GDPR Explained (Websites)
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect Friday, May 25, 2018. It’s new European laws have been created to protect your privacy. One of the requirements is that you should know your privacy rights for any website you visit. Please scroll down to read ACOG’s Privacy Policy.
The goal of GDPR is to give citizens in the European Union control over their personal data and change the data privacy approach of organizations across the world. The EU has put in hefty penalties for those who are not in compliance. After May 25, 2018, businesses, including local, state and federal government agencies in the United States, that are not in compliance with GDPR’s requirement can face large fines up to 4 percent of a company’s annual global revenue OR €20 million, whichever is greater.
ACOG’s website, www.acogok.org, has visitors from European Union countries, therefore, this law applies to the sub-state organization.
While GDPR has the potential to escalate to those high level of fines, it will start with a warning, then a reprimand, then a suspension of data processing, and if you continue to violate the law, then the large fines will hit.
GDPR Explained (Newsletters)
One of the other aspects of the GDPR laws entails current recipients of marketing newsletters reconfirm that they give senders permission to continue to send them newsletters. ACOG, however, does not target anyone in the European market with goods and services, and therefore, we are not subject to compliance with this aspect of the General Data Protection Regulation.
Nevertheless, ACOG distributes three newsletters and/or alerts that can be classified as marketing efforts.
- The ACOG Newsletter
- The Clean Cities Newsletter
- Ozone Alerts
You may unsubscribe to these at anytime by emailing enews@acogok.org. Please put UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
We hope that you enjoy hearing from ACOG.
ACOG’s Privacy Policy
ACOGOK.org found at https://www.acogok.org (“Website”) is governed by the following privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”).
The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) respects your privacy and are committed to protecting it. The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to inform you what personally identifiable information we may collect and how it may be used. This statement only applies to this Website.
What Information Do We Collect & How is it Used?
Information You Voluntarily Submit to the Website
We may collect personal information from you such as your name or email address when you voluntarily submit information to the Website by leaving a comment, or subscribing to a newsletter.
Information We Collect from Others
We may receive information about you from other sources, for instance if you choose to link your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin and/or Google accounts in the website field when commenting. The Website may utilize social media commenting systems, so if you choose to comment on a Website post which has been shared on social media, your comment may appear on the blog post as well.
Automatically-Collected Information
We automatically collect certain information about you and the device with which you access the Website. For example, when you use the Website, we will log your IP address, operating system type, browser type, referring website, pages you viewed, and the dates/times when you accessed the Website. We may also collect information about actions you take when using the Website, such as links clicked.
Cookies
We may log information using cookies, which are small data files stored on your browser by the Website. We may use both session cookies, which expire when you close your browser, and persistent cookies, which stay on your browser until deleted, to provide you with a more personalized experience on the Website.
How Your Information May Be Used
We may use the information collected in the following ways:
- To operate and maintain the Website;
- To create your account, identify you as a user of the Website, and customize the Website for your account;
- To send you promotional information, such as newsletters. Each email promotion will provide information on how to opt-out of future mailings;
- To send you administrative communications, such as administrative emails, confirmation emails, technical notices, updates on policies, or security alerts;
- To respond to your comments or inquiries;
- To provide you with user support;
- To track and measure advertising on the Website, should at some point ACOG decide to sell advertising on acogok.org.
- To protect, investigate, and deter against unauthorized or illegal activity.
Third-Party Use of Information
We may share your information with third parties when you explicitly authorize us to share your information.
Additionally, the Website may use third-party service providers to service various aspects of the Website. Each third-party service provider’s use of your personal information is dictated by their respective privacy policies.
The Website currently uses the following third-party service providers:
Google Analytics
This service tracks Website usage and provides information such as referring websites and user actions on the Website. Google Analytics may capture your IP address, but no other personal information is captured by Google Analytics.
Mail Chimp and Constant Contact
This service is used for delivery of email updates and newsletters. We store your name and email address for purposes of delivering such communications. Please refer to Mail Chimp and Constant Contact’s privacy policy for further information.
Constant Contact Privacy Statement
WordPress
ACOG’s website is built on the WordPress.org platform. WordPress 4.9.6, the WordPress core software is GDPR compliant. WordPress core team has added several GDPR enhancements to make sure that WordPress is GDPR compliant.
