Privacy policy
Thank you for visiting the Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) website. Consistent with the provisions of the Internet Security and Privacy Act, the Personal Privacy Protection Law, and the Freedom of Information Law, this policy describes the OAG's privacy practices regarding information collected from users of this website. The OAG may, at its sole discretion, change, modify, add, or delete portions of this policy.
This Privacy Policy is divided into several topics. You can scroll through the full Privacy Policy, or you can jump directly to a particular topic by clicking on a link below:
- Information the OAG collects through the website and how that information is used
- Disclosure of information the OAG collects through the website
- Information security
- Data retention
- OAG cookies
- Your choices, and your right to access or correct personal information
- Third party data collection, use, and disclosure
- Links to third party websites
- OAG contact information
- Disclaimer
For purposes of this policy, "personal information" means any information concerning a natural person, as opposed to a corporate entity, which, because of name, number, symbol, mark, or other identifier, can be used to identify that natural person.
1. Information the OAG collects through the website and how that information is used
When visiting this website, the OAG automatically collects and stores certain information about your visit. This may include:
A. Information collected automatically
- The IP address you used;
- The type of browser and operating system you used;
- The web pages or services you accessed at this site;
- The date and time you visited this site;
- Whether your computer is configured to display English or some other language.
None of the foregoing information is considered personal information for the purposes of this privacy policy.
The information that is collected automatically is used for internal site-monitoring purposes, to help the OAG understand how the website is used, including what information is of most and least interest to our users, and to improve this website’s content. Automatically collected information is not collected for commercial marketing purposes, and the OAG does not sell or rent the information your computer automatically transmits.
B. Information you voluntarily provide us
During your visit to this website, you may initiate a transaction, for example by completing a form or sending an email. The information provided through this transaction, which may include personal information, as well as audio, video, and graphic information you send, is collected and stored as part of processing your request. The information that is collected is only used for authorized government purposes. These purposes may include responding to you, addressing issues you identify, further improving this website, or forwarding your information to another agency for appropriate action. When you voluntarily disclose personal information to the OAG, it means that you consent to the collection and use of your information for the purposes reasonably ascertainable from the nature and terms of the transaction.
The OAG only collects personal information from you through this website when you provide that information voluntarily. We do not collect personal information from persons who simply browse our website by reading, printing, or downloading information.
The OAG does not knowingly collect personal information from children or create profiles of children through this website. Users are cautioned that personal information submitted through this website will be treated as though it was submitted by an adult, and may, unless exempted from access by federal or State law, be subject to public access. The OAG strongly encourages parents and teachers to be involved in children's Internet activities and to provide guidance whenever children are asked to provide personal information online.
2. Disclosure of information the OAG collects through the website
Pursuant to the Internet Security and Privacy Act, except as otherwise provided by law, the OAG will not disclose personal information you have submitted through this website without your consent. Your submission of personal information through the website constitutes consent to disclosure for those purposes reasonably ascertainable from the nature and terms of the submission.
Please see the Internet Security and Privacy Act, the Personal Privacy Protection Law, and the Freedom of Information Law for a non-exhaustive list of disclosures that are permitted or required by law without consent. The OAG does not sell or otherwise disclose information collected through the website for commercial marketing purposes.
3. Information security
The OAG recognizes the importance of protecting the confidentiality and integrity of personal information that is provided through the OAG website. The OAG uses a variety of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to defend against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, and destruction of this information. You should know, however, that no system is completely secure.
4. Data Retention
The information the OAG collects through this website is retained by the OAG in accordance with the records retention and disposition requirements of the New York State Arts & Cultural Affairs Law. In general, information that is automatically collected by the OAG when you visit this website is typically stored temporarily and then destroyed. Information, including personal information, that you voluntarily provide to the OAG is typically retained in accordance with the document retention schedule of the bureau to which you submitted the information.
5. OAG cookies
Cookies are simple text files stored by your web browser to provide a means of distinguishing among users of a website or online service. To better serve you, we may use cookies to enhance, customize, or enable your visit to this website. For example, if you use the website’s controls to select a language other than English to be displayed on the website, we may deliver a cookie to your device to save your language preference.
