SUMMARY:

Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative, Inc. (“PPEC”) is committed to protecting the privacy of all users of www.ppec.coop. As part of that commitment, this website privacy policy informs users:​

1. What personal information (otherwise known as “personally identifiable information”) is collected and under what circumstances;
2. Whether the collection is voluntary or involuntary;
3. How that personal information is used;
4. Who that personal information will be shared with and under what circumstances; and
5. The ability of the user to choose how that personal information is used, how it can be reviewed and how it can be corrected.

The term “User” refers to any individual who is accessing the www.ppec.coop website.

This policy solely applies to information collected, maintained and used by PPEC and does not apply to the collection and use practices of websites which users connect to through any website links available on www.ppec.coop, nor does it apply to any applications or advertising posted on www.ppec.coop that is provided by third parties, including, but not limited to, the Co-op Connections Program.

CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13

The website is not intended for children under 13 years of age. No one under age 13 may provide any personal information to the website. PPEC does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 and PPEC does not provide services to children. Users under 13 years of age shall not provide any information on this website or through any of its features, making any purchases through the website, using any of the interactive or public comment features of this website or providing any information about themselves to us, including user name, address, telephone number, email address, or any screen name or user name used. If PPEC learns it has received personal information from a child under 13 years of age without verification of parental consent, PPEC will delete that information. If a user believes PPEC might have received any information from a child under 13 years of age, please contact us by email at memberservices@ppec.coop or write us at: (Mail) 401 McDonald Pike, Paulding, OH  45879

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION:

1. Web server log information – This is basic information that PPEC collects, including IP address, type of browser or operating system, date, time, duration of access, pages visited and links visited on the website. This information is automatically collected and may be used to help PPEC improve and maintain the availability and usefulness of the website for Users. This information is used in the aggregate for this purpose and no attempt is made to identify any specific individual.
2. Cookies – Cookies are another means by which PPEC collects similar basic information as described at 1) above on all User visits that does not identify any specific individual and that shows how individual Users utilize the website. Cookies are bits of information collected by the web server and transferred back to the User’s computer, phone, tablet or other device to enable PPEC systems to recognize such device. Users may be able to set their browsers to alert the User of the creation of a cookie and/or a means to deny acceptance of a cookie. The Help feature on most browsers will tell users how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify users when such user receives a new cookie, or how to disable cookies altogether.
3. Requests for programs/services/information – To the extent a User requests programs, services, or information from, or respond to surveys conducted by, PPEC through this website, personally identifiable information such as name, telephone number, mailing address and email address may be collected. Providing this personal information is voluntary, but failure to provide the requested information may preclude delivery of the product, service or information requested.

HOW WE MAY USE INFORMATION

PPEC uses the personal information that it collects about Users, or that Users provide to PPEC, to conduct our business and to provide programs, services, and information. Personal information collected may be shared with appropriate PPEC vendors or professional service providers. Examples of how PPEC uses personal information includes, but is not limited to:

1. To present this website and its contents;
2. To respond and provide Users with programs, services, or information requested from PPEC and its suppliers;
3. To offer programs, services, or information that Users may find helpful;
4. To notify Users about changes to our website or any products or services PPEC offers;
5. In connection with a sale or merger;
6. In any other way PPEC may describe when information is provided; and
7. For any other lawful purpose with consent.
    

DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION

We do not share information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Any information collected and retained by PPEC through this website will not be released to third parties except as indicated below:

1. Any information needed by a vendor or professional service provider (e.g., NRECA, a law or accounting firm) to perform services for PPEC will be disclosed to such vendor or professional service provider. Such vendor or professional service provider will be required to observe the same privacy protections that apply to this website, and they will not be allowed to sell User information.
2. Any necessary information will be disclosed to any appropriate internal or external authorities in order to 1) identify and pursue remedies against Users who attempt to damage, misuse, or otherwise interfere with the operations of this website, or 2) to otherwise protect PPEC’s legal interests.
3. PPEC may aggregate information collected on the website, such as views or clicks, and share with third parties for PPEC’s business purposes.
4. Any necessary information required to respond to appropriate requesting authorities, including but not limited to, properly issued search warrants, court orders, or subpoenas.  PPEC may also disclose User personal information to enforce the Terms of Use to this website.
5. Any necessary information in connection with a sale or merger.
    

INFORMATION SECURITY

PPEC has implemented commercially reasonable technical, administrative, and physical security measures in order to protect personally identifiable information against loss, unauthorized access, destruction, misuse, modification, and improper disclosure.

As a critical part of these security measures, PPEC monitors any and all communications and data traversing the site. That monitoring may include actual content of those communications and data as necessary.

