Terms of Use & Disclaimer

1. Nature of MindScroll Health

MindScroll Health is a psychoeducational organization that translates peer-reviewed research on social media and mental health into accessible tools and resources. Our scoping review covers 79 sources published between 2000 and 2025 and is registered on the Open Science Framework.

MindScroll Health is not a licensed mental health provider, clinical practice, therapy service, crisis intervention service, or medical organization. No individual affiliated with MindScroll Health acts in a clinical capacity through the provision of our materials.

Our resources are educational in nature. They are intended to support awareness, reflection, and informed decision-making. They are not designed to diagnose, treat, or manage any mental health condition.

2. Not Medical or Clinical Advice

Nothing provided by MindScroll Health constitutes:

• Medical advice of any kind
• A clinical mental health assessment or evaluation
• A diagnosis of any mental health condition, disorder, or illness
• A treatment recommendation or therapeutic intervention
• A prescription or clinical referral
• Crisis counseling or emergency mental health support

This applies to all MindScroll materials, including assessments (Passive vs. Active Use, General Wellbeing, Post-Use Check-In), the Usage Pattern Tracker, the Sleep and Phone Check-In, the research explainer, presentation content, website content, and email communications.

The assessments and feedback MindScroll provides are psychoeducational tools grounded in peer-reviewed research. They are designed to surface patterns and provide general information relevant to those patterns. They do not evaluate any individual's clinical status.

3. Research Claims and Accuracy

MindScroll materials reference and summarize peer-reviewed research. We make reasonable efforts to represent this research accurately. However:

• The evidence base on social media and mental health is evolving. Findings may be updated, revised, or superseded by future research.
• Most effect sizes reported in the literature are small. MindScroll does not overstate the magnitude of any association.
• Correlational findings (which constitute most of the evidence base) describe associations, not causal relationships. MindScroll uses correlational language accordingly.
• MindScroll Health does not claim authorship of cited research and does not represent that cited researchers endorse MindScroll Health or its materials.
• Summary and interpretation of research findings is the responsibility of MindScroll Health alone and may not reflect the full conclusions or nuance of original sources.

Users are encouraged to consult original research where questions arise.

4. Data Collection, Storage, and Use

MindScroll Health handles different types of data differently depending on the tool or feature. The table below specifies what is collected, where it is stored, who has access, and how it is used for each part of our platform.

What MindScroll does not do with your data

• We do not sell data to third parties.
• We do not share assessment responses, tracker data, or personal information with schools, healthcare providers, insurers, law enforcement, or any external organization without explicit consent.
• We do not use data for advertising or commercial purposes.
• We do not create user profiles or track individuals across sessions (except for enrolled study participants who voluntarily submit scores linked to anonymous study IDs).

Formsubmit (third-party form service)

Forms on this site use Formsubmit, a third-party service that delivers form submissions to our email. Formsubmit processes data in transit to deliver it to us. MindScroll Health has reviewed Formsubmit's practices and determined them appropriate for the type of data collected (non-clinical, non-financial). For questions about Formsubmit's data handling, refer to their privacy policy at formsubmit.co.

Data retention

• Browser-based data (assessments, tracker, sleep check-in): retained on your device until you clear your browser data. MindScroll never has access to it.
• Form submissions (contact, application, study enrollment): retained in MindScroll's email system for as long as needed to respond to the inquiry or manage the study. Deleted when no longer needed.
• Longitudinal study data: retained for the duration of the study and any subsequent analysis or publication period. Study data is anonymous (linked to study IDs, not personal identifiers).
• Google Analytics data: retained according to Google's default retention settings (14 months). MindScroll does not extend this period.

5. Limitation of Liability

MindScroll Health, its founders, contributors, advisors, and affiliated individuals disclaim all liability for any outcomes, whether direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential, arising from use of or reliance on any MindScroll resource, assessment, feedback, document, or communication.

Specifically, MindScroll Health is not responsible for:

• Decisions made by users or their caregivers based on MindScroll materials
• Any mental health outcomes experienced by users regardless of their use of MindScroll resources
• The accuracy, completeness, or applicability of research findings to any individual's specific circumstances
• Outcomes resulting from failure to seek professional mental health care
• Any misinterpretation of psychoeducational content as clinical guidance

MindScroll Health makes reasonable efforts to ensure that our materials reflect the current state of peer-reviewed research. Scientific understanding evolves. We do not warrant that any content is complete, current, or applicable to any particular situation. Users are encouraged to consult qualified professionals before making decisions based on any information provided by MindScroll Health.

6. For Minors and Their Caregivers

Some MindScroll resources are designed with adolescents as the intended audience. Where minors engage with MindScroll assessments or tools:

• We strongly encourage caregiver awareness and involvement.
• Psychoeducational feedback is general in nature. It does not constitute an assessment of any individual's mental health status.
• MindScroll resources are not a replacement for parental guidance, school counseling, or professional mental health support.
• The longitudinal study requires participants to confirm they are 13 years of age or older before enrollment.

If a caregiver or adolescent has concerns about mental health, the appropriate step is consultation with a licensed mental health professional.

7. If You Are in Crisis

MindScroll Health is committed to the wellbeing of the people we serve. That commitment is why we are explicit about the limits of what we provide. Psychoeducation and research translation are valuable. They are not a substitute for clinical care when clinical care is needed.

8. Intellectual Property

All original content on mindscrollhealth.org, including assessment design, feedback text, educational materials, and website design, is the property of MindScroll Health. Validated scales referenced within assessments (such as items adapted from published instruments) remain the property of their original authors and are used for educational, non-commercial purposes.

Users may not reproduce, distribute, or commercially use MindScroll materials without written permission.

9. Changes to This Document

MindScroll Health reserves the right to update this disclaimer at any time. Updates will be reflected by a revised date at the top of this document. Continued use of MindScroll resources following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

10. Contact

Questions about these terms, concerns about data handling, or requests for clarification can be directed to: mindscrollhealth@gmail.com.