Attorney General Internet Privacy Policy

Browsing The Attorney General Website

We do not keep any individual information about you or your visit to our website unless you supply us with information as part of ordering a publication or in an email complaint or message. This is true even if you download brochures or other information from our webpage.

Like most websites, our web page reads some information from your computer that helps you "navigate" through the site and for security purposes. The "navigational" information we collect is temporary. When you leave the site, this information is deleted from our system.

What information does the Attorney General’s website collect for reporting purposes?

Our site retains non-personal data about use of the site in order to improve our service and efficiency. This data may include information about the types of computer systems that access our webpage. For example, we may retain data about the types of operating systems used, the web browser type and version, the date and time of access, and the domain of the visitor (e.g., whether it is a user with a ".com" or ".org" internet address). In addition, we may retain a listing of the name of the internet service provider (e.g., AOL) or host (e.g., the web gateway of your company).

What information is temporarily captured and used by the Attorney General while I am browsing this web site?

This site reads and employs certain information for navigational purposes only. We do not keep this information in our system after you leave the site. We use your I.P. (internet protocol) address for navigational purposes. Some of our databases, such as the charities database, use temporary "cookies" to aid in delivering data you request from the database. The cookies will be deleted when you leave our site.

Does this web page collect information used for site security?

For site security purposes and to ensure that our service remains available for all users, our system employs software programs to identify attempts to gain unauthorized access or to otherwise misuse or cause damage to our system. In the rare case that our system identifies a potential security threat, identifying information about the user or the suspicious activity may be retained for further review or other purposes.

Information You Provide To Us

If you order a publication or send us a complaint or message by email, we keep the information that you provide to us. We do not collect information other than what you give to us in the publication order form or in your email message.

What data is retained when I provide information to this site in order to receive a publication?

We use the data you supply when completing a publication order form to send you the requested publication. We may keep this information in our files, either in electronic form or in a hardcopy print-out.

What data is retained when I send an email message or complaint to this site?

We may use the information you provide us in an email message, including a complaint sent by email or through a link on this web page, just like information provided to us in mail correspondence. We will use the information in your email to carry out our official duties in the same way we would with other written forms of communication.

We will not sell, rent or lease this information to third parties. In some cases, we may share the information you send with the person or organization about whom you have complained, or with other governmental agencies. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13) governs the use of such information. This law classifies certain information so that it is available to the public on request, although consumer complaints typically are not accessible by the general public.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about our internet privacy policy, please contact us at:

Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 600
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 296-3353 (Twin Cities Calling Area)
(800) 657-3787 (Outside the Twin Cities)
(800) 627-3529 (Minnesota Relay)