Tree Growth- Social Media Comments Game

1. Introduction

The Tree Growth Extension is part of an academic research study on encouraging positive online interactions using gamified feedback. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your choices.

2. Data We Collect

We only collect data necessary to operate the extension and conduct the study.

Account & Contact (optional)

• Username (required for leaderboard)
• Email (required at signup only to receive lottery rewards)

Comment Interaction Data

• Comment text (the text you write in comment input fields)
• Timestamp of the comment event
• Platform label (a short identifier of the site where the comment was written)
• AI classification result (e.g., Normal, Trolling, Profanity, Microaggression, Derogatory, Hate Speech)

Tree & Engagement Data

• Selected tree type, growth/health status, progress history, weekly stats
• Leaderboard rank and points
• Lottery ticket count and prize outcomes

Extension Usage (basic, non-advertising analytics)

• Feature usage needed to ensure functionality and improve stability (e.g., number of analyses run)

We do not collect passwords, cookies, browsing history, private messages, or unrelated page content.

3. How We Use Data

• Real-time feedback: Analyze comment text locally with an on-device model to update tree growth (water vs. poison).
• Gamification: Calculate growth, weekly rankings, and optional lottery eligibility.
• Sync & Continuity: Sync your progress and leaderboard status across sessions/devices.
• Contact: Send prize notifications to lottery winners (email required only for this purpose).
• Research: Use aggregated and anonymized data for academic analysis and publications.

4. Processing & Security

• Local analysis: AI text classification is performed entirely in your browser (offscreen document) before any sync.
• Backend: We use Supabase to store only the minimal data listed above for account sync, leaderboard, and optional lottery.
• Protection: Data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Access is limited to the research team. We do not sell or share data with advertisers or social platforms.

5. Data Retention

We retain identifiable data for the duration of the study (typically 8–12 weeks from your first use) and delete or anonymize it within 21 days after the study concludes. You may request deletion at any time (see §8).

6. Your Choices & Rights

• Access: Request a copy of your data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data.
• Withdraw: Uninstall the extension to stop participation.
• Email optionality: You can use the extension without email; email is required only if you choose to receive lottery rewards.

7. Study Information

• Title: Gamifying Positive Social Media Behavior Through Tree Growth Visualization
• Institution: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea
• Typical Duration: 8–12 weeks per participant

8. How to Contact Us / Data Requests

Email: osaruiyobo@dgist.ac.kr

Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, DGIST

For deletion, email with subject “Tree Growth Extension – Data Deletion Request” and include your extension user ID (shown in the extension settings).

9. Third-Party Services

• Supabase – secure backend for sync, leaderboard, and (optional) lottery logistics. Privacy: https://supabase.com/privacy

No external AI service receives your comment text. The AI model runs locally in your browser.

10. Chrome Permissions (Purpose-Bound)

• activeTab: Run analysis only on the tab where you write a comment.
• scripting: Inject a content script to read only the text you type into comment fields.
• offscreen: Run local AI classification without blocking the browser UI.
• storage: Save preferences, tree state, and minimal history needed for core features.

We request no permissions for advertising, tracking, or unrelated content access.

11. Children’s Privacy

Not intended for users under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from children.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy. Significant changes will be announced in the extension UI. Continued use after an update indicates acceptance of the revised policy.