Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 01-April-2026

Welcome to Cold Case Archive, accessible at https://coldcasearchive.org. This Privacy Policy has been created to clearly explain how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website. This policy also explains your rights regarding your personal data and how you can exercise those rights.

By accessing or using Cold Case Archive, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described in this policy, please discontinue use of this website.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with transparency, integrity, and full compliance with applicable data protection laws including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and all other relevant regional privacy regulations.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you have questions about any section, please contact us using the details provided at the end of this document.

1. Information We Collect

Cold Case Archive may collect two types of information when you visit our website:

1.1 — Information You Provide Voluntarily

This is information you actively submit to us, which may include:

• Contact Form Submissions: Your name, email address, and any message content you submit through our contact form.
• Comment Submissions: If our website includes a commenting feature, any name, email address, and comment content you choose to submit.
• Correction or Removal Requests: Any personal information you include when submitting a correction, update, or content removal request.
• Email Subscriptions: Your email address if you choose to subscribe to any newsletters or case update notifications.

We only collect this information when you voluntarily choose to provide it. You are never required to submit personal information to browse the content on Cold Case Archive.

1.2 — Information Collected Automatically

When you visit Cold Case Archive, certain technical information is collected automatically by our website and third-party services. This may include:

• IP Address: Your internet protocol address, which may indicate your general geographic location.
• Browser Type and Version: The web browser you are using to access the site.
• Device Type: Whether you are accessing via desktop, mobile, or tablet.
• Operating System: The operating system running on your device.
• Referring URL: The website or link that directed you to Cold Case Archive.
• Pages Visited: The specific pages and articles you view during your session.
• Time and Date of Visit: The timestamp of your visit and how long you spend on each page.
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Data collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies (explained in detail in Section 4).

This automatically collected information is used for analytical purposes, website performance improvement, and to deliver relevant advertising through third-party services.

2. How We Use Your Information

Cold Case Archive uses the information collected for the following purposes:

• To Operate and Maintain the Website: Ensuring the site functions correctly across all devices and browsers.
• To Improve User Experience: Analyzing how visitors navigate the site to improve content layout, structure, and accessibility.
• To Respond to Inquiries: Replying to messages submitted through our contact form in a timely and appropriate manner.
• To Process Correction and Removal Requests: Reviewing and responding to requests related to published content.
• To Send Newsletters or Updates: If you have subscribed, we may send periodic email updates about new case publications or site news. You may unsubscribe at any time.
• To Display Advertising: We use third-party advertising services, including Google AdSense, to display relevant advertisements on our website. These services may use collected data to serve ads based on your interests.
• To Monitor Website Security: Identifying and preventing fraudulent activity, unauthorized access, or technical vulnerabilities.
• To Comply With Legal Obligations: Responding to lawful requests from regulatory or law enforcement authorities when required by applicable law.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for their own marketing purposes.

3. Google AdSense & Third-Party Advertising

Cold Case Archive participates in the Google AdSense advertising program operated by Google LLC. Google AdSense uses cookies and tracking technologies to serve personalized advertisements to users based on their browsing history and interests.

How Google AdSense Works:

• Google uses the DoubleClick cookie to serve ads based on your previous visits to this and other websites.
• Google may also use data collected from their advertising partners to further personalize the ads you see.
• The ads displayed on Cold Case Archive are selected and delivered entirely by Google’s automated advertising systems.
• Cold Case Archive does not have access to the data Google collects for advertising purposes.

Your Advertising Choices:

• You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting: https://www.google.com/settings/ads
• You may opt out of third-party vendor cookies by visiting: https://www.aboutads.info/choices
• You can also manage ad preferences across the Google Display Network at: https://adssettings.google.com

For more information about how Google collects and uses data, please review Google’s Privacy Policy at: https://policies.google.com/privacy

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cold Case Archive uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device by your web browser when you visit a website.

Types of Cookies We Use:

Managing Your Cookie Preferences:

You have the right to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features on our website.

To manage or delete cookies, consult the help documentation for your specific browser:

• Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647
• Mozilla Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cookies-information-websites-store-on-your-computer
• Safari: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-sfri11471/mac
• Microsoft Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/delete-cookies-in-microsoft-edge

5. Google Analytics

Cold Case Archive uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to monitor and analyze website traffic and user behavior. Google Analytics collects information such as:

• Number of visitors and sessions
• Pages viewed and average session duration
• Geographic location (country and city level only)
• Device type and browser information
• Traffic sources and referral data

All data collected by Google Analytics is anonymized and aggregated. We do not use Google Analytics to collect personally identifiable information.

You may opt out of Google Analytics data collection by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, available at: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

For more information about Google Analytics’ privacy practices, visit: https://policies.google.com/privacy

6. Third-Party Links

Cold Case Archive may contain links to external websites, official law enforcement pages, government databases, and other third-party resources. These links are provided for informational and reference purposes only.

Please be aware that Cold Case Archive has no control over the content, privacy practices, or data collection methods of any external website. We are not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of any third-party site. We strongly encourage you to review the privacy policy of every external website you visit.

The inclusion of any external link on Cold Case Archive does not constitute an endorsement of that website or its content.

7. Children’s Privacy

Cold Case Archive is not directed toward or intended for use by individuals under the age of 18 years. Due to the nature of our content, which covers criminal investigations, unsolved crimes, and related subject matter, this site is intended for adult audiences only.

We do not knowingly collect, solicit, or store personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has submitted personal information to our website, please contact us immediately using the details provided at the end of this policy. We will take prompt action to delete any such information from our records.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your country or region of residence, you may have specific rights regarding your personal data. These rights may include:

8.1 — GDPR Rights (European Union Residents)

If you are located within the European Union or European Economic Area, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation:

• Right of Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure: You have the right to request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain legal conditions.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we limit how we use your personal data.
• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data for certain purposes including direct marketing.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

8.2 — CCPA Rights (California Residents)

If you are a resident of California, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:

• Right to Know: You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal data we have collected about you.
• Right to Delete: You have the right to request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt out of the sale of your personal information. Cold Case Archive does not sell personal information.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: You have the right to receive equal service and pricing, regardless of whether you exercise your CCPA privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 11.

9. Data Retention

Cold Case Archive retains personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by applicable law.

• Contact form submissions are retained only as long as necessary to respond to and resolve your inquiry.
• Analytics data collected through Google Analytics is subject to Google’s own data retention policies.
• Advertising data collected by Google AdSense is subject to Google’s data retention policies.

When personal data is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely delete or anonymize it.

10. Data Security

Cold Case Archive takes reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure HTTPS encryption across all pages of the website
• Restricted access to administrative systems
• Regular monitoring of website security and infrastructure
• Use of reputable and established third-party services with their own security standards

However, please be aware that no method of data transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. By using Cold Case Archive, you acknowledge and accept this inherent risk.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Cold Case Archive reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be reflected by updating the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of Cold Case Archive following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

If changes are significant, we will make reasonable efforts to provide a more prominent notice.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us through:

• Contact Page: https://coldcasearchive.org/contact-us/
• Email: contact@coldcasearchive.org
• Website: https://coldcasearchive.org

We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 business days of receipt.