Full Policy

Valued Opinions is a branded website of Research Now Group, Inc (“Research Now”, “we”, “our”).

Research Now is a market, opinion, and social research panel management company that collects digital data and survey information (“The Program(s)”).

We work in accordance with Market Research Industry principles such as the ones outlined by the Council of American Survey Research Organization, Inc. (“CASRO”) and European Society for Opinion and Market Research (“ESOMAR”).

These Market Research Industry principles are ethical and legal responsibilities that ensure a “chain of trust” between Research Now and our Members.

This Policy covers all Research Now Program websites.

It describes how your Personal Data is processed by or on behalf of Research Now acting as data controller.

It applies to the information members may provide to us, or which we collect, via any of the following means:

• • when you visit our websites;
• • when you have downloaded and installed one of our mobile apps on to your mobile phone or tablet device;
• • when responding to one of our emails
• • when using one of our products or Services.

 

I. What Information Does Research Now Collect?

• 
  A. Profiling information

  To create an account on our platform, we will ask you to provide contact information to make your account live (full name, postal address, date of birth, and email address).

  In order to improve your experience of the panel, we will then ask you for more information about who you are, such as occupation, travel frequency, areas of interest, etc.

  Allowing us to know your preferences better will ensure that we can match you with activities better related to you.

  For example, if you tell us that you don’t own a car, we will know not to offer you opportunities aimed at people who own cars, hence saving you time and offering you a more relevant experience.

  • 1. General Profiling Information

    We collect and use general profiling data to tailor your experience with the Research Now programs.

    As part of your membership with Valued Opinions, we will ask questions to understand who you are, in order to make sure we provide you with the surveys and communications best suited to you.

    Profiling questionnaires are optional, but as they will enable us to know you better, we will be able to involve you in our more specific research, which can lead to higher incentives.

     

    2. Your Personal Information / Personal Data

    Because we respect your right to Privacy, Research Now asks for your explicit consent when collecting either Personal Data or Sensitive Personal Data for any reason.

    Collection of Personal Data occurs at registration, within our profiling surveys, and as part of some of our market research surveys.

    Most of the information we gather is provided directly by yourself, but we also gather certain information automatically and store it in log files.

    This information may include Internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), Device ID (UDID), referring and exit pages, operating system, date and time stamp, and/or clickstream data.

    We may combine this automatically collected log information with other information we collect about you to allow us to better understand your profile.

    We use that information in a few different ways, mainly to improve the services we offer you through better targeted communications, analytics, site functionality, as well as our site’s security.
     

  B. Information collected for our clients’ research

  In order to best understand our users and for the benefit of quality research, we collect information in 2 different ways, active and passive data collection

  • 1. Active Data Collection

    Research Now may invite you to participate in online surveys or other research projects.

    The information requested in these surveys and/or projects usually cover topics such as your opinions, purchase history, and purchase intent regarding consumer and/or business products and services.

    In some occasions, these surveys may also ask for your Personal Data (Full Name, Address, etc.) or information defined as sensitive (e.g., data directly or indirectly revealing racial and ethnic origins, political, philosophical, or religious opinions, trade union affiliation, or health or sexual life).

    They do so either in order to enable their research methodology, such as sending you a product for testing, or when the question is related to the research’s purpose, such as political polling or social research.

    You always have the opportunity to not answer those questions should you prefer not to.

    Please note that many of the online activities you will be invited to are hosted externally, outside of Research Now’s control, you can always tell by looking at the URL your browser is showing.

     

    2. Passive Data Collection

    Research Now also looks at certain types of data that are collected passively in order to conduct research on the performance of marketing campaign or gauge our users’ opinion about a certain topic.

    This is done through the use of device data (Device ID on mobile phones for example) as well as cookies, web beacons, IP address analysis and other web technologies.

    Through approval of this privacy notice, you consent to participating in this type of research.

    If you do not wish for Research Now to conduct this type of activity any longer, please follow the instructions on this page www.valuedopinions.com/cookies

    For more information, please refer to our Cookie Policy

   

  C. Inbound Communications with our Member Services Team

  Emails that are received by Valued Opinions Member Services are protected and handled as classified information.

  Your communications are kept by the Member Services teams.
   

 

II. How We Use the Information We Collect

•  

  A. Identification Verification

  Research Now may use a third-party supplier to verify your identity as stipulated in the ISO 26362 standard for access panels.

   

  B. We will invite you to Market Research activities

  We will send you emails inviting you to participate in surveys, but also could contact you via different methods, such as social media sites.

  If you no longer want to receive email communications from Research Now, you must request that Research Now discontinues sending you emails or cancel your membership as described in Section III.C , below, “Your access to your Personal Data”.

   

  C. Protection of Your Data

  Research Now maintains appropriate technical, administrative and physical safeguards to protect Personal Data and other information disclosed or collected by Research Now.

  We review, monitor and evaluate our privacy practices and protection systems on a regular basis.

  When our Program Partner, our Reward Partners, our Panel Partners, our Marketing Partners, our Clients or other third parties collect your Personal Data with your consent, they are required to sign legally binding agreements that hold them accountable to applicable data privacy laws and relevant industry standards.

