Google Online Insights Study Invitation
Source: CrackBerry

Late last year Google launched a new Online Insights Study app, but it was kind of an under-the-radar thing. No fanfare, not press releases, nothing.

But now, Google is reaching out into your mailbox — the physical one. I just received today a letter from Google inviting me — me! — to join the Online Insights Study. And by "me", I mean the letter was addressed to "Ohio Resident" who lives at my address, so I suppose that is me. The letter explains how Google has partnered with research company Gallup (whose name you may recognize from opinion polling) to "develop measurement solutions that improve online advertising by putting user privacy first."

Sounds like a cool and laudable thing to do, right? Well, to accomplish that goal Google wants you to install a browser extension or Android app that will dramatically violate your privacy, and all for a measly $1.50 per week!

Google is asking those that join the study to install an app on their Android phone or an extension of a desktop version of their browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox are supported) that will track everything you do. From the study's privacy policy:

Google collects data through its meters, including, for example:

  • The content and advertising shown on your devices, and your interactions with that content and advertising, including videos you watched, and web pages you've visited.
  • Google profile, ad identifiers, and device information.

Notably there is no option for a Safari extension or app for iPhone or iPad, as Apple would vehemently deny such an app from being installed.

Google Online Insights Study Interface

Google swears up and down all over the study's materials that none of this data will be used to serve ads to you; it's only to vacuum up as much data as they can about a user's browsing habits so they can refine how ads are served. That's a lot of data that Google is asking you to give up, and they're offering a pittance for it.

And when you install the Android app, it will track everything: how long you use any app, the information you put into any non-protected field in any app, cookies, your location, data usage, battery level, storage space, and more — and send all of that information back to Google and Gallup. It's incredibly invasive.

Let me repeat that: anything you enter into any non-protected field in any app on your phone.

For signing up and installing the app or browser extension you'll receive $25 right away. And for each week you have a phone you'll receive $1.50 and a browser will net you a cool $1.00 per week. That's right, for the cost of one month's worth of your desktop browsing data, Google will give you enough money to buy a basic black coffee at Starbucks. In fact, that coffee is one of the ways you can get your money, as the points you can redeem don't come in the form of cold hard cash, but instead in your choice of gift card from the following vendors:

  • Amazon
  • Best Buy
  • CVS
  • Chipotle
  • GAP
  • Hotels.com
  • Macy's
  • Nike
  • REI
  • Sephora
  • Starbucks
  • Target
  • The Home Depot
  • Walmart

Yeah, that hits some of the big players, but if you wanted a prepaid Visa you could use to put gas in your car or spend at a local mom-and-pop shop, well too bad. Big Internet is going to take your data and you can only spend the money they give you at other big businesses.

And if you're doing the math with me here, tracking your phone and desktop browser for a year will net you $130 (not including the $25 sign-up bonus). Life expectancy in America is 77.28 years, which means that Google effectively values a lifetime of data on everything you do on your phone at $6,027.

Let's be clear here: Google is asking you to let them peer into everything you do in your browser or on your phone. Sure, you can flip on a private browsing mode and even go into the study portal to delete data that was tracked but you don't want Google to see, but that's putting even more of a burden on you to manage your own privacy when privacy should be the default setting. And that Google, a company with tremendously deep pockets, is offering a mere mite of an incentive to hoover up all of your data is downright insulting.

It's not difficult to draw a line from Google's stated aims (tracking users to better understand their behavior and use that data to inform how they build the next generation of ad targeting tools) to Apple's dramatic clamp-down on user tracking on iOS devices. The popularity of the iPhone in North America means that advertisers like Google and Facebook are reeling from the loss of valuable data that they once used to effectively target ads. iPhone users might've noticed that they're far less frequently accosted by ads that follow them around the internet from site to site after just a single visit to that store. And to make it worse, Google's own ambitions to phase-out tracking cookies from Chrome will hurt their own advertising business — what Google's ads team wants stands in stark opposition to what Google's browser team wants.

