Privacy Policy
Privacy policy for Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute website and data handling.
Introduction
We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, IT Rules 2011, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
Information We Collect
Website Visitors:
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time on site
• Cookies: As described in the Cookies section below
Contact Form Submissions:
• Name, email address, institution (if provided), message content
Data Access Requests:
• Name, credentials, institutional affiliation, research purpose, ethics approval
Research Data:
Our research involving children is governed separately by our Micro Research Ethics Framework (MREF) and is not collected through this Website.
How We Use Information
• To respond to inquiries
• To process data access requests
• To improve the Website
• To analyze usage patterns
• To comply with legal obligations
Data Sharing
We do not sell or trade your information. We may share with:
• Service providers (hosting, analytics) under data processing agreements
• Legal authorities when required by law
• Research collaborators only with your explicit consent
Data Retention
• Contact submissions: 2 years
• Data access requests: Duration of agreement plus 5 years
• Analytics: 26 months
Your Rights
You have the right to: access, correct, erase, restrict, port your data, object to processing, and withdraw consent. Contact: privacy@blueblocks.in
Children's Privacy
This Website is not directed at children under 18. We do not collect personal information from children through the Website.
Grievance Officer
In accordance with the IT Act, our Grievance Officer can be reached at grievance@blueblocks.in. Complaints will be addressed within 30 days.
Disclaimer
General
Information on this Website is for general informational and educational purposes. We make no warranties about completeness, accuracy, or reliability.
Research Findings
Our research findings:
• Are context-specific (Montessori school in Hyderabad) and may not generalize
• Are observational and do not establish causation
• Should not be the sole basis for educational, medical, or developmental decisions
• Are subject to limitations stated in each publication
Not Professional Advice
Nothing on this Website constitutes medical advice, psychological counseling, educational prescriptions, legal advice, or professional consultation of any kind. Consult qualified professionals for specific concerns.
Methodology Adoption
Our methodology and standards are published openly. However:
• Successful implementation requires appropriate training
• We are not responsible for outcomes from adoption of our methods
• Institutions remain responsible for their own ethical compliance
Copyright & Licensing
Ownership
Unless otherwise stated, all content on this Website is copyright © Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute.
Research Publications
Our methodology papers (DOI-001, DOI-001a) and micro-study publications are licensed under:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
You may share and adapt with appropriate attribution.
Research Standards
Our standards (BEOP, MREF, CDCS) are licensed under:
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
You may adopt and adapt with attribution. Modified versions must be clearly distinguished and released under the same license.
Public Data
Tier 1 (fully anonymized) datasets are licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Website Content
General website content is All Rights Reserved. You may view, share links, and quote brief excerpts with attribution. Substantial reproduction requires permission.
Trademarks
'Blue Blocks', 'Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute', 'Micro Research', and associated logos are trademarks. Use requires prior written permission.
Attribution Format
For publications: [Author]. [Year]. [Title]. Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute. [DOI].
For website: Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute. [Page]. research.blueblocks.in. Accessed [Date].
Permissions
For uses not covered above, contact: permissions@blueblocks.in
Accessibility
Our Commitment
We are committed to digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We aim to conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines.
Measures Taken
• Text alternatives for non-text content
• Sufficient color contrast
• Keyboard accessibility
• Clear, consistent navigation
• Semantic HTML markup
Known Limitations
• Some older PDF documents may not be fully screen-reader compatible
• Some data visualizations may lack full text alternatives
We are working to address these issues.
Feedback
If you encounter accessibility barriers, please contact: accessibility@blueblocks.in
We aim to respond within 5 business days.
Research Ethics
Our Commitment
We conduct research that is ethically sound, transparent, and respectful of all participants—particularly the children whose development we observe. As educators first and researchers second, the welfare of children always takes precedence.
Core Principles
Education First:
Educational welfare always supersedes research interests. Research never disrupts learning.
Embedded, Not Intrusive:
Research is conducted by educators already part of children's environment. We do not introduce external observers.
Informed Consent:
• Enrollment consent from families
• Annual reaffirmation
• Additional consent for elevated-visibility studies
• Age-appropriate assent from children
• Right to withdraw at any time
Privacy and Confidentiality:
• Tiered data classification (CDCS)
• De-identification protocols
• Secure storage with access controls
Transparency:
We are transparent about methodology, limitations, conflicts of interest, and bias mitigation.
Governance
Our research is governed by:
• Micro Research Ethics Framework (MREF)
• Ethics Advisory Committee
• Blue Blocks Embedded Observation Protocol (BEOP)
• Classified Data and Consent Standards (CDCS)
Concerns
If you have concerns about our research practices: ethics@blueblocks.in
Concerns are reviewed by our Ethics Advisory Committee within 30 days.
Contact
For questions about these policies:
General Legal:
legal@blueblocks.in
Privacy & Data:
privacy@blueblocks.in
Research Ethics:
ethics@blueblocks.in
Accessibility:
accessibility@blueblocks.in
Permissions:
permissions@blueblocks.in
Grievances (IT Act):
grievance@blueblocks.in
Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute
Operating under Blue Blocks Research Institute Foundation
Hyderabad, Telangana, India