Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how Amanda Louise Boyce, trading as Aussie English With Amanda (ABN 25167140499) ("we", "us", "our", or "the Business"), collects, uses, stores, and discloses your personal information when you:

• visit or use our website www.aussieenglishwithamanda.com (the "Site"),
• purchase or use our services (including coaching, courses, and memberships),
• interact with us via email, WhatsApp, social media, or other communication channels,
• participate in our online community spaces.

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, "you" and "your" refers to you as a website visitor, customer, student, community member, or any other individual whose information we collect.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Your Agreement to This Policy

By using our Site, purchasing our services, or providing us with your personal information, you agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use our Site or services, or provide us with your personal information.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make changes, we will:

• update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy,
• post the revised policy on our Site,
• notify you via email if the changes are significant (where we have your email address).

Your continued use of our services after changes are made constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

What Personal Information We Collect

The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us. "Personal information" means information that identifies you or can reasonably be used to identify you.

1. Information You Provide Directly

When you interact with us, you may provide:

• Contact details: name, email address, phone number, postal address, country of residence
• Account information: username, password, security questions
• Payment information: billing address, payment method details (processed securely by our payment processor)
• Course and coaching information: language learning goals, pronunciation challenges, progress assessments
• Voice recordings: audio messages submitted via WhatsApp for homework or accent assessments
• Video recordings: recordings of coaching sessions, assessments, and community interactions via Zoom
• Communication content: messages sent via email, WhatsApp, community platforms, feedback forms, or customer support inquiries
• Feedback and testimonials: reviews, survey responses, and testimonials you choose to provide

2. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site or use our services, we automatically collect certain technical information:

• Device information: device type, operating system, browser type and version
• Usage data: pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring website
• Network information: IP address, general location data (country/city level)
• Cookies and tracking technologies: see our Cookie Policy section below

3. Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

• Service providers: companies that help us operate our business (see "Third-Party Service Providers" section)
• Payment processors: Stripe provides transaction and payment confirmation details
• Social media platforms: if you interact with us via social media, we may receive basic profile information
• Corporate clients: if your employer arranges training, they may provide your name and contact details

How We Use Your Personal Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

1. Providing Services

• Deliver coaching sessions, courses, and membership programs
• Process payments and manage your account
• Schedule and conduct lessons via Zoom
• Assess pronunciation and track learning progress
• Provide access to online community platforms (Heartbeat)
• Send lesson recordings, resources, and learning materials
• Respond to your questions and provide customer support

2. Communication and Marketing

• Send you program updates, lesson reminders, and service-related notifications
• Send marketing emails about our services, new courses, or special offers (you can unsubscribe at any time)
• Respond to your inquiries and feedback
• Conduct surveys to improve our services

3. Improving Our Services

• Analyse website usage and user behaviour to improve our Site and services
• Use AI tools (ChatGPT) to create lesson summaries, progress reports, and personalised learning materials
• Review voice and video recordings for quality assurance and training purposes
• Develop new courses and improve teaching methods based on student progress patterns

4. Legal and Security Purposes

• Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from authorities
• Enforce our Terms of Service and client agreements
• Detect and prevent fraud, security breaches, or misuse of our services
• Protect our rights, property, and the safety of our students and staff

Third-Party Service Providers and Data Transfers

We use various third-party service providers to help us operate our business. These providers may have access to your personal information to perform services on our behalf.

The following table outlines the main services we use and where your data may be transferred:

Service Provider	Purpose	Data Location	Data Transferred
Squarespace	Website hosting and analytics	United States	Contact details, usage data, IP address
Stripe	Payment processing	United States / Australia	Payment information, billing address, transaction data
Zoom	Video conferencing and lesson recordings	United States / Singapore	Name, email, video/audio recordings, meeting data
MailerLite	Email marketing	European Union / United States	Name, email address, email engagement data
Heartbeat	Community platform	United States	Name, email, profile information, community posts
Tally	Forms and surveys	European Union (Belgium)	Form responses, contact details
TidyCal	Appointment scheduling	United States	Name, email, appointment preferences
WhatsApp (Meta)	Communication and voice message submission	United States	Phone number, voice recordings, messages
Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, Forms)	Business administration, educational record storage, internal documentation, and form response collection	United States / Global	Contact details, form responses, lesson summaries, progress notes, educational records
OpenAI (ChatGPT)	AI-powered lesson summaries and progress reports	United States	Student progress data, lesson transcripts (anonymised where possible)
Loveable.app	Custom AI tools	United States	User input data for specific tools

When we transfer your personal information outside Australia, we take steps to ensure it is protected in accordance with Australian privacy law. This includes:

• Using service providers that comply with international privacy frameworks (such as GDPR for EU-based providers)
• Entering into data processing agreements with providers where appropriate
• Selecting providers with strong privacy and security practices

You acknowledge and consent to your personal information being transferred to, stored, and processed in these overseas locations when you use our services.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

We use AI tools, specifically OpenAI's ChatGPT and custom AI applications built on Loveable.app, to enhance our services and provide personalised learning experiences.