$1.50/week is not remotely near enough money to justify such an extreme invasion of my privacy.

So companies like Google that rely on advertising revenue to fund everything else they do are desperately looking for ways to make up for that. Ads that are well-targeted at potential customers are more likely to be tapped on by the customer, and ads that are tapped on pay Google much more than ads that are merely viewed. So Google hopes that this data will allow them to better put the best-performing ads in front of the right users. And to figure that out they want all of your data. All. the. data.

It's up to you to decide if it's worth it for you to join Google's little research study. If you think it's worth $52 a year for Google to see everything you do on your computer, or $78 for them to watch everything you do on your Android phone, then go for it. Heck, you can just sign up, install the extension, collect your $25 sign-up bonus, and then uninstall the extension and unenroll from the study. An easy $25 in just a few minutes. All of this requires you receive an invitation through the physical mail, though. (I already did the sign-up, redeem, quit $25 workflow using the code above, so that code above won't work no matter how you scan it).

Personally, it's not remotely near enough money to justify such an invasion of my privacy. I use my computer and phone for just about everything. Work, banking, entertainment, research, friendly communications, etc. — all of that happens digitally. The thought of Google an eye on all of it, even if for "research" makes me feel just gross. It's akin to letting Google stick a camera in my bedroom. Sure, I could throw a sock over the camera when I want privacy, but it's still there.

Privacy should be the default state, and it should be a very steep ask to give that up. Letting Google watch everything you do on your phone and computer for a measly $130 a year? No thank you.

Since you can't see them unless you enroll, I've copied the study's privacy policy and terms & conditions below, as of 2 February 2023:

Google Online Insights Study Privacy Policy:

Privacy Policy

Last modified: 12/15/22

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Google Online Insights Study ("Study"), which helps Google better understand how consumers use technology and digital media.

Summary

Google collects data through its meters, including, for example:

  • The content and advertising shown on your devices, and your interactions with that content and advertising, including videos you watched, and web pages you've visited.
  • Google profile, ad identifiers, and device information.

Your participation in the Study is voluntary. You may end your participation in the Study at any time by following the instructions provided to you during the sign-up process. You can also temporarily pause or turn off metering at any time.

Google may combine the data collected with other data collected by Google when you're using Google products and services as a Google user. For example, we may combine your data from the Study with information in your Google Account(s) (such as which ads you viewed), or with other data collected about your use of Google products and services (as described in more detail below).

Google will use the data above in connection with existing Google products and services, to provide, maintain, and improve them, and to develop new ones. For example, we may use this data to conduct analytics and measurement to understand how our services are used, as well as conduct ads-related market research. As another example, we may use this data to improve Google products, such as Search, Android, YouTube and Google Assistant.

Google may share this data with trusted partners with your consent, or with service providers, who we require to take appropriate confidentiality and security measures to protect data and also maintain their own privacy policies.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully because it explains how Google LLC ("Google") will collect, store, use, and share information obtained from the software and other Study metering technology (collectively "Meters") used in connection with the Study.

Google's partners

Google may work with its affiliates and other companies ("Study Partners") to manage and administer the Study, including the recruitment, vetting, and registration of participants, distribution of Meters, collection and processing of data, management and distribution of participant incentives and awards, and communication with participants about Study administration and compliance with policies and procedures.

Devices & metering technology

As part of your participation in the Study, Google and its Study Partners may ask you to install Meters. These Meters help Google learn about your interaction with technology and digital media on various devices. This includes your desktop and laptop computers, mobile phones, tablets and other devices you may use to consume and interact with digital content throughout the day.

"Digital media" and "digital content" are defined broadly to include your interactions with Internet browsers and websites, mobile and tablet applications and software, the devices you use to access digital media and digital content, TV content, and any other electronic delivery systems of digital content.

Information we collect

This section describes the Meter Data and Survey Data (collectively referred to as "Study Data") that Google and its Study Partners may collect.

