Terms of Use

Last updated: September 2, 2025

Overview

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern access to and use of the MobLab Research platform and related services ("Services") including websites, mobile and desktop applications, surveys, and experiments operated by MobLab, Inc. ("MobLab"). By accessing or using the Services you agree to these Terms and to the MobLab Research Privacy Policy.

Important legal note for internal reviewers: Where this draft would have required MobLab to represent or guarantee compliance with specific laws or jurisdictions, this document avoids such absolute representations. Instead it places responsibility on Researchers and Users to comply with applicable laws and invites MobLab to provide guidance and enforcement mechanisms without asserting independent legal compliance where the company cannot confirm it.

1. Definitions

"Participant": an individual who registers to take part in studies on the Services.

"Researcher": a user or organization that posts or administers studies, including academic institutions and third-party research organizations.

"Services": the MobLab Research platform, API, websites, mobile apps, tools, and any associated services.

"Compensation": any monetary payment, voucher, credit, or other reward promised by a Researcher to Participants for study participation.

"IRB" / "Ethics Approval": any institutional review board, ethics committee, or comparable institutional approval required for a study.

"Personal Information": personal or personal data as described in the MobLab Research Privacy Policy.

2. Eligibility

Participants must be at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction) unless a Researcher obtains valid guardian/parental consent and appropriate ethics approval for minors or other protected groups.

Researchers must have a verifiable affiliation and must hold any IRB/ethics approvals required by applicable law or institutional policy for their studies.

3. Accounts, Registration & Profile Data

Users must provide accurate, truthful registration and demographic information and keep it current.

One account per person; creation of multiple accounts, bots, impersonation, or other deceptive registration practices is prohibited.

Researchers may implement consistency checks (e.g., repeated or conditional questions) for data quality, but must disclose such checks in the consent documentation.

4. Researcher Responsibilities & Platform Verification

Researchers must: (a) obtain, maintain, and comply with any required IRB/ethics approvals; (b) describe research aims, data usage, retention, and sharing in clear consent forms; (c) minimize collection of personal data to that necessary for the study; and (d) handle Participant communications and payments promptly.

Platform verification: MobLab may request documentation (e.g., institutional affiliation, IRB approval letters) from Researchers and may suspend or limit access pending review. MobLab does not, by this Terms document alone, independently verify the adequacy of IRB approvals or guarantee legal compliance of Researcher activities in every jurisdiction. Responsibility for obtaining appropriate approvals and ensuring compliance rests with the Researcher.

5. Compensation, Payment & Fees

Researchers must set Compensation that is fair and lawful under applicable local wage and employment laws. Researchers should consider local minimum wages and reasonable hourly-equivalent pay when setting rates.

MobLab will provide recommended guidance and a pay-calculation tool to help Researchers estimate hourly-equivalent rates, but MobLab does not warrant that any recommended rate satisfies all local legal requirements; final responsibility remains with Researchers.

Payments are issued after Researcher approval of completed work. Unless otherwise stated in a Study, MobLab aims to process payments within 14 calendar days of approval. Specific payout methods and schedules are available in account settings and may vary by country and currency.

Platform fees, payment processing fees, and any tax withholdings (if applicable) will be disclosed to Researchers and Participants where required; Participants are responsible for reporting and paying applicable taxes on Compensation received unless local law requires otherwise.

Refunds and disputes: Participants may request a refund within 30 days of payment. MobLab provides an internal dispute resolution process (see Section 9).

6. Data Ownership, Use & Retention

Participants retain ownership of raw responses they provide. By participating, Participants grant MobLab and the Researcher a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, analyze, de-identify, and share aggregated or de-identified results for research, internal analytics, and platform improvement. Researcher-specific processing obligations and data-sharing practices are described in the MobLab Research Privacy Policy.

Researchers may own derivative analyses but must not publish or distribute any material in a way that violates the Participant consent or applicable privacy laws.

Sensitive data: Researchers must not collect highly sensitive personal data (e.g., identification numbers, financial account numbers, biometric templates, health diagnoses) unless expressly necessary, authorized by IRB/ethics, and explicitly disclosed to Participants. If such data is collected, Researchers must justify necessity and follow elevated security controls.

Data retention: MobLab will retain certain data as necessary for platform operations, legal compliance, dispute resolution, and fraud prevention. Requests for deletion will be handled in accordance with the MobLab Research Privacy Policy; deletion may be limited where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., audit trails, safety investigations).

7. Privacy & Security

MobLab stores data on encrypted servers and maintains industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect data. Specific security standards, subprocessors, and retention schedules are published in the MobLab Research Privacy Policy.

Participants may request access, correction, or deletion of their personal data under the Privacy Policy. For jurisdictions with specific rights (e.g., data access under certain privacy laws), MobLab will make reasonable efforts to comply while balancing legal obligations and platform integrity.

