History of the Marine Corps Privacy Policy
Effective Date: July 10, 2025
For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Firewatch Productions” (also referred to as “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the podcast History of the Marine Corps, the primary site at historyofthemarinecorps.com, and its subdomains, including ai.historyofthemarinecorps.com. Firewatch Productions is committed to bringing you entertainment and communication while respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and disclose information through our websites, mobile applications, and other online services and products that link to or post this Privacy Policy, and when you access our podcasts (whether through our services or third-party services), collectively referred to hereafter as “Services”. Please read the entire Privacy Policy before using our Services. By using the Services, you consent to the terms of this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service.
1. Information We Collect
A. Information You Provide.
We may collect information you provide directly via the Services, including certain Personal Information (defined below). We may ask you for some or all of the following types of information when you register with our Services, access various content or features, register for contests or sweepstakes, submit comments and other content, order products, or directly contact us with questions or feedback:
Contact information, such as name, e-mail address, postal address, and telephone number;
User name, display name, and password;
Demographic information, such as age information and gender;
Payment information, such as credit card number and expiration date;
Communications preferences;
Search queries;
Stories, comments, photos, and other information posted in our interactive online features;
Correspondence and other information that you send to us; and
Additional information as otherwise described to you at the point of collection or pursuant to your consent.
The information you provide may include Personal Information. "Personal Information" is information that can be used to identify you (whether alone or in combination). Personal Information once “de-identified” so that it cannot be linked back to you is not subject to this Privacy Policy and we may treat it as non-Personal Information and use it without obligation to you except as prohibited by applicable law.
B. Information Automatically Collected.
We also may collect certain information automatically when you use the Services (“Usage Information”), including:
Your browser type and operating system;
Your Internet Protocol (IP) address, which is the number automatically assigned to your computer whenever you access the Internet and that can sometimes be used to derive your general geographic area;
Geolocation information;
Other unique identifiers, including mobile device identification numbers;
Sites you visited before and after visiting the Services;
Pages you view and links you click on within the Services;
Information collected through cookies, web beacons, and other technologies;
Information about your interactions with e-mail messages, such as the links clicked on and whether the messages were opened or forwarded; and
Standard Server Log Information.
We also collect technical and behavioral data to help monitor, secure, and improve the Services. This may include: screen resolution, viewport size, device type, platform type, browser name and version, operating system, screen orientation, network type, CPU threads, available device memory, color scheme (e.g., dark mode), scroll depth, active elements, click history, page load times, script errors, idle time, refocus events, interaction types (e.g., mouse, keyboard, or touch), time spent on page, modal acknowledgments, and input provided in AI chat or Q&A interactions. Some of this data may be collected through third-party tools such as Google Analytics, which may set their own cookies and tracking technologies. To learn more about how Google collects and processes data, see Google’s Privacy Policy.
Except to the extent required by applicable law, Firewatch Productions does not consider Usage Information to be Personal Information. However, Usage Information may be combined with your Personal Information that we collect. To the extent that we combine Usage Information with your Personal Information, we will treat the combined information as Personal Information under this Privacy Policy.
We may use cookies, pixel tags, Local Shared Objects (sometimes referred to as “Flash Cookies”), and other technologies to automatically collect Usage Information as described below.
Cookies, Pixel Tags, and Local Shared Objects
Cookies are small bits of information that are stored by your computer’s web browser. You can decide if and how your computer will accept a cookie by configuring your preferences or options in your browser. However, if you choose to reject cookies, you may not be able to use certain online products, services or features on the Services.
Pixel tags are very small images or small pieces of data embedded in images, also known as “web beacons” or “clear GIFs,” that can recognize cookies, the time and date a page is viewed, a description of the page where the pixel tag is placed, and similar information from your computer or device.
Local Shared Objects (sometimes referred to as “Flash Cookies”) are similar to standard cookies except that they can be larger and are downloaded to a computer or mobile device by the Adobe Flash media player. Please note that you may need to take additional steps beyond changing your browser settings to refuse or disable Local Shared Objects and similar technologies. For example, Local Shared Objects can be controlled through the instructions on Adobe’s Setting Manager page. If you choose to refuse, disable, or delete these technologies, some of the functionality of the Services may no longer be available to you.
Embedded Scripts
An embedded script is programming code designed to collect information about your interactions with the Services. It is temporarily downloaded onto your device from our web server or a third party with whom we work, is active only while you are connected to the Services, and deleted or deactivated thereafter.
