Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 1 July 2025

This Privacy Policy outlines how Podonymous collects, uses, stores, and protects your information. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and, where applicable, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. What We Collect

1.1 Personal Information (Minimal)

Email address (only if you create an admin or moderator account)
IP address (temporarily for abuse prevention; anonymized after processing)

1.2 Non-Personal Information

Browser type, device model, session data
Audio file metadata (name, duration, category, timestamp)

1.3 Audio Recordings

Recordings are anonymized and tagged with user-selected categories.
Users are instructed not to include any identifying information.

2. Why We Collect It

We collect data to:

Operate and maintain the Service
Approve and moderate uploaded content
Provide anonymized usage analytics
Prevent spam, abuse, or harmful behavior

3. Cookies & Tracking

Podonymous does not use cookies or third-party analytics tools. We do not track user behavior or store tracking data in your browser.

4. Data Storage & Security

Audio files are stored in Google Firebase Storage.
Metadata is stored in Firestore, encrypted and access-controlled.
We use SSL encryption, restricted access protocols, and regular audits to maintain data security.

5. Sharing of Information

We do not sell or share personal data with third parties except:

When legally required (e.g., court order)
To prevent harm or abuse
To trusted third-party services (e.g., Firebase, analytics) under strict confidentiality agreements

6. User Rights (GDPR + AU)

You may request access to or deletion of your data (admin accounts only).
If you're in the EU, you have the right to object to data processing or request data portability.
All users may contact us to request anonymized audio content removal.

7. Children’s Privacy

Podonymous is not intended for children under 16. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If you're a parent and believe your child has submitted personal information, please contact us for immediate deletion.

8. Data Retention

Audio and metadata are stored as long as necessary for archival, research, or moderation.
Admin account data is stored until account deletion or upon request.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify users via the website or email (for admin users) when changes are significant.

10. Third-Party Institution Disclaimer

Podonymous is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially associated with any university or educational institution listed or referenced within the platform. University names are used solely for categorization and filtering by users, and do not imply any partnership or representation.

11. Contact Us

For all questions, concerns, or data-related requests, please contact us via our official social media channels.
We currently do not provide support by email or postal mail.