StarTribune.com Privacy Policy – Effective Date: January 2025
Thank you for visiting this digital platform, which is owned and operated by Star Tribune Media Company LLC., which we may refer to as “Star Tribune,” “we,” “us,” or “our.” This Policy applies to you as a user of or visitor to our Sites (as defined below) and is a legal agreement between you and us. This Policy does not apply to information obtained by Star Tribune or its affiliates through other means, including information obtained through Star Tribune-owned websites or mobile or tablet applications on which this Policy is not posted or linked to.
PLEASE READ THIS POLICY CAREFULLY. THIS POLICY, AND YOUR USE OF THE SITES, IS ALSO SUBJECT TO STAR TRIBUNE’S TERMS OF USE, WHICH INCLUDES SECTION 18 (“ARBITRATION AGREEMENT WITH CLASS ACTION WAIVER”), WHICH AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT. THERE IS NO JUDGE OR JURY IN ARBITRATION, AND DISCOVERY PROCEDURES AND APPELLATE RIGHTS ARE MORE LIMITED THAN IN COURT.
2. Your Consent
3. Your Acceptance of This Privacy Policy and Our Terms of Use
4. Types of Information We Collect
5. Third-Party Tracking Technologies
6. How We Use Information Collected Through Our Sites
7. Use of Aggregate Information
9. Your Choices
10. How to Access, Update, Correct, or Delete Your Information
11. Steps We Take to Safeguard Your Information
12. How We Share Your Information With Others
13. Children Under the Age of Thirteen
15. Information for Visitors Accessing Our Sites From Outside The United States
16. Privacy Notices
17. Other Agreements
19. Contact Us
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1. Defined Terms | (back to top)
In this Policy:
“Feedback” is any material you submit to us or post on or through our Sites that is specifically about how we can improve our Sites and the products and services we make available through our Sites.
"Personal Data" means any information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable natural person.
“Policy” refers to this online privacy policy.
“Sites” refers collectively to Star Tribune-owned websites and mobile and tablet applications on which this Policy is posted or that link to this Policy.
“User-Generated Content” refers to any text, photographs, images, illustrations, graphics, sound recordings, video and audio-video clips, and other material that you enter or post on or through our Sites, including through the use of the social networking tools we make available to you, but User-Generated Content does not include Feedback.
“Your Information” includes Personal Data and other information we collect that relates to you but does not include deidentified data or publicly available information. For purposes of this definition, "publicly available information" means information that (1) is lawfully made available from federal, state, or local government records or widely distributed media, or (2) Star Tribune has a reasonable basis to believe has lawfully been made available to the general public.
2. Your Consent | (back to top)
This Policy applies to all users of and visitors to the Sites. By using any Star Tribune-owned website or mobile or tablet application on which this Policy is posted, you are consenting to the collection, use, and disclosure of information, including Your Information, as set forth in this Policy. If you do not agree to be bound by this Policy, you must not access or use our Sites.
3. Your Acceptance of This Privacy Policy and Our Terms of Use | (back to top)
By accessing or using the Sites, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by this Policy, as well as the Terms of Use that govern your use of our Sites. We typically provide a link to our Terms of Use in the universal footer of our websites and on our mobile and tablet applications. If you do not agree to this Policy and the other Terms of Use, you must not access or use the Sites.
4. Types of Information We Collect | (back to top)
a. Information You Manually Provide: Star Tribune collects information you knowingly and manually provide when you use our Sites. The type of information we collect varies depending upon how you use our Sites. For example, if you register with www.startribune.com, download our mobile or tablet application, and/or subscribe to our products and services, we may ask you to provide your name, email address, phone number, payment information, and other information. If you register for home delivery, we will also require a postal address. If you register to receive SMS text messages, we will collect a phone number able to receive those messages. If you use any virtual assistant or chat features on our Sites, you provide consent for us and our third party service providers to collect, monitor, and process the content of your chat (that is, the words you type into the chat feature and the responses you receive).You may also provide information about your preferences and the types of information you would like to receive from us. Some features and services require additional personal or demographic information. For example, when you enter contests you may be asked to provide your phone number so we can reach you if you win a prize. We may also collect information you submit on or through our Sites when you provide Feedback, comment on an article, or contact us with questions.
