ParticipAid - Privacy Policy
1. Definitions
1.1. Privacy Policy and Policy, refer to the policies set out herein.
1.2. ParticipAid, we and us refer to ParticipAid Inc.
1.3. Terms and Conditions, used together or separately, refer to the official terms and conditions of use as set out by ParticipAid and is available for viewing on our Websites and Services.
1.4. Services, Service, Website and Websites refer to https://www.participaid.co/ and ParticipAid's mobile applications.
1.5. Participant refers to any person that uses the Services.
1.6. Researcher refers to any person that uses the Services as a researcher, and a Research Study or Study refers to any study posted by a Researcher onto our Services.
1.7. Personal Information includes, but is not limited to, your name, phone number, current location, email, age, profile picture, and personal health information as provided by you, or any other piece of information that you provide while using the Website that could be used to identify you.
1.8. User Content refers to any content you provide to ParticipAid, including by upload to ParticipAid's servers or to the Services.
2. Purpose and Applicability of Privacy Policy
2.1. The purpose of this Policy is to explain how ParticipAid handles the collection, storage and protection of personally identifiable information that you provide to us.
2.2. This Policy applies to persons anywhere in the world who use our Services and to all information collected from them through the use of our Services.
2.3. This Policy does not apply to information provided by Researchers in their Study postings on our Services including any Personal Information contained therein as the Researcher makes such postings with the understanding that this information is intended to be publicly available.
2.4. This Policy does not apply to any third-party websites, services or applications, even if accessible through our Services. To protect your information, we recommend that you carefully review the privacy policies of all third-party websites, services or applications that you access.
2.5. Any information collected from our Services is covered by the Policy in effect that the time such information is collected. We may revise this Policy from time to time. If we make any material changes to this Policy, we will notify you of those changes by sending you an email at the address you have provided us, notifying you through the Services, or by other notification methods, and also indicate to you when such changes will become effective.
2.6. All information we collect, use and store will be handled in compliance with The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, 2000.
2.7. By providing information through our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to the collection, storage, use and disclosure of your Personal Information as described in this Privacy Policy.
2.8. ParticipAid reserves the right, at our discretion, to change, modify, add or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time. If we change any portions of its Privacy Policy, the changes will be updated on this Privacy Policy page and users should periodically review our Privacy Policy page for any such changes.
3. Personal Information Collected from You
3.1. Registration - During registration we may ask you to provide certain information and items which may be used to identify you including your name, phone number, current location, email, age, profile picture and personal health information.
3.2. Study Questions - Researchers of the Studies posted on ParticipAid have the option to ask questions to determine a Participant’s eligibility for a Research Study. These questions are not derived by ParticipAid but are solely generated by such Researchers. The information collected from the answers to such questions will not only be shared with the Researchers of the Study for the purposes of delivering our Service, but will also be stored and used by us for the purposes of improving our Services, providing Study recommendations, optimizing search results, and reducing response burden.
3.3. Automated Collection – Similar to many website and mobile app owners and operators, we use automated data collection tools such as Cookies and Web Beacons (as both such terms are defined below) to collect certain information as it pertains to users of our Services, including usage patterns, web traffic routing, device identifiers, user settings and the operating system of the device used to access our Services.
3.3.1. “Cookies” are small text files that are placed on your device by a web server when you access our Services We may use both session Cookies and persistent Cookies to inform us of your log in to the Services and provide certain other information relating to how and when you interact with our Services. We may also use Cookies to monitor aggregate usage and web traffic routing on our Services and to customize and improve our Services. Unlike persistent Cookies, session Cookies are deleted when you log off from our Services and close your browser. Although the default setting to most browsers are set to automatically accept Cookies, you can change your browser options to stop automatically accepting Cookies or to prompt you before accepting Cookies. Please note, however, that if you do not accept Cookies, you may not be able to access all portions or features of the Services. Some third-party service providers that we engage (including third-party advertisers) may also place their own Cookies on your device. Note that this Privacy Policy covers only our use of Cookies placed by us and does not include use of Cookies by such third parties.
