Privacy Policy
Last Updated: November 9, 2025
Introduction
Welcome to They Lied ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we collect, use, and share your information. This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding personal data when you visit our website at they-lied.com (the "Site").
By using our Site, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Site.
Information We Collect
1. Information You Provide to Us
We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:
- Submit claims for fact-checking through our submission form
- Create an account or log in using Google Single Sign-On (SSO)
- Contact us through our contact form or email
- Subscribe to our newsletter or updates
This may include: name, email address, the content of claims you submit, and any other information you choose to provide.
2. Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information, including:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring/exit pages
- Location Data: Approximate geographic location based on IP address
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: See our Cookies section below
3. Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from third-party services, including:
- Google SSO: When you log in using Google, we receive your Google account information (name, email, profile picture) as permitted by your Google privacy settings
- Analytics Providers: Google Analytics provides us with aggregated demographic and interest data
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Site and store certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data that are sent to your browser from a website and stored on your device.
Types of Cookies We Use:
Essential Cookies
Required for the Site to function properly, including authentication and security features. These cannot be disabled.
Analytics Cookies
Help us understand how visitors use our Site by collecting anonymous information about page views, traffic sources, and user behavior.
Advertising Cookies
Used to deliver relevant advertisements and track ad campaign performance. These may be set by our advertising partners, including Google AdSense.
Google AdSense and DoubleClick Cookies
We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our Site. Google uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our Site or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visits to our Site and/or other sites on the Internet.
You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings or by visiting www.aboutads.info.
Managing Cookies
You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Site. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Provide and Maintain Our Service: Process claim submissions, display fact-checks, manage user accounts
- Improve Our Service: Analyze usage patterns to enhance user experience and functionality
- Communication: Send updates, newsletters, and respond to inquiries
- Security and Fraud Prevention: Detect and prevent malicious activity, spam, and abuse
- Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service
- Analytics: Understand how users interact with our Site to improve content and features
- Advertising: Display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
How We Share Your Information
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
With Service Providers
We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:
- Google Analytics (website analytics)
- Google AdSense (advertising)
- Google Cloud Platform (hosting and infrastructure)
- AI service providers (Perplexity AI, Google Gemini, Abacus.AI for fact-checking analysis)
For Legal Reasons
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
Business Transfers
If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
With Your Consent
We may share your information for any other purpose with your explicit consent.
Note: We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.
- Account information: Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter
- Submitted claims: Retained indefinitely as they are part of our public fact-checking database
- Analytics data: Typically retained for 26 months by Google Analytics
- Server logs: Retained for security and diagnostic purposes for up to 90 days
Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:
Access and Portability
Request access to the personal information we hold about you and receive a copy in a portable format.
Correction
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
Deletion
Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal obligations.
Opt-Out of Marketing
Unsubscribe from marketing emails using the link in our emails or by contacting us.
Opt-Out of Personalized Advertising
Opt out of personalized ads through Google Ads Settings.
Do Not Track
Your browser may have a "Do Not Track" feature. Our Site does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals, but you can manage cookies through your browser settings.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the email address provided in the Contact section below.
Regional Privacy Rights
For Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and UK
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have additional rights including:
- Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Right to restriction of processing
- Right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
Legal Basis for Processing: We process your data based on consent, contract performance, legal obligations, and legitimate interests in operating our fact-checking platform.
For Users in California
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California residents have the right to:
- Know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
- Delete personal information held by businesses
- Opt-out of the sale of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)
- Non-discrimination for exercising CCPA rights
For Users in Other Regions
If you are located in a region with specific privacy laws (e.g., Brazil's LGPD, Canada's PIPEDA), we will comply with applicable requirements. Contact us for region-specific information.
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:
- Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS
- Secure authentication via Google SSO
- Regular security assessments and updates
- Access controls limiting who can view personal information
- Secure hosting infrastructure
However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children's Privacy
Our Site is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to delete such information.
Third-Party Links and Services
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms and news sources referenced in our fact-checks. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
Third-party services we use (Google Analytics, Google AdSense, etc.) have their own privacy policies governing how they collect and use data. You can learn more at:
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days.
By using They Lied, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and sharing of your information as described herein.