Privacy
Last updated: 2026-04-15
SampleTown is a research data tool for managing eDNA / MIxS-compliant sample metadata. Each deployment is operated by a single research lab or consortium; this page describes the practices of this deployment. Other instances of the SampleTown software may behave differently.
What we store
- Account information: your username, email address, and (for OAuth sign-in) your GitHub user ID. We store this so we can identify you across sessions and assign you to the correct lab.
- Activity: which records you create, edit, or delete, and when. This is part of the scientific provenance trail and is retained indefinitely.
- Feedback: messages submitted via the in-app feedback form, along with your username and the page URL where the form was opened.
- Session cookies: a single signed cookie that keeps you logged in. We do not use third-party analytics or advertising cookies.
- Server logs: the reverse proxy in front of the application records IP addresses and request paths for security and rate-limiting purposes. These rotate on a routine schedule.
What we don't store
- We do not sell, share, or transmit your data to advertisers.
- We do not embed third-party trackers, analytics, or ad networks.
- Local password accounts store only a bcrypt hash of your password — never the password itself.
Authentication
If you sign in with GitHub, GitHub will tell us your username, GitHub user ID, and (if public) your email. We do not request any further scopes. You can revoke access at any time from your GitHub OAuth applications page.
Lab data & visibility
Sample, site, project, and sequencing metadata is scoped to your lab. Members of other labs cannot see your records. Lab administrators can see and manage records and members within their own lab.
Indigenous data sovereignty
Where research involves Indigenous communities or lands, we encourage alignment with the OCAP® principles (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession) and the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance. If you believe data in this system requires special handling under those frameworks, please contact your lab administrator.
Your rights
You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, or ask to have it corrected or removed, by contacting your lab administrator. Removal of records that form part of the scientific provenance trail may be limited.
Contact
Questions about this policy should go to the lab administrator who operates this deployment, or via the SampleTown issue tracker for software-level concerns.