Privacy Policy

We understand and respect the right to privacy.

We are committed to protecting your privacy, both online and in person during events. We will make every effort to accommodate an individual when sensitive information or identifying information could be present. When you visit our website, we may voluntarily collect personal information from you such as your name and e-mail address. Our third party hosting company will collect additional information such as the URL you came from, your IP address, your domain name, your browser type, the country and state where your server is located, and the pages that were viewed during your visit to our site. All this information is kept on a secure server to protect it from outside parties.

We do not sell or rent personal information to others. We use your information only for the limited purposes of sending you updates and useful information about our programs, promotional information, enhancing the site operation, for statistical purposes, and for overall systems administration.

Who we are

Our website address is: https://www.masscsw.org.

The MCSW is a state-established body charged with reviewing the status of women in Massachusetts and offering recommendations regarding policy that would improve access to opportunities and equality.

The purpose of the Commission is to advance women and girls toward full equity in all areas of life and to promote rights and opportunities for all women and girls. The mission of the Commission is to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls across Massachusetts.

The State Commission (MCSW) is composed of 19 volunteer members. All State Commissioners are appointed by one of the four appointing authorities: the Governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House, and the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators. MCSW has also legislatively created 11 regional commissions since 2005, which cover the entire Commonwealth.

The Commission stands for fundamental freedoms, basic human rights and the full enjoyment of life for all women and girls throughout their lives. The organization is responsible for studying, reviewing and reporting on the status of women in the Commonwealth, and are charged with advising executive and legislative bodies on the effect of proposed legislation on women. To that end, the Commission conducts regional public hearings across the state to collect testimony and opinions on women’s issues and concerns. The Commission represents and recognizes all women, regardless of their age, race, color, creed, abilities, language, socio-economic status, immigration status, sexual orientation, or gender identity at birth.

Online Events

We understand and respect the right to privacy.

We are committed to protecting your privacy, both online and in person during events. We will make every effort to accommodate an individual when sensitive information or identifying information could be present. When you visit our website, we may voluntarily collect personal information from you, such as your name and email address. Our third party hosting company will automatically collect additional information, such as the URL you entered the site from, your IP address, your domain name, your browser type, the country and state where your server is located, and the pages that were viewed during your visit to our site. All this information is kept on a secure server to protect it from outside parties.

We do not sell or rent personal information to others. We use your information only for the limited purposes of sending you updates and to obtain useful information about our programs, send promotional information, enhance the site operation, for statistical purposes, and for overall systems administration

Privacy matters to us. Attendees’ names and images may become visible during an event. You’re welcome to use the “rename” function on Zoom if you do not want your name to appear. All private chats between organizers and attendees are not recorded. By registering for a MCW event, you give your permission for your likeness to be included in any and all materials created by MCSW, including but not limited to print, electronic, and social media, unless you notify MCSW staff in advance.

Cookies

This Cookie Policy describes the use of cookies on the MCSW website (“Website”). The Website is managed and maintained by the MCSW (“Commission,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). This policy explains how we use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience and provide relevant information to visitors of our Website.

  1. What are cookies? Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, mobile device, or tablet) when you visit a website. These files contain information that can be read by the website server or third-party service providers. Cookies enable websites to remember your preferences, track your activities, and deliver personalized content and advertisements.
  2. Types of cookies used We use the following types of cookies on our Website:

a. Essential cookies: These cookies are necessary for the functioning of the Website and cannot be disabled in our systems. They are usually set in response to your actions, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in, or filling out forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the Website may not function properly without them.

b. Analytics cookies: We use analytics cookies to collect information about how visitors interact with our Website. These cookies help us analyze data such as the number of visitors, the pages visited, and the sources of traffic. This information is used to improve the performance and content of our Website.

c. Advertising cookies: We do not use advertising cookies on our Website. Therefore, we do not collect or track your personal information for the purpose of delivering targeted advertisements.

  1. Third-party cookies We may use third-party services that place cookies on our Website. These cookies are governed by the respective privacy policies of the third-party service providers. We do not have control over these cookies or access to the information collected by them. However, we strive to work with reputable service providers who respect your privacy.
  2. Cookie management Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can choose to accept or reject cookies, delete specific cookies, or disable cookies altogether. Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect your experience on our Website and limit certain functionalities.
  3. Data retention We retain the information collected through cookies for the duration necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Cookie Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.
  4. Updates to this Cookie Policy We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
  5. Contact information If you have any questions or concerns about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us at mcsw@mass.gov.

Please note that this Cookie Policy only applies to the MCSW website and does not cover the use of cookies by any external websites or services that may be linked from our Website.

By continuing to use our Website, you consent to the use of cookies as described in this policy.

Embedded content from other websites

Posts on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Who we share your data with

This section of our Privacy Policy explains how we handle the sharing of your data when it comes to sending emails and registering individuals for events.

  1. Sending Emails through Constant Contact: In order to effectively communicate with our audience and keep you informed about the latest updates, news, and events, we may use a third-party service called Constant Contact. When you provide your email address to us, it may be shared securely with Constant Contact for the sole purpose of sending you emails on our behalf. Please note that we only share the necessary information required for email delivery.

Constant Contact is a reputable service provider that adheres to strict privacy standards. They are prohibited from using your personal information for any other purposes beyond email delivery. We have a data processing agreement in place with Constant Contact to ensure the protection and appropriate handling of your data.

  1. Registering Individuals for Events: If you choose to register for events organized by MCSW, we may collect certain personal information from you. This information will be used solely for event management purposes, such as confirming your attendance, providing event-related updates, and ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all participants.

In some cases, we may collaborate with event management platforms or service providers to facilitate the registration process. These service providers will only receive the necessary information required to process and manage your event registration. They are contractually obligated to handle your data securely and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

We do not sell, rent, or disclose your personal information to any third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.

  1. Legal and Compliance Obligations: We may also disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:
  1. Your Consent and Control: We will not share your personal information beyond the purposes described in this section without your explicit consent, unless required by law.

You have the right to review, modify, or withdraw your consent regarding the use and sharing of your personal information. If you would like to exercise your rights or have any questions or concerns about how your data is shared, please contact us using the information provided in the “Contact Us” page of our website.

How long we retain your data

For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

What rights you have over your data

If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.