Digital Privacy Policy
Last Updated: March 22, 2024
We are committed to respecting and protecting your privacy when you use or visit our websites, online or mobile applications, or interact with our digital communications or campaigns (the “Services”). This Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your Personal Information.
“Personal Information” is information about you that you provided to us or information we collected from other sources such as credit reporting agencies, and includes your name, address, age, financial data, Social Insurance Number/Social Security Number, employment information, and other information that could be used to identify you.
Each time you use our Services, you are indicating your acknowledgement and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of information about you collected through our Services as set forth in this Policy and subject to applicable law. We may revise this Policy periodically at any time. We will let you know of any changes by posting a revised Policy on our website with a new effective date.
INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We may collect Personal Information or other data when you use our Services, including when you apply to open an account online, fill out a contact form, log in online, use the mobile applications, receive our digital communications or schedule an appointment. Depending on the Services you are using, data may or may not be personally identifiable. Data that we may collect includes:
- Transactional Information about your use of our products and services.
- Information about or on your Device:
- Location information about your device’s approximate physical location for purposes such as validating your identity, the prevention, suppression or detection of crime, and to enhance the functionality of a service, for example locating a nearby Sauk Valley Bank branch. Our ability to access location information is controlled by your device. Please refer to the user guide and settings for your device regarding how to allow, block, or limit the collection of location information. If you choose not to provide location information, some Services may not operate effectively.
- Information about your operating system, browser, IP address, MAC address or other device identifier, geolocation, security status and other similar device information in order to improve your experience, and/or to protect against fraud and manage risk.
- Information about how you use your device while using Sauk Valley Bank applications, including system settings, call status, a list of other installed apps, device orientation, certain key or tap events, network and device connections, and clipboard events.
- Your contact list information to facilitate digital payments. You can turn this access on or off.
- Photographs or Videos when selected by you to complete certain types of transactions or services. Images and videos are collected from your device’s storage, camera or photo applications, and are used to enable the delivery of mobile banking products and services, including mobile deposits, user authentication, and/or product feedback. They are stored as long as required by applicable law or regulation, which may be seven years or longer after you have ceased to be a Sauk Valley Bank customer. They are shared with Sauk Valley Bank service providers where necessary to deliver the requested products and services. To prevent the collection of images or videos, you may choose not to use those features or services that require live photos or image upload, none of which are required to bank with Sauk Valley Bank.
- Website Use Information such as browsing behavior on Sauk Valley Bank websites, links and locations you select, form data and downloads, as well as other data gathered from the use of web tools (for example, Cookies, Pixel Tags and Web Beacons) to better understand your interests and needs so that we can serve you better. You may have the ability to limit this collection of data through your browser settings. Please see OPTING OUT OF ONLINE BEHAVIOURIAL ADVERTISING section below on other information on how to opt-out of online behavioral advertising.
- Other Information such as feedback you may provide to us, answers to surveys and questionnaires, and use of online tools and calculators.
PURPOSES FOR THE USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may use and disclose your Personal Information that is collected through our Services in accordance with applicable law and our Privacy Codes to:
- Verify your identity;
- Ensure we have accurate information about you;
- Understand your financial needs (including your eligibility for products and services you requested or accepted or were pre-approved for);
- To manage our relationship;
- Protect against fraud and manage other risks;
- Communicate with you regarding products and services that may be of interest;
- Understand our customers, including through analytics, and to develop and tailor our products and services;
- Comply with legal or regulatory requirements, or as permitted by law; and
- Respond to questions you may have.
HOW WE USE COOKIES AND TRACKING TOOLS
We and/or our service providers may use various tools, such as Cookies and Pixel Tags, on our websites, mobile applications, and in our emails and advertisements for security and fraud prevention, analytics, personalization and to provide you with relevant marketing. These tools help us capture user activity for analysis to better understand use and effectiveness of the websites, ads, and emails; show relevant information; enhance user experience; and identify potentially compromised devices or accounts.
Cookies are a string of data used to help remember information about website visitors, sent between a server and a web browser to, for example, help facilitate the use of a website (for example, by remembering a user’s preferences or language) and to help understand how a website is being used and in our emails to monitor user activity. Cookies are a common technology and most web browsers automatically accept cookies by default. If you decide that you do not wish to accept cookies, refer to your browser’s settings or online help for further instruction and information on setting and clearing cookie preferences. Because cookies are generally browser-specific, your choices will need to be applied to each web browser you use. If you would like to use our Services you will be required to accept these cookies to maintain session integrity and enhanced security.
The cookies and other similar technologies that we use on our websites can be categorized into the following groups:
- Strictly necessary cookies and other technologies are essential in order to enable you to move around a website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website. Without these cookies, certain services you may have asked for cannot be provided. These cookies do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you have been on the Internet.
