Privacy Policy

1. Our Approach to Privacy

Decentric Media Inc., doing business as DeFiance Media (“DeFiance Media,” “DeFiance,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), believes trust should be earned through transparency and meaningful user control.

Our approach is simple: collect what we reasonably need, explain why we need it, protect it, keep it only as long as necessary, and give people meaningful choices about how their information is used.

We do not believe personal information should automatically become a product simply because someone visits a website, watches a program, subscribes to a newsletter, or interacts with an AI-powered service.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain and protect personal information when you use DeFiance Media websites, applications, newsletters, memberships, marketplaces, events, streaming products and other digital services that link to this Policy (collectively, the “Services”).

Our journalistic and editorial activities may also involve information obtained from interviews, public records, licensed content, news sources and other lawful sources. Those activities may be subject to separate legal protections and editorial standards.

2. Our Privacy Principles

We design our privacy practices around several principles.

• We seek to minimize the personal information we collect and use it only for legitimate, disclosed purposes.
• We do not sell personal information for money.
• We do not provide identifiable audience information to investors.
• We do not permit data brokers to build profiles of DeFiance users from information we knowingly provide to them.
• Where advertising technologies may constitute “sharing,” “targeted advertising,” or “cross-context behavioral advertising” under applicable law, we provide applicable privacy choices and honor legally recognized opt-out preference signals.
• We favor contextual advertising, aggregated audience measurement and privacy-preserving analytics wherever commercially practical.
• We do not use private user communications, private account information or private AI prompts to train generalized artificial-intelligence models without appropriate notice and, where appropriate, affirmative permission.
• We do not create an AI replica, digital twin, synthetic voice, synthetic likeness or biometric identity of an individual from information collected through the Services without explicit authorization or another lawful basis.
• We do not attempt to infer highly sensitive characteristics such as health status, sexual orientation, religious belief or political affiliation merely for advertising purposes.
• We do not discriminate against users for exercising legitimate privacy rights.

3. Information We May Collect

The information we collect depends upon how you interact with DeFiance.

Information You Provide

This may include your name, email address, telephone number, account information, newsletter preferences, event registrations, membership information, customer-service communications, survey responses and other information you choose to provide.

If you make a purchase, subscription or other transaction, payment information is generally processed by our payment providers. We seek to avoid directly storing complete payment-card information when a specialized payment provider can process it instead.

Device and Usage Information

When you access our Services, we may receive information such as IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, referring page, pages or content viewed, approximate location derived from an IP address, timestamps and interactions with the Services.

We seek to aggregate or de-identify this information where reasonably possible.

Information From Partners

We may receive information from service providers, social platforms, distribution platforms, event partners, analytics providers and other partners when you interact with DeFiance through those services. Information received from a third party remains subject to applicable law and our contractual obligations.

Streaming and Viewing Information

DeFiance programming is distributed through FAST, CTV, OTT and other third-party platforms. Those platforms may provide us with audience, viewing and performance information. Where reasonably possible, we use aggregated or de-identified viewing information rather than information identifying individual viewers.

Blockchain and Wallet Information

If DeFiance introduces blockchain-enabled features, a user may choose to provide a public wallet address or authorize a wallet connection. Public blockchain activity may be publicly visible and cannot necessarily be deleted from the underlying blockchain. DeFiance will never ask you to provide your wallet seed phrase or private cryptographic key.

4. Sensitive Information, Voice, Likeness and Biometrics

Certain information deserves stronger protection.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information unless it is reasonably necessary for a feature you request, an authorized production, a contractual relationship, security, legal compliance or another disclosed purpose.

Voice recordings, facial images and other media can potentially be used to create biometric identifiers or synthetic representations. DeFiance will not use a person's voice, face, likeness or other biometric characteristics collected through the Services to create a commercial digital twin, voice clone, synthetic performer or persistent biometric identifier without explicit authorization or another clearly disclosed lawful basis.

Participation in a DeFiance production, interview or professional media project may be governed by a separate appearance release, production agreement, license or other contract.

5. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is an important part of DeFiance's technology and media strategy. Privacy and human agency should remain part of that strategy.

DeFiance may use AI to assist with activities including news production, transcription, translation, localization, recommendation systems, search, content creation, editing, moderation, analytics and customer support. When users interact directly with an AI-powered DeFiance feature, information submitted to that feature may need to be processed by DeFiance or contracted technology providers in order to provide the requested functionality.

We do not intentionally use private consumer communications or private AI interactions to train generalized AI models for unrelated purposes without appropriate disclosure and, where required or appropriate, affirmative consent. We seek contractual and technical protections from AI service providers handling private DeFiance information, including restrictions on unauthorized secondary use where available.

We do not use AI or automated systems to make decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects concerning a consumer's eligibility for employment, housing, credit, healthcare or education through our consumer Services. If that changes, we will provide additional notice and choices required by applicable law.

6. How We Use Information

We may use personal information to operate and secure the Services; deliver content and requested services; administer memberships, subscriptions, events or transactions; communicate with you; provide newsletters and alerts you request; personalize your DeFiance experience; measure audience engagement; understand which programming and products are useful; prevent fraud and abuse; improve our technology; comply with legal obligations; and establish or defend legal rights.

We will not materially expand the use of previously collected personal information for an incompatible purpose without providing appropriate notice and obtaining consent when required.

7. Personalization

DeFiance may personalize content based on information such as content you have viewed, preferences you provide or interactions with our Services. Personalization does not mean we need to know everything about you.

We seek to avoid creating unnecessary behavioral profiles and do not intentionally infer sensitive personal characteristics solely for advertising or marketing purposes. Where applicable, users may disable certain forms of personalization through their account, cookie controls or privacy settings.

