Privacy Policy

Thank you for being a user of AstroQuest and helping researchers learn more about our Universe. AstroQuest is a project run by ICRAR at The University of Western Australia.

This privacy policy sets out how ICRAR uses and protects any information that you give ICRAR when you use this website.

ICRAR is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

ICRAR may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

WHAT WE COLLECT

As well as the contributions you make towards AstroQuest’s research, we also collect information about you to improve AstroQuest. We also collect information that will help us improve the design of the website and your experience through experiments that analyse your site usage.

WE MAY COLLECT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

  • Name
  • Contact information including email address.
  • Demographic information such as location, preferences and interests.
  • Website usage information. We collate general statistics about users and traffic patterns as well as data about how users respond to and make use of various site features. This includes, among other things, recording galaxies you have inspected, when you log in, how long you spend inspecting galaxies, and the pages you request.

These activities are associated with your username if you register and log in, otherwise, they are associated with your IP address. In order to collect this data, we may use software such as Google Analytics that collects statistics from IP data. This software can determine what times of day people access our site, which country they access the websites from, how long they visit for, along with technical details of their computer (browser, screen type, processor).

WHAT WE DO WITH THE INFORMATION WE GATHER

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

  • Internal record keeping.
  • We may use the information to improve our services and customise the website to you.
  • We may periodically send emails about the project, our research or other information research-related projects using the email address which you have provided. We will not use your contact information for commercial purposes. 
  • To conduct experiments on the use of site features. 

We will never share your information with third parties in a way it can be attributed to you without your permission, or we are required to by law. Your email address will never be shared.

Your username (chosen by you) will appear in publicly accessible sections of the website, such as the Leaderboards, as well as the number of galaxies you have inspected and the amount of time you have spent inspecting galaxies.

SECURITY

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Your data is stored in a secure database on our web servers, which are provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield.

HOW WE USE COOKIES

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used, and other cookies to retain your preferences for using the site. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to your needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

ADVICE FOR USERS UNDER THE AGE OF 16 AND THEIR PARENT(S)/GUARDIAN(S)

Please note that it is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to explain the privacy policy in simple terms to their child if signing up under 16s.

AstroQuest does not have a minimum age for signing up because we want to encourage participation in research for all ages. 

CONTROLLING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

  • If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at [email protected] or completing the form below.
  • Clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any direct marketing email you might receive.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

We don’t consider the scientific data you provide through your work on AstroQuest to be personal information. This information will only be used in a way that won’t be identifiable to you.

Opt-Out Form

    I have previously consented to the collection and use of my information for the above purposes but I would like to opt-out.

    You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to:

    ICRAR Communication Team
    ICRAR M468
    The University of Western Australia
    35 Stirling Highway
    Crawley, WA, 6009
    Australia

    If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.