Web Privacy Policy
Information that is collected when you visit this site
We collect no personally identifiable information about you when you visit our site unless you choose to provide that information to us. Please see "Information you provide voluntarily" below.
For the protection of users of our Web site, we have safeguards in place to identify and prevent unauthorized attempts to access or cause harm to information and systems.
Our web server automatically collects the default information logged by most servers; this information includes the Internet protocol (IP) address from which you access our web site, the type of browser and operating system you are using, the date and time you visit, the pages and files your request, and the last site you visited (if that site contained a link to a BEA web page). We use this information to determine the level of traffic through the server and the level of interest in the individual files available on the server. None of this information identifies you personally, and we do not give, sell, or transfer any of this information to a third party.
The logs may be preserved indefinitely, and they may be used to prevent security breaches and to ensure the integrity of the data on our servers.
We do not use "persistent cookies" or use any persistent tracking technologies that can identify a specific visitor, or information about that visitor, over multiple visits. However some interactive features on our site (for example, the balance of payments interactive feature) do use "session cookies" that identify the visitor for the duration of a browsing session. Session cookies are deleted from our Web servers when your session ends.
Purchasers of BEA Products
Any information that we collect for the purpose of purchasing products will be handled in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act and the Freedom of Information Act. The BEA collects customer information (name, address, phone number, and email address) to process orders for data products. Any information that would permit identification of individual customers is used only for this purpose and not shared with other agencies or organizations, or with other areas in the Bureau.
If you choose not to enter your e-mail address, you cannot complete your Regional Input-Output Multipliers (RIMS II) order online. However, you can call our RIMS II staff at (202) 606-5343 and place an order without providing an e-mail address.
The BEA does not capture credit card numbers on our servers; credit card, debit card, and check transactions are processed through to the U.S. Government's PAY.GOV system.
Session cookies and BEA's Web satisfaction survey
BEA is currently conducting a survey to measure customer satisfaction with this Web site. This survey uses a session cookie to track how many pages a particular visitor has clicked on. This ensures that a visitor has sufficiently browsed the site in order to adequately answer the survey and to prevent an individual from getting a survey multiple times in a single session. Session cookies are automatically deleted at the end of a session.
Information you provide voluntarily
If you give us information about yourself in an e-mail or through a feedback page, any information you provide is used only to help us prepare a response. As we do so, the information you provided may be viewed by various people within the Bureau. The information you provide is protected in accordance with law (e.g., the Privacy Act and the Freedom of Information Act). Submitting voluntary information constitutes your consent to the use of the information for the stated purpose.
The BEA e-mail system is password-protected. Similarly, access to information submitted through the feedback mechanism (typing information in the feedback box and clicking on "Submit") is password-protected. Only authorized users have access to the BEA e-mail system and feedback mechanism.
Your rights
You have rights under the Privacy Act and the Freedom of Information Act. The Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School provides the full text of these provisions from the U.S. Code:
Questions concerning our privacy policy may be addressed to webmaster@bea.gov. If you believe this site has not adhered to these principles, please notify us by e-mail at webmaster@bea.gov.
