Site visit data
This site’s web-server automatically collects the following non-personal information (i.e. clickstream data) for statistical and system administration purposes only:
- your server (or IP) address
- the day and time you visited the site
- the pages you visited on our site
- the address of the last page you visited
- the operating system you are using
- rough geographic location (down to the city)
- language (e.g. American English)
- internet service provider (e.g. Telstra)
- the type of browser and version you are using.
To the extent that this data could make you identifiable, the City of Melbourne will not attempt to identify individuals from the records the server automatically generates unless necessary to investigate a breach of law or regulation.
Member registration
We collect information from you when you sign-up for Participate Melbourne. Required information includes:
- Name (this is published on the site alongside any public comments you make)
- email address (this will not be made public)
By providing an email address you help us protect the integrity of the discussion from individuals and groups who may attempt to unduly influence the outcomes of the consultation process. For example, we check the database to ensure each user has a single email account on the site. We also frequently review the site for trolls and spammers.
The email address you provide will be used by the City of Melbourne to send you information and updates about Participate Melbourne projects. You can unsubscribe from these updates at any time.
User feedback
We collect information that you provide via the following feedback tools:
- comments and votes in forums
- stories
- surveys
- quick polls
- interactive maps.
This information is analysed and interpreted by City of Melbourne staff to help inform the creation of better projects, plans and policies.
Cookies are used on our site, but they do not collect any personal information. For the most part they are sessional and just contain system-generated values to identify the user's session for statistical and system administration purposes only.
Demographic information (optional)
We ask optional demographic questions when you sign-up to help us determine whether we are getting a diverse cross-section of participants. These questions are:
- age group
- gender
- your relationship with the city.
Social media collection statement
If you use your Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking sites (‘SNS’) account information to log in and/or authenticate with a City of Melbourne website, we will collect and store a unique user ID provided by your SNS.
As a City of Melbourne website user, you can choose to log in and/or authenticate with a SNS, such as Facebook. To do so, you must use your account credentials (typically username and password) for your SNS. Your SNS will provide City of Melbourne with a unique user ID which we can use to identify you on our websites. City of Melbourne will retain this user ID, keep it private and use it to identify you and enable your access to features on our websites.
If you choose to sign up with your SNS profile the City of Melbourne will request to collect your name and email. You can cancel this request and then manually enter this information through the Participate email registration process.
We encourage you to read the privacy policies and other statements of the SNS you use.