Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 26, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Minnesota Voices, an initiative of The Story Archive, collects, protects, and uses your information. Throughout this policy, references to "the Project," "the Archive," "Minnesota Voices," or "The Story Archive" refer to Pounce, Inc., the legal operator and data custodian of these initiatives.

We understand the sensitive and personal nature of the stories you share. This Privacy Policy is designed to be transparent about how we collect, use, protect, and share your personal information. Your trust is fundamental to this project, and we are committed to protecting your privacy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information to operate the archive and provide a platform for your stories. This information is categorized as follows:

Category of Data	Source of Data	Purpose of Collection	Categories of Third Parties Shared With
Private Contact Information (e.g., your legal name, email address, phone number)	Directly from you via our submission form.	For internal verification, fact-checking, and to communicate with you about your submission.	Trusted service providers (for hosting, etc.); not shared publicly.
Public User-Generated Content (e.g., your story, display name, uploaded photos, captions, perspective)	Directly from you via our submission form.	To create and display content in our public, historical archive.	The public (published on our website).
Sensitive Personal Information (Details within your story related to immigration status, personal experiences with law enforcement, and other sensitive narratives.)	Directly from you as part of your story submission.	To fulfill the archive's mission of documenting lived experiences.	The public (as part of your published story, directed by you).
Location Data (e.g., your stated hometown and the associated precise geolocation data like latitude/longitude collected by the form)	Directly from you via our submission form.	To understand the geographic scope of stories and for potential mapping or visualization related to the project.	Hometown name may be shared publicly; precise coordinates are shared only with necessary service providers.
Technical Data (e.g., IP address, browser type, cookies, access timestamps)	Collected automatically when you visit our website.	For website security, analytics, operational purposes, and to display advertising.	Trusted service providers (for security and analytics); third-party advertising networks.

2. How We Use Your Information

Pounce, Inc. acts as the custodian of your data. We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To Build and Maintain the Community Archive: The primary use of your Public User-Generated Content is to feature it on the Minnesota Voices website as part of a public, historical record.
For Verification and Communication: We use your Private Contact Information to verify the authenticity of submissions, ask clarifying questions, or discuss your attribution preferences before publication.
To Operate and Improve the Website: We use automatically collected Technical Data to monitor our Website's performance, enhance security, analyze usage trends, and improve the user experience.
For Research and Reporting: We may use anonymized, aggregated data (such as total submission counts by region) for reporting, research, or promotional purposes related to the Project's mission.

Our Use of Sensitive Personal Information We recognize that stories concerning ICE encounters and immigration status constitute sensitive personal information. Our use of this information is strictly limited to the purpose for which you provide it: to share your experience as part of this public archive. We are committed to handling these narratives with the utmost care and respect for your privacy and safety.

3. Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your private contact information. We may disclose your information to the following categories of third parties only for the purposes described in this policy:

The Public: Your Public User-Generated Content (story, display name, photos) is intended for public display on our website. This disclosure is made at your direction when you agree to our Terms and submit your story for publication.
Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third-party vendors and service providers who assist us in operating the Project, such as web hosting providers, email services, security services, and analytics tools. These providers are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential and use it only to provide services to us.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental request, or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect and defend our rights or property, or protect the personal safety of users of the Website or the public.

4. Your Privacy Rights

Under applicable privacy laws, such as the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), you have specific rights regarding your personal information. These rights include:

The Right to Know/Access: You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources of that information, the purposes for collecting it, and the categories of third parties to whom we have disclosed it.
The Right to Delete: You have the right to request the deletion of personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions (for example, if the information is necessary to comply with a legal obligation or for archival purposes in the public interest).
The Right to Correct: You have the right to request the correction of inaccurate personal information that we maintain about you.
The Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: We do not sell your personal information. We also do not "share" your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising purposes. Therefore, there is no need to opt-out.
The Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights. This means we will not deny you services, charge you different prices, or provide a different level or quality of service.

How to Exercise Your Rights To exercise any of the rights described above, please submit a verifiable consumer request to us by contacting us at the email address provided in the "Contact Information" section below.

5. Anonymity and Pseudonym Protections

We are deeply committed to protecting the identity of our contributors.

Your private legal name and contact information are for internal verification only and will never be published.
You have full control over your public-facing "Display Name," which can be your real name, a pseudonym (e.g., "A West Side Resident"), or simply "Anonymous."
We employ technical and administrative safeguards to ensure your private verification data is stored separately from your public-facing story content.

6. Special Considerations for Immigration-Related Stories

We understand that sharing stories about experiences with ICE and the immigration system carries unique risks.

Our Commitment: We are dedicated to creating a platform where these essential stories can be told safely. We promise to handle your words and identity with the care and dignity they deserve.
Your Discretion: Please be mindful of the details you include in your public story. Avoid sharing specific, sensitive personal data about yourself or others (such as A-Numbers, case details, or precise identifying information) that you do not wish to be made public. The decision of what to share in the public narrative is yours.

7. Data Retention and Archival Intent

Public Content: As a historical archive, our intent is the long-term, indefinite preservation of your public submissions to create a lasting historical record.
Private Information: We retain your private contact information for as long as necessary to manage your submission or until you request its deletion.
Technical Data: Automatically collected data is retained for a limited period necessary for security and site analytics.

You may contact the Project Administrator to request removal or anonymization of your story. While we can remove content from our direct platforms, we cannot control or remove copies that may have been cached, indexed, archived, or shared by third parties.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect your private information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. While no system can guarantee absolute security, Pounce, Inc. is committed to maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of contributor data. In the event of a data breach affecting your private information, we will provide notice as required by applicable law.

9. Children's Privacy

This Project is not directed toward children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If we become aware that such information has been submitted, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

10. Cookies and Third-Party Advertising

To support the sustainability of the Project, we may display advertisements or sponsorship acknowledgments. Third-party ad networks may use cookies, web beacons, or similar technologies to collect information about your visits to provide advertisements about goods and services that may be of interest. You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

11. International Data Transfers

The Project is operated in the United States. By submitting information from outside the U.S., you acknowledge that your data will be transferred to, stored, and processed within the United States and governed by applicable U.S. law.

12. Future Transition

In the event that The Story Archive transitions to a nonprofit entity or other historical custodian, Pounce, Inc. reserves the right to transfer your data and associated licenses to that successor, provided they maintain materially similar privacy protections.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us through our online form:

Minnesota Voices Privacy Rights & Contact Form: www.minnesotavoices.org

For verified consumer rights requests under applicable privacy laws (including the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act and California Consumer Privacy Act), please use the contact form above and include "Privacy Rights Request" in the subject or message. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.

As the Project grows, we may provide additional contact methods, but your privacy rights can be exercised through the contact form provided above.