Online Insights Study Privacy Policy

Last modified: September 15, 2023

Privacy Policy: Easy to read summary and full policy

Privacy policy Highlights

If you participate in the study, Google:

Will collect information on how you interact with ads and advertisers while you use the internet.
Protects your personal information with one of the world's most advanced infrastructures.
May combine the data collected from the study with data about your use of other Google products and services.
Will use the data above in connection with existing Google products and services, to provide, maintain, and improve them, and to develop new ones.

Tip: You can leave the study at any time and you can pause data collection at any time.

Read the Privacy Policy below in full as it explains in detail what to expect from the study.

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Google Online Insights Study ("Study"), which helps Google better understand how consumers use technology and digital media.

Summary

Google collects data through its meters, including, for example:

The content and advertising shown on your devices, and your interactions with that content and advertising, including videos you watched, and web pages you've visited.
Google profile, ad identifiers, and device information.

Your participation in the Study is voluntary. You may end your participation in the Study at any time by following the instructions provided to you during the sign-up process. You can also temporarily pause or turn off metering at any time.

Google may combine the data collected with other data collected by Google when you're using Google products and services as a Google user. For example, we may combine your data from the Study with information in your Google Account(s) (such as which ads you viewed), or with other data collected about your use of Google products and services (as described in more detail below).

Google will use the data above in connection with existing Google products and services, to provide, maintain, and improve them, and to develop new ones. For example, we may use this data to conduct analytics and measurement to understand how our services are used, as well as conduct ads-related market research. As another example, we may use this data to improve Google products, such as Search, Android, YouTube and Google Assistant.

Google may share this data with trusted partners with your consent, or with service providers, who we require to take appropriate confidentiality and security measures to protect data and also maintain their own privacy policies.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully because it explains how Google LLC ("Google") will collect, store, use, and share information obtained from the software and other Study metering technology (collectively "Meters") used in connection with the Study.

Google's partners

Google may work with its affiliates and other companies ("Study Partners") to manage and administer the Study, including the recruitment, vetting, and registration of participants, distribution of Meters, collection and processing of data, management and distribution of participant incentives and awards, and communication with participants about Study administration and compliance with policies and procedures.

Devices & metering technology

As part of your participation in the Study, Google and its Study Partners may ask you to install Meters. These Meters help Google learn about your interaction with technology and digital media on various devices. This includes your desktop and laptop computers, mobile phones, tablets and other devices you may use to consume and interact with digital content throughout the day.

"Digital media" and "digital content" are defined broadly to include your interactions with Internet browsers and websites, mobile and tablet applications and software, the devices you use to access digital media and digital content, TV content, and any other electronic delivery systems of digital content.

Information we collect

This section describes the Meter Data and Survey Data (collectively referred to as "Study Data") that Google and its Study Partners may collect.

Meter Data

For devices you've agreed to be metered, we may collect the following types of information ("Meter Data"):

Use of your devices. When a device is metered, it potentially will collect and record interactions with that device. For example, when your mobile phone is metered, it potentially will record information about your interactions with websites you’ve visited and ads that you have seen. You’ll find more examples and information about how to temporarily pause metering.
- Content and advertising. The content and advertising shown on or broadcast from your devices, and your interactions with that content and advertising, including:
  - Internet activity. Your Internet browsing activities and interactions with content on the web, including:
    - Every web page you've visited and all of your interactions with those web pages, including all the URL data for both HTTP and HTTPS websites, the destination IP addresses which indicate the websites you've visited, and the length of time you spent visiting websites.
    - Data about the Internet browser you're using such as for example, Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Firefox, and your browser settings.
  - Apps & operating systems. Your use of applications and widgets (collectively "apps"), software, and operating systems, including the apps you download and use on your devices, and your interactions with those apps, including opening, closing, or uninstalling, and the duration of your use.
  - Information you provide. Information you provide or otherwise input when visiting websites or using apps. This includes search terms you provide to a website or app, which potentially includes personal information, such as name or address. Meters will not collect any data entered into a protected field, such as a password field. If you don’t want information you provide to be collected, please use a non-metered device (or pause metering temporarily, as described below) when entering personal information on a website or app.
- Cookies. Cookies, unique numbers, or other identifiers from your browser, applications, or device, as well as other identifiers associated with your personal information or Google Account(s). For the avoidance of doubt, we do not collect your passwords.
- Device Information. Information collected whenever your device is powered on, including:
  - Device identification. Data that identifies the devices you’re using, including manufacturer, operating systems, version numbers, hardware models, mobile network information (including phone number), and unique device identifiers from the device’s manufacturer.
  - Location Information. Your location, based on GPS signals sent by your device or by other technologies used to determine location, such as sensor data from your device that may provide information on nearby Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.
  - System status & data usage. Information about system status and data usage associated with your device, including:
    - System status, including device event information such as crashes and system activity
    - Data indicating the mode your device is in (for example, on, off, standby, "Airplane")
    - How frequently your device is in use
    - Battery status and charger use
    - Amount of free and used local storage space
Diagnostic & device data. Data related to the operation and quality of the Meters and accompanying technology, including session times, duration, number of traffic requests (including number of traffic requests to services related to smart devices, YouTube, and other streaming services), number of websites visited, and information about device make, model, and capabilities, and browser and operating system types ("Diagnostic Data"). Diagnostic Data may be used for Study operations, maintenance, improvement, quality assurance, and participant verification purposes. Diagnostic Data may be collected even when you have paused or signed out of the meter, or when a non-participant is using the device.

