Your privacy, our priority
At Black Swamp Media, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency in how we handle your information. This policy outlines our practices regarding data collection, usage, and sharing, reflecting our dedication to human rights advocacy and your data sovereignty.
Understanding your digital footprint
Like nearly every professional website, Black Swamp Media automatically logs certain technical details to ensure site functionality and security. This "digital footprint" data helps us maintain a secure and efficient platform while also serving as a counter-surveillance tool in our investigative work.
Automated data collection:
- IP addresses: We log IP addresses, which can help us identify potential surveillance from government agencies or specific police departments viewing our investigative reports.
- Device and browser type: This information helps us optimize the site's display across various devices, from iPhones to desktops.
- Referral source: We track how visitors arrive at our site, whether from a search engine, social media, or direct URL entry.
Anonymous analytics:
We use basic analytics to monitor the performance of our "audits" and content. This includes tracking page views to see which investigations resonate most and how long visitors engage with our content. Webador, our hosting platform, generally anonymizes IP addresses for these statistics, indicating general geographic locations rather than specific individuals.
How your information strengthens our investigations
The information we collect is crucial for our mission of human rights advocacy and accountability. We leverage this data to establish "clearly established" facts and identify systemic patterns of injustice.
Establishing "clearly established" facts:
In civil rights litigation, specifically under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, an officer's liability often hinges on whether a "clearly established" right was violated. We cross-reference names, badge numbers, and GPS coordinates provided by you with departmental policies and past misconduct records. Our goal is to demonstrate that an official knew, or should have known, their actions were illegal.
Identifying systemic patterns:
Individual complaints are often dismissed as isolated incidents. By aggregating data from multiple visitors, we can identify patterns of oppression. For example, if we receive several reports of illegal searches at the same location or by the same unit, it transforms from a personal grievance into a systemic investigation. This approach enables us to produce high-fidelity reports that drive institutional change or form the basis for class-action advocacy.
Our strict non-disclosure directive
Black Swamp Media adheres to a strict policy of Strategic Non-Cooperation regarding the disclosure of your personal information and investigative evidence. We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your data with any third-party corporations, data brokers, or political organizations.
No data monetization:
We are an investigative firm, not a marketing agency. We do not use tracking pixels to follow you across the web, nor do we ever sell our contact lists.
No voluntary law enforcement disclosure:
We do not partner with law enforcement agencies or government entities. Evidence of institutional oppression submitted to us is treated as Protected Journalistic Work Product under the Privacy Protection Act (42 U.S.C. § 2000aa). We do not provide "backdoor" access to our intake files.
Essential service providers only:
The only entities that "touch" your data are our secure hosting platform, Webador, and our encrypted email providers. These providers are critical for maintaining our operational integrity and are bound by stringent privacy agreements.
Your data rights and sovereignty
As a private investigative enterprise, we believe you should always maintain control over your digital footprint. You have the following rights regarding any personal information we hold:
The right to know (access):
You can request a copy of the specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you. We will provide this in a portable, easily readable format.
The right to rectify (change):
If you find that the information we hold is inaccurate or outdated—such as an old email address or a detail in a tip—you have the right to request a correction immediately.
The right to erasure (the right to be forgotten):
You may request that we delete your personal data from our systems. Note: While we will honor all valid deletion requests for contact info and personal data, we may be legally required to retain certain Investigative Work Product if it is part of an ongoing legal audit, a published report, or if it is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims.