The Catalyst Magazine ("The Catalyst," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit catalyst-magazine.com or subscribe to our newsletter, how we use that information, and the choices you have. By using the Site, you agree to the practices described below.
Information We Collect
Information you give us
- Newsletter signups — when you subscribe, we collect your first name, last name, and email address.
- Contact and collaboration forms — we collect the name, email, and any details you include in your message.
- Writer and editor accounts — if you apply to contribute, we collect your name, email, a password (stored as a hash), and the drafts or comments you create in our editorial dashboard.
Information we collect automatically
- Usage data — pages viewed, referring URL, approximate location (from IP), browser type, and device type, collected through Google Analytics via Google Tag Manager and through our own aggregate, cookie-free site analytics. Our first-party location analytics store daily city totals only, not raw IP addresses or visitor identifiers.
- Cookies — small files used to remember your preferences and measure traffic. You can disable cookies in your browser, though some features may not work as a result.
- Email engagement — if you open a newsletter or click a link, our email provider may record that event so we can improve what we send.
How We Use Your Information
- To send the newsletter and other communications you opted in to receive.
- To respond to messages you send us through contact or collaboration forms.
- To operate the editorial dashboard for contributors and editors.
- To understand which stories resonate so we can improve the Site.
- To protect the Site against abuse, fraud, and security threats.
- To comply with legal obligations.
We do not sell your personal information. We do display third-party ads served by Google AdSense, which uses cookies to show relevant ads — see Section 03 for details and how to opt out.
Service Providers We Rely On
We use a small number of vendors to run the Site. They only process information on our behalf:
- Google Firebase & Google Cloud — authentication, database, and file storage.
- Cloudflare Pages — website hosting and delivery.
- Resend — newsletter delivery and subscriber list management.
- Google Analytics / Google Tag Manager — traffic measurement.
- Google AdSense — third-party advertising. Google and its partners use cookies and similar identifiers to serve ads based on your prior visits to this Site and other sites. You can opt out of personalized advertising at any time at adssettings.google.com, and you can learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.
Your Choices & Rights
- Unsubscribe — every newsletter contains a one-click unsubscribe link. You can also email us to be removed.
- Access & deletion — you can ask us for a copy of the information we hold about you, or ask us to delete it.
- Correction — if anything we hold is wrong, let us know and we will fix it.
- California / EU residents — you have the same rights and may also object to processing or ask us to restrict it.
To make any of these requests, email [email protected].
Children's Privacy
The Site is intended for readers aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
Data Retention & Security
We keep personal information only as long as we need it for the purposes above, or as required by law. We use industry-standard safeguards — including HTTPS, hashed passwords, and access-controlled storage — but no system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of the information you share with us.
International Users
The Site is operated from the United States. If you access it from elsewhere, your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the U.S. under U.S. law.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify subscribers by email.
Promotions, Sweepstakes & Raffles
From time to time we run promotions, raffles, giveaways, or sweepstakes (each, a “Promotion”). The terms in this Section apply to every Promotion we run, in addition to any specific rules posted on the Promotion’s own page. If a specific rule conflicts with this Section, the rule on the Promotion page controls.
Sponsor
All Promotions are sponsored and operated by The Catalyst Magazine, a student-run editorial publication based in Washington, D.C. Promotions are not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Meta Platforms, Inc. (Instagram, Facebook), Anthropic PBC (Claude), OpenAI OpCo, LLC (ChatGPT), Google LLC (Gemini), or any other third-party service that may be referenced. By entering, you release each of those companies from any and all liability related to the Promotion.
Eligibility
- Open to individuals who are at least 13 years old at the time of entry. Where local law sets a higher minimum age for prize redemption, that minimum applies.
- Void where prohibited, restricted, or taxed by law.
- Employees, contributors, founders, and immediate family members of The Catalyst Magazine are not eligible to win.
- One entry per person and per email address. Duplicate, automated, fraudulent, or bot-generated entries will be disqualified.
- Entrants under 18 (or the local age of majority) must have permission from a parent or legal guardian, who agrees to these terms on the entrant’s behalf.
No purchase necessary
No purchase is necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Standard data and message rates from your carrier may apply.
How to enter
The specific entry actions are described on each Promotion’s page. They may include subscribing to our newsletter and following one of our social media accounts. Following a social account is a verifiable public action; we do not receive private messages, contacts, or follower lists from those platforms beyond what is publicly visible.
Information we collect for Promotions
To run a Promotion fairly we may collect: your first name, last name, email address, social handle (if relevant), the time and IP address of your entry, and any prize-fulfillment information a winner provides (such as a mailing address or the email tied to a third-party AI account, where the prize is a paid subscription credit). We process this information under Sections 02 and 06 of this Policy.
Winner selection & notification
- Winners are chosen at random from eligible entries on the date stated on the Promotion page.
- We will attempt to notify winners by email or direct message within seven (7) days of the drawing.
- If a winner does not respond within fourteen (14) days, or is found to be ineligible, we may select an alternate winner.
- By accepting a prize, a winner consents to the use of their first name and city/state for announcement purposes on our website and social channels, unless prohibited by law.
Prizes
- Prizes are awarded “as is,” with no warranty of any kind, express or implied, to the maximum extent permitted by law.
- Prizes are non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash, except at our sole discretion.
- If a prize cannot be awarded as described (for example, if a third-party AI subscription is unavailable in the winner’s region or its provider materially changes its terms), we may substitute a prize of equal or greater value.
- Winners are solely responsible for any taxes, fees, or other charges associated with accepting or using a prize, and for complying with the third-party provider’s own terms of service.
Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Catalyst Magazine, its staff, contributors, and affiliates are not liable for any loss, damage, injury, or expense — whether direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential — arising from participation in a Promotion, acceptance of a prize, technical errors, lost or delayed entries, or the act or omission of any third-party service used in connection with the Promotion. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain damages; in those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the smallest amount permitted by law.
Right to modify or cancel
We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or cancel any Promotion at any time if we believe, in our sole discretion, that the Promotion has been compromised by fraud, technical failure, regulatory change, or any other cause that affects its fair administration.
Governing law
All Promotions are governed by the laws of the District of Columbia, United States, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising out of a Promotion will be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Washington, D.C., to the extent permitted by law.
Questions about a specific Promotion? Email [email protected] with the name of the Promotion in the subject line.
Contact Us
Questions about this Privacy Policy or your information? Reach out at:
The Catalyst Magazine2212 Washington Cir NW
Washington, DC 20037
[email protected]