Location-identifying Technologies
GPS (global positioning systems) software, geo-filtering, and other location-aware technologies locate (sometimes precisely) you for purposes such as verifying your location and delivering or restricting relevant content based on your location.
Device Fingerprinting
Device fingerprinting is the process of analyzing and combining sets of information elements from your device’s browser, such as JavaScript objects and installed fonts, in order to create a “fingerprint” of your device and uniquely identify your device and applications.
In-App Tracking Methods
There are a variety of tracking technologies that may be included in mobile applications, and these are not browser-based like cookies and cannot be controlled by browser settings. Some use device identifier, or other identifiers such as “Ad IDs” to associate app user activity to a particular app and to track user activity across apps. You can stop all collection of information via our mobile applications by uninstalling them. Also, you may be able to exercise specific privacy choices, such as enabling or disabling certain location-based services, by adjusting the permissions in your mobile device.
For further information on tracking technologies and your choices regarding them, please see Section 7 below.
C. Information from Other Sources.
We may obtain information about you from other sources, including service providers and third-party services, and combine such information with information we have collected about you. To the extent we combine such third party sourced information with Personal Information we have collected about you on the Services, we will treat the combined information as Personal Information under this Privacy Policy. We are not responsible for the accuracy of any information provided by third parties or third-party policies or practices.
2. Purposes of Processing
We process your Personal Information based on one or more of the following legal grounds: your consent, contractual necessity, legal obligations, and our legitimate interests (e.g., service integrity, fraud prevention, analytics, and site improvement).
3. Use of Information
We may use information that we collect through the Services for a variety of purposes, including to:
Provide you with the products, promotions, services, newsletters, and information you request and respond to correspondence that we receive from you;
Customize and personalize your use of the Services;
Contact you via email, text message (subject to an opt-in by you) or otherwise about products, services, and events that we think might be of interest to you, unless you have opted out;
Contact you with surveys, legal notices, and other information that may be relevant to your use of the Services;
Maintain or administer the Services, perform business analyses, or for other internal purposes to improve the quality of our business, the Services, and other products and services we offer;
Publish stories, comments, and other information posted in our interactive online features;
Process employment applications and inquiries;
To show you relevant ads both on our Services and elsewhere, and measure the effectiveness and reach of ads; and
As otherwise described to you at the point of collection or pursuant to your consent.
4. Sharing of Information
We want you to understand when and with whom we may share the information we collect, including Personal Information. We may share information collected through the Services with third parties as follows:
Corporate Affiliates: We may share your information with Firewatch Productions' parent companies, subsidiaries, or other affiliated entities for business operations, analytics, or marketing purposes.
Service Providers: We may disclose your information to trusted third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as website hosting, data storage, analytics, payment processing, customer support, email delivery, and content management.
Select Business Partners: With your consent or as permitted by law, we may share your Personal Information with select partners so they can offer promotions, content, or services that may interest you. However, Firewatch Productions is not responsible for the data practices of these partners, which are governed by their own privacy policies.
Legal and Safety Disclosures: We may disclose your information if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to (i) comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal process; (ii) protect the safety, rights, or property of Firewatch Productions, our users, or others; (iii) enforce our Terms of Use; or (iv) prevent fraud, security breaches, or technical issues.
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, we may transfer all collected information—including Personal Information—to the successor entity or acquirer, subject to applicable laws.
With Your Consent: We may share information when you direct us to, such as when you post content publicly (e.g., on a blog, forum, or chat), or otherwise give us explicit permission to share it.
Aggregated or De-Identified Data: We may share non-identifying information (such as aggregate usage data or demographics) with third parties for analytics, marketing, or service optimization. This information does not identify any individual.
5. Social Networking Services
Firewatch Productions has worked with certain third-party social media providers to offer you their social networking services through our Services. For example, you can use third-party social networking services, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, and others to share information about your experience on our Services with your friends and followers on those social networking services. These social networking services may be able to collect information about you, including your activity on our Services. These third-party social networking services also may notify your friends, both on our Services and on the social networking services themselves, that you are a user of our Services or about your use of our Services, in accordance with applicable law and their own privacy policies. If you choose to access or make use of third-party social networking services, we may receive information about you that you have made available to those social networking services, including information about your contacts on those social networking services.
