Privacy Policy
At Polk County, Iowa (polkia.org), we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring a secure and enjoyable online experience. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your information when you visit our website. By using our website, you agree to the terms of this policy. If you do not agree with any of the terms, we recommend that you do not use our site.
Information We Collect
Polk County, Iowa does not require users to register or provide personal information to access the public resources and tools available on our website. We only collect data that is necessary to improve the user experience and ensure the proper functioning of the site. The information we collect falls into two categories:
Non-Personal Information:
This includes data automatically collected when you visit our website, such as your device information, browser type, operating system, IP address, and the pages you visit. This information is collected to help us understand how our website is being used and to improve the overall user experience.
Cookies and Analytics Data:
Our website uses cookies, which are small files stored on your device to track your website activity. These cookies help us identify how visitors interact with our site, which pages they visit, and how they navigate through the site. The data collected through cookies is used for analysis and optimization purposes. We use Google Analytics for this purpose.
Google Analytics
Polk County, Iowa uses Google Analytics to analyze traffic patterns, improve site functionality, and enhance user experience. Google Analytics collects information such as the pages you visit, the time spent on each page, and other details about your interaction with our site. This data is anonymized and used for statistical purposes only.
Google Analytics may collect information about your device and your interaction with our site through cookies. These cookies do not collect personal identifying information. You can disable cookies in your browser settings if you prefer not to be tracked by Google Analytics. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of the site.
Google AdSense
Our website uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense may use cookies to serve personalized ads based on your previous visits to our website and other websites. These cookies do not collect personal information such as your name, phone number, or address, but may track your browsing history to display relevant ads. You can opt out of personalized advertising through Google’s Ad Settings.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to improve our website and services, including:
Improving Site Functionality: By analyzing user behavior, we can identify and address issues with our website to ensure a smooth experience for all visitors.
Enhancing User Experience: Understanding how visitors interact with the site helps us make informed decisions on how to organize and present content.
Analyzing Website Traffic: Data gathered through Google Analytics helps us track the number of visitors, page views, and traffic patterns, enabling us to assess the effectiveness of our site and make improvements.
We do not use your information for any other purposes, nor do we share your information with third parties except as described in this policy.
Third-Party Links and Services
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, such as the services of government agencies or external organizations. We do not control these websites and are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites before providing any personal information.
In addition, as mentioned earlier, Google AdSense and Google Analytics are third-party services used on our site. These services may collect data about your usage of our site in accordance with their own privacy policies.
Security Measures
We take the security of your personal information seriously and have implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure of any information that could identify you personally. However, no website is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of any information transmitted over the internet.
Children’s Privacy
Polk County, Iowa's website is intended for a general audience and does not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible. If you believe we have collected personal information from a child, please contact us immediately.
Your Rights and Choices
As a user of our website, you have the following rights:
Access to Your Information: You have the right to access any non-personally identifiable data collected about you through cookies or analytics.
Opting Out of Cookies: You can control the use of cookies by adjusting your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Please note that this may affect the functionality of some parts of our website.
Opting Out of Google Analytics and AdSense: You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. To opt out of personalized ads served by Google AdSense, you can visit the Google Ad Settings page.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
Polk County, Iowa reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes to the policy will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.
By continuing to use our website after any changes to this policy, you agree to the updated terms. If you do not agree to any changes, you should discontinue use of the site.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our practices regarding your information, please contact us using the resources available on our website. We are happy to assist you in understanding how we handle your data and address any privacy concerns you may have.
Thank you for visiting Polk County, Iowa's official website. Your privacy and trust are important to us, and we are committed to providing you with a secure and informative online experience.