Meter Data

For devices you've agreed to be metered, we may collect the following types of information ("Meter Data"):

  • Use of your devices. When a device is metered, it potentially will collect and record interactions with that device. For example, when your mobile phone is metered, it potentially will record information about your interactions with websites you've visited and ads that you have seen. You'll find more examples and information about how to temporarily pause metering.
  • Content and advertising. The content and advertising shown on or broadcast from your devices, and your interactions with that content and advertising, including:
    • Internet activity. Your Internet browsing activities and interactions with content on the web, including:
      • Every web page you've visited and all of your interactions with those web pages, including all the URL data for both HTTP and HTTPS websites, the destination IP addresses which indicate the websites you've visited, and the length of time you spent visiting websites.
      • Data about the Internet browser you're using such as for example, Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Firefox, and your browser settings.
  • Apps & operating systems. Your use of applications and widgets (collectively "apps"), software, and operating systems, including the apps you download and use on your devices, and your interactions with those apps, including opening, closing, or uninstalling, and the duration of your use.
  • Information you provide. Information you provide or otherwise input when visiting websites or using apps. This includes search terms you provide to a website or app, which potentially includes personal information, such as name or address. Meters will not collect any data entered into a protected field, such as a password field. If you don't want information you provide to be collected, please use a non-metered device (or pause metering temporarily, as described below) when entering personal information on a website or app.
  • Cookies. Cookies, unique numbers, or other identifiers from your browser, applications, or device, as well as other identifiers associated with your personal information or Google Account(s). For the avoidance of doubt, we do not collect your passwords.
  • Device Information. Information collected whenever your device is powered on, including:
    • Device identification. Data that identifies the devices you're using, including manufacturer, operating systems, version numbers, hardware models, mobile network information (including phone number), and unique device identifiers from the device's manufacturer.
    • Location Information. Your location, based on GPS signals sent by your device or by other technologies used to determine location, such as sensor data from your device that may provide information on nearby Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.
    • System status & data usage. Information about system status and data usage associated with your device, including:
      • System status, including device event information such as crashes and system activity
      • Data indicating the mode your device is in (for example, on, off, standby, "Airplane")
      • How frequently your device is in use
      • Battery status and charger use
      • Amount of free and used local storage space
      • Diagnostic & device data. Data related to the operation and quality of the Meters and accompanying technology, including session times, duration, number of traffic requests (including number of traffic requests to services related to smart devices, YouTube, and other streaming services), number of websites visited, and information about device make, model, and capabilities, and browser and operating system types ("Diagnostic Data"). Diagnostic Data may be used for Study operations, maintenance, improvement, quality assurance, and participant verification purposes. Diagnostic Data may be collected even when you have paused or signed out of the meter, or when a non-participant is using the device.

Your use of Google products

Google collects information from you when you use Google products and services, as set forth in the Google Terms of Service and Google Privacy Policy or other applicable terms of service. When metering is enabled, we may collect this information for all Google accounts being used on the device, including Google accounts you may not have identified to us through surveys or other Study sign-up processes. Therefore, the information about your use of Google products may include information from the use of any Google accounts on your device.

Survey Data

Google may collect additional information about you as part of your participation in this Study ("Survey Data"):

  • Your full name, home address, household location, phone numbers, email addresses, unique Participant ID, and other identifiable information
  • Information from your Google Account(s), including your full name, Gmail address(es), YouTube username(s) and any cookies or persistent identifiers associated with your Google Account(s)
  • Information necessary to verify and authenticate your participation in the Study, including your Google Account information and email addresses associated with your Google Account(s)
  • Demographic information about you and other members of your household, including age, gender, race, ethnicity, languages spoken, education, marital status, personal income, household income, the number of children you have, and the total number of adults and children in your household
  • Other survey questions that Google or its Study Partners may ask you to answer, including questions about your habits and preferences

Minors

Google may collect Study Data from all Study participants ages 18 and over. As set forth in the Terms and Conditions, individuals under the age of 18 are prohibited from participating in the Study and using Meters, unless the participant pauses the meter temporarily. You must ensure that individuals under the age of 18 do not use metered devices (or pause meters temporarily on those devices).