Your use of Google products

Google collects information from you when you use Google products and services, as set forth in the Google Terms of Service and Google Privacy Policy or other applicable terms of service. When metering is enabled, we may collect this information for all Google accounts being used on the device, including Google accounts you may not have identified to us through surveys or other Study sign-up processes. Therefore, the information about your use of Google products may include information from the use of any Google accounts on your device.

Survey Data

Google may collect additional information about you as part of your participation in this Study ("Survey Data"):

Your full name, home address, household location, phone numbers, email addresses, unique Participant ID, and other identifiable information
Information from your Google Account(s), including your full name, Gmail address(es), YouTube username(s) and any cookies or persistent identifiers associated with your Google Account(s)
Information necessary to verify and authenticate your participation in the Study, including your Google Account information and email addresses associated with your Google Account(s)
Demographic information about you and other members of your household, including age, gender, race, ethnicity, languages spoken, education, marital status, personal income, household income, the number of children you have, and the total number of adults and children in your household
Other survey questions that Google or its Study Partners may ask you to answer, including questions about your habits and preferences

Minors

Google may collect Study Data from all Study participants ages 18 and over. As set forth in the Terms and Conditions, individuals under the age of 18 are prohibited from participating in the Study and using Meters, unless the participant pauses the meter temporarily. You must ensure that individuals under the age of 18 do not use metered devices (or pause meters temporarily on those devices).

Pause Meters temporarily

Metering technology provides Study participants with the ability to temporarily pause metering or otherwise limit the collection of participant activity from this meter. As noted above, Google may collect Diagnostic Data from Meters while they are paused. To learn more about pausing meters, including tips and best practices, please consult the information provided to you about your Meters.

Guests & other non-participants

Only Study participants may use Meters. Participants must notify guests or other non-participants of the presence of Meters and pause metering before allowing non-participants to use a metered device. Failure to pause metering may result in the collection of Study Data from non-participants.

Third-Party Data

Google also may obtain information from third parties (other than Study Partners) ("Third-Party Data"). Third-Party Data includes personal information about you, aggregated and/or anonymized data (including cookie data), and other consumer-related information from academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities studying consumer behavior and audience measurement.

Additional information

Google and its Study Partners may provide you with further information about the operation of the Meters and the information they collect at the time of installation.

How we use the information we collect

Google will use Study Data and Third-Party Data in connection with your information from existing Google products and services, to provide, maintain, and improve them, and to develop new ones.

Study Data may be:

Combined with a Participant ID that is unique to you.
Combined with data collected by Google when you're using Google products and services (“Google Data”), even when you're on a device that is not enrolled in the Study and even when you’re not logged in to your Google Account. For example, we may combine Study Data or Third-Party Data with information in your Google Account(s), such as your YouTube watch history and ad views. This may include information from Google Accounts that are not associated with your Study account but are consistently used on your devices (that are enrolled in the Study), and that we have therefore determined are being used by you ("Consistently Used Accounts"). We will prompt you before associating data from these Consistently Used Accounts with your unique Participant ID. Google may also combine Study Data, Third-Party Data, or Google Account data (including personal information) with data from websites and apps that partner with Google.
Combined with information (including personal information) collected from our Study Partners and other third parties, including academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities.

Overall, your participation in this Study changes the way Google will use information it collects from you, including the combination of data from websites and apps that partner with Google with your personal information.

By combining information collected from you as a Study participant with information collected from you as a typical Google user, some information that was originally anonymous, pseudonymous, or otherwise not personally identifiable to you may become personally identifiable and therefore can be used to identify you. For example, your Internet browsing history obtained from a Meter — which may be associated with a pseudonymous cookie — could be combined with personal information associated with your unique Participant ID or Google Account(s).

Similarly, by combining Study Data or Third-Party Data with non-personally-identifiable information collected from third parties (such as pseudonymous cookies), such pseudonymous information may become personally identifiable and used to identify you. (For example, this type of combined data could be used to help measure the effectiveness of digital advertising among consumers.)

