Tampa Connect Mobile Application Privacy

Email

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact the specific City of Tampa Department by phone or in writing.

Information Collected and Stored Automatically

If you do nothing during your visit but browse through the web site, read pages, or download information, we will gather and store certain information about your visit automatically. This information does not identify you personally. We automatically collect and store only the following information about your visit:

The Internet domain (for example, "xcompany.com") and IP address (an IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web) from which you access our web site;
The type of browser and operating system used to access our site;
The date and time you access our site;
The pages you visit; and
If you linked to the City of Tampa web site from another web site, the address of that web site.

We use this information to help us make our site 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 information about individuals and their visits.

If You Send Us Personal Information

If you choose to provide us with personal information -- as in an e-mail to City staff, or by filling out a form with your personal information and submitting it to us through our web site -- we use that information to respond to your message and to help us get you the information you have requested. We treat emails the same way we treat letters sent to the City offices. We are required to maintain many documents for historical purposes, but we do not collect personal information for any purpose other than to respond to you. However, information we receive may be considered public information which is subject to disclosure under Florida law. Except for information disclosure required by Florida law, we only share the information you give us with another government agency, if your inquiry relates to that agency. Moreover, we do not create individual profiles with the information you provide, or provide such information to any private organizations. The City of Tampa does not collect information for commercial marketing.

Protection of Minors

We are especially concerned about protecting children's privacy. We hope parents are involved in children's Internet explorations. It is particularly important for parents to guide their children when children are providing personal information on line. We specifically ask children to get their parents' permission before providing any information on line -- at our site or any other site -- and recommend parents always be involved in those decisions. Most importantly, when children do provide information through the City of Tampa web site, it is only used to enable us to respond to the writer, and not to create profiles of children.

A cookie is a tiny piece of text that, with your permission, is placed on your computer's hard drive. If your browser is set to notify you before accepting a cookie, you will receive a request for a cookie to be stored on your computer. This cookie, by itself, only tells us that a previous visitor has returned. It doesn't tell us private information about you, unless you want to give us the information; it's your choice.

A key reason why the City of Tampa uses cookie technology is in support of the MyTampaGov service. A cookie is used to retain your personal preferences on how you want to access the City of Tampa web site. We do not use a cookie to store your personal information; instead MyTampaGov will always authenticate who you are (using a password assigned by you) before preloading personal information in web forms for your convenience.

We want to be sure you understand that accepting a cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any personal information about you. We know that some citizens have concerns about cookies, but the benefit we both gain from their proper use is worthwhile.

The following information applies specifically to the Tampa Connect mobile application and supplements the City of Tampa Privacy Policy above.

Information the Tampa Connect App Collects

When you use the Tampa Connect mobile application, we collect information reasonably necessary to provide the application's services, such as submitting and tracking service requests. Depending on how you use the application, this may include:

Name and contact information
Account information
Information submitted through service requests
Photographs, media, documents, and other files you choose to upload
Device location or the location of a reported issue, when necessary to provide a requested service
Device type, operating system, application version, and usage information
Notification identifiers if you choose to receive push notifications

The City uses this information to:

Provide requested City services
Process and manage service requests
Communicate with users
Maintain and improve application functionality
Protect City systems

Information submitted to the City may constitute a public record and may be subject to disclosure under Florida law.

The City does not sell, rent, or trade personal information for commercial marketing purposes.

Third-Party Service Providers

Tampa Connect may use third-party service providers to operate, secure, and support the application. Depending on the services provided, these providers may support functions such as application hosting, mapping and location services, push notifications, analytics, and other application functionality.

These providers may collect or receive information as necessary to provide services on behalf of the City. The City does not authorize service providers to use information collected through Tampa Connect for their own independent commercial marketing purposes.

Data Retention

Information collected through Tampa Connect is retained in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including Florida public records laws and applicable records retention schedules.

Certain records may be retained longer where required or permitted by law.

Requesting Deletion of Personal Information

Where Tampa Connect allows users to create an account, users may request deletion of personal information associated with their account by using the account deletion or contact method provided within the application.

Deleting or uninstalling the Tampa Connect application from your device removes the application from your device only. It does not delete records previously submitted to the City.

Requests for deletion will be reviewed in accordance with applicable law. Certain records cannot be deleted where retention is required under Florida public records laws, applicable records retention schedules, or other legal obligations.

Users may also request access to personal information maintained by the City, subject to applicable law.