THE WABASH WATCHDOG — PRIVACY POLICY & TERMS OF USE

1. Introduction

Welcome to The Wabash Watchdog, an independent journalism outlet committed to truth, transparency, and public service.
This document explains:

  • what information we collect,
  • how it is used,
  • your rights as a visitor,
  • the terms under which you may use our website.

By using this website, you agree to both the Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use below.

2. Who We Are

Website Name: The Wabash Watchdog
Website URL: https://wabash-watchdog.com
Owner / Editor: Jimmie L. Clayton Jr.

Our mission is to provide factual, independent reporting with integrity.

3. Information We Collect

We collect two types of information:

A. Information You Voluntarily Submit

Examples include:

  • Contact form submissions
  • Tip submissions
  • Emails sent to our editorial team
  • Comments (if comments are enabled)
  • User registration information

This may include your name, email address, contact information, or content of your message.

B. Information Automatically Collected

Like most websites, we gather standard analytics:

  • IP address
  • Browser type
  • Device type
  • Time of visit
  • Pages viewed

This information helps us maintain security and improve site performance.

4. Tip Submissions & Sensitive Information

We treat all submitted tips with strict confidentiality.
However:

  • We cannot guarantee anonymity if identifying information is provided by you.
  • We may use submitted information for reporting, investigation, or publication only after verification.
  • We will never share a tipster’s identity without consent unless required by law or court order.

5. Cookies

Our site may use cookies for:

  • login functionality
  • analytics
  • saving user preferences

You may disable cookies in your browser at any time.

6. Embedded Content

Articles may include embedded media (videos, documents, social media posts).
These behave exactly as if you visited the external website and may collect data per their own privacy policies.

7. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

  • maintain site security
  • respond to messages or tip submissions
  • prevent spam and abuse
  • improve content quality
  • meet legal obligations

We do not sell user data or share it with advertisers.

8. Who We Share Data With

We only share data when:

  • legally required (court order, subpoena, law enforcement request), or
  • necessary to maintain site security (spam filtering services)

We do not share tipster identities unless compelled by law.

9. Your Rights

You may request:

  • a copy of your stored data
  • correction of inaccuracies
  • deletion of your data (if not required for legal or security reasons)

Contact editor@wabash-watchdog.com for data-related requests.

10. Security

We actively maintain security measures, but no system is 100% immune.
Use of the site is at your own risk.

11. Links to Other Websites

External links (e.g., documents, court records, social media posts) are not operated by us.
We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

12. Terms of Use

A. Use of Our Content

Unless explicitly stated:

  • Articles, investigations, graphics, and branding are protected intellectual property.
  • You may share excerpts with attribution and a link back to the original article.
  • You may not republish full articles without written permission.

B. Accuracy of Reporting

We strive for factual accuracy.
However, we cannot guarantee:

  • instantaneous updates
  • absence of human error
  • accuracy of third-party sources

Corrections will be issued when necessary.

C. Prohibited Actions

Users may not:

  • attempt to breach security
  • impersonate staff or contributors
  • submit knowingly false information
  • use the site for harassment, threats, or illegal activity
  • scrape or harvest data from the site

Violations may result in legal action.

13. Disclaimer

The information provided on this website is for public interest journalism, not legal advice.
Opinions belong to their respective authors.
We are not responsible for consequences arising from reliance on published material.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update these terms occasionally.
The most recent revision date will always appear at the top of this document.

15. Contact Information

For privacy concerns, corrections, or questions:

Email: editor@wabash-watchdog.com
Address: Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Owner: Jimmie L. Clayton Jr.