Privacy Policy

The team at Boston Children's Hospital takes your privacy very seriously and we're conscious about how we handle your data. In this privacy policy we'll explain what data the StrabisPIX app (the "App") collects, how it is transported over the internet and how it can or cannot be linked to individual users.

By using the App you acknowledge that you accept the practices and policies outlined in this privacy policy. You also consent that we collect, use, and share your information as described in this privacy policy.

What does this Privacy Policy cover?

This Privacy Policy covers our treatment of personally identifiable information ("Personal Information") that we gather when you are registering for, accessing, or using the App. This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of companies or institutions that we do not own or control, or to individuals that we do not employ or manage.

Your use of the App will allow you to provide us with Personal Information, including but not limited to information about your age, phone number, email address, name, overall health, family history, medications you are taking, and other information you choose to disclose while using the application. The App collects your Personal Information for the purpose of simplifying submission of images to your provider in a secure way. Children under 18 years of age are not allowed to register for or use the App, they will need parental consent. We do not knowingly allow anyone under 18 to register for the App on their own. If you are under 18, you must have your parents/guardians register you for the App, and you must not send any information about yourself to us, including but not limited to your name, address, telephone number, or email address. In the event that we learn that we have collected Personal Information from a person under age 18 without parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a person under the age of 18 who is using the app without parental consent, please contact us at: StrabisPIX@childrens.harvard.edu

What information does the App collect?

The App will obtain information from you in two ways. The first is information that you manually enter into the app. When using the App to capture images requested by your provider, images will be encrypted and transmitted as well.

Information you manually enter into the App

We receive and store information you manually enter into the App and when first registering for the App. We also collect Personal Information that directly identifies you, such as your name and date of birth. Only your first name is shown inside the app. When you first register for the App, a random number ("Access Code") is created which will be used by us to know that the different information sent to us belongs to the same person.

In addition to the Personal Information that you manually enter, the App also collects images captured during your use of the App. These images will clearly identify your face and potential medical conditions visible within the image. You will be able to review these images before sending them from your device.

In addition to directly identifiable Personal Information, we ask you to enter information including gender, month and year of birth, etc. Information collected when you answer questionnaires or submit questions for your provider may contain information about your medications, medical history, lifestyle choices, illnesses, and associated symptoms. In the future we may collect additional health-related information as the App presented to you are further developed. If you choose not to share your information with us, then do not register for or access the App.

Information collected automatically

In addition to images and information you manually enter into the App, the App may also automatically receive technical information relating to your usage of the App such as your operating system, device, features used, content viewed and downloaded, the dates and times of your interactions with the App and other information. We may use this information to understand, customize and improve user experience with the App. For example, we may engage analytics services to analyze this information in order to help us understand how users engage with and navigate the App, how and when features within the App are used and by how many users. This information can be linked to you and the data you provide as part of the research study.

Push Notifications

"Push notifications" are messages that are sent to your smartphone to remind you or prompt actions initiated by the App. The App may send you push notifications now and in the future. You can choose to disable notifications in settings.

Is Personal Information about me secure?

All information collected through the App is encrypted on your device. This makes it virtually impossible for anyone except Boston Children's Hospital to read your information. Additionally, you will set an access pin for the App upon first logging in. During your use of the App, images will be temporarily encrypted on your device and deleted after submission of the images or after a period of inactivity. Upon submission, the encrypted data is sent to a secure database hosted at Boston Children's Hospital.

Data and images sent from the App will contain your unique access code so that submissions can be linked to your Personal Information when entering the secure database at Boston Children's Hospital.

Access to the App on your smartphone is protected by the passcode you selected after you downloaded the app. This passcode needs to be entered every time you access the App the first time after a few minutes. You should take steps to prevent unauthorized access to your account and personal information by selecting and protecting your passcode appropriately and limiting access to your smartphone.

We endeavor to protect the privacy of the Personal Information we hold in our records, but we cannot guarantee complete security. Unauthorized entry or use, hardware or software failure, and other factors, may compromise the security of your Personal Information at any time.

All information collected by the App will be processed in the United States. Only Boston Children's Hospital and contractors engaged by Boston Children's Hospital will be able to compile data you generate or provide through or with the App. You should only transmit data from the App if you are in the United States at the time you transmit such data. You should be aware that the laws in the United States may not protect your privacy to the same extent as the laws in the country from which you have transmitted data to the App.

Will Boston Children's Hospital share any of the information it receives?

Your personal information and data generated by the App are yours. We will only release your data or health information if authorized by you or when compelled by a legal order to release your information.

The information collected by the App will not be shared with or sold for advertising purposes.

What Personal Information can I access?

To protect your personal information, only your first name and email address are stored locally on your smartphone. If you would like to make changes to your personal information please contact your provider or us at: StrabisPIX@childrens.harvard.edu.

When you update or delete information in the App, information already sent to us during previous data collections will persist and cannot be changed or updated. The information you can view and update may change as the App undergoes further development.

If you have any questions about viewing or updating information we have on file about you, please contact us at: StrabisPIX@childrens.harvard.edu.

What choices do I have?

You may choose not to install the App. If you choose not to install the App, you will be unable to utilize this telehealth tool.

You may stop all collection of information by the App at any time by uninstalling the App. If you uninstall the App, we will retain all of information about you that was collected prior to that point and continue to use such information as described in this Privacy Policy.

What limitations are there on my use of the App?

When you download the App, you receive a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-assignable license (without the right to sublicense) to install and use one copy of the App solely for your personal, non-commercial use in connection with your care at Boston Children's Hospital. You must own or control the device on which you download the App. By downloading and using the App, you agree that you will not do anything to interfere with or disrupt the operation of the App, will provide only accurate and current information through the App, and will not impersonate anyone else in your use of the App. You further agree not to transmit content that you do not have the right to transmit or that infringes the rights of any party, and you agree to use the App in compliance with all applicable laws. You understand that the App or portions of it may be subject to patent, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property protection and that the ownership of software and other intellectual property related to the App, as well the goodwill associated therewith, remains with Boston Children's Hospital or its licensors. You agree that any improvements or other changes to the App or the Study itself are the sole property of Boston Children's Hospital.

Effective Date and Changes to the Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 1, 2016. We may amend this Privacy Policy from time to time. New versions of this Privacy Policy are effective upon notification to you via email that changes to the Privacy Policy have been made. Use of information we collect now is subject to the version of the Privacy Policy in effect at the time such information is used.

Questions or concerns?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the topics addressed in this privacy policy, please send a message to: StrabisPIX@childrens.harvard.edu.

This Privacy Policy forms part of our End User License Agreement and as such shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Massachusetts as further provided in the End User License Agreement.