When you access our web and digital properties we may automatically gather and store certain information about your visit using cookies, pixels, and similar tracking technologies. This information is used to improve your online experience. When you like, tweet, mention, share, post, comment, or access a City social media account, those interactions are stored as City records and are subject to the City's records retention and public disclosure requirements.
Links to Third Party Websites
The City's web site has many links to other websites. These include links to web sites operated by other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses. When possible, the City will provide notification that you will be redirected to another website. When you link to another site, you are no longer on the City's website and this Privacy Statement will not apply. When you link to another website, you are subject to the privacy policy of that new site. Visitors linking to another site are encouraged to examine the privacy policy of that site. The City is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any third-party website.
Examples of Website and Digital Property Information We May Collect
The information we collect when you interact with our website includes:
- The Internet Protocol (IP) address and domain name used to access our web site. The IP 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. This address can be translated to determine the domain name of your service provider (e.g. xcompany.com or yourschool.edu). Generally, the City only determines visitor domain names if a security issue is suspected.
- The type of browser and operating system you used
- The date and time you visited this site
- The web pages or services you accessed at this site
- The web site you visited prior to coming to this web site
- Social media interactions with official City social media accounts, such as when you like, share, retweet, or comment on a City post.
Using Website and Digital Property Information
The website and other digital property usage information we collect is used to:
- Remember information so that you will not have to re-enter it during your visit or the next time you visit the site
- Provide custom, personalized content
- Monitor the effectiveness of our website
- Monitor aggregate metrics such as total number of visitors, traffic, usage, and demographic patterns on our website, service, or other digital property
- Diagnose or fix technology problems
- Enhance network security
- Plan for and enhance our services, websites, or social media engagements. (For example, the City's web site uses software programs to create summary statistics, which are used for such purposes as assessing what information is of most and least interest, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas.)
- Analyzing and reporting on general themes posted to City social media sites about a City program, service, or other effort in order to make business decisions or evaluate outreach efforts
- Cataloging and storing City records for compliance with Washington State retention and public disclosure laws
Protections for Website and Digital Property Information
Website and digital property data are used for the purposes described above, and are scheduled for regular destruction in accordance with public records retention schedules.