  We may disclose your personal data as required by applicable law, to comply with a subpoena or similar legal process, when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud or respond to a government request.

   

  D. Reward Fulfillment

  We use third parties, such as fulfillment companies, to fulfill various types of Reward redemptions as defined within the Terms and Agreements document.

  When you redeem a Reward, we will share the necessary details for the third party to provide that service. This would typically include, but not be limited to, your Full Name and Postal Address or Email Address.

  In this circumstance, you are consenting to the collection, use, storage, and processing of your personal information / personal data by that third party.

  These companies are authorized to use your Personal Data only as necessary to provide these services to you.

   

  E. Survey Activity

  • 1. Collection of Personal Information / Personal Data as Part of a Survey

    Some of our clients use research methodologies which need to collect your personal data; examples include product tests and telephone or face-to-face interviews.

    Similarly, some of the research surveys you will take may collect sensitive information, such as when conducting healthcare or social research for example.

    We will describe the nature of the research and ask for your informed consent.
     

    2. Supplemental Information

    In order to provide better survey experiences for you, we may occasionally supplement your Personal Data with information collected from third party sources. Examples might include your interests, hobbies, or sports you like.

   

  F. Cross-Device Identification

  In order to better understand your opinions, it is very important to understand your online journey across devices.

  This is a type of data processing that we only carry out on our panelists opted in to our Advanced Cookie.

  Cross Device identification allows Research Now to work with Publishers seeking users who would have been exposed to certain online ads in order to measure their marketing campaign’s efficiency, whatever the medium used.

  To do so, we process Device IDs and IP addresses

  Device IDs are sourced through third parties matched by cookies or other mechanisms. Their processing allows Research Now to work with Publishers seeking users who would have been exposed to certain online ads in order to measure a marketing campaign’s efficiency.

  We process IP addresses to enable research on marketing campaigns over Internet connected devices, such as (but not limited to) smart TVs.

  Research Now works with publishers to identify and reach out to members who have been exposed to certain marketing material, in order to better understand their views and opinions, based on the IP addresses regularly associated with their accounts.

   

  G. Segmentation / Integrated Data

  • 1. Segmentation

    We use your demographic and profile data to build demographic segments. This segmentation data is used to enhance your survey experience and match you to better fitted surveys.
    This type of data is created by trusted data processing third-party companies and is generated from your profile data, which can include personal data, cookies or Device IDs.
     

    2. Profile Enhancements

    We purchase marketing data from third parties and add it to our existing Member database to provide enriched analytical data for our clients' use.

    While this marketing data will be associated with Personal Data within the Research Now panels, all Personal Data is removed from the marketing data before such data is provided to any client, unless we have your explicit consent to share that information.
     

    3. Marketing modelling

    Our clients can learn a lot about their consumers by understanding what real people like yourself like and prefer.

    We may supplement their understanding of marketing models with anonymous profile information, sometimes matching it with information they would hold about your online behavior already.

    This is done via pseudonymous techniques, only keeping the data allowing the match for the duration of that activity.

   

  H. Recruitment Partners

  When you enroll through a Program Partner, from an email sent from a third party company proposing you to join our Panel, we may share select enrollment information with the Program Partner who invited you into the program, which can include your full name, post or zip code, and your email address.

  You acknowledge that our Program Partner may collect, use, and disclose that information in accordance with their privacy policy.

  Please note that Research Now will not be responsible for and will not be liable for our Program Partner's actions concerning your information or for any Program Partner's privacy practices when you are dealing directly with them.

 

III. How We Manage Your Data

• C. Opting Choices

  If you decide to become a Member, you must opt-in by making an explicit and affirmative indication of choice, indicating your desires.

  If you would like to opt-out of Research Now membership, you may request that your membership be cancelled and your account closed by cancelling your membership online.

  You can, at any time, withdraw your consent to our use of your personal data as described in the Privacy Policy by cancelling your membership from your account page or by contacting Member Services at https://www.valuedopinions.com/contact .

   

  B. Your access to your Personal Data

  If there is incorrect information on your Research Now account statement, please contact us online on our contact page to get it corrected https://www.valuedopinions.com/contact

  Upon request we will provide you with information about whether we hold, or process on behalf of a third party, any of your Personal Data. To request this information please contact us at privacyrequests@researchnow.com We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.

  We will retain your Personal Data, unless your account is deactivated or terminated
  We will either delete or de-identify Personal Data as necessary per local laws and regulations.

  If you wish to terminate your account and delete your Personal Data from the Research Now database, please visit www.valuedopinions.com/auth/unsubscribe .

   

  C. Research Now Believes in the Importance of Children’s Privacy

  Some of our clients will be interested in researching children’s opinions. Research Now believes the online privacy of children is very important. We adhere to applicable laws and codes regarding the protection of children’s privacy (e.g., Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) in the U.S.).

  Research Now’s Valued Opinions program is not open to children under the legal age limit for your country as specified in our Terms and Conditions, and we do not seek to or knowingly collect personal data of anyone under that age threshold.

