Terms of Service & Privacy Policy

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Chicago Gust, an independently owned digital news publication based in Chicago, Illinois. By accessing or using our website, subscribing to our newsletters, or interacting with our content in any way, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this page, and we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document. Your continued use of the Site following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed of any updates.

If you are accessing the Site on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organization to these terms.

2. Use of Content and Intellectual Property

All content published on Chicago Gust, including but not limited to articles, photographs, graphics, illustrations, logos, page headers, button icons, and the overall design and layout of the Site, is owned by or licensed to Chicago Gust and is protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Permitted Uses

You are permitted to:

• Read and view our content for personal, non-commercial purposes
• Share links to our articles via social media, email, or other platforms with proper attribution
• Quote brief excerpts (up to 200 words) from our articles for purposes of commentary, criticism, or news reporting, provided you include a link to the original article and proper attribution to Chicago Gust
• Print individual articles for personal, non-commercial use
• Use our RSS feeds for personal news aggregation

Prohibited Uses

Without our express written permission, you may not:

• Reproduce, republish, or redistribute our content in whole or in substantial part
• Use our content for commercial purposes, including but not limited to selling, licensing, or distributing our articles
• Remove, alter, or obscure copyright notices, bylines, or attribution from our content
• Frame, embed, or mirror our Site or any portion thereof within another website or application
• Use our content to train artificial intelligence or machine learning models
• Create derivative works based on our content
• Scrape, harvest, or systematically collect our content using automated tools
• Use our trademarks, logos, or brand elements without written authorization

For licensing inquiries, syndication requests, or permission to use our content beyond these guidelines, please contact [email protected].

3. User Conduct and Submissions

When submitting news tips, story ideas, letters to the editor, comments, photographs, or other content to Chicago Gust, you grant us a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute, perform, and display such content in any media format or platform, whether now known or hereafter developed.

By making a submission, you represent and warrant that:

• You are the original creator of the content or have obtained all necessary rights and permissions
• Your submission does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or any other rights of any third party
• Your submission does not contain defamatory, libelous, obscene, harassing, threatening, or otherwise unlawful material
• Your submission does not contain viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• All factual information provided is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge

We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to review, edit, or remove any user submission at our sole discretion. We are not responsible for the content of user submissions and do not endorse any opinions expressed therein.

4. Accuracy, Corrections, and Editorial Standards

Chicago Gust is committed to accuracy, fairness, and ethical journalism. We adhere to the highest standards of journalistic integrity and strive to verify all facts before publication. Our reporters are expected to seek multiple sources, present balanced perspectives, and clearly distinguish between news reporting and opinion content.

Despite our best efforts, errors may occasionally occur. If you believe we have published incorrect information, please contact us at [email protected] with details about the error and any supporting documentation. We will promptly investigate and, if warranted, issue a correction.

Corrections will be noted on the affected article with a clear explanation of what was changed and when. Significant corrections may also be noted in a corrections notice. We believe transparency in our correction process builds trust with our readers and demonstrates our commitment to accuracy.

For more information about our editorial practices, please visit our Editorial Standards page.

5. Third-Party Links and External Content

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources that are not owned or controlled by Chicago Gust. These links are provided for your convenience and informational purposes only. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, practices, or availability of any third-party sites or resources.

The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by Chicago Gust of the linked site or its content. You access third-party sites at your own risk and should review their terms of service and privacy policies before use.

We may also display content from third parties, including embedded social media posts, videos, maps, and other multimedia content. Such content is subject to the terms of service of the respective platforms.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, MATERIALS, INFORMATION, AND SERVICES PROVIDED ON OR THROUGH THE SITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

Chicago Gust does not warrant that:

• The Site will be available at any particular time or location, or will operate without interruption or error
• Any defects or errors will be corrected
• The content is accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free
• The Site is free of viruses or other harmful components
• The results of using the Site will meet your requirements

Your use of the Site and any content or services obtained through the Site is at your own risk. You are solely responsible for any damage to your computer system or mobile device, loss of data, or other harm that results from your access to or use of the Site.

7. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL CHICAGO GUST, ITS OWNERS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS, LICENSORS, OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH:

• Your access to, use of, or inability to access or use the Site
• Any conduct or content of any third party on the Site
• Any content obtained from the Site
• Unauthorized access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content
• Any reliance placed on our content or information

Our total liability to you for any claims arising from your use of the Site shall not exceed one hundred dollars ($100). Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you.

8. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Chicago Gust and its owners, officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, licensors, and suppliers from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Site or any content obtained from the Site
• Your violation of these Terms of Service
• Your violation of any rights of another party, including intellectual property rights
• Any content you submit to the Site

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms of Service and any disputes arising out of or relating to these terms or the Site shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law.

Any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these terms or the Site shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

Before initiating any formal legal action, you agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute informally by contacting us at [email protected]. We will attempt to resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within 30 days of receiving your notice.

10. Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways to provide and improve our services. The types of information we collect include:

Information You Provide Directly

• Newsletter subscriptions: When you subscribe to our email newsletters, we collect your email address and any preferences you provide
• Contact forms and submissions: When you send us news tips, story ideas, letters to the editor, or contact us with inquiries, we collect the information you provide, including your name, email address, and message content
• Survey responses: If you participate in reader surveys, we collect your responses and any demographic information you choose to provide

Information Collected Automatically

• Device information: Browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution
• Usage information: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring URLs, and navigation patterns
• Location information: General geographic location based on IP address (city and state level)
• Log data: IP addresses, access times, error logs, and other technical information

Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and store certain information. Cookies are small data files placed on your device that help us understand how you use our Site and enable certain functionality. We use:

• Essential cookies: Necessary for the Site to function properly
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Site
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of the Site.

11. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Delivering content: To provide news articles, newsletters, and other content you request
• Improving our services: To understand how our Site is used and to make improvements to user experience, content, and functionality
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send newsletters you've subscribed to, and provide customer support
• Analytics: To analyze trends, track user behavior, and gather demographic information in aggregate form
• Legal compliance: To comply with legal obligations, enforce our terms, and protect our rights and the rights of others
• Security: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and other harmful activities

12. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We may share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as email delivery, analytics, and web hosting. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, such as in response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others
• Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice if your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy
• With your consent: We may share information with third parties when you have given us explicit permission to do so

We do not share personal information with advertisers. Any advertising on our Site does not involve the sale or sharing of your personal data.

13. Data Security and Retention

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS
• Secure hosting infrastructure with access controls
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited employee access to personal information on a need-to-know basis

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Newsletter subscription data is retained until you unsubscribe. Analytics data is typically retained for 26 months.

14. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
• Opt-out: You may opt out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in our emails or contacting us directly
• Do Not Track: Our Site does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals from browsers

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law.

15. Children's Privacy

Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe we may have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

16. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These rights include:

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
• The right to request deletion of your personal information
• The right to opt out of the sale of your personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact section below.

17. International Users

Chicago Gust is based in Chicago, Illinois, and our services are directed primarily to users in the United States. If you access our Site from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those of your country. By using our Site, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

18. Severability

If any provision of these Terms of Service or Privacy Policy is found to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.

19. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, together with any other legal notices or policies published on the Site, constitute the entire agreement between you and Chicago Gust concerning your use of the Site and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and representations.

20. Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision of these terms shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Chicago Gust.