Privacy Policy

Silver Buffalo News ("we," "our," or "us") operates the website located at silverbuffalonews.com. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect information about visitors to our website. Please read it carefully.

By using this website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please stop using the site.

1. Information We Collect

a) Information You Provide Directly

When you sign up for our newsletter or contact us, we may collect:

• Your email address
• Your name (if provided)
• Any message content you send us

b) Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar tracking technologies, including:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages viewed and time spent on each page
• Referring website or search engine
• Date and time of your visit

c) Information from Third-Party Services

We use third-party services that may collect information independently under their own privacy policies. These include:

• Google AdSense — to display advertisements. Google may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this or other websites.
• GitHub Pages — our hosting provider. GitHub may collect server access logs.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Deliver the content and services you request (including newsletter emails)
• Analyze site traffic and improve our content
• Display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
• Respond to your questions or feedback
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data for purposes other than those described here without your consent.

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

This website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your experience and enable advertising. Types of cookies used:

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function (e.g., dark mode preference)
• Advertising cookies: Used by Google AdSense to show relevant ads based on your interests and browsing history

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect your experience on this site. To opt out of Google's use of cookies for interest-based advertising, visit Google Ad Settings or NAI opt-out tool.

4. Google AdSense and Third-Party Advertising

We participate in the Google AdSense program. Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site. Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads to our users based on their visits to our site and/or other sites on the Internet.

Third-party ad servers or ad networks may use technologies like cookies, JavaScript, or web beacons in the advertisements and links that appear on Silver Buffalo News. These technologies are sent directly to your browser. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. These technologies are used to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and/or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

Silver Buffalo News has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers. You can review Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

5. How We Share Your Information

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

• Service providers: We use third-party tools (Google AdSense, newsletter platforms) that receive data as described above. These providers operate under their own privacy policies.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority.
• Protection of rights: We may share information to protect the rights, property, or safety of Silver Buffalo News, our readers, or the public.

6. Data Retention

We retain newsletter email addresses for as long as you remain subscribed. If you unsubscribe, we will remove your email from our mailing list within 30 days. Server logs are retained by GitHub Pages per their standard hosting policies.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information
• Opt-out of newsletter: Unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any newsletter email
• Opt-out of ad personalization: Visit Google Ad Settings

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the email address below.

8. Children's Privacy

Silver Buffalo News is designed for adults aged 55 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.

9. Security

We take reasonable precautions to protect the information we collect. Our website is served over HTTPS (secure connection). However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Links to External Sites

Our articles may contain links to external websites (such as Erie County government resources, Medicare.gov, or other reference sites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit.

11. California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information is collected about you, the right to request deletion of that data, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us using the information below.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.