You also may be able to link an account from a social networking service (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) to an account through our Services. This may allow you to use your credentials from the other site or service to sign in to certain features on our Services. If you link your account from a third-party site or service, we may collect information from those third-party accounts, and any information that we collect will be governed by this Privacy Policy.
6. Links to Third Party Sites and Services
The Services may contain links to other websites or online services that are operated and maintained by third parties and that are not under the control of or maintained by Firewatch Productions. Such links do not constitute an endorsement by Firewatch Productions of those other websites, the content displayed therein, or the persons or entities associated therewith. This Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party content. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third-party websites or services.
7. Analytics and Advertising Tracking Technologies
We may allow third parties to place and read their own cookies, web beacons, Local Shared Objects, and other technologies to collect information through the Services. For example, our third-party service providers may use these technologies to collect information (i) that helps us with traffic measurement, research, and analytics, and (ii) that is used to serve advertisements on our Services and across the Internet tailored to your apparent interests. To the extent we combine information from third party services with Personal Information we collect directly from you on the Services, we will treat the combined information as Personal Information under this Privacy Policy. Otherwise, the information collected and stored by third parties remains subject to their policies and practices, including whether they continue to share information with us, the types of information shared, and your choices on what is visible to others on third party services.
You may exercise choices regarding the use of cookies from Google Analytics by going to http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout or downloading the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
We advise you that our Services collect information, including Personal Information, for purposes of Online Behavioral Advertising. Accordingly, we adhere to the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (“DAA”) Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising (“DAA Principles”), and we require the advertisers and service providers that perform advertising-related services for us to similarly adhere to the DAA Principles. To learn more about how you can exercise certain choices regarding Online Behavioral Advertising, visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices, and http://www.aboutads.info/appchoices for information on the DAA’s opt-out program for mobile apps. Some of these companies may also be members of the Network Advertising Initiative (“NAI”). To learn more about the NAI and your opt-out options for their members, see http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/.
More information about our specific Online Behavioral Advertising practices can be found at http://megaphone.fm/adchoices as well as from our partner, Exelate (A Nielsen Company), at http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/privacy-statement/digital-measurement.html#choices. You can opt out of certain Online Behavioral Practices at http://exelate.com/privacy/opt-in-opt-out/.
Please be aware that, even if you are able to opt out of certain kinds of Online Behavioral Advertising, you may continue to receive other types of ads. Opting out only means that those selected members should no longer deliver certain interest-based advertising to you, but does not mean you will no longer receive any targeted content and/or ads (e.g., from other ad networks). Firewatch Productions is not responsible for the effectiveness of, or compliance with, any third parties’ opt-out options or programs or the accuracy of their statements regarding their programs.
8. Communications Preferences
You may choose to receive promotional communications (including emails and text messages), newsletters, and similar communications from us. We will not sell, rent, swap or authorize any third party to use your email or text address for their own commercial purposes without your permission. You may opt out of receiving certain promotional communications from us at any time by (i) for promotional emails, by clicking on the opt-out or “unsubscribe” link included in the commercial e-mails you receive or e-mailing us on our contact page; and (ii) for text messages, following the instructions provided in text messages from us to text the word “STOP”. Please note that your opt-out is limited to the e-mail address or phone number used and will not affect subsequent subscriptions. Opt-out requests for e-mail may take up to 10 business days to be effective. Your opt-out request will not apply to messages that you request or e-mails that are not commercial in nature.
9. Do Not Track
Some web browsers may transmit “do-not-track” signals to the websites with which the user communicates. Because of differences in how web browsers incorporate and activate this feature, it is not always clear whether users intend for these signals to be transmitted, or whether they even are aware of them. Because there currently is no industry standard concerning what, if anything, websites should do when they receive such signals, Firewatch Productions currently does not take action in response to these signals. For more information on “do-not-track,” visit http://www.allaboutdnt.com.
10. Your California Privacy Rights
Pursuant to California’s “Shine The Light” law, California residents are entitled once a year, free of charge, to request and obtain certain information regarding our disclosure, if any, of certain categories of Personal Information to third parties for their own direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year. You may request this disclosure information at contact@historyofthemarinecorps.com and indicate in the email subject line “California Shine The Light Request” so that we can process your request. Please include your mailing address, state of residence and email address with your request.
11. Children’s Privacy Policy
Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 13 in the United States, or under the age of 16 in the European Union or where applicable law provides similar protections. In accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable laws, we do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose Personal Information from children under these age thresholds without verifiable parental consent.
