Effective Date: April 27, 2026
Last Updated: April 27, 2026
1. Introduction
This Privacy Notice for California Residents (the "Notice") supplements the information contained in our general Privacy Policy, and applies solely to visitors, users, and others who reside in the State of California ("consumers" or "you"). We adopt this Notice to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, the "CCPA"). Any terms defined in the CCPA have the same meaning when used in this Notice.
For purposes of this Notice, "we," "us," "our," and "the Company" refer to The Podcast Review, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of QCODE Media, Inc. The Podcast Review, LLC operates podcastreview.org, an editorial and podcast review website that also offers an email newsletter.
2. Personal Information We Collect
We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, references, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer, device, or household ("personal information"). Personal information does not include:
- Publicly available information from government records, or information that you have made publicly available;
- Deidentified or aggregated consumer information; or
- Information excluded from the CCPA's scope, such as information covered by HIPAA/CMIA, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, or the Driver's Privacy Protection Act.
2.1 Categories of Personal Information Collected
The chart below identifies the categories of personal information we have collected from consumers in the preceding twelve (12) months.
2.2 Sensitive Personal Information
We do not collect any categories of sensitive personal information as defined by the CCPA. The chart below reflects this:
3. Sources of Personal Information
We obtain the categories of personal information listed above from the following categories of sources:
- Directly from you — for example, when you subscribe to our newsletter, contact us by email, or otherwise voluntarily provide information.
- Automatically from your device and browser — through cookies, pixel tags, log files, local storage, and similar technologies when you visit podcastreview.org.
- From our service providers — including our website hosting provider, our newsletter email service provider MailerLite, our business email service provider Hey (37signals), Google Analytics, and Mediavine.
- From our advertising partners — including Mediavine and its programmatic advertising ecosystem, which may provide aggregated or segment-level information used in the course of delivering advertising.
4. How We Use Personal Information
We may use the personal information we collect for the following business and commercial purposes:
- Operating podcastreview.org and delivering our editorial content, reviews, articles, and lists;
- Sending our newsletter to subscribers who have opted in, and managing subscription preferences (including unsubscribe requests);
- Measuring and analyzing website traffic, audience engagement, and site performance;
- Displaying advertising on our site, including programmatic advertising delivered through Mediavine, and serving directly sold advertisements (direct advertisers do not receive personal information);
- Responding to consumer inquiries, requests, and exercise of privacy rights;
- Detecting, investigating, and preventing security incidents, fraud, and misuse of the Services;
- Complying with applicable laws and legal process, and exercising or defending our legal rights; and
- Supporting corporate transactions, including evaluating potential mergers, acquisitions, financings, or reorganizations involving the Company or its parent, QCODE Media, Inc.
We will not collect additional categories of personal information, or use the personal information we collected for materially different, unrelated, or incompatible purposes, without providing you notice. Where required by law, we will also obtain your consent.
5. Disclosing, Selling, and Sharing Personal Information
5.1 Business-Purpose Disclosures to Service Providers and Contractors
We disclose personal information to the following categories of service providers and contractors for the business purposes described in Section 4. These disclosures are made pursuant to written contracts that prohibit the recipients from using personal information for any purpose other than performing the contract, as required by the CCPA.
5.2 Sales and Sharing of Personal Information
We "share" personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, and our use of third-party advertising technology may also constitute "selling" personal information, as those terms are defined under the CCPA. This occurs primarily through our use of programmatic advertising delivered via Mediavine and, depending on configuration, through Google Analytics and related Google advertising products.
Directly sold advertising on our site does not involve the transfer of personal information to the advertiser. Direct advertisers purchase ad placements only and do not receive information about site visitors through those placements.
We do not have actual knowledge that we sell or share the personal information of consumers under 16 years of age. We do not sell or share sensitive personal information.
In the preceding twelve (12) months, we have disclosed the following categories of personal information to the following categories of third parties for purposes that may constitute "selling" or "sharing" under the CCPA:
6. Your Rights Under the CCPA
If you are a California resident, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
6.1 Right to Know and Data Portability
You have the right to request that we disclose information about our collection, use, disclosure, sale, and sharing of your personal information over the preceding 12 months, including the specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you. You may exercise this right up to twice in any 12-month period.
6.2 Right to Delete
You have the right to request that we delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions (for example, where retention is necessary to complete a transaction, comply with a legal obligation, or detect security incidents).
6.3 Right to Correct
You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal information we maintain about you.
