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STD Wizard: User Security Q&A
 
Q: How does the STD Wizard protect my personal information?
A: The STD Wizard is completed anonymously and does not require users to enter such information as name, social security number, telephone, email or street address.

Before entering the questionnaire, each user is also shown our privacy policy. Our privacy policy notifies users that:

  • Many of the questions are personal in nature.
  • To obtain accurate results, the questions should be answered honestly.
  • The site does not utilize user tracking programs (also known as "cookies").
  • And no personal identifying information is stored by the program.
 
Q: How secure is the STD Wizard when the user is on a public computer?
A: Almost all libraries and schools automatically clear the browser history each time a new user logs on. To protect a user's privacy, the Wizard reminds each user to close the browser window and log out upon completing their self-assessment.
 
Q: When the user clicks out of the questionnaire, could another person using the same computer afterwards click back into the Wizard?
A: Yes, but only if the previous user fails to follow the instructions to close the browser window and log out. Browsers retain a history of web pages that have been visited. So if a user does not close the window, another person could back click into their answers. To protect a user's privacy, the Wizard reminds each user to close the browser window and log out upon completing their self-assessment.
 
Q: Are cookies used with the STD Wizard?
A: The STD Wizard does not use cookies.
 
Q: Without using cookies, how are you able to track a person's answers to give them appropriate medical information?
A: The STD Wizard uses hidden HTML fields - a standard method. Each web page has hidden within it the history of the user's previous responses.
 
Q: Does a database exist that collects, organizes, and analyzes the results and how is respondents' information used?
A: Yes, there is a database. It tracks the number of scenarios that are run, and other simple statistics. Because no identifying information is collected, individual respondents cannot be identified from the database.
 
Q: How is the stored information protected? Who has access to the data?
A: The data are stored in a highly secure Linux computer located in a high-security physical environment. The computer uses high-security password encryption.