By using our Services, you represent that you are 18 years of age or older, or that you are using the Services with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
If we become aware that we have collected Personal Information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will take immediate steps to delete that information.
A. What Information May Be Collected from Children (If Parental Consent Is Provided)
In cases where a parent or legal guardian has given verified consent for a child to use certain Services, we may collect limited information, such as:
Persistent identifiers (e.g., IP address, device ID) to support internal operations such as service performance, content personalization, fraud prevention, and security.
Device identifiers to enable push notifications with parent awareness and opt-out ability.
We do not allow children to submit freeform content (e.g., posts, comments, profile bios) that may reveal Personal Information.
If we ever seek to collect additional information from children for purposes beyond internal operations, we will first obtain verified parental consent in accordance with COPPA.
B. Who is collecting or maintaining Personal Information from children?
Information described above may be collected by Firewatch Productions, as the operator of History of the Marine Corps and ai.historyofthemarinecorps.com, or by authorized third-party service providers acting on our behalf for internal operations only.
C. Will any Personal Information be made public or shared with others?
We do not share children's Personal Information publicly. We may share limited, consented data with vendors who assist with service performance, security, or content delivery, but only for internal use. We may also disclose a child’s Personal Information if required by law, legal process, or public safety concerns.
D. How can parents review, delete or stop the further collection of their children’s Personal Information?
At any time, parents can review or have deleted any of their children’s Personal Information or refuse to permit the further collection or use of their children’s Personal Information. To request any of the above, parents can contact us via our contact page.
In any such request, please include the parent’s email address associated with the account. To protect children’s privacy and security, we will take reasonable steps to help verify a parent’s identity before granting access to any Personal Information.
12. Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect your Personal Information against accidental or intentional destruction or loss, and unauthorized disclosure or access.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account password and for any access to or use of the Services or Child Services using your password, whether or not authorized by you. Please notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your password or account or any other breach of security.
13. Data Storage and Retention
Your Personal Information is stored on our servers and on the servers of database management service providers that we have engaged which are located in the United States. We retain data for the duration of the relationship you have with us.
14. Accuracy of Personal Information
While we take various steps to ensure the accuracy and completeness of your Personal Information, we rely upon you to provide accurate and complete Information when interacting with us.
15. Your Rights in Connection with Your Personal Information
Under certain circumstances, and as required by applicable law you have the right to:
Request access to your Personal Information. This enables you to receive a copy of the Personal Information we hold about you.
Request correction of any incomplete or inaccurate Personal Information that we hold about you.
Request erasure of your Personal Information when there is no need for us continuing to process it or you have exercised your right to object to processing (see below).
Object to processing of your Personal Information where we are relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground.
Request the restriction of processing of your Personal Information to suspend the processing, for example if you want us to verify its accuracy or the reason for processing it.
Request the transfer of your Personal Information to another party.
If you want to exercise any of these rights, please contact using the information in the “Contact Us” section of this Privacy Policy. Valid requests will be honored within 30 calendar days of request. This 30-day period may be extended for another 2 months, as permitted by law, for complex requests with notification of the reasons for the extension to you.
You will not have to pay a fee to access your Personal Information (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request for access is unfounded or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with the request in such circumstances. In addition, there may be requests that we are unable to process because of other EU legal requirements. If a request is denied, we will notify you of the reason.
We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access the information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is another appropriate security measure to ensure that Personal Information is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it.
If you are located in the EU, you have the right to lodge a complaint with an EU Supervisory Authority. However, if you have a complaint regarding the processing of your Personal Information we request that you first contact us and we will reply on timely basis.
If you have a rights request, please contact us using the information in the “Contact Us” section of this Privacy Policy.
16. International Transfers of Personal Information
Please be aware that the Personal Information we collect may be transferred to and maintained on servers or databases located outside your state, province, country, or other jurisdiction, where the privacy laws may not be as protective as those in your location. If you are located outside of the United States, please be advised that we process and store personal data in the United States. By using our Services, you consent to this data transfer.
17. Privacy Policy Updates
We may modify this Privacy Policy at any time by posting revisions to the Privacy Policy or other appropriate notice. Your continued use of the Services or after any modification to the Privacy Policy will constitute your acknowledgement of the new terms and conditions. If any changes are made to the Privacy Policy that would affect information collected from or about children in a way that would require parental consent under COPPA, we will obtain such consent from a parent or legal guardian.
18. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you may contact us via our contact page or email contact@historyofthemarinecorps.com.