This notice explains the practices of National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (“CFC”) in collecting and using online information and will acquaint you with the choices you can make about sharing your information, as a user of our websites (the “CFC Websites”). This policy applies only to information collected, maintained and used by CFC. CFC has no control over, and is not responsible for, the privacy practices or policies of third party websites that users connect to through links on our sites, nor does it apply to information posted on our sites that is provided by third parties.
Collection and Use of Personal Information
Many parts of the CFC Websites can be used without providing personal information. Other areas of the CFC Websites can be used only after providing a limited amount of personal information in order to become an authorized user. If you provide personal information in order to register to receive materials, to participate in programs, to become an authorized user or for other purposes, we may use that information and share it internally in conjunction with responding to your inquiries or requests (for example, if you send us emails, we may use your return email address to answer the email) and we may use it to update our own customer contact information system. We may also use it to advise you of information, features, products and services, and as otherwise described elsewhere in this policy.
The types of personal information CFC collects from registrants includes, but is not limited to name, company name, physical address, email address, phone number and user created names and passwords. CFC may also collect resumes, cover letters and salary requirements for individuals applying for employment.
Your submission of personal information, including a resume, for employment purposes is completely voluntary, although the submission of such information is necessary to access those areas of the CFC Websites requiring registration. If you submit personal information or a resume for employment to CFC, the information may be used to communicate with you in writing, by telephone or online, to evaluate your application, to analyze CFC staffing needs and practices or to otherwise efficiently manage the CFC hiring process. Resumes are not used for any other purpose and are not shared with entities unrelated to CFC. Resumes for individuals applying for employment are generally retained for a period of two years from date of application.
We use an analytics tool provided by a third party to track and analyze the use of the CFC Websites. The tool uses tracking code to collect and store information about user’s IP address, operating system, and city and state of the users. The collected data is used to service and maintain user accounts, improve website design and functionality to deliver better products and services, monitor compliance with CFC’s Website Terms of Use, and respond to user inquiries. CFC owns this collected and aggregated data and will not share personal non-public information with third parties.
Information Sharing
Generally, CFC will not provide your personal information to entities not affiliated with CFC. However, CFC may use or may disclose personal information in order to: protect the legal rights of CFC, or its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, partners, agents or contractors; protect the safety and security of visitors to the CFC Websites; protect against fraud or for risk management purposes; improve the user experience, troubleshoot, maintain or perform services associated with the CFC Websites, including technical services and employment application services. CFC may also use or may disclose personal information in order to comply with the law or legal process, or to pursue remedies against users who attempt to damage, misuse or interfere with the operations of the CFC Websites.
Cookies
Cookies are small bits of information that the CFC web server deposits on the hard drive of a user’s computer, primarily, to show us how our websites are being used. Among other things, cookies help our server identify your computer’s IP address and Internet browser, the domain from which our sites are accessed, the date, time and duration of access, pages visited, links visited and whether you have previously visited the CFC Websites. This information helps us guard against, detect and investigate unauthorized access and provides authorized users a personalized and more convenient visit to our sites. Cookies also enable us to manage and improve the CFC Websites by automatically collecting basic information, which we evaluate to determine usage trends. Because cookies also serve a security function, users whose organizations require the user to be an authorized user may not opt-out of the information collection that cookies accomplish; however, you may be able to set your browser to alert you when a cookie is being created and to offer you the opportunity to decline a cookie in some instances. Declining a cookie will significantly limit your use of the CFC Websites’ capabilities.
Third Party Applications and Websites
The CFC Websites may contain links to other useful sites. Please be aware that CFC is not responsible for the information sharing and privacy practices of other websites. We encourage users to read the privacy statements of every website that collects personally identifiable information since we have no control over information gathered by these third parties. This policy applies solely to information collected by the CFC Websites.
Additionally, some third party apps and websites may track your use of websites, such as the CFC’s Websites, through the use of tracking cookies. Be aware that CFC is not responsible for collecting, processing or storing this information. Such apps and websites may provide CFC with information on the use of the CFC Websites on an aggregated basis to enable CFC to improve website design and functionality, however no personal information will be received by CFC. If you want to know if any third party app or website you use has enabled tracking cookies, please visit their Privacy Policy for details on what information they collect and instructions for opting out.
Payment Processing
From time to time, we may offer opportunities for you to attend events that require the payment of registration fees. You may pay such fees by sending a check directly to CFC. However, you may be provided the option of paying by credit card through PayPal or another payment processor. If you choose to use such payment processor to finalize and pay for any fees, you will provide your credit card number directly to such payment processor and its privacy policy will apply to the information you provide on the payment processor’s website.
Data Security
Unfortunately, no one and no technology can promise absolute data security. We have put in place physical, electronic and managerial measures (including data and communications monitoring) to deter unauthorized access and data corruption and to facilitate the appropriate use of information in a manner that is consistent with this policy. Nonetheless, CFC cannot guarantee the security of the information we collect and cannot be responsible for data security breaches caused by illegal or unauthorized acts.
Protecting Children’s Privacy Online
The CFC Websites are not directed to individuals under the age of thirteen (13), and we request that these individuals do not provide personal information through the CFC Websites. We do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13.
Corporate Change of Control or Sale of Assets
In the event of a corporate change in control resulting from, for example, a sale to, or merger with, another entity, or in the event of a sale of assets or a bankruptcy, CFC reserves the right to transfer your personal information to the new party in control or the party acquiring assets.
Changes to this Policy
From time to time CFC may revise this policy including, without limitation, to reflect changes in the law, changes in our products or services, changes in our practices regarding the collection and use of personal information, or to reflect new technologies or features of the CFC Websites. We encourage you to review this policy periodically so that you are up to date on our most current policies and practices. The last date this policy was revised is the effective date set forth above.
Questions
If you have any questions about this policy, please contact our Member Center, in writing, at membercenter@nrucfc.coop, or National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, 20701 Cooperative Way, Dulles, VA 20166; or call the Member Center at (800) 424-2955.