About
This policy applies to use of the Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (CTR) website, MassPays.com. As users navigate MassPays.com, users will see links that, when clicked, will take them to other Commonwealth or external websites. This policy does not apply to other Commonwealth or external websites, which may have their own privacy policies tailored to the interactions available through each site.
A Privacy Partnership
User privacy with respect to MassPays.com results from a partnership between the user and CTR. All information that we receive through MassPays.com is subject to the Public Records Law, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 66, Section 10. Information that MassPays.com users provide to us through MassPays.com may be made available to members of the public, unless that information falls under a specific statutory exemption.
This policy details the information that we collect from MassPays.com users, what we do with it, to whom it may be disseminated, and how users can access it. Based on this information. MassPays.com users can maximize the benefits of the privacy partnership with CTR by making informed decisions about what information to share with CTR through MassPays.com.
Third-Party Platforms
MassPays.com links to other web portals through which users are able to submit information (nCourt). These portals are also hosted by third party providers; thus, when visiting these third-party platforms, users are subject to that provider’s privacy policies and terms of service.
We strongly suggest that users read the site policies, including the privacy policies, for any external site that they visit through a link appearing on MassPays.com.
Information Voluntarily Provided by MassPays.com Users
MassPays.com does not collect information from users through the website itself. Users should note that any information shared with CTR (or any department of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts) may be subject to the public records law and ultimately disclosed in response to a public request.
Information Automatically Collected and Stored by MassPays.com
MassPays.com employs the use of “Persistent Cookies.” The purpose of these Persistent Cookies is to collect and aggregate data regarding MassPays.com’s user activity in order for CTR to continuously evaluate and improve its website services. MassPays.com users may elect to disable the Persistent Cookies. Please be advised that disabling the Persistent Cookies may affect users’ ability to view or interact with MassPays.com.
MassPays.com collects and stores users’ “Internet Protocol (“IP”) address” (which does not identify users as an individual) indefinitely, as well as information about the date, time, and duration of a user’s visit, the device and browser they are using, the approximate location of their IP address, the nature of their interaction with the website, and information on how they were referred to MassPays.com.
We use MassPays.com users’ IP addresses to assess the effectiveness of content and layout of MassPays.com; CTR will not attempt to match any personally identifiable information that the user provides to CTR to the user’s IP address.
Usage Data and Known Persistent Cookies
MassPays.com uses (or may use) the following tools (each a “Tool” and collectively, the “Tools”):
Tool name: Google Analytics™
Purpose: Collect information about use of the MassPays.com website
Data collected: Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit MassPays.com, what pages they visit when they do so, and what other sites they used prior to coming to MassPays.com.
Privacy policy: www.google.com/privacypolicy.html
Terms of use: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/terms/us/www.google.com/analytics/tos.html
Express opt out: N/A
Special notes: N/A
Tool name: Google Tag Manager™
Purpose: Collect information about use of the MassPays.com website
Data collected: Google Tag Manager collects information such as how often users visit MassPays.com, what pages they visit, when they do so, and what actions they take while visiting the site such as clicking a link or filling out a form.
Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/
Terms of service: https://www.google.com/analytics/tag-manager/use-policy/
Express opt out: N/A
Special notes: N/A
Additional Information Related to Tools
We use the information we obtain from Tools only to improve users’ experience. The Tools may collect additional data such as browser information, operating system, and page views through the implementation of session cookies or Persistent Cookies.
Except as set forth in this Privacy Policy, we do not combine the information collected through the use of any Tool with personally identifiable information. Each Tool plants a persistent cookie on the user’s web browser to identify the user as a unique user the next time the user visits MassPays.com. This Persistent Cookie cannot be used by anyone but MassPays.com or the publisher of the respective Tool (the “Software Publisher”). The Software Publisher’s ability to use and share information collected by the Software Publisher about the user’s visits to MassPays.com is restricted by the Software Publisher’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, links to which have been provided above. Users may prevent the Tools from using Persistent Cookies by disabling cookies on their browser. Some of the Tools permit users to opt-out of the Tool by allowing that Tool to plant a Persistent Cookie on the user’s web browser indicating that the user has opted out. If a user disables cookies on their browser or uses a different browser, different computer, different user account, etc., the user will need to opt-out again. If the user allows Persistent Cookies in their web browser, Software Publishers have the technical ability to track the user’s activity, even if the user changes their IP address, so long as the user is using the web browser where the Persistent Cookie was planted. Users should refer to the Software Publisher’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use to determine if they do track users via the persistent cookie.
Dissemination of Users’ Personally Identifiable Information
We do not sell any personally identifiable information collected through MassPays.com or submitted to CTR in conjunction with the use of MassPays.com.
If a user voluntarily submits personally identifiable information to CTR related to their use of MassPays.com, its dissemination is governed by the Public Records Law, the Fair Information Practices Act (Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 66A), and other applicable laws and regulations. For information on the types of data exempted from disclosure under the Public Records Law, please read the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law.
The information users voluntarily submit will be disclosed only to Commonwealth employees or officials, or those under contract with the Commonwealth, with a “need to know” for purposes of fulfilling their job responsibilities. The information will be used for such purposes as, but not limited to: answering users’ questions; responding to any requests for assistance; generating summary statistics about website usage; auditing applications and detecting fraud; aiding in the planning, design, maintenance, and development of MassPays.com; and fulfilling the Commonwealth’s legal obligations.
CTR will collect and aggregate the information MassPays.com users provide through surveys and through MassPays.com’s collection of non-personally identifying analytics data to improve user experience by making MassPays.com more responsive to customer needs. Where appropriate, CTR may provide information submitted by MassPays.com users through an email to the person or company that is the subject of the MassPays.com user’s inquiry, or to a government agency responsible for the matters referred to in the MassPays.com user’s communication.
MassPays.com Users Access and Opportunity to Correct
For information about the public’s right to obtain information about MassPays.com users, please see the Public Records Law and the Fair Information Practices Act
Security
Information automatically collected from users is encrypted; however, users should not send messages containing information that users consider highly sensitive to MassPays.com. CTR uses standard security measures to ensure that information provided by users, including personally identifiable information, is not lost, misused, altered, or unintentionally destroyed. CTR also uses software to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Except for authorized law enforcement, fraud or cybersecurity investigations, no attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits.
Special Protections Against Misuse of Personally Identifiable Information Within Commonwealth Offices
This website complies with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 93H and other applicable privacy laws. Personally identifiable information that MassPays.com users submit to MassPays.com is protected in accordance with those laws.
Policy changes
We will post any substantive changes to this policy at least 30 days before they take effect. The terms of any new Privacy Policy adopted will apply only to the use of MassPays.com after the date those changes are published.
Contact Information
For questions about MassPays.com users’ privacy while using MassPays.com, please contact [email protected].