- Performance cookies and other technologies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they receive error messages from web pages. These cookies do not collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is anonymous and is only used to improve how a website works.
- Functionality cookies and other technologies allow a website to remember choices you make (such as your username, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, font and other preferences on web pages that you can customize. They may also be used to provide services you have requested, such as watching a video. The information these cookies collect may not always be anonymous and by using our websites, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.
- Marketing and Advertising cookies and other technologies allow us and our partners to provide you personalized, interest-based advertising, which could include geolocated advertising.
Pixels: Our emails may contain a single, campaign-unique “web beacon pixel” to tell us whether our emails have been opened and, combined with other technology, verify any selection on the links within our email(s). We may use this information for determining which of our emails are more interesting to you and to query whether users who do not open our emails wish to continue receiving them. The pixel is deleted when you delete the email. If you do not wish to participate in our email campaigns, please select to unsubscribe from the receipt of our emails. Pixel-related information may be connected to your personal identity.
Sauk Valley Bank Digital Banking Authentication Processes capture and store your device information as well as information you provide in order to confirm your identity each time you visit our secure websites. When you apply for or purchase a new product online, register for a secure online service or activate an existing product, the application you complete may include an online authentication process. The information that you provide in your application may be compared against the information contained in your consumer credit report to validate your identity and authenticate you as the customer.
INTEREST BASED ADVERTISING
We and/or our service providers may use data collected about you over time across multiple websites or other sources to present targeted ads to you. This data may be collected on our websites and platforms, or the websites and platforms of others. This may include information collected on apps. We and/or our service providers also use this data to help manage and optimize our Services and communications to you. Ads may be for products or services we think are relevant based on your browsing habits, online activities, and/or other information. These ads may be about our products and services. Interest-based advertising tools do not identify you personally, but are associated with the device being used, such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet device, and your internet activity, in order to serve these ads.
Sauk Valley Bank works with third-party advertising networks to distribute our advertisements on other websites and mobile applications where we have paid to advertise. You may be able to control these advertisements through the settings on third-party platforms. These advertisements may use tracking technologies to capture certain data, such as your IP address, usage information, or your responsiveness to our advertisements. To stop certain online advertising by Sauk Valley Bank, please refer to the “Opting out of Online Behavioral Advertising” section, below.
Third parties may collect certain information on Sauk Valley Bank websites or other sites where Sauk Valley Bank advertises. These third parties might link your name or email address to other information they collect from certain third-party websites you may visit. Please note that Sauk Valley Bank does not have control over third party partner data collection policies, nor does Sauk Valley Bank have any visibility to the individual’s data that is collected. Even when opting out of receiving online ads from Sauk Valley Bank or email communications directly from Sauk Valley Bank, you may still see advertising in particular environments regardless of the exclusion measures we at Sauk Valley Bank can control.
OPTING OUT OF ONLINE BEHAVIOURAL ADVERTISING
Certain Sauk Valley Bank ads on third-party websites may display an “Advertising Options” icon that you can select to learn about your choices. This icon will only appear on certain platforms. You should always review the privacy policy on any third-party site you visit.
Sauk Valley Bank honors Do Not Track opt-out preferences that you make to participating third party advertising networks that we utilize for advertising. You can learn more about limiting the amount of online and mobile advertising you receive by visiting youradchoices.com (U.S.), or selecting the “AdChoices” icon on an ad presented to you. You can also learn more about the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) self-regulatory program for Online Behavioral Advertising. The DAA’s Principles are intended to provide consumers with transparency about the collection and use of data for online behavioral advertising and to promote the consumer’s choice in managing its scope.
Additionally, you may be able to limit ad tracking on your web browser or mobile apps by adjusting the ad settings on the specific browser or social media/advertising platform (e.g., Google, Adobe, Facebook).
You may still receive online advertisements from us even if you opt-out in any of the ways described above, but they will not be customized based on your choices or behavior. If you block or reject cookies, not all of the tracking described here will stop because choices you make are browser and device specific. You will need to apply your opt-out preferences to each browser you use. If you delete or clear your browser’s cookies, you will need to opt-out again.
YOUR CHOICES
Voluntary Participation: From time to time, you may choose to enter your information in order to participate in online surveys, contests, sweepstakes or other activities that we sponsor. We use this information for a variety of reasons, such as measuring the performance of the website, or identifying products and services that might interest you. All information is used in accordance with the purposes outlined in this Policy and the terms of the activity, if applicable. Do not participate in these voluntary activities if you do not want your information used for these purposes.
