Introduction

This app is a custom fork of the e-mission open source platform ( https://github.com/e-mission/ ) intended to support research studies around travel behavior. This privacy policy outlines the data that is collected by the app so that potential participants can make an informed decision on whether to participate in studies using the app.

Data collected by the app

This app automatically, in the background, tracks your location, accelerometer, device-generated activity recognition and battery usage. It uses this data to automatically generate a travel diary and display it to you. It also allows you to optionally annotate the travel diary with richer details or with experience information. When you launch the app, it logs information about your phone type (android/iOS), make, model and version. This metadata helps the developer to correlate app problems with specific phones (e.g. https://dontkillmyapp.com/).

Data storage and handling

After you join the study, the app will display a study-specific consent document which will outline study-specific data handling and sharing procedures. Please read it carefully. Background tracking will start only after you accept the consent document.

What will happen to information about me?

Submission of the online questionnaire is an indication of your consent. By clicking the ‘I agree’ button on the Fourstep application you are providing your permission for the research team to collect and use information about you for the research study.

Your trip and activities information, in an unidentifiable and aggregated format, will be used to develop behavioural models of travel demand which are essential tools in transportation planning and infrastructure investment analysis. The output of these models will help transport authorities gain more insight about travel and time-use pattern of travellers and make more informed decisions about transport infrastructure including but not limited to the transit system.

The research team will store the data collected from you for this research project:

• Indefinitely for future research purposes.

The information about you will be stored in a:

• Non-identifiable format where your identity will be unknown.

You will be asked to provide your consent for the research team to share or use the information collected from you in future research that:

• Will be specific to the aims of this research;

Your information will only be shared in a format that will not identify you.

What if I want to withdraw from the research study?

If you do consent to participate, you may withdraw at any time. You can do this by closing the questionnaire or uninstalling the Fourstep mobile application from your phone.

If you withdraw from the research, we will destroy any information that has already been collected. If you'd like to withdraw from the research study, please email us at [email protected].

Once you have submitted the questionnaire, however, we will not be able to withdraw your responses as the questionnaire is anonymous.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this app please contact the development team (via this email: [email protected]).