Last Updated: September 1, 2021
Laboratory Privacy Officer
Berkeley Lab has appointed an internal Privacy Officer for you to contact if you have any questions or concerns about Berkeley Lab privacy policies or practices, or in case you would like to exercise your privacy and record access rights.The name and contact information for the Privacy Officer are as follows:
Rainier Elias
Privacy Officer and Sr. Counsel, Privacy & Cybersecurity
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
1 Cyclotron Road Mailstop M/S 50B2232
Berkeley, CA 94720
[email protected]
About this Notice
This Website Privacy Notice applies to information:
- collected from visitors to our websites and any other LBNL-managed website that states this Notice applies;
- provided to or collected by LBNL from you when you communicate with us via email;
- collected by third party service providers when you engage with content we publish, such as our social media posts.
We have developed other documents that describe our information practices with respect to our:
- Our Workforce (see our “Workforce Privacy Notice”);
- Visitors to our facilities (see our “Site Visitor Privacy Notice”);
Additionally, the Department of Energy has published Systems of Records Notices (“SORNs”) on the Federal Register. These SORNS are made publicly available online on the Federal Register website under the document citation 74 FR 993.
This Website Privacy Notice does not apply to:
- Other websites not under the ownership or control of LBNL;
- Other services that do not incorporate this Website Privacy Notice by reference or expressly refer to a separate privacy notice or statement;
- Personal information processed in connection with research;
- Personal information collected from or about current or former employees, contractors, volunteers, post-doctorate fellows, and other workers of LBNL primarily as part of their employment or working relationship with LBNL.
Personal Information We Collect and Process
LBNL limits the collection of personal information to what is relevant and necessary to accomplish its mission.
ATTENTION
It is against LBNL policy to transmit sensitive information such as government-issued identifiers (SSNs, Drivers License Numbers, Passport Numbers, etc.), medical or financial information, password and other credentials via email. If you need to transmit this or other forms of sensitive personal information, please contact us to learn how to securely transmit that information.
When you visit the Website or initiate communications with us, we collect the following information:
From Your Browser or Device. Whenever you use any online service, certain information gets created and logged automatically. The same is true when you visit our website. When you do nothing during your visit to our website other than browse, we automatically collect and store information. Here’s what we collect:
- IP addresses;
- the Internet Service Provider;
- Browser and Operating System used;
- The web pages or services you accessed prior to coming to our Website and as you leave our Website;
- Date and time stamps of your visit;
- Duration of time spent on our website;
- The links you clicked, including any downloading.
From You. We collect certain information from you when you provide it to us directly. This could include: We collect certain information from you when you provide it to us directly. This could include:
- Correspondence. You may choose to provide us with personal information along with a communication you initiate with LBNL, such as by filling out a comment form or emailing us. Please keep in mind that email is not a private form of communication and LBNL logs email traffic and contents; and
- Mailing lists. When you sign up to receive newsletters, you provide us with information to permit us to contact you. While the types of data provided for each mailing list varies, it generally includes your name (first and last), job title, email address, area of interest, and other contact information.
From Third Party Service Providers. We collect information from you through third parties as described below.
- Social Media. We use a number of third-party online platforms and services to provide information about Berkeley Lab. Examples include our Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. When you engage with us through those services, we see data these Third Party Services make available about its users. This is usually disclosed in aggregate form. We will not attempt to identify you from information provided by Other Services in aggregated or de-identified form. However, certain engagements will identify you. For example, if you like or leave a comment on one of our posts, the engagement will be attributed to you in a way that others can see. You should check the privacy policy of any Third Party Services you use to engage with LBNL.
- Google Analytics. We use Google Analytics to help operate our Websites more efficiently. Websites also use the third-party DoubleClick cookie for Google Demographic and Interests reports to gather anonymous summary demographic information about website visitors such as gender, age range, and areas of interest for adults over the age of 18. For more information, please visit Google Demographics and Interests. You can prevent your information from being collected and used by Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. Opting-out in no way affects your access to content or how you see our websites.
How We Use Personal Information
LBNL does not sell personal information about you. We use the data we collect about website visitors as follows.
- To communicate with you;
- To provide the services, benefits, or functions described in this notice–primarily to enhance your experience while you navigate our Web content, to process your requests for information, respond to your inquiries, or to add you to ;
- To obtain advice from external lawyers, accountants, management consultants, and other similarly situated professionals;
- As necessary to establish, exercise, or defend against a potential, threatened, or actual litigation;
- As necessary to protect Berkeley Lab, your vital interests (such as safety and security) or the vital interests of other persons;
- With state or federal government officials to comply with our legal obligations, in connection with applying for or managing security clearances, to conduct denied/restricted party screenings, and otherwise where legally required or permitted.
Sharing of Personal Information
Berkeley Lab will only share identifiable personal information with those who have a legitimate need for it. Whenever we permit an internal or external party to access personal information, we will make sure that the personal information is used in a manner consistent with this Web Privacy Statement as stated below.
Internal Sharing | Berkeley Lab only internally shares the minimum necessary amount of personal information reasonably necessary for carrying out business functions.
Similarly, internal sharing within the University of California only happens with properly designated officials with appropriate need-to-know and consistent with University Policy. |
External Sharing | Berkeley Lab shares your information with external entities as follows:
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Your Rights
The California Information Practices Act and the Freedom of Information Act protect your rights as to information about you which Berkeley Lab may maintain. These rights include:
- To confirm whether Berkeley Lab processes information about you;
- To request that your records be amended, updated, or corrected;
- To request copies of your information.
Please note that Berkeley Lab must preserve its records consistent with both University of California and Department of Energy record retention obligations.
Also, please note that the laws of your jurisdiction may grant you further rights as to information about you. Berkeley Lab’s ability to fulfil requests based on those rights is limited by its own legal obligations arising under California or Federal law.
Additional Information
Security. The security of personal information is important to us. We implement reasonable security protections designed to prevent misuse of personal information, including administrative, technical, and physical safeguards tailored to protect information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Despite these efforts, we cannot guarantee that a security incident will never impact personal information. Please notify us immediately if you become aware of any security issues relating to our Websites by contacting [email protected].
Retention. We will keep the information we collected as described in this Website Privacy Notice only for as long as we believe that we need it for the purposes we have collected it, to meet our legal obligations (including meeting preservation obligations set by law), to resolve disputes, maintain security, prevent fraud and abuse, enforce our agreements with you, or to fulfill your request to unsubscribe from specific mailing lists. Consistent with our legal obligations, when the information is no longer needed, we will destroy or de-identify it.
Children. LBNL websites are not intended to collect or use any personal information from children who have not reached the age of majority in their state or country of residence. LBNL does not knowingly allow children to use its online services. If you believe or suspect that a child of whom you are the parent or legal guardian has provided us with personal information, please contact us to address the issue.
Third-Party Links. Our Websites may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Notice does not apply to the linked websites and we do not control the content or privacy and security practices of those websites. Any personal information you provide to a linked site is provided directly to a third party and is subject to such third party’s privacy notice.
Changes to this Notice
LBNL reserves the right to amend this privacy statement from time to time to reflect technological advancements, legal and regulatory changes, and LBNL’s practices, subject to applicable laws. If privacy practices change, LBNL will provide notice of such changes by updating this notice. It is your responsibility to check this Notice frequently to view amendments. Interactions with LBNL via Website or Third Party Websites will be subject to the then-current Privacy Statement.