Email Communications: If you prefer not to receive email communications from us, you can unsubscribe by selecting the “Unsubscribe” button provided in the promotional emails you receive from us. Please allow up to 10 business days for us to process your request. However, if you unsubscribe, we may still send you email notifications that are legally required (for example, a notice about an upcoming change affecting your account) or reply to specific email requests about your accounts and services.
To manage your email preferences, please contact our Solutions Center at 815-632-4490. Saukvalleybank.com
Other Marketing Preferences: If you have any questions about how your personal information is used here at Sauk Valley Bank or want to manage any additional Marketing preference opt-outs, please contact us by calling our Solutions Center Team at (815)632-4490 or [email protected] or visiting one of our branch locations.
Third Party Links
Our websites may contain links to other sites that we do not own or operate. Also, links to our websites may be featured on third party websites on which we advertise, or in instances that we have not endorsed. We do not manage, and we are not responsible for, the digital marketing and cookie practices of third parties, for example, third party websites linked to/from Sauk Valley Bank digital channels. The linked websites have separate and independent privacy statements, notices and terms of use, which we recommend you read carefully.
Contact Us
The branch, office or channel where you interact can answer any questions you may have. Alternatively, contact us at:
Sauk Valley Bank 201 W 3rd Street Sterling, IL 61081
Online Policy
Effective May 2021
Sauk Valley Bank is committed to safeguarding our customer’s personal information by practicing responsible information sharing and utilizing stringent security measures. This Online Policy describes how information is collected when you visit our website, our mobile applications and other online platforms we own or operate (the “Sites”).
To the extent the information we collect includes “nonpublic personal information” within the meaning of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Public Law No. 106-102), the information is subject to our Privacy Policy. The Privacy Policy is furnished to our customers as required by law. This Online Policy supplements our Privacy Policy. By using any of the Sites or interacting with any Sauk Valley Bank advertisement or page on a third-party site, you consent to this Online Policy and our collection, use and disclosure of information about you as described in this Online Policy.
When you log on to Sauk Valley Bank Online Banking, our service provider passes a cookie to your browser. The cookie only identifies your computer. We do not (and cannot) use cookies to collect or obtain new personal information about you.
This cookie allows us to process multiple transactions during your session without requiring you to re-enter your passcode for each transaction. The cookies for online banking simply provide another level of security for our internal banking product. We also require 128-bit encryption to access our online banking product, the most secure available.
When you log on to Sauk Valley Bank Online Banking, for the security of your account information, we recommend you not select the ‘remember me’ check box; however, if you do, a cookie is sent to your hard drive. This ‘remember me’ cookie enables you to shortcut the login process when you visit Sauk Valley Bank Online.
In the future, to assist us in our marketing program and provide you with products and services of interest to you, we may send you email messages. This not only provides you insight into some new product offerings, it also allows us to verify your account and provide you an extra layer of security. Visitors to our website remain anonymous. We do not collect identifying information about you unless you voluntarily provide it and knowingly provide us that information. We do collect general information about your visit, such as when you accessed our site, what pages you visited, and the Internet provider you use. But, this is done in summary format with no identifying of the user. You may elect to provide us more specific information, such as when you give us feedback or send us an email. If this occurs, the information is only used internally.
In order to provide you with our online banking products, we use the services of third party vendors. By contract, these third party vendors must maintain the confidentiality and privacy of your information.
Sauk Valley’s websites use Google AdWords to advertise on third party websites to previous visitors to our site. It could mean that we advertise to previous visitors who haven’t completed a task on our site. This could be in the form of an advertisement on the Google search results page or a site in the Google Display Network. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on someone’s past visits to the Sauk Valley Bank website. Any data collected will be used in accordance with our privacy policies, as well as Google privacy policies. You can opt-out of remarketing by visiting the following link:
https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662922?hl=en
or
https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated?hl=en#display_optout
Third parties may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect or receive information from our website and elsewhere on the Internet and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads. You can opt-out of the collection and use of information for ad targeting. To do so, go to www.aboutads.info/choices and set your data collection and ad preferences.
Sauk Valley Bank maintains profiles and other information on many popular social networking sites, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, & Instagram. Information posted on these sites is governed under the privacy policy and terms of the property. You should be aware that any information you provide on these sites may be read, collected, and used by others who access them. We monitor activity on these pages and is provided with reporting that analyzes how users interact with each service, including reviews, comments, and mentions.
Our websites may include links to other websites whose privacy practices may differ from those of Sauk Valley Bank. If you submit personal information to any of those third-party sites, your information is governed by their privacy policies. We encourage you to carefully read the privacy policy of any website you visit.
We may update this Online Policy to reflect changes to our information practices. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our Online practices. If you continue use of our website after changes to this Policy are made and in effect, you agree to the revised Policy.
Questions
If you have questions about this Online Policy, please contact our Solutions Center at (815)-632-4990.
