1. Information We Collect

OurSay collects the following information to provide our voting platform:

• Phone Number: Used for account verification and to ensure one person, one vote
• Email Address: Used for account management and important notifications
• Location (City & State): Used to provide regional voting insights and ensure you're eligible to vote
• Voting Data: Your votes on issues (stored separately from your identity to maintain anonymity)
• Comments: Any comments or discussion posts you make on issues

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Verify you're a real Australian resident and prevent duplicate voting
• Display anonymous vote results broken down by state and region
• Enable you to participate in discussions (displayed as "Voter #XXXX")
• Send you important updates about issues you've voted on
• Improve our platform and detect fraudulent activity

3. Anonymous Voting

Your vote is completely anonymous. We use cryptographic techniques to separate your identity from your vote:

• Votes are stored with a one-way encrypted identifier that cannot be traced back to you
• We aggregate voting data by region but never reveal individual voting patterns
• Even OurSay administrators cannot see how specific individuals voted
• Comments are displayed with anonymous voter numbers (e.g., "Voter #3421")

4. Data Security

We take data security seriously and implement industry-standard protections:

• Bank-level encryption for data in transit (SSL/TLS)
• Encrypted storage of sensitive personal information
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• Strict access controls limiting who can view user data
• Secure authentication with phone and email verification

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data only in these limited circumstances:

• Aggregated Data: We publish anonymous voting statistics (e.g., "60% of Victorians voted YES")
• Service Providers: We use trusted third parties for hosting, authentication, and email (e.g., Supabase, Twilio)
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by Australian law or to prevent harm

6. Your Rights

Under Australian Privacy Law, you have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Correct inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your account and data
• Export your voting history
• Opt out of non-essential communications

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@oursay.com.au

7. Cookies

We use essential cookies to maintain your login session and improve your experience. We do not use tracking cookies or third-party advertising cookies.

8. Children's Privacy

OurSay is intended for adults 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 18.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or a prominent notice on our platform.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us: