Personal Information

VDSS does not require you to provide any personal information when using its Web site. The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) only collects personal information to the extent necessary to provide a service or benefit. Citizens shall understand the reason the information is collected and be able to examine their personal records.

Cookies

"Cookies" are a standard Web technology consisting of small files placed on your computer by a Web server. The server uses them to both store and retrieve information about your visit.

It is the policy of VDSS to avoid placing cookies on your computer whenever possible. However, some applications on this site require a persistent connection between the server and your computer. This connection is maintained through the use of cookies. VDSS applications do not use these cookies to store or transmit information about you.

If your Web browser is configured not to accept cookies, you will still be able to access information on the site, but some features and applications may not be available.

Information from E-mail You Send to Us

If you decide to send us an electronic mail message (e-mail), the message will usually contain your return e-mail address. If you include personally-identifying information in your e-mail because you want us to address issues specific to your situation, we may use that information in responding to your request. Sometimes we forward your e-mail to other state agencies that may be better able to help you or answer your question. We do not distribute lists of e-mail addresses to any parties outside of VDSS and its support agencies. Except as required by law, we do not share our e-mail with any other outside organizations.

VDSS is pleased to respond to general e-mail inquiries concerning its services, but state and federal laws do not allow us to provide personal, confidential or case-specific information through this forum. Also, e-mail inquiries sent to VDSS are not secure or confidential.

Information Collected from Interactive Forms

On some of our Web pages we offer interactive forms that let you voluntarily submit personal information (such as your e-mail address, name, and address). This occurs when you are requesting information, ordering publications, or registering for various conferences, workshops, or training sessions offered by VDSS. All submitted information is used only for the expressed purposes for which it is intended and is not made available to any third party.

Tracking Movement through the Web site

We may record some non-personal information during your visit. If you do nothing during your visit but browse through the Web site, read pages, or download information, our Web site's server may automatically record some general information about your visit.

During your visit, our Web site's server may record:

• The Internet domain for your Internet service, such as "xcompany.com" or "xcompany.net" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourschool.edu" if you connect from a college or university domain and IP address (a number automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web) from which you access our site
• The type and version of browser (such as "Netscape version X" or "Internet Explorer version X") that you use and the type of operating system you use (such as Macintosh, Unix, or Windows)
• The date and time you visit our site, and the Web pages that you visit on our site, and
• The address of the previous Web site you were visiting, if clicked through to us from another Web site.

We use this information for statistical analysis, to help us make our site more useful to visitors. This information is only used internally, does not record information about individuals, and will only be used for internal management purposes.

Links to Other Sites

Our Web site has links to other Web sites you may find interesting or relevant. These other sites may send their own cookies to your PC, collect data, or solicit personal information. The privacy policies and procedures described here do not apply to any external links. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any site you link to from ours, especially if you share any personal information.