b. Information From Third-Party Platforms: You may be able to register, log-on, or connect to our Sites through a third-party platform, such as Facebook or Google. By linking that account, you authorize us to collect, store, and use any information they may give us (e.g., your email address). We treat that information as we do any other information you give to us when you register, log on, or modify your profile. If you provide your social network account credentials to us or otherwise sign in to your account through a third-party site or service, you understand some content and/or information in those accounts may be transmitted into your account with us. We also receive information from you when you interact with our pages, groups, accounts or posts on social media platforms. This includes aggregate data on our followers (e.g., age, gender and location), engagement data (e.g., “likes,” comments, shares, reposts and clicks), awareness data (e.g., number of impressions and reach) and individual users’ public profiles. You can disconnect your StarTribune.com account from third-party accounts at any time.
c. Information Sent to Us by Your Web Browser: We collect information that is sent to us automatically by your web browser. This information typically includes your IP address, the identity of your Internet service provider, the name and version of your operating system, the name and version of your browser, the date and time of your visit, and the pages on our Sites that you visit. Please check your browser if you want to learn what information your browser sends or how to change your settings.
d. IP Addresses: Your IP address is the identifier assigned to your particular computer or mobile device when you access the Internet. Depending on how you connect to the Internet, your IP address may always be the same, or it may change each time you access the Internet. IP addresses do not include your name or email address, but in some cases they can be used to identify you. For example, if you have registered with our Sites, we may link your IP address to account information that identifies you personally. We may also provide your IP address to our third-party service providers who can use it to identify information such as your state and zip code or content you view. If we suspect inappropriate or criminal activity or a threat to our Sites or their users, we may also share our server logs—which contain users’ IP addresses—with the appropriate investigative authorities, who could use that information to trace and identify individuals.
e. Cookies and Similar Tracking Technologies: As described in more detail below, the Sites may use cookies, pixels, beacons, session replay scripts, fingerprinting scripts, or other tracking scripts, codes or similar technologies, and other tracking technologies to:
- Collect information about the ways you use our Sites–including but not limited to which pages you visit, which links you use, and how long you stay on each page;
- Support the features and functionality of our Sites—for example, to save you the trouble of reentering information already in our database or to prompt the settings you established on previous visits; and
- Personalize your experience when you use our Sites, including the serving of targeted advertisements.
f. Information from your mobile or tablet device: If you download one of our mobile or tablet applications or access one of our Sites through your mobile or tablet device, we may automatically collect certain information from or about your mobile or tablet device. The types of information we may collect include the type of device you use, your device's unique ID, the IP address of your device, your device's operating system, the type of mobile or tablet Internet browsers you use, and information about the way you use our mobile or tablet application.
g. Location Information: Using GPS technology, we may also collect precise, real-time location information from your mobile or tablet device and use that information to deliver tailored content through our mobile Sites or through our mobile or tablet applications. For example, if our mobile or tablet application recognizes that you are near a particular advertiser’s place of business, we may send a message to your mobile or tablet device letting you know about an offer from that advertiser. Your mobile or tablet device may allow you to adjust your settings so that location information is not available to any mobile website or application. If you have questions about the security and privacy settings of your mobile or tablet device, please refer to instructions from your mobile service provider or the manufacturer of your device.
5. Third-Party Tracking Technologies | (back to top)
a. Third-Party Tracking Technology and Targeted Advertising: In addition to the cookies Star Tribune delivers to your computer or mobile or tablet device through our Sites, certain third parties may collect your information via other tracking technologies on the Sites, including third-party cookies, pixels, beacons, session replay scripts, fingerprinting scripts, or other tracking scripts, codes or similar technologies, to you for a variety of reasons. For example, we use Google Analytics, a web analytics tool that helps us understand how visitors engage with our Sites. To learn more about Google Analytics, click here. Other third parties may deliver cookies or other tracking technologies to your computer or mobile or tablet device for the purpose of tracking your online behaviors across nonaffiliated websites and delivering targeted advertisements either on our Sites or on other websites.
b. Opt-Out Technologies: You have choices about the collection of information by third parties on our Sites. For example, if you don’t want information about your visit to our Sites sent to Google Analytics, you may download an Opt-out Browser Add-on by clicking here. Please note that the Add-on does not prevent information from being sent to Star Tribune. In addition, if you would like to opt out of having interest-based information collected by certain entities during your visits to our Sites or other websites, go to the DAA Webchoices Browser Check and NAI Opt Out of Interest-Based Advertising. You will be directed to industry-developed websites that contain mechanisms for choosing whether each listed entity may collect and use data for online behavioral advertising purposes. You can also download the AppChoices app to opt out in mobile apps.
c. Your Browser Settings: It may be that some of the third parties that collect interest-based information on our Sites do not participate in the industry-developed opt-out websites. In that case, the best way to avoid third-party tracking of your online behaviors may be through your browser settings and deletion of cookies. Most browsers automatically accept cookies, but this is typically something you can adjust. For more information on how to modify your browser’s settings to delete or disable cookies, please refer to this “All About Cookies” guide. Note that if you choose to delete or reject cookies, this could affect certain features or services on our Sites. Also, if you choose to delete cookies, settings and preferences controlled by those cookies, including advertising preferences, may be deleted and may need to be recreated.
