Web Privacy and Security Notice

Thank you for visiting the City of Olympia website (olympiawa.gov) and reviewing our web privacy and security notice. The information in this notice may change at any time, without prior notice to any visitor. This notice covers the following topics:

• Automatically Collected Information
• Voluntarily Provided Information
• Personal Information and Choice
• Public Access to Information
• Nondisclosure of Certain Information
• Access and Correction of Personal Information
• Cookies
• Security
• Copyright
• Disclaimer
• Social Media Use Policy

Automatically Collected Information

If you browse or download information from our site, some information about your visit will be collected automatically. This information does not identify you personally. We automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

• The Internet Protocol (IP) address and domain name used. The IP address is a numerical identifier assigned to your Internet service provider or directly to your computer. We use this address to direct Internet traffic to you.
• Type of browser and operating system you used.
• Date and time you visited our site.
• Specific pages or services you visited on our site.
• Specific files you downloaded from our site.
• If you linked to our site from another website, the address of that site.

The information is used only to help us understand our visitors and improve our site.

Voluntarily Provided Information

If during your visit to our website you voluntarily provide information by sending us an e-mail, participating in an online survey, or performing some other transaction online, the following may also be collected:

• Your e-mail address and contents of your e-mail message, this would include attachments and signature blocks.
• Information volunteered in response to a survey.
• Information volunteered through an on-line form.
• Information volunteered by participating in an online transaction with the City.

The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video and graphic information formats you send us.

We use your email address to answer your questions, address your concerns, or forward to someone else for a response. Survey information is used for the purpose identified by the survey. Information from other online forms is used for conducting City business related to the online form.

Personal Information and Choice

You may choose whether to provide personal information online.

“Personal information” is information about a natural person that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal information includes such things as an individual’s name, address, and phone number. A domain name or IP address is not considered personal information.

We do not collect personal information about you unless you voluntarily provide it to us by sending us email, participating in a survey, completing an online form, or engage in an electronic transaction. Your choice not to participate in these activities will not impair your ability to browse our website and read or download any information from it.

Visitors are cautioned that the collection of personal information requested from or volunteered by children will be treated the same as information given by an adult, and may be subject to public disclosure.

Public Access to Information

In Washington, laws exist to ensure that local government is open and that the public has a right to access records and information possessed by local government.

All of the information collected at this site is a public record that may be subject to inspection and copying by members of the public, unless an exemption in law exists.

Nondisclosure of Certain Information

The City of Olympia may require you to provide certain personal information in order to complete a specific transaction or to provide you with specific services. You may choose not to provide this information, but if you choose not to provide it we may be unable to provide these services, and you may be required to complete your transaction either in person or by mail.

Although information collected at this site may be subject to public disclosure, members of the general public do not have a right to inspect your credit card numbers, debit card numbers, electronic check numbers, card expiration dates, or bank or other financial account numbers that are supplied to the City for the purpose of electronic transfer of funds, except when disclosure is expressly required by law.

Access and Correction of Personal Information

You can review any personally identifiable information we collect about you through our web site by submitting a request to the City. You may recommend changes to your personally identifiable information you believe to be inaccurate by submitting a request that verifies the inaccuracy.

To access your personally identifiable information collected, if any, or request correction of factual errors in your personally identifiable information, submit a public records request online.

Cookies

Cookies are simple text files stored on your computer by your web browser. We try to limit the use of cookies. However, some of the applications the City builds and purchases utilize cookies to confirm the integrity of online transactions. Cookies used in this matter do not contain personally identifiable information.

Security

The City has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its data and prevent unauthorized access to information it maintains, including but not limited to authentication, monitoring, and encryption.

This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail proof, the security of information provided via the City’s website.

Unauthorized attempts to upload, change or destroy information on this website are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the state computer trespass law, federal statutes including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act.

Copyright

Information presented on our web site is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline credits is requested. Information from this site may not be copyrighted and lists of individuals or directory information (including address, phone or email) may not be used for commercial purposes.

Disclaimer

The City’s website has many links to other websites. These may include links to web sites operated by other government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private businesses. When you link to another site, you are no longer on the City’s website and this Privacy Notice will not apply. When you link to another web site, you are subject to the privacy policy of that new site. Visitors linking to another site are encouraged to examine the privacy policy of that site.

Neither the City, nor any department, officer, employee of the City warrants the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information published by this system, nor endorses any content, viewpoints, products, or services linked from this system, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of such information. Portions of such information may be incorrect or out of date. Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained from this system does so at their own risk.

Social Media Use Policy - Moderated, Limited Discussion Sites

The primary purpose of the City’s social media sites is to communicate news, events and information from the City to residents, businesses, visitors and other interested parties.

The City considers the social media sites that it creates and maintains, whether developed solely by the City or using a third-party social media resource (e.g. Facebook. Twitter, etc), to be moderated, limited discussion sites and not general public forums. The sites will be moderated by City staff. Discussion topics and information will be initiated by City staff. All posted content (comments, photos, links, etc) must relate to the particular discussion initiated by the City and be focused on City programs, services, projects, issues, events, and activities.

Any comment posted on City of Olympia social media sites by anyone other than an authorized City staff member acting on behalf of the City, is the opinion of the commentator or poster only. Publication of a comment or post does not imply endorsement of or agreement by the City of Olympia, nor do such comments necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the City of Olympia government. 

The following are prohibited on City of Olympia social media sites:

1. Posts and comments that include vulgar, offensive, threatening or harassing language, personal attacks or unsupported accusations.
2. Posts and comments not related to the original topic, including random or unintelligible comments.
3. Posts and comments that are not factual or accurate.
4. Posts and comments that promote, foster or perpetuate discrimination on the basis of creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by law.
5. Posts and comments that promote or advertise commercial services, unless the advertising is generated by the third-party social media service in such a manner that the City cannot block the advertising.
6. Political comments promoting or opposing any person campaigning for election to a political office or promoting or opposing ballot propositions.
7. Religious statements, including comments that endorse or oppose any type of religion, religious opinions or activities.
8. Obscene or sexual content or links to obscene or sexual content.
9. Conduct in violation of any federal, state or local law, or encouragement of illegal activity.
10. Information that could compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems.
11. Content that could violate the legal ownership interest of any other party.
12. Content that could compromise an ongoing investigation.

The City of Olympia reserves the right to:

1. immediately remove posted content that does not comply with this policy;
2. remove posted content and/or comments after 30 days;
3. deny access to City of Olympia social media sites to any individual who violates the City of Olympia’s Social Media Policy at any time, without prior notice;
4. discontinue or delete a discussion thread at any time, without cause or prior notice.

All content added or uploaded to City of Olympia social media sites will be periodically reviewed by City staff. All content on City of Olympia social media is considered a public record.  For that reason, users should refrain from including telephone numbers, home addresses, email addresses, and any other private information in the body of their comment.

Communications and/or requests made through City of Olympia social media sites in no way constitutes a legal or official notice of or comment to the City of Olympia. For example, a post or comment on a social media site requesting public records will not be considered a public records request to the City, and a post or comment on an issue or topic subject to a noticed comment period will not be considered part of the official record for that issue or topic.

All comments and posts on City of Olympia sites offered through third-party services must comply with any and all terms or statements of use of the specific service (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc). The City of Olympia reserves the right to report any violation to the specific service in accord with policies of the third-party service.

This policy is subject to change without notice.

City Contact:
Cathie Butler, Communications Manager

City of Olympia
Email: cbutler@ci.olympia.wa.us