While no information is absolutely safe in an electronic environment, by implementing commercially reasonable security, PPEC has taken appropriate steps to secure information collected, retained and used.

REVIEW AND CORRECTION OF COLLECTED INFORMATION

Users may, upon a verified request, review and correct as needed or desired any personally identifiable information collected or retained by PPEC by contacting us at: (Mail) 401 Mc Donald Pike, Paulding, OH  45879; (E-mail) memberservices@ppec.coop.

CHANGES TO WEBSITE PRIVACY POLICY

From time to time, PPEC may revise this policy to reflect changes in the law, changes in our programs or services, changes in our practices regarding the collection and use of personal information, to reflect new features or technologies of www.ppec.coop or otherwise in the discretion of PPEC. Updated versions of the policy will appear on the website. PPEC encourages all Users to review this policy periodically so that they are up to date on the most current policies and practices. The last date this policy was revised is the effective date set forth above.

Legal Notice

The content of this site, including but not limited to the text and images herein and their arrangement, is the property of Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative, Inc., hereinafter referred to as PPEC.

PPEC hereby authorizes you to copy and display the content herein, but for your personal use only. Any copy you make must include this copyright notice: Copyright 2020 by Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved. If attribution to PPEC is included, limited quotations from the content are hereby permitted. You may not copy or display for redistribution to third parties for commercial purposes any portion of the content without the prior written permission of PPEC.

No Implied Licenses

Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring by implication, estoppel, or otherwise any license or right under any patent, trademark, copyright (except as expressly provided above), or proprietary rights of PPEC or of any third party.

The Content

PPEC makes no representations about the suitability of the content of this site for any purpose. All content is provided “as is” without any warranty of any kind. PPEC hereby disclaims all warranties with regard to the content, including but not limited to all implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. In no event shall PPEC or any of its/their affiliates be liable for any special, indirect, exemplary, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever, including but not limited to loss of use, data, or profits, without regard to the form of any action, including but not limited to contract, negligence, or other tortious actions, arising out of or in connection with the use, copying, or display of the content although PPEC believes the content to be accurate, complete, and current, PPEC makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the content. It is your responsibility to verify any information before relying on it. The content of this site may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. From time to time, changes are made to the content herein. PPEC and/or its/their affiliates may make changes in the products and/or the services described herein at any time.

Links to Other Sites

Some of the sites listed as links herein are not under the control of PPEC. Accordingly, PPEC makes no representations whatsoever concerning the content of those sites. The fact that PPEC has provided a link to a site is NOT an endorsement, authorization, sponsorship, or affiliation by PPEC with respect to such site, its owners, or its providers. PPEC is providing these links only as a convenience to you. There are risks in using any information, software, or products found on the Internet; and PPEC cautions you to make sure that you completely understand these risks before retrieving, using, relying upon, or purchasing anything via the Internet.

Trademarks

Touchstone Energy® and the Touchstone Energy logo are registered trademarks of Touchstone Energy, Inc.

Eligibility: The Facebook/Instagram contests are open to current members of Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperatives inc.(PPEC) who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry, which includes employees’ immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members. Employees of PPEC are not eligible.

Sponsor: The contest is sponsored by PPEC, located at 401 McDonald Pike, Paulding, OH 45879

Contest period: The period of the contest will be included with the contest post.

Entry: Duplicated entrances will be removed. Only one entrance per member will be counted.

Prizes: The prize description will be included with the post. PPEC will select potential winners in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. The odds of being selected depend on the number of entries received. PPEC will attempt to notify the potential winner via Facebook/Instagram message.

Task: Information on how to participate will be included in the contest post.  

Winner selection: The potential winner will be randomly selected from all entries. Duplicated entries will be removed.

Questions: Please submit questions via email to eherman@ppec.coop   

Non-Discrimination Statement

Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative, Inc., “Paulding Putnam” Internet Service Policies and Disclosures

Paulding Putnam is committed to providing high-quality services and is committed to being a responsible member of the Internet community. By using Paulding Putnam’s network, products or internet services (the “Services”), you (“you” or “Customer”) agree to comply with this policy, which is incorporated by reference into your Service Agreement.

I. NETWORK MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Network Performance

Paulding Putnam offers a number of service plans providing for broadband Internet access services. A summary of plans with links to additional details on pricing can be found here on our website: https://fiber.ppec.coop/home

Actual speeds and latency vary based on Customer equipment, configurations, volume of traffic and usage, time of day, building and environmental details (when relying on any wireless network or signal), third party content being accessed, and a number of other factors. The target speeds and latency provided above are for informational purposes only, and may not be fully representative of each individual customer's experience. Paulding Putnam does not guarantee speed or latency performance of the Services.

