• YPulse, Inc. Research Participant Privacy Notice

1. Who we are

This Privacy Notice describes how YPulse, Inc. (also referred to below as “we”, “us”, or “our”), collects, uses, and shares information about individuals in connection with our research services.

YPulse, Inc. is the leader in youth research and insights, and the leading expert on Gen Z and millennials with a focus on behavioral trends and brand awareness.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and collecting only the minimum amount of data needed to conduct our market research studies in compliance with GDPR, ISO 27001, CPRA, COPPA and other applicable data protection laws.

2. What we collect

YPulse acts as a Controller of the personal data you (data subject) provide us. When you fill out a survey, we might collect:

• Demographic Information (age, gender, location etc.).
• Sensitive Information (racial/ethnic origin, political opinions, religious, sexual orientation, etc.) only with explicit consent.
• Contact Information (for Qualitative studies: name, email address, and phone number).
• Images and Videos (for qualitative studies, collected with participants’ consent).
• Technical Data (IP Address, browser type and language, and access times).

We collect consent before processing sensative personal data, in accordance with applicable laws.

3. How do we use your personal Information:

We will use the personal data collected you provided through surveys for:

• Market Research Analysis (to understand behavior, trends and preferences)
• Demographic Representation (ensuring diverse and represenattive survey samples).
• AI-Driven Insights (if applicable , anonymized and aggregated analysis of responses using AI modesl) 
• Contractual Obligations (to fulfill agreements for a contract). 

We do not use AI for automated decison-making that produces legal or significnat effects on respondents. 

4. Children’s Data Protection (COPPA, GDPR):

As we are focused on youth research, we take extra precautions to protect children’s prviacy: 

• We only recruit minors through parental consent, based on the legal age of consent in each country. 
• If you do not wish to participate, please exit the survey. 
• Personal data from minors is not used for marketing or profiling. 

5. Data Security & Retention (ISO 27001):

We implement strict security measures to protect your data, including: 

• Encryption & Secure storage (data hosted in AWS. U.S. and protected by firewals and access controls).
• Access Controls (limited access to authorized personnel).
• Data Retention Policy:
  • Personal Identifiable data: retained for 1 year after project completion, unless otherwise specified. 
  • Photos/videos: retained for 1 year after project completion. These may be held by our clients for longer than 1 year and while there is still a valid purpose for its use in connection with the research. This will be subject to the client’s data privacy policy and security measures. 
  • Custom anonymized personal data: that is included in the final research output will be retained up to 5 years  
  • Syndicated anonymized survey data and reports: retained up indefinitely. 

Participants may request early deletion of their personal data.

6. Disclosure  to Third Parties:

Your data may be shared only under the following circumstances: 

• With service providers (e.g., cloud storage, transcription services) bound by confidentiality agreements. 

• With legal authorities if required by law, subpoena, or investigation. 

• International Transfers (data hosted in the U.S.; transfers outside the U.S. follow EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for GDPR compliance). 

YPulse does not sell personal data.

7. What are your data protection Rights?

YPulse would like to make sure you are fully aware of all of your data protection rights. 

Every respondent is entitled to the following: 

• Access & Correction (request a copy of your data and correct inaccuracies). 

• Erasure & Restriction (request deletion or restrict processing of your data). 

• Object to Processing (opt out of AI-driven analysis and third-party sharing). 

• Data Portability (request transfer of your data to another entity). 

• Opt-Out Rights (decline AI-based analytics or data retention beyond project completion). 

To exercise these rights, email privacy@ypulse.com. We respond within 30 days. 

Our Data Protection Officer will then look into your complaint and work with you to resolve the matter.  

If you still feel that your personal data has not been handled appropriately according to the law, you can contact Data Protection Authority and file a complaint with them

8. Updates to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in regulations or research practices. Material changes will be communicated via our website or email. 

Last Updated: April 25, 2025 

For questions, contact privacy@ypulse.com. By participating in our research, you acknowledge and agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.