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Last Updated: 03/04/20

Privacy Policy

This is the Privacy Policy for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (sometimes referred to as “our” “us” or "we") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy provides information about the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's collection and use of your personal information (sometimes referred to as “user” “you” or “your”) obtained by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago via this website or other means that refer to this Privacy Policy as being applicable. You understand and agree that your continued use of this website constitutes your acceptance of any changes to this Privacy Policy.

Information on the General Reserve Bank Data Privacy can be found here.

Monitoring

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago monitors this website for unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, to defeat or circumvent security measures, to monitor and collect information on usage and interactions on the website, and to enhance user experience. By using this website, you consent to such monitoring and are advised that if our monitoring reveals possible evidence of criminal activity, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago may provide such evidence to appropriate law enforcement officials.

Collection and Use of Personal Information

Personal information is specific information that helps us to identify and contact you, such as your name, e-mail, telephone number, and postal address. Personal information may also be used to help us tailor our website, publications, marketing and services to you and others. We collect and use your personal information for a variety of purposes, including but not necessarily limited to the following:

  • Advancing marketing and advertising initiatives, such as online behavioral or interest-based advertising.
  • Conducting internal and external administrative tasks.
  • Enhancing your user experience.
  • Complying with legal requirements.
  • Emailing you content in which you may have indicated an interest.
  • Communicating with you and responding to inquiries related to support, employment opportunities, or other requests.
  • Sharing publications and newsletters, including announcements about newly published works or updates to existing research.
  • Sending and responding to inquiries related to marketing and promotional materials, including event information and surveys.
  • Registering you for a conference or other event.
  • Performing analytics to improve consumer relations and operating systems.
  • Sending you a token of appreciation for your participation in selected activities.

Although the examples above describe our primary purpose in collecting and using your information, in many situations we have more than one purpose.

Cookies

A "cookie" is a text file sent by a web server to your browser which may then be stored on your hard drive. This website uses cookies for limited purposes. Cookies are a common technique used to track a specific identifiable user's activity online. For example, cookies may be used on the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's website to personalize a user’s experience. In addition, sometimes third-party contractors will use cookies on websites they manage and operate for us. For example, the website linked to our job opportunities page is operated by a third-party contractor that uses cookies. Since that website is not operated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the collection, use or maintenance of personal information or any other information from or by that site.

This website makes limited and specific use of permanent cookies. First, we use cookies to track user traffic patterns on this website. The cookie contains an alphanumeric string to identify your computer as having visited the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s website. When you return to the website, we will know that you have visited before and that will give us information about what you found valuable on our website.

We may make occasional use of the same kind of cookie for user research, such as to administer user surveys, so that as a visitor to the website, you will be invited to participate in the survey only once. In this example, the cookie's presence on your computer will indicate to the website, that you are a returning user and that you have already responded to the invitation.

This cookie does not record any other information about you, nor can it be used to gather or correlate information about your activities elsewhere on the World-Wide Web. Your participation will help us meet our goal of providing you with easy-to-use, high-quality content. You can set your browser to notify you before you receive a cookie, giving you the opportunity to decide whether to accept it or not. You can also set your browser to not accept cookies at all. If you do so, however, some areas of some websites may not operate properly.

We may use cookies on this website to collect statistical information about our users in aggregate. We use this statistical information to determine, among other things:

  • Our website's most popular pages.
  • The browsers and operating systems most often used by our visitors.
  • The websites and search engines that have referred visitors to our website.
  • The domains from which our users visit us.

These analyses are used only for the purpose of helping us understand and better meet our audience's needs. Such analyses do not involve personal information. Some aggregate website analysis is performed for us by Google Analytics and may involve the use of cookies set by Google. Google's Privacy Policy is available online.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Personal information may be shared for any reason with affiliates and agents of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, other Federal Reserve Banks, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. We may also share personal information about you to others:

  • When we have your permission.
  • When we retain the services of other outside agents or third-parties that are performing services under contract with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
  • When we are required to disclose personal information about you, or a company with which you are associated, to government officials or otherwise as required by subpoenas, court orders, legal process or other legal obligations or to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against claims.
  • When we investigate, prevent or take action against illegal activities or suspected fraud.

