Privacy Policy, Ethics Policy and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy

Oakville News Inc. policies 

  • Privacy 
  • Ethics 
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Oakville News Inc. policy on privacy

It is important to remember that visitors to our site understand what information we gather about them, how we use it, and how we work to protect it.  By using our website, and/or signing up for services such as membership or our newsletter, you consent to information practices outlined in our Privacy Policy.

Information Collection

We track how our visitors use this site so that we can see what people like and don’t like. We also analyze and aggregate information about use patterns and share the aggregated data with our advertisers (for example, we keep track of how many users see and click on particular advertisements). We may also collect personal information about you via registration for newsletters, commenting, donations, membership and other areas. Where you have an opportunity to supply information about yourself you may choose not to provide requested information but in such cases you may not be able to use certain functions on this website.

We will not release your name, email address or any other personal information to anyone outside MEMBER WEBSITE without your consent, unless we are under a legal order to do so, or there is an emergency involving danger to a person or property. We will not provide our advertisers or anyone else outside MEMBER WEBSITE with any information specific to you unless we have your consent.

If you chose to provide your personally identifiable information for the purposes of a third-party contest, survey or newsletter, your consent shall be deemed to be given for the release of your personally identifiable information with regard to that third party only, in addition to OakvilleNews.Org. Only authorized OakvilleNews.Org employees or consultants are allowed access to personal information about you. Any employee or consultant who violates our privacy and security policies is subject to disciplinary action.

We occasionally have service contractors, third party agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and joint ventures that perform functions on our behalf, including but not limited to credit card processing and website hosting. They have access to personal information needed to perform their functions, and are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of the data. They are restricted from using or altering this data in anyway other than to provide the requested services to OakvilleNews.Org. In addition, we may always share, disclose, and transfer all information, postings, and any and all other personal and non-personal information we have collected to a successor-entity in the case of the sale of the assets of OakvilleNews.Org, corporate reorganization, merger, change in control, or other similar transaction.

Remember that any information you share in public areas, such as the OakvilleNews.Org comments area, becomes public and therefore this Privacy Policy does not apply to any information you choose to make public. We encourage visitors to OakvilleNews.Org to be cautious about what they disclose and that they do not post any personal information that they expect to keep private. Personally Identifiable Information is information that can be used to contact you or determine your specific identity.  If other information is linked to this information, it also becomes Personally Identifiable Information.

Use and Disclosure of Anonymous Information

Anonymous Information is any information other than Personally Identifiable Information, including aggregate information derived from Personally Identifiable Information.

OakvilleNews.Org may use this information:

To improve the OakvilleNews.Org website and service, to monitor traffic and general usage patterns, and for other general business purposes.

To inform publishers as to what content is appealing to readers, to inform advertisers of the usage habits or characteristics of the interested audience, and to advise potential donors so that they may better understand OakvilleNews.Org's user base.

Cookies

A cookie is a small amount of data, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier that is sent to your browser from a web site’s servers and stored on your computer. Each web site can send its own cookies to your browser if your browser’s preferences allow it, but (to protect your privacy) most browsers only permit a web site to access the cookies that the same web site has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other sites.

OakvilleNews.Org may use cookies to identify you as a repeat visitor or customer of the website, to maintain session information for logged in users, and to track usage trends and patterns in order to better understand and improve areas of our website.

OakvilleNews.Org has no control over whether and how our advertisers use cookies that originate from their website. You are always free to decline our cookies if your browser permits, but you may not be able to take full advantage of our site’s features.

We may use third-party advertising companies to serve ads on our behalf.  These companies may employ cookies and action tags to measure advertising effectiveness. All computers and servers on the internet use IP addresses to recognize and communicate with each other. We collect IP addresses to administer and analyze our site and report aggregate, non-personal information (such as how many visitors we have). When you call up our site on your computer, our servers enter the IP address of that computer into a log. To maintain our users’ anonymity, we do not associate IP addresses with records containing personal information.

We do not and cannot use cookies or IP address tracking to retrieve personal information from your computer.

Security

OakvilleNews.Org employs a number of security methods designed to prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure correct use of information. Your personal data will be stored within a database that is located behind a firewall for added security.

No data transmission over the Internet or any wireless network can be guaranteed to be secure.  As a result, while we try to protect your personal information, we cannot ensure or guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. We are not liable for the illegal acts of any third party.