6.4 Right to Opt-Out of Sale and Sharing
You have the right to direct us to stop selling and sharing your personal information. Because we collect personal information from you online and do not sell or share personal information offline, we offer the following methods for submitting an opt-out request:
(1) Global Privacy Control (GPC) / opt-out preference signal. We process GPC signals as valid requests to opt-out of sale and sharing. When we detect a GPC signal from your browser or device, we apply the opt-out to (a) that browser or device, and (b) any consumer profile we associate with that browser or device, including pseudonymous profiles. If you are identifiable to us at the time of the signal — for example, as a logged-in newsletter subscriber whose email we can associate with the browser — we will also apply the opt-out to your associated identifiers. Because we do not sell or share personal information offline, the signal fully effectuates your right to opt-out without additional information from you. Once you have sent a GPC signal, we will not interpret the later absence of a signal as consent to resume selling or sharing for as long as you remain known to us.
(2) "Your California Privacy Choices" page. You may visit our "Your California Privacy Choices" page at [URL TO BE ADDED] and use the interactive form there to submit an opt-out request.
(3) Email. You may email us at newsletter@podcastreview.org with the subject line "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information."
We do not require you to create an account or to verify your identity in order to submit an opt-out request, although we may ask for information necessary to apply the opt-out to the correct records. We will display on our website whether your opt-out request has been processed.
6.5 Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information
We do not collect sensitive personal information as defined by the CCPA. To the extent we incidentally receive personal information that could be characterized as sensitive (for example, in the body of a consumer email sent to us), we use and disclose it only for the purposes permitted under 11 CCR § 7027(m). Accordingly, we are not required to provide, and do not currently offer, a separate "right to limit" mechanism. If this changes, we will update this Notice and make a limitation mechanism available.
6.6 Automated Decision-Making Technology (ADMT)
We do not use automated decision-making technology to make significant decisions about consumers, as those terms are defined under applicable California regulations. Accordingly, the ADMT access, opt-out, and appeal rights under those regulations do not currently apply to our processing.
6.7 Right to Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate or retaliate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.
7. How to Exercise Your Rights
7.1 Submitting a Request
To submit a request to know, delete, or correct your personal information, you or your authorized agent may contact us using the following methods:
- Email: newsletter @ podcastreview.org
- Mail: The Podcast Review, LLC, 3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 600, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Please describe your request with sufficient detail so that we can properly understand, evaluate, and respond. You or your authorized agent may submit a request to know, including for data portability, up to twice in any 12-month period.
7.2 Submitting an Opt-Out or Limitation Request
To opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information, use one of the methods listed in Section 6.4.
7.3 Verification
We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before responding to a verifiable consumer request. For newsletter subscribers, we will generally verify requests by confirming the email address associated with the subscription. For other requests, we may ask for additional information to match against information we hold. We will only use personal information provided in a request to verify the requester's identity or authority to make the request.
7.4 Authorized Agents
You may designate an authorized agent to submit requests on your behalf. We will require the agent to provide written, signed authorization from you, and we may require you to verify your identity directly with us or confirm that you have provided the agent permission to submit the request.
7.5 Response Timing
Within 10 business days after we receive your request to know, delete, or correct, we will confirm receipt of the request and describe, in general terms, our verification process and when you should expect a substantive response. We will respond substantively within 45 calendar days of receipt. If we require additional time (up to another 45 days), we will notify you in writing of the reason and extension period. Any disclosures we provide will cover the 12-month period preceding our receipt of the request, except for requests to know where a longer period is specifically requested and providing it would not be impossible or require disproportionate effort.
For requests to opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information, we will process your request as soon as feasibly possible and no later than 15 business days after we receive the request. We will notify the third parties to whom we have sold or shared your personal information in the preceding 90 days that you have opted out, and direct them to comply with your request.
We do not charge a fee to process or respond to a verifiable consumer request unless it is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded.
8. Children Under 16
Our website is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of consumers under 16 years of age. Although some of our articles, reviews, and lists may cover podcasts or other content intended for children, the website itself is designed for and directed to adult readers. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a consumer under 16 in a manner that would require opt-in consent under the CCPA, we will take steps to address it, including by deleting the information or ceasing to sell or share it as appropriate. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at newsletter @ podcastreview.org.
9. How We Protect Your Personal Information
We use commercially reasonable administrative, physical, and technical measures designed to protect personal information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. However, no website or online service is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the security of personal information transmitted to or through our site. Any transmission is at your own risk, and you are responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect your personal information.
10. Changes to This Privacy Notice
We reserve the right to update this Privacy Notice from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date above and post the revised Notice on our website. We encourage you to review this Notice periodically.
11. Contact Information
If you have questions or comments about this Privacy Notice, the ways in which we collect and use your personal information, or your rights and choices regarding such use, please contact us at:
The Podcast Review, LLC
Email: newsletter @ podcastreview.org
Mail: 3130 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 600, Santa Monica, CA 90403
If you need to access this Privacy Notice in an alternative format due to a disability, please contact newsletter @ podcastreview.org.
