China Energy History Visualization

Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 19, 2026

Introduction

Welcome to the Energy Data Pipeline platform ("Service"), operated by the University of Chicago's Center for Robust Decision-making on Climate and Energy Policy (RDCEP). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service, including our Google Sheets integration.

By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Service.

Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account or are invited to use our Service, we collect:

  • Name (first and last name)
  • Email address
  • Account credentials (encrypted passwords)
  • Account role and permissions

Google Account Information

When you connect your Google account for Google Sheets integration, we collect:

  • Google account email address
  • Basic profile information (name, profile picture)
  • OAuth access and refresh tokens (encrypted and securely stored)

Google Sheets Data

When you authorize access to Google Sheets, we collect:

  • Spreadsheet IDs, names, and URLs
  • Sheet names and metadata (row counts, column counts)
  • Column headers and data types
  • Energy data from your sheets for visualization purposes
  • Timestamps of data synchronization

Uploaded Files

When you upload files to our Service:

  • File contents (Excel, CSV files)
  • File metadata (names, sizes, upload dates)
  • Extracted energy data and mappings

Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information about your use of the Service:

  • Activity logs (imports, extractions, preview creation)
  • Feature usage patterns
  • Error and diagnostic information
  • Access timestamps and IP addresses

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

  • Service Provision: To provide, maintain, and improve the energy data visualization platform
  • Authentication: To verify your identity and manage your account access
  • Google Sheets Integration: To sync and import data from your Google Sheets for visualization purposes
  • Data Processing: To transform your energy data into Sankey diagrams and stacked area charts
  • Communication: To send you service-related notifications, updates, and administrative messages
  • Academic Research: To support the U.S. Energy History Visualization research project (anonymized and aggregated data only)
  • Service Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our features and user experience
  • Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues and fraudulent activity

Google API Services User Data Policy

Our use of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy , including the Limited Use requirements.

Specific commitments regarding Google Sheets data:

  • We only request the minimum scopes necessary for functionality
  • We do not transfer Google user data to third parties (except as required by law)
  • We do not use Google user data for advertising purposes
  • We do not allow humans to read Google user data unless:
    • You explicitly consent for support purposes
    • Required for security purposes (investigating abuse)
    • Required to comply with applicable law
  • Your Google Sheets data is only used for the specific purpose you authorized

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

  • With Your Consent: When you enable public sharing of previews, the associated visualization data becomes publicly accessible
  • Academic Partners: Aggregated, anonymized data may be shared with University of Chicago research partners for academic purposes
  • Service Providers: With trusted service providers who assist in operating our platform (e.g., hosting, database services) under strict confidentiality agreements
  • Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental authority
  • Protection: To protect the rights, property, or safety of the University of Chicago, our users, or others

Important: We never share your Google OAuth tokens or credentials with any third parties.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

  • Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS
  • Password Security: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt before storage
  • OAuth Token Protection: Google OAuth tokens are encrypted at rest using AES-256 encryption
  • Access Control: Role-based access control (RBAC) restricts data access to authorized users only
  • Authentication: Secure JWT-based session management with automatic expiration
  • Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for suspicious activity and security threats

While we use reasonable measures to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: You can access and review your account information at any time through your profile
  • Correction: You can update or correct your account information through your profile settings
  • Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us
  • Revoke Google Access: You can disconnect your Google Sheets integration at any time by:
  • Export: You can export your extracted data and visualization configurations
  • Opt-Out: You can opt out of non-essential communications

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy:

  • Account Data: Retained while your account is active and for 90 days after account deletion
  • Google OAuth Tokens: Retained while the connection is active; immediately deleted upon disconnection
  • Imported Data: Retained while your account is active; deleted with account deletion
  • Public Previews: Retained until you delete them or disable public sharing
  • Usage Logs: Retained for 12 months for security and service improvement purposes
  • Research Data: Anonymized, aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for academic research

Third-Party Services

Our Service integrates with third-party services:

These third-party services have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for their practices.

Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will delete such information.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located in the United States. If you are accessing our Service from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using our Service, you consent to this transfer.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by:

  • Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
  • Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
  • Sending you an email notification for material changes

Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

University of Chicago

Center for Robust Decision-making on Climate and Energy Policy (RDCEP)

Email: Contact Form

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