Breach notification: Researchers and MobLab must notify affected parties and MobLab’s Data Protection contact promptly. MobLab requires Researchers to report any data breach affecting Participant data to MobLab within 72 hours of discovery. MobLab will follow applicable breach-notification laws and will notify affected individuals and regulators when required.

8. Prohibited Uses

Researchers and Participants may not use the Services for any unlawful purpose or to facilitate any activity that violates this Terms or applicable law. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

Fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, or other illicit purposes.

Collection of data in ways that violate privacy laws or the terms of informed consent.

Research that targets protected or vulnerable groups without appropriate safeguards and approvals.

Attempts to de-anonymize other Participants or to re-identify de-identified results.

Reverse-engineering, scraping, or otherwise attempting to extract platform proprietary code or datasets.

MobLab may block, suspend, or terminate accounts engaging in prohibited uses.

9. Dispute Resolution & Appeals

Internal dispute process: Participants and Researchers with a dispute (payment, consent, data use) should first use platform support channels. MobLab provides a formal appeal path where MobLab will review the dispute and may act as mediator.

Remedies may include payment reversal, additional payment, study suspension, or other remedies the platform deems reasonable.

For U.S. Users, the agreement includes an arbitration clause and class-action waiver (see Section 13). Users outside the U.S. may have different dispute rights as required by local law.

10. Intellectual Property

MobLab retains all rights, title and interest in the Services, software, and platform content. Researchers retain IP in their study materials, but grant MobLab a license to host and display such materials while they remain on the platform.

Reverse engineering, modifying, or creating derivative works from the Services is prohibited.

11. Indemnification & Limitation of Liability

Indemnification: Users and Researchers agree to indemnify and hold MobLab and its affiliates harmless from claims, liabilities, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from their breach of these Terms, unlawful use of the Services, or violation of applicable laws.

Limitation of Liability: Except where prohibited by law, MobLab’s liability for direct damages arising from these Terms is limited to the fees paid by the affected party to MobLab in the 12 months preceding the claim. MobLab is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.

12. Termination, Suspension & Account Deactivation

MobLab may suspend or terminate accounts for breach, suspected fraud, or other policy violations. Users may deactivate accounts at any time.

Certain data may be retained after account deactivation for legal compliance, fraud prevention, or other legitimate business needs; these retention practices are described in the MobLab Research Privacy Policy.

13. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, U.S., except where local mandatory law requires otherwise. Users in other jurisdictions retain rights under their local laws, and nothing in these Terms is intended to disclaim mandatory protections provided by applicable local statutes.

Where local law imposes different requirements (e.g., consumer protection, privacy), those requirements will take precedence for Users in that jurisdiction.

14. Regulatory & Compliance Contacts

All inquiries related to Data Protection / Privacy, Research Support & Appeals, and Security Incident Reports should be directed to support.research@moblab.com.

Where applicable, MobLab will provide mechanisms for Data Subject Requests and liaison to supervisory authorities. For EU/EEA users, users may contact their national Data Protection Authority; for UK users, the ICO; for U.S. users, applicable state regulators.

Note: The presence of these contacts is informational. This Terms document does not constitute a representation that MobLab is independently certified or in full compliance with any specific regulatory regime in all jurisdictions. Where external compliance (e.g., GDPR, PIPL, HIPAA) is required, Researchers and institutional customers should confirm obligations with MobLab legal and their institutional counsel.

15. Cookies & Tracking

A cookie consent banner is displayed on first visit. Participants may manage cookie preferences via the banner or browser settings. A “Do Not Sell My Info” link is available where applicable. Details on cookie categories, durations, and third-party tracking are maintained in the MobLab Research Privacy Policy.

16. Amendments

MobLab may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted on the platform with notice. Continued use of the Services after changes indicates acceptance of the updated Terms.

17. Additional Platform Features & Policies (Recommendations)

These recommended policies are proposed to align MobLab more closely with industry peers and participant expectations. Implementation should be coordinated with Product, Legal, and Operations teams.

Fair-Pay Guidelines & Pay Calculator: Provide an in-platform calculator to estimate hourly-equivalent pay and recommended minimums by country. Clarify that recommendations are guidance only and not legal guarantees.

Researcher Reputation & Rating System: Allow Participants to rate studies and Researchers; use ratings to surface trustworthy Researchers and flag repeat offenders.

Dispute Escrow / Contingency Payments: Consider holding Compensation in escrow until post-study approval to speed dispute resolution and build trust.

Sensitive Data Redaction Checklist: Provide Researchers a checklist and mandatory justification step when requesting sensitive data fields.

Transparent Payout & Fees Page: Publicly document payout methods, processing times, platform fees, and any currency conversion charges.

Enhanced Onboarding for Vulnerable-Population Research: Special application flow and additional review for studies involving minors, prisoners, or other protected groups.

18. Contact

For questions about these Terms or specific legal concerns, please contact support.research@moblab.com.