Lodi411 ("Lodi411," "we," "us," or "our") operates the website lodi411.com and its investigative journalism arm LodiEye. We are a citizen-run civic data and transparency platform serving Lodi, California and San Joaquin County. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we share it, and the rights you have under California law.

We are based in Lodi, California. By using our site or submitting information to us, you agree to the practices described below.

1. Information We Collect

A. Information you provide directly

Depending on how you use the site, you may provide:

• Contact information, including your name, email address, and/or phone number — typically when you sign up for an account, submit a citizen report, post a Lost & Found listing, subscribe to newsletters, or contact our editors.
• Verification codes and authentication data, processed through Twilio Verify when you confirm a phone number or email address for account access.
• User-submitted content, including tips, reports, photos, descriptions of lost or found items, comments, chatbot messages, and any other information you voluntarily submit.
• Correspondence, including emails you send to our editorial team or information you provide when responding to a reporter.

B. Information collected automatically

Even though we do not use tracking cookies, our web servers automatically record standard technical information when you visit the site, including IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring page, and pages visited on lodi411.com with timestamps. This information is used for security, error diagnosis, and basic aggregate statistics. It is stored in server logs and purged on a rolling basis.

Our site may use a small amount of local storage or session storage (distinct from cookies) to remember interface preferences on a single device — for example, remembering that you dismissed a banner or that you selected Spanish as your language. This information stays on your device and is not transmitted back to us for tracking purposes.

C. Information from third-party services

When you use features that rely on third-party service providers, those providers may process limited information on our behalf. See Section 4 below for the current list of providers.

2. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Operate and maintain the website and its civic reporting tools
• Authenticate users and prevent fraud or abuse
• Respond to inquiries, tips, comments, and questions
• Publish civic data, public notices, and journalism in the public interest
• Deliver newsletters or alerts you have requested
• Moderate user-submitted content
• Diagnose technical problems and secure our infrastructure
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your information to build advertising profiles or to sell to data brokers.

3. Service Providers We Rely On

To operate the platform, we use a limited set of reputable service providers who process data on our behalf under their own privacy and security commitments. These currently include:

These providers are contractually limited to processing data for the purposes we specify. We do not authorize them to sell or repurpose your personal information.

4. Journalism and the Public Interest

Portions of this site — including LodiEye — publish journalism, public records, public meeting content, civic data, and related commentary. When we publish information drawn from public sources (court records, council agendas, police logs, campaign finance filings, property records, and similar public documents), that publication is protected by the First Amendment and by California Civil Code § 1798.145(b), which exempts activity involving the gathering and dissemination of news and journalism from portions of the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Concerns about published journalism should be directed to our editorial team at editor@lodi411.com. We evaluate corrections, clarifications, and takedown requests on a case-by-case basis consistent with journalistic standards and the public interest.

5. How We Share Information

We share personal information only in the following circumstances:

• With service providers described in Section 3, solely to operate the platform.
• With your consent — for example, when you choose to make a report or listing publicly visible.
• To comply with law, a valid subpoena, court order, or government request, where we reasonably believe disclosure is required.
• To protect rights and safety, including investigating fraud, abuse, or security threats to our users, our platform, or the public.
• In connection with a successor organization, if Lodi411's operations are transferred to another civic organization or nonprofit — in which case we will provide reasonable notice.

We do not sell personal information. We do not share personal information with advertisers, marketing networks, or data brokers.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as needed to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, to comply with legal obligations, or to preserve the editorial and civic record. User account data is retained while the account is active. Submitted reports, tips, and published content may be retained indefinitely as part of the civic record. Server logs are typically rotated within 30 to 90 days. You may request deletion of your account or information as described in Section 8.

7. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the information we collect, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), access controls, and hashed credentials where applicable (SHA-256). No system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee that information transmitted to us will never be intercepted or disclosed. If we become aware of a security incident affecting your personal information, we will notify you as required by California law.

8. Your California Privacy Rights

California residents have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). Subject to verification and legal exceptions (including the journalism exemption described in Section 4), you have the right to:

• Know what personal information we have collected about you, the sources, the purposes, and the categories of recipients.
• Access a copy of that personal information.
• Correct inaccurate personal information.
• Delete personal information we have collected from you.
• Limit the use of sensitive personal information. We do not use sensitive personal information for purposes that would require this option, but the right exists.
• Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, so there is nothing to opt out of — but we affirm the right.
• Non-discrimination — we will not retaliate against you for exercising any of these rights.

To exercise these rights, contact us at editor@lodi411.com or info@lodi411.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding. You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

California "Shine the Light" Law

California Civil Code § 1798.83 permits California residents to request information about the disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. We do not share personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

"Do Not Track" Signals

Some browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals. There is no finalized industry standard for how sites should respond. Because we do not track users across third-party sites for advertising in the first place, our practices are consistent with the intent of DNT regardless of the signal. This disclosure is provided as required by the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA).

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact editor@lodi411.com and we will take appropriate steps to delete it. We also comply with the California Privacy Rights Act's additional protections for the personal information of consumers under 16.

10. Third-Party Links and Embeds

Our site links to and sometimes embeds content from third-party sites — government agencies, public records sources, social media platforms, YouTube, and similar sources. Once you follow a link or interact with an embedded third-party item, that third party's privacy practices apply, not ours. We encourage you to review those policies.

11. Users Outside California

Our site is operated from California, United States. If you access the site from outside California or outside the United States, your information will be processed in the United States and will be subject to U.S. law.

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. Material changes will be highlighted on the site. Continued use of the site after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information: