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The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
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Terms of use and privacy policy

Privacy Policy and security

Privacy

As a government agency, we are required to comply with the Maryland Public Information Act which provides that information or documents within our possession must generally be publicly available unless protected by one of the exemptions/exceptions.

Types of Information We Gather: 
The information we gather is either information (for example, your name and address) that you voluntarily supply when you register or initiate transactions, or information gathered on usage patterns and preferences as visitors navigate the web site, use our services such as e-mail, or read our e-mail newsletters. 

Cookies: 
To help make our web site more responsive to the needs of our visitors, we use a standard feature of browser software, called a “cookie”, to assign each visitor a unique, random number that resides on your computer. The cookie does not identify the visitor, just the computer that a visitor uses to access our site. Unless you voluntarily identify yourself, we will not know who you are, even if we assign a cookie to your computer as the only personal information a cookie can contain is information you supply. A cookie cannot read unrelated data off your computer. We use cookies to help us deliver a better, more personalized service. For example, we use cookies to track the pages and services on our web site visited by our users. We can build a better web site if we know which pages and features our users are visiting and how often. 

Information Collected and Stored Automatically: 
Our web server automatically collects limited information about your computer configuration when you visit our web site, including the type of browser and operating system used to access the site, the date and time you access the site, the resolution of your computer monitor, the web site that referred you, the internet domain, and the IP address from which you access the site, and the page(s) you visit. Your IP address is a number that is used by computers connected to the Internet to identify your computer so that data such as the web pages you want to view can be transmitted to you. We use IP address information for systems administration and trouble-shooting purposes. This information is used to make these websites more useful to visitors, to learn about the number of visitors to our site, and the types of technology our visitors use. We do not track or record identifying information about individuals and their visits.

E-Mail

If you send us an e-mail, we use the information you send us to respond to your inquiry, just as we do with written correspondence. E-mail correspondence, like mailed correspondence, may become a public record. As a public record, your correspondence could be disclosed to other parties upon their request, in accordance with Maryland Public Information Act.

Site Security

For site security purposes, our web servers use industry-standard methods to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on M-NCPPC servers are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under State and Federal laws that protect fraud and abuse of computer systems.

Other Disclosures: 
We may occasionally release information about our visitors when release is appropriate to comply with law, to protect the rights, property or safety of visitors to our sites, the public, our customers, or our government and its employees, agents, partners and affiliates. 

Please be aware that our communities are public spaces, and you should not post any information that you do not want to make publicly available. Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, product keys, and other privileged or confidential information, including anything covered under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), should not be posted to any blogs, discussions, or other public areas. 

Terms and Conditions

General: 
The purpose of our interactive modules is to obtain suggestions, ideas, and feedback to benefit our community. Please refrain from making personal attacks or using slurs and profanity in your interactions. Please make sure that your postings are relevant to the subject at hand. It is normal and expected for some topics to drift from the stated subject. However, to ensure maximum benefit for all of our users, we encourage you to keep your postings as close to the subject as possible. Impersonating a government employee or anther user is not allowed. We do not allow behavior or content related to illegal activities. Do not post or promote any materials that could SPAM, harm, or disrupt another user’s computer. 

You may not link to any sites that violate the terms and conditions above. We reserve the right to ban any participant at any time that we feel does not comply with an appropriate code of conduct. 

Disclaimers: 
The sites are provided on an ‘as is’ basis without any warranties of any kind, express or implied. This site, to the fullest extent permitted by law, disclaims all warranties, including, but not limited to, the warranties of merchantability, title, non-infringement of third parties’ rights, and fitness for particular purpose. This site makes no warranties about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the sites. Without limitation on the foregoing: 

  1. This site does not warrant that the sites will operate error-free or that the sites and their servers are free of computer viruses or other harmful mechanisms. If your use of the sites results directly or indirectly in the need for servicing or replacing equipment or data, this site is not responsible for those costs.
  2. This site makes no representations or guarantees regarding the truthfulness, accuracy, legality, completeness, timeliness or reliability of any documents posted by users, or of any other form of communication engaged in by users. Documents may contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. You agree that any reliance on documents posted by users, or on any other form of communication with users, will be at your own risk.
  3. This site makes no representations or guarantees regarding the content of the sites, including, but not limited to, broken links, inaccuracies or typographical errors.
  4. This site makes no representations or guarantees regarding the effectiveness of the services or timeliness of the services in meeting your employment objectives. This site does not guarantee that the services will result in candidates being hired, positions being filled or employees being retained, and is not responsible or liable for any business, employment, hiring and/or salary decisions, for whatever reason made, made by you.

User Authentication: 
Because user authentication on the Internet is difficult, this site cannot and does not confirm that each User is who they claim to be. Because this site does not and cannot be involved in User-to-User dealings or control the behavior of participants on the Sites, in the event that you have a dispute with one or more Users, you release this site from claims, demands and damages (actual and consequential and direct and indirect) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed, arising out of or in any way connected with such disputes.

Mobile Messaging
Montgomery Planning Mobile Messaging Terms and Conditions