Privacy Policy

This policy explains what information Optical Wonderful ("this site," "we") collects when you visit, and how that information may be used - including by third-party advertising partners.

Information we collect directly

Optical Wonderful does not require account creation and does not run a comment system. Apart from the anonymous test results and poll answers described below, the only information we receive directly is what you choose to send us - for example, if you email us via the Contact page, we receive your email address and whatever you include in your message. We use that information only to respond to you and don't add it to a mailing list without your explicit opt-in.

Illusion test results and polls

Some illusion pages have a short measurement test (for example, the Müller-Lyer illusion or the motion aftereffect), an attention test (the invisible gorilla) or a one-question poll (for example, the spinning dancer). When you finish a test with "Add my anonymous result to the visitor totals" ticked, or submit a poll answer, the site stores:

• For tests: which test it was, your score (for example, how far an illusion shifted your judgement, or how many seconds an aftereffect lasted), your average error on the control trials where the test has them, whether it was a repeat run on the same browser, and the date.
• For polls and the attention test: which one it was, the answer or answers you chose (for the attention test, whether you noticed the unexpected shape), and the date.

That's all. Results aren't linked to your name, email address, IP address, browser, or any cookie, so they can't be traced back to you, and they're only ever shown as combined totals. Untick the box before you finish a test if you'd rather not contribute; you'll still see your own result and how it compares with everyone else's.

To stop one person flooding the totals, the server counts how many results come from each IP address per day. It doesn't store the address itself, only a scrambled code made from the address, the date and a secret key. Those codes are deleted the following day.

Your browser also keeps your previous test score and poll answer in local storage, so the page can show how your score has changed and avoid asking for the same vote twice. That information stays on your device and never reaches the site.

Cookies and similar technologies

This site uses browser local storage to remember the cookie choice you make. If third-party advertising or analytics tools are enabled, those providers may also use cookies, local storage, pixels, or similar technologies:

• Essential browser storage - local storage remembers your cookie-consent choice so you're not asked again on every page.
• Advertising and analytics technologies - if enabled, third parties such as Google may use cookies or similar storage to serve ads and measure how the site is used.

On your first visit, a cookie banner asks you to choose between "essential only" and "accept all." The site records that choice in your browser and passes consent signals to supported Google tools. You can reopen the choices at any time with the Cookie settings control in the footer.

Google AdSense and advertising

The site is being prepared for Google AdSense. The current site source does not load AdSense or analytics tags. If advertising is enabled, Google and its advertising partners may use cookies and similar technologies to serve and measure ads. Depending on your choices and the ad settings, this can include personalized advertising based on visits to this and other sites.

Specifically, Google may use data to:

• Serve ads based on your visits to this site and other sites on the internet
• Measure ad performance and site traffic

If advertising is enabled, you can:

• Opt out of personalized advertising from Google by visiting Google's Ads Settings or the industry opt-out at optout.aboutads.info.
• Change your choice on this site using the cookie banner or the Cookie settings control in the footer. Choosing "essential only" does not necessarily prevent non-personalized ads from being served; ad delivery may still involve data needed to provide and protect the service.
• Review Google's own data practices in Google's Privacy & Terms documentation, which covers how Google's advertising products use data across the sites and apps that use them.

EEA and UK visitors

If personalized Google ads are served to visitors in the European Economic Area or the UK, Google requires publishers to use a Google-certified consent management platform integrated with the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework. The site's basic preference banner and Consent Mode signals are not a substitute for that certified platform. Set up an eligible CMP before serving personalized ads in these regions. See Google's current publisher consent requirements for details.

Analytics

No analytics tags are currently loaded in the site source. If analytics are added later, this policy and the consent settings will be updated to describe the provider, data collected, and choices available.

Data retention and third parties

Apart from the anonymous test and poll totals described above, we don't operate our own visitor database beyond browser storage for your consent choice and basic web server logs (which may include IP address, browser type, and pages requested). The site's hosting provider sets the retention period for server logs. If Google AdSense or other third-party tools are enabled, data collected by those providers is also governed by their own privacy and retention practices; see Google's advertising technology information.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes materially - for example, if advertising or analytics tools are enabled or a new provider is added - we'll update the "last updated" date above.

Contact

Questions about this policy can be sent to [email protected], or via the Contact page.