Welcome to PhotosynQ ("PhotosynQ," "we," "us" or "our"). PhotosynQ provides a space to: (1) carry out science and collect data ("Measurements") inside or outside the boundaries of a laboratory using various PhotosynQ enabled Instruments; (2) get others involved in your research, present and discuss your results or simply help others to achieve their research goals; and (3) benefit from the PhotosynQ community, experience and knowledge to accelerate your research.

​

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share and protect information in relation to our website, mobile and desktop applications as well as any software provided on or in connection with PhotosynQ services (collectively, the "Service"), and your choices about the collection and use of your information.

By using our Service you understand and agree that we are providing a platform for you to set up research projects, measurement protocols, macros for post measurement calculations and post content, including measurements, photos, comments and other materials ("User Content"), to the Service and to share User Content with other Users of the Service. This means that other Users may search for, see, use, or share any of your User Content that you make available through the Service, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service (which can be found at https://photosynq.org/terms).

​

Our Privacy Policy applies to all visitors, users, and others who access the Service ("Users").

​

1. Information Collected By Us

​

We collect the following types of information:

​

Information you provide us directly

​

• Personal information: your e-mail address and password when you register for a PhotosynQ account.

• Profile information: what you provide for your user profile (e.g., first and last name, picture, affiliated institution, bio). This information allows us and others to learn about you and your work on PhotosynQ.

• User Content: what you post to the Service (e.g., projects, protocols, macros, photos, comments, and other materials).

• Communications: discussions between you and PhotosynQ. For example, we may send you Service-related emails (e.g., account verification, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical and security notices). Note that you may not opt out of Service-related e-mails.

​

Finding content and Users on PhotosynQ

​

Content provided by Users can be searched based on descriptions, categories and cross-references (e.g. a protocol - macro connection). Our list of Users can be searched to make it easier to find potential collaborators or to find associated projects. "Invite collaborator" feature: If you choose to invite someone to the Service through our "Invite collaborator" feature, you may select a person directly from the contacts list on your device and send a text or email from your personal account. You understand and agree that you are responsible for any charges that apply to communications sent from your device, and because this invitation is coming directly from your personal account, PhotosynQ does not have access to or control this communication.

​

Analytics information

​

We use third-party analytics tools to help us measure traffic and usage trends for the Service. These tools collect information sent by your device or our Service, including the web pages you visit, add-ons, and other information that assists us in improving the Service. We collect and use this analytics information with analytics information from other Users so that it cannot reasonably be used to identify any particular individual User.

​

Cookies and similar technologies

​

When you visit the Service, we may use cookies and similar technologies like pixels, web beacons, and local storage to provide features to you and collect information about how you use PhotosynQ.

You can use your web browser’s cookie settings to determine how our website uses cookies. If you do not want our website to store cookies on your computer or device, you should set your web browser to refuse cookies. However, please note that doing this may affect how our website functions. Some pages and services may become unavailable to you. Unless you have changed your browser to refuse cookies, our website will issue cookies when you visit it. To learn more about cookies and how they are used, visit All About Cookies.

​

Log file information

​

When you use our Service, our servers automatically record certain log file information, including your Internet Protocol ("IP") address and your latest sign in. We may also collect similar information from emails sent to our Users, which then help us track which emails are opened and which links are clicked by recipients.

Instrument identifiers

When you submit a measurement, information about the instrument you used is submitted as well. This information may contain the unique ID as well as the type, version and its firmware version. The instrument identifiers provided by your instrument may be used to analyze the instrument usage and to improve our Service.

​

Device identifiers

​

When you submit Measurements using mobile devices like a tablet or phone or a desktop application, we may collect information about the used devices in order to improve our Service and your experience. This information may contain information about the device hardware, the devices operating system or other software. The device identifiers provided by your device may be used to analyze the device usage and to improve our Service. In order to ensure that your mobile device or desktop application is always up-to-date, we use third-party infrastructure, which might use one or more “device identifiers" in order to provide their service in combination with our Service.

​

Metadata

​

Metadata comprises all data provided in addition to Instrument Measurements. By default, User, geo-location, timestamp, time zone and protocol information is collected. Further user defined Metadata may be added to the Measurement, including text and images. Users can only add Metadata to data collected by Instruments before they share the collected data through our Service. Once shared, the data may be flagged or commented on. This makes each Measurement more valuable in the context of the project and an important part of the collaborative value of our Service. The Metadata is accessible in context with its Measurement and the Project for which it was collected.

​

2. How We Use Your Information

​

In addition to some of the specific uses of information we describe in this Privacy Policy, we may use information for the following purposes:

​

• Help you efficiently access your information after you sign in

• Remember information so you will not have to re-enter it during your visit or the next time you visit the Service

• Provide, improve, test, and monitor the effectiveness of our Service

• Develop and test new products and features

• Diagnose or fix technology problems

• Automatically update the PhotosynQ application on your device

​

3. Sharing Of Your Information

​

Except as noted in this Privacy Policy, we will not rent or sell your personal information to third parties outside PhotosynQ (or the group of companies of which PhotosynQ is a part) without your consent.

​

Parties with whom you may choose to share your User Content

​

Any information posted to the site excluding your personal information will be visible by other Users, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Once you have shared this information or made it available, it may be re-shared by others.

Subject to your profile and privacy settings, any User Content that you make available is searchable by other Users and subject to utilizing the PhotosynQ API. The use of the PhotosynQ API is subject to the API Terms of Service , which incorporates the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you remove information that you posted to the Service, copies may remain viewable in cached and archived pages of the Service, or if other Users or third parties using the PhotosynQ API have copied or saved that information.

