The purpose of this statement is to define the City of Los Angeles' policy regarding the collection and use of personally identifiable information (PII)—which is any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.
1. Information We Collect
The City of Los Angeles collects two kinds of user information: Anonymous Information and Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Anonymous Information
This is data that does not identify specific individuals and is automatically transmitted by your web browser to help us improve our website. This information cannot be linked to any specific person and includes:
- The URL (web address) of the page you previously visited.
- The domain name and/or IP address automatically assigned to your computer.
- The browser version and operating system you are using.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
This is specific personal data that you choose to provide to us, which may include:
- Name
- Address
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Credit/debit card information
We only collect PII when it is required to provide a requested service. You can decline to provide personal information at any time; however, withholding requested information may prevent us from providing certain online services.
The City restricts access to your PII to only those employees who need it to respond to your request. We make every reasonable effort to protect your privacy and do not intentionally disclose your personal information to third parties, except as required by law.
2. Public Records & Email Addresses
The California Public Records Act: Access to PII in public records at the state and local levels is controlled primarily by the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250, et seq.). Information that is generally available under this Act may be posted for electronic access through the City's website. While this Act sets the general policies for access to City records, other state and federal laws also govern confidentiality.
Email Addresses: Email addresses obtained through our website will not be sold or given to private companies for marketing purposes. However, emails and information requests sent to the City are subject to the access and confidentiality provisions of the Public Records Act. We maintain these communications to respond to your requests, route them to the appropriate agency, communicate updates, and gather customer feedback.
3. Cookies & Google Analytics
General Cookies
Some City applications use "cookies," which are small text files placed on your hard drive. A cookie can contain information (like a user ID) to track the pages you visit, but it can only contain personal information that you explicitly supply. Cookies cannot read data off your hard disk or read files created by other sites. You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your browser, though some web applications may require them to function properly.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to log user sessions, analyze web traffic, and tailor our website to customer needs. This data is used solely for statistical analysis. Some applications also use the Google Analytics Display Advertising feature (which uses a third-party DoubleClick Cookie) to provide Demographics and Interest Reporting.
If you wish to prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics, you can download the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. Please note: Updates to your browser may affect the functionality of this add-on. Make sure third-party cookies are not completely disabled if you rely on this add-on to automatically delete tracking data.
Google Analytics Cookies We Use:
| Cookie Name | Expiration Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ga | 2 years | Used to distinguish users. |
| gat | 10 minutes | Used to throttle request rates. |
| utma | 2 years | Used to distinguish users and sessions. Updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. |
| utmt | 10 minutes | Used to throttle request rates. |
| utmb | 30 minutes | Used to determine new sessions/visits. Updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. |
| utmc | End of session | Historically used in conjunction with the utmb cookie to determine whether the user was in a new session. |
| utmz | 6 months | Stores the traffic source or campaign that explains how you reached our site. |
| utmv | 2 years | Used to store visitor-level custom variable data. |
| Doubleclick | Varies | Used for Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting. |
4. Children's Privacy Policy
Any information collected by City websites from children under 13 is subject to the same general privacy guidelines, plus the following strict requirements:
- Parental Consent: Verifiable parental (or legal guardian) consent will be obtained before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information (such as name, address, phone number, email, school, or hobbies) about a child.
- Material Changes: If our practices change in a "material" way (e.g., what we collect, how we use it, or who has access), new consent will be obtained.
- Right to Review & Revoke: Parents may review the personal information collected from their child (subject to identity verification). Parents may also revoke their consent and request the deletion of their child's information at any time. Revocation may end a child's participation in an activity if that information was necessary to participate.
For more information, please visit the FTC's Children's Privacy website.
5. Security & Access to Your Information
Data Security
The City of Los Angeles is committed to data security. We operate secure data networks protected by industry-standard firewalls and password protection systems. When a City application accepts credit cards or highly sensitive data, all ordering information is encrypted to protect its confidentiality.
Accessing Your Data
Unless prohibited by state or federal law, you have the right to access and correct any personally identifiable information we hold about you. We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections. Each City service that collects PII will provide a mechanism to review and update that information.
6. External Websites
Our website may contain links to non-City websites. These external sites may not be subject to the California Public Records Act or other state/federal privacy laws. We advise visitors to check the privacy statements of these third-party sites and be cautious about providing personally identifiable information without understanding how it will be used.