New Hanover County
Privacy Policy

This privacy notice contains the following sections:

• Policy Statement
• Information collected about web site visitors
• E-mail
• Cookies
• Security
• Public disclosure
• Disclaimer
• Contact information

Policy Statement

The maintenance and disposition of information collected electronically via New Hanover County’s web site is governed by North Carolina General Statutes 132 and this policy which exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information. At the same time, the County recognizes that personal information collected by the County should be used only for the purpose for which it is collected. Except as authorized by law, such information will not be disclosed to other persons or organizations. Therefore, it is the policy of New Hanover County that all information collected by the County Web site shall be treated as follows:

• Collection of electronic information - information collected and held electronically shall be afforded the same protection as non-electronic information;
• Collection of personal information – only the minimum amount of personal information necessary to satisfy your request for County services will be collected;
• Disclosure of personal information - disclosure of information shall be limited to the purpose for which it was collected unless otherwise authorized by law; when practical and provided by law, information may be obtained from other government entities;
• Security precautions - reasonable precautions shall be taken to ensure the security of personal information.

Information collected about web site visitors

What information is collected automatically?
In order to communicate across the Internet, a web server and a visitor’s web browser exchange certain bits of information. Typically this information consists of such things as:

• Internet addresses and domain names
• The type of browser and operating system
• Date and time
• The number of bytes of data transferred
• The web pages or services accessed
• The web site the user visited that linked him to our site

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. We analyze our web site logs to continually improve the value of the materials available on our site. Our web site logs are not personally identifiable, and we make no attempt to link them with the individuals that browse our site.

Personally Identifying Information
The County Web Site does not obtain personally identifying information unless you choose to supply it (for example, sending an E-mail, participating in a survey, responding to a feedback or "contact us" form, or applying for benefits or County services).

"Personally identifying information" may include, but is not limited to:

• Your name
• Your address (excluding zip code)
• Your E-mail address
• Your social security number
• Your password
• Bank account information
• Credit card information
• License or identification number
• Telephone number
• Medical or disability information
• Any combination of data that could be used to identify you such as birth date, zip code and gender
• Any graphical or visual representation of you

County agencies may request personally identifying information from you in order to provide requested services, but such information is handled as it would be on an in-person visit to the County office. Personal information provided by the user, is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection, distribution and copying if not protected by Federal or State law. The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information.

Privacy issues relating to the Federal Child Privacy Act
The Federal Child Privacy Act regulates Web site's collection of personal information on users under 18 years of age. We do not intentionally collect such information on anyone we know to be under 18 years of age. If such information is inadvertently obtained, the minor's parent or legal guardian may contact the County for a description of the specific types of personal information collected from the child and the options available to them under law to ensure their child's safety.

E-mail Messages

E-mail messages sent to a County address enter the County’s E-mail system and are processed and retained just like any other messages in the County system. This means that they may be subject to public inspection or legal disclosure, and that they will be retained in accordance with the policy governing all County E-mail. A person sending an E-mail message to a County address should not assume that it is confidential.

Cookies

“Cookies” are text files sent to your browser, which may then be stored on your computer. Some sites use “Cookies” to track usage of the site. New Hanover County does not use “Cookies” on this site.

Security

New Hanover County limits employee access to personally identifiable information from this website to only those employees who need access to perform a specific job. The County has instituted security measures to protect the information and systems that it maintains. These measures are designed to ensure that this service remains available to all users by blocking unauthorized access to our systems and preventing corruption of data, thus providing reasonable protection of personal information in our possession. In addition, New Hanover County employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to change information or otherwise cause damage.

Public disclosure

The County does not disclose any personal information except when: permission has been granted by the individual; when the information is considered public information under N.C.G.S 132, and when it is not otherwise protected from disclosure by applicable Federal or State laws; or, we are required to do so by law, subpoena, court order or legal process.

Disclaimer

Links to Other Web Sites
The County Web site may contain links to or data from other, non-County Web sites. When linking to another site, this New Hanover County Privacy Notice no longer applies. The New Hanover County does not endorse any products or services linked from or supplied to this site.

Use of Information Provided by this Web Site
The information on the County Web Site is collected, maintained, and provided for the convenience of the viewer. While every effort is made to keep such information accurate and up-to-date, the County makes no warranty, expressed or implied, concerning its timeliness, accuracy, or completeness, and users are advised that their use of any County data is at their own risk. The County assumes no responsibility for any decisions made or any actions taken by the user based upon information obtained from this Web Site. The user agrees that the County shall be held harmless from all actions, claims, damages or judgments arising out of the use of County data.

Contact information

Additional questions or concerns about this Privacy Notice should be directed to: webmaster@nhcgov.com.