We do not encrypt normal web sessions, however any transmission to the OakvilleNews.Org website or service of credit card information uses SSL encryption to help protect the data.

Links to Other Sites

OakvilleNews.Org provides links and pointers to Web sites maintained by other organizations. OakvilleNews.Org provides these links as a convenience to users, but it does not operate or control such sites. OakvilleNews.Org also disclaims any responsibility for the information on those sites and any products or services offered there, and cannot vouch for the privacy policies of such sites. OakvilleNews.Org does not make any warranties or representations that any linked sites, or this site, will function without error or interruption, that defects will be corrected, or that the sites and their servers are free of viruses and other problems that can harm your computer.

Opt Out

If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, we include detailed unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each email.

Children

OakvilleNews.Org is not directed to children (persons under the age of 13), and we do not knowingly collect, either online or offline, Personally Identifiable Information from children. If you believe that we have received information from a person under 13, please contact us by email at admin@oakvillenews.org or in writing at Oakville News Inc at 113 Herald Avenue, Oakville, Ontario, L6K 1S3 and we will take appropriate action.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

OakvilleNews.Org may change its privacy policy from time to time.  If we make any changes regarding disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information to third parties, we will post notice of the new policy on our home page.

Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

ALTHOUGH WE TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF VIRUSES, WORMS, OR OTHER DESTRUCTIVE MATERIALS AND PROGRAMS TO OUR SITE, WE DO NOT GUARANTEE OR WARRANT THAT OUR SITE OR MATERIALS THAT MAY BE DOWNLOADED FROM OUR SITE ARE FREE FROM SUCH DESTRUCTIVE FEATURES. WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR HARM ATTRIBUTABLE TO SUCH FEATURES. WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, LOSS OR INJURY BASED ON ERRORS, OMISSIONS, INTERRUPTIONS OR OTHER INACCURACIES IN OUR SITE, NOR FOR ANY CLAIM, LOSS OR INJURY THAT RESULTS FROM YOUR USE OF THIS SITE OR YOUR BREACH OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT.

Questions

If you would like more information regarding our Privacy Policy, please contact admin@oakvillenews.org

Oakville News Inc. policy on ethics

Oakville News Inc adheres to a set of journalistic principles to ensure fairness, transparency and accuracy.

1) Fairness. We clearly label opinion pieces and give people, companies or organizations that are publicly accused or criticized a chance to respond before we publish those criticisms or accusations We make a genuine and reasonable effort to contact them and if they decline to comment, we say so.

2) Accuracy. Our reporting is fact-based, non-partisan and accurate. When we make a mistake, whether in fact or in context, we correct it promptly and in a transparent manner, acknowledging the nature of the error.

3) Transparency. We’re clear with readers about our funding and revenue sources. We clearly label advertising and sponsored content. Readers can easily find out who we are and how to get in touch with us. All content is bylined.

If you would like more information regarding our Ethics Policy, please contact admin@oakvillenews.org

Oakville News Inc. Policy on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We recognize that systemic discrimination based on age, class, cultural and/or linguistic background, ability, economic status, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation have contributed to an environment where the voices of many people in Canada aren’t uplifted. We are committed to reporting on stories that reflect the country’s diversity, as well as hiring and promoting journalists from a variety of underrepresented backgrounds.

Diversity: Oakville News Inc. will integrate equity principles into its decision-making processes. Equity and diversity will inform short-, mid- and long-term editorial planning, source cultivation, editing practices, art direction, etc. Our reporting sheds light on systemic barriers and historic challenges and will reference these issues when contextualizing breaking news.

Inclusiveness: As an employer, Oakville News Inc. will foster a welcoming, barrier-free environment, and build and nurture relationships with writers, editors, photographers and illustrators, as well as other consultants, from a variety of underrepresented groups.

Leadership: Oakville News Inc’s leadership will strive to ensure it reflects the full diversity of Canada. This includes senior leadership, staff, freelancers, interns and volunteers, as well as featured sources, guests, speakers, etc.

Accountability: Oakville News Inc. will collect on the demographic makeup of the organization and will make a concerted effort to sensitively survey employees, freelancers and audiences on equity and diversity issues. PUBLICATION will then relay this information to the public via regular equity reports.

If you would like more information regarding our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, please contact admin@oakvillenews.org.