Panel+ Application Information sheet

This note provides further information about the Panel+ Application, the information it collects and how to install and un-install it. Please download or print a copy if you wish to do so.

What is the Panel+ Application?

The Panel+ Application - the “App” - is software that is installed onto your computers desktop that makes use of standard Browser Add-ons to your Internet Browser. It is compatible with Internet Explorer (versions 7 and newer), Firefox (versions 3 and newer) and Chrome (versions 16 and newer) under a Windows (versions XP and newer) operating system environment. The App is provided by Ipsos Interactive Services Ltd, an Ipsos company based in the UK.

The App does not disable or interfere with any anti-virus or internet security software that you may have installed on your machine. If your anti-virus or Internet security software blocks the App, we will provide instructions for you to manually instruct such software to permit the installation and use of the App.

You have the ability to decide when the App is active or inactive. This can be accomplished by simply right-clicking the icon in your desktop tray and then ticking or unticking the “Paused” option in the App menu.

The App can also be uninstalled completely by using the "Programs" menu in your Windows Control Panel. Further details of how to install and uninstall the App can be found at the end of this information sheet.

Once you have installed the App, we may make routine software updates without informing you to keep the App working properly. However these updates will not materially change the functionality of the App or the information it collects without your prior knowledge and consent. You may need to uninstall the old version and then install the new version, when an updated one is released.

What does it do?

The App allows us to send you invites and notifications of new surveys directly to your desktop, instead of by email. It will also allow you to take part in new types of online research surveys not available through the current panel site by:

Sending you on missions to navigate sites so that we can carry out research into how users navigate around websites or to see how easy specific sites are to get around.
Asking you to view ads we will display on sites you normally visit.
Change some online advertising that is displayed to you, including any video advertising, as you visit sites in order to test different adverts.
Help us better understand the way you use the internet.
Take part in topical polls, and see the results in real time.

How does it work?

The App communicates via the Internet with Ipsos servers or those of an appointed third-party hosting service. It is designed to not materially alter the performance of your computer or browsing speed as it uses only free bandwidth and your usage is given priority.

What information does it collect?

In order to help with any requests for help or support when installing, using or uninstalling our App, the App logs the following events:

Date and time of installation and removal.
Installation failure reason. For example, version of Windows™ is too old to support the App, user has insufficient rights on the machine to install software, “other” error occurred, or user cancelled the installation.
Date and times when the App is active.

The information collected by the App can vary from project to project. However the information it can collect is limited to the following types of information:

Checking for use of key words in any comments or website posts you may make. For example, to see if you mention a specific product or service that may have been advertised recently online, or offline on TV, newspapers, magazines or other media. Please note that the App does NOT collect any of the content of your comment or post, it just checks to see if the key words that are the subject of our research are used.
Details of any Internet search engine queries and the results presented to you.
User clicks.
Type of browser used.
Details of any advertisements displayed to you online, including any video advertising.
Details of replacement adverts, including replacement video advertising the App displayed using the App’s ad replacement functionality.
Information about the websites you may have visited. This information includes:

All visited website addresses (URLs); and
website addresses accessed by individual webpage's as they load (also known as "Background Requests"); and
Details of any audio or video content accessed via the website (for example “YouTube” video content that has been viewed).

With the exception of checking for key words included in any comment or other online post you may make, our App does not collect keystrokes or information that is entered into a web-form, such as website user-ids, passwords, credit card numbers, other financial account numbers or other private data or any other data on a page in secure session. As a result, the App will normally not have access to any information regarding items in a website shopping basket or your interactions with financial or health-related websites that you may log into as these are normally secure sites.

Please note, however, that in the event that any such private data is displayed in a URL or insecure site, it is possible that such data may be collected. We can assure you that collecting such personal information is not the purpose of this software, and any such data will be securely deleted from our systems if found to have been collected.

How do I install it?

By clicking on the download link in the email you have received and then running the installation package and following the instructions on screen.

How do I uninstall it?

By selecting the “Uninstall Panel+” from the Windows Start menu, under the section “Panel+”.

Whom do I contact if I have a problem?

If you notice any issues at installation or while you're browsing the web after installing the App, please write to us at: epanel-uk@ipsosinteractive.com.

Please provide details about your operating system and the browser you've been using together with details of the issue(s) you have noticed.