Legal & Policies

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 1, 2026 | Rooted Creative Group LLC

Plain-English Summary We collect only what we need to run this publication. We do not sell your personal information. Wire submitters should know their organization name, contact information, and press release content are published as submitted. California residents have specific rights under CCPA — see the section below.

1. Who We Are

Radio Free America is a national accountability journalism publication operated by Rooted Creative Group LLC, a California limited liability company based in California's Central Valley. When this policy says "we," "us," or "RFA," it means Rooted Creative Group LLC. Questions or requests related to this policy can be directed to legal@radiofreeamerica.press.

2. What Information We Collect

Contact & Tip Submissions

When you use our contact form or submit a tip, we collect your name, email address, and the contents of your message. This information is used solely to respond to your inquiry or follow up on your tip. Tip information is handled under our source protection practices — see our Sourcing Policy.

Wire Submissions

The RFA Wire allows organizations to submit press releases and public-interest announcements for publication. When you submit via the wire, we collect:

Your name and professional role
Your organization name and contact information
The full text of your press release or announcement
Payment information processed through Stripe (we do not store your card number)

Wire content is published. By submitting to the wire, you understand and agree that your organization name, the contact information you designate for publication, and the full content of your submission will be published on our website and distributed to our readership.

Account & Payment Data

Payment transactions for premium wire submissions are processed by Stripe, Inc. We receive a transaction confirmation and limited billing details (last four digits of card, billing zip code) but do not store full payment card numbers on our servers. Stripe's privacy policy governs how Stripe handles your payment data: stripe.com/privacy.

Analytics

We may use analytics tools — including Google Analytics — to understand how our site is used. These tools collect anonymized information such as pages visited, time on site, referral source, and general geographic region (country/region level). We do not use analytics to build individual profiles or track users across other websites for advertising purposes.

Server Logs

Our web server automatically records standard log data: IP addresses, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and pages visited. This data is used for security monitoring and server maintenance. Log files are retained for no more than 90 days and are not linked to personally identifiable information.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Publish wire submissions and announcements as submitted
Respond to inquiries, tips, and corrections requests
Process payments for wire submissions
Maintain the security and integrity of our platform
Understand readership patterns to improve our editorial coverage
Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your information for targeted advertising, profiling, or any purpose unrelated to operating this journalism publication.

4. Information We Do Not Sell

Rooted Creative Group LLC does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. This applies to all categories of personal information we collect. Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), this means we do not engage in the "sale" of personal information as defined by that law.

5. Third Parties We Work With

Stripe — payment processing for wire submissions
Google Analytics — anonymized site traffic analytics (opt-out available via browser extensions or the Google Analytics opt-out tool)
Web hosting provider — server infrastructure; bound by a data processing agreement

We do not share your personal information with advertisers, data brokers, political campaigns, or any third party for marketing purposes.

6. California Residents — Your CCPA Rights

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) give you the following rights:

Right to Know

You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources from which we collected it, the business or commercial purpose for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.

Right to Delete

You have the right to request that we delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions (for example, information we are legally required to retain, or information necessary to complete a transaction you requested).

Right to Opt Out of Sale or Sharing

We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. You do not need to take any action to exercise this right, but you may confirm our practices by contacting us.

Right to Correct

You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal information we hold about you.

Right to Non-Discrimination

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights. Exercising your privacy rights will not affect your ability to use our publication.

How to Submit a Request

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at legal@radiofreeamerica.press with the subject line "CCPA Request." We will respond within 45 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

Radio Free America is intended for general adult audiences and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us at legal@radiofreeamerica.press and we will delete it promptly.

8. Data Retention

We retain contact form submissions and tip inquiries for up to two years, or longer if required for an ongoing editorial or legal matter. Wire submission records (including published content) are retained indefinitely as part of our publication archive. Payment records are retained as required by law and our payment processor's policies. Server log files are retained for no more than 90 days.

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss. However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system is completely secure. We encourage you to use encrypted communication (such as Signal) when sending sensitive tips.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Material changes will be noted on our site. Your continued use of Radio Free America after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions, CCPA requests, or concerns about this policy, contact:

Rooted Creative Group LLC
Radio Free America — Legal
legal@radiofreeamerica.press