FAAES is an independent research and advisory initiative on automated hiring. This policy explains how we handle personal data submitted through this website and our testimony collection process. We take data protection seriously — it is central to what we stand for.
Who we are
FAAES (Fairness, Accountability and Agency in Employment Systems) is an independent research and advocacy initiative convened by Dan Gallagher. We are based in the United Kingdom.
For data protection purposes, FAAES is the data controller for information collected through this website and the testimony intake process.
You can contact us at voices@faaes.org
ICO Registration Number: to be added — registration in progress
What data we collect
We collect data through two routes:
The testimony form — when you submit a testimony, we collect:
- A voice recording or written account of your experience
- The role or job title you applied for
- The industry or sector
- Your country or region
- How long before you heard back
- What kind of hiring process it was
- Your career stage at the time
- How well you felt you matched the job requirements
- Whether you asked for an explanation and what response you received
- A consent confirmation and timestamp
Direct contact — if you contact us by email or direct message, we collect the content of that communication and any personal information you choose to share.
We do not collect your name, contact details, or the name of the employer or software involved unless you choose to share these voluntarily.
Why we collect it and our lawful basis
We collect testimony data to document the lived experience of people affected by automated hiring systems. This supports independent research, policy analysis, and public interest advocacy on fairness and accountability in employment.
Our lawful basis under UK GDPR is consent — you actively confirm your agreement before submitting anything, and that consent is logged with a timestamp.
Where testimony data touches on protected characteristics (such as references to disability, age, or ethnicity), this may constitute special category data under UK GDPR Article 9. We process this on the basis of explicit consent for substantial public interest purposes, specifically the monitoring of equality of opportunity and treatment in employment.
How we use your data
- Anonymised testimony content may be published as part of the FAAES public register
- Aggregated and anonymised data may be referenced in academic, policy, or funding materials about the initiative
- Raw submissions are held in a private provenance log accessible only to the FAAES convenor
- No individual submission is ever published with identifying information attached
- We do not sell, share, or transfer your data to any third party
- We do not use your data for commercial purposes
How long we keep your data
Raw submissions (voice recordings and written accounts) are retained for the duration of the FAAES initiative. The provenance log (consent records and timestamps) is retained for as long as the published register exists, so we can respond to any challenges about authenticity or consent.
If you withdraw consent, your submission will be removed from the public register and the raw recording or text deleted within 30 days. The consent record itself may be retained in anonymised form to document that a withdrawal was processed.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- Withdraw consent and request removal of your submission at any time
- Request access to any personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request erasure of your data
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at voices@faaes.org. No reason is needed to withdraw consent or request removal.
How we protect your data
Submissions are received via Tally (tally.so), a GDPR-compliant form provider. Voice recordings submitted by email are stored in Proton Drive, an end-to-end encrypted storage service. The provenance log is held in encrypted storage accessible only to the FAAES convenor.
We do not store any data on third-party advertising platforms or analytics services.
Cookies and tracking
This website does not use cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics. The only external services loaded are Google Fonts (for typography) and the Tally form link. No browsing data is collected or stored.
Changes to this policy
We will update this policy as FAAES develops. The date at the top of this page reflects when it was last revised. Significant changes will be noted on the FAAES website.
Contact
For any questions about this policy or how we handle data, contact us at voices@faaes.org