Privacy
Policy and Security Notice
Privacy Policy
We are committed to the privacy of our visitors. We collect no personal information about you when you visit our Web site unless you choose to provide that information to us. Here is how we handle information about your visit to our Web site.
Information Collected and Stored Automatically: If you do nothing during your visit but browse through the Web site, read pages or download information, we will gather and store certain information about your visit automatically. This information does not identify you personally. We automatically collect and store information like the following concerning your visit.
- The Internet domain (for example, "xcompany.com" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourschool.edu" if you connect from a university's domain);
- Your IP address (an IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web) from which you access our Web site.
- The type of browser and operating system used to access our site;
- The date and time you access our site;
- The pages you visit; and
- If you linked to our Web site from another Web site, the address of that Web site.
We use this information to help us make our site more useful to visitors-to learn about the number of visitors to our site and the types of technology our visitors use.
Information Protection
For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, this government computer system employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. If such monitoring reveals evidence of possible abuse or criminal activity, such evidence may be provided to appropriate law enforcement officials. Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information on this server are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act or other law.
Information That You Voluntarily Provide
We do not collect personally-identifiable information unless you choose to provide it to us. If you provide us with personally identifiable information, for example by sending an e-mail or by filling out a form and submitting it through our Web site, we use that information only to respond to your message and to help us provide you with the information and services that you request.
Submitting voluntary information constitutes your consent to the use of the information for the stated purpose. When a user clicks the "Submit" button on any of the Web forms found on our site they are indicating voluntary consent to use of the information they submit for the stated purpose. We do not collect or use information for commercial marketing.
How Information is Used
The information we collect is used for a variety of purposes (e.g., comments on proposed rules, license applications, to respond to requests for information about our regulations and policies and to fill orders). We make every effort to disclose clearly how information is used at the point where it is collected so that our users can determine for themselves whether they wish to provide the information.
Sharing of Information
We may share the information you give us with another government agency if your inquiry relates to that agency. In other limited circumstances, such as responses to requests from Congress and private individuals, we may be required by law to disclose information you submit. Before you submit personally identifiable information, such as on an online form, you will be advised as to the purpose and how the information will be used.
Third-party Social Media Tools
We use third-party social networking/social media tools as a supplemental channel to promote awareness of National Marine Sanctuaries activities, events, news, and information. Those tools include:
Facebook. Facebook is a social networking website where users can connect and interact with other people. We typically post something new on our wall every workday to keep you up-to-date with SBNMS news and information. Please note that you are subject to Facebook’s privacy policy when visiting our Facebook page.
YouTube. YouTube is a video sharing service. The videos we share on YouTube are copies of those that appear in the video gallery on the ONMS website. Please note that you are subject to YouTube’s privacy policy when visiting our YouTube page.
Social Media Comment Policy
We encourage fans to write comments on the SBNMS Facebook Wall and on SBNMS YouTube Videos. However, any content posted that meets the following criteria will be deleted:
- Contains vulgar language, personal attacks of any kind, or offensive terms that target specific ethnic or racial groups;
- Promotes products or services (non-commercial links related to Stellwagen Bank are acceptable);
- Is far off topic;
- Makes unsupported accusations.
These comments will not be edited to remove the unacceptable content, the comment will just be deleted.
Both Facebook and YouTube are third party web services that are used by Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for outreach. Using these services requires free memberships to each service. The Department of Commerce does not endorse membership to Facebook or YouTube nor does the Department of Commerce have any control or responsibility for privacy on Facebook or YouTube.
Retention of Information
We destroy the information we collect when the purpose for which it was provided has been fulfilled unless we are required to keep it longer by statute or official policy. Electronically submitted information is maintained and destroyed according to the principles of the Federal Records Act and the regulations and records schedules approved by the National Archives and Records Administration, and in some cases information submitted to us may become an agency record and therefore might be subject to a Freedom of Information Act request.
Google Analytics
stellwagen.noaa.gov uses Google Analytics, a third-party web
measurement and customization technology as defined and organized by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB), “Guidance for Online Use of Web Measurement
and Customization Technologies” (OMB M-10-22, http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/
default/files/omb/assets/memoranda_2010/m10-22.pdf. Google Analytics places a
small file on your computer, commonly called a “cookie,” so that it can recognize
your computer if you visit my-nos-site.noaa.gov in the future. This cookie does not
collect personal identifying information. This is considered a Tier 2 service in the
OMB guidance.
Google Analytics does not collect personally identifiable information through their
cookie and does not combine, match, or cross-reference stellwagen.noaa.gov
information with any other information. Please review the Google�s privacy policy
for additional information.
Visitors who choose to disable this web measurement will still have full access to stellwagen.noaa.gov. While the details vary from browser to browsers, most modern
browsers can be set up to accept, reject, or request user intervention when a site
asks to set a cookie. Google Analytics uses a cookie that begins with: _utm
Retention of Information
We destroy the information we collect when the purpose for which it was provided has been fulfilled unless we are required to keep it longer by statute or official policy. Electronically submitted information is maintained and destroyed according to the principles of the Federal Records Act and the regulations and records schedules approved by the National Archives and Records Administration, and in some cases information submitted to us may become an agency record and therefore might be subject to a Freedom of Information Act request.
Links to Other Sites
This site may have links to the Web sites of other federal agencies. There may be links to private organizations, with their permission. Once you go to another site, you are subject to the privacy policy of the new site. It is always a good idea to read the Privacy Policy of any Web site that you visit.
Cookies
"Cookies" are small bits of text that are either used for the duration of a session ("session cookies"), or saved on a user's hard drive in order to identify that user, or information about that user, the next time the user logs on to a Web site ("persistent cookies"). This Web site does not use persistent cookies or any other persistent tracking technology. One or more of our component sites may use session cookies to provide streamlined navigation. These session cookies are deleted from the component's server after your session ends and information from them is not collected or saved.
Interaction with Children
This Web site may offer educational content to children under 13. No personally identifiable information is collected from them unless voluntarily submitted as a request for information or services. The information collected is used to respond to user inquiries or to provide services requested by our users.