Privacy Statement

Bluestem Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Bluestem) is committed to protecting your privacy and developing technology that gives you the most powerful and safe online experience. This Statement of Privacy applies to the Bluestem Web site and governs data collection and usage. Generally, you can browse through our website without giving us any information about yourself. When we do need your personal information to provide services that you request or when you choose to provide us with your personal information, this policy describes how we collect and use your personal information. By using the Bluestem website, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.

Collection of your Personal Information

You do not have to provide any personally identifiable information to visit this website; however, if you use the website to send us an e-mail, apply for a scholarship, or if you provide personally identifiable information through the website in any other way, we may collect and may maintain the information that you provide. Personally identifiable information refers to your e-mail address, name, home or work address or telephone number. Bluestem may also collect anonymous demographic information, which is not unique to you, such as your ZIP code, age, gender, preferences, interests and favorites.

Information Collected and Stored Automatically

The site operator may automatically collect and store anonymous information about site visitors to enable us to make the website more useful and improve the overall quality of the visitor’s online experience. Anonymous information refers to data that cannot be tied back to a specific individual. This information can include: your IP address, browser type, domain names, access times and referring Web site addresses.  Web logs may also be automatically created and used to identify visitors who seek to damage the website, use the website in unauthorized ways, or interfere with operations.  Information about users who try to engage in any unapproved activities may be shared with law enforcement agencies. Bluestem does not collect any personal information about a routine visitor unless the visitor provides information to us.

Bluestem encourages you to review the privacy statements of Web sites you choose to link to from Bluestem so that you can understand how those Web sites collect, use and share your information. Bluestem is not responsible for the privacy statements or other content on Web sites outside of the Bluestem and Bluestem family of Web sites.

Use of your Personal Information

Bluestem collects and uses your personal information to operate the Bluestem Web site and deliver the services you have requested. Bluestem also uses your personally identifiable information to inform you of other products or services available from Bluestem and its affiliates. Bluestem may also contact you via surveys to conduct research about your opinion of current services or of potential new services that may be offered.

Bluestem does not sell, rent or lease its member lists to third parties.

Bluestem may share data with trusted partners to help us perform statistical analysis, send you email or postal mail, provide member support, or arrange for deliveries. All such third parties are prohibited from using your personal information except to provide these services to Bluestem, and they are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information. Bluestem does not use or disclose sensitive personal information, such as race, religion, or political affiliations, without your explicit consent. Bluestem keeps track of the Web sites and pages our members visit within Bluestem in order to determine what Bluestem services are the most popular. This data is used to deliver customized content and advertising within Bluestem to members whose behavior indicates that they are interested in a particular subject area.

Bluestem Web sites will disclose your personal information, without notice, only if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Bluestem or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Bluestem; and, (c) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of  Bluestem, or the public.

Use of Cookies

The Bluestem Web site use "cookies" to help you personalize your online experience. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web page server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you and can only be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.

One of the primary purposes of cookies is to provide a convenience feature to save you time. The purpose of a cookie is to tell the Web server that you have returned to a specific page. For example, if you personalize Bluestem pages, or register with Bluestem site or services, a cookie helps Bluestem to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of recording your personal information, such as billing addresses, shipping addresses, and so on. When you return to the same Bluestem Web site, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the Bluestem Company features that you customized.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of the Bluestem services or Web sites you visit.

Security of your Personal Information

Bluestem secures your personal information from unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Bluestem secures the personally identifiable information you provide on computer servers in a controlled, secure environment, protected from unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Security of data transmission it is protected through the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot ensure the security of the information you transmit to us, and so we urge you to take every precaution to protect your personal data when you are on the Internet. Change your passwords often, use a combination of letters and numbers, and make sure you use a secure browser.

Changes to this Statement

Bluestem will occasionally update this Statement of Privacy to reflect company and member feedback. Bluestem encourages you to periodically review this Statement to be informed of how Bluestem is protecting your information.

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