Ruby Cha Cha Privacy Policy 2023
1. What kinds of personal information we collect and hold
The personal information collected and held by us will include your answers to our research. It may also include your name, date of birth, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, occupation and other details about you. You can choose not to answer any of our questions or to give us any of these details.
2. How we collect and hold personal information
We collect personal information to support our research activities. This may include:
- Personal Identifiers: Name, date of birth, address, email address, phone number.
- Demographic Information: Occupation, interests, or other details you may provide.
- Research Data: Responses to surveys or other research instruments.
Consumers/Participants may choose not to provide any personal information, though this may limit your participation in certain activities.
3. The purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information.
We collect personal information directly from you when you provide it. We may also collect information from The Research Society tools and other third parties where applicable (e.g., clients, researchers, and commercial data providers). Your personal information is stored securely in encrypted form on servers located in Australia.
We comply with The Research Society’s guidelines on ethical data collection, ensuring your data is protected according to industry standards.
We destroy or de-identify your personal information as soon as it is no longer required for research or other purposes for which it was collected.
4. How we provide access to personal information and seek correction of it
The primary purpose of collecting personal information is to conduct research. Secondary purposes include responding to your inquiries or administering services you have requested.
We ensure that the results of our research are reported anonymously and in aggregated form, unless explicit consent has been obtained from you to identify you. We do not disclose your personal information except:
- To our contractors for internal purposes (subject to confidentiality agreements).
- If required by law (e.g., in response to a court order).
- With your consent.
We retain your personal information only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and, where required, in compliance with applicable laws.
5. Complaints about Breach of Australian Privacy Principles and how we Deal With the Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights under the Privacy Act 1988 or the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) have been violated, you may lodge a complaint via our website. We aim to respond to all complaints within 14 days of receipt.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may refer the matter to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
6. Disclosure of Personal Information to Overseas Recipients
We do not disclose personal information to overseas recipients. If, in the future, we need to disclose personal information to overseas parties (e.g., for data storage, analysis, or research purposes), we will:
- Ensure such disclosures are in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 and the APPs.
- Take reasonable steps to ensure your privacy rights are protected
7. Website Data Collection and Use
We collect and analyse data on each visit to our website in order to improve user experience. This information is collected anonymously and is not used to identify individuals. Our use of website data is governed by our Cookie Policy.
8. Research Data and The Research Society
We adhere to The Research Society’s Code of Professional Behaviour and the Market and Social Research Privacy Principles in the handling of research data. These tools guide how we:
- Collect, store, and handle research data in compliance with privacy regulations.
- De-identify or anonymise responses to ensure participant confidentiality.
- Ensure ethical standards are maintained throughout the research process.
9. Data Destruction
Destroying data properly is essential for maintaining privacy and compliance with laws like the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). It ensures that personal data is not retained longer than necessary and that it is securely disposed of when no longer required.
Archival and Retention Periods
- Retention Periods: We ensure data is kept only as long as necessary for research or business purposes. Once the retention period expires, data should be securely destroyed. We also ask that clients follow this procedure and this is included in our terms and conditions
- Data Minimisation: We regularly audit our data to minimise what we hold, ensuring we are not storing unnecessary personal information
- Digital Data Destruction
- Encryption and Deletion: When deleting digital files, we ensure they are securely wiped using encryption-based methods before removal to fully erase using:
- We use a mix of data-wiping software that overwrites files multiple times and physical destruction: If sensitive data is stored on physical media (e.g., hard drives, USB drives
- Paper Records Destruction
- Shredding: All physical documents containing personal or sensitive information are to be shredded.
- Media Disposal
- Hard Drives: When disposing of old hard drives or storage devices, use certified services to destroy or wipe drives.
10. Revision History
- Last updated: 5 August 2023
- Revision 2.0, scheduled for 2025 (post release of new Australian Privacy Principles document)