8. Advertising, Cookies and Analytics

DeFiance is a media company and advertising helps support our journalism, programming and Services. We may use cookies, pixels, software development kits and similar technologies for essential functionality, analytics, security, audience measurement, advertising and personalization.

Where required by law, non-essential advertising or analytics technologies will not be activated until appropriate permission has been obtained. Some advertising technologies may allow advertising partners to receive online identifiers or browsing information. Depending on applicable law, this activity may be considered “sharing,” “targeted advertising” or a “sale” even when DeFiance does not receive money specifically in exchange for personal information.

Users may exercise applicable choices through our Privacy Choices interface and recognized browser privacy signals. DeFiance honors qualifying Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals where required by applicable law. We seek to use aggregated, contextual and privacy-preserving advertising and measurement technologies wherever reasonably practical.

9. When We Share Information

We may provide information to service providers that perform functions on our behalf, including hosting, analytics, payment processing, email delivery, security, customer service, content delivery and technology services. These providers should receive only information reasonably necessary to perform their services and are subject to applicable contractual obligations.

We may also share information when necessary to comply with law, lawful legal process, protect rights or safety, investigate fraud or security incidents, or enforce our agreements.

We may work with advertising, distribution, commerce and media partners. Where identifiable information is provided to those partners for advertising purposes, applicable privacy rights and choices will be honored.

We do not provide personally identifiable audience databases to investors for investment analysis. Investors, lenders and strategic partners may receive aggregated, statistical or de-identified business information.

10. De-identified and Aggregated Information

We may create aggregated or de-identified information for audience measurement, research, product development, advertising measurement, business analysis and other legitimate purposes. When information has been de-identified, we will not intentionally attempt to re-identify it except where necessary to test whether our de-identification methods remain effective or as otherwise permitted by law.

11. Public Content

If you choose to publish a comment, profile, submission or other material publicly through a DeFiance Service, that information may become visible to others and may be copied or redistributed outside our control.

Public publication does not automatically give DeFiance permission to use your identity, voice or likeness to create an unrelated AI replica or synthetic identity. Requests to remove content will be honored where required by law and otherwise considered in accordance with our Terms, editorial policies and legitimate recordkeeping obligations.

12. Data Retention

We do not believe personal information should be retained indefinitely simply because storage is inexpensive. We retain identifiable information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including providing Services, maintaining records, completing transactions, preventing fraud, resolving disputes and satisfying legal requirements.

Where practical, we delete or de-identify information when the original purpose has expired. We aim to minimize the retention period for analytics identifiers and inactive marketing information, subject to operational, fraud-prevention, contractual and legal requirements.

13. Security

We maintain administrative, organizational and technical safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, destruction or misuse. No technology or communications system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a security incident involving personal information occurs, we will investigate it and provide legally required notifications.

14. Your Privacy Rights

We believe meaningful privacy rights should not depend entirely on where a user happens to live. Subject to reasonable verification, legal exceptions and technical feasibility, DeFiance aims to provide users with the ability to request access to personal information we maintain about them, correct inaccurate information, request deletion, obtain a portable copy where appropriate, withdraw consent, object to certain processing, opt out of targeted advertising or sale/sharing where applicable, and request information about our data practices.

Residents of jurisdictions including California, the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and certain other U.S. states may have additional statutory rights. We will not discriminate against a user for exercising a privacy right. Where applicable, an authorized agent may submit a request on your behalf. Requests may be submitted through our Privacy Request mechanism or by contacting our Privacy Department.

15. California Privacy Rights

California residents may have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended, including rights to know and access certain personal information; request deletion; request correction; opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information; limit certain uses of sensitive personal information where applicable; receive information regarding our practices; and exercise those rights without discriminatory treatment.

Where required, DeFiance will honor qualifying opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control. DeFiance does not sell personal information in exchange for money. Certain advertising technologies may nevertheless constitute “sharing” under California law. Users may exercise applicable opt-out rights through our Privacy Choices mechanism.

If DeFiance uses automated decision-making technology in circumstances subject to additional California rights, we will provide the notices, access and opt-out mechanisms required by applicable law.

16. International Users

DeFiance is based in the United States and operates in an international media environment. Information may therefore be processed in the United States or other jurisdictions where we or our service providers operate.

Where applicable law requires additional safeguards for international transfers, we will use appropriate contractual, organizational or legal mechanisms. Users in jurisdictions providing rights of access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection or data portability may contact us to exercise those rights.

17. Children and Teens

DeFiance's Services are intended primarily for adults and are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without legally required parental authorization. If we discover that personal information from a child under 13 has been collected improperly, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of individuals under 16 in circumstances requiring affirmative authorization under applicable law. As a matter of policy, we do not knowingly use personal information from individuals under 18 for behavioral advertising based on sensitive characteristics.

18. Corporate Transactions

If DeFiance participates in a merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. Any recipient of personal information will remain subject to applicable law.

We will not treat a corporate transaction as automatic permission to retroactively use previously collected personal information for materially incompatible purposes. If a transaction results in a material change to how personal information is used, we will provide appropriate notice and obtain additional consent when legally required.

19. Third-Party Services

Our Services may contain links to websites, applications, commerce providers, social networks, distribution platforms and other services operated by third parties. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not this Privacy Policy. We encourage users to review those policies before providing personal information.

20. Changes to This Policy

Privacy policies should not be a mechanism for quietly expanding data collection. We may update this Policy as our Services, technology or legal obligations evolve.

When changes are material, we will provide reasonable notice through the Services, email or another appropriate method. We will not rely solely on a retroactive policy change to authorize a materially different use of previously collected sensitive or private information when consent is required by law. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy identifies the most recent revision.

21. Contact and Privacy Requests

Questions, requests or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or DeFiance's privacy practices may be directed to:

We will verify and respond to privacy requests in accordance with applicable law.