Pause Meters temporarily

Metering technology provides Study participants with the ability to temporarily pause metering or otherwise limit the collection of participant activity from this meter. As noted above, Google may collect Diagnostic Data from Meters while they are paused. To learn more about pausing meters, including tips and best practices, please consult the information provided to you about your Meters.

Guests & other non-participants

Only Study participants may use Meters. Participants must notify guests or other non-participants of the presence of Meters and pause metering before allowing non-participants to use a metered device. Failure to pause metering may result in the collection of Study Data from non-participants.

Third-Party Data

Google also may obtain information from third parties (other than Study Partners) ("Third-Party Data"). Third-Party Data includes personal information about you, aggregated and/or anonymized data (including cookie data), and other consumer-related information from academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities studying consumer behavior and audience measurement.

Additional information

Google and its Study Partners may provide you with further information about the operation of the Meters and the information they collect at the time of installation.

How we use the information we collect

Google will use Study Data and Third-Party Data in connection with your information from existing Google products and services, to provide, maintain, and improve them, and to develop new ones.

Study Data may be:

  • Combined with a Participant ID that is unique to you.
  • Combined with data collected by Google when you're using Google products and services ("Google Data"), even when you're on a device that is not enrolled in the Study and even when you're not logged in to your Google Account. For example, we may combine Study Data or Third-Party Data with information in your Google Account(s), such as your YouTube watch history and ad views. This may include information from Google Accounts that are not associated with your Study account but are consistently used on your devices (that are enrolled in the Study), and that we have therefore determined are being used by you ("Consistently Used Accounts"). We will prompt you before associating data from these Consistently Used Accounts with your unique Participant ID. Google may also combine Study Data, Third-Party Data, or Google Account data (including personal information) with data from websites and apps that partner with Google.
  • Combined with information (including personal information) collected from our Study Partners and other third parties, including academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities.

Overall, your participation in this Study changes the way Google will use information it collects from you, including the combination of data from websites and apps that partner with Google with your personal information.

By combining information collected from you as a Study participant with information collected from you as a typical Google user, some information that was originally anonymous, pseudonymous, or otherwise not personally identifiable to you may become personally identifiable and therefore can be used to identify you. For example, your Internet browsing history obtained from a Meter — which may be associated with a pseudonymous cookie — could be combined with personal information associated with your unique Participant ID or Google Account(s).

Similarly, by combining Study Data or Third-Party Data with non-personally-identifiable information collected from third parties (such as pseudonymous cookies), such pseudonymous information may become personally identifiable and used to identify you. (For example, this type of combined data could be used to help measure the effectiveness of digital advertising among consumers.)

Any information collected as Study Data or Third-Party Data may be associated with other Study Data, Third-Party Data, Google Data, or data obtained from third parties in any combination. We also may combine information about your actual location (such as from a mobile device) with personal information associated with your unique Participant ID or Google Account(s). (For example, this combined data could be used to help measure brand awareness among consumers and how consumers view and interact with ads and other digital content.)

Google processes information (including personal information) on our servers in many countries around the world, including countries that do not have specific data protection laws or that might afford you fewer legal rights with respect to your information. Although Google may process your information on a server located outside the country in which you live, we do so in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

How we share the information we collect

As discussed above, Google may use Study Partners to help with Study management and administration. Study Partners are trusted businesses who we require to take appropriate confidentiality and security measures to protect data and also maintain their own privacy policies. Google may, with your consent, share Study Data, Third-Party Data, Google Data (including personal information), or any combination of Study Data, Third-Party Data, and Google Data, with its Study Partners or other third parties, such as academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities studying consumer behavior and audience measurement.

