Privacy Policy

The Integrated Monitoring, Analysis and Communication System (IMACS) is an academic research platform developed and operated by the ARK (ARK) at the Institute for Health Modeling and Climate Solutions. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use the IMACS platform.

By accessing or using IMACS, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the platform.

We may collect the following types of information:

• Account Information: Name, email address, and organization provided during sign-up or sign-in.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, queries submitted to SAGE (our AI analysis engine), features used, and interaction patterns.
• Technical Data: Browser type, device information, IP address, and access timestamps collected automatically through server logs.

We use collected information for the following purposes:

• Platform Operation: To authenticate users, manage sessions, and provide access to platform features.
• Research and Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve the accuracy, performance, and usability of our tools and models.
• Communication: To respond to feedback, support requests, or inquiries submitted through the platform.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

IMACS includes SAGE (Systemic Analysis and Generative Engine), an AI-powered tool that generates analyses, forecasts, and insights using foundation models with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). Important considerations:

• AI-generated content is provided for academic and research purposes only and should be independently validated before use.
• Outputs are not a substitute for professional medical, public health, policy, or legal advice.
• Queries submitted to SAGE may be processed by third-party AI model providers. Do not submit personally identifiable or sensitive information in your queries.
• We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of AI-generated outputs.

The health, climate, and socioeconomic data presented on IMACS is sourced from publicly available datasets, including but not limited to the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, UN agencies, national health ministries, and open climate data repositories.

ARK does not control or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of data from these external sources. Data is provided "as is" and users should verify information against original sources for critical applications.

We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

• Aggregated Analytics: We may share anonymized, aggregated usage statistics for research publications or reporting purposes.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or legal process.
• Research Collaborators: Anonymized data may be shared with academic research partners under appropriate data sharing agreements.
• Service Providers: We use third-party infrastructure providers (including AWS) to host and operate the platform. These providers may process data on our behalf under contractual obligations.

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure cloud infrastructure hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Regular security reviews of platform components

However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

IMACS uses essential cookies required for platform functionality:

• Session Cookies: Used for authentication and maintaining your signed-in state.
• Preference Cookies: Used to remember your settings and preferences across sessions.

We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Withdraw consent for data processing where applicable

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us:

IMACS is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis for academic and research purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

• ARK makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any data, analysis, or content on this platform.
• ARK shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of or reliance on information provided by this platform.
• Users assume all responsibility for how they use data and analyses obtained from IMACS.