Your Privacy

Last updated: 13 July 2026

 

1. About this policy

At geneticgenealogy.au, we take your privacy seriously. This policy explains in plain language what personal information we collect when you use our website, why we collect it, how we keep it safe, and what rights you have.

We handle your information in line with the Australian Privacy Act 1988, the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024.

This policy covers any information collected through our website, online store, emails, and social media.

2. What we collect

When you make a purchase, create an account, sign up for our emails, or contact us, we may collect:

• Your name and contact details (email, phone, address)
• Your business name and ABN (if applicable)
• Billing and shipping addresses
• Payment details (processed securely by our payment provider and never stored on our servers)
• Any messages, questions or feedback you send us
• Survey responses
• Social media handles (if you share them with us)
  
  

When you visit our website, we automatically collect some technical information:

• Your IP address and approximate location
• Browser type and device information
• Which pages you visit, how long you stay, and where you came from
• Cookie data (see Section 7)
  
  

3. Why we collect your information

We only collect information when we have a good reason to. Here is how we use it:

• To fulfil your order: processing your purchase, arranging delivery, sending receipts and updates
• To run your account: setting up and managing your account, saving your preferences
• To communicate with you: responding to your questions, sending support replies
• To send you marketing: newsletters and offers, only if you have opted in
• To improve our website: understanding how people use our site so we can make it better
• To keep things secure: detecting fraud and protecting our website and customers
• To meet legal requirements: tax record-keeping and responding to legal requests
  
  

We only send marketing emails to people who have asked for them. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in any email or contacting us.

4. Automated tools and AI

We may use automated tools or artificial intelligence to help run our business, for example:

• Recommending products based on what you have browsed or purchased
• Screening orders for potential fraud
• Using chatbots to answer common questions
• Analysing website traffic to spot trends
  
  

We do not use automated tools to make important decisions about you without a real person checking first. If you have concerns about how an automated tool has been used, contact us, and we will have someone review it.

5. Who we share your information with

We never sell or rent your personal information.

We do share it with a small number of trusted service providers who help us run our business. These include our payment processor, email platform, website host, analytics provider, advertising platforms, and shipping provider. Each of these providers is only allowed to use your information for the specific service they provide to us. They are required to keep it secure and confidential.

We may also share your information if we are legally required to do so, for example, in response to a court order or government request. If our business is sold or merged with another, your information may be transferred to the new owner under a confidentiality agreement.

6. Keeping your information safe

We take reasonable steps to protect your information, including:

• Encrypting data sent between your browser and our website (SSL/TLS)
• Restricting access so only staff who need it can see your information
• Using secure, encrypted storage for sensitive data
• Running regular security checks
  
  

No system is completely secure, but we do our best to protect your information.

We only keep your information for as long as we need it. As a guide:

• Purchase and payment records: 7 years (required by tax law)
• Your account details: while your account is active, plus 2 years
• Marketing preferences: until you unsubscribe, plus 1 year
• Support messages: 3 years after your issue is resolved
• Website analytics: 26 months
• Cookie consent records: 12 months
  
  

When we no longer need your information, we securely delete or anonymise it.

7. Cookies

Cookies are small files saved on your device when you visit our website. They help our site work properly and let us understand how people use it.

We use four types of cookies:

• Essential: keeps the site working (e.g. your shopping cart). Always on.
• Analytics: helps us see how people use the site. You can opt out.
• Marketing: used to show you relevant ads. You can opt out.
• Preferences: remembers your settings and choices. You can opt out.
  
  

When you first visit our website, you may see a cookie banner that lets you opt out of non-essential cookies. You can also manage cookies through your browser settings.

8: What happens if there is a data breach

If there is a data breach that is likely to cause you serious harm, we will:

• Notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as soon as possible
• Let you know what happened, what information was involved, and what you can do to protect yourself
• Take steps to contain the breach and reduce any further risk
  
  

This is in line with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under Part IIIC of the Privacy Act 1988.

9. Children’s privacy

Our services are not aimed at anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we find out a child under 18 has given us their information without parental consent, we will delete it as quickly as possible.

If you are a parent or guardian and think your child has shared their information with us, please contact us straight away. We will comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Code currently being developed by the OAIC, which is expected to come into effect by December 2026.

10. Your rights and your right to take action

Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Ask us what personal information we hold about you
• Ask us to correct any information that is wrong or out of date
• Ask us to delete your personal information (where we are not required by law to keep it)
• Make a complaint if you think we have mishandled your information
  
  

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 13. We will respond within 30 days.

Since June 2025, the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 gives individuals the right to take legal action for serious invasions of privacy. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to sort things out directly.

11. Links to other websites

Our website may link to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites, so we encourage you to read their privacy policies before giving them any personal information.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the date at the top and post a notice on our website. If we make a major change that affects how we handle your information, we will do our best to let you know by email.

13. Contact us

If you have any questions about this policy, want to exercise your privacy rights, or want to make a complaint, please get in touch at geneticgenealogy.au/about. We aim to respond within 48 hours and to resolve any complaints within 30 days.

If you are not happy with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.