The Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) will use the GovDelivery service to deliver email bulletin messages to self-subscribed users. DHS Office of Public Affairs (OPA) serves as the executive agent for the DHS GovDelivery Service and controls who at the Department has access to send email bulletins, create or delete topics.
GovDelivery is a web-based e-mail subscription management system that allows a member of the public (user) to subscribe to news and information on DHS websites. The GovDelivery user selects specific topics that interest them. Whenever information on that topic is made available by the Department, the user that has subscribed to that topic receives an email. The user’s subscription profile consists of their email address and the topics they wish to receive email updates for. The user may customize and manage their subscription profile in order to receive exactly the types of information they desire, and they may cancel their subscriptions at any time.
Users engaging the DHS GovDelivery system expect privacy protections while interacting with the Department. DHS will only use the email addresses provided by the users to send email messages related to the topics selected by the user in the GovDelivery system. DHS will not use the GovDelivery service to: 1) send email messages not related to the topics selected by the user; 2) actively seek PII; and 3) search for or by PII without a waiver from the DHS Privacy Office. To the extent a user posts or sends PII to the Department’s GovDelivery system, DHS will use the minimum amount necessary to accomplish a purpose authorized by statute, executive order, or regulation.
Neither DHS nor GovDelivery may share a user’s subscription profile (including email address) without a waiver from the DHS Privacy Office.
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Policy
All DHS posts to GovDelivery will ensure that information is presented neutrally, without bias or preference. DHS will not post information that suggests that the government will consider taking action that would amount to suppression or coercion of protected speech or other activities protected by the U.S. Constitution. DHS will also not collect or retain any information associated with activity on the service solely for the purpose of monitoring activities protected by the U.S. Constitution.