​

With domain administrators

​

If your Account is managed for you by a domain administrator then your domain administrator and resellers who provide user support to your organization will have access to your Account information (including your email and other data). Your domain administrator may be able to:

​

• view statistics regarding your account, like statistics regarding applications you install;

• change your account password;

• suspend or terminate your account access;

• access or retain information stored as part of your account;

• receive your account information in order to satisfy applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request; and

• restrict your ability to delete or edit information or privacy settings.

​

Please refer to your domain administrator’s privacy policy for more information.

​

Responding to legal requests and preventing harm

​

We may access, preserve and share your information in response to a legal request (like a search warrant, court order or subpoena) if we have a good faith belief that the law requires us to do so. This may include responding to legal requests from jurisdictions outside of the United States where we have a good faith belief that the response is required by law in that jurisdiction, affects users in that jurisdiction, and is consistent with internationally recognized standards. We may also access, preserve and share information when we have a good faith belief that it is necessary to: detect, prevent and address fraud and other illegal activity; to protect ourselves, you and others, including as part of investigations; and to prevent death or imminent bodily harm. Information we receive about you may be accessed, processed and retained for an extended period of time when it is the subject of a legal request or obligation, governmental investigation, or investigations concerning possible violations of our terms or policies, or otherwise to prevent harm.

​

4. How We Store Your Information

​

Storage and Processing

​

Your information collected through the Service may be stored and processed for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, in the United States or any other country in which PhotosynQ, its Affiliates or Service Providers maintain facilities. A longer retention period of the information may be required or allowed by law or to otherwise fulfill a legal obligation.

​

PhotosynQ, its Affiliates, or Service Providers may transfer information that we collect about you, including personal information across borders and from your country or jurisdiction to other countries or jurisdictions around the world. If you are located in the European Union or other regions with laws governing data collection and use that may differ from U.S. law, please note that we may transfer information, including personal information, to a country and jurisdiction that does not have the same data protection laws as your jurisdiction.

By registering for and using the Service you consent to the transfer of information to the U.S. or to any other country in which PhotosynQ, its Affiliates or Service Providers maintain facilities and the use and disclosure of information about you as described in this Privacy Policy.

We use commercially reasonable safeguards to help keep the information collected through the Service secure and take reasonable steps (such as requesting a unique password) to verify your identity before granting you access to your account. However, PhotosynQ cannot ensure the security of any information you transmit to PhotosynQ or guarantee that information on the Service may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed.

Please do your part to help us. You are responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your unique password and account information, and for controlling access to emails between you and PhotosynQ, at all times. Your privacy settings may also be affected by changes the social media services that you connect to PhotosynQ make to their services. We are not responsible for the functionality, privacy, or security measures of any other organization.

​

5. Your Choices About Your Information

​

Your account information and profile/privacy settings

​

You may update your account at any time by logging in and changing your profile settings and unsubscribe from email communications from us by clicking on the "unsubscribe link" provided in such communications. As noted above, you may not opt out of Service-related communications (e.g. account verification, purchase and billing confirmations and reminders, changes/updates to features of the Service, technical and security notices).

You can ask to review any of the information that we have retained, how we have used it, and to whom we have disclosed it at any time by contacting us as indicated below. As stated below, upon request of permanent deletion, we will delete your User Content and Communications.

​

How long we keep your User Content

​

Following termination or deactivation of your account, PhotosynQ, its Affiliates, or its Service Providers may retain your personal information (including your profile information) for a commercially reasonable time for backup, archival, and/or audit purposes. Non-personal information like User Content and Communications may be retained indefinitely. You may request User Content or Communications to be deleted permanently by emailing us support@photosynq.org

​

6. Children's Privacy

​

PhotosynQ does not offer its products or services for use by children. If you are under 13, you may not use the Services or our Instruments without involvement of a parent or a guardian. We do not knowingly collect information from, and/or about children. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us (support@photosynq.org).

​

7. Other Web Sites And Services

​

We are not responsible for the practices employed by any websites or services linked to or from our Service, including the information or content contained within them. Please remember that when you use a link to go from our Service to another website or service, our Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party websites or services. Your browsing and interaction on any third-party website or service, including those that have a link on our website, are subject to that third party's own rules and policies. In addition, you agree that we are not responsible and do not have control over any third-parties that you authorize to access your User Content. If you are using a third-party website or service and you allow them to access your User Content you do so at your own risk.

​

8. Security

​

All communication around our Service is encrypted using TSL 1.2 or similar technologies. Third-party websites or services might not use such an encryption and we are not responsible for possible risks.

​

9. Links Outside Our Service

​

The Service may provide links to content outside the photosynq.org domain. These links may be provided by you or other users. Since we have no control over the content of those websites, we are not responsible for its protection and privacy.

​

10. Compliance And Cooperation With Regulatory Authorities

​

We regularly review our compliance with our Privacy Policy. When we receive formal written complaints, we will contact the person who made the complaint to follow up. We work with the appropriate regulatory authorities, including local data protection authorities, to resolve any complaints regarding the transfer of personal data that we cannot resolve with our users directly.

​

11. Changes To Our Privacy Policy

​

We may modify or update this Privacy Policy from time to time, so please review it periodically. We may provide you additional forms of notice of modifications or updates as appropriate under the circumstances. Your continued use of PhotosynQ or the Service after any modification to this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such modification.

​

12. How To Contact Us

​

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or the Service, please contact us at support@photosynq.org.