6. How We Use Information Collected Through Our Sites | (back to top)
a. Uses of Information: Generally, we use the information we collect through our Sites:
- to provide the information, products and services you request;
- to provide you with effective customer service;
- to provide you with a personalized experience when you use our Sites;
- to contact you with information and notices related to your use of our Sites;
- to contact you with special offers and other information we believe will be of interest to you (in accordance with any privacy preferences you have expressed to us);
- to invite you to participate in surveys and provide Feedback to us (in accordance with any privacy preferences you have expressed to us);
- to improve the content, functionality and usability of Sites on which this Policy is posted and on other sites owned or co-branded by Star Tribune;
- to better understand your needs and interests;
- to improve our products and services
- to sell advertisements;
- to improve our marketing and promotional efforts;
- for security, credit or fraud prevention purposes; and
- for any other purpose identified in an applicable privacy notice, “click-through agreement,” or other agreement between you and us.
b. Your Choices: Please see “Your Choices” below for information about the choices you have about the ways we use Your Information.
7. Use of Aggregate Information | (back to top)
We may use information gathered through our Sites to create “aggregate information,” which is a compiled, aggregate view of our Sites’ audiences and visitors' usage patterns. We use aggregate information to operate our services and to better understand our audience as we develop new products and services. We may also share aggregate information with our third-party service providers as well as with potential investors, advertisers, and subscribers so they can better understand and/or market to our audience. For example, we might share that a certain percentage of our users are female or within a certain age range or live within a cluster of zip codes. Aggregate information is not personally identifiable.
8. Use of Survey Information | (back to top)
We may post surveys on our Sites, include them in newsletters or other communications or, if we have your contact information, we may send you a questionnaire or survey. We may ask you to provide your contact information so we can follow up on your survey response. We compile statistical information from the responses to our surveys. These statistics are not personally identifiable. These statistics help us understand the needs and preferences of the groups we serve and improve the content and functionality of our Sites. In addition, when we conduct a poll that gauges reader reaction to a particular news event, we may make the aggregate results of that poll available on our Sites.
9. Your Choices | (back to top)
a. In General: You have choices about the ways we collect, use and disclose Your Information, including information we automatically collect from your computer or mobile or tablet device. Refer to Third-Party Tracking Technologies above to learn about choices you have about delivery of cookies or similar tracking technologies to your computer or mobile or tablet device through our Sites, including how to opt out of those cookies or similar tracking technologies. In addition, we may ask you to indicate your choices at the time we collect information from you.
b. Settings on Our Sites: Clicking on a “Cookie Settings” link on our Sites allows you to view more information about cookies and tracking technologies used on our Sites and to manage certain preferences. These preferences may be specific to the browser you are using when you set your preferences and may not transfer if you use a different browser. Note that if you choose to delete or reject cookies, this could affect certain features or services on our Sites.
c. Communication Preferences: We offer a variety of promotional emails and email newsletters. You also may sign up to receive SMS text messages from us. We generally provide you an opportunity to opt out of receiving certain communications from us and/or our business partners. If you have a startribune.com account, you can also change your preferences by logging in to your account and clicking on the “Manage Account” link. We include “Manage email preferences” and “unsubscribe” links at the end of each electronic newsletter or promotional email we send you. And you can always reply to a text message with “STOP” to stop receiving SMS text messages from us. Note that we may still send you important non-marketing communications even if you have opted out of receiving other communications. If you have other questions, you can submit a request here.
d. Push Notifications: Our Sites or apps may allow for “push notifications,” that could appear on your device. You can opt out any time by adjusting your device settings, or uninstalling our app.
e. Previously Expressed Preferences: You may change previously expressed preferences regarding how we use and share Your Information. If you have registered on our Sites, you can change certain privacy preferences through your account. You can also contact us by clicking on this link. Once we have the information we need, we will act on your request. Please give us a reasonable amount of time to respond and honor your request.
