Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Axiom Research GmbH (“Axiom”, “we”, “us”) processes personal data when you visit axiomresearch.de, create or use an account, join our participant network, take part in research, contact support, or otherwise use our platform. Study-specific information may supplement this Policy where a university, company, researcher or other research sponsor determines additional purposes for a particular project.

1. Controller and contact

For the platform services described in this Policy, the controller is Axiom Research GmbH, 3rd Floor, KaDeWe — Kaufhaus des Westens, Tauentzienstraße 21–24, 10789 Berlin, Germany. General privacy enquiries and rights requests may be sent to privacy@axiomresearch.de. Participant support is available at support@axiomresearch.de.

2. Scope and roles in research projects

Axiom may act as an independent controller for account administration, platform security, participant-network operations, support, fraud prevention, payment/reward administration and our own service analytics. For some research projects, a research sponsor or principal researcher may determine the purpose and essential means of the research and may therefore act as controller, with Axiom acting as processor or service provider for defined processing activities. In other projects, roles may be shared or separately allocated. Where a project requires a different allocation, the relevant study notice, consent form or invitation will identify it.

3. Personal data we may process

• Account and identity data: name, email, account identifiers, country, language, age or date-of-birth information where needed, account status and verification records.
• Profile and eligibility data: demographic, professional, consumer-preference or other profile answers used to determine research eligibility. Sensitive categories are requested only where justified and accompanied by an appropriate legal basis and notice.
• Research participation data: screener responses, task answers, diary entries, interview scheduling information, uploaded files, images or screenshots when specifically requested, signatures or acknowledgements, timestamps, status and completion history.
• Reward and transaction data: reward amounts, payout status, payment-provider references, tax or verification information where legally required.
• Device, security and usage data: IP address, browser and device characteristics, approximate location inferred from IP, login history, device identifiers, security events, fraud signals, cookies and similar technologies.
• Communications: support tickets, research-team messages, contact forms and other correspondence.

4. Why we process personal data and legal bases

Depending on the context, we process personal data to provide requested services and administer accounts; match eligible participants to research; deliver tasks and collect submissions; review eligibility and research quality; manage rewards; provide support; protect users, researchers and the platform against fraud, abuse and security threats; meet legal, accounting and compliance obligations; improve reliability and usability; and send optional communications where permitted.

Under the GDPR, our legal bases may include performance of a contract or steps taken at your request, compliance with legal obligations, our legitimate interests or those of research partners where those interests are not overridden by your rights, and consent where consent is the appropriate basis. Where special-category data is processed, an additional condition under Article 9 GDPR is required. We do not rely on consent where the processing is genuinely necessary to provide a contracted platform function.

5. Research matching, screening and quality review

Eligibility decisions may use profile information and study criteria to determine whether a research opportunity is relevant. Quality and fraud review may consider consistency, duplicate-account indicators, device or network risk, timing, task completion patterns and evidence supplied for a study. Automated signals may assist review, but where a decision has significant effects we aim to preserve appropriate human review and a way to contact support.

6. Sharing and recipients

We may share data with the research sponsor or authorised research team for the project you joined; infrastructure, hosting, email, security, analytics, customer-support and payment providers acting under appropriate terms; professional advisers, auditors or insurers where necessary; and public authorities where disclosure is legally required. We do not sell participant conversations or research submissions to advertising brokers. Research sponsors receive only the information needed for their project and according to the applicable study notice and permissions.

7. International transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, we use an appropriate transfer mechanism where required, such as an adequacy decision, Standard Contractual Clauses, or another lawful safeguard, together with supplementary measures where appropriate. Some research sponsors or service providers may be located outside Germany or the EEA; relevant study notices may provide more specific information.

8. Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described here, including account operation, research integrity, dispute handling, fraud prevention, accounting and legal obligations. Retention periods vary by data type and project. Account information is generally retained while an account is active and for a limited period afterwards where required for legitimate operational or legal purposes. Research data may follow a sponsor-specific retention schedule. Security and fraud records may be retained longer where necessary to protect the platform against repeated abuse. We delete or anonymise data when continued identification is no longer necessary, subject to legal holds and statutory obligations.

9. Your rights

Where the GDPR applies, you may have rights to information, access, rectification, erasure, restriction, data portability and objection, as well as rights concerning certain automated decisions. Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw consent for future processing without affecting prior lawful processing. Rights are not absolute and may be limited where another lawful basis or legal obligation applies.

To exercise rights, contact privacy@axiomresearch.de. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request. If a request relates primarily to a research sponsor acting as controller, we may direct or forward the request to that sponsor as appropriate.

10. Complaints

You may complain to a competent data-protection supervisory authority. For a Berlin-based controller, the Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit is a relevant supervisory authority. You may also be entitled to contact the supervisory authority in the EU/EEA member state of your habitual residence, workplace or the place of an alleged infringement.

11. Cookies and device storage

We use essential session, authentication, security and preference technologies needed to provide the digital service you request. Optional analytics or marketing technologies, where used, are activated only on an appropriate legal basis and with consent where required. Our Cookie Notice provides additional information and available controls.

12. Security

We use organisational and technical safeguards intended to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, loss or misuse. Measures may include encrypted transport, access controls, role separation, account-security controls, secure configuration, logging, monitoring, backup procedures and incident-response processes. No online system can provide an absolute guarantee of security.

13. Children and age restrictions

The general Axiom participant platform is not intended for children. Research involving minors, if ever supported, must use a purpose-built project flow with appropriate guardian/parental permissions and research-specific safeguards. Do not create a standard participant account if you do not meet the minimum age stated during registration.

14. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy when our services, processing activities or legal obligations change. Material changes will be communicated through the platform or by another appropriate method. The effective date shown above identifies the current version.

15. Contact

Axiom Research GmbH
3rd Floor, KaDeWe — Kaufhaus des Westens
Tauentzienstraße 21–24, 10789 Berlin, Germany
privacy@axiomresearch.de · support@axiomresearch.de