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Privacy Policy

Effective date: March 6, 2026. This policy explains how Montana Blotter collects, uses, and protects data across subscriptions, site operations, and security.

Privacy Effective March 6, 2026

How Montana Blotter handles reader and operational data.

This Privacy Policy applies to montanablotter.com (the "Service"). By using the Service, you agree to the data practices described here.

1. Information We Collect

  • Subscription data: email address and selected county preferences when you sign up for alerts.
  • Usage data: page views, page paths, referral context, and interaction events such as subscribe CTA clicks.
  • Technical data: device and browser metadata plus IP address in standard server logs for security and operations.
  • Admin session data: session and security tokens used to authenticate and protect administrative actions.

2. How We Use Information

  • Deliver email updates you requested.
  • Operate, maintain, and improve website performance and reliability.
  • Monitor engagement with subscription flows and core content.
  • Prevent abuse, detect fraud, and secure the Service.
  • Comply with legal obligations.

3. Legal Bases and Cookies

Depending on your location, we process data based on consent, such as newsletter sign-up, legitimate interests such as site analytics, security, and service operation, and legal compliance.

The Service uses essential cookies and session storage to support site functionality, security protections, and user experience features. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but parts of the Service may not function correctly if disabled.

4. Sharing, Payments, and Retention

We do not sell personal information. We may share information with infrastructure, email delivery, and security providers that help us operate the Service, and when required by law.

Donations are processed by third-party payment providers, currently Stripe. Payment card details are collected and processed directly by the provider, not by Montana Blotter. We store limited transaction metadata such as status, amount, and source for accounting, fraud prevention, and operational analytics.

We retain data for as long as needed to provide the Service, maintain security and records, resolve disputes, and meet legal requirements. Subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion, subject to legal exceptions.

5. Your Choices and Rights

  • Email preferences: you can unsubscribe at any time from links in email messages.
  • Access and deletion requests: you may request access to or deletion of personal data we hold, where legally available.
  • Regional rights: if privacy laws in your jurisdiction apply, including certain U.S. state laws, you may have additional rights.

6. Security, Children, and Updates

We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect personal data. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates are effective when posted with a revised effective date.

7. Contact

Operator: Montana Blotter
Website: montanablotter.com
Email: records@montanablotter.com

Editorial Standards

Montana Blotter is designed to make public records and public meeting information easier to access. It is not a government office, and it does not replace official notice, clerk records, court files, or agency databases.

1. Primary Source Rule
We prefer direct links to official county, city, court, sheriff, police, and state judiciary pages. Where possible, each page should point readers back to the original public record, agenda, minutes page, or official document listing.

2. What We Standardize
Date and time formatting — location and body-name labeling — document labels such as agenda, packet, or minutes — searchable statewide filters and metadata.

3. What We Do Not Claim
We do not claim to be the official keeper of public records. We do not guarantee that a third-party government site is complete, current, or correctly maintained. We do not treat summaries or extracted text as a substitute for the official source file.

4. Update Cadence
Automated sources are checked on a recurring basis. If a source is stale, broken, or moved, the originating public body remains the authoritative reference until the source is repaired.

5. Provenance and Visibility
We aim to show where information came from, when it was last refreshed, and how users can verify it.

6. Redactions and Sensitive Material
We may review records for obvious sensitivity, legal restrictions, or redaction issues. The existence of a public record does not automatically mean every field or derivative presentation should be amplified without review.

7. Corrections
If a source link breaks, a meeting is mislabeled, a record is duplicated, or a page needs clarification, see the Corrections Policy for the reporting workflow.

8. Government and Clerk Communications
If you work for a Montana public body and need a source updated, corrected, or removed, contact us directly. We prefer exact URLs, dates, and a brief explanation of the change.

9. Contact
Montana Blotter — records@montanablotter.com

Read full standards →
Corrections Policy

We want corrections requests to be specific, easy to verify, and fast to act on. The more concrete the report, the faster it can be reviewed.

1. What To Report
Broken official source links — moved agenda or minutes pages — incorrect meeting date, body name, or location label — duplicate records or meetings — stale source pages — material factual errors in a summary or description.

2. What To Include
The exact Montana Blotter URL — the exact official source URL that should be used — a short description of what is wrong — if timing matters, the date and time the official source changed.

3. Where To Send It
Email records@montanablotter.com with subject line Correction Request or Source Update. If you represent a government office, say so in the message.

4. Review Standard
We review corrections against the official source when available. If a report cannot be verified, we may ask for a clarifying URL, screenshot, or exact document reference before changing the page.

5. Response Goal
Our goal is to review straightforward source and labeling issues within two business days. Complex disputes, legal issues, and record-sensitivity questions may take longer.

6. How Fixes Are Handled
Broken or moved source URLs are updated at the source-config level when possible. Mislabeled dates, titles, or locations are corrected in the public presentation. If a government source removes or replaces a document, the official source controls.

7. Limits
A correction request does not automatically guarantee removal. Montana Blotter may preserve accurate public-record references while updating labels, links, timestamps, or explanatory text.

Read full corrections policy →
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