Last Updated: August 28, 2026

At The Northern Star (accessible from thenorthernstar.ca), we take the privacy, transparency, and data protection of our readers seriously. This Privacy Policy outlines the types of information collected and recorded by The Northern Star and how we use, protect, and process it in full compliance with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Quebec’s Law 25, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the California Consumer Privacy Act / California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA).

1. Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when contacting our editorial board, submitting an investigative tip, subscribing to newsletters, or requesting corrections. This may include your name, email address, message contents, and relevant attachments.

2. Log Files & Server Diagnostics

The Northern Star follows standard web server logging procedures. The data logged includes Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date/time stamps, referring/exit pages, and click paths. This diagnostic telemetry is not linked to any personally identifiable information and is used exclusively for systems administration, server load balancing, security threat mitigation, and readership traffic analysis.

3. Cookies and Web Beacons

Like most modern publications, The Northern Star uses ‘cookies’ to store user preferences, optimize viewport rendering speeds, and record session interactions. Users can manage or disable cookies at any time through their browser settings or via our on-site Consent Management banner.

4. Advertising Partners & Programmatic Networks (Google AdSense & Microsoft PubCenter)

The Northern Star works with trusted third-party advertising partners—including Google AdSense and Microsoft Advertising (PubCenter)—to display contextual, behavioral, and programmatic advertisements. Please note the following disclosures in accordance with Google and Microsoft Publisher Policies:

• Third-Party & Vendor Cookies: Third-party vendors (including Google and Microsoft) use cookies, web beacons, and unique device identifiers to serve advertisements based on your prior visits to this website and other websites across the Internet.
• Advertising Personalization: Advertising cookies enable our partners to serve relevant ads to our visitors based on their browsing interactions across The Northern Star and syndicated network properties.
• Google Ad Preferences Opt-Out: You may opt out of personalized Google advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
• Microsoft Advertising Preferences Opt-Out: You may manage or opt out of personalized Microsoft advertising by visiting Microsoft Privacy Ad Settings.
• Industry-Wide Consumer Choice: Visitors may universally opt out of third-party interest-based advertising through the Digital Advertising Alliance Consumer Choice Tool (aboutads.info), the DAAC (Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada), or the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI).

5. Consent Management Platform (CMP) for EEA / UK Visitors

In compliance with Google EU User Consent Policy, Microsoft Advertising Standards, and GDPR requirements, The Northern Star employs a certified Consent Management Platform (CMP). Visitors residing in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, and Switzerland have the explicit right to consent to, customize, or decline the use of advertising cookies and data processing for personalized ad delivery.

6. Canadian Privacy Compliance (PIPEDA & Quebec Law 25)

Under PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25, Canadian residents have the statutory right to request access to any personal data held about them, challenge its accuracy, and request its deletion. Inquiries regarding our data handling practices may be directed to our designated Privacy Lead.

7. California Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA — Do Not Sell My Personal Info)

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), California consumers possess the right to:

• Request disclosure of categories and specific pieces of personal information collected.
• Request the deletion of any collected personal data.
• Direct a business to not sell or share the consumer’s personal data. The Northern Star does not sell personal user information to third-party data brokers.

8. GDPR Data Protection Rights

Every user is entitled to data sovereignty. Subject to verification, you have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing, object to processing, and request data portability regarding your personal data.

9. Children’s Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

The Northern Star does not knowingly collect any Personal Identifiable Information from children under the age of 13. If you believe your child has provided personal information on our website, please contact us immediately and we will promptly purge such records from our databases.

10. Contacting the Editorial Board & Privacy Lead

If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your statutory data rights, please contact our editorial and privacy desk at editorial@thenorthernstar.ca.