Privacy Policy

Who we are

DISPATCH is operated by Real News Alliance. Our servers are located in the United States. Questions about this policy can be directed to dispatch.realnewsalliance@gmail.com.

Information we collect

If you create an account:

• Username (chosen by you)
• Email address
• Password (stored as a one-way cryptographic hash — we cannot read your password)
• Your account role (user, moderator, or admin)
• The date your account was created

If you submit a photo:

• The image file (see EXIF section below)
• The caption, description, tags, and location information you provide in the form
• The coordinates you enter manually or select on the map (if any — this is optional)
• If you are logged in, your user ID is associated with the submission so you can manage it later
• If you submit anonymously (without an account), no identifying information is stored with the image

Automatically collected:

• Server logs including IP addresses, browser type, and pages visited. These are retained for up to 30 days for security and diagnostic purposes and are not used for tracking or profiling.
• A session cookie is set when you log in. This cookie is used solely to keep you logged in. It expires after 7 days or when you log out.

EXIF data and image metadata

Every image uploaded to DISPATCH is automatically processed to strip all EXIF metadata before storage. This includes any GPS coordinates embedded by your camera or phone, device identifiers, timestamps, and camera settings. The stripped image is what gets stored and displayed.

This is a non-negotiable safety measure. We do this for every image, every time, with no exceptions. You do not need to strip metadata yourself before uploading.

How we use your information

• To authenticate you when you log in
• To associate your submitted images with your account so you can edit or delete them
• To contact you if there is a serious issue with your account (we will not send marketing emails)
• To improve the platform based on aggregate, anonymized usage patterns

What we do not do

• We do not sell your data to any third party, ever
• We do not run advertising of any kind
• We do not share your information with advertisers, data brokers, or analytics companies
• We do not use tracking pixels, third-party analytics scripts, or behavioral profiling tools
• We do not send marketing or promotional emails
• We do not share contributor identities with governments, law enforcement, or intelligence agencies without a valid legal order — and we will publish a transparency report if we receive such an order, to the extent permitted by law

Anonymous submissions

You do not need an account to submit a photo. Anonymous submissions are accepted and treated identically to account-based submissions in the editorial review process. Anonymous submissions cannot be edited or deleted after submission — if you need to remove an image you submitted anonymously, contact us at dispatch.realnewsalliance@gmail.com.

Data storage and security

Your data is stored on servers in the United States. We use HTTPS encryption for all connections. Passwords are hashed using bcrypt. Session tokens are cryptographically signed.

No security system is perfect. In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify affected users within 72 hours of becoming aware of it.

Your rights

You may at any time:

• Access the personal information we hold about you by contacting us
• Correct inaccurate information in your account settings
• Delete your account and all associated data by contacting us — we will process deletion requests within 30 days
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format
• Withdraw consent for any optional data use

If you are in the European Union or United Kingdom, you also have rights under GDPR and UK GDPR respectively, including the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

Cookies

We set one cookie: a session cookie named dispatch.sid. It contains only a session identifier — no personal information. It is used to keep you logged in. It expires after 7 days or when you log out. We do not use advertising cookies, tracking cookies, or any third-party cookies.

Children

DISPATCH is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has created an account, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

Changes to this policy

We will post any changes to this policy on this page with an updated effective date. For material changes, we will notify registered users by email.

Contact

Privacy questions, data requests, and deletion requests: dispatch.realnewsalliance@gmail.com