Effective September 3, 2026

Privacy policy

How The Dispute Index collects, uses, shares and protects information about visitors, editorial users and people documented in the public record.

Information we collect

When you browse or search the site, our hosting and security infrastructure may process technical information such as your IP address, browser and device type, requested pages, search terms included in a URL, referring page, timestamps and diagnostic or security events. We do not use advertising or analytics trackers on the public site.

Authorized editors have private administrative accounts. For those accounts, we process names, email addresses, authentication and session information, roles, login-security data and editorial activity. The public site does not offer visitor accounts.

The index also contains information about people and organizations discussed in published records, including names, public statements, actions and source citations. That material is collected from identified public sources and maintained as part of the site’s public-interest editorial record.

How we use information

We use information to deliver search results and pages, operate and secure the service, administer editorial access, diagnose failures, prevent abuse, preserve the integrity of published records, respond to requests and comply with legal obligations. We do not use personal information for automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

Cookies and browser signals

We do not place advertising or analytics cookies on the public site. Essential cookies are used when authorized editorial users sign in to the administration area. Embedded media providers may receive information or store data in your browser when their players load. Because we do not track visitors across third-party sites, we do not change public-site behavior in response to Do Not Track signals.

Service providers and embedded media

We disclose information to service providers only as needed to run the site. Those providers support application hosting, managed database services and private media storage, including Cloudflare R2. Published source pages may load privacy-enhanced YouTube players or Vimeo players. Those companies process information under their own privacy policies.

We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, protect the service or others, investigate abuse, or complete a reorganization or transfer of the service. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.

Retention and security

Technical logs and account records are kept only as long as reasonably necessary for operations, security, dispute resolution and legal compliance. Published editorial records and their source history may be retained for archival integrity; verified errors are handled through the visible correction process. Backups may retain information for a limited period after it is removed from active systems.

We use administrative, technical and organizational safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information. No internet service can guarantee absolute security.

Your choices and requests

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to request access to, correction of or deletion of personal information, or to object to or restrict certain uses. Applicable law may permit exceptions, including for legal obligations, security, freedom of expression and public-interest or journalistic records. We will verify and respond to requests as required.

To make a privacy request or raise a concern about information in a published record, use the email address and instructions on the Corrections page. You may also contact your local data-protection authority where that right applies.

Children’s privacy

The service is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through the public site.

International processing

Our service providers may process information in the United States and other countries whose data-protection laws differ from those where you live. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the service or applicable requirements change. We will post the revised policy here and change the effective date above. Material changes will receive additional notice when appropriate.