You can prevent cookies from being placed on your computer using your browser's settings. Some websites may not work properly if you choose to block the placement of cookies on your computer.
6. Your choices, and your right to access or correct personal information
A. Can I choose not to provide my personal information through the OAG website?
As noted above, the OAG does not collect personal information about you during your visit to this website unless you provide that information voluntarily. You may choose not to provide your personal information, for example by not sending us an email or completing a form. While your choice not to participate in these activities may limit your ability to receive specific services through this website, it will not prevent you from requesting services from the OAG by other means and will not normally have an impact on your ability to take advantage of other features of the website, including browsing or downloading most publicly available information
B. Can I access and correct my personal information?
You may submit a request to the OAG for access to your personal information that you have submitted from this website via the OAG general contact form. Reasonable proof of identity will be required. Access to the data and the opportunity to request correction or amendment of such information is provided under the procedures set forth in section 95 of the Public Officers Law.
7. Third party data collection, use, and disclosure
Certain webpages on the OAG website contain embedded content and applications from third-party website and application service providers. If you visit a webpage on the OAG website hosting this embedded content or application, a third-party service provider may collect information about you, and may use persistent cookies. This Privacy Policy does not cover the practices of these third parties, and the OAG disclaims any responsibility for those practices. For more details on how and when these third-party service providers collect, use, and share information, you may wish to review their terms of service and privacy policies. The privacy policies for some of the third-party websites and applications commonly used by the OAG can be found below.
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Google Analytics
The OAG website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous browsing information including but not limited to:
- Search terms used on search engines that showed results that were clicked upon to reach our site;
- Aggregated demographic information; and
- Aggregated user geographic location data.
All information supplied to OAG by Google Analytics is stripped of all personal and identifying information.
For information related to what is collected by Google Analytics and how it is used please see: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245
If you would like to learn more about opting out of Google Analytics’ data collection, you can visit this page: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/.
For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page: https://policies.google.com/privacy
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Smartling
The OAG website uses Smartling to provide translated web content to non-English speaking users in order to abide by the legal requirements of the New York State Language Access Law.
For more information on what is collected, please review the Smartling privacy policy.
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Granicus GovDelivery
The OAG uses Granicus GovDelivery service to deliver email bulletin messages to subscribed users. OAG Information Technology Bureau serves as the executive agent for the OAG GovDelivery service and controls who at the agency has access to send email bulletins, create, or delete topics.
OAG will only use the email addresses provided by the users to send email messages related to the topics selected by the user in the GovDelivery system. OAG will not use the GovDelivery service to: 1) send email messages not related to the topics selected by the user; 2) actively seek publicly identifiable information (PII);
For more information on what is collected, please review the Granicus GovDelivery privacy policy.
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Social networking services
OAG uses social networking services for external relations (communications/outreach/public dialogue), to make information and services widely available to the general public, while promoting transparency and accountability, and as a service for those seeking information about, or services from OAG.
The information posted on OAG social networking pages is available to any and all users, who are able to access the public-facing side of the account. To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, do not include your full name, phone numbers, email addresses, social security number, case numbers or any other sensitive PII in your comments or responses on these pages.
The OAG also embeds media and content from social networking services on the OAG website. For more information, please review each service’s privacy policies:
8. Links to third party websites
The OAG website offers links to other websites that may be of interest to users. A link provided on this website does not constitute an endorsement of the content, viewpoint, accuracy, opinions, policies, products, services, or accessibility of that website. The OAG also disclaims any responsibility for those websites’ content, accuracy or services and cannot vouch for their information practices. Once you visit another website using a link from the OAG website, you are subject to the terms and conditions of that site.
9. OAG contact information
If you have questions about the OAG website privacy statement or website, please contact the OAG by emailing nysag@ag.ny.gov.
You can also write the OAG at:
Office of the New York State Attorney General
The Capitol
Albany New York 12224
You can also view contact information for regional offices.
10. Disclaimer
Disclaimer
The information provided in this privacy policy should not be construed as giving business, legal, or other advice.