  From time to time, we may ask our adult survey respondents whether they have children residing with them who might have certain interests, such as favorite movies or music.

  However, if Research Now finds that a child as specified in the terms and conditions has submitted personal data in contravention of these measures, Research Now will take all reasonable steps to delete that information from its systems and not use the information for any purpose.

  Parents with concerns should contact us at https://www.valuedopinions.com/contact .

  &nsbsp;

  D. Trans-National Data Flow

  Research Now Group, Inc. participates in and has certified its compliance with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework. Research Now is committed to subjecting all personal data received from European Union (EU) member countries, in reliance on the Privacy Shield Framework, to the Framework’s applicable Principles. To learn more about the Privacy Shield Framework, visit the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Privacy Shield List .

  Research Now is responsible for the processing of personal data it receives, under the Privacy Shield Framework, and subsequently transfers to a third party acting as an agent on its behalf. Research Now complies with the Privacy Shield Principles for all onward transfers of personal data from the EU, including the onward transfer liability provisions.

  With respect to personal data received or transferred pursuant to the Privacy Shield Framework, Research Now is subject to the regulatory enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In certain situations, we may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.

  If you have an unresolved privacy or data use concern that we have not addressed satisfactorily, please contact our U.S.-based third party dispute resolution provider (free of charge) at https://feedback-form.truste.com/watchdog/request .

  Under certain conditions, more fully described on the Privacy Shield website, you may invoke binding arbitration when other dispute resolution procedures have been exhausted.

IV. Third Party Websites

•  

  A. Links in Third Party Websites

  Our websites may contain links to other Internet sites that are not operated or controlled by Research Now.

  We cannot control and are not responsible or liable for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.

  If you submit your Personal Data to any of those sites, your information is governed by their privacy policies.

  We encourage you to carefully read the privacy policy of any website you visit.

   

  B. Social Media Features and Widgets

  Social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, include social media features such as the 'Like' button, and widgets such as the 'Share' button or interactive mini-programs that are run on our websites.

  These features may collect Personal Data about you, including your IP address, which webpage you are visiting on our websites, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly.

  Social media features and widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our websites.

  Your interactions with these features are governed by separate terms and conditions with the company providing it. Your Personal Data will be handled by these companies in accordance with their privacy policies.

  Members typically have the ability to opt-out or to block certain types of tracking information collected or shared about them by such sites.

  Please visit the relevant social media websites to understand their privacy practices and the options they may make available to you in relation to their collection of your Personal Data.

 

V. Contests

Occasionally, Research Now, or in cooperation with third parties, may sponsor sweepstakes or similar games of chance on this website and, as a result, may request information from you for participation purposes.

Your participation in these contests is completely voluntary and you have the choice of whether or not to provide this information.

The information will be used by Research Now to notify the winners and award prizes.

We reserve the right to share this information in an anonymous singular summary and/or aggregated format with third parties.

All contests will be conducted in accordance with local laws and regulations.

 

VI. Data Security

Our websites have security measures (including online and offline physical, electronic, and managerial safeguards) in place to protect against the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control. However, there is always some element of risk involved in sending personal information or personal data online.

Your email address and password will be required to redeem Rewards, update your Personal Data (name, email address, etc.), and update your Member profile data.

When you enter your login information, we encrypt the transmission of that information using Secure Socket Layer technology (SSL).

As well, we follow generally accepted standards to protect the Personal Data you submit to us, both during transmission and once it is received and apply security measures as mandated by law.

Remember to keep your password private and secure. Please do not share that information with anyone.

If you have any questions about the security of our website, please contact us at privacy@researchnow.com .

•  

  A. Retention Policy

  We will retain your information for as long as your Member account is open or as needed to provide you services.

  We will retain and use your information if necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.

   

  B. Where and How We Store Your Data

  Research Now stores your data in secure data storage facilities with multiple layers of both physical and logical security. The facility is equipped with guards, strong perimeter controls, and internal physical and environmental security controls. Your data is stored in logically secure environments that are locked and individually separated.

VII. Notifications

•  

  A. Changes to the Privacy Policy

  We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy periodically by posting an amended version to the Research Now websites. Please refer to this policy regularly.

  If we change how we use your Personal Data or personal data, or update our email practices, we will notify you either on the Member home page of our websites or via email prior to the change becoming effective.

   

  B. Transfer of Ownership

  In the event that Research Now goes through a business transition, such as a merger, acquisition by another company, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your Personal Data will likely be among the assets transferred.

  If so, you will be notified via email or a prominent notice on our website will be displayed for at least thirty (30) days with information regarding change in ownership, uses of your Personal Data, and choices you may have regarding your Personal Data.

   

  C. How to Contact Us / How to Lodge Complaints

  If you have any questions or complaints regarding Research Now’s privacy practices or this Privacy Policy, you may contact us at:
  160 Queen Victoria Street,
  London,
  EC4V 4BF, UK;
  Attn: Privacy Department
  Or at Privacy@Researchnow.com

  We will respond and advise whether we agree with your complaint or not. If we do not agree, we will provide reasons. If we do agree, we will advise what (if any) action we consider it appropriate to take in response.