Google also may partner with service providers that are required to follow the same confidentiality, security, and privacy protocols as our Study Partners. Google may share Study Data, Third-Party Data, and Google Data (including personal information), or any combination of such data, with these service providers as well.

Google will only share your personal information with third parties who are neither Study Partners nor service providers with your consent.

Google also may share non-personally identifiable, aggregated and/or anonymized information with third parties other than its Study Partners and service providers, such as academic institutions, advertisers, publishers, data brokers, programming networks, and other entities studying consumer behavior and audience measurement. Google also may publish non-personally identifiable, anonymized and/or aggregated information, either through its own publications or through third-party publishers.

Information security

Google takes reasonable steps to protect against unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure, or destruction of data that Google stores on its systems. These include internal reviews of Google data collection, storage and processing practices, and security measures, including appropriate encryption and physical security measures to guard against unauthorized access to systems where Google stores personal data.

Google restricts access to personal information to Google employees, contractors, and agents who need to know that information in order to process it on Google's behalf. These individuals are bound by confidentiality obligations and may be subject to discipline, including termination and criminal prosecution, if they fail to meet these obligations.

These security measures apply only to Google's storage of data on its own systems. They do not apply to data on other systems that are not owned or controlled by Google.

U.S. state privacy law requirements

Some U.S. state data protection laws, like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), require specific disclosures for state residents.

We explain the categories of information collected and the sources of that information in the Information We Collect section above. We explain how Google uses information in the How We Use the Information We Collect section above. We explain when we may disclose information in the How We Share the Information We Collect section above. Google does not sell your personal information. Google also does not "share" your personal information as that term is defined in the CCPA. Google processes your information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, which include "business purposes" under the CCPA. These purposes are enumerated in this Privacy Policy. We explain how Google retains information in the Your Requests to Delete Data section below. You can also learn more about how Google anonymizes data. As described there, when Google anonymizes data to protect your privacy, we maintain policies and technical measures to avoid re-identifying that information.

State laws like the CCPA and VCDPA provide residents with the right to request information about how Google collects, uses, and discloses their information. And they also provide residents with the right to access and correct their information and request that Google delete their information. The VCDPA also provides the right to opt out of certain forms of profiling and targeted advertising. Lastly, the CCPA and VCDPA provide the right to not be discriminated against for exercising these privacy rights.

If you have additional questions or requests related to your rights under the CCPA and VCDPA, please contact us here. And if you disagree with the decision on your request, you can ask Google to reconsider it by responding to the team's email.

Your requests to delete data

When your participation in the Study ends, Google may continue to store, use, and share the information previously obtained from you in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You may submit a written request for Google to delete the personal information collected by Google and/or a Study Partner during your participation in the Study here. Google will make reasonable efforts to comply with such requests, but may aggregate, anonymize, or otherwise de-identify any personal information instead of deleting it and may retain certain personal information for accounting, quality assurance, fraud detection and debugging purposes. When Google anonymizes data to protect your privacy, we maintain policies and technical measures to avoid re-identifying that information.

When & how this Privacy Policy applies to you

Once you have accepted the Google Online Insights Study Terms and Conditions, and during your participation in the Study, this Privacy Policy governs how Google will collect, store, use, and share Study Data and Third-Party Data. You also may be asked to agree to additional privacy-related terms as part of your participation in the Study.

Before you join the Study, from the sign-up process, before you accept the Google Online Insights Study Terms and Conditions, this Privacy Policy does not apply. Instead, please refer to the Google Privacy Policy, which governs how Google collects, stores, uses, and shares data of non-participants.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Google may update this Privacy Policy from time to time in accordance with the Google Online Insights Study Terms and Conditions. In the case of any inconsistency or discrepancy between the English version of this Privacy Policy and any translations into any other language, as the case may be, the English version shall prevail.

Google Online Insights Study Terms and Conditions:

Terms & Conditions

Last modified: July 20, 2022

These Google Online Insights Study Terms & Conditions ("Terms") are entered into by Google LLC ("Google") and the individual that electronically accepts these terms ("you" or "Participant"). You agree that your participation in the Google Online Insights Study ("Study") as offered to you by Google will be governed by these Terms. Please read these Terms carefully.