What AI is used for:

• Creating lesson summaries and progress check-ins
• Generating end-of-program reviews
• Developing personalised learning materials and exercises
• Analysing pronunciation patterns and progress data

Important information about AI processing:

• Student data (including progress notes and lesson transcripts) may be processed through OpenAI's systems, which are located in the United States
• Where possible, we anonymise or de-identify data before AI processing
• We do not use AI to make automated decisions that significantly affect you without human review
• OpenAI has its own privacy policy and data handling practices, available at https://openai.com/privacy

By using our services, you consent to your information being processed through these AI systems for the purposes described above.

Recording, Storage, and Retention of Audio/Video

Zoom Lesson Recordings

Coaching sessions and community calls are conducted via Zoom and may be recorded. Recording practices:

• Lesson recordings are stored in Zoom cloud storage
• Students receive access links to review their lessons for 30 days
• Recordings are automatically deleted from Zoom cloud after 30 days
• Initial and final accent assessment recordings may be retained beyond 30 days to demonstrate student progress

WhatsApp Voice Recordings

Students may submit pronunciation homework or accent samples via WhatsApp voice messages. These recordings:

• Are used for assessment and feedback purposes
• May be stored for the duration of your program
• Are deleted after program completion unless you consent to longer retention

Retention Periods

• Lesson recordings (general): 30 days
• Accent assessments: duration of program plus up to 6 months for progress comparison
• WhatsApp voice messages: duration of program plus 30 days, then deleted
• Lesson summaries (Google Docs): 3 months after program completion, then deleted after offering you the opportunity to copy
• Account and payment information: 7 years (Australian tax and accounting requirements)
• Marketing data: until you unsubscribe or request deletion

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Like most websites, we use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience and understand how you use our Site.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help the website remember your preferences and track your activity.

Types of cookies we use:

• Essential cookies: necessary for the Site to function (e.g., login sessions)
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how visitors use our Site (e.g., Google Analytics via Squarespace)
• Marketing cookies: used to show relevant advertisements and track campaign effectiveness

For more detailed information about Squarespace cookies, visit: https://www.squarespace.com/cookie-policy

Managing cookies:

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can:

• Block all cookies
• Delete existing cookies
• Allow cookies only from specific websites

Please note: Disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our Site.

How We Disclose Personal Information

We may disclose your personal information in the following circumstances:

1. Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who help us operate our business (as detailed in the "Third-Party Service Providers" section above).

2. Corporate Training Clients

If your employer or organisation has arranged training on your behalf, we may share:

• Attendance records
• Progress reports
• Completion certificates

We will inform you if this applies to you and will only share information necessary for the training purposes.

3. Marketing and Business Partners

With your consent, we may share your email address with trusted marketing partners (such as MailerLite) to send you promotional content about our services.

4. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required to:

• Comply with legal obligations or court orders
• Respond to lawful requests from government authorities
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Enforce our terms and conditions

5. Business Transfers

If our business is sold, merged, or undergoes a restructure, your personal information may be transferred to the new owner as part of the business assets.

Use of Testimonials and Promotional Content

We value student feedback and may use testimonials to help prospective students understand our services.

Anonymised Use

We may use anonymised or de-identified examples of student progress, pronunciation challenges, or learning outcomes for educational or marketing purposes. These will not include your name or identifying information.

Identified Testimonials

We will only use your name, photo, or identified feedback with your explicit consent. We typically request this via:

• End-of-program feedback forms
• Separate consent requests via email

You will always have the option to:

• Use your full name
• Use initials only
• Keep your feedback private

You may withdraw consent for us to use your testimonial at any time by contacting us. We will remove it from future marketing materials but cannot remove it from content already published or distributed.

Your Rights and Choices

Under Australian privacy law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

1. Right to Access

You can request access to the personal information we hold about you. We will provide this information within a reasonable timeframe.

2. Right to Correction

If you believe the information we hold is inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date, you can request that we correct it.

3. Right to Deletion

You can request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances, such as:

• The information is no longer necessary for the purposes it was collected
• You withdraw consent (where consent was the basis for collection)
• The information was unlawfully collected or used

Please note: We may not be able to delete all information if we have a legal obligation to retain it (e.g., financial records for tax purposes).

4. Right to Opt-Out of Marketing

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
• Contacting us directly at info@aussieenglishwithamanda.com

Note: Even if you opt out of marketing, we may still send you service-related communications (e.g., lesson confirmations, payment receipts).

5. Right to Complain

If you believe we have mishandled your personal information, you can:

• Contact us directly to resolve the issue (see contact details below)
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): www.oaic.gov.au

How to Exercise Your Rights

To make a request regarding your personal information, please contact us at:

Email: info@aussieenglishwithamanda.com

We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

Security of Your Information

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include:

• Using secure, encrypted connections (SSL) for data transmission
• Storing data with reputable service providers who implement strong security practices
• Limiting access to personal information to authorised personnel only
• Regularly reviewing our security practices

However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Responsibility

To help keep your information secure, you should:

• Keep your account password confidential
• Not share your login credentials with others
• Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorised access to your account

Children's Privacy

Our services are designed for adult learners (aged 18 and over). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

Links to Third-Party Websites

Our Site and communications may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those external sites.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us using the details above.

We will respond to your inquiry as promptly as possible, typically within 5-7 business days.