Ask Reggi Your Question Now

Reggi is the free generative AI assistance for regulatory compliance
Ask a Question

Can I collect IP addresses from participants in Massachusetts? What are the requirements?

To collect IP addresses from participants in Massachusetts, you must comply with the regulations set forth in the Massachusetts Address Confidentiality Program. The program is designed to protect the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Requirements for Collecting IP Addresses

To collect IP addresses from program participants, you must first be certified as a program participant [2.1]. The program participant must attest that disclosure of their address will threaten their safety or the safety of their children or the minor or incapacitated person on whose behalf the application is made. Once certified, state and local agencies must accept the address designated by the Secretary of the Commonwealth as a program participant’s substitute address when creating a new public record unless the Secretary has determined that the agency has a bona fide statutory or administrative requirement for the use of the participant’s actual residential address [3.1].

Agency Exemption Request

If an agency believes it has a bona fide statutory or administrative requirement for the use of a program participant’s actual address, it may request an exemption from the Secretary of the Commonwealth [2.3]. The agency must provide identification of the statute or administrative rule which demonstrates the agency’s bona fide requirement and authority for the use of the actual address of an individual, identification and description of the specific record or record series for which the exemption is requested, identification of the individuals who will have access to the record, and an explanation of why the agency cannot meet its statutory or administrative obligations by a change in its internal procedures. The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s determination to grant or withhold a requested exemption shall be based on, but not limited to, an evaluation of the information provided under 950 CMR 13.09(1) in conformance with the statutory standard of a bona fide statutory or administrative requirement for the use of a program participant’s actual address [2.3].

Therefore, to collect IP addresses from participants in Massachusetts, you must first be certified as a program participant and comply with the regulations set forth in the Massachusetts Address Confidentiality Program. If you believe you have a bona fide statutory or administrative requirement for the use of a program participant’s actual address, you may request an exemption from the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Source(s):
Jurisdiction

Massachusetts