Privacy/Security
Revised August 2020
Overview
The Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”) strives to provide online resources in a safe, secure manner that respects your privacy when you visit this website. This privacy statement addresses the collection, use, disclosure, and security of information that may be obtained by the Department and its third-party service provider (“TPSP”) when you visit this website.
Information Collected
This website uses cookies, which are strings of data our system sends to your computer, for standard session management and for internal purposes by the Department’s TPSP. This website does not use cookies to track usage information.
For site security purposes the servers housing this website use programs to monitor network traffic. Anyone using this website 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 this 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 Department for the purposes of completing or submitting an application or form online; and,
- Other information volunteered, including, but not limited to, 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.
Depending on the specific service or transaction, the Department may share personally identifiable information with its TPSP, subject to applicable legal and contractual confidentiality requirements, in order to provide such service or complete such transaction.
Public Disclosure
As a general rule, we will not disclose any personally identifiable information collected online outside of the Department except where you have given us permission, or where the information is public information under applicable laws, including, but not limited to, O.C.G.A. § 7-1-70 and the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq. Visitors should be aware that information collected through this 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 this website. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation and day-to-day operations of the entire operating environment 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 (e.g. credit card number) to anyone in a phone call or email. When you are finished with those applications that are password protected or require the input of your credit card information, always close the browser page.
Information you provide to Payment Processors
All payments made to the Department are processed by a Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI/DSS) compliant payment processing service engaged by the Department. All information collected by this vendor for purposes of processing your payments is not available to the Department, unless you have otherwise provided this information to us in connection with your use of this website or our products and services.
Email
Email is not a secure form of transmission. The Department does not recommend that you submit sensitive or personally identifiable information via email. If you choose to provide us with personal information in an email we may use the email and the information contained within it to improve our service to you or to respond to your request. Sometimes we forward your email to other state employees who may be better able to help you, and this staff may be employed by a different agency within the state. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations or as required by law, we do not share our email with any other organizations.
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. Please note that other websites of the Department on different platforms may contain additional or different privacy statements.