These Google Online Insights Study Terms & Conditions ("Terms") are entered into by Google LLC ("Google") and the individual that electronically accepts these terms ("you" or "Participant"). You agree that your participation in the Google Online Insights Study ("Study") as offered to you by Google will be governed by these Terms. Please read these Terms carefully.

1. Accepting the terms

1.1. Before you can accept these Terms, you will be asked to carefully read the Google Online Insights Study Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") and understand how the Privacy Policy governs Google's ability to collect, store, use, and share the information obtained during your participation in the Study.

1.2. In order to participate in the Study, you must first agree to both these Terms and the Privacy Policy. You may not participate in the Study if you do not accept the Terms and the Privacy Policy. By clicking to accept the Terms below, you agree to the terms of the Privacy Policy as well.

1.3. You may not accept the Terms if (a) you are not of legal age to form a binding contract with Google, or (b) you are a person barred from participating in the Study under the laws of the United States. Study participation is limited to residents of the United States.

1.4. You and each member of your household that participates in the Study must be 18 years of age or older, separately agree to these Terms and the Privacy Policy and have his or her own Study account. If any members of your household are not of legal age to form a binding contract with Google, you agree to supervise their use of the software and other panel metering technology (collectively "Meters") used in connection with the Study.

1.5. You agree to accurately represent the ages of members of your household to Google or its partners (hereafter "Study Partners," defined as affiliates and other companies that manage and administer the Study as set forth in the Privacy Policy).

1.6. You may not open more than one Study account.

1.7. These Terms and the Privacy Policy are subject to change from time to time. We will notify you of any changes to these Terms and the Privacy Policy in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 2.2 below.

1.8. Google may ask you to affirmatively acknowledge your acceptance of changes to the Terms and/or Privacy Policy. Repeated notice of such changes, in combination with your continued participation in the Study, may be considered the equivalent of your affirmative acceptance of such changes.

2. Your participation in the study

2.1. You may be required to provide information about yourself, such as identification or contact details. You agree that any information you provide will be accurate, correct, and up to date. The collection, storage, use, and sharing of your personal information will be governed by the Privacy Policy.

2.2. You agree that Google may provide you with notices by email, regular mail, or postings on or through Meters.

2.3. Google or its Study Partners may send you communications related to your participation in the Study, including participation opportunities, questionnaires, and surveys.

2.4. Google or its Study Partners may provide rewards to you for your participation in the Study. Such a reward is subject to change from time to time without prior notice to you. Rewards have no cash or other value unless and until they are redeemed. Google and its Study Partners reserve the right to withhold rewards for good cause. Rewards are subject to expiration dates and other terms available as described by Google or its Study Partners.

2.5. Employees of Google or its Study Partners are prohibited from participating in the Study. You acknowledge that you are not a Google employee (or an employee of a Study Partner) and you agree that nothing in these Terms creates an employee relationship with either Google or its Study Partners, nor are the Terms intended to do so. You agree to participate in the Study in your personal capacity and not on behalf of any employer, organization, or third party. You will only use your personal contact information and devices.

2.6. The Study and Meters may contain information that is designated confidential by Google or its Study Partners and you will not disclose that information without prior written consent.

3. Your use of Metering technology

3.1. Google and its Partners will provide you with applications to observe and record your activity on mobile phones, tablets, desktop and laptop devices ("Applications and Devices"). Your use of these Meters is subject to these Terms and to any applicable terms between you and Google's Study Partners.

3.2. You will use the Meters in accordance with applicable law.

3.3. You agree to follow all instructions provided by Google or its Study Partners for the installation, maintenance, and use of Meters.

3.4. You will not engage in any activity that interferes with or disrupts the Study or Meters (or the servers and networks that are connected to the Study or Meters).

