Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Privacy Notice

State of Wisconsin 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 provided by both state and federal laws. These exceptions include the privacy of individuals. 

Information collected at the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services web site becomes public record and may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exception in law exists. During your visit to Wisconsin.gov information that is not readily identifiable to an individual is automatically collected and stored. This information is used solely to improve our web services. For more detail on our privacy policy, please see the expanded statement following.

• Information Collected and How It is Used
• Personal Information and Choice 
• Public Disclosure
• Access and Correction of Personal Information
• Internet Browser Cookies
• Security
• Disclaimer

    Information Collected and How It is Used

If you do nothing during your visit to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services web site but browse or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

1. The Internet Protocol address and domain name used but not the email address. The Internet Protocol address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet service provider or directly to your computer. We use the Internet Protocol Address to direct Internet traffic to you;
2. The type of browser and operating system you used and your connection speed;
3. The date and time you visited this site;
4. The web pages or services you accessed at this site; and
5. The web site you visited prior to coming to this web 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. The Department analyzes web site log files to continually improve the value of the materials available on our site. Our web site log filess are not personally identifiable, and we make no attempt to link them with the individuals that browse the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services web site.

If during your visit to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services web site you participate in a survey or send an email, the following additional information will be collected:

1. E-mail correspondence: The e-mail address and contents of the e-mail;
2. Surveys : Any information you volunteered in response to a survey. 

The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information formats you send us. The information is retained in accordance with Wisconsin Open Records Law. We use your email 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 email to another agency for appropriate action. Survey information is used for the purpose designated.

    Personal Information and Choice 

"Personal information" is information about an individual that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal information includes personal identifiers such as an individual's name, address, and phone number. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information.

We collect no personal information about you unless you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for information (i.e. sending an e-mail or participating in a survey). If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of Wisconsin.gov.

If personal information is requested on the web site or volunteered by the user, state law and the federal Privacy Act of 1974 may protect it. However, this information is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by federal or state law.

Users are cautioned that the collection of personal information requested from or volunteered by children on-line or by email will be treated the same as information given by an adult and may be subject to public access.

    Public Disclosure

In the State of Wisconsin, 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 that serve various needs: the privacy of individuals is included among these expecptions. Exceptions are provided by both state and federal laws. 

We strive to protect personally identifiable information by collecting only information necessary to deliver our services. 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 Privacy Notice and the Wisconsin Open Records Law or other law governing the disclosure of records, the Wisconsin Open Records Law or other applicable law will control.

    Access and Correction of Personal Information

You can review any personal information we collect about you. You may recommend changes to your personal information you believe in error by submitting a written request that credibly shows the error. If you believe that your personal information is being used for a purpose other than what was intended when submitted, you may contact us. In all cases, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections. See Contact Information section.

    Internet Browser Cookies

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is a small amount of data, which may include an anonymous unique identifier, that is sent to your browser from a web site's computers and may either be used only during your session (a "session" cookie) or may be stored on your computer's hard drive (a "persistent" cookie). Cookies can contain data about user movement during the visit to the website. If your browser software is set to allow cookies, a web site can send its own cookie to you. A web site that has set a cookie can only access those cookies it has sent to you, it cannot access cookies sent to you by other sites. 

Why are Cookies Used on Web Sites?

Cookies are one mechanism for maintaining continuity during a user's visit to a web site. They allow data to be maintained for users' benefit as they navigate a site. This is referred to as "session" or "state management" cookie. These cookies go away when you terminate your visit to the website as they are maintained only in your browser's active memory during your session. Cookies may be also be stored on your computer to so that you can be recognized by a website on subsequent visits. They can be read by the website that set them whenever you enter the website. They are often used on websites that require you to log in to save you entering all of your log-in information. They may store information on your unique identifier and the areas of the website you have visited before. These cookies are stored on your computer's hard drive after you have left your website visit and consequently are often referred to as "persistent" cookies. 

Choices about Cookies

You can configure your browser to accept all cookies, reject all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set. (Each browser is different, so check the "Help" menu of your browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences.) 

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Practice Regarding Cookies

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services web site has a feature that allows users to change the default text size of the web site. The Safety and Professional Services web site uses a persistent  cookie to identify the users text size preference, so that everytime the user visits the Safety and Professional Services web site the text size will reflect the users selected text size preference without the user having to set the text size each visit to the Safety and Professional Services web site. 

    Security

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, as developer and manager of the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services 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 Safety and Professional Services 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. This information should not be construed as warranting as fail-proof the security of information provided through Safety and Professional Services supported web sites.

    Disclaimer

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services web site has links to other web sites. These include links to web sites operated by other government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private businesses. When you visit another site, you are no longer on the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services web site and this Privacy Notice will not apply. When you visit another web site, you are subject to the privacy policy of that new site.