Legal
Privacy Policy
Effective July 22, 2026
The Waterloo Journal respects the privacy of its readers. This policy explains what information may be collected when you visit waterloojournal.ca, why it is used and the choices available to you.
1. Scope
This policy applies to The Waterloo Journal website, its newsroom-management system, newsletter links and other services that directly reference this policy. It does not govern third-party websites, public databases or services linked from the site.
2. Information collected automatically
When you access the website, our hosting and security providers may automatically process limited technical information, including your Internet Protocol address, browser and device type, operating system, pages requested, the date and time of a request, the referring page, diagnostic information and information associated with suspected abuse or security threats. This information may be used to deliver the website, diagnose problems, maintain security, prevent misuse and understand general site performance. The Waterloo Journal does not currently use it to create advertising profiles of individual readers.
3. Local browser storage
The website may store a small preference in your browser after you dismiss the beta-testing notice. This prevents the notice from appearing every time you return. The preference does not contain your name, email address or other directly identifying information. You can remove it by clearing the site data or local storage through your browser settings.
4. Article audience measurement
When you read an article, The Waterloo Journal records one view and uses a random first-party reader identifier to distinguish a first view from later views on the same browser. The identifier is stored in a secure cookie for up to one year and is converted to a one-way hash before it is stored with article statistics. We use it to calculate unique readers, repeat views and total views. These figures are visible only to authorized newsroom users and are not displayed publicly. The system does not use this identifier for advertising, does not follow you across other websites and does not store your name or email address. Clearing the cookie causes a future visit to be counted as a new reader.
5. Newsletter subscriptions
Newsletter registration is currently handled through a Google Form. If you subscribe, the requested information may include your email address and other details clearly identified on the form. It is used to maintain the subscriber list, deliver the weekly newsletter, manage preferences, prevent abuse and maintain consent records where appropriate. Providing this information is voluntary, and you may unsubscribe using the instructions in a newsletter. Google may separately process technical, device or account information according to its own privacy policy. The Waterloo Journal does not sell or rent its newsletter list.
6. Newsroom editor accounts
The website includes a restricted newsroom-management system for authorized users. When an authorized user signs in, the system processes the submitted username and password to verify access and creates a secure session cookie. Newsroom information may include account credentials, authentication and session information, articles, drafts, editorial changes, uploaded media, publication settings and security records. This information is used to operate the newsroom, protect restricted areas and maintain the integrity of published material. Public account registration is not available.
7. Information in journalism
Journalism may contain information about identifiable people where publication serves a legitimate editorial, documentary or public-interest purpose. Information may be gathered from public records, government documents, public proceedings, interviews, official statements, court records, publicly accessible websites, social-media posts, photographs, video, research and other journalistic sources. Journalistic information may be retained to maintain an accurate historical record, support reporting, document editorial decisions or defend the integrity of published work.
8. Live information and external data
The Waterloo Journal displays or summarizes information from third-party sources, including weather, air quality, transit, police-incident, sports, civic and community-event services. Whenever practical, requests are processed through The Waterloo Journal’s server rather than directly identifying individual readers to the source. External providers may maintain their own logs and privacy practices, which The Waterloo Journal does not control.
9. External links
Articles and site features may link to government agencies, news sources, social-media platforms, subscription forms and other external websites. When you follow a link, the destination may collect information such as your IP address, device information, account details or activity. Its own privacy policy—not this one—governs that collection. A link does not mean The Waterloo Journal controls or endorses the destination’s privacy practices.
10. Cookies and similar technologies
The website may use cookies or similar browser technologies to measure article readership, authenticate newsroom users, maintain secure sessions, remember limited preferences, protect against misuse and support essential operation. The Waterloo Journal does not use third-party advertising cookies or behavioural-advertising trackers. If advertising or additional tracking technologies are introduced, this policy will be updated. Disabling or clearing cookies may affect newsroom access, saved preferences and the accuracy of unique-reader counts.
11. How information is used
Information may be used to provide and maintain the website; publish journalism and regional information; measure article readership; deliver requested newsletters; authenticate newsroom users; store articles and media; remember preferences; monitor reliability; detect abuse or security threats; enforce the Terms of Service; comply with legal obligations; and protect readers, contributors and the publication. Information will not be used for a materially different purpose without an appropriate legal basis or additional consent where required.
12. When information may be disclosed
Information may be shared with service providers that help operate the website, including hosting, storage, security, newsletter and technical-service providers. It may also be disclosed where reasonably necessary to comply with a valid legal requirement, investigate fraud or security incidents, protect a person’s safety, establish or defend legal rights, or complete a reorganization or transfer subject to appropriate safeguards. The Waterloo Journal does not sell readers’ personal information.
13. International processing
Some service providers, including Google and website infrastructure providers, may process or store information outside Ontario or Canada. Information processed elsewhere may be subject to that jurisdiction’s laws and may be accessible to its courts, governments or law-enforcement authorities in accordance with applicable law.
14. Retention
Personal information is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, security, operational and recordkeeping requirements. Browser preferences remain until removed; authentication information is retained according to security needs; newsletter information may be retained until subscription is withdrawn and for a reasonable period afterward; server records may be retained temporarily; and published journalism and supporting editorial records may be retained as part of the historical archive. Information no longer required may be deleted, anonymized or securely archived.
15. Security
The Waterloo Journal uses reasonable administrative, technical and organizational safeguards appropriate to the information it handles. Measures may include access restrictions, secure authentication, limited administrative permissions, encrypted connections and service-provider security controls. No website can guarantee absolute security. Readers should avoid sending confidential or highly sensitive information through ordinary forms unless it is expressly requested and its purpose is explained.
16. Your choices
You can decline optional forms, unsubscribe from newsletters using the provided mechanism, clear cookies and local storage, restrict cookies through browser settings, avoid third-party links and use available Google privacy controls for information processed by Google. Some browser restrictions may prevent essential features from working properly.
17. Children’s privacy
The website is intended for a general audience and does not knowingly operate accounts or services directed specifically at children. The Waterloo Journal does not knowingly request personal information directly from children through ordinary website features. News coverage may discuss children when justified by a legitimate journalistic or public-interest purpose, with appropriate consideration for privacy and safety.
18. Do Not Track signals
Some browsers transmit “Do Not Track” signals. Because there is no universally accepted technical standard governing these signals, the website may not respond to them automatically. The Waterloo Journal does not currently operate a behavioural-advertising system.
19. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated as the website, newsletter, newsroom tools or applicable requirements change. The effective date will be revised when material changes are made, and significant changes may be highlighted on the website where appropriate.
20. Relationship to the Terms of Service
This Privacy Policy forms part of The Waterloo Journal’s Terms of Service. If a provision conflicts with a mandatory requirement of applicable privacy law, the legal requirement will govern.