PRIVACY POLICY
This Privacy Policy pertains to the OxMET computer app available from both the App Store and Google Play Store.
The OxMET app is used as part of research related activities aiming to investigate detection of impairments in complex mental abilities across. The app guides an assessor through administration of a simplified multiple errands test, which includes presentation of visual and textual imagery. Initial personal information requires the age of the participant be entered which is used to generate the age group category they belong to for the calculation of cut-off scores and the generation of the visual snapshot profile. The age is immediately deleted after this category is assigned. The respondent is asked to answer complete made up errands on the screen. During the session the app collects anonymised data about the task for the purposes of generating an impairment report.
There are two versions of the OxMET, one that does not store or upload data generated from the OxMET, now referred to as the OxMET (standard version) and a version that does upload the participant scores from their performance on the OxMET, now referred to as the OxMET Research Version. These are differentially activated depending on the license given to activate the app. The functionality of the app depends on the use of free-to-use licenses which provide activation codes to set up. Where this policy applies to both versions of the OxMET, this is referred to as OxMET(all). The activation codes given to licensed devices to run the OxMET Research Version will link the license to the data generated for the purposes of linking to other research data being collected in the respective licencee’s research study protocols.
At no point during the use of the OxMET(all) is any identifiable user or device data collected and stored.
Under the OxMET standard licence, no participant data of any kind will be collected or uploaded except for the purposes of classifying individuals and impaired or not in the final report using age categories. Once the report is generated in the OxMET, cached data is destroyed, and at no point is data accessible except for the purposes of report generation.
Under the OxMET research licence, the anonymous data generated in the form of test scores and age category will be stored locally on the device until it is uploaded by the user to a secure and encrypted cloud database which will then be downloaded to local encrypted computers of the respective testing sites. Access to research data generated from the OxMET app will be restricted to relevant members of the research team under a collaboration and data sharing agreement.
Prior to using the OxMET Research Version app for research related activities, respondents may be given detailed information about the research through a Participant Information Sheet and Consent Form. In addition to using the app, respondents may be asked to complete surveys and /or visit the laboratory to take part in lab-based studies, depending on the research study they are consenting to take part in. All research, where applicable, is required to have received ethics clearance from the relevant research ethics committee. Please see study specific Participant Information Sheets for which ethics committee has approved each study, where this applies.
Before proceeding with participation in the OxMET standard app, the assessors using the app are prompted within the app to ensure the following:
‘BY PROCEEDING, you, as the assessor, certify that the respondent has understood relevant information relating to this assessment. You certify that the respondent has agreed to take part in this cognitive screening assessment. You certify that the respondent has had the opportunity to receive any additional details about what is involved and understands that they may ask questions in the future. You certify that the respondent understands they can withdraw their participation in this assessment at any time. ‘
Before proceeding with participation in research using the OxMET research registration, the assessors using the app are prompted within the app to ensure the following:
‘BY PROCEEDING, you, as the assessor, certify that the respondent has understood relevant information relating to this research study. You certify that the respondent has agreed to take part in the research related activity described and that they have made this decision based on the information provided. You certify that the respondent understands how their research data will be stored. You certify that the respondent understands they can withdraw their participation at any time.’
There are no third parties involved in the collection or storage of data in the current version of the OxMET app.
The University of Oxford is the data controller with respect to OxMET Research version data as collected, and as such will determine how this is used in this research. The University of Oxford will process any collected data only for the purpose of the research outlined above. Research is a task that the University of Oxford performs in the public interest.
Respondents are able to withdraw from research related activities, and as such they have a right for the report generated at the end of the OxMET app to be deleted and not used for further research.
Further information about individuals’ rights with respect to their personal data is available here.
If you have any questions or comments about the app, please get in touch with us at ocsplus@psy.ox.ac.uk. We welcome your feedback.