Revised December 2024
Overview
The Georgia State Ethics Commission strives to provide online resources in a safe, secure manner that respects your privacy when you visit our sites. This privacy statement addresses the collection, use, disclosure, and security of information that may be obtained when you visit the Commission’s website.
Information Collected
The Georgia State Ethics Commission site uses Google Analytics to capture information about the effectiveness of its websites. When users visit a Georgia.gov website, the service may collect some or all of the following information:
- The names of domains; for example, “xyzcompany.com”;
- IP addresses, which are numbers automatically assigned to a computer when using the Internet;
- The type of browser and operating system used to access the site;
- The Internet address of the website from which users linked directly to the site;
- The search terms used to get to the website, in addition to search terms used in the site’s search engine;
- The dates and times users access the site;
- The type of device used to access the site;
- How often users visit the site;
- The pages users visit within the site; and
- The links made to other websites through this site.
The information is NOT identifiable by person and is only used cumulatively for statistical purposes to help make our websites more user friendly. For instance, data on what people are searching for helps us determine what type of content to make available on the websites, or make the most popular search terms more easily findable on the site.
Google Analytics plants a permanent cookie on your web browser to identify you as a unique user the next time you visit this site, but this cookie cannot be used by anyone but Google. Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to this site is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Use (as amended for government websites) and the Google Privacy Policy. You can prevent Google Analytics from recognizing you on return visits to this site by disabling cookies on your browser.
For site security purposes the server housing this site uses programs to monitor network traffic. Anyone using this site consents to the monitoring of their use by these programs and the analysis of traffic to recognize possible security breaches.
If, during your visit to the Georgia State Ethics Commission website, you voluntarily provide personally identifiable information through a form, we will collect such information. Examples of personally identifiable information may include:
- Your name, address, or phone number;
- An email address if you are communicating to us through email;
- Information you voluntarily submit to the Georgia State Ethics Commission for the purposes of completing or submitting an application or form online;
- Other information volunteered, such as vendor profile/contact information, survey information or content.
The information collected is not limited to text and may include audio, video and other graphic formats you send us. Information is retained and used in accordance with existing laws, rules, regulations, and other policies.
Public Disclosure
Visitors should be aware that information collected through the Georgia State Ethics Commission website may be subject to examination and inspection if such information is a public record or not otherwise protected from disclosure.
Security
Several tools, policies, and protocols are used to safeguard the submission of information through the Georgia State Ethics Commission website. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day operations of the Georgia State Ethics Commission as part of our continuing commitment to the security of electronic content as well as the electronic transmission of information.
To further secure your privacy, do not divulge any passwords or sensitive information to anyone in a phone call or email. When you are finished with those applications that are password protected, always close the browser page.
Email is not a secure form of transmission. The Georgia State Ethics Commission does not recommend that you submit sensitive or personally identifiable information via email. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations or as required by law, we do not share our email with any other organizations outside of the public sector.
Text Messaging
All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties. We will not share your opt-in to an SMS campaign with any third party for purposes unrelated to providing you with the services of that campaign. We may share your Personal Data, including your SMS opt-in or consent status, with third parties that help us provide our messaging services, including but not limited to platform providers, phone companies, and any other vendors who assist us in the delivery of text messages.
Changes to this Privacy Statement
Revisions to this privacy statement will be posted to this page so you will know the type of information we collect and how that information is used. We will also post the last date of revision at the top of this page. Our goal is to provide a private, efficient, and friendly digital government experience.
Other useful privacy and security-related materials
You can find more useful privacy and security-related materials through Google’s policies and principles pages, as well as:
- Information about technologies and principles, which includes how Google uses cookies.
- A page that explains what data is shared with Google when you visit websites that use its advertising, analytics, and social products.
- Google’s safety center provides information on how to stay safe and secure online.