SquiDBase Terms and Conditions v1.0.0

BEFORE USING SquiDBase, PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THOROUGHLY. THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARE EFFECTIVE FOR ALL ACTIVITY ON THE SquiDBase WEBSITE. BY USING SquiDBase, YOU AGREE TO UPHOLD AND BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT ALL TIMES.

1. Definitions

SquiDBase: Refers to all web pages of the SquiDBase website, which have their home page at: https://squidbase.org/ . This includes its databases, tools and associated features.

We/us/our: Refers to the developers of SquiDBase at the Universiteit Antwerpen.

User, you, your: Refers to anyone that accesses and/or uses SquiDBase.

Contributors: A subset of users will also be contributors, which includes any user that uploads data to the database.

2. Use of SquiDBase and restrictions of use

2.1. Use

SquiDBase may only be accessed by users for academic and non- commercial research. All other uses, including but not limited to commercial, private, and diagnostic use, as well as research projects in collaboration with industrial or commercial partners, are strictly forbidden without prior written consent of the Universiteit Antwerpen. Please contact us (squidbase@uantwerpen.be) if you are uncertain whether your usage qualifies under these Terms and Conditions.

If any results obtained by using SquiDBase are made publicly available, they must be accompanied by a citation of the latest SquiDBase paper, which is mentioned on the 'about' page.

2.2. Restrictions

All activities outside the permitted limited scope of use, including but not limited to the following, are strictly forbidden:

  • Modifying any part of SquiDBase, including the website, source code, or Terms and Conditions.
  • Any attempt to hack, disrupt, or breach the security of SquiDBase.
  • Accessing the source code and/or the source data of SquiDBase without authorization.
  • Data scraping or any unauthorized automated access to the website.
  • Breaching the privacy of other users. This includes, but is not limited to, accessing data submitted by other users or results obtained by other users without permission.

3. Intellectual Property

All information and content presented on the webpages of SquiDBase, including the design, code and documentation, platform functionalities, and the SquiDBase logo, are the intellectual property of the Universiteit Antwerpen and cannot be used without prior written permission. Ownership of all contributed data (raw nanopore data and associated metadata) remains with the contributor.

4. Privacy and compliance

4.1. General principles

SquiDBase is committed to complying with all applicable data privacy and protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Union. As we operate from Antwerp, Belgium, the Belgian courts have jurisdiction over compliance matters.

We ensure that any personally identifiable information is collected, stored, and processed in accordance with these laws. Users retain rights over their personal data as outlined under GDPR, including access, rectification, and deletion requests.

Additionally, we strive to align with emerging regulations, such as the AI Act, and adhere to international agreements like the Nagoya Protocol when applicable to genetic and biodiversity-related data.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including GDPR. This Privacy Policy in combination with the www.uantwerpen.be/disclaimer outlines how we collect, process, and store data from users who interact with SquiDBase. By using SquiDBase, you agree to the practices described here.

4.2. All users

SquiDBase uses cookies to optimize performance and enhance user experience. Details about the types of cookies used and how to manage them can be found in our Cookie Policy (https://squidbase.org/policy/cookies).

4.3. User who query the database

When you query or browse SquiDBase, we collect certain data to improve the platform's functionality and user experience.

Data collected:

  • IP address, browser type, and session activity.
  • Search queries and interactions with the database.

Purpose:

  • Monitor platform usage, improve services and the user experience, and generate anonymized reports for our funding agencies.

Retention:

  • All analytics data is anonymized before long-term storage.
  • Short-term data, such as IP addresses, are retained only as needed for security and debugging purposes.
  • Long-term analytics are stored in anonymized form to enhance services and to meet reporting requirements.

4.4. Users who upload data (contributors)

Contributors are responsible for ensuring that any uploaded data complies with privacy and ethical guidelines, particularly with respect to removing any human genetic data or other sensitive information.

Data collected:

  • IP address, browser type, and session activity.
  • Raw nanopore data (also referred to as 'squiggle data') uploaded by the user.
  • Metadata accompanying the uploaded squiggle data, such as the submission time.
  • Contributor details, including name, email, institutional affiliation, and Principal Investigator (PI) information.

Purpose:

  • To facilitate data submission, proper attribution, and communication.
  • To monitor and report usage metrics to our funding agencies in an anonymized format.

Retention:

  • Raw nanopore data, metadata and contributor details are stored long-term as part of the database.
  • Contributors may request the removal of their personal details.
  • Contributors may request the removal of their submission (raw nanopore data and associated metadata). However, during submission, users are informed that the data will be shared under a CC0 license, meaning it enters the public domain. While we can remove the data from the squiDBase platform, we cannot ensure the removal of copies that others may have downloaded or redistributed.

If you have any questions or concerns about how your data are handled, please contact us at squidbase@uantwerpen.be.

5. No warranties - Limited liability

SquiDBase is provided "as is" and is solely intended to be made available to the research community. SquiDBase is provided without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to any warranty of merchantability, title or fitness for a particular use or that the use of the SquiDBase will not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights. By using SquiDBase, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

  • We are not obligated to offer support in case of technical issues or problems, though we encourage users to contact us for assistance.
  • We do not guarantee the accuracy of the results obtained from using SquiDBase. You are solely responsible for the use you make of the results.
  • By using SquiDBase you agree to use it at your own risk. We cannot be held responsible for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of SquiDBase.

We are not responsible for:

  • Any loss of data, results, or other issues that arise due to technical difficulties, including but not limited to unforeseen server downtime.
  • Damages or issues arising from updates, changes or improvements to SquiDBase. We reserve the right to update, change, or improve SquiDBase at any time without the obligation to maintain previous versions publicly.
  • Content, accuracy, or possible damages arising from the use of external websites linked through SquiDBase.

6. Modification of terms and conditions

We retain the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. A new version of these Terms and Conditions will take effect upon being uploaded to the website. With every use of SquiDBase, you agree to the most recent version of these Terms and Conditions.

7. User accounts and security

When creating an account on SquiDBase, it is important to keep your login information secure. This includes your user identification code, password, or any other details used as part of our security procedures. Please treat this information as confidential and do not share it with any third party.

If you suspect that someone else knows your user identification code or password, or if you become aware of any breach of security (such as loss, theft, or unauthorized access), please notify us immediately at squidbase@uantwerpen.be.

To keep SquiDBase safe for everyone, we may disable your account or password if we believe it has been compromised or if these Terms and Conditions are not being followed.

8. Change log

Version 1.0.0 (2024-12-4): Initial release