Data Governance & Ethics

Last updated: 3 August 2026

Data Publisher: Northstead Limited, trading as Human Clarity Institute
Contact: info@humanclarityinstitute.com

Human Clarity Institute (“HCI”, “we”, “us”) is committed to responsible, proportionate and transparent practices in the collection, handling and use of human survey and assessment data. This page explains the principles that guide HCI’s research data, internal benchmark systems and any future controlled data access.

1. Current Dataset Access

HCI does not currently make participant-level research datasets publicly available. Previously published datasets have been withdrawn or restricted while HCI reviews its longer-term governance, access and publication arrangements.

HCI may publish aggregated research findings, statistics and benchmark results. These outputs do not provide customers or the public with access to the underlying participant-level research records.

2. Data Minimisation and Privacy Protection

HCI removes direct identifiers such as names, email addresses, platform IDs and account identifiers from research and benchmark data used for analysis. Operational information required to administer participation is kept separate from analytical data and is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the relevant operational or legal purpose.

HCI applies data-minimisation principles to its internal benchmark systems. Benchmark data is limited to the information required to calculate research distributions and comparisons, such as variable-level responses, broad age groups, AI-use frequency and limited demographic categories used for analysis.

HCI does not publish the internal benchmark dataset used by its assessment scoring systems. Customers receive only aggregated outputs, such as response distributions, percentile positions and cohort-level comparisons.

3. How Research Data Supports HCI Products

Anonymised research responses from earlier HCI studies are also used internally to establish benchmark distributions for HCI assessment products, including paid products. These distributions allow an assessment participant’s reported behaviour to be compared with patterns observed across HCI research samples.

Historical research participants are not identified in HCI assessment products. Participant-level research records are not provided to customers, sold as customer data or made accessible through the assessment product. Assessment outputs present only aggregated benchmark comparisons.

HCI discloses this relationship between its research programme and its assessment products so that the commercial use of anonymised, aggregated research findings is clear.

4. New Assessment Responses

New assessment participants are informed before submission about how their answers are used to create a personal report and how anonymised responses may contribute to HCI’s internal benchmark library and paid products.

Personal reports are private to the customer and are not published or sold. Service providers may process assessment information on HCI’s behalf where required to deliver the assessment and report. Further information about service providers, overseas processing, access and correction rights is provided in HCI’s Privacy Policy.

5. Future Publication and Controlled Research Access

HCI will not resume public release of participant-level research datasets without first reviewing the proposed release for privacy, re-identification and disclosure risk. Depending on the dataset, HCI may aggregate, generalise, suppress or remove fields before any future release.

Where HCI provides controlled access to research data, access may be limited to verified researchers and made subject to written terms. Those terms may prohibit redistribution, commercial reuse, attempts to re-identify participants and use for individual-level profiling or automated decisions about identifiable people.

6. Responsible Use Expectations

HCI research is intended to support responsible research, public understanding and informed discussion of human experience in the digital and AI era.

No person receiving access to HCI research data may attempt to identify or re-identify a participant, combine the data with other sources for that purpose, or use the data in a way that could compromise participant privacy or protection.

7. Corrections, Updates and Takedown

If a concern is raised about data accuracy, privacy, security or ethical use, HCI will review the matter promptly. Where appropriate and within HCI’s control, data or published findings may be corrected, restricted, updated or withdrawn.

HCI documents material changes to published research findings or access arrangements where transparency requires it.

8. Security, Retention and Service Providers

HCI uses access controls and other reasonable safeguards to protect research, assessment and benchmark information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.

Identifiable operational information and personal reports are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for service delivery, customer support, security, payment, tax or other legal obligations. Further information is provided in HCI’s Privacy Policy.

Contracted service providers may process information on HCI’s behalf where required to operate the assessment and deliver reports. HCI’s provider arrangements, retention settings and permitted uses are reviewed as part of its data-governance process.

9. Good-Faith Research Practice

HCI aims to conduct and communicate research in good faith, using proportionate privacy protections, clear descriptions of sample limitations and transparent explanations of how research findings are used.

HCI distinguishes between research participation, public research findings and commercial assessment services. Notices presented to participants and customers are intended to describe the relevant purpose and use at the point information is collected.

This page describes HCI’s governance approach. It does not replace HCI’s Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, or any written terms governing controlled access to research data.