Privacy Policy

Data Collection

Immediately following installation, Digital Trails will not collect, store, or transmit any personal information from the device on which it is running. After you enter a study code, Digital Trails will begin collecting data as defined by the study. You will be notified when the study is loaded and is about to start, and you will be asked to confirm that you wish to start the study.

Data Collection Stopping

To stop Digital Trails from collecting data, you may unenroll from a study and/or uninstall Digital Trails at any time. Be aware that Digital Trails is publicly available and that anyone can use Digital Trails to design a study, which they can then share with others. Studies have the ability to collect personal information, and you should exercise caution when loading any study that you receive.

Data Types

The types of data collected by a study generally includes data collected from the surveys that you complete, but may also include data such as location, movement, health and fitness information, Bluetooth and WiFi information, as well as environmental data from any sensors available on your device. You will be notified of all types of passive data included in a study during the enrollment process.

Data Use

Data collected in studies run by the University of Virginia are used according to the policies set forth during the consent process, which limit use of all data to the specific purposes of the study. Data will never be sold to any third parties or data brokers.

Data Sharing

Data collected in studies run by the University of Virginia are not shared in any manner whatsoever with any third parties.

Data Retention and Deletion

Data collected in studies run by the University of Virginia are retained according to the policies set forth during the consent process, which normally require retention for the duration of the study. You may email the study coordinator at any time to request deletion of your data. To do this, tap the study within Sensus and select the email option.