Data Protection MeSort
- General information
MeSort is a scientific software for carrying out various sorting tasks, a qualitative data collection method especially in the field of communication science. Interested scientists can create studies in MeSort (https://www.kommunikative-figurationen.de/mesort) and determine which data they want to collect by using a sorting method of their choice. For further information, please refer to the manual at https://www.kommunikative-figurationen.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Arbeitspapiere/CoFi_EWP_No-33_Hohmann_et_al.pdf.
The only data stored outside of specific scientific projects and thus outside of our sphere of influence as developers of MeSort are the e-mail addresses of the researchers with which they log into the system. In addition, the addresses can be used to send users information on future developments of MeSort. However, users must explicitly consent to this use of data and can also object to it.
In principle, we take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data, insofar as it is collected, confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this data protection declaration. Additionally, the researchers have the possibility to set up system notifications as reminders for filling out the media diary. To be able to send these notifications, we store the device ID of the corresponding smartphone and use Google’s Firebase service to send the notifications. However, receiving the notifications can be turned off within the system settings of the smartphone by the user.
This privacy policy applies to the mobile MeTag iPhone and Android apps (in the following simply „App“) and the backend MeTag Analyze. It describes the type, purpose and scope of data collection within the framework of the app usage as far as possible.
We would like to point out that data transmission and storage on the Internet can have security gaps. A complete protection of the data against access by third parties is not possible.
Responsible office
ZeMKI – Center for Media, Communication and Information Research
Prof. Dr. Andreas Hepp, Alessandro Belli and Florian Hohmann
Linzer Str. 4
28359 Bremen
eMail: metag@uni-bremen.de
2. What personal information is collected?
When you complete a registration for MeSort on the https://www.kommunikative-figurationen.de/mesort website, the system saves your e-mail address. In addition, all information that you create in the course of research projects and the associated data collection is stored. This usually includes the results of sorting tasks, any additional data collected from supplementary questions and the like.
Exactly which information this is depends on the respective research project and its question(s) and cannot be influenced by us as the developer of the software. It is the responsibility of the respective scientist who carries out the respective project to answer any questions.
3. How is the collected data used?
All collected data will be used by the responsible scientists for their respective research projects and possibly related publications. As a rule, this is done anonymously and without being able to draw conclusions about individual research participants. However, the respective scientists are responsible for details on the concrete use of the data and should be able to provide information on this. In addition, the e-mail address of users registered in the system can be used – except as login data – to send them information on future developments, questions for feedback or the like. However, this use must be explicitly agreed to beforehand and can be rejected accordingly.
According to the guidelines of the German Research Foundation, the data will be archived for at least 10 years, following the rules of Good Scientific Practice.
4. How is the collected data protected?
All collected data is securely stored in a database on a separate server in the „Zentrum für Netze“ of the University of Bremen. They can only be viewed by the responsible scientists of the respective research project and by the system administrator. This means that all data are assigned to their respective research projects and, with the exception of the administrator mentioned above, can only be read and used by those responsible for this research project.
5. What rights are granted to the users of the app?
MeSort users can decide whether their e-mail address may be used by us to send them MeSort-relevant information. They also have the opportunity and responsibility to manage all research data collected. This means that they can consult, export or even delete it.
6. Supplementary information
All data collected by means of this research software shall be used exclusively for scientific purposes. How exactly this software is used as a survey tool, however, is not at the discretion of the developers, but the responsibility of the respective scientists. A separate declaration of consent for each individual research project before the start of the study is therefore recommended.
Any changes to this privacy statement will be posted on the developer’s website.
For further questions: mesort@uni-bremen.de
