Data protection and security
When processing personal information and test results, Tripod adheres to the provisions of the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and Republic of Estonia Personal Data Protection Act.
Tripod proceeds from internationally accepted practices in developing and applying tests, such as the American Psychological Association’s Standards for Psychological and Educational Testing, 2004. To ensure an equal and standard approach, Tripod has prepared an Ethics Code for its test users, which all the users licensed by Tripod are required to observe. A licensed test user is a contractual customer of Tripod, who has passed the test user training organised by Tripod and acquired a licence that entitles him or her to administer independently the tests offered by Tripod and to interpret their results.
What kind of personal data a person needs to submit for testing?
Based on the principle of minimalism, upon testing, data are collected only to the extent necessary for analysing the tests and generating the results. To complete a test, the test taker is asked to enter the following data:
- first name;
- surname;
- sex;
- date of birth;
- profession (to be selected from a drop-down list);
- position (to be selected from a drop-down list);
- language in which you prefer to take the test;
- education level.
These data are necessary for generating the test result in comparison with a relevant gender and age norm group and for verifying the reliability of the test over time. The test taker is not asked to submit any other data, including sensitive personal data.
To generate the test results, the personal data and the answers given to the test questions must be first saved in Tripod’s testing system. Before that, the test taker is required to give his or her informed consent. Without a clearly expressed declaration of intention, based on the free will, the personal data are not saved and it is not possible to take the test. Test results are stored for two years. After that the results are automatically anonymised and stored for the regular monitoring of the operating reliability of the test, including for standardisation and its quality assurance.
To test a minor, the licensed test user is required to seek an informed written consent from the test taker’s parent or guardian. Without such written consent, minors cannot be tested. The personal data submitted upon testing and test results are used solely for purposes related to testing.
You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. To do this, you need to submit a digitally signed application to Tripod or test organizer, after which Tripod will permanently delete your test results. Tripod will notify the test organizer of the deletion. After the test is completed and submitted, the test responses can not be changed.
How are the test results presented?
The results of a test are presented as a standard test report, providing the general description of each scale measured, followed by the particular result obtained by the test taker. The test report does not show the answers submitted to test questions but only summarised results for each scale. Standardised scores 0…100% are presented on drawing and accompanied by concise textual explanations.
Who can see the test results?
All test results are confidential. Tripod ensures that personal data are not accessible to third parties and that the individual test reports are not disclosed, except on the basis of the test taker’s relevant written request or as a result of an obligation arising from legislation. Based on a written application by the test taker, Tripod may transmit test results to third parties designated by him/her.
Test reports are accessible in Tripod’s testing system to the licensed test users, who have to authorise themselves first with a personal identification card. The licensed test users forward each test taker their individual results. The test data recorded in the testing system is also accessible to the authorised employees of Tripod if necessary. Any third party cannot get access to the test results either on their own initiative or via Tripod.
If a test is used as part of recruitment, a licensed test user is entitled to present an adequately interpreted overview of the results to the members of the selection committee – this depends on the organisation of the particular recruitment procedure. Tripod recommends using tests as a supporting method along with a job interview, while the test results should not serve as the primary selection criterion.
Each test taker who has questions about the testing procedure or his or her results, has the right to request information from the particular licensed test user administering the test or Tripod. The contact details of Tripod as the processor of personal data are provided both on the testing page and in each results report.
