Mediareach Privacy Policy – Survey Platform Use

 

It should be noted that Mediareach is commissioned by research companies to execute automated phone surveys. Aside from providing advice on what works in our system, the construction of research is a matter for the commissioning research company. Research surveys that are put on the Mediareach survey facility must meet the requirements all relevant laws

 

 

Mediareach takes the matter of privacy for its participants very seriously and it does so in the handling of data and records in entering them onto our system and in reporting.

 

Participants who do not wish to participate in or surveys will simply hang-up the phone, and as far as possible, in doing so will not be redialled or harassed in any way to further attempt to get them to participate. Redialling facilities on the Mediareach platform are strictly for non-connecting numbers. Mediareach generally will only redial a non-connecting number once or twice during the period of that survey, if at all.

 

Unless by prior arrangement with the participant, telephone calls from the Mediareach Survey facility will not be made before 9am after 8.30pm, on any day. Mediareach does not conduct surveys on public holidays. There may be some very limited exceptions to this, and these would be normally be related to Political surveys and election relation polling. As a rule Mediareach will not put to field a survey on its survey facility after 5pm on weekends. A further exception to these general rules is where there is a reasonable belief that restricting telephone calls to these times may materially affect the information obtained.

 

The Mediareach survey facility has limited ability to collect identifying information and what information is collected is only done so where it is necessary for the commissioning research organisation’s function or activity. Mediareach will not allow surveys onto its survey platform that have identified information when de-identified information would be adequate for the relevant function or activity. All identified information that is not necessary for one of its functions or activities will be destroyed by Mediareach prior to reporting call logs to our commissioner, as far as practicable.

 

Any survey put to field using the Mediareach survey facility will collect information only by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive way. Collection of information will not involve tricks, deception or undue pressure.

 

Further, all interviews conducted using the Mediareach survey facility will be as short as possible, given the requirements of the study in question.

 

Research information that is attained through the Mediareach survey facility will only be used for research purposes and as set out under the Privacy Act.

 

Mediareach will reveal to participants, no later than the end of the collection of information, that its survey facilities are being utilised for the collection of information. Our company policy is to wherever possible notify the participant at the beginning of the survey that we are being used to collect the data. Where necessary and in accordance with the governing disclosure laws Mediareach will also identify the research company that has commissioned use of our facility.

 

Mediareach utilises publicly available phone lists to undertake its survey work. Due to the nature of our calls we will provide our website details to participants at the end of the survey so as to enable them to obtain more information as to the processes and procedures that we use. Mediareach will not put to field on its survey facility any survey that is repetitious in its questioning. Mediareach takes all possible steps to ensure that the surveys conducting on its system can be completed, save extraordinary circumstances, within 5 minutes.

 

Due to the nature of the Mediareach facility, we do not as a rule offer incentives for completing our surveys.

The automated system that Mediareach offers its clients has a clear ability to refuse participation, and in our questioning we ask if they are eligible and willing to participate.

 

Mediareach will only put to field genuine research projects through its survey tools. ‘Push’ surveys will not be used on the Mediareach survey platform.

 

When list data is supplied to Mediareach, as far as possible it is de-indentified prior to loading into the field systems. While call logs are supplied to clients when utilising other Mediareach platforms, in respect to the survey tools phone numbers are detached from result sheets prior to providing the summary reports to our clients.

 

Mediareach will return to phone list supply companies, wherever possible, any failed numbers and in doing so will identify the reasoning for failure of the number.

 

Mediareach strictly adheres to the ACMA call time limitations for all its product offerings. Mediareach strictly adheres to the Privacy Act, without exception.

 

As far as technologically possible, Mediareach will display its ANI on calls.

 

All survey call log report data is removed from the Mediareach web interface at the conclusion of the task for client. While it is held on our servers it is done so in secure areas. All client and any participation information or reports or information is held in secure areas on our business servers.

 

If a participant wishes to lodge their number on the Do Not Call Register, they can press the * key during the first question and this will take them to a direct question confirming their intent to lodge their number before ending the survey call.

As Mediareach has a number of facilities on its telephony platform, some research and some not, wherever possible Mediareach will identify the research company that has commissioned the research on Mediareach’s survey facility.

 

Any matters relating to the efficacy of the transfer of information to clients, is a matter for the commissioning research company and with that a strict requirement that the client is familiar with and has agreed to abide by the AMSRS Code of Professional Behaviour and Guidelines, in particular the requirement that the information only be used for research purposes, before any information is transferred in reports from the Mediareach system. However it should be noted that Mediareach has a standing policy to disconnect phone numbers from response details in call logs prior to releasing them to the commissioning research company.

 

The Mediareach website has on it the contact details for Mediareach and each research project will have the name of the research company that has commissioned the work. Only information that is for research purposes will be collected by Mediareach survey facilities. Mediareach abide by the Market and Social Research Privacy Principles and ensures that any commissioning research company does the same.

 

Mediareach will strip out of call logs during the immediate initial processing of this information any identifying information that is to be removed that is obtained in our survey facility. This information is deleted. Our survey facility usually seeks and holds in the call log reports information such as gender, age, income and postcode, town or CCD data.

 

The Mediareach system operates on a secure server.

 

Special care is taken by Mediareach for surveys utilising its survey facility with children and young people involving sensitive information as defined by the Privacy Act, as well as any other subjects or circumstances that might reasonably be judged to be sensitive.

 

As a rule and because of the automated nature of our system, sensitive or upsetting topics are avoided.

 

Mediareach will not allow research surveys on its survey facility that are to be carried out on behalf of manufacturers or providers of products or services, nor for promoters or lobbyists for products or services, which are illegal for the age group involved in the research. No Mediareach facility will be used to encourage, or appear to encourage, illegal behaviour such as under age drinking or gambling.

 

Mediareach will not pass on any contact information that is supplied to it through its telephony system, website or other means. The exception to this is if it is being collected for a specific and defined purpose for the commissioning research company. This circumstance normally applies to reporting findings to participants.

 

Any payments collected by Mediareach through its website will be done so by secure means.

For further information please Click here to email us.

Click here to visit the Australian Government's Do Not Call register.