3.5. Unless you have been specifically permitted to do so in a separate agreement with Google or its Study Partners, you will not reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade, or resell any Study materials or Meters.

3.6. The Meters that you use may automatically download and/or install updates from time to time. Upon request, you agree to consent to all such updates as soon as practicable.

3.7. Only Participants may use Meters. Participants must notify guests or other non-Participants of the presence of Meters and pause metering before allowing a non-Participant to use a metered device.

3.8. Individuals under the age of 18 are not permitted to use metered devices (unless the device is in a non-metering, paused state). You will prevent individuals under the age of 18 from using metered devices or ensure they are using such devices in a non-metered state.

3.9 If you will be leaving the United States during your participation in the Study, you agree to follow the instructions provided by Google to pause metering while outside of the United States.

4. Your passwords and account security

4.1. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of passwords associated with any account you use to participate in the Study. You agree not to share your Study, Meter, or Google login credentials with others. You agree not to allow unauthorized persons to use metered devices (unless the meter is paused).

4.2. If you become aware of any unauthorized use of your password or of your account, you agree to notify Google immediately by contacting Google here.

5. Content accessed or uploaded in connection with the study

5.1. Google is not responsible for (a) any content you may access from websites or applications that are not owned or operated by Google, or otherwise provided by companies or persons other than Google; or (b) content that you submit, post, or display on or through the Meters ("Your Content").

5.2. You are responsible for Your Content, including by complying with applicable content policies, community guidelines, and/or terms and conditions required by the site upon which you are submitting, posting, or displaying the content. You hereby license Your Content to Google and its Study Partners for the limited purpose of performing the required technical steps to provide the Meters to ParticipantsParticipant and to operate the Study. Other than this limited license, Google and its Study Partners obtain no right, title or interest from you (or your licensors) to Your Content, and you are responsible for protecting and enforcing those rights (Google has no obligation to do so on your behalf).

6. Proprietary rights

6.1. Google (or Google's licensors) own all legal rights, title, and interest in and to the Study, including any intellectual property rights in the Study (whether those rights happen to be registered or not, and wherever in the world those rights may exist).

6.2. You will not remove, obscure, or alter any proprietary rights notices (including copyright and trademark notices) that may be affixed to or contained within the Meters or other Study materials.

6.3. Unless you have been expressly authorized to do so in writing by Google or its Study Partners, you will not use any trademark, service mark, trade name, or logo of any company or organization in a way that is likely or intended to cause confusion about the owner or authorized user of such marks, names, or logos.

7. License from Google

7.1. Subject to these Terms, Google gives you a limited, personal, revocable, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable, non-sublicensable, and non-exclusive license (to the extent of its rights) to use the Meters for the sole purpose of enabling you to participate in the Study.

7.2. You may not (and you may not permit anyone else to) copy, modify, create a derivative work of, reverse engineer, decompile, or otherwise attempt to extract the source code of the Meters or any part thereof, unless this is expressly permitted or required by law, or unless you have been specifically told that you may do so by Google in writing.

8. Ending your participation in the study

8.1. These Terms are in force until terminated by either you or Google as set forth below.

8.2. If you want to terminate your participation in the Study, you may do so at any time by (a) notifying Google in writing, and (b) if applicable, closing all accounts used exclusively in connection with your participation in the Study; or (c) as otherwise specified by Google. Applicable contact information can be found here.

8.3. Google may terminate your participation in the Study, and the Terms that govern your participation, for any reason and at any time, with notice as set forth in Section 2.2 above.

8.4. Upon termination or expiration of these Terms, you will uninstall all software you received from Google or its Study Partners in connection with the Study.

8.5. Upon termination, you will have thirty (30) days to redeem any rewards. After thirty (30) days, your rewards will be automatically redeemed for a gift card selected by Google. If your participation in the Study was terminated for cause (e.g., because you violated these Terms), you forfeit your right to redeem any rewards previously accrued.

