Your privacy matters to us. This page explains, what happens with information when you visit LifelineFree.com. We keep things simple, and we do our best to respect you.
LifelineFree.com is an independent website that helps people understand the federal Lifeline program. To learn more about who we are, visit our About page.
What we do not ask for
We built this site to be easy and low-pressure. So:
- There is no registration and no user accounts.
- There is no newsletter or email sign-up.
- We do not ask for your name, address, phone number, income, or any Lifeline application details.
- We do not take Lifeline applications and cannot enroll you. (Only your provider and USAC can do that. See our Government-Affiliation Disclaimer.)
Information collected automatically
When you visit any website, your browser shares some basic technical information. Here is what happens on our site and why.
Cloudflare (security and speed). We use Cloudflare to protect the site from attacks and to load pages faster. To do this, Cloudflare processes technical data such as your IP address and basic details about your request. This helps keep the site safe and online for everyone.
Google Analytics (understanding what helps). We use Google Analytics to see how people use the site — for example, which pages are read most, how long people stay, and the general device and area visitors come from (usually only the city or country level). This is done with cookies. We use it to learn what is helpful and to fix what is confusing. We do not use it to identify you personally.
Google AdSense (ads that keep the site free). We show ads through Google AdSense. Ads are how we pay for this free resource. Google and its partners use cookies to show ads and, in some cases, to make those ads more relevant to you. You can control this — see the Cookies section below.
Cookies
A cookie is a small text file that a website saves in your browser. It remembers small pieces of information.
The cookies on our site fall into three simple groups:
- Needed cookies — help the site work and stay secure (Cloudflare).
- Analytics cookies — help us understand how the site is used (Google Analytics).
- Advertising cookies — help show ads (Google AdSense and its partners).
How Google uses advertising cookies: Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to show ads based on your past visits to this site or other websites. Google’s advertising cookies let Google and its partners show ads to you based on your visits here and to other sites on the internet.
How to control cookies and ads:
- You can turn off or delete cookies anytime in your browser settings.
- You can turn off personalized Google ads at adssettings.google.com.
- You can opt out of personalized ads from many companies at aboutads.info and optout.networkadvertising.org.
Turning off ad cookies will not remove ads — it just makes them less personalized.
Comments
You do not need an account to comment, but if you choose to leave a comment:
- The details you type (such as a name and email) and your comment are saved so it can be posted and managed.
- Your email is not shown publicly.
- Your IP address and browser information may be recorded to help stop spam.
- If you ever want your comment removed, just email us (see the Contact section) and we will take care of it.
Please do not share sensitive personal details — like your Social Security number, income documents, or account passwords — in a comment or email. You never need to send us that information.
Links to other websites
We often link to official sources like the FCC, USAC, and provider websites so you can get accurate, first-hand information. When you click a link and leave our site, this Privacy Policy no longer applies. Each website has its own privacy practices, so it’s a good idea to read theirs too.
Children’s privacy
This site is meant for adults looking for phone and internet help. It is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has provided information through our comments, please email us and we will delete it.
Your privacy choices
You are always in control. You can:
- Clear or block cookies in your browser.
- Opt out of personalized ads using the links in the Cookies section.
- Ask us to remove a comment you left.
If you live in California or a place with extra privacy rights, you may have additional rights under laws like the CCPA. We do not sell your personal information, but you are welcome to email us with any privacy question and we will help.
Do Not Track: Some browsers can send a “Do Not Track” signal. There is no common standard for how sites should respond, so we do not currently respond to these signals. You can still control tracking with the cookie steps above.
Keeping information safe
We use Cloudflare and a secure (HTTPS) connection to help protect the site. No website can promise it is 100% secure, but we take reasonable steps to keep things safe.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time — for example, if we add a new tool or the law changes. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top. Please check back now and then.
Contact us
If you have any questions about your privacy, email us at contact@lifelinefree.com. We’re happy to help.