Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Carson Communications & WCCG 104.5 FM Digital Platforms

This Privacy Policy explains how Carson Communications collects, uses, stores, and protects information from visitors using any of our websites, apps, or digital products, including WCCG 104.5 FM, Soul 104.5 FM, 104.5 FM The Vibe, Hot 104.5 FM, Yard N Riddim, The Community Directory, NCTix, and The Carson Communications Marketplace.

By using our websites or services, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

Who We Are

Our primary website address is: https://wccg1045fm.com.

Carson Communications is the parent company for all associated station websites, apps, online marketplaces, directories, ticketing tools, and listener platforms.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide, including:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Phone number

  • Mailing address

  • Username and password

  • Profile information

  • Uploaded media

  • Business listing or vendor information

  • Event submissions

  • Comments or messages sent through forms

  • Contest entries and promotional submissions

Comments

When visitors leave comments on our site, we collect the information entered into the comment form, the visitor’s IP address, and browser user agent to help detect spam.
An anonymized hash of your email address may be sent to the Gravatar service to check if you use it. After your comment is approved, your profile picture becomes publicly visible next to your comment.

Uploaded Media

If you upload images to the website, avoid uploading images that contain embedded EXIF GPS location data. Other visitors may download and extract location information from uploaded images.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Comment Cookies

If you leave a comment, you may opt-in to saving your name, email, and website in cookies for convenience. These cookies last one year.

Login Cookies

When visiting the login page, a temporary cookie checks whether your browser accepts cookies. It contains no personal data and is discarded when you close the browser.
When you log in:

  • Login cookies last 2 days

  • Display preference cookies last 1 year

  • “Remember Me” extends login to 2 weeks

  • Logging out removes these cookies

When editing or publishing content, a cookie is saved with the post ID of the article you edited, expiring after 1 day.

Analytics Cookies

We may use website analytics tools (Google Analytics, server logs, or similar platforms) to track site usage, improve performance, and understand visitor behavior. These tools may collect:

  • Browser type

  • Pages visited

  • Referring URLs

  • Device type

  • Approximate geographic location

  • Time spent on pages

This data is aggregated and not used to personally identify individuals.

Embedded Content From Other Websites

Articles or pages may include embedded content such as videos, images, or articles from external sources.
Embedded content behaves exactly as if you visited that external website and may collect data, use cookies, and track interactions if you are logged into those platforms.

Examples include:
YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (Twitter), Spotify, SoundCloud, Google Maps, and third-party advertising providers.

How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

  • Provide and maintain our websites and services

  • Process account registration

  • Respond to comments, support requests, or inquiries

  • Deliver newsletters or station updates (if you opt in)

  • Administer contests, promotions, and giveaways

  • Improve user experience

  • Personalize website content

  • Verify login and manage user accounts

  • Prevent spam and fraudulent activity

  • Support our listener rewards and loyalty programs

  • Provide analytics and performance reporting

  • Communicate station alerts, events, or marketing opportunities

  • Facilitate business listings, marketplace sales, and directory services

We do not sell your personal information to third-party marketers.

Who We Share Your Data With

We may share data with:

  • Service providers for analytics, hosting, email delivery, or spam detection

  • Third-party tools used for website operation (e.g., Gravatar, spam filters)

  • Payment processors for Marketplace or ticket purchases

  • Event or prize partners for contest fulfillment

  • Law enforcement if legally required

If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email.

How Long We Retain Your Data

  • Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely.

  • User accounts store personal information provided during registration.

  • Users may view, edit, or delete their information at any time (except usernames).

  • Administrators may also view and edit user information.

  • Analytics data may be retained for internal reporting for up to 26 months (or platform default settings).

  • Contest entries may be preserved as legally required.

  • Business listings, vendor profiles, and directory data may remain active until edited or removed by the business or platform administrators.

Your Rights Over Your Data

If you have an account on our site or have left comments, you may request:

  • An exported file of the personal data we hold about you

  • That we erase the personal data we hold about you

This does not include data required for:

  • Legal compliance

  • Security or fraud prevention

  • Administrative operations

  • Financial or transaction recordkeeping

Requests can be submitted through the platform’s contact form or station support email.

Where Your Data Is Sent

Visitor comments may be checked through automated spam detection services.
Analytics data may be processed through Google, Meta, or other third-party providers.
Marketplace transactions may be processed through third-party payment gateways.
Directory listings and business data may be visible to the public.

Security Measures

Carson Communications takes reasonable steps to protect your information from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. These include:

  • SSL encryption

  • Access controls

  • Secured account systems

  • Server monitoring

  • Regular software updates

However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute protection.

Children’s Privacy

Our websites are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. Parents may contact us to remove any data inadvertently collected.

Third-Party Links

Our websites may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or security of third-party websites.

Marketing & Communications

If you subscribe to email updates, newsletters, or alerts, you may opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link.
Transactional emails related to your account, purchases, contest entries, or security notifications cannot be unsubscribed because they are essential for service delivery.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

Carson Communications may update this Privacy Policy at any time. Revised versions will be posted on the website with an updated “Last Updated” date. Continued use of the website constitutes acceptance of any changes.