The digital data collected using the web application is be anonymized using contemporary and cutting edge computational algorithms--those are industry standards and are used to create and store passwords following a strong one-way hashing algorithm in PHP programming language. Walk With Web Inc. secures the virtual data on server computers by placing network firewalls and appropriate security protocols. We referred to Cryptographic Algorithms and guidelines outlined by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cryptographic Algorithms for UNCLASSIFIED, PROTECTED A, and PROTECTED B Information (ITSP.40.111)), during the development of this project to ensure high standards in online collection, transmission and storage of research data. The digital files are encrypted and backed up on a regular basis, which may be stored in password protected physical hard drives. Online transmission of any data within the research group or collaborators will only be performed using secured organizational emails including the University of Ottawa, Walk With Web Inc. and IRCC, or by implementing secure file transfer protocols. Any communication over an account in the public domain will strictly contain no personal or sensitive research related data.

All data will be retained for up to five years after the study i.e., November 2028 (Total 5 years after conclusion of IDG: 2023-2028). These data may be utilized in a subsequent project, should it receive SSHRC or NFRF funding (2023-2026). Anonymized research data, including researcher notes, articles, and digital files that include any documentation that may support further advancement of this research and does not include any personal information will be stored indefinitely.

The retention time will start in July 2022, after the web application is developed, fully and evaluated tested within the research group before using for data collection.

Throughout the retention period we will enforce the same confidentiality and security protocols as described in section 5.5 to prevent data corruption, loss and unauthorized usage. The project PI (Meredith Terretta) will be indefinitely in charge of the security of the data. Survey data will be recorded using the web application on a secured server managed by Walk With Web, Inc. The web application will use secured hypertext transfer protocol and secure sockets layer certificates to record participants' responses. Credentials will be hashed before being recorded on the database.

After completion of data entry--everything will be exported to physical hard drives, deleted from the webserver and sent to the PI. A local version of the web application can allow the PI to view the dataset and perform analysis on network-free devices, which are more secure.

For any digital data disposal we will use a software- based method to completely destroy all electronic data residing on physical disk drives, by using zeros and ones to overwrite data onto all sectors of the device. By overwriting the data on the storage device, the data is rendered unrecoverable and achieves data sanitization.

The physical hard drives will then also be formatted to reset the device. The master list is part of the export from the server/data collection, which will be stored in physical hard drives eventually. If we get a request for withdrawal, we will destroy the data linked to that participant (see section 2.10).

* A copy of the project Certificate of Ethics Approval may be viewed here.