MyUSE (My Understanding Substance Use Experiences) is a secure harm-reduction web-based application for higher education students, providing confidential, always-on support to students who want to understand their substance use experiences and access relevant resources. MyUSE is led by an interdisciplinary research team at University College Cork.

MyUSE is a web-based application that you can access our website (www.myuse.ie). It uses a series of multiple-choice questions, which you can complete anonymously regarding your illicit substance use. Based on the answers you provide; you will be directed to relevant guidance and support.

At University College Cork (UCC), we treat your privacy seriously. Any data you provide via the MyUSE application will be treated with the highest standards of security and confidentiality, in accordance with Irish and European Data Protection legislation.

This notice is intended to provide clear information about the purpose of the MyUSE application and how UCC will collect, process, and use the data collected by MyUSE. This notice is kept under review and may be modified at any time. If we make material changes, we will post the updated notice on the website: www.myuse.ie.

The MyUSE application allows users to anonymously and securely report their personal experiences regarding drug use and access support. It also enables the MyUSE team to collect statistical data about user engagement with the MyUSE application. This data will help us to understand illicit substance use and inform the supports and guidance offered to users via the MyUSE application, as well as to evaluate MyUSE and improve the platform in the future. In addition to these aims, anonymised and aggregated data collected through MyUSE may also be used for research purposes. This includes analysing trends in substance use and engagement with the app.

The findings from this research may be presented in reports, academic publications, and at conferences to contribute to an improved understanding of student substance use and inform future strategies. Please note that all data used for research purposes will remain fully anonymous and collated to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of all users.
The data you provide to MyUSE is anonymous. You will never be asked to provide your name or any other personal information that could identify you. UCC will not use the information you provide to identify you or contact you.

The MyUSE application will direct you to support resources and guidance based on your answers.  Should you contact us using the MyUSE email address with a query or to report a problem with the MyUSE App, we will only use the contact details you provide to respond. UCC will not link your contact details to any data you provided on the MyUSE application. All personal data you provide is processed based on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. To prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have implemented physical, electronic, and operational procedures to safeguard and secure the anonymous information we collect through MyUSE.

Your data will be stored on a secure server within University College Cork’s Amazon Web Services & Microsoft Tenancy.

Only designated MyUSE administrators, who hold existing roles at University College Cork, have access to the collected anonymous data. Access is limited to:

• The MyUSE Principal Investigator,
• The Technical Lead, responsible for implementing and maintaining security and data management best practices,
• Nominated MyUSE team members, who are permitted to view subsets of the data for research and development purposes.
• Nominated UCC staff, who are permitted to view subsets of the data for research and policy purposes.

The data is not subject to any cross-border transfer.

In keeping with data protection principles, we will only store your data for as long as necessary and for the purpose it was collected.

Archiving of ‘user engagement’ data will take place periodically. This will involve consolidating specific data over a given period, retaining only what is necessary for further research and development of the MyUSE platform. This anonymized data is archived within UCC for ten years.

If a user opts into Google Analytics, data will be retained for 26 months. If a user requests deletion while using the app, collected Analytics data may be deleted upon request.

Once deletion is requested, data associated with the user identifier will be removed from the Individual User Report within 72 hours (3 days) and then deleted from Analytics servers during the next deletion process, which is scheduled approximately every two months.

You have various rights under data protection law, subject to certain exemptions, regarding the processing of your personal data. These include the right:

• To find out if we use your personal data, access your personal data, and receive copies of it;
• To have inaccurate or incomplete information corrected and updated;
• In certain circumstances, to have your details deleted or the use of your personal data restricted in specific ways;
• To object to certain processing of your data by the MyUSE team and UCC;
• To exercise your right to data portability (i.e., obtain a copy of your personal data in a commonly used electronic form);
• Where consent is relied upon for processing, to withdraw your consent at any time;
• Not to be subject to solely automated decision-making.

If you wish to avail of these rights, please write to:  The Information Compliance Manager, University College Cork, Email: gdpr@ucc.ie

If you have any queries regarding the MyUSE platform, please contact a member of the MyUSE admin team at:  Email: admin@myuse.ie

For queries or complaints related to the processing of your personal data, you can contact UCC’s Information Compliance Manager via:  Email: gdpr@ucc.ie

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission if you are unhappy with our processing of your personal data. Details on lodging a complaint can be found on the Data Protection Commission’s website, or by calling 1890 252 231.

Cookies are small files created and saved on your device when you visit a website or web application. They store information about how you use the website, such as the pages you visit and how you interact with the content. Cookies do not take up much space and are not viruses or computer programs. We use cookies to make our website work.

Some cookies we use are essential for browsing the website and using its features, such as accessing secure areas or running the application in “App” mode. These are called ‘strictly necessary cookies’ and are activated by default.

We also use ‘session cookies’ to save your progress. These cookies are optional and may be configured within the cookie preferences section. The user may also opt-in by enabling ‘remember me’ on page load, storing data within the browser. Session cookies are not activated by default; users can opt-in by clicking Manage in the cookie banner.

When “App Mode” is activated, the application will be converted to a Progressive Web App (PWA). This feature places a shortcut on the device desktop, presenting MyUSE as a native application. PWA mode requires session cookies, and the user will be explicitly informed before activation.

We use ‘analytics cookies’ to enable Google Analytics services throughout the site. These cookies are important for measuring performance and ensuring the application functions as intended. Analytics cookies are opt-in only and may be disabled via the cookie preferences section. They are not activated by default; users can opt-in by clicking Manage in the cookie banner.