8.6. Sections 1, 2.2, 2.6, 3.2-3.5, 6.2, 6.3, 7.2, 8-10, and 12 will survive any termination of these Terms.

9. EXCLUSION OF WARRANTIES

9.1. OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY SET OUT IN THESE TERMS, NEITHER GOOGLE NOR ITS SUPPLIERS, DISTRIBUTORS, OR STUDY PARTNERS, MAKES ANY SPECIFIC PROMISES ABOUT THE STUDY. FOR EXAMPLE, WE DON'T MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF THE METERS, OR THEIR RELIABILITY OR AVAILABILITY. WE PROVIDE THE STUDY AND RELATED MATERIALS "AS IS."

9.2. SOME JURISDICTIONS PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN WARRANTIES, LIKE THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE EXCLUDE ALL WARRANTIES.

9.3. YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE STUDY IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK AND THAT THE STUDY AND METERS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE."

10. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

10.1. WHEN PERMITTED BY LAW, GOOGLE, AND GOOGLE'S SUPPLIERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND STUDY PARTNERS, WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST PROFITS, REVENUES, OR DATA, FINANCIAL LOSSES OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

10.2. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF GOOGLE, AND ITS SUPPLIERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND STUDY PARTNERS, FOR ANY CLAIMS UNDER THESE TERMS, INCLUDING FOR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT OF REWARDS PAID OR PAYABLE BY GOOGLE TO YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE STUDY.

10.3. IN ALL CASES, GOOGLE, AND ITS SUPPLIERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND STUDY PARTNERS, WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT IS NOT REASONABLY FORESEEABLE.

11. Express consent to certain settings & the combination of non-personally- identifiable information & personal information

11.1. During your participation in the Study, you may be asked to update your browser, advertising or other settings. Failure to update your settings upon request may be grounds for termination pursuant to Section 8 above. As described in Section 8, you may end your participation in the Study at any time, and/or exercise your privacy rights as described in the Study privacy policy.

11.2. Both during and after your participation in the Study, you agree that Google may combine non-personally-identifiable information with your personal data, including the combination of data from apps and sites that partner with Google.

12. General legal terms

12.1. Sometimes when you participate in the Study you may (as a result of, or through your participation in the Study) use a service or product, or download a piece of software, that is provided by another person or company. Your use of these other services, products and software may be subject to separate terms between you and the company or person concerned. If so, these Terms do not affect your legal relationship with these other companies or individuals.

12.2. You agree that you are solely responsible for (and that Google and its suppliers, distributors and Study Partners have no responsibility to you or to any third party for) any breach of your obligations under these Terms and for the consequences (including any loss or damage which Google may suffer) of any such breach.

12.3. These Terms constitute the whole legal agreement between you and Google and govern your participation in the Study (but excluding any services that Google may provide to you under a separate written agreement), and completely replace any prior agreements between you and Google in relation to the Study. In the case of any inconsistency or discrepancy between the English version of these Terms and their translation into any other language, as the case may be, the English version shall prevail.

12.4. Neither party will be treated as having waived any rights by not exercising (or delaying the exercise of) any rights under these Terms.

12.5. If any term (or part of a term) of these Terms is invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the rest of the Terms will remain in effect.

12.6. Each member of the group of companies of which Google is the parent will be third-party beneficiaries to these Terms and those other companies will be entitled to directly enforce, and rely upon, any provision of these Terms that confers a benefit on (or rights in favor of) them. Other than this, no other person or company will be third-party beneficiaries to the Terms unless otherwise agreed in writing.

12.7. These Terms do not confer any benefits on any third party unless they expressly state that they do.

12.8. ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE STUDY WILL BE GOVERNED BY CALIFORNIA LAW, EXCLUDING CALIFORNIA'S CONFLICT OF LAWS RULES, AND WILL BE LITIGATED EXCLUSIVELY IN THE FEDERAL OR STATE COURTS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, USA. THE PARTIES CONSENT TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION IN THOSE COURTS.