Terms of Use

Why is the BBC collecting data about me?

This BBC experiment was designed, approved and conducted in partnership with scientists at the University of Liverpool, with the intention of creating new knowledge. These scientists will be taking the anonymous data you have provided - and that many other participants - and analysing it to answer new and exciting scientific questions.

What will happen to the data I give you?

All data you provide will be collected and stored by Joi Polloi, under contract to the BBC, in accordance with our privacy policy (please see http://www.bbc.co.uk/privacy). Anonymised data will be passed to authorised academic researchers, who will only use the data you supply in the context of scientific analysis or teaching, unless you give your permission for other specified purposes. For example, you may opt in to be contacted about future experiments of a similar nature, or to be contacted about appearing in an accompanying BBC programme. All data that we pass on to scientists, academics or educators will have any personally identifying details (for example your name and email address) removed, unless you opt in to being contacted about future experiments.

Will the BBC ever pass on my email address or phone number?

If you provide us with a name or email address, it will be used only for the purposes of contacting you about phase two of this experiment (unless you agree to being contacted about a further test or follow-up study). We will never pass on your email address to any third party without your consent.

Who will be able to access my data?

The data that you submit will be passed, in anonymous form, to scientists that designed, approved and conducted the experiment for the BBC. Other scientists may also request to see the anonymous data for research purposes. The BBC will only pass on data in this instance once it is satisfied that: (1) The data will be used to advance knowledge, and any findings will be made publicly available, for example in a peer-reviewed journal. (2) The data will be used in ways that conform to the ethical standards agreed by University of Liverpool experimental ethics committee. (3) The data will not be used for commercial purposes. Neither the BBC nor its contractors, will ever pass your data on to market research companies, or use it within the BBC for any purpose other than administering experiments.

How long will my data be stored for?

Your anonymous data will be stored indefinitely; we will hold data for as long as it is useful to science. The database will be a source of valuable scientific information. Because of this, the BBC may identify a partner (such as the UK Data Archive) to archive in perpetuity copies of its database, containing only anonymous data. It will not be possible to remove your information from existing data sets once those data sets have been anonymised.

How do I find out the results of the experiment?

The BBC and the University of Liverpool will make the results public as soon as is practical. Typically this will be several months after the experiment has been launched. This delay allows sufficient data to be gathered, and for analysis of data by scientific partners to be conducted thoroughly. The results of the experiments will also be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

How to contact us

If you would like to make a comment about this experiment or website, please email comments@secretsofhappiness.co.uk. Unfortunately, we cannot respond to every email we receive. If you are concerned about your own health, you should seek the help of a professional such as your family doctor. This website from BBC Action Line also offers links to organisations who can offer support.