Network Management

Generally, Paulding Putnam does not inhibit the ability of our customers to use our Internet services. However, like many service providers, Paulding Putnam employs reasonable network management practices consistent with industry standards to maintain the reliability of its network and to minimize network issues and complications. Specifically, Paulding Putnam manages its network in the following ways:

• Traffic identified as malicious (such as distributed denial of service attacks) or harmful may be identified and blocked by Paulding Putnam.

II. ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

Prohibited Activities

Paulding Putnam prohibits any use of its network or Services, or any associated third party service, in a manner that Paulding Putnam, in its sole and absolute discretion, determines violates the Service Agreement, or that includes any of the following prohibited activities:

(1) modifying without authorization, intercepting, interfering with, or gaining unauthorized access to, or making any attempt to accomplish the foregoing, any material or system that does not belong to the Customer;

(2) sending unsolicited bulk or commercial e-mail or other communications (e.g., spam);

(3) for any communication that consists of or includes malware, viruses, distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks, or potentially harmful or malicious code;

(4) storing, processing, or transmitting material in a manner that violates a third party’s actual or claimed intellectual property rights, including trade secret, copyright, patent, and trademark rights;

(5) violating the actual or claimed privacy or publicity rights of others, except as allowed by applicable laws and regulations;

(6) storing, processing, or transmitting material that is unlawful, fraudulent, obscene, harassing, libelous, abusive, or hateful, that encourages unlawful acts, or that may be interpreted as violating the civil rights of others;

(7) storing, processing, or transmitting material, or engaging in any activity, that violates local, state, federal, or international laws or regulations;

(8) any activity that harms or is reasonably likely to harm Paulding Putnam or a third party, or that damages, interferes, interrupts, or negatively affects our network or services or other networks, or others’ use of those resources; or

(9) to resell, lease, license, assign, allow access, or redistribute any Paulding Putnam services, in whole or in part, to any third party.

Paulding Putnam reserves the right at its sole discretion to immediately restrict, suspend, or terminate Customer’s Services, in whole or in part and without notice, in the event of any such prohibited use. Any such prohibited use shall be a breach of this policy and your Service Agreement.

Customer is solely responsible for any use or misuse of Paulding Putnam’s network or services through Customer’s account, equipment, or network, whether or not such activities or actions were authorized by Customer. If Customer becomes aware of any such activity, the Customer must remedy the situation immediately. The Customer shall also notify Paulding Putnam, by telephone within four hours in writing and within 24 hours, of the detection of a violation or potential violation by such Customer or its agents.

Approved Equipment

Customer may connect any lawful device to the Services, subject to the following. Paulding Putnam is not responsible for the compatibility, suitability or functionality of any equipment that is provided by Customer or any third party. If Paulding Putnam reasonably believes any such equipment harms our network, degrades or interrupts the service of other users, or otherwise causes damage, harm, or service issues (collectively, “Equipment-Related Harm”), Paulding Putnam may require Customer to disconnect the device. Paulding Putnam further reserves the right to suspend, limit, or terminate Services to Customers that in our sole discretion are causing or contributing to Equipment-Related Harm, as well as the right to pursue any remedy at law available to address such harm.

Privacy and Security

Except as otherwise expressly provided for herein, your use of the Services and provision of any data is subject to Paulding Putnam's Privacy Policy: https://ppec.coop/policies

III. COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CLAIMS

Notices and Procedures for Making Claims of Copyright Infringement

Pursuant to Title 17, United States Code, Section 512 (c)(2), notifications of claimed copyright infringement should be sent to Paulding Putnam’s designated agent. ALL INQUIRES NOT RELEVANT TO OR NOT COMPLYING WITH THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE WILL RECEIVE NO RESPONSE.

Paulding Putnam respects the intellectual property of others and we ask you to do the same. Paulding Putnam will process and investigate notices of alleged infringement and will take appropriate actions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and other applicable intellectual property laws.

If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide Paulding Putnam the following information. Please be advised that to be effective, the Notification must include ALL of the following:

• A physical or electronic signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive copyright that it is allegedly infringed;
• A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed;
• A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the Website;
• Your address, telephone number, and email address and all other information reasonably sufficient to permit Paulding Putnam to contact you;
• A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
• A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your Notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Notices Should Be Directed To:
Physical Address:
Paulding Putnam
Attn: DMCA Claims
401 McDonald Pike
Paulding, OH 45879
 

E-mail Address:
support@ppec.coop

You should be aware that complainants who make false claims or misrepresentations concerning copyright infringement may be liable for damages under the DMCA.