Any information collected as Study Data or Third-Party Data may be associated with other Study Data, Third-Party Data, Google Data, or data obtained from third parties in any combination. We also may combine information about your actual location (such as from a mobile device) with personal information associated with your unique Participant ID or Google Account(s). (For example, this combined data could be used to help measure brand awareness among consumers and how consumers view and interact with ads and other digital content.)

Google processes information (including personal information) on our servers in many countries around the world, including countries that do not have specific data protection laws or that might afford you fewer legal rights with respect to your information. Although Google may process your information on a server located outside the country in which you live, we do so in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

How we share the information we collect

As discussed above, Google may use Study Partners to help with Study management and administration. Study Partners are trusted businesses who we require to take appropriate confidentiality and security measures to protect data and also maintain their own privacy policies. Google may, with your consent, share Study Data, Third-Party Data, Google Data (including personal information), or any combination of Study Data, Third-Party Data, and Google Data, with its Study Partners or other third parties, such as academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities studying consumer behavior and audience measurement.

Google also may partner with service providers that are required to follow the same confidentiality, security, and privacy protocols as our Study Partners. Google may share Study Data, Third-Party Data, and Google Data (including personal information), or any combination of such data, with these service providers as well.

Google will only share your personal information with third parties who are neither Study Partners nor service providers with your consent.

Google also may share non-personally identifiable, aggregated and/or anonymized information with third parties other than its Study Partners and service providers, such as academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities studying consumer behavior and audience measurement. Google also may publish non-personally identifiable, anonymized and/or aggregated information, either through its own publications or through third-party publishers.

Information security

Google takes reasonable steps to protect against unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure, or destruction of data that Google stores on its systems. These include internal reviews of Google data collection, storage and processing practices, and security measures, including appropriate encryption and physical security measures to guard against unauthorized access to systems where Google stores personal data.

Google restricts access to personal information to Google employees, contractors, and agents who need to know that information in order to process it on Google's behalf. These individuals are bound by confidentiality obligations and may be subject to discipline, including termination and criminal prosecution, if they fail to meet these obligations.

These security measures apply only to Google's storage of data on its own systems. They do not apply to data on other systems that are not owned or controlled by Google.

U.S. state privacy law requirements

Some U.S. state data protection laws, like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), require specific disclosures for state residents.

We explain the categories of information collected and the sources of that information in the Information We Collect section above. We explain how Google uses information in the How We Use the Information We Collect section above. We explain when we may disclose information in the How We Share the Information We Collect section above. Google does not sell your personal information. Google also does not “share” your personal information as that term is defined in the CCPA. Google processes your information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, which include “business purposes” under the CCPA. These purposes are enumerated in this Privacy Policy. We explain how Google retains information in the Your Requests to Delete Data section below. You can also learn more about how Google anonymizes data. As described there, when Google anonymizes data to protect your privacy, we maintain policies and technical measures to avoid re-identifying that information.

State laws like the CCPA and VCDPA provide residents with the right to request information about how Google collects, uses, and discloses their information. And they also provide residents with the right to access and correct their information and request that Google delete their information. The VCDPA also provides the right to opt out of certain forms of profiling and targeted advertising. Lastly, the CCPA and VCDPA provide the right to not be discriminated against for exercising these privacy rights.

If you have additional questions or requests related to your rights under the CCPA and VCDPA, please contact us here. And if you disagree with the decision on your request, you can ask Google to reconsider it by responding to the team’s email.

Your requests to delete data

When your participation in the Study ends, Google may continue to store, use, and share the information previously obtained from you in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You may submit a written request for Google to delete the personal information collected by Google and/or a Study Partner during your participation in the Study here. Google will make reasonable efforts to comply with such requests, but may aggregate, anonymize, or otherwise de-identify any personal information instead of deleting it and may retain certain personal information for accounting, quality assurance, fraud detection and debugging purposes. When Google anonymizes data to protect your privacy, we maintain policies and technical measures to avoid re-identifying that information.

When & how this Privacy Policy applies to you

Once you have accepted the Google Online Insights Study Terms and Conditions, and during your participation in the Study, this Privacy Policy governs how Google will collect, store, use, and share Study Data and Third-Party Data. You also may be asked to agree to additional privacy-related terms as part of your participation in the Study.

Before you join the Study, from the sign-up process, before you accept the Google Online Insights Study Terms and Conditions, this Privacy Policy does not apply. Instead, please refer to the Google Privacy Policy, which governs how Google collects, stores, uses, and shares data of non-participants.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Google may update this Privacy Policy from time to time in accordance with the Google Online Insights Study Terms and Conditions. In the case of any inconsistency or discrepancy between the English version of this Privacy Policy and any translations into any other language, as the case may be, the English version shall prevail.