This notice informs you, as a user of our systems and applications, about how the NYC Department of Education (the “Department”, “we", “us”) collects, uses, and protects information about you through your use of Department-created websites and Department-computer applications. We also describe other policies that directly affect you, as users of these services. Please read this notice carefully before using our websites or applications. We may change this notice from time to time, and reserve the right to do so without advance notice. By accessing and using our websites and applications, you consent to these uses and any other uses..
Collection of Information
In order to improve the content and usability of Department websites and applications, we may automatically collect certain information from you, including:
- The Internet Protocol ("IP") address of your Internet Service Provider ("ISP") and/or computer.
- The Domain Name of your ISP and/or computer.
- The type and version of your operating system and browser (such as Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox, Chrome, etc.).
- The date, time, and duration of your visit.
- Your clicks within the application.
- The web address of the previous site visited by your browser (if detectable).
We also may request and collect information from you when you interact with our websites and applications, such as information you provide when creating an account, submitting an electronic form, participating in a survey, etc.
Use of Information and Privacy
We do not collect personally identifiable information for commercial or marketing purposes, and we do not sell the personally identifiable information we collect. The personally identifiable information we collect is stored in a secure environment.
We use and may share the information we collect to make sure our systems are up-to-date and compatible with other systems, and to improve services offered through Department applications and websites. We may also use it to fulfill our duties and for other educational purposes, including, but not limited to:
- Developing new application functionality;
- Providing notifications, alerts, or event updates;
- Responding to requests made under the Freedom of Information Law ("FOIL"), through subpoenas, court orders and other administrative, judicial and legal processes (however, we may withhold certain information if the law permits us to do so);
- Providing technical notices, updates, security alerts, and administrative messages;
- Responding to user comments, questions, and requests for customer service;
- Monitoring and analyzing trends, usage and activities in connection with services;
- Personalizing and improving services;
- Complying with any allowable educational purpose, applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request; and
- Conducting statistical analyses for any of the above reasons.
Certain laws and regulations govern our ability to share or otherwise disclose information about you that we collect. For example, disclosure and release of personally identifiable information of our current and former students is governed by Chancellor’s Regulation A-820 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and its implementing regulation. Other laws and regulations may apply, depending on the types of information at issue.
We may monitor and review all content and traffic on Department-provided networks and applications. This includes traffic on or from devices that are owned by the Department, as well as devices not owned by the Department if Department resources are being accessed or have been accessed from such devices.
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Data Security
The Department takes reasonable measures to help protect its websites and applications and the information within them from loss, theft, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.
If you receive or create a password when registering for any of our applications, you should not divulge this password to anyone. We will never ask for your password in a telephone call, fax, e-mail or other form of unsolicited communication. When you are finished with an application, you should sign out of the application. If the browser you used to access the application is publicly accessible (such as on a computer at a public library or internet cafe), you should close the browser session and, if possible, clear any browser history, cookies, or other areas where your password might have been stored. Otherwise, you risk having information about you becoming available to third parties.
Account Information
You can update your account information at any time by logging into the application and modifying your personal profile. If you wish to delete or suspend your account, you must contact us at accountinfo@schools.nyc.gov.
Cookies
Cookies are computer files that enable an application or website to distinguish between users. We use "temporary cookies" on some parts of our sites and applications, which expire when you close the browser session. We may also use “persistent cookies” to understand the how people access and use our sites and applications.
You can customize most browsers to reject cookies, to accept or reject cookies after a visual warning, or to delete cookies. However, some application and website features may require cookies to function properly.
Web Bugs
We do not use web bugs (also known as “web beacons”) on our web pages or in email for any purposes other than:
- to identify site performance needs;
- to ensure compatibility with the technology used by site visitors; and
- to add and improve services offered by our applications.
Intellectual Property
The content of our applications and websites is copyrighted, and may contain third-party images or graphics that are used with permission. You must obtain permission from the copyright holder before reproducing or otherwise using images/graphics from our websites or applications.