Frequently Asked Questions

 
What is PermissionResearch?
PermissionResearch is an online market research community consisting of over a million members worldwide, which provides insight into how its members interact with the Internet.
What is the purpose of PermissionResearch?
The goal of PermissionResearch is to develop a better understanding of the trends and patterns affecting the Internet. Just as television uses ratings to determine which programs are the highest rated and most watched, PermissionResearch uses the knowledge of its members’ Internet habits to determine the popularity and importance of various web sites. Internet companies can then use this market research to make informed decisions regarding their online marketing strategies.


What are the eligibility requirements to join PermissionResearch?
To be eligible to join PermissionResearch you must be at least 18 years of age and own or control any computer that you install the PermissionResearch software on. Our software is compatible with most Microsoft and Mac Operating systems.


What are the benefits to becoming a PermissionResearch Member?
As a member of PermissionResearch, you have the opportunity to participate in research that is improving the Internet.
Why should I install the PermissionResearch software? What does it do?
The PermissionResearch software monitors your Internet surfing behavior and online purchase activity. We take that data and combine it with other PermissionResearch members’ data so that we can create an understanding of Internet usage and behavior. Our goal is to understand Internet users browsing and purchasing activity, and not to influence it or interfere with your Internet activities. For this reason, we do not advertise to our members.

If you would like to learn more about the type of information the PermissionResearch software collects, how it is collected and how the data is used, please visit our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.

Will I start getting unwanted SPAM and Pop-ups if I join PermissionResearch?
No. Our business is market research, not advertising, and we do not advertise to our members. The only e-mail and pop-ups you will receive once joining PermissionResearch will be very occasional participation communications. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.


How long do I have to participate?
Participation in PermissionResearch’s community is continuous. Should you ever decide to stop participating, you may do so at any time. Simply follow our uninstall instructions to cancel your participation.


What if I don't want to be a PermissionResearch member anymore?
Although PermissionResearch hates to see members leave, we realize there are good reasons for you ending your PermissionResearch membership. If that is the case, please login to the PermissionResearch Member’s Section and select “Modify my Participation Preferences.” From there you can choose whether you wish to opt-out of surveys, other communications, or all PermissionResearch services.

How to Uninstall the PermissionResearch Research Software

Metro Mode - Windows 8

1. Right click on the "Permission Research" tile.

2. Select "Uninstall" from the menu presented at the bottom of the screen.

3. SelectPermissionResearchand click on "Uninstall".

4. Reboot the machine to complete the uninstall process.



Desktop Mode - Windows 8

1. Open windows explorer and search for "control panel".

2. In the control panel, select "Uninstall Programs".

3. Select "PermissionResearch", and click on "Uninstall".

4. Reboot the machine to complete the uninstall process.



All other Windows-based PCs

1. Go to your Start menu in the lower left hand corner of computer screen.

2. In the menu select Settings then Control Panel (Select "Control Panel" only for Vista & Windows 7).

3. Under the Control Panel menu, find and select the icon for "add/Remove Programs" (or "Programs and Features" in Vista and "Programs" in Windows 7).

4. LocatePermissionResearchfrom the auto populated list of software currently installed on your computer. HighlightPermissionResearchand then hit Remove (or "uninstall" in Vista and Windows 7).

5. A prompt will ask you to confirm you want to removePermissionResearch.



MAC

Option 1.

1. Quit Firefox browsers for all user accounts on the machine.

2. In Finder, select Applications, then PermissionResearch.

3. Click on PermissionResearchUninstall.app. A window will appear asking you to enter a name and password to add a new helper tool.

4. Use an Administrator user name and password and select Add Helper.

5. Once Add Helper is clicked, the software is removed.



Option 2.

1. Quit all Firefox browsers for all user accounts on the machine.

2. Locate the PermissionResearch folder in the Applications directory.

3. Drag the PermissionResearch folder to the Trash.

4. Enter the administrator name and password, then click "ok" to complete uninstall.



If you are having problems removing the PermissionResearch software, please email us using our support form . Before you remove the PermissionResearch software, please take a moment to let PermissionResearch know why you have decided to leave the community, so that we can continue to improve our product offerings and services.

Do you collect banking information? How do you handle my personal information?
We do not store bank account numbers in our database. That said, some information from online transactions (such as shopping, trading and banking) can provide us with valuable research data when aggregated with the Internet browsing and purchasing behavior of other members. While we do not store your bank account information, we may store other information, such as the bank with which you have an account.

We are careful to protect your personal information through a variety of physical and digital security mechanisms, which include physically separating it from other information and encrypting selected confidential data elements.

What if my information, including my email address, changes?
Visit the Member’s Section of PermissionResearch.com and click on "Update my Profile" to make changes to your demographic information. At any time you can also alert us to any changes to your personal information by emailing us using our support form.


What if I have questions, comments and/or problems?
If you have any questions, comments or problems of any kind, including technical issues you feel are related to PermissionResearch, please notify us through one of the following e-mail addresses.

Privacy Issues, e-mail privacy@permissionresearch.com
Technical Problems, click here for our support form

Please Note: PermissionResearch’s commitment to quality customer service is a high priority. PermissionResearch will make every commercially viable effort to respond to your questions or comments within the same business day. If a personalized response to a detailed question is needed, PermissionResearch will strive to respond to your questions or comments within 48 hours.

PermissionResearch will not be able to respond to your questions without a valid e-mail address. We will not use your e-mail address for any other purpose other than responding to your question.

Why do you need to know who is using the computer?
We are interested in understanding how consumers use the internet.  By knowing who is using the computer, we are able to associate the data we collect, with the type of person going online. Your privacy is important to us. Our business is market research, not advertising and we do not advertise to our members.


Why do I get a pop-up message asking me who is using the computer at this time?
Our goal is to understand Internet users’ online browsing and buying habits. By knowing who is using the computer, we are able to associate the data we have collected about where people are going online with the type of person that is visiting those sites. Our reports always provide aggregated information about groups of users, never about an individual. For instance, we might report on what men 18-24 years old are doing on the web, but never what "John" alone is doing. Your privacy is extremely important to us. We will never use the information we collect to advertise to you, nor will we provide it to any third-parties for direct marketing purposes.


How can I make the pop-up messages asking me "who is using the computer" stop?
When you became a member of PermissionResearch, you were offered the opportunity to participate as a premium member of our community and earn additional incentives in exchange for identifying the user of your computer. The PermissionResearch software you installed delivers this pop-up to you at various times while the Internet is in use. If you wish to no longer participate as a premium member, you will need to uninstall the PermissionResearch software from your computer. Please note, you will no longer be eligible for any incentives you were offered for premium membership once you remove the software from your computer.


Who is responsible the privacy and security of my personal information?
For more information about our privacy program, please visit www.comscore.com/about/privacy.
 
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