Privacy Policy

California Department of Technology Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 05/23/2017
Last Reviewed Date: 6/25/2025
Last Revision Date: 6/25/2025

The California Department of Technology (CDT) is established by Government Code sections 11545-11548. CDT is committed to promoting and protecting the privacy rights of individuals, as enumerated in Article 1 of the California Constitution and other Laws. It is the policy of CDT to limit the collection and safeguard the privacy of Personal Information and Electronically Collected Personal Information (as defined below) that is collected or maintained by CDT.

This Privacy Policy only applies to the CDT.ca.gov and CA.gov website run by the CDT.

Applicable Laws

CDT’s information management practices conform to the requirements of the Information Practices Act (Civ. Code, §§1798 et seq.), the Public Records Act (Govt. Code, §§7920.000 et seq.), Government Code sections 11015.5 and 11019.9, and other applicable state and federal laws (e.g., Federal Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a)) pertaining to information privacy (Laws).

If any type of Personal Information or Electronically Collected Personal Information (as defined below) is requested on the website or volunteered by the users, then this information will be governed by Laws. This information may become a public record once it is provided. Additionally, except for Electronically Collected Personal Information, Personal Information may be subject to public inspection and copying if not otherwise protected by federal or state law.

Definitions of Personal Information and Electronically Collected Personal Information

“Personal Information” means any information that is maintained by an agency that identifies or describes an individual, including, but not limited to, the individual’s name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, medical or employment history. It includes statements made by or attributed to the individual. (Civ. Code §1798.3(a)).

“Electronically Collected Personal Information” means any information that is maintained by an agency that identifies or describes an individual user, including, but not limited to, the user’s  name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education,  password, electronic mail address, and information that reveals any network location or identity, but excludes any information manually submitted to a state agency by a user, whether electronically or in written form, and information on or relating to individuals who are users, serving in a business capacity, including, but not limited to, business owners, officers, or principals of that business. (Gov’t Code § 11015.5(d)(1)).

Collection and Management of Personal Information

CDT adheres to the following principles in relation to the collection and management of Personal Information:

1. CDT limits the collection of Personal Information to what is relevant and necessary to accomplish its lawful purpose, which is enumerated at or prior to the time of collection, in a privacy notice included on or with the form used to collect Personal Information. For example, CDT may need to know an individual’s e-mail address or telephone number to answer the individual’s questions or to provide requested assistance.
2. CDT does not collect home, business or e-mail addresses, or account information from persons who simply browse the CA.gov website. Personal Information about individuals is collected through this website only if an individual provides such information to CDT voluntarily through e-mail, registration forms, or surveys. This Personal Information will be used to facilitate a response to the person or to improve the content or navigation of the website or provide survey information to users. The Personal Information collected in this manner is not subject to requests made pursuant to the Public Records Act (Gov. Code, §§ 7920.000 et seq.), and site visitors may request to have their electronically collected personal information discarded without reuse or distribution (Govt. Code § 11015.5). To make this request, use CDT’s contact information listed below.
3. CDT uses Google Analytics to help improve the website. Google tracking cookies may be used to provide information to Google Analytics to track website statistics. Google tracking code used by every website or application that employs Google Analytics, stores information that identifies device IP addresses, but CDT’s website is anonymizing that information and only part of device IP addresses are being used. Consequently, no information identifying you or your device is being stored at Google via our utilization of Google Analytics implementation. You can find out more about Google Analytics anonymized IP addresses by clicking here. You can find out more about Google tracking cookies such as the length of time the cookies may remain on your device, or how to remove or manage the Google tracking cookies by clicking here.
4. You may choose to provide CDT your Personal Information, as in e-mail address with a comment or question. CDT uses the Personal Information to improve its service to you or to respond to your request. Sometimes CDT forwards your e-mail to other State personnel who may be better able to help you, and these personnel may be working for a different agency within the State. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations or, as required by law, CDT does not share your e-mail with any other organizations. Submission of an email to CDT or CDT personnel, or communication through the website does not create any attorney-client or other privileged or confidential relationship. Accordingly, do not disclose any information to CDT that you wish to remain private or confidential.
5. Individuals, who provide Personal Information to CDT, have the right to access their Personal Information that is collected and maintained by CDT and to request any correction of any inaccuracies or incompleteness to their Personal Information. To make this request, use CDT’s contact information listed below.
6. CDT uses, discloses, or makes available Personal Information only as specified and consistent with those purposes enumerated at or before the collection of the Personal Information; unless CDT obtains the consent of the subject of the Personal Information, or as required or allowed by law. The Public Records Act (Gov. Code, §§ 7920.000 et seq.) exists to ensure that California government is open, and that the public has a right to have access to appropriate records and information possessed by many state and local government agencies. At the same time, there are exceptions that recognize the public’s right to access records. These exceptions serve various needs, including maintaining the privacy of individuals. In the event of a conflict between this Privacy Policy and the Public Records Act (Gov. Code, §§ 7920.000 et seq.), the Information Practices Act (CA Civil Code, §§ section 1798 et seq.) or other law governing the disclosure of records, the applicable law will control.
7. CDT collects Personal Information directly from individuals who volunteer to use some of our services. The collection of Personal Information may be required to deliver specific services, but the use of these services is voluntary.
8. CDT has taken several steps to protect your Personal Information against loss, unauthorized access, use, modification or disclosure. CDT, as developer and manager of this website, has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its telecommunications and computing infrastructure, including but not limited to authentication, monitoring, auditing. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day practices of the entire state operating environment as part of its continuing commitment to risk management. This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail proof, the security of information provided via CDT’s supported website. The technical standards governing security are enforced by CDT.
9. CDT will not distribute or sell any “Electronically Collected Personal Information” about users to any third party without prior written permission from the user except as set forth in Government Code section 11015.5(b). Moreover, any distribution of Electronically Collected Personal Information will be solely for the purposes for which it was provided to us. CDT may provide or distribute certain lists and statistical reports of regulatory information as provided by law, but no Personal Information is sold or distributed, and all relevant legal protections still apply to the website.
10. CDT’s website automatically collects certain electronic information of users or visitors to the website through browser cookies, hardware or other methods. If you do nothing during your visit to the website but browse or download information, CDT automatically collects and stores the following information about your visit:
    1. A partial IP address and domain name is collected, but not the e-mail address. The partial IP address is used to direct Internet traffic to you without identifying you individually and generate statistics used in the management of this website.
    2. The type of browser and operating system you used.
    3. The city and zip code you used it from.
    4. The date and time you visited this website.
    5. The web pages or services you accessed at this website.
    6. The website you visited prior to coming to this website.
    7. The website you visit as you leave this website.
    8. If you downloaded a form, the form that was downloaded.

    If you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for specific electronic information (e.g., completing a request for assistance, personalizing the content of the website, sending an e-mail, or participating in a survey) more detailed data will be collected. If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the website.

11. The electronic information we automatically collect, or store is used for gathering website statistics and to helps us to analyze our website to continually improve the value of the materials available. CDT’s website logs do not identify a visitor by Personal Information, and CDT makes no attempt to link other websites with the individuals that browse CDT’s website.
12. Individuals who provide Personal Information to CDT have the right to request that their Personal Information be deleted, or Electronically Collected Personal Information be discarded via the submitting a written request to the email address or by mailing address provided below. (Gov’t Code § 11015.5).