Website Policies

Thank you for visiting the Postal Regulatory Commission’s website. We are committed to the privacy of our visitors and this policy establishes how we will handle information we may learn about you from your visit to our website. We collect no personal information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to provide that information to us. Please review the section below on the collection of information volunteered by users for more information.

The specific practices outlined in this privacy policy only apply to this website maintained by the Commission. Some of our web pages contain links to websites outside the Commission, including those of other federal agencies and private organizations. Please be aware that when you follow a link to another site, you are then subject to the privacy policies of the new site.

Information Automatically Collected from Website Visitors

For each page visited by you, we collect and store only the following information:

domain name
IP address
date and time of page/website access
specific pages visited
type of browser and operating system used for access
internet address which directed the visitor to the Commission’s website

We use this information for website security purposes to ensure that our website remains available to all users and measure the number of visitors to the different pages to help make our website more useful to visitors. These logs may be preserved indefinitely and used at any time and in any way necessary to prevent security breaches and to ensure the integrity of the data on our servers. If this monitoring reveals evidence of possible abuse or criminal activity, such evidence may be provided to appropriate law enforcement officials. Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information on this server are strictly prohibited and may be punishable by law, including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 1996.

Cookies

The Commission uses technology to track visitors’ actions while on its website, including “cookies.” A cookie is a small file that a website transfers to site visitors’ computer hard drives allowing a server to “remember” specific information about search sessions while the visitors are connected. In many cases, the cookie makes it easier for visitors to use the dynamic features of the Commission’s webpages.

The Commission uses temporary, or “single session” cookies: by design, the cookie and the information about visitors’ sessions will be destroyed automatically shortly after the search session is completed and the browser is closed. The Commission does not use “multi-session,” or persistent cookies, meaning that our cookies are not permanently stored on site visitors’ computers. Our cookies do not contain any personally identifiable information.

If you are concerned about the potential use of the information gathered from your computer by cookies, you can set your browser to prompt you before it accepts a cookie. You can remove or block the use of web measurement and customization technologies by changing the setting of your browser to block cookies as described at www.usa.gov/optout-instructions.

Information Voluntarily Provided by Users

Information from Forms
Some of the Commission’s website pages contain forms allowing visitors to submit queries or other information. Some of these forms may request personally identifiable information for specific purposes, including name, address, email address. All information submitted by visitors is voluntary.

Information from Email
By sending the Commission an email message, you may be sending personally identifying information, including name and address. The Commission retains this information as long as necessary to respond to your request or otherwise resolve the subject matter of your email.

Information from Electronic Docketing System
The Commission’s electronic filing and docketing system serves as a central, electronic repository for all docketed matters and associated documents. Information on individuals who voluntarily provide personally identifiable information when submitting a public comment, document, or supporting materials to the Commission is covered by a System of Records Notice (SORN) PRC-2, available here. This system contains names, addresses, and contact information for anyone who participates in a proceeding before the Commission.
All of these records described above are used under the Commission’s rules and procedures in Commission proceedings, decisions, opinion, and other activities authorized by law. All records in this system are public and will be disclosed to any person upon request. 64 Fed. Reg. 56819.

Information from Third-Party Sites
In addition to the Commission’s official website, the Commission uses social media and third-party sites. The Commission does not collect personally identifiable information about your when you visit these third-party sites unless you choose to provide that information voluntarily.

Twitter
The Commission maintains a Twitter account specifically to share news with the general public of its achievements, leadership’s decisions, and hiring information. This account is monitored and used by the Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations (PAGR). The Commission’s Twitter usage is limited to posting and re-posting (“tweeting” and “retweeting”) short announcements or links (“tweets”) related to its own, USPS’, or other logistics services’ activities. The number of “followers,” or those who have signed up for alerts each time the Commission shares a tweet, is visible to the public, as is the number of people who have “liked” or retweeted the posting.

The Commission’s usage of Twitter – posting or reviewing tweets, the type of device used in that activity, and the IP address used – is recorded and stored by Twitter, partly for tracking purposes, but also for promoting the review of tweets posted by other related accounts. PAGR, through its Twitter account’s privacy settings, regulates how much information the Commission shares with the company.

YouTube
The Commission maintains a YouTube account specifically to provide streaming coverage of its live public hearings and technical conferences. This account is monitored and used by the Office of the Secretary and Administration’s (OSA) Information Technology team. The Commission’s YouTube usage is limited to the recording and saving of video/audio files of hearings and conferences for the general public’s ease of reference so that the Commission’s primary website is not overwhelmed with traffic. The number of viewings of each file the Commission posts on YouTube’s website is visible to the public, as is the number of subscribers to the Commission’s YouTube channel.

The Commission’s usage of YouTube is recorded, stored, and monitored by Google, the parent company of YouTube.

Links to Other Websites
This website contains links to other Federal agencies or private organizations. When you follow a link to another site, you are no longer on our site and are subject to the privacy policy of the new site.