Introduction

This Extended Privacy Policy provides a comprehensive explanation of how your personal data is handled by The Square Wave (referred to as "we," "us," or "our"). Our website address is www.thesquarewave.com. If anything in this policy remains unclear, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Our Principles and Obligations

We have a steadfast commitment to data protection and privacy, which strictly adheres to the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

As an Australian-based organization, we are bound by the APPs in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the "Privacy Act"), which regulate how organizations may collect, use, disclose, and store personal information, and how individuals may access and correct the personal information we hold about them.

In this document, 'personal information' has the same meaning as defined by section 6 of the Privacy Act: information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.

Collection of Personal Information

We collect your personal information primarily to provide you with the products, services, or information available on The Square Wave.

Information We Collect Directly from You

We collect information when you directly interact with our website or services. This may include, but is not limited to:

- Identifiers and Contact Details: First name, last name, email address, phone number, postal address, and location.

- Transactional Data: Payment details (though often handled by third-party processors, as noted below).

- Usage and Preferences: Information on how you use our website, your product preferences, opinions, and other personal preferences.

Below is a breakdown of the specific methods of direct collection:

- User Contact Forms: When you fill out a contact form, we collect that information to respond to your query. We may use this information to follow up regarding services we provide, provided it aligns with the scope of your original query.

- Mailing List: If you sign up, you have opted-in and consented to us sending you emails related to our services or products. All emails comply with the guidelines set out by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

- User Account Registration: When you sign up and create a login, we collect your details to store your user preferences and manage your account upon subsequent logins.

- Credit Card Payments (including PayPal/Stripe):

If you enter credit card details directly on our site, this information is handled via secure processes, incorporating an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt your data during transmission. If you use a third-party payment service (like PayPal or Stripe), we will only receive basic information and confirmation of payment. We do not have access to your full credit card details, as these are handled by the third-party provider in line with their respective terms of use.

Contacting Support: If you contact us for technical, product, or other support, we may retain the record of that communication (transcript, emails, etc.) to process your request, track issues, and for training purposes.

Information We Collect from Third Parties or Public Sources

We may occasionally collect personal information from a third party or a publicly available source, but only if:

- You have consented to your information being used in this way; or

- You would reasonably expect us to collect it in this way; and

- The third party is legally permitted to disclose the information to us.

Information We Collect from Your Online Activity

Other data is collected automatically when you visit www.thesquarewave.com:

- Automatic Data: Your Internet Service Provider (ISP), operating system, browser information, Internet Protocol (IP) address or other device identifiers, location, and time/date stamp.

- Social Network Widgets and Buttons: When you use or click on social network widgets on our website (e.g., Pinterest, Twitter), you do so according to their terms and privacy policies. Actions like 'Liking' or 'Following' may become visible on that social network.

- Maps/Video and Other Embedded Content: Content embedded on our site (e.g., Google Maps, YouTube videos) is not hosted on our servers. Any interaction with such content is governed by the respective third-party provider's privacy policy.

- Cookies and Digital Identifiers: Our website uses cookies and other digital identifiers categorized as:

- Site Performance Indicators: To understand how our website is used and make necessary improvements for a better user experience.

- Analytics Cookies: To gather statistics on website traffic, popular areas, and areas needing development.

- Advertising Cookies: To help us tailor advertising that is more relevant to your interests, characteristics, or general location.

- Cookie Rights: You can usually disable the use of cookies by adjusting the security settings in your browser. However, please be aware that this may affect how certain items are displayed or function on our website.

Use, Disclosure, and Direct Marketing

Use and Disclosure (APP 6)

We only use personal information for the purpose for which it was requested or for purposes that are directly related to one of our functions or activities.

We will not provide your personal information to other entities, bodies, or parties unless one of the following conditions applies (in line with APP 6 – use and disclosure of personal information):

- You have provided explicit consent.

- You would reasonably expect, or have been informed, that information of such kind would be passed on (see subclause 6.2).

- It is otherwise required or authorised by law, or reasonably necessary for the enforcement of a criminal law, a law imposing a pecuniary penalty, or for the protection of public revenue.

- It may prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to somebody’s life or health.

Direct Marketing

We may use your personal information to send you customised advertising that is relevant to your interests or location.

Opt-out: All direct marketing correspondence sent via email includes a clear unsubscribe button or link at the bottom of the email, allowing you to manage which messages you receive from us.

Data Quality, Security, and Access

Quality of Personal Information (APP 10)

We take all reasonable steps to ensure the personal information we collect, use, and disclose is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. This allows us to deliver a better service to you. If any information we hold on you needs correction, please contact us via [email protected].

Data Security (APP 11)

We take active steps to protect the personal information we hold against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure, or other misuse. Every employee or agent of The Square Wave must abide by this privacy policy.

While we cannot disclose specific security system details for security reasons, we use robust measures appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. When personal information is no longer required for the purpose it was collected, or if requested by you, it is destroyed or deleted in a secure manner, unless we are required by law to retain it.

Access and Correction (APP 12 & 13)

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and request that we correct it if it is inaccurate.

Please contact us at [email protected] or use the contact details below, and we will endeavour to assist you with your request.

Exceptions: Please note that under Australian privacy laws, there may be limited situations where we cannot provide access to certain personal information. For instance, if providing access would reasonably affect someone else’s privacy or pose a threat to someone’s life, health, or safety.

Third-Party Data: For any personal information collected by third parties (even when you are on our website), we advise you to review their specific privacy policies and seek assistance from those parties directly.

Complaints Handling

If you have any complaints or believe there has been a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles or a registered APP code, please contact our Privacy Officer via [email protected] or another option listed below.

If you are not satisfied with the process of making a complaint to our Privacy Officer, you may make a complaint directly to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 1300 363 992

Fax: 02 9284 9666

How to Contact Us

We welcome your questions or concerns about this policy or our practices. You can get in touch with us in the following ways:

Email: [email protected]

This privacy policy was last updated on November 17, 2025.