privacy notice · effective August 27, 2026 · website-privacy-v1-2026-08-27

Privacy Notice

This notice covers the EQModel.org website, participant application, account, scheduling, communications, and participant operations. EQ is a participant-facing program operated by The EQ Company, a Delaware corporation. Research recordings and research uses are also governed by the separate Participant Consent and Data Authorization Form that an accepted applicant must sign before scheduling. This Privacy Notice is not that consent form and does not itself authorize recording, machine-learning training, commercial research use, or text messaging.

What EQ does not collect through the application

The public application does not collect session audio or video, an image of your government-issued ID, an ID number, passwords, financial account data, or medical records. Staff may inspect a government-issued ID at check-in to confirm that its name matches the application, but the current process does not copy or scan the ID. Do not email an ID unless EQ specifically requests it for a lawful verification need.

Sources of information

EQ receives information directly from you; from Google when you choose Google sign-in; from Twilio, carriers, WhatsApp, and email providers when communications are sent or received; from staff operating the participant program; from the disclosed recording equipment after you sign the research consent; and from service providers that operate the site, database, storage, security, and communications systems.

How EQ uses information

• authenticate users and secure the site;
• review applications and administer acceptance or rejection;
• verify contact information and manage communication choices;
• schedule, prepare, operate, and document sessions;
• preserve exact consent, disclosure, signature, and audit evidence;
• respond to questions, safety issues, and privacy requests;
• detect fraud, abuse, security incidents, and technical failures;
• comply with law and protect participants, EQ, and others; and
• use research data only within the permissions and restrictions of the signed participant form.

Who may receive information

Vendors may process information for EQ under service arrangements, including Vercel for hosting, Neon for the operational database, Google for authentication, Twilio and telecommunications providers for phone verification and messaging, Resend and email providers for email, and AWS S3 for private research files. EQ may also disclose information to professional advisers, auditors, insurers, authorities when legally required, and a successor in a financing, merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets.

Researchers, universities, companies, customers, commercial licensees, and other research or business partners may receive recordings or research data only as described in the signed participant form. The operational messaging opt-in does not authorize that research use, and the research consent does not enroll anyone in promotional texts.

Identity separation

EQ generally stores direct contact information in its identity and operations system and keys research-session files to a separate opaque participant code. The limited-access link between the code and identity is retained for administration and lawful requests. This separation reduces risk but does not make recognizable face, voice, words, movements, or context anonymous.

Your choices and privacy rights

You may decline optional messaging, reply STOP to stop messages, ask EQ to use email, and stop future contact. Where applicable law gives you a right to know, access, correct, delete, opt out of sale or sharing, limit certain uses of sensitive personal information, appeal a decision, or receive equal service, EQ will honor that right as the law requires. Rights provided by law are not waived by this notice or by signing a participant form.

Some requests may not reach information that cannot reasonably be linked to you, prior lawful transfers, completed research or products, trained models, or records EQ must or may retain. Any such limitation depends on the signed form and applicable law, not merely on EQ's preference.

How to make a request

Email team@emotionalintelligenceco.com with the subject "Privacy request." State the request and the email address or phone number used with EQ. Do not send an ID document in the initial email. EQ will request only the additional information reasonably needed to verify identity or authority and will respond as required by applicable law. An authorized agent may make a request where the law permits, subject to appropriate verification.

Browser privacy signals

Because EQ does not currently use advertising pixels or cross-site advertising trackers, changing a browser's Do Not Track setting does not change the current site experience. EQ does not currently conduct a browser-based sale or sharing activity to which a Global Privacy Control signal would apply. If that changes, EQ will implement any legally required signal handling before the new activity begins. A browser signal may not identify research data collected under a separate signed form; contact EQ if you want a request applied to your participant record.

Security and incident response

EQ uses safeguards designed for the sensitivity of the information, including encrypted transport and storage where configured, restricted role-based access, separate participant codes, authentication, private storage, and access or action logging. No security measure eliminates all risk. EQ will provide notice of a qualifying breach when applicable law requires it.

Age and location

The participant program is for adults age 18 and older. The service is operated from the United States. Providers or authorized recipients may process information in other jurisdictions, where privacy protections may differ.

Changes to this notice

EQ will post a new effective date and version when this notice changes. If a change creates a materially different use that requires additional notice or consent, EQ will provide it before that use. Changing this website notice does not silently amend an already executed participant consent form; substantive changes to that form require a new consent version.

Contact

For privacy questions, requests, or an accessible copy of this notice, email team@emotionalintelligenceco.com.