Privacy Policy

Anonymous Use

Our tests (VST-16, MST-21, AMS-16, Inner Monologue Test, Hyperphantasia Test, Binocular Rivalry Experiment) can be used completely anonymously. Your answers stay in your browser: in working memory and, so that you can continue an unfinished test after reloading, in the tab's SessionStorage (see “Local Storage”). Results are saved to LocalStorage only if you choose “Save on this device”. Analytics events about the tests contain the test type, duration and language and, if a test is abandoned, how many questions had been answered – no answers, no scores and no categories.

Test results are no longer stored on our servers

Test results allow conclusions about your mental imagery and are therefore health data under Art. 9 GDPR. That is why they do not leave your device: we do not store them on our servers, and no transmission takes place. Test sessions stored on our servers in the past have been deleted.

Sharing, comparing and returning

A share link (/r/…) contains only the test, scores and range, no answers and no name. Whoever opens it requests the address from our server; this request is not logged (see “Server logs”). When two people compare, the other person’s result is only in the part of the address after the # sign. Browsers do not send this part to our server. “Your last score” on the home page and the test pages reads the result from your browser (see “Local Storage”) and can be deleted there. Nothing is stored on our side.

Original VVIQ

You also fill in the original VVIQ (questionnaire by David Marks, 1973) in your browser only. While you fill it in, your answers are kept in the tab’s SessionStorage (aphantasie-test-entwurf) so that a reload does not lose them; they are removed when the result is calculated, when you leave the questionnaire or when you delete your data. Only the total and the time of the result are kept, for up to 5 runs (aphantasie-test-store): in SessionStorage or, if you choose “Save on this device”, in LocalStorage. A share link for the original VVIQ contains only the total; whoever opens it requests the address from our server. Nothing is stored or logged in the process.

Cookies

We do not set any cookies. Language selection is handled via the URL; theme preference is stored under the localStorage key theme.

Local Storage

We use your browser's LocalStorage with the following entries: aphantasie-test-store (storage choice and, for each test, the results of up to your last 5 runs so you can compare your scores – created only if you choose “Save on this device”, and kept until you delete it: everything via “Save and delete” on the results page, a single test including its earlier results via “Delete” next to “Your last score” on the test pages, or by clearing your browser data), theme (theme preference – no personal data). This data does not leave your device. We also use SessionStorage, which is cleared when you close the browser tab: aphantasie-test-store (the same results if you choose “Only during this session”) and aphantasie-test-entwurf (answers of a test in progress, so you can continue after a reload; deleted when the test is completed or discarded). For visitor statistics we store nothing in your browser (see “Web Analytics”).

Server logs

We keep no access logs for aphantasie.org: neither our web server nor the application records your requests – no IP addresses, no requested addresses, no browser details. The server only records technical error messages of the application (for example when part of the program fails); they contain no request data and nothing that relates to you.

Search in glossary and FAQ: your search word is part of the page address (?q=…) so the search survives Back and reload. It is evaluated in your browser; on reload or when you share the address it reaches our server as part of the address and is not logged. It is not sent to statistics.

Legal basis for the error messages: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interest in security and operation)

Retention period: error messages only for as long as we need them to fix errors

Hetzner Online GmbH (Germany)

Our website is hosted on our own server at Hetzner Online GmbH, located in Nuremberg (Germany). Hetzner is a German hosting provider with data centers in Germany and Finland. We have concluded a Data Processing Agreement (DPA). No data transfer to third countries occurs.

Fonts

We use self-hosted fonts. There is no connection to external services like Google Fonts.

Web Analytics (Umami – Self-Hosted)

We use Umami, a privacy-friendly open-source analytics tool that we self-host on our servers in Germany. Umami sets no cookies and creates no identifier by which you could be recognised. IP addresses are not stored. No data is transferred to third parties or third countries. Umami respects the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal of the browser. Analytics events contain no test results, scores or categories – only anonymous usage data. Raw data is deleted after 12 months. In parallel we are testing Rybbit, a second, likewise self-hosted statistics tool (run at rybbit.headon.pro on the same server in Germany). It receives the same data as Umami and, in addition, the network operator derived from the IP address (for example your internet provider). Only Rybbit additionally receives which link to an external website was clicked (its address only, without parameters) and, if a technical error occurs on the page, the error type, a shortened message, file and line – without address parameters and without anything you entered. We do not load the script that comes with Rybbit; our pages send the data themselves – without cookies and without storing anything in your browser. Rybbit recognises a visit by a hash of IP address, browser identifier and a random value that changes daily. The IP address itself is not stored; to fend off automated access the server keeps it in memory for up to 24 hours. Requests identified as automated are not counted and are logged separately for up to three months. Raw data is deleted here too after 12 months at the latest. If the GPC signal is set, nothing is sent to Rybbit either.

Data collected (anonymous):

• Pages viewed (with time) and referring page
• Device type, browser and operating system
• Country – derived from the IP address, which itself is not stored; we do not record region, city, screen size or device language
• Interaction events without content: test started, completed or abandoned, result shared or printed, language switched, FAQ question opened (its ID only), scroll depth, 30 seconds of use, steps in the 3D experience, tap on a pointer to one of our own sites

Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interest in improving our service). Umami sets no cookies, and the statistics store nothing on your device. Whether a page has been used for 30 seconds is only remembered in the memory of the open page; this note is gone when you reload or close it.