Privacy Policy
Effective Date: May 24th, 2026
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026
1. Overview
August Research Services, LLC (“August,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) provides consulting, software, and hosting services that assists academic and industry researchers (“clients”) in maintaining research integrity and assessing the eligibility of prospective participants. This Privacy Policy describes how we handle information collected through our platform, websites, and related services (collectively, the “Platform”) from individuals expressing interest in being screened for research participation (“participants”).
We take data privacy seriously. All stored data is encrypted, we do not sell data, and we only access or process information as directed by our clients.
2. Information We Collect
Our Platform may collect or process the following types of information from participants.
- Participant-provided information, including response to an open-ended question, phone number, and/or email address.
- Passively-collected usage and technical metadata reflecting characteristics of participants’ internet connection (including IP address), device, and platform engagement.
3. How Information Is Used
August processes information solely to assist clients in assessing eligibility for research studies.
This includes:
- Hosting and storing client data securely.
- Providing technical support and troubleshooting.
- Evaluating the performance of the Platform.
- Generating indicators associated with ineligible participation or misuse of the Platform.
- Ensuring security, uptime, and lawful operation of the Platform.
We do not use individual participant data for marketing purposes.
4. Data Ownership and Control
August collects and processes information necessary to operate the Platform, maintain security, and detect potential duplicate or ineligible participation.
Clients do not receive any data collected from participants. Instead, clients receive limited outputs generated by the Platform including an indicator of eligibility likelihood.
August retains operational control over the Platform, including its methodologies, infrastructure, and related technical processes.
Participant data submitted through the Platform is processed solely for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and applicable client agreements.
5. Data Sharing
We do not sell or rent client or participant data to any third party.
We may use trusted third-party service providers strictly for operational support, including:
- Amazon Web Services for encrypted hosting and data storage.
- Cloudflare for network protection (firewall, DDoS mitigation, geofencing) and processing IP addresses and traffic metadata
- Twilio for communication verification services
- MaxMind for network verification services
These providers process information pursuant to their applicable contractual, security, and privacy obligations.
6. Data Security
We employ encryption for data both in transit (TLS) and at rest, and maintain strict access controls. Access to client data is limited to authorized personnel only and occurs solely to fulfill contractual obligations or technical support requests.
7. Retention and Deletion
August retains both participant-provided information and usage & technical metadata only as long as reasonably necessary to operate the Platform, maintain security, support its functions, comply with legal obligations, and fulfill contractual commitments.
Participant-specific data associated with a client project may be deleted upon request from the client conducting the project, subject to operational, security, backup, and legal requirements.
Certain operational and security-related records, including infrastructure reputation information, audit logs, and de-identified or aggregated system data, may be retained by August to assist in the performance of its core functions, as well as for system integrity, analytics, legal compliance, and security purposes.
August maintains internal procedures designed to securely delete or de-identify data when retention is no longer necessary.
8. Children’s Privacy
Our Platform is not intended for individuals under 13 years old unless specifically authorized by the client and compliant with applicable research ethics standards.
9. Compliance with Privacy Regulations
August recognizes that our clients may collect data from individuals located in jurisdictions with additional privacy requirements, such as the European Union (GDPR) or the State of California (CCPA/CPRA).
August operates as a data processor or service provider on behalf of its clients. When a client’s project involves data covered by these regulations, August will:
- Process personal data only under the written instructions of the client (the data controller or business) governed by a Data Processing Agreement or other similar documentation.
- Maintain appropriate technical and organizational safeguards consistent with the principles of these frameworks.
- Support the client’s efforts to respond to lawful data-subject or consumer requests (e.g., access, deletion, correction, or export) when directed and technically feasible.
Where GDPR applies, August processes personal data based on its legitimate interests in maintaining research integrity, protecting platform security, preventing misuse of the Platform, and assisting clients in identifying potential duplicate or otherwise ineligible participation.
Clients are responsible for determining the legal basis and appropriateness of their use of the Platform within their research activities.
10. Data Subject and Consumer Requests
If an individual contacts August directly to exercise privacy rights under GDPR, CCPA, or similar laws, August will assist the client in fulfilling such requests where where legally required, contractually required, technically feasible, and operationally appropriate.
11. International Transfers
August hosts all systems and data within U.S. data centers operated by Amazon Web Services (AWS). When data originates outside the United States, it is transferred and processed in the U.S. under the direction and responsibility of the client.
12. Automated Assessments and Client Decision-Making
August’s Platform generates assessments intended to support research teams in identifying participation inconsistent with client requirements. These assessments are probabilistic in nature and are not definitive determinations of participant identity, intent, or eligibility. Final decisions regarding participant eligibility, enrollment, compensation, or study inclusion remain solely under the control of the client conducting the research project.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The “Last Updated” date above reflects the current version. Continued use of our Platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
14. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact:
August Research Services, LLC