Effective Date: June 11, 2026
FL Gulf News respects the privacy of its readers, sources, contributors, and visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how FL Gulf News collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you visit FLGulfNews.com, contact the publication, submit tips or documents, subscribe to updates, comment on content, or otherwise interact with the site.
FL Gulf News is published by SCRIVENER, LLC.
Information We Collect
FL Gulf News may collect limited information from users in several ways, including when visitors browse the site, submit information through a contact form, send an email, leave a comment, subscribe to updates, or interact with embedded media, advertising, analytics tools, or social media features.
Information we may collect includes:
- Name and contact information voluntarily provided by users;
- Email addresses submitted for newsletters, tips, corrections, comments, or inquiries;
- Information submitted through contact forms, tip forms, or document submissions;
- IP addresses, browser type, device information, operating system, referring pages, pages visited, and general site usage data;
- Comment information, including username, email address, IP address, and comment content;
- Cookie data and similar tracking information used for site functionality, analytics, security, advertising, or performance.
We do not require visitors to provide personal information simply to read FL Gulf News.
How We Use Information
FL Gulf News may use collected information to:
- Operate, maintain, and improve the website;
- Respond to news tips, correction requests, editorial inquiries, advertising inquiries, and general messages;
- Review submitted documents, information, or source material;
- Send newsletters or updates when a user has subscribed;
- Moderate comments and prevent spam or abuse;
- Analyze site traffic and reader engagement;
- Protect the security and integrity of the website;
- Comply with legal obligations, court orders, valid legal process, or applicable law;
- Enforce site policies and protect the rights, safety, and property of FL Gulf News, its readers, sources, contributors, and the public.
News Tips, Source Material, and Confidentiality
FL Gulf News may receive news tips, documents, records, screenshots, recordings, statements, and other materials from readers, sources, whistleblowers, public officials, litigants, attorneys, journalists, and members of the public.
Submitting information to FL Gulf News does not automatically create a confidential, privileged, attorney-client, reporter-source, or other protected relationship. If you seek confidentiality, you should clearly state that request when contacting us.
FL Gulf News may use submitted materials for newsgathering, reporting, verification, legal review, editorial decision-making, and publication where appropriate. We may contact submitters for clarification, authentication, additional documentation, or comment.
Do not submit materials that you obtained unlawfully. Do not submit hacked materials, stolen data, unlawfully recorded communications, or information you are legally prohibited from sharing.
Comments
If comments are enabled, visitors may voluntarily submit comments on articles or other content. Comments may be reviewed, edited, approved, rejected, removed, or marked as spam at the discretion of FL Gulf News.
Comment submissions may collect the visitor’s name, email address, IP address, browser information, and comment content. This information may be used to prevent spam, abuse, impersonation, threats, harassment, or unlawful activity.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
FL Gulf News may use cookies, pixels, analytics tools, embedded content, advertising technologies, or similar tracking methods to improve site performance, understand reader behavior, secure the website, support advertising, and enhance user experience.
Visitors may disable cookies through their browser settings. Some parts of the site may not function properly if cookies are disabled.
Analytics
FL Gulf News may use analytics services, such as Google Analytics or similar tools, to understand how visitors use the site. These tools may collect information such as pages visited, time spent on the site, referring websites, device type, browser type, approximate geographic location, and other usage information.
This information helps FL Gulf News improve content, site performance, reader experience, and distribution strategy.
Advertising and Third-Party Services
FL Gulf News may display advertising, sponsored content, affiliate links, embedded media, social media widgets, videos, analytics tools, or other third-party services.
Third-party services may collect information through cookies, pixels, scripts, embedded content, or other technologies. These third parties may have their own privacy policies, terms, and data practices. FL Gulf News is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites, platforms, advertisers, analytics providers, or embedded services.
Embedded Content
Articles on FL Gulf News may include embedded content from other websites or platforms, including videos, social media posts, court documents, images, maps, audio, or other materials.
Embedded content from other websites behaves as if the visitor has visited that other website directly. Those websites may collect data, use cookies, embed additional tracking, and monitor interaction with the embedded content, especially if the visitor is logged into that third-party service.
Links to Other Websites
FL Gulf News may link to third-party websites, court records, public documents, social media platforms, government websites, news outlets, legal filings, video platforms, or other external resources.
FL Gulf News is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, content, policies, or conduct of external websites. Visitors should review the privacy policies of any third-party sites they visit.
Email Communications
If you subscribe to a newsletter, updates, alerts, or other email communications, FL Gulf News may use your email address to send requested communications. You may unsubscribe from marketing or newsletter communications by following the unsubscribe instructions included in those emails, where available.
Emails sent to FL Gulf News may be retained for editorial, legal, operational, or newsgathering purposes.
Data Security
FL Gulf News takes reasonable measures to protect information submitted through the site. However, no website, email system, server, database, or online transmission is completely secure. Visitors and sources should use caution when sending sensitive information online.
For sensitive tips or documents, users should consider whether email, contact forms, or other ordinary communication channels are appropriate.
Data Retention
FL Gulf News may retain information for as long as reasonably necessary for editorial, legal, operational, archival, security, compliance, or business purposes.
Submitted tips, documents, correspondence, comments, analytics data, and related information may be retained as part of editorial files, source material, publication records, legal review, or site administration.
Children’s Privacy
FL Gulf News is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that personal information from a child under 13 has been collected without appropriate consent, we may take steps to delete that information.
Your Choices
Visitors may:
- Disable cookies through browser settings;
- Unsubscribe from email updates where an unsubscribe option is provided;
- Contact FL Gulf News regarding correction requests or privacy-related inquiries;
- Avoid submitting personal information through contact forms, comments, or email if they do not want that information collected.
Legal Requests and Disclosure
FL Gulf News may disclose information if required to do so by law, subpoena, court order, valid legal process, government request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect legal rights, prevent harm, investigate abuse, enforce policies, or comply with applicable law.
FL Gulf News may also preserve or disclose information when necessary to protect the rights, safety, property, editorial independence, sources, readers, contributors, or legal interests of FL Gulf News and SCRIVENER, LLC.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
FL Gulf News may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the website after changes are posted means the visitor accepts the updated policy.
Contact
Questions about this Privacy Policy may be directed to:
FL Gulf News
Published by SCRIVENER, LLC
Email: rl*******@********ws.com
Corrections: rl*******@********ws.com
News Tips: rl*******@********ws.com