layout: default title: Privacy Policy nav_order: 9 —

Wellbeing Mapper Privacy Policy

Overview

Wellbeing Mapper is designed with privacy as a core principle. You have complete control over your data, whether you use the app privately or participate in research studies.

Data Collection and Storage

Location Data

• When location tracking is enabled, GPS coordinates are stored only on your device
• Location data includes coordinates, timestamps, and accuracy information
• No location data leaves your device without your explicit consent

Survey Data

• Wellbeing survey responses are stored locally on your device
• Survey data includes your mood and wellbeing responses with timestamps
• Optional location context can be attached to surveys (with your permission)

No Automatic Data Sharing

• Private Mode: All data stays on your device forever unless you manually export it
• Research Mode: Data is only shared when you explicitly consent through the data sharing dialog

Research Participation (Optional)

Voluntary Participation

• Research participation is completely voluntary
• You can switch between Private Mode and Research Mode anytime
• You can withdraw from research participation at any point

Advanced Consent System

When participating in research, you have three options for data sharing:

1. Share Full Location Data
   • Complete 2-week location history with survey responses
   • Helps researchers understand environmental context fully
2. Share Partial Location Data
   • You choose exactly which location areas to share
   • All areas start selected by default - you uncheck areas you want to keep private
   • Perfect for sharing public spaces while protecting personal locations (home, work, etc.)
   • Complete control over which geographic areas are included
3. Survey Responses Only
   • Only your mood and wellbeing answers are shared
   • No location data is transmitted
   • Still valuable for research while maintaining complete location privacy

Data Sharing Preferences

• Change your sharing preferences anytime through the app menu
• View history of your consent decisions
• Update which location areas you’re comfortable sharing
• Full transparency about what data will be shared before each upload

Data Security

Encryption

• All research data is encrypted on your device before transmission
• Uses industry-standard AES-256-GCM encryption
• Research teams can only decrypt data with their private keys
• Fresh encryption keys for each upload (forward secrecy)

Anonymous Participation

• No personal identifying information is ever transmitted
• Random participant codes are used instead of names or emails
• Location areas are shown as general regions, not exact addresses
• IP addresses and device identifiers are not logged

Data Retention

• Research data is automatically deleted from your device after successful upload
• You can manually delete all local data anytime
• Local data retention follows your device’s storage settings

Your Rights

Complete Control

• View all data stored on your device
• Export your data anytime as JSON files
• Delete individual location records or survey responses
• Change data sharing preferences without penalty
• Withdraw from research participation completely

Transparency

• Real-time preview of what data will be shared
• Clear summaries before each research upload
• History of all your consent decisions
• Open source code available for technical review

Contact

For privacy questions or concerns:

• Use the “Report an Issue” feature in the app
• Contact the research team through official channels
• Visit the project website for more information

Last Updated: July 2025

This privacy policy may be updated to reflect new features or legal requirements. Users will be notified of any material changes through the app.