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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: December 21, 2025

Welcome to Darkside (www.darkside.report).

Darkside is an independent journalism platform. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our visitors, our members, and—most critically—our sources. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information, and the specific protections we afford to those providing information in the public interest.

1. Special Note on Anonymous Sources, Authors & Whistleblowers

Darkside operates on the principle of journalistic integrity. We understand that our sources often take significant risks.

  • Minimal Data Collection: For individuals submitting tips or documents, we aim to collect as little "digital breadcrumb" data as possible.
  • Anonymity: If you use our designated secure submission channels (such as Signal or Onion services, if applicable), we do not cross-reference that data with your browsing data on the main site.
  • Journalistic Privilege: In the event of legal requests, subpoenas, or government demands for source identity, Darkside’s policy is to resist such demands to the fullest extent of the law, invoking "Shield Laws" and First Amendment protections where applicable. However, no digital transmission is 100% secure. We encourage sources to use specialized tools (like Tor or VPNs) when contacting us.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways:

A. Information You Provide to Us:

  • Membership/Newsletters: If you sign up for a Darkside membership or newsletter via our Ghost platform, we collect your email address.
  • Comments/Interactions: If you post comments (if enabled), we collect the data shown in the comments form and your IP address to help with spam detection.

B. Information Collected Automatically:

  • Log Files: Like most websites, we collect basic information such as IP addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), and time stamps.
  • Cookies: We use cookies to enhance your experience, remember your login state, and understand how visitors use the site.

C. Payment Information:

  • If you choose a paid subscription, your payment is processed by Stripe. Darkside does not see or store your full credit card information. Stripe’s use of your personal information is governed by their Privacy Policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Deliver the journalism and newsletters you subscribe to.
  • Maintain and optimize the performance of the website.
  • Protect the security of our platform and prevent fraud.
  • Comply with legal obligations (except where such obligations conflict with the protection of anonymous sources under journalistic privilege).

4. Third-Party Services

Darkside is built on the Ghost platform. We use certain third-party services to function:

  • Ghost Foundation: Provides the CMS and hosting infrastructure.
  • Mailgun/Email Providers: Used to deliver our newsletters to your inbox.
  • Stripe: Used for processing secure payments.
  • Analytics: We may use privacy-focused analytics (like Plausible or Fathom) or standard analytics (Google Analytics) to track site traffic. [Note: If you use Google Analytics, you must disclose it here].

5. Data Retention & Security

  • Security: We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data. However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.
  • Retention: We retain member email addresses for as long as the account is active. We periodically purge server logs and metadata to minimize the amount of data we hold that could be subject to discovery.

6. Your Rights (CCPA/GDPR/US State Laws)

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal data we hold about you.
  • Request that we delete your personal data.
  • Opt-out of the "sale" of your personal info (Note: Darkside does not sell your data).

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the email address provided below.

7. Disclosure of Information

We do not sell, rent, or lease our user lists to third parties. We will only share your data:

  1. With your explicit consent.
  2. To provide the service you requested (e.g., sending your email to Mailgun to deliver a newsletter).
  3. Legal Requirements: If required by law to disclose information, we will notify affected users if legally permitted to do so. As a journalism outlet, we will vigorously defend the confidentiality of our sources against any government or private party legal action.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our treatment of your data, please contact:

Editor/Publisher
John Conner
Email: darkside.report@protonmail.com

Editorial Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this site or in articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Darkside. Any content provided by our contributors—whether published under a legal name or a pseudonym—is of their opinion and is not intended to malign any entity or individual.

Accuracy and Vetting: While Darkside employs a rigorous vetting process, information is provided "as is" with no guarantees of completeness or accuracy. Some reports are based on the subjective insider experiences of our contributors.

No Advice: Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Darkside shall not be held liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this information.