Legal

Privacy Policy & Terms

Last updated: May 20, 2026

Quick read: We collect the bare minimum to run the site — your email (if you sign up), your display name, and what you click, vote, or rate. We never sell your data. Users under 18 need a parent's permission. You can delete your account at any time by emailing 4thandwardpodcast@gmail.com.

Contents

Who we are
What data we collect
How we use it
How we store it & keep it safe
Users under 18 (and under 13)
Who we share data with
Your rights & how to delete your account
Cookies & local storage
Terms of use
Contact us

1. Who we are

4th & Ward (“4th & Ward”, “we”, “us”) operates this website and the related podcast. We're an independent Texas-focused high school football media brand. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect when you use our site at 4thandward.com and the choices you have.

2. What data we collect

If you don't create an account

We assign your browser an anonymous ID (stored in your browser's local storage) so we can count unique votes and ratings without you logging in. We also log basic, non-identifying analytics: which pages you visit, when, and the type of device you're using.

If you create an account

Email address
Display name (your choice)
Profile photo URL (optional)
Birth year (to verify age — we store the year only, never your exact birthday)
The fact that a parent or guardian gave permission, if you're under 18
Sign-in method (Google or email/password)
Things you submit on the site: ratings, comments, photos, prospect profiles, etc.

If you sign in with Google, Google sends us your email, name, and profile photo. We never see your Google password.

If you use email + password, your password is sent directly to Google Firebase Authentication, hashed, and stored there. We never see, store, or have access to your password.

3. How we use it

To let you sign in and stay signed in.
To show your display name and avatar next to your ratings and comments.
To prevent the same person from voting or rating multiple times.
To send you account-related emails (password reset, account verification).
To improve the site (which features people use, where they get stuck).

We do not use your data for advertising, retargeting, or sale to third parties.

4. How we store it & keep it safe

All data is stored in Google Firebase (Cloud Firestore and Cloud Storage), which is encrypted in transit and at rest. Passwords are stored only by Google's authentication service. Our site is served over HTTPS.

No system is 100% secure. If we ever discover a breach affecting your data, we will notify you by email as required by law.

5. Users under 18 (and under 13)

The 4th & Ward community is built around high school football, so many of our users are teenagers. We take this seriously.

Under 13: You may not create an account. Federal law (COPPA) prohibits us from knowingly collecting personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, please contact us and we will delete it immediately.
13 to 17: You may create an account, but you must confirm that a parent or guardian has given permission. By checking that box at signup, you affirm that consent has been given.
Parents: If you'd like to review, edit, or delete your child's account data, email us at 4thandwardpodcast@gmail.com from the email address on the account.

Player profiles submitted to the recruiting database may include information about a minor (name, school, height/weight, highlight video). Anyone may submit a profile, but profiles are subject to admin approval before going live, and we will remove a profile on request from the player, parent, or coach.

We use the following service providers and share only what's necessary to operate the site:

Google Firebase — authentication, database, file storage.
Vercel — website hosting.

We will share data when legally required (e.g., a court order). We don't sell your data, and we don't share it with marketers.

7. Your rights & how to delete your account

You can:

View and edit your profile from the My Account page.
Delete your account by emailing 4thandwardpodcast@gmail.com from your account email. We'll remove your profile and any ratings, comments, or submissions you ask us to remove, typically within 7 days.
Request a copy of the data we have about you, by the same email.

If you live in a state with privacy laws like California (CCPA), you have additional rights and we'll honor any valid request.

8. Cookies & local storage

We use browser local storage for a couple of things: keeping you signed in, remembering an anonymous visitor ID to prevent duplicate voting, and remembering UI preferences (e.g., last tab opened). We don't use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

9. Terms of use

By using 4thandward.com you agree:

Not to post content that is harassing, defamatory, sexually explicit, hateful, or illegal.
Not to impersonate another person, coach, school, or recruit.
Not to scrape, copy, or republish the site's content in bulk without permission.
That we may remove any submission and suspend any account that violates these rules.
That the site is provided “as is” without warranty, and we are not liable for content posted by other users.

10. Contact us

Questions about privacy, your data, or this policy? Email 4thandwardpodcast@gmail.com.