Privacy policy

Who we are

In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to the operator of Hookups Australia. You can contact us about privacy matters at hello@hookupsaustralia.com.

We aim to handle personal information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This policy explains the limited circumstances in which we may receive personal information and how we deal with it.

What we collect

We do not have user accounts, member profiles, payment processing or a database of dating preferences. The information we may receive falls into three categories:

• Information you send us. If you email us or use the contact form, we receive your name, email address, the topic you select and the content of your message. The form on this site opens a draft in your own email application; it does not submit data to a server operated by us.
• Technical information. Our hosting provider may automatically record standard server logs, such as your IP address, browser type, requested pages, referring pages and timestamps. These logs are used for security, reliability and troubleshooting.
• Information from cookies or similar technologies. The site is designed not to use advertising or analytics cookies. A hosting or security provider may set essential cookies needed to deliver the site securely. See our cookie policy.

We ask that you do not send us sensitive information — including health information, sexual history, identity documents or details about another person — unless it is genuinely necessary for your enquiry. Please do not send intimate images.

Why we use it

We use the information you send us to respond to your enquiry, review a correction, consider an editorial idea or handle a privacy request. We may keep a record of correspondence so we can follow up and maintain an accurate editorial record.

We use technical information to keep the website available and secure, diagnose errors, prevent abuse and understand aggregate traffic patterns. We do not use it to build advertising profiles or to identify individual readers.

We do not sell personal information. We do not rent, trade or share email lists. We do not send marketing emails unless you have specifically asked to receive something and we have agreed to provide it.

Disclosure to service providers

We may share limited information with service providers who help us run the website, such as a hosting provider, email provider or security service. These providers are expected to use the information only for the service they provide and to protect it appropriately.

We may also disclose information if required by law, if we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent serious harm, or to establish or defend a legal claim. We will not disclose information to a third party for that party's own marketing.

Some service providers may store or process data outside Australia. Where that happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure the information receives appropriate protection, but we cannot guarantee that overseas laws will be identical to Australian law.

How long we keep it

We keep correspondence only for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was sent, for our editorial records, or to comply with legal obligations. Technical logs are kept by the hosting provider for a limited period under its own retention settings.

If you ask us to delete correspondence and we have no legal or operational reason to keep it, we will take reasonable steps to do so. Some records may remain in backups for a limited time before they are overwritten.

Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the information we hold, including limiting access to correspondence and using reputable service providers. No website or email system is completely secure, however. You should avoid sending sensitive information by email, which is not a secure channel.

If we become aware of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will assess our obligations under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme and notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner where required.

Access, correction and complaints

You can ask us for access to the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it. Email hello@hookupsaustralia.com with enough detail for us to identify the relevant correspondence. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.

Children

This website is intended for adults aged 20 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 20. If you believe a minor has sent us personal information, contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

External links

Our articles link to external services, including health, safety and government websites. The Join for Free button uses our /join route to open Secret Benefits through a referral link. The partner receives the referral parameters in that link and handles registration under its own privacy policy. We do not receive the details you enter into its registration form through this website. Those sites have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for how they handle your information. We encourage you to read their policies before providing personal details.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in the site, our practices or the law. The “last updated” date at the top of the page shows when the current version took effect. If a change is significant, we will make that clear on this page.