10. How to Access, Update, Correct, or Delete Your Information | (back to top)
a. Account Information: You can access, update or correct information related to your subscription account by logging in to your account and clicking on the “Manage Account” link. You may also be able to access, update or correct the information you have submitted to us using functionality available through a mobile or tablet application. If you are unclear as to how to access, update or correct Your Information, please contact us by clicking here. We will respond to you within a reasonable time and, in any case, within the time limits established by applicable law.
b. Identity Verification: We may ask you for additional information to verify your identity. In most cases, we will correct or delete any inaccurate information about you that you discover. In some cases, however, we may limit or deny your request if the law permits or requires us to do so, or if we are unable to verify your identity.
c. Request Data Deletion: You may request that we delete Your Information by filling out a form at this link. Note that data deletion requires deletion of your account, which will mean you will no longer be able to maintain a subscription to the Star Tribune. We may ask for additional information to verify your identity and confirm your request before deleting your account.
11. Steps We Take to Safeguard Your Information | (back to top)
We maintain reasonable administrative, physical and technological measures to protect the confidentiality and security of Your Information. For example, when collecting credit card information for online purchases, we offer secured-service transactions that encrypt your information in transit to thwart others from intercepting or misusing it. Unfortunately, no website, mobile or tablet application, server, or database is completely secure or “hacker-proof.” We therefore cannot guarantee that Your Information will not be lost by accident, or disclosed, misused, or accessed by the unauthorized acts of others. Further, we cannot control dissemination of information contained in User-Generated Content you enter or post on or through our Sites, and you should have no expectation of privacy in that information.
12. How We Share Your Information With Others | (back to top)
a. Third-Party Service Providers: Star Tribune shares information, including Personal Data and User-Generated Content collected through our Sites with third-party service providers who act for or on behalf of Star Tribune. For example, we may use third-party vendors to design, operate, and/or host our Sites, to provide messaging services, to conduct surveys, and to help us with our promotional efforts. These third parties may need information about you to perform their functions.
b. User-Generated Content: One way that User-Generated Content differs from other information you provide to us is that, once submitted, User-Generated Content may be made available instantaneously to others. Examples of User-Generated Content include comments posted beneath news reports available on our Sites. The User-Generated Content you submit on or through our Sites is available to others who visit our Sites. Any information contained in User-Generated Content you submit can be read, collected, or used by others, and could be used by others to send you unsolicited messages. In addition, we may use User-Generated Content in connection with our news gathering and reporting activities or for advertising campaigns and other promotions. By posting User-Generated Content, you agree to our Terms of Use, and you grant us a license to that content and your name in connection with such use, and we may or may not seek your consent before using the content for such purposes. Therefore, you should have no expectation of privacy with respect to User-Generated Content you submit on or through our Sites. You should not submit any content you do not wish to make available to the general public, and you must take special care to make sure your submissions comply with our Terms of Use. In particular, your submissions must not violate the privacy or other rights of others.
c. Business Partners: From time to time, we may share Your Information with third parties (other than our service providers) for their own marketing purposes. For example, we partner with third parties to sponsor contests or other promotions, and we may share with these third parties the information you submit to us to participate in the contest or take advantage of the promotion. Also, if you log into our Sites using your credentials for other online platforms (e.g., Facebook), your activity on our Sites could be shared with these other platforms and used for their own marketing purposes. Before disclosing or sharing Your Information, however, we may offer you the opportunity to “opt out” or “opt in” as required by applicable law. In some cases, you will not be able to participate in a contest or take advantage of a promotion unless you consent to disclosure to our business partner of the information you submit in connection with the contest or promotion.
d. Business Negotiations: We may contemplate, for strategic or other reasons, selling, buying, merging, or otherwise reorganizing one or more of our businesses. In negotiating with a third party about entering into such an arrangement, we may need to disclose Your Information. In such cases, we will take reasonable measures to protect the information we disclose, for example, by requiring a prospective purchaser to sign an agreement limiting the use of and protecting the confidentiality of the information.
e. Business Transfers: We may transfer Your Information to any organization that acquires or merges with us.
f. Compliance With Laws and Protection of Our Rights and the Rights of Others: We may disclose Your Information when we, in good faith, believe disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law, a court order or a subpoena. We may also disclose Your Information to prevent or investigate a possible crime, such as fraud or identity theft; to protect the security of our Sites; to enforce or apply our online Terms of Use or other agreements; or to protect our own rights or property or the rights, property or safety of our users or others.
g. As Described in a Privacy Notice: We reserve the right to disclose Your Information as described in any privacy notice posted on a page of our Sites where you provide that information. By providing Your Information on that page you will be consenting to the disclosure of Your Information as described in that privacy notice.
h. As Described in a Click-Through Agreement: We reserve the right to disclose Your Information as described in any click-through agreement to which you have agreed.
