Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Privacy and Security Clause | Data Security |
Digital Image Protection and Distribution | Security Video Policy |
Database Information | Am I Being Tracked?

Privacy and Security Clause
The MIT Card Office understands the security and privacy issues raised by modern electronic information systems. Within the context of this technology, the MIT Card Office is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of each individual customer and of the entire MIT Community.

Data Security
To prevent unauthorized use of your MIT Card for building access or purchases, the MIT Card Office has taken many precautions to protect the data that appears both on the face of the card and the magnetic stripe. In order to protect you, MIT has instituted:

* secure card readers and controllers in buildings, on secured lines to the Card Office

* randomly-generated secure access numbers for replacement cards (This practice eliminates the possibility of generating a working card using reverse engineering techniques. Randomly-generated access ID numbers make predicting the correct information necessary to encode a card next to impossible.)

* automatic deactivation of old card when a new card is created

Digital Image Protection and Distribution

Students
The Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Affairs has announced the following:

"Your photograph will be used to create your student ID card and will be stored in digital form by the MIT Card Office. It will not be released outside the Institute (except in response to a subpoena or other legal process; in which case, you will be informed, in advance if possible, that such a request has been made). It will not be released within MIT in digital form without the permission of the Dean for Undergraduate Education and Student Affairs who may authorize limited and controlled use for academic purposes.

It will be distributed in hard copy format to:

* Undergraduate Academic Affairs and your Freshman Advisor during your freshman year. A copy will be attached to your folder which will be forwarded to your department at the end of your first year.
* The Academic Department in which you are enrolled during your upper-class and graduate years and to faculty teaching subjects you are registered for.
* Counseling and Student Support for the Dean's office files.
* Your Housemaster if you are a dormitory resident.
* You. You are entitled to request a single hard-copy image of yourself.

You may request that your photograph not be distributed as described above. In that case, it will remain in the Card Office database so that your ID card may be replaced as necessary without the need to take another picture but it will not be distributed. A notation that the picture has been removed at your request will appear instead. Forms for making this request are available when your picture is taken and at the MIT Card Office."

Employees and Others
Your photograph will be used to create your MIT ID card and will be stored in digital form by the MIT Card Office. It will not be released to anyone inside or outside the institute without your written permission, except in response to a subpoena or other legal process. In such cases, you will be informed, in advance if possible, that such a request has been made.

Requests for Digital Images
Each MIT Cardholder may request that a copy of his or her image file be copied onto a PC-formatted floppy disk (for use on the Web, etc.). The $2.00 processing fee is is payable by check to the MIT Card Office, cash or student account charge (for students only). Because of security issues, the MIT Card Office cannot e-mail your image to you.

Security Video Policy
The MIT Card Advisory Council, a body comprised of representatives of the MIT community, is confident that the Director of Security and Police Services is in the best position to promote and implement policy regarding the use of video cameras and video data relative to the protection of the MIT community.

Database Information
The cardholder information maintained in the MIT Card database includes:

* MIT identification number (i.e., 987654321)
* last name, first name
* photo
* registration or employment status
* department, position
* office address (for employees)

All information is absolutely confidential (with the exception of photos--because we release photos for class rosters) and is acquired directly from the Registrar or Human Resources Office. It is not available to anyone except MIT Card Office staff. No information about race, religion, ethnic background, or sex is maintained.

Am I Being Tracked?

The MIT Card Office does collect information outlining the locations where ID cards have been used, but the information is confidential. This data only remains in the system for 14 days before it erased. Within the 14 day period, information is used only in the following ways:

* The MIT Card Office may use card tracking information to troubleshoot problems with ID card equipment or problems with the ID cards themselves.
* The MIT Police Department may request tracking data as part of a criminal investigation. The MIT Police Department is the only outside group that may request such information, and to receive this data, the Chief of the Police Department must present a signed, written request to the MIT Card Office.






				Privacy Policy Privacy and Security Clause \| Data Security \| Digital Image Protection and Distribution \| Security Video Policy \| Database Information \| Am I Being Tracked? Privacy and Security Clause The MIT Card Office understands the security and privacy issues raised by modern electronic information systems. Within the context of this technology, the MIT Card Office is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of each individual customer and of the entire MIT Community. Data Security To prevent unauthorized use of your MIT Card for building access or purchases, the MIT Card Office has taken many precautions to protect the data that appears both on the face of the card and the magnetic stripe. In order to protect you, MIT has instituted: * secure card readers and controllers in buildings, on secured lines to the Card Office * randomly-generated secure access numbers for replacement cards (This practice eliminates the possibility of generating a working card using reverse engineering techniques. Randomly-generated access ID numbers make predicting the correct information necessary to encode a card next to impossible.) * automatic deactivation of old card when a new card is created Digital Image Protection and Distribution Students The Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Affairs has announced the following: "Your photograph will be used to create your student ID card and will be stored in digital form by the MIT Card Office. It will not be released outside the Institute (except in response to a subpoena or other legal process; in which case, you will be informed, in advance if possible, that such a request has been made). It will not be released within MIT in digital form without the permission of the Dean for Undergraduate Education and Student Affairs who may authorize limited and controlled use for academic purposes. It will be distributed in hard copy format to: * Undergraduate Academic Affairs and your Freshman Advisor during your freshman year. A copy will be attached to your folder which will be forwarded to your department at the end of your first year. * The Academic Department in which you are enrolled during your upper-class and graduate years and to faculty teaching subjects you are registered for. * Counseling and Student Support for the Dean's office files. * Your Housemaster if you are a dormitory resident. * You. You are entitled to request a single hard-copy image of yourself. You may request that your photograph not be distributed as described above. In that case, it will remain in the Card Office database so that your ID card may be replaced as necessary without the need to take another picture but it will not be distributed. A notation that the picture has been removed at your request will appear instead. Forms for making this request are available when your picture is taken and at the MIT Card Office." Employees and Others Your photograph will be used to create your MIT ID card and will be stored in digital form by the MIT Card Office. It will not be released to anyone inside or outside the institute without your written permission, except in response to a subpoena or other legal process. In such cases, you will be informed, in advance if possible, that such a request has been made. Requests for Digital Images Each MIT Cardholder may request that a copy of his or her image file be copied onto a PC-formatted floppy disk (for use on the Web, etc.). The $2.00 processing fee is is payable by check to the MIT Card Office, cash or student account charge (for students only). Because of security issues, the MIT Card Office cannot e-mail your image to you. Security Video Policy The MIT Card Advisory Council, a body comprised of representatives of the MIT community, is confident that the Director of Security and Police Services is in the best position to promote and implement policy regarding the use of video cameras and video data relative to the protection of the MIT community. Database Information The cardholder information maintained in the MIT Card database includes: * MIT identification number (i.e., 987654321) * last name, first name * photo * registration or employment status * department, position * office address (for employees) All information is absolutely confidential (with the exception of photos--because we release photos for class rosters) and is acquired directly from the Registrar or Human Resources Office. It is not available to anyone except MIT Card Office staff. No information about race, religion, ethnic background, or sex is maintained. Am I Being Tracked? The MIT Card Office does collect information outlining the locations where ID cards have been used, but the information is confidential. This data only remains in the system for 14 days before it erased. Within the 14 day period, information is used only in the following ways: * The MIT Card Office may use card tracking information to troubleshoot problems with ID card equipment or problems with the ID cards themselves. * The MIT Police Department may request tracking data as part of a criminal investigation. The MIT Police Department is the only outside group that may request such information, and to receive this data, the Chief of the Police Department must present a signed, written request to the MIT Card Office.