Customer Responses to Claims of Copyright Infringement

If you are a Customer and you believe a notice of copyright infringement has been wrongly filed against you, you may submit a counter-notice to:

Physical Address:
Paulding Putnam
Attn: DMCA Claims
401 McDonald Pike
Paulding, OH 45879

E-mail Address:
support@ppec.coop

This counter-notice will invoke a dispute between you and the complaining party. Your counternotification must be in writing and contain the following information:

• A physical or electronic signature of an authorized person;
• Identification of the material that was removed or access to which was disabled and the location at which material appeared before it was removed or access to it was disabled;
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the alleged infringer has a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification;
• Your name, address, and telephone number, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court for the federal district in which you are located and that you will accept service of process from the complainant

You should be aware that substantial penalties under U.S. law apply for a false counter-notice filed in response to a notice of copyright infringement.

Date Original Adopted: July 10, 2025

Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative, Inc., “Paulding Putnam”
Broadband Service Privacy Policy

Effective Date of Policy: July 10, 2025

The purpose of this policy statement is to explain how Paulding Putnam treats your Personally Identifiable Information (PII”) collected by us relating to your subscription to a broadband service. PII is any information that identifies you individually. Aggregate non-individual information about a group of subscribers, which may include you, is not considered PII.

1. Information Collected About You. In the course of providing you our services, we may collect certain information that identifies you personally from all other subscribers. This information may include any of the following: your name, service address, billing address, telephone numbers, social security number, driver's license number, e-mail address, and credit information. We also maintain consumer service records about you relating to the following: billing and payment records, equipment usage, credit history, violations of your agreement with us, your service packages, the types and location of equipment installed by us in your home, equipment service calls and repairs, and whether you rent or own your home, if required to provision service. We may also collect information about your equipment to aid in providing consumer service support. From time-to-time, we may also collect consumer satisfaction surveys, interviews, and questionnaires from you. We may also keep records of all calls, e-mails, and correspondence received from you and sent to you by us.
    
2. Why We Collect Your Personal Information. We collect the PII described above to help provide you with the best and highest quality service possible. We also collect this information for related business purposes and as may be required by our contractual and legal obligations.
    
3. How We Use Your Personal Information. We utilize your PII for the following purposes: installation of equipment, repair and maintenance activities, billing of services, quality of service improvement, consumer service, advertising and marketing, verifying compliance with all applicable laws, verifying compliance with contractual obligations, tax and accounting purposes, and creating and marketing better service packages to you.
    
4. How We Protect Your Personal Information. We will take reasonable technical and organizational precautions to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration or personal information. Such precautions may include:
   1. Firewalls
   2. Secure servers
   3. Password protected computer stations
   4. Encryption technology
   5. Restricted access to facilities and/or storage units
   6. Establishment of policies for the prevention and mitigation of identity theft
       
   7. Such precautions do not guarantee that personal information cannot be accessed, altered or deleted due to physical, electronic or procedural failures, but are intended to be our reasonable precautions to protect your personal information.
       
5. Parties Who May Receive Your Personal Information. The following parties may receive or have access to PII about you: our employees, agents and contractors, accountants, billing and collection services, credit reporting agencies, and authorized governmental bodies. Unless you object by contacting us, we may also disclose PII to some of our vendors. These vendors are obligated to treat your personal information as confidential and may not disclose it to any third parties without your consent. It is also important for you to understand that we do not sell or give access to your personal information to any third party for telemarketing, direct mail or solicitation.
    
6. Disclosure Required by Law. As part of civil litigation or a regulatory proceeding, if we are required by a valid court or agency order, we may provide personal information about you to a party requesting such information provided that you are notified of such order by the party to whom the order is directed. We may also disclose your personal information to a governmental entity pursuant to a valid court order, if such entity offers clear and convincing evidence that you are reasonably suspected of engaging in criminal activity and that the information sought would be material to their case, and you are afforded an opportunity to appear and contest such entity's claim. We may also have to disclose the name and addresses of individuals as they appear in our subscriber records with respect to those who owe, or are owed, welfare support as part of an administrative subpoena from a state welfare agency. No court order or notice to you is required for such disclosure.
    
7. Retention of Your Personal Information. We may retain your personal information as long as you are our consumer or until it is no longer needed for business or legal purposes, most notably for tax and accounting purposes. When your information is no longer needed for such purposes, we may destroy the information unless there is an outstanding request pursuant to a court order.
    
8. Access to Your Personal Information. You have the right to inspect any of our records that contain your personal information for the purpose of correcting such records. If you wish to inspect your records, please notify us in writing and we will arrange such access, during normal business hours, at our office.