The City of New York

311 Privacy Policy

Last Updated on April 24, 2023

The City of New York ("City''), acting through its Office of Technology & Innovation ("OTI") and 311 service ("NYC311" or "We"/"our"/"us") is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of the information provided by users by telephone or through electronic means to the 311 Customer Contact Center ("311 Contact Center"). The following 311 Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") describes the type of information NYC311 collects from callers to our 311 Contact Center, visitors to our website ("311Online"), and users of our mobile application (collectively, "Users"); and how We use that information. This Privacy Policy reflects the high regard with which We view the management of information provided by Users and is reviewed periodically to make sure it remains relevant and current with changing laws and technologies. Users are encouraged to check the date of the current Privacy Policy for updates.

1. How We Collect and Use User Information
We collect information directly from Users; and we automatically collect information from Users' devices. Except as otherwise disclosed to the User, We do not use User information for any other purpose.

Information We Collect from Users How We Collect this Information How We Use this Information
May vary, depending on User need/request, but typically includes
  • User's name
  • User's telephone number
  • User's address
  • User's e-mail address
  • User's physical location
  • User's uploaded digital content such as videos, pictures, or audio files
 Directly from User
  • Address User needs and submitted requests
  • Conduct City business
  • Help connect Users to emergency assistance
  • As otherwise required by law
  • User device's Internet Protocol ("IP") address
  • The domain name associated with User's internet service provider or device
  • Location of mobile device (if used)
  • Browser information (i.e., Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)
  • Device's operating system
  • Pages accessed by User while visiting 311Online or using the mobile app, and forms data
  • Date and time of User's visit to 311Online or use of mobile app
  • URL of the site that User visited prior to 311Online (if detectable), if User did not connect directly to 311Online
 Automatically, from User Device
  • Conduct statistical analyses
  • Identify digital platform performance anomalies
  • Maintain technological currency
  • Improve our digital platforms generally


2. Access and Disclosure of Information
We do not rent, sell, or otherwise use User information for commercial or marketing purposes. Information that could be used to identify a User will not be shared with any private party except as required by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Only those City employees (and persons working under contract on behalf of the City) who require access for the purposes set forth in Section 1 above have access to Users' information.


3. Retention of User Information
We retain User information for so long as is necessary to fulfill User submitted requests, or to provide ongoing assistance to a User. If a User has set up an account with the 311 Contact Center, the User's information will be retained until the User deletes the account. For compliance reasons, some User information may be retained after deletion of the account. Voice recordings of phone calls are kept for 14 days and then erased.


4. Children's Use of 311 Digital Platforms
Neither 311Online nor the mobile app is intended to be used by anyone under 13 years old. Our services are not targeted to children and do not solicit information from children. Our digital platforms do not attempt to determine the age of a User.


5. Security Safeguards and Monitoring
We protect User information by adhering to security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. No network is perfect, but in accordance with the City's cybersecurity requirements, We use industry standard protocols to protect identifying information such as name, address, location, and other information that could be used to identify someone, regardless of the format in which it is held, against such risks as loss or theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification, or destruction.

We use cookies and web beacons to assess and optimize usage of 311Online and the mobile app.

Cookies are small text files stored by the browser on the User's device. A cookie can later be read when the browser connects to a web server in the same domain that placed the cookie. The text in a cookie contains a string of numbers and letters that may uniquely identify the device and can contain other information as well. This allows the web server to recognize the browser each time it connects to that web server.

311Online uses "temporary" cookies that expire at the end of the browsing session. "Persistent" cookies are not typically used for the website, unless a User registers to use the website as a customized portal by creating a 311 account.

The use of cookies is a standard practice among Internet websites.  Most Internet browsers can be customized to reject cookies, to only accept or reject cookies by affirmative intervention, or to delete cookies. Rejecting or removing cookies, however, may lead to loss of functionality on 311 web pages that require cookies to fully function.

Web beacons are images placed on a website or in e-mail to help us understand who is browsing a website or reading an email. They are used to identify website performance needs, ensure compatibility with the technology used by website visitors, and to generally add and improve the website.


6. Third-Party Links and Websites
We may host content on third-party sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Any information provided to us by Users through these or other sites may be used by 311 in accordance with this Privacy Policy. User activity on third-party sites is governed by the terms of use and the security and privacy policies of those sites. Users should exercise caution in sharing identifying information on third-party sites, as this information could be improperly accessed by others

311Online provides links to, and may be linked from, local, State, and federal agencies and other digital platforms. No endorsement of the content or policies of these or other third-party websites or digital platforms is intended or implied by any link thereto.


7. Illegal Activities
NYC311 fully cooperates with law enforcement agencies in identifying those who may access services for illegal activities. NYC311 reserves the right to report to law enforcement agencies any activities that We in good faith believe may be unlawful.