Divi
ACOG utilizes a website builder called Divi, which integrates with WordPress.org. It is a product of Elegant Themes.
Both Worlds Software
This online software service is integrated into the ACOG website, and is used by for enrolling dispatchers and other 9-1-1 professional in 9-1-1 ACOG Training Institute courses. We collect and store your name, email address, training history and other information relating to students’ dispatcher training. Click here to read Both Worlds Software’s privacy policy.
Your personal information is not shared with any other third-party applications. This list may be amended from time to time in the Website’s sole discretion.
Except when required by law, we will not sell, distribute, or reveal your email addresses or other personal information without your consent; however, we may disclose or transfer personal information collected through the Website to third parties who acquire all or a portion of our organization, which may be the result of a merger, consolidation of all or a portion of ACOG or 9-1-1 ACOG’s assets.
Anonymous Data
From time to time, we may use anonymous data, which does not identify you alone, or when combined with data from other parties. This type of anonymous data may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses. Examples of this anonymous data may include analytics or information collected from cookies.
Publicly Visible Information
If you leave a comment on the Website, certain information like your name may be publicly visible. Your email address will never be available publicly. At your option, you may also add an avatar, a profile description, and a link to your website.
Users may see your username, avatar, profile description and website information.
Cookies
The Website uses cookies to store visitors’ preferences, record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit, ensure that visitors are not repeatedly sent the same banner ads (should we use them), customize Website content based on visitors’ browser type or other information that the visitor sends. Cookies may also be used by third-party services, such as Google Analytics, as described herein.
Users may, at any time, prevent the setting of cookies, by the Website, by using a corresponding setting of your internet browser and may thus permanently deny the setting of cookies. Furthermore, already set cookies may be deleted at any time via an Internet browser or other software programs. This is possible in all popular Internet browsers. However, if users deactivate the setting of cookies in your Internet browser, not all functions of our Website may be entirely usable.
Advertising
Display Ads
At some point, ACOG may use third-party advertising companies to serve content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use cookies, as noted above.
Retargeting Ads
In the future, ACOGOK.org may engage in remarketing efforts with third-party companies, such as Google, Facebook, or Instagram, in order to market the Website. These companies use cookies to serve ads based on someone’s past visits to the Website.
Newsletters
On the web site, acogok.org, you may subscribe to various ACOG newsletters, agendas, notices, etc., which may be used for publicity purposes. All newsletters sent may contain tracking pixels. The pixel is embedded in emails and allows an analysis of the success of online marketing campaigns.
Because of these tracking pixels, we may see if and when you open an email and which links within the email you click. Also, this allows the Website to adapt the content of future newsletters to the interests of the user. This behavior will not be passed on to third parties.
Rights Related to Your Personal Information
Opt-out
You may opt-out of future email communications by following the unsubscribe links in our emails. You may also notify us at enews@acogok.org or rmeinke@acogok.org to be removed from our mailing list.
Access
You may access the personal information we have about you by submitting a request to enews@acogok.org or rmeinke@acogok.org.
Amend
You may contact us at enews@acogok.org or rmeinke@acogok.org to amend or update your personal information.
Forget
In certain situations, you may request that we erase or forget your personal data. To do so, please submit a request to enews@acogok.org or rmeinke@acogok.org.
Please note that we may need to retain certain information for recordkeeping purposes or to complete transactions, or when required by law.
Sensitive Personal Information
At no time should you submit sensitive personal information to the Website. This includes your social security number, information regarding race or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health information, criminal background, or trade union memberships. If you elect to submit such information to us, it will be subject to this Privacy Policy.
Children’s Information
The Website does not knowingly collect any personally identifiable information from children under the age of 16. If a parent or guardian believes that the Website has personally identifiable information of a child under the age of 16 in its database, please contact us immediately at enews@acogok.org or rmeinke@acogok.org and we will use our best efforts to promptly remove such information from our records.
Contact Information
At any time, please contact us for questions related to this Privacy Policy:
Rachel Meinke
Public Information Director
Association of Central Oklahoma Governments
4205 N. Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
(405) 234-2264
rmeinke@acogok.org
An alternative email address is enews@acogok.org.