Policies



Privacy Statement

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) prohibits commercial marketing of visitor information and the disclosure of personal information without prior consent of the visitor. Your personally identifying information will not be obtained when you visit our site, except in cases where you have chosen to provide this information (such as an email address). OIT will only use your information to respond in an appropriate fashion. This may be to respond to you directly or to forward your communication – of which OIT was the original recipient – to another agency for appropriate action.

Websites developed by the State of Alabama may use cookies to carry user information from one page to another. An example is a search criterion. This information is not stored – nor tracked – on an OIT server, but on your workstation. The cookies OIT uses are set to expire at the end of your browsing session. This means they are deleted when you close your browser.

OIT servers track statistical information through the use of server logs and statistical software to help agencies hosted on our servers analyze and monitor the use of their sites.

We collect and store only the following information about your visit:

The information collected is used to measure the number of visitors to the different areas of OIT’s website and to assist in making our site more helpful and user friendly.


Accessibility Statement

To ensure equal access to electronic and information technologies, the State of Alabama has developed a set of standards for web page design. Just as physical spaces can inhibit individuals with disabilities, the Internet poses an entirely new set of obstacles. In consideration of individuals with visual, physical, or developmental disabilities, the State of Alabama has adopted a policy to make government information accessible to all.


Design Standards Statement

The design standards utilized by OIT are influenced by those recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Access Board, an independent federal agency that promotes accessibility for people with disabilities. The Access Board is responsible for developing the standards outlined by the amended Rehabilitation Act of 1998. Universal design calls for appropriate use of auxiliary aids and services where necessary to ensure communication.

The State of Alabama has adopted the design of HTML pages to increase accessibility to users with disabilities as the primary guideline to meet the objectives of the Universal Access for State Design policy. These published guidelines are maintained by professionals trained in the area of assistive and information technology.

The State of Alabama embraces the Universal Access Design Standards and evaluates its websites on a regular basis in an effort to continually increase the opportunity for all individuals to access information over the Internet. This process will continue to evolve as new technologies and opportunities emerge, and ongoing testing will be conducted on the current versions of popular browsers.


Internet Security Statement

Security is the most critical segment of the State of Alabama network. The State of Alabama considers the security of our partners’ and citizens’ information to be of vital importance. OIT is committed to ensuring a secure online environment that can be trusted to fulfill all confidentiality requirements. Documented steps are taken to safeguard information according to established security standards and procedures, and we continually assess the newest technology for protecting information.

OIT’s servers track statistical information through the use of server logs and statistical software to help agencies hosted on our servers analyze and monitor the use of their sites.

Sensitive information used in financial transactions (such as social security numbers, banking information, and personal data) is kept confidential. The State of Alabama is committed to ensuring our partners’ and citizens’ confidentiality through the use of state-of-the-art information security and the adoption of appropriate privacy policies and procedures.

Please refer to individual Alabama State agency web sites for their Security Policies, which may differ from the one displayed here.


Linking Statement

The State of Alabama and OIT provide links to many websites that are not controlled, maintained, or regulated by the State of Alabama, OIT, or any organization affiliated with Alabama state government. As such, we are not responsible for the content displayed on those sites. Access to and use of information obtained from these sites is voluntary, and reliance on that information should only be undertaken after an independent review of its accuracy. References on external websites to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favor by the State of Alabama.

In the event you discover problems with or have concerns regarding the format, accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of a linked external website, please contact the organization responsible for the linked external content. The State of Alabama does not control, nor is it responsible for, any linked external websites, pages, or content.


Additional Resources

The Section 508 website is an excellent source for general information, standards, evaluation, events, and resources surrounding Section 508, which will impact electronic and information technology on the web. Title II, Section 508, speaks directly to state and local governments and all other public entities.

https://www.ada.gov/ada_title_II.htm