Privacy Policy

Introduction

Coastal Authority Group, LLC, doing business as Coastal Virginia Authority (CVA), operates coastalvirginiaauthority.com. CVA respects the privacy of visitors, subscribers, businesses, organizations, event submitters, contributors, and other users. This Privacy Policy explains the information CVA may collect, how it may be used and shared, and the choices available to users. It applies to the CVA website and related forms and newsletters. It does not govern third-party websites linked from CVA.

Information We Collect

CVA may collect information that users provide directly, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, business or organization details, event information, profile-update requests, messages, consent confirmations, and files submitted through forms. Newsletter forms may collect an email address and related subscription preferences. CVA may also collect technical information such as IP address, browser type, device information, referring pages, pages viewed, approximate location derived from IP address, timestamps, and interactions with the website.

How We Use Information

CVA may use information to operate and improve the website; respond to inquiries; review business, event, contractor, profile-update, and other submissions; create or update draft records; communicate about a submission; deliver newsletters requested by a subscriber; prevent spam, fraud, abuse, and security incidents; maintain records; comply with law; enforce site policies; and analyze website performance. Submission does not guarantee publication, approval, featured placement, or a response within a particular time.

Cookies, Analytics & Similar Technologies

CVA uses Google Tag Manager to manage website tags, Google Analytics 4 to understand traffic, acquisition, content use and conversions, and Microsoft Clarity to create heatmaps and masked session recordings. When advertising measurement or retargeting is active and the user provides the required choice, CVA may also use Meta Pixel and campaign-specific Google Ads or LinkedIn tags. Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools help CVA understand search visibility and indexing. CVA does not intentionally send names, email addresses, phone numbers, form responses, uploaded files or other direct identifiers to analytics or advertising tools. Nonessential analytics and advertising technologies are controlled through the cookie banner and preference center.

How Information May Be Shared

CVA may share limited information with service providers that support hosting, website administration, form processing, private file storage, email delivery, analytics, heatmaps, security, advertising measurement, professional services and other operations. Current measurement providers may include Google, Microsoft and Meta for the purposes described in this policy and the Cookie and Tracking Notice. CVA may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, protect rights or safety, investigate abuse, complete a business transaction or respond to a valid legal request. CVA does not knowingly sell personal information for money. If future practices are treated as a sale, sharing or targeted advertising under applicable law, CVA will update its notices and required choices.

Submissions & Uploaded Files

Information submitted for a business, event, contractor, profile update, story idea, or other editorial purpose may be reviewed, edited, categorized, stored, verified, rejected, or used to create a draft or published record in accordance with the Submission Terms. Public-facing business, organization, event, and professional information may become visible if approved. Verification documents, capability statements marked private, and other supporting materials should remain restricted to authorized reviewers unless the submitter separately authorizes publication.

Retention & Security

CVA retains information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including editorial review, record maintenance, legal obligations, dispute resolution, security, and business operations. CVA uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the information handled. No website, transmission method, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.

Your Choices & Requests

Users may reject nonessential cookies, change analytics and advertising preferences through the preference center, and unsubscribe from marketing email through the link in a message. A person may contact CVA to request access to, correction of or deletion of personal information the person provided, or to raise a privacy concern, subject to identity verification, editorial and recordkeeping needs, legal obligations and applicable law. If consumer opt-out rights apply to CVA’s processing, the preference center and privacy request process will be used to honor those choices.

Children’s Privacy

CVA is a general-audience platform intended for adults, businesses, organizations, residents, visitors, and local decision-makers. Public submission forms are intended for users age 18 or older or for authorized adults acting for an organization. CVA does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. If CVA learns that such information was collected without appropriate authorization, it will take reasonable steps to delete it. Adults submitting information or images involving minors must have the authority and permissions required to do so.

Third-Party Links, Changes & Contact

CVA links to businesses, venues, government resources, ticketing platforms, maps, registration providers and other third-party sites. CVA is not responsible for their privacy practices or content. CVA may update this policy as technology, services or legal requirements change. Questions and privacy requests may be sent to privacy@coastalvirginiaauthority.com or mailed to Coastal Authority Group, LLC, doing business as Coastal Virginia Authority, 607 Lynnhaven Parkway, 1st Floor, Virginia Beach, VA 23452.