By visiting this Web site, you are accepting the policies and practices described in this notice.

Please note that this Use Policy is subject to change without notice and that it reflects SDCOE's current business practices.

Personal Information and Choice

"Electronically collected personal information" we automatically collect includes your computer’s (or network’s) IP address and statistical information about which Web pages you visit. If you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for specific information (e.g., completing a request for assistance, personalizing the content of the Web site, sending an e-mail, or participating in a survey), more detailed data will be collected. If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the Web site.

If any type of personal information is requested on the Web site or volunteered by the user, state law, including Information Practices Act of 1977, Government Code Section 11015.5, and the federal Privacy Act of 1974, may protect it. However, this information may be a public record once you provide it and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not otherwise protected by federal or state law.

A Special Note About Children

Children under the age of 13 are not eligible to use services that require submission of personal information and we require that minors (under the age of 13) do not submit any personal information to us. This includes submitting personal information to SDCOE as part of a user profile or personalization profile. If you are a minor, you can use these services only if used together with your parents or guardians. If you are a minor, you should seek guidance from your parents.

If SDCOE decides to begin collecting personal information from children, it will notify parents that it is being requested, disclose the reasons for collecting it, and disclose our intended use for it. SDCOE will seek parental consent before collecting any personally identifiable information. If it does collect it, parents may request information on the type of data being collected, view their child's information and, if they choose, prohibit SDCOE from making further use of their child's information. SDCOE will not provide personal information about children to third parties.

Information Collected and How it is Used

We do collect personal information directly from individuals who volunteer to use some of our services. Collection of this information is required to deliver the specific services, but use of these services is voluntary.

If you do nothing during your visit to the Web site but browse or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

1. The IP address of your computer or network. The IP address is a numerical identifier used to direct Internet traffic to you and generate statistics used in the management of this site.
2. The type of web browser and operating system you used.
3. The date and time you visited this site.
4. The Web pages or services you accessed at this site.
5. The Web site you visited prior to coming to this Web site.
6. If you downloaded a form, the form that was downloaded.

The information we automatically collect or store is used to improve the content of our Web services and to help us understand how people are using our services. This information does not identify you personally and is used for gathering Web site statistics. The information we automatically collect and store in our logs about your visit helps us to analyze our Web site to continually improve the value of the materials available. Our Web site logs do not identify a visitor by personal information, and we make no attempt to link other Web sites with the individuals who browse SDCOE's Web site.

Government Code § 11015.5 (6) prohibits all state agencies from distributing or selling any electronically collected personal information, as defined above, about users to any third party without the permission of the user. SDCOE does not sell any "electronically collected personal information." Any distribution of "electronically collected personal information" will be solely for the purposes for which it was provided to us.

SDCOE may provide or distribute certain lists and statistical reports of regulatory information as provided by law, but no personal information is sold or distributed and all relevant legal protections still apply to the SDCOE Web site.

What Happens to Information You Submit to Us?

If you choose to submit information to us, any private information will be used only for the purposes for which it was provided and will not be shared with another entity, except as prescribed by law.

Surveys

If during your visit to the SDCOE Web site you participate in a survey or send an e-mail, the following additional information will be collected:

1. The e-mail address and contents of the e-mail.
2. Information volunteered in response to the survey.

The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information formats you send to us. The information is retained in accordance with Government Code § 11015.5.

If You Send Us Email

You may choose to provide us with personal information, as in an e-mail, with a comment or question. We use the information to improve our service to you or to respond to your request. Sometimes we forward your e-mail to other state employees who may be better able to help you, and this staff may be employed by a different agency within SDCOE. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations or as required by law, we do not share our e-mail with any other organizations.

We use your e-mail to respond appropriately. This may be to respond to you, to address issues you identify, to further improve our web site, or to forward the e-mail to another agency for appropriate action.

Order Forms

If you place an order with us, we request information from the user on our order form. A user must provide contact information (such as name and shipping address) and financial information (such as credit card number, expiration date). This information is used for billing purposes and to fill your order/request. If we have trouble processing an order, this contact information is used to get in touch with you.

Public Disclosure

In the State of California, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records. These exceptions serve various needs, including maintaining the privacy of individuals. Both state and federal laws provide exceptions.

All information collected at this site becomes public record that may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exemption in law exists. In the event of a conflict between this Use Policy and the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other law governing the disclosure of records, the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other applicable law will control.

Personal Information

Under Government Code § 11015.5, if you choose, you may have any personal information collected about you discarded without reuse or distribution, provided we are contacted in a timely fashion.

Automatic Collection of Information/Cookies

Cookies are simple text files stored on your computer by your Web browser.

In order to provide special functionality to the SDCOE Web site, cookies may be used that remain on your computer from session to session, unless deleted by you. 

When needed to maintain the functionality of an interactive web application, SDCOE uses cookies to maintain information between web pages only during the session in which you access our interactive web applications.  These cookies are automatically deleted when your web browser is closed. 

Security

SDCOE, as developer and manager of this Web site, has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its telecommunications and computing infrastructure, including, but not limited, to authentication, monitoring, auditing, and encryption. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day practices of the entire state operating environment as part of its continuing commitment to risk management. 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 through the SDCOE Web site.

This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for comparable purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.

Indemnification

User agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless SDCOE, its contributors, any entity jointly created by them, their respective affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims and expenses, including attorneys' fees, arising out of the use of the online service by user or user's account.

Links to Other Sites

This Web site has links to sites we believe might be useful to you and which may provide services. When you link to another site, you are no longer on our site and are subject to the privacy policy of the new site.

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The SDCOE Web site at times contains some content that is supplied by third parties and users. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of SDCOE.
Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by SDCOE, and such reference shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Limitation of Liability

SDCOE attempts to maintain the highest accuracy of content on its Web site. Any errors or omissions should be reported for investigation.

SDCOE makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the absolute accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this Web site and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this Web site. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including, but not limited to, the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents of this Web site or its hyperlinks to other Internet resources. Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the State of California or its employees or agents.

Choice of Law

Construction of the disclaimers noted above and resolution of disputes over the disclaimers are governed by the laws of the State of California.

If you have questions or concerns over these policies please call us @ 858-292-3500.

This Conditions of Use Policy is subject to change without notice.

Last update April 9th, 2007.