13. Children Under the Age of Thirteen | (back to top)
Our Sites are not intended for children or minors under the age of thirteen years without the permission of a parent or guardian. If you believe that a child has submitted Personal Data on or through our Sites without the consent and supervision of a parent or guardian, please contact us using the information provided below so that we can take appropriate action.
14. Links to Other Sites | (back to top)
Our Sites may provide links to other websites operated by third parties. We expect our partners, providers of content and services, and advertisers to be transparent about their data protection practices. Be aware, however, that we have no control over third-party websites. This Policy does not apply to Personal Data collected on any third-party website. When you access third-party websites through a link on our Sites, please take a few minutes to review the privacy policy posted on that site.
15. Information for Visitors Accessing Our Sites From Outside The United States | (back to top)
a. Star Tribune is a U.S. corporation headquartered in the United States. Our Sites are currently hosted on servers located in the United States, although we reserve the right to relocate our Sites to other servers elsewhere in the world. Your Information may be stored on servers located within the United States or in another country. In addition, we may transfer Your Information to our service providers and others located in the United States or another country for the purposes described in this Policy. Different countries have different privacy laws and requirements, and some provide less legal protection for your Personal Data than others.
b. BY USING OUR SITES, YOU ARE CONSENTING TO THE COLLECTION, USE, AND TRANSFER OF YOUR INFORMATION IN OR TO THE UNITED STATES OR TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF THIS POLICY.
16. Privacy Notices | (back to top)
This Policy may be supplemented or amended from time to time by “privacy notices” posted on our Sites. These privacy notices provide a level of detail that we cannot provide in this more general description of our privacy practices. For example, certain pages of our Sites may contain privacy notices providing details about the Personal Data and other information we collect on those pages, why we need that information, and choices you may have about the ways we use that information. Privacy practices related to specific contests we offer will appear in the contest rules.
17. Other Agreements | (back to top)
When you sign up to use a special feature of our Sites, you may be asked to agree to special terms governing your use of the special feature. In such cases, you may be asked to expressly consent to the special terms, for example, by checking a box or clicking on a button marked “I agree.” This type of agreement is known as a “click-through” agreement. If any of the terms of the click-through agreement are different from the terms of this Policy, the terms of the click-through agreement will supplement or amend this Policy, but only with respect to the matters governed by the click-through agreement.
18. This Policy May Change | (back to top)
This Policy describes Star Tribune’s current policies and practices with regard to Your Information, including Personal Data, we collect through our Sites.
a. Changes: We are continually improving and adding to the features and functionality of our Sites and the services we offer through our Sites. As a result of these changes (or changes in the law), we may need to update or revise this Policy. We will notify our subscribers of any material updates or revisions to this Policy, which notice may be via email or another reasonable means of electronic communications with our subscribers. For any other changes, we reserve the right to update or modify this Policy at any time, without prior notice, by posting the revised version of this Policy behind the link marked “Privacy Policy” in the universal footer of the websites governed by this Policy and by making it available through the mobile and tablet applications governed by this Policy. Your continued use of our Sites after we have posted the revised Policy constitutes your agreement to be bound by the revised Policy and your agreement that any information we previously collected from you may be used as described in the revised Policy.
b. Effective Date: If you have not used our Sites recently, be sure you check the effective date at the top of this Policy to see if this Policy has been revised since your last visit.
c. Current Version: You may access the current version of this Policy at any time by clicking the link marked “Privacy Policy” in the universal footer of the websites governed by this Policy or by clicking the button that appears in our mobile or tablet application.
19. Contact Us | (back to top)
If you have any questions about this Policy or our privacy practices, or if you would like to appeal any action we have taken or decision we have made regarding Your Information, please contact us using the information provided below:
StarTribune.com
650 3rd Ave., S. Suite 1300
Minneapolis, MN 55488
Phone: 612-673-4343 or 1-800-775-4344
Or use the following link: Submit Privacy Feedback