Overview

Welcome to the SC Utility Consumer website. This policy describes the agency’s privacy and security practices regarding information collected from visitors to our website, including what information is collected and how that information is used. The policy applies to all pages.

In general, the agency’s policy governing the collection and dissemination of personally identifiable information follows the same rules that would apply to an in-person visit to the Public Service Commission’s offices and are governed by the same state and federal laws that regulate these visits. A visit to the website does not require your personal information.

Personal Information

The Commission does not seek to collect or store in its files (electronic or hard copy) any personally identifiable information such as social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, financial account numbers, etc. Certain information such as name, address, email address, and phone number may be collected through the course of the Commission’s normal operations.

In the course of operating a website, certain information may be collected automatically in logs or through the use of cookies. If you browse through the Commission’s website, download information, or submit information online, the Internet Protocol (IP) address is noted as part of the statistical analysis used to better design online services and improves access to them.  The information does not identify you personally. 

Collection of Personal Data

Unless you choose to make your personal information available to us, the Commission does not collect such information from you. Your choice to not provide any personal information will not impair your ability to browse the website or download any information provided on our site.

If you choose to provide the Commission with personal information— as in an e-mail, or by filling out a form with your personal information and submitting it to us through our website —we use that information to respond to your message.

We do not:

• Create any individual profiles with the information you provide, or give it to any private organizations.
• Attempt to gain personal identifiable information about individual users and associate it with IP addresses.
• Use or place spyware on your computer.
• Collect information for commercial marketing (shared or sold).  

Protection of Personal Data

The Commission’s commitment to the security of your personal data and the data integrity of your personal identifiable information includes taking precautions to protect personal identifiable information from loss, misuse or alteration. All contractors and/or authorized third parties acting on our behalf with access to this information are committed to the same principles and are required by contract to follow the same policies and guidelines that the agency employs in protecting this information. Visitors should be aware, however, that even though protections are in place the Commission cannot guarantee against the occurrence of hardware failure, unauthorized intrusion or other technical problems, which could result in the unintended release of personal data.

E-mail is not a secure medium. Personal information sent via the Internet can be intercepted. If you believe that your personal information is being used for a purpose other than what was intended when you submitted, please report it to the Webmaster.

State agencies may not sell the e-mail addresses of members of the public that have been provided to communicate electronically with a government body without the affirmative consent of the affected member of the public. E-mail addresses will not be sold to any organization outside of the agency for any commercial purposes.  

Various websites can be linked through the agency’s website. This includes websites of other governmental agencies as well as websites of private entities. Many of these sites may not be subject to the South Carolina Code of Laws, or may operate under different privacy standards. Visitors to those websites are advised to check the privacy statements of those sites and be cautious about providing personally identifiable information without a clear understanding of how the information will be used.

This privacy policy may be updated at any time. Any changes will be posted on this web page.  

Please send your questions about the Commission’s Website Privacy Policy to the Webmaster