Our Internet Privacy Policy

The privacy of our customers has always been of utmost importance to the Social Security Administration. In fact, our first regulation (see http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/401/401-0000.htm) was written to ensure your privacy. As a Federal agency, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) requires us to protect the information we collect from you. (See http://www.socialsecurity.gov/privacyact.htm ). The privacy policy outlined below applies to the data we collect from you over the Internet.

• We collect personal data to administer the Social Security program. We do not use the information for any other internal secondary purpose.
• You don’t have to give us personal information to visit our website.
• If you do give us your personal information, we treat it very carefully.
• We collect personal information about you (e.g., name, email address, Social Security number or other unique identifier) only if you specifically and knowingly give it to us.
  
  

• We do not sell the information we collect at this site, or any information we collect.
• The personal information you give us at this site will be used only in connection with the administration of the Social Security Program and for other purposes as described in this document or at the point the information is collected.
• For statistical purposes, we also collect non-personal information about you (see http://www.socialsecurity.gov/web_stats.html). Sometimes we analyze this data to determine customer interest in different parts of our website. The information we share is in a format that does not personally identify anyone.
  

We may disclose information you give us (e.g., to Railroad Retirement Board, Department of Veteran’s Affairs) if authorized or required by Federal law, such as the Privacy Act or the Social Security Act.

If Federal laws (e.g., Privacy Act, Social Security Act) do not allow us to share information, we must get your written authorization before we can discuss your information with anyone else.

You may have access to any of the information we collect about you at this site. We’ll correct any errors you may find. If you need to get or fix information about you, see SSA regulation subsections 401.40 and 401.65 (http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/401/401-0000.htm).

• The Internet was originally designed as an open system with no built in security; however, we are required to protect the information we collect and maintain about you and will not use the Internet to do business with you unless we can do so in a secure manner. We will take reasonable precautions to maintain the security, confidentiality and integrity of the information we collect at this site.
• SSA sometimes uses contractors to perform various website and database functions. When we do, we make sure that the agreement language with the contractor ensures the security, confidentiality and integrity of any personal information the contractor may have access to in the course of contract performance.
  

• Electronic mail is not secure. Therefore, we suggest that you don’t send personal information to us via email. We will only send you general information via email.
• Electronic mail messages that meet the definition of records in the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) are covered under the same disposition schedule as all other Federal records. This means that emails you send us will be preserved and maintained for varying periods of time if those emails meet the definition of Federal records. Electronic messages that are not records are deleted when no longer needed.
  

• What is a "cookie"? A cookie is a small piece of text that is sent to your computer along with a webpage when you visit a website. Your computer will give the information in the cookie only to the computer that sent it, and no other website can request it. There are three types of cookies--persistent, third party, and session. We never used persistent or third party cookies, but sometimes we use session cookies.
• We use session cookies only in some places where you can transact business. We store the cookie on your computer only during your visit, and we’ll tell you in advance when we do. The session cookie keeps you from losing information you’ve entered for a business transaction with us if, during your visit, you leave our website and return.
• Once you turn off your computer or stop using the Internet, the cookie is erased.