WebWriter Privacy Policy
WebWriter is a research project by the Learning Technologies Research Group at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. This privacy policy will explain how our organization uses the personal data we collect from you when you use services related to the research project.
The project
WebWriter is used across several research projects at the Learning Technologies Research Group. It was originally developed for the project “North-Rhine Westphalian Experts in Research on Digitalization (NERD II)”, sponsored by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia - NERD II (005-2201-0014). WebWriter is a system to author digital learning resources, so-called explorables.
What data do we collect?
Our research group collects the following data:
- Personal identification information (User name, email address)
- Telemetry data (interactions with the WebWriter app such as clicks and text inputs)
- Telemetry metadata (IP address, IP-based location, timestamps, system & device information, referrer)
How do we collect your data?
Personal identification information is only collected when signing up for a WebWriter Cloud account.
Telemetry data and metadata is collect if and only if you opt in to telemetry through the WebWriter settings page. Telemetry is disabled by default and a consent popup referencing this privacy policy is shown so you can confirm or cancel your choice.
How will we use your data?
Our research group collects your data so that we can:
- Improve WebWriter by analyzing telemetry data. This includes product analytics, web analytics, and session replays.
- Publish anonymous, aggregated data in research papers and similar publications.
If you agree, Our research group will share your data with our partner companies for data processing:
- PostHog, Inc.
How do we store your data?
Our research group securely stores your data on our own servers which are secured in accordance with RWTH Aachen University’s security policies and practices.
Our research group will keep your personal data for up to 7 years. Once this time period has expired, we will delete your data.
Marketing
Our research group will not contact you with information about our services, unless you opt-in by joining our mailing list. You can unsubscribe at any time.
What are your data protection rights?
Our research group would like to make sure you are fully aware of all of your data protection rights. Every user is entitled to the following:
The right to access – You have the right to request Our research group for copies of your personal data. We may charge you a small fee for this service.
The right to rectification – You have the right to request that Our research group correct any information you believe is inaccurate. You also have the right to request Our research group to complete the information you believe is incomplete.
The right to erasure – You have the right to request that Our research group erase your personal data, under certain conditions.
The right to restrict processing – You have the right to request that Our research group restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
The right to object to processing – You have the right to object to Our research group’s processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
The right to data portability – You have the right to request that Our research group transfer the data that we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at our email (see entry “WebWriter team” in “How to contact us” at the bottom of this page). If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.
Cookies
Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information. When you visit our websites, we may collect information from you automatically through cookies or similar technology. For further information, visit allaboutcookies.org.
Our research group uses cookies in a range of ways to improve your experience on our website, including:
- Keeping you signed in
- Storing your settings
- Identifying you under a pseudonym (only when telemetry is enabled)
You can choose not to use any cookies by not applying any settings in WebWriter and not allowing telemetry.
Privacy policies of other websites
Our project website contains links to other websites. Our privacy policy applies only to our website, so if you click on a link to another website, you should read their privacy policy.
How to contact us
If you have any questions about our research group’s privacy policy, the data we hold on you, or you would like to exercise one of your data protection rights, please do not hesitate to contact us.
WebWriter team (contact for data protection requests):
Email: [email protected]
Address:
Learning Technologies Research Group
Ahornstr. 55
52074 Aachen, Germany
Data protection officer:
Email: [email protected]
Address:
Stabsstelle Datenschutz der RWTH Aachen University
Templergraben 83
52056 Aachen, Germany
Phone: +49 241 80 94114
How to contact the appropriate authority
Should you wish to report a complaint or if you feel that our research group has not addressed your concern in a satisfactory manner, you may contact our regulatory authority:
Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen
Email: [email protected]
Postal Address:
Post Box 20 04 44
40102 Düsseldorf, Germany
Changes to our privacy policy
Our project team keeps its privacy policy under regular review and places any updates on this web page. This privacy policy was last updated on 03 February 2025.