3.3.2. “Web Beacons” (also known as web bugs, pixel tags or clear GIFs) are tiny graphics with a unique identifier that may be included on our Services for several purposes, including to deliver or communicate with Cookies, to track and measure the performance of our Services, to monitor how many visitors view our Services, and to monitor the effectiveness of our advertising. Unlike Cookies, which are stored on a user’s device, Web Beacons are typically embedded invisibly on web pages (or in an e-mail).
3.4. Location - When you use our Services, we may collect and store information about your location by converting your IP address into a rough geo-location or by accessing your mobile device’s GPS coordinates or coarse location if you enable location services on your device. We may use location information to improve and personalize our Services for you. If you do not want us to collect location information, you may disable that feature on your mobile device.
3.5. Other Locations - We may also receive information from other sources and combine that with information we collect through our Services. For example:
3.5.1. If you choose to link, create, or log into your account on our Services with a social media service (e.g. Facebook), or if you engage with a separate app or website that uses our API (or whose API we use), we may receive information about you or your connections from that site or app.
3.5.2. If you interact with our Services in another capacity, for instance as a third-party service provider or user of other products that we provide, we may combine or associate that information with information we have collected from you through our Services.
3.6. Analytics - We may engage third parties to provide us with certain services including generating data relating to our audience and providing analysis of such data, advertising our Services on other websites and platforms on the Internet and the tracking and reporting of the performance of those advertisements. These third-party service providers may use Cookies, Web Beacons, embedded scripts, and other technologies to identify your device when you visit our site and use our Services, as well as when you visit other online sites and services.
4. How Collected Information is Used
4.1. We may use the Personal Information collected about you to:
4.1.1. Provide, maintain, and improve our Services, develop new features, provide customer support to Researchers and Participants, develop safety features, authenticate users, and send product updates and administrative messages;
4.1.2. Perform internal operations, including, for example, to prevent fraud and abuse of our Services; to troubleshoot software bugs and operational problems; to conduct data analysis, testing, and research; and to monitor and analyse usage and activity trends;
4.1.3. Send or facilitate communications between Participants and Researchers;
4.1.4. Send you communications we think will be of interest to you, including information about products, services, promotions, news, and events of ParticipAid and other companies, where permissible and according to local applicable laws; and to process contest, sweepstake, or other promotion entries and fulfil any related awards;
4.1.5. Personalize and improve the Services, including to provide or recommend features, content, social connections, referrals, and advertisements.
5. Consent to Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Information
5.1. You consent to ParticipAid collecting, using and disclosing your Personal Information when you register for the Service or a Study found on the Website.
5.2. In particular, you consent to ParticipAid collecting, using and disclosing your Personal Information as part of the Service, as needed to facilitate your use of our Services and your participation in Research Studies.
5.3. You consent to ParticipAid processing and/or sending you information that you request about specific Research Studies.
5.4. You consent to ParticipAid using your email address to contact you and introduce new Services or to otherwise share other materials in line with the Services we provide our users.
5.5. You consent to ParticipAid collecting, using and disclosing your Personal Information to further develop our products and services, to meet legal requirements, or to protect the rights and safety of our customers and third parties, as well as our own rights and safety.
6. Data Integrity
6.1. You agree that ParticipAid is not obligated to, but may at its discretion, take steps it considers reasonable to ensure that Personal Information collected is reliable for its intended use, accurate, complete, and current.
7. Collection, Use and Sharing of Anonymous Computer Information
7.1. You acknowledge and agree that we may use your Personal Information to create de-identified or aggregated data that does not identify you. We may use and share de-identified data for research and analysis purposes, to improve the protection or to promote the program.
7.2. Specifically, this type of information allows us to deliver the Service, evaluate customer interest in our Website and perform other market research activities, such as monitoring browsing habits on our site. It also allows us to track customers who come to our Website via website advertisements about ParticipAid’s Services.
8. Discontinuation of Consent
8.1. You have the option of discontinuing your consent if you later decide that you no longer want to receive additional information from us or participate in a Research Study.
8.2. If we had previously shared your Personal Information with Researchers, you acknowledge that they may continue to have access to and use your Personal Information even if you choose to discontinue your consent to our collection and use of your Personal Information.
8.3. Discontinuing your consent to our collection and use of your Personal Information will not restrict us from retaining an archival copy of your Personal Information on our computer systems or servers.
8.4. Please note that in some cases we may retain certain information about you as required by law, or for legitimate business purposes to the extent permitted by law.
