Privacy & Consent
Your privacy is not an afterthought at OpenScouter. It is built into every part of how tests are designed and how your data is stored. This page explains exactly what we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what you can do with it at any time.
What data we collect during a test
Every test you complete may involve some or all of the following data types, depending on the study design.
Browser events
We record interactions with the interface you are testing. This includes clicks, scroll behaviour, keystrokes in designated input fields, time on page, and navigation paths. This data tells clients how people actually move through a product.
We do not capture anything outside the test environment. Your other browser tabs, your clipboard, and anything you do after closing the test window are never touched.
Facial emotion labels
If your camera is enabled during a test, OpenScouter’s on-device model analyses your facial expressions in real time and produces a short stream of emotion labels, for example “engaged”, “confused”, or “neutral”.
Camera use is always optional. You can disable it in your Accessibility Settings before accepting any test invitation, and your choice will never affect the studies you are matched with.
Voice transcripts
If a test includes a think-aloud component, your spoken words are transcribed using a speech-to-text model. The audio stream itself is not stored. Only the text transcript is retained, and it is linked to specific moments in the test rather than kept as a continuous recording.
You can also provide written commentary instead of speaking. The option is available in every think-aloud test.
Neurodivergent (ND) profile
The ND categories, assistive technology list, and device preferences you added to your profile are attached to your test results in anonymised form. Clients receive aggregate information such as “3 of 5 testers used screen readers” rather than anything that identifies you personally.
Your ND profile is never sold, never shared with third parties outside of a specific test context, and never used for advertising.
Biometric data and GDPR Article 9
Facial emotion labels derived from camera footage are classified as biometric data under GDPR Article 9. This places them in the highest protection category alongside health records and genetic data.
Every test that uses camera-based emotion analysis will present a separate, specific consent request before the test begins. This consent is separate from the general platform terms you agreed to during registration. You must actively accept it each time. Pre-ticking or defaulting to “yes” is never done.
Consent before every test
Before you begin any test, you will see a consent screen that describes:
- Which data types will be collected in that specific test
- Whether camera access is requested
- Whether voice transcription is active
- How the client will use the results
- How to stop the test at any point
You must actively confirm each item. You can decline any individual data type. If you decline a type that the client requires, the test will not proceed and you will not be penalised. Your invitation record will simply show “declined” with no further detail shared.
How long we keep your data
| Data type | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Browser events | 24 months from test completion |
| Facial emotion labels | 12 months from test completion |
| Voice transcripts | 12 months from test completion |
| ND profile | Until you delete your account |
| Aggregated client reports | 5 years (contains no personal data) |
| Consent logs | 7 years (required for legal compliance) |
When a retention period expires, data is automatically and permanently deleted. You will receive an email notification 30 days before scheduled deletion in case you want to export anything first.
You can also request early deletion at any time. See the section below on exercising your rights.
Anonymisation in client reports
Clients who commission tests on OpenScouter never see who you are. Reports are designed so that your identity is structurally impossible to recover.
Specifically:
- Your name, username, and email address are never included in any client-facing output.
- Your ND profile appears only as part of aggregated group data.
- Your quotes and transcript excerpts are labelled “Tester A”, “Tester B”, and so on, assigned randomly per report.
- Demographic breakdowns are suppressed when a group has fewer than three participants, to prevent re-identification.
Clients cannot request access to individual tester identities. This is a platform policy enforced at the data model level, not just a contractual promise.
Your rights under GDPR
As a data subject under the General Data Protection Regulation, you have six core rights. All of them apply to your OpenScouter data.
Right of access
You can request a full copy of all personal data we hold about you. We will provide it in a structured, machine-readable format within 30 days.
To make a request, go to Profile > Privacy > Request my data.
Right to rectification
If any of your personal data is inaccurate or incomplete, you can ask us to correct it. Most profile data you can update directly from your dashboard. For data linked to completed tests, submit a correction request from the Privacy section.
Right to erasure
You can ask us to delete your personal data. We will act on this within 30 days unless we are required by law to retain certain records (for example, consent logs for legal compliance).
Deleting your account from Profile > Account > Delete account will automatically trigger a full erasure request for all data types that are not legally required to be retained.
Right to data portability
You can request your data in a portable format (JSON or CSV) that you can take to another service. The export includes your profile, all test results linked to your account, and consent records.
Right to withdraw consent
You can withdraw consent for any data type at any time without giving a reason. Withdrawal applies from that moment forward and does not undo data already processed.
To withdraw consent for facial emotion analysis across all future tests, go to Profile > Privacy > Manage consent. To withdraw consent for a specific test you have already started, use the stop button within the test interface.
Right to object
You can object to processing based on legitimate interests. Since OpenScouter relies on explicit consent rather than legitimate interests for biometric data, this right applies primarily to any processing that falls outside a direct test context.
How to exercise your rights
The simplest way to make any request is through your dashboard:
- Go to Profile > Privacy.
- Choose the action you want to take: “Request my data”, “Delete my data”, “Manage consent”, or “Submit a correction”.
- Follow the steps shown. Most requests complete automatically within a few minutes.
If you prefer to contact us directly, email privacy@openscouter.com from the address linked to your account. Include your full name and the type of request so we can locate your records quickly.
If you believe your rights have not been respected, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. In the UK this is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). In Ireland it is the Data Protection Commission (DPC). A full list of EU supervisory authorities is available at edpb.europa.eu.
Questions
If anything on this page is unclear, the FAQ for Testers covers common privacy questions in plain language. You can also reach the support team directly from the Help menu at the top of any page.