The short version Local news should feel like a front porch, not a data auction. The Charlotte Observer's owner, McClatchy, explains in its own policy that it uses cookies, pixels, unique identifiers, and hashed emails to create audience segments and deliver targeted ads across sites, and that it may disclose information to business partners and other third parties, including in exchange for money or other valuable consideration. We built Mercury Local and The Charlotte Mercury to do the opposite. No third-party trackers. No cross-site retargeting. Consent-only ads, delivered first party. ## What the Observer tells you in its policy - Targeted ads through Google and other partners using cookies or device IDs across sites and devices. - Audience modeling that groups readers by behavior and traits for ad delivery. - Third parties can place tags and collect personal information, including hashed email, IP, and device data, with disclosures that may include money or other valuable consideration. - Opt-outs supported, including Global Privacy Control and a "Do Not Sell or Share" link. ## The business model difference, in plain language McClatchy's Charlotte pitch to advertisers highlights programmatic buying and audience targeting across a network. That is the logic of surveillance ads, not civic trust. We've chosen a simpler model: fewer ads, direct relationships, and no third-party trackers. When your revenue depends on tracking, you design stories to harvest attention. When it depends on trust, you design stories to inform. ## Why it matters to readers and local businesses Surveillance ads promise precision. The returns are often squishy. Our takeaway is practical: if you want a durable local news economy, build it on trust, not tracking. ## How we run Mercury Local - No third-party trackers. No ad-network pixels. - Consent-only advertising. Human-readable terms, first-party delivery. - Transparency. We publish and live by our rules.