Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 2026

The short version

• What we collect Your email address, event RSVP details, basic usage data from our newsletter and website, and payment details if you pay (handled by Stripe).
• What we don't do We don't sell your data and we don't give it to advertisers or sponsors.
• At events We take photos and record the podcast live. You may appear or be heard. You can ask us to leave you out or take something down.
• Your say Unsubscribe any time, or email us to delete your data. We respond within 45 days.

What we collect

• Your email address Required to deliver the newsletter to your inbox. Nothing more.
• Payment information If you subscribe to a paid tier, your payment is processed securely by Stripe. We never see or store your full card number.
• Basic usage data Our newsletter platform (Beehiiv) collects standard analytics: whether emails are opened, which links are clicked, and approximate location based on IP address. We review this data in aggregate to understand what content is useful.
• Website visits We use Google Analytics on millvalleybriefing.com. It sets cookies in your browser and collects information such as the pages you visit, your device and browser type, and your approximate location. See "Website analytics" below.
• Event RSVPs When you RSVP to an event, we collect the details you enter on the RSVP form. RSVPs are handled through Beehiiv.
• Photos, video and audio At our events we take photos and record audio for the podcast. If you attend, you may appear in photos or be heard in a recording. See "Events, photos and recordings" below.
• What you choose to share If you reply to an email or submit a tip, we receive whatever you include in that message. We treat all correspondence with discretion.

How we use it

• To deliver the newsletter Your email address is used solely to send you the Mill Valley Briefing editions you signed up for.
• To improve coverage Aggregate readership and website data helps us understand which stories matter most to our community. We review this data to understand what content resonates. We do not use it to profile individual subscribers.
• To run events RSVP details are used to manage attendance and to contact you about the event you signed up for.
• To publish our coverage Photos and audio from events may appear in the newsletter, on our website, on our social channels and in the podcast.
• To process payments If you're a paid subscriber, your billing details are used to manage your subscription. You can cancel at any time from your subscriber portal or by emailing us directly.

What we don't do

• We don't sell your data Your email address and subscriber information will never be sold to third parties, full stop.
• We don't share for marketing We do not share your information with advertisers or sponsors. Our commercial relationships have no access to subscriber or RSVP data.

Third-party services

The Mill Valley Briefing uses the following services to operate:

• Beehiiv Our newsletter platform, which handles email delivery, subscriber management, event RSVPs and basic analytics. Beehiiv has its own privacy practices which you can review at beehiiv.com/privacy.
• Stripe Payment processing for paid subscriptions. Stripe is PCI-compliant and does not share your financial information with us beyond what is needed to confirm your subscription status.
• Google Analytics Website analytics. Google receives the usage data described in "Website analytics" below. Google's practices are described at policies.google.com/privacy.
• Spotify and Apple Podcasts Our podcast is distributed through Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you listen there, those services collect their own listener data under their own privacy policies. We may see aggregate listening statistics, not who you are.

Website analytics

Our website uses Google Analytics to count visitors and see which pages people read. Google Analytics sets cookies in your browser and collects information such as the pages you visit, your device and browser type and your approximate location. We use this in aggregate to understand what readers find useful. We do not use it to build profiles of individuals, and we do not use it for advertising.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, or install Google's opt-out browser add-on.

Our website does not respond to "Do Not Track" browser signals. We do not use your information for advertising or track you across other websites.

Events, photos and recordings

Mill Valley Briefing events are open to the public. By attending, you agree to the following.

• Photos and video We take photos at our events, including wide shots of the room. We may publish them in the newsletter, on our website and on our social channels. We do not use photos to suggest that you endorse a product or sponsor.
• Audio We record the podcast live at our events. If you speak in the room, ask a question or call something out, your voice may be heard in the recording and in the published episode. Episodes are distributed through Spotify and Apple Podcasts and remain available there.
• If you'd rather not appear Tell a member of our team at the event and we will make a reasonable effort to keep you out of photos and to leave your voice out of the episode. We can't promise to exclude you from wide crowd shots or from sound picked up from the room.
• Taking something down If you appear or can be heard in something we published and want it removed, email editor@millvalleybriefing.com with a link or episode title and a description of where you appear. We will review reasonable requests promptly, including editing audio out of an episode. We can't pull content that others have already copied or shared elsewhere, and podcast apps may take time to update.
• Children If you bring a child, you are agreeing to this section for them. Tell us if you don't want your child photographed or recorded and we will honor that.

Children's privacy

The Briefing is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has given us information, email us and we will delete it.

How long we keep it

• Newsletter and RSVP data Held in Beehiiv until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it.
• Payment records Held by Stripe for as long as tax and financial rules require.
• Website analytics Google Analytics keeps detailed event data and data tied to cookies or user identifiers for 2 months. The clock restarts if you visit again. Aggregated reports, which don't identify individuals, are kept longer.
• Photos and episodes Kept until we take them down, whether at our own choice or at your request.

Your rights

• Unsubscribe Every edition of the Briefing includes an unsubscribe link at the bottom. One click removes you from all future mailings.
• Cancel a paid subscription You can manage or cancel your paid subscription at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of any email you've received from us.
• Request deletion If you'd like your data removed, email us at editor@millvalleybriefing.com and we will respond within 45 days. Note that some data may be held by Beehiiv, Stripe, Google, Spotify or Apple at the platform level. We'll direct you to the right place if needed.
• Privacy requests If you have questions about what data we hold, or want to request a correction, get in touch at the address below. If you live in California, you can ask what personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct or delete it, and ask us not to sell or share it. We don't sell it, and we won't treat you differently for asking.

Changes to this policy

Questions

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your information, please get in touch.