Focus Group OS Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you use Focus Group OS.

Information you provide

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address
• Password and authentication information
• Country
• State, province, or region when applicable

Location information is self-reported by the user and may be used to help identify research opportunities that may be relevant to the user's location.

We do not collect your precise GPS location.

Information you add to Focus Group OS

When you use our study tracking features, you may provide information such as:

• Research company name
• Study name
• Study description
• Incentive amount and currency
• Study format
• Study dates and times
• Payment method
• Study status
• Notes and other information you choose to enter

This information is used to provide the study tracking and organization features of Focus Group OS.

Information collected when you forward an email

Focus Group OS allows users to forward certain research-related emails to a unique Focus Group OS email address for the purpose of importing study information.

When you use this feature, the forwarded email may contain information such as:

• Sender information
• Email address
• Subject line
• Email body
• Links
• Other information contained in the forwarded message

Focus Group OS processes the forwarded email to identify relevant study information and create a study draft.

The email content used for extraction may be processed through third-party AI services. The current application sends the sender address, subject, and body text, subject to a character limit, to the Focus Group OS AI processing service. Attachments, images, and screenshots are not currently sent to the AI service.

Because forwarded emails may contain information about people other than the Focus Group OS user, users should only forward emails that they are authorized to provide to Focus Group OS and should avoid forwarding unrelated or unnecessary personal information.

Recruiter and opportunity information

Individuals may submit research opportunities through Focus Group OS.

A recruiter submission may include:

• Recruiter's name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Study information
• Other information voluntarily provided through the submission form

Recruiter information is used to review, manage, and publish research opportunities.

Subscription and billing information

If you subscribe to a paid Focus Group OS plan, payment information is processed through Stripe.

Focus Group OS does not store your credit card number, payment card information, or billing address in its application database.

Focus Group OS may receive and store information such as:

• Stripe customer ID
• Subscription ID
• Product or price ID
• Subscription status
• Subscription period information
• Cancellation status

Stripe processes payment information according to its own privacy practices and terms.

Referral and attribution information

If you arrive at Focus Group OS through a referral or marketing link, we may collect information such as:

• Referral source
• UTM source
• UTM medium
• UTM campaign
• Landing page

This information may be retained for attribution purposes and may be associated with your Focus Group OS account and subscription information.

Push notification information

If you enable push notifications, Focus Group OS stores the information necessary to deliver notifications to your device, including a push subscription endpoint and associated encryption information.

You can disable push notifications through your device or browser settings and through available Focus Group OS controls.

2. How We Use Information

We may use information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account
• Provide Focus Group OS features
• Allow you to track research studies and payments
• Help organize research companies and opportunities
• Provide research opportunities that may be relevant to your location
• Import and organize study information from forwarded emails
• Process forwarded email content to extract study information
• Send transactional and account-related communications
• Send research-related notifications
• Send marketing and promotional communications where permitted
• Process subscriptions and payments
• Provide customer support
• Maintain and secure the service
• Prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
• Understand referral and subscription attribution
• Improve the functionality and reliability of Focus Group OS
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms

We do not use Focus Group OS user information for targeted advertising through third-party advertising networks.

3. AI Processing

Some Focus Group OS features use artificial intelligence to help process information.

For example, when you use the email study import feature, relevant portions of a forwarded email may be sent to an AI processing service to identify study information and populate a study draft.

The current application sends the sender address, subject, body text, and the user's profile timezone to the AI Gateway for this purpose.

The exact upstream processing providers, retention practices, geographic processing locations, and applicable AI data-use terms are subject to confirmation with our technology providers.

4. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information to advertisers or data brokers.

We may share information with service providers that help us operate Focus Group OS, including providers involved in:

• Application hosting
• Database and authentication services
• Payment processing
• Email delivery
• Inbound email processing
• AI processing
• Push notifications
• Infrastructure and security
• Error monitoring and technical support

These providers process information on our behalf or as otherwise described in their applicable privacy terms.

Current service providers

Based on our current technology configuration, Focus Group OS uses or may use services including:

• Supabase — database and authentication infrastructure.
• Lovable Cloud — application hosting and infrastructure.
• Stripe — subscription and payment processing.
• Postmark — inbound email processing.
• Lovable AI Gateway — AI processing used for study email extraction.
• Web push services — delivery of push notifications through supported browser/device services.
• Cloudflare R2 — hosting of certain static assets.

Some services may involve additional subprocessors.

