Story Playscapes (ABN: 62197863313), the Australian publishing business www.storyplayscapes.com (hereafter referred to as Story Playscapes), respects your rights to privacy and is dedicated to protecting your personal information. This privacy policy applies to Story Playscapes and describes how the business collects, uses and manages your information. It describes how Story Playscapes acts in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and complies with the Australian Privacy Principles in relation to any collection of personal information from any individuals. Story Playscapes also acts in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations  (GDPR) for any individual within the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) (which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway). 

We respect your rights to your privacy and choices about how your personal information is collected and used. We acknowledge that your choice to provide your personal information to Story Playscapes, involves trust in our business. You have a right to inform Story Playscapes about your consent to the collection and use of your personal information.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1998 and the Australian Privacy Principles, Story Playscapes acknowledges that an individual may provide express or implied consent for us to collect and use your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. 

You are not required to provide any personal information that you do not wish to disclose to Story Playscapes. We acknowledge that it is your right to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym when connecting with or communicating with us.

Story Playscapes will protect the privacy of personal information that we collect from you. The purpose of us collecting your personal information is to:
-be able to reply to your email queries or requests.
-discover information that interests you.
-create publications that interest our readership.

We will also take reasonable steps to ensure that the quality of your personal information is current and accurate. If you believe that your personal information needs to be corrected or updated, you can inform us at any time. An individual may also withdraw their consent to disclose their personal information at any time. To update personal information or withdraw consent, please contact our Privacy Officer, Susan L. Marshall, at: privacy@storyplayscapes.com

Story Playscapes will not disclose your personal information, unless you give your consent or:
-required by law.
-to protect the personal safety or rights of other users of our website, social media, any member of the public or Story Playscapes.

Story Playscapes acknowledges that sensitive information is personal information that includes information or an opinion about an individual’s
-racial or ethnic origin.
-political opinions or associations.
-religious or philosophical beliefs.
-trade union membership or associations.
-sexual orientation or practices.
-criminal record.
-health or genetic information.
-some aspects of biometric information.

To comply with  Australian Privacy Act regulations and GDPR regulations, collecting or processing of any data in relation to the above sensitive information is prohibited at Story Playscapes. 

In Australian law, there are certain circumstances where Story Playscapes may collect sensitive information, which include: 

1. if the collection ‘is required or authorised by or under an Australian law or a court/tribunal order’.

2. where a ‘permitted general situation’ exists in relation to the collection, including:
– Lessening or preventing a serious threat to life, health or safety.
– Taking appropriate action in relation to suspected unlawful activity or serious misconduct.
– Locating a person reported as missing.
– Reasonably necessary for establishing, exercising or defending a legal or equitable claim.

In compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations  (GDPR), we provide you with:

1. The right to be informed of how we collect, store and use your personal information through this Privacy Policy, our website and any communications that we share with you.
2. The right of provision of access to your information
3. The right to rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning you. 
4. The right to erasure of personal data concerning you without undue delay. The ‘right to be forgotten.’
5. The right to obtain the restriction of processing of your information.
6. The right to data portability, if it should be required.
7. The right to obtain the restriction of processing to usage and storage of your information.
8. The right to object to the processing, usage or storage of your personal information. 
9. Rights in relation to automated individual decision making and profiling, if relevant. 

Story Playscapes may only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, one or more of its functions or activities. If Story Playscapes determines that it has collected unsolicited personal information, then it will work immediately to de-identify and destroy that information, if it is lawful and reasonable to do so.

Except as action stated in this Privacy Policy, Story Playscapes will never collect any of your personal information without your consent, whether express or implied. Story Playscapes collects your personal information when you voluntarily:

-email us. We may also keep a record of that email.
-provide us with any of your personal information and contact details.
-interact with us on our social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram).
-visit and browse our website.

The type of personal information that we might collect from you, includes: your name, email address, your interactions with our website and social media profiles (which might include your IP address, your social media handle – public user name, location data from your device and cookies) and your personal areas of interest. 

We collect the information you voluntarily provide to us in relation to your name, email, social media handle, location and interests and store these in our ‘Reader List.’ This information informs us as to our readership; how well our services and products are being received in various locations and of future trends in publication. You can request access to how your personal information is stored in our ‘Reader List’ at any time.

Story Playscapes works with the technical measures provided by our webhost and website software within our broader organisational framework to protect personal information and to mitigate information security and cyber security risks. We work to provide a safe environment for you to visit and roam our website. 

Information that we collect and store about website usage is anonymous. Story Playscapes does not collect or store any individual’s IP address. Such collection may be undertaken when an individual roams our website, by our website host (Hostinger); our website platform (WordPress); or our Plug in providers (All in One SEO and Google Site Kit ).

Please visit Hostinger, WordPress, All in One SEO and Google Site Kit, to read their Privacy Policies.

Story Playscapes does not use Cookies to obtain personal information about our website users. Story Playscapes uses the Cookie Yes plugin, to comply with global data privacy regulations by managing how cookies and tracking scripts are used on our website. WordPress also uses Cookies on our website. Individuals can opt out of having any data collection occurring. You can also go incognito. 

Please visit Cookie Yes and WordPress to read their Privacy Policies.

Story Playscapes does not disclose any of your personal information to third parties.

Story Playscapes takes reasonable steps to protect the personal information that it has been consented to hold from misuse, interference and loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Story Playscapes undertakes technical measures to protect personal information by implementing technological controls and physical measures relating to our software and hardware. We secure access to our business premises, store our data collection: our ‘Reader List’, on a local computer, backed up regularly, on premises, which is only accessed by our business administrator via a strong password and not connected to any external server. Our ‘Reader List’ itself is also protected by its own strong password access.

Story Playscapes reviews its ‘Reader List’ every three months for quality and accuracy of personal information, as well as to protect its security and the privacy of the individual. We de-identify information if it is no longer relevant, deleting it from our list. Readers who remain with us, remain on our ‘Reader List’ indefinitely, unless they inform us that they wish to be removed from the list. If you wish to be removed from our ‘Reader List’, please contact our Privacy Officer, Susan L. Marshall, at privacy@storyplayscapes.com

Story Playscapes interacts regularly with its Readers in discussion as to work it presents in its My Story Meadow Program in support of global literacy and in the development of its new publications. In compliance with Social Media laws and to protect the safety of children, Story Playscapes expects that only individuals 16 and above will interact with our business on social media (Facebook and Instagram). 

In further protection of the individual, if we determine that a person has replied to any of our social media posts with unsolicited personal information or sensitive information, that may put their safety or wellbeing at risk, we will work to have it:
-immediately hidden from sight on the post, to de-identify the personal information.
-where necessary, contact the individual to inform them of what they have posted and the risk.
-destroy the reply, including its personal information. 
-in the case of sensitive information, the post reply will be destroyed immediately, if it is lawful and reasonable to do so.

Story Playscapes is  contactable via various email links on the Contact page of our website. If you wish to report a specific problem or have a query in relation to the collection, use or storage of your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer, Susan L. Marshall, via privacy@storyplayscapes.com

Story Playscapes is committed to encourage a love for reading and discovery in our readership. This means that Story Playscapes will continue to develop and flourish as our programs and products expand. 

As we continue to grow, Story Playscapes reserves a right to change its Privacy Policy at any time. We will notify you of such action by posting our new updated version of our policy on our Story Playscapes website. 

Privacy Policy Version 2: 1 January 2026.