content from the Site for commercial redistribution without written permission.
• Reproducing, republishing, or distributing Carroll County Observer content — in whole or in part — without prior written authorization.
• Impersonating Carroll County Observer, its staff, or any other person or entity.
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site or its infrastructure.

3. Intellectual Property

All content published on the Site — including articles, photographs, graphics, and video — is the property of Carroll County Observer or its contributors and is protected by applicable copyright law. All rights are reserved.

Content may not be republished, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without written permission. For licensing or syndication inquiries, contact jesse@carrollobserver.com.

Linking to Carroll County Observer articles is encouraged. Reproducing them is not.

4. Subscription Terms

Access to certain content on the Site requires a paid subscription. By subscribing, you agree to the following:

• Subscription fees are billed on a monthly or annual basis as selected at the time of purchase.
• Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled before the renewal date.
• You may cancel your subscription at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. We do not offer prorated refunds for partial periods.
• Subscriber accounts are for individual use only. Sharing login credentials to circumvent the paywall is a violation of these Terms.
• Carroll County Observer reserves the right to modify subscription pricing with reasonable advance notice to subscribers.
• Subscribers may share individual article links. Systematic sharing of paywalled content to non-subscribers is prohibited.

5. Comments & User-Submitted Content

The Site may allow readers to submit comments on articles. By submitting a comment, you grant Carroll County Observer a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display that content on the Site.

Carroll County Observer reserves the right — but assumes no obligation — to review, edit, or remove comments at its sole discretion. Comments may be removed for any reason, including but not limited to:

• Spam or promotional content.
• Threatening, harassing, or abusive language.
• Content that is defamatory, obscene, or unlawful.
• Off-topic or disruptive content that detracts from civil discourse.

Carroll County Observer is not responsible for the content of user-submitted comments and does not endorse any opinions expressed therein.

6. Submitted Content & Press Releases

Carroll County Observer may publish content submitted by community organizations, schools, businesses, and public agencies. Such submissions are clearly attributed to their source. Submission of content to Carroll County Observer grants us the right to publish, edit for length and clarity, and archive that content. Carroll County Observer does not guarantee publication of submitted material.

7. Third-Party Links

The Site may contain links to third-party websites. These links are provided for convenience only. Carroll County Observer does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of any third-party site.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site and its content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied. Carroll County Observer makes reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy but does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Carroll County Observer shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Site or its content.

10. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Site shall first be addressed through good-faith negotiation by contacting us at jesse@carrollobserver.com.

If a dispute cannot be resolved informally within 30 days, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered under the American Arbitration Association’s Consumer Arbitration Rules. Arbitration shall take place in Carroll County, Tennessee. The arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.

You agree to resolve disputes individually and waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.

Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking emergency injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm.

11. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

12. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact:

Carroll County Observer

Email: jesse@carrollobserver.com

Website: https://carrollobserver.com

© 2026 Carroll County Observer. All Rights Reserved.