Social Media Applications and Third-Party Tools

We may use third-party social media websites and mobile applications ("Social Media Applications") as well as other third-party tools (“Third-Party Tools”) to interact with customers, depository institutions, researchers and the general public. The use of the information you submit to a given Social Media Application is governed by that Social Media Application’s applicable policies, e.g. its terms of service, privacy policy and other relevant policies. We may use a Third-Party Tool to distribute e-mail communications or to identify a target audience for marketing purposes. The Third-Party Tool may collect analytics information at an individual e-mail address level, such as identifying whether an e-mail communication has been opened and what links have been clicked. This information enables us to gauge the effectiveness of certain communications and enhance marketing campaigns so that we may improve our communications.

Safeguarding Personal Information

The safeguarding of personal information is important to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. While we use reasonable efforts to protect the security of your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is in no way responsible for the security of personal information or any other information provided by you or collected by us via this website, through e-mail, or otherwise. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is not responsible for safeguarding information that you provide to a third party.

When you fill out our online forms, they may be delivered to a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago e-mail address or database. Your online communications may not be encrypted and, therefore, we cannot guarantee the security of any information sent electronically, whether submitted via an online form or an e-mail. If your communication is sensitive, or includes personal information that you do not wish to send us electronically, such as your bank account number, credit card number, or social security number, you may send it by postal mail to:

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Attention: Public Affairs
230 South LaSalle
Chicago, Illinois 60604

Electronic Communications

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago takes your privacy very seriously. It is important to know that we never send e-mail requesting customers to reply in the body of an e-mail with personal information such as password, social security number, account numbers, or mother's maiden name.

Types of E-Mail Communications

We strive to send you e-mail communications that are informative and relevant, but also appreciate that you are in the best position to evaluate the appropriateness of our communications to you.

Generally, the types of e-mail communications the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will send to you include, but are not limited to, transactional, relationship, and marketing e-mails.

You may also receive separate electronic communications from other Federal Reserve Bank entities. Any modifications you make to your subscription preferences for communications received from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will not change or otherwise impact your subscription preferences for communications from other Federal Reserve Bank entities. Please respond as directed by the sending entity to modify your subscription.

How We Collect Information through E-mail Communications

E-mail communications sent to you by the Federal Reserve Banks may contain web beacons within the e-mail messages. The web beacons are one-pixel transparent images that collect identifiable information to determine information, such as which e-mails are opened and acted upon so we can provide more relevant content or offers in the future.

Children's Online Information Privacy

This website is not directed toward children under the age of 13, nor does the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago knowingly collect, maintain or use personal information obtained via this website about children under the age of 13. We are committed to comply with applicable laws and requirements, such as the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. If a child whom we know to be under the age of 13 sends personal information to us online, we will only use that personal information to respond directly to the child, notify parents or seek parental consent. Minor children should always obtain parental consent before releasing information to this or any website.

Links

This website contains links to other websites. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.

Other Considerations

If you register for an event online, we may hold onto your registration information for additional purposes, such as contacting you in the future about similar events and for marketing and administrative purposes. If you do not want us to keep your registration information, you must notify us of your request by referring to the Contact Information section below.

We may from time to time provide a discussion group, Web log "blog" or forum. Please remember that information you submit in connection with such a feature will be publicly viewable and not confidential. There is a risk in such communication venues that information will be collected and used by others.

Policy Changes

We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time without notice. Therefore, we recommend that you check back periodically to review this Privacy Policy so that you always know how we collect, use, and share your personal information. The effective date denotes the date that we publish this Privacy Policy.

Contact Information

Questions or comments about your personal information or the Privacy Policy of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago may be directed by e-mail to information.chi@chi.frb.org or by postal mail to Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Attention: Public Affairs, 230 South LaSalle, Chicago, Illinois 60604

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(312) 322-6839
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Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 230 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413, USA. Tel. (312) 322-5322

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