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Privacy Policy

Latest Updated: February 2026

Your privacy matters to us.

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Safe Steps Digital is committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about how we collect, use, and store your data.

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This Privacy Policy explains how we handle your information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988.

1. Who We Are

Safe Steps Digital provides digital safety education services to older adults across Australia. We teach safe online behaviors, scam recognition, and account protection strategies through one-on-one sessions and courses.

Contact Details:

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide our services. The information we collect depends on the nature of your interaction with us.

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Information You Provide Directly:

  • Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, home address

  • Booking Information: Preferred session times, service location preference (in-home or online)

  • Payment Information: Billing details, concession card information (if applicable)

  • Learning Information: Current technology skill level, specific concerns, devices you use, learning goals

  • Session Notes: Topics covered, progress notes, follow-up items (stored confidentially)

 

Information We Do NOT Collect:

⚠️ Important: What We Never Ask For

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We will NEVER ask for or record:

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  • Your banking passwords or PINs

  • Your account numbers or balances

  • Your credit card details (we use secure payment processors)

  • One-time password (OTP) codes

  • Social Security or Tax File Numbers (unless legally required)

 

We teach you how to protect this information — we never need to see it ourselves.

Information Collected Automatically:

  • Website Usage: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on pages (via standard web analytics)

  • Cookies: We use essential cookies for website functionality. You can disable cookies in your browser settings.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Primary Purposes:

  • Service Delivery: To schedule and conduct your digital safety sessions

  • Personalization: To tailor our teaching to your specific needs, skill level, and concerns

  • Communication: To send appointment reminders, follow-up materials, and answer your questions

  • Payment Processing: To process payments for services (via secure third-party processors)

  • Record Keeping: To maintain records of services provided and your progress

Secondary Purposes (With Your Consent):

  • Marketing: To send you educational resources, tips, and information about new services (you can opt-out anytime)

  • Testimonials: To share your feedback on our website (only with your explicit written permission)

Legal Obligations:

  • To comply with legal requirements, such as taxation and business record-keeping obligations

  • To respond to lawful requests from government authorities

4. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement multiple layers of protection:

Technical Security:

  • Secure, encrypted storage of digital records

  • Password-protected systems with strong authentication

  • Regular backups with encryption

  • Secure email communication (encrypted where possible)

  • Website security (SSL/TLS encryption)

Physical Security:

  • Paper records stored in locked filing cabinets

  • Restricted access to client information (trainers only access records for their assigned clients)

  • Secure disposal of documents (shredding) when no longer needed

Organizational Security:

  • All staff undergo police checks and privacy training

  • Confidentiality agreements signed by all staff

  • Regular privacy and security policy reviews

  • Limited access principle (staff only access information necessary for their role)

During Sessions:

🔒 Your Privacy During Training

  • We never ask to view your account balances or personal financial information

  • We guide you verbally; you implement changes on your own devices

  • We do not access your accounts or log into your banking apps

  • Session notes record only topics covered and learning progress, not sensitive personal details

5. Who We Share Your Information With

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We only share your information in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers:

  • Payment Processors: To process credit card and online payments (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) — these providers have their own privacy policies

  • Booking/Scheduling Software: To manage appointments (if applicable)

  • Email Service Providers: To send you communications (e.g., Mailchimp, if used)

  • Website Hosting: Your information is stored on secure servers (e.g., Wix, AWS)

All service providers are required to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

Legal Requirements:

  • We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government authority

  • We may disclose information to prevent serious threats to health, safety, or public welfare

Business Transfers:

If Safe Steps Digital is sold or merged with another business, your information may be transferred to the new owner (you would be notified of any such change).

Business Transfers:

We will share your information with third parties only if you give us explicit permission (e.g., sharing testimonials on our website).

6. Your Rights and Choices

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have several rights regarding your personal information:

Access:

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. We will provide this information within 30 days of your request, subject to some exceptions allowed by law.

Correction:

We will share your information with third parties only if you give us explicit permission (e.g., sharing testimonials on our website).

Deletion:

You can request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain limitations (e.g., we may need to retain information for legal or business record-keeping purposes).

Marketing Opt-Out:

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by:

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  • Clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any marketing email

  • Emailing us at info@safestepsdigital.com.au with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line

  • Calling us at [your phone number]

 

Note: Even if you opt-out of marketing, we'll still send you important service-related communications (appointment reminders, course materials, etc.).

Anonymity:

Where practical, you can interact with us anonymously or use a pseudonym (e.g., when asking general questions). However, to provide our personalized training services, we need to collect some identifiable information.

7. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law.

Information Type
Retention Period
Reason

Contact & booking info

7 years after last service

Business records, tax obligations

Payment records

7 years 

Australian tax law requirements

Session notes& progress

7 years after last session

Service delivery, quality assurance

Marketing consent

Until you opt-out or 3 years of inactivity

Ongoing marketing communication

Website analytics

14-26 months

Website improvement

After the retention period expires, we securely delete or destroy your information.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are designed for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 without parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without parental consent, we will delete it promptly.

9. Overseas Disclosure

Your personal information is primarily stored in Australia. However, some of our service providers (e.g., website hosting, email services) may store data on servers located overseas, including:

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  • United States (e.g., AWS, Google, Microsoft servers)

  • European Union (if using EU-based services)

 

We only use service providers that maintain appropriate security standards and comply with privacy laws. When we disclose information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient handles your information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

10. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., social media, payment processors). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes:

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  • We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page

  • If changes are significant, we will notify you by email or website notice

  • Continued use of our services after changes indicates acceptance of the updated policy

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We encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. How to Contact Us

Questions or Concerns About Your Privacy?

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, want to access or correct your information, or have a privacy complaint, please contact us:

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Email: info@safestepsdigital.com.au
Phone: [Your phone number]
Mail: [Your business address]

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We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days.

13. Privacy Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you can lodge a complaint with us. We will:

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  1. Acknowledge your complaint within 7 days

  2. Investigate the matter thoroughly

  3. Respond with our findings and proposed resolution within 30 days

 

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

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14. Consent

By using our services, providing us with your personal information, or continuing to use our website after changes to this Privacy Policy, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this policy.

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You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us, but this may affect our ability to provide services to you.

Your Privacy is Our Priority

We are committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy rights. If you ever have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.

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