9. Sharing Your Information with Third Parties
9.1. ParticipAid will not share your Personal Information with third parties except as set forth in this Privacy Policy or if we have otherwise obtained your explicit consent to do so.
9.2. If you are interested in a specific Study, your Personal Information may be shared with the Researchers of that particular Study.
9.3. ParticipAid requires third parties to whom it discloses Personal Information to protect Personal Information using substantially similar standards to those required by ParticipAid. We also require that they do not use Personal Information for any other purpose that is not related to the execution of the Research Study or as otherwise authorized by ParticipAid.
9.4. We may share aggregated information and non-identifying information, including de-identified data, with third parties for research and analysis, demographic profiling, promotion of our Services, and other similar purposes.
9.5. There may be instances where ParticipAid may be required by law to share Personal Information with third parties who have not been retained by us (directly or indirectly), such as with health authorities, during inspections or audits, or as ordered or directed by courts or other governmental agencies.
9.6. ParticipAid may share your Personal Information in the following circumstances: to our affiliates, provided their use and disclosure of your Personal Information will be subject to this Privacy Policy; to third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, advisors and agents who perform functions on ParticipAid’s behalf, and who are bound by contractual obligations to keep Personal Information confidential and use it only for the purposes for which ParticipAid discloses it to them; and to a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution or other sale or transfer of some or all of ParticipAid’s assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceeding, in which Personal Information held by ParticipAid about our Website and customers is among the assets transferred.
10. Security of Your Information
10.1. We use appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect data that pertains to you from loss, misuse, or alteration. In addition, we take steps to ensure that our safeguards take into account new known threats.
10.2. No organization can guarantee the absolute security of Personal Information; however, we take all reasonable efforts to keep Personal Information protected. Accordingly, we caution you to guard your own computer and password against unauthorized access by others.
11. Links to Other Sites
11.1. Our Services may contain links to websites and services that are owned or operated by third parties. Any information that you provide on or to a third-party service or that is collected by a third-party service is provided directly to the owner or operator of the third-party service and is subject to the owner’s or operator’s privacy policy. We are not responsible for the content, privacy or security practices and policies of any third-party service.
11.2. Our Services may integrate with social sharing features and other related tools which let you share actions you take on our Services with other apps, sites, or media, and vice versa. Your use of such features enables the sharing of information with your friends or the public, depending on the settings you establish with the social sharing service. Please refer to the privacy policies of those social sharing services for more information about how they handle the data you provide to or share through them.
11.3. To protect your information, we recommend that you carefully review the privacy policies of all third-party services that you access.
12. Transfer of Your Information
12.1. At times, ParticipAid may be required to transfer and/or store Personal Information in countries other than the country where the information was provided. In particular, Personal Information of users outside of Canada may be stored in servers outside of their respective nations. In these cases, we maintain compliance with the applicable privacy laws of Canada.
12.2. We protect Personal Information entrusted to us in accordance with the privacy laws of Canada no matter what country it is stored in or transferred to and have appropriate procedures in place to help ensure the security of your Personal Information.
13. Accountability
13.1. Our privacy practices are periodically reviewed to verify compliance with this Privacy Policy.
13.2. We may change this Policy from time to time. If we make significant changes in the way we treat your Personal Information, or to the Policy, we will provide you notice through the Services or by some other means, such as email. Your continued use of the Services after such notice constitutes your consent to the changes. We encourage you to periodically review the Policy for the latest information on our privacy practices.
14. Updating and Accessing Your Information
14.1. We encourage you to update the Personal Information you provide to us; this will help us continue to provide information to you that best meets your needs. ParticipAid complies with laws and regulations applicable to the right to amend your data in our files.
14.2. Requests for or to change and update either Personal Information and personal health information will comply with procedures set out in the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990.
14.3. All requests for Personal Information which cannot be readily updated by users must be made according to the provisions in the relevant legislation. In addition, in order to protect your data from unauthorized access or alteration by third parties, all requests to update or access your Personal Information will be subject to verification of the identity of the requesting individual.
14.4. If you delete your user content from the Service, copies of your User Content may remain viewable in cached and archived pages, or might have been copied or stored by other users.
14.5. Proper access and use of all information provided on the Service, including User Content, is governed by our Terms and Conditions.