We may also disclose information:

• When required by law
• To respond to valid legal requests
• To protect the rights, safety, and security of Focus Group OS, our users, or others
• To investigate fraud, abuse, or security incidents
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, sale of assets, or other business transaction

5. Research Opportunities and Third-Party Recruiters

Focus Group OS may display research opportunities submitted by research companies, recruiters, or other third parties.

Focus Group OS is not the research company conducting the study unless expressly stated otherwise.

Research opportunities may link to external websites or application forms. When you leave Focus Group OS and interact with a research company or recruiter, that third party's privacy policy and terms apply to information you provide directly to them.

Focus Group OS does not guarantee that a research opportunity will remain available, that you will qualify, or that you will receive payment for participating in a study.

6. Email Communications

We may send emails related to:

• Account creation and verification
• Account activity
• Product updates
• Study-related information
• Educational or onboarding communications
• Promotional communications
• Focus Group OS announcements

Where applicable, promotional emails include an unsubscribe mechanism.

Unsubscribing from promotional email does not necessarily stop essential transactional or account-related communications.

7. Push Notifications

If you enable push notifications, Focus Group OS may send notifications relating to:

• New opportunities
• Account activity
• Product updates
• Announcements
• Other information related to Focus Group OS

You may disable push notifications at any time through your device or browser settings and available Focus Group OS controls.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Focus Group OS uses limited cookies and browser storage for functionality, preferences, authentication, and referral attribution.

The application currently uses a cookie for an authenticated interface preference.

We do not currently use third-party advertising trackers or third-party analytics platforms such as Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, Mixpanel, PostHog, or similar advertising/analytics SDKs.

Focus Group OS also uses browser local storage for functional purposes, including authentication, preferences, referral attribution, notification settings, and application state.

9. Analytics and Public Information

Focus Group OS may calculate aggregate statistics from information users enter into the application.

For example, Focus Group OS may publish aggregate information such as total earnings recorded across the platform.

When aggregate information is publicly displayed, it is intended to be presented in a manner that does not identify individual users.

10. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide our services, maintain records, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and protect our legitimate business interests.

Different categories of information may be retained for different periods.

Study information

Study records may be retained while your account remains active and as necessary to provide historical tracking and analytics.

Forwarded emails

Forwarded email content used by the study import feature may temporarily be retained to provide the import functionality and allow users to review or correct extracted study information.

Email delivery records

Email delivery records may be retained for operational, security, troubleshooting, and compliance purposes.

Recruiter submissions

Recruiter information may be retained for the period reasonably necessary to review, manage, publish, and administer research opportunities.

We may retain certain information longer where required by law, necessary for legal claims, or required for legitimate security or accounting purposes.

11. Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your Focus Group OS account by contacting us at:

support@focusgroupos.com

We will process valid deletion requests in accordance with applicable law and our applicable retention obligations.

Some information may be retained where necessary to comply with legal obligations, prevent fraud or abuse, resolve disputes, maintain financial records, or establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

12. Access, Correction, and Privacy Requests

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights regarding your personal information, including rights to:

• Request access to personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of personal information
• Request restriction of certain processing
• Object to certain processing
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• Request a copy of certain personal information

To make a privacy request, contact:

support@focusgroupos.com

We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

The rights available to you depend on your location and applicable law.

13. International Users

Focus Group OS has users located in multiple countries.

Your information may be processed and stored in the United States and potentially other locations where our service providers operate.

For example, our database infrastructure may be hosted through providers operating in the United States.

If you use Focus Group OS from outside the United States, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred to and processed in countries that may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

14. Children's Privacy

Focus Group OS is not intended for children under 13.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If you believe that a child under 13 has provided personal information to Focus Group OS, please contact us at support@focusgroupos.com.

15. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

These measures include, where applicable:

• Database access controls
• Row Level Security
• Server-side authorization for administrative functions
• HTTPS encryption in transit
• Encryption provided by our infrastructure providers
• Server-side handling of sensitive credentials
• Verified webhook authentication
• Rate limiting for certain inbound email functionality

No method of transmitting or storing information can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

16. Third-Party Websites and Services

Focus Group OS may contain links to websites operated by research companies, recruiters, research aggregators, and other third parties.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, content, or policies of third-party websites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party service before providing information to it.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as Focus Group OS changes, new features are introduced, or legal requirements change.

When we make material changes, we may provide notice through the website, application, email, or another appropriate method.

The "Last Updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy indicates when it was most recently revised.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to make a privacy-related request, contact:

Focus Group OS

Email: support@focusgroupos.com