Recycled Sound — Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Recycled Sound is a joint initiative of the Rotary Club of Springvale City and Arches Audiology (Seray Lim, Clinical Audiologist). References to "we", "us", or "our" in this policy refer to the Recycled Sound project team.

2. What Data We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

• Account information — email address and password (used for authentication)
• Profile information — your name and your role in the app (donor, recipient, audiologist, or admin)
• Device photos — photographs of hearing aids you upload via the camera or photo library
• Device data — brand, model, type, specifications, and condition of donated hearing aids
• Donation and application details — information you provide when donating a device or applying for one, such as your location and contact preferences
• Usage data — basic analytics about how you interact with the app (e.g. screens visited, features used)

We do not collect health data directly. If you voluntarily provide hearing assessment documents as part of a recipient application, these are stored securely and accessible only to authorised audiologists and administrators.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account
• Identify hearing aid brand, model, and specifications from photos you submit
• Facilitate matching between donated devices and recipients
• Enable audiologists to review and quality-assure devices
• Communicate with you about your donation or application status
• Improve the app and our services

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes.

4. Camera and Photo Permissions

The app requests access to your device camera and photo library so you can photograph hearing aids for identification. These photos are:

• Used solely for identifying the hearing aid's brand, model, and specifications
• Uploaded securely to our servers for processing
• Not shared with any third party for purposes unrelated to device identification
• Not used for facial recognition or any form of biometric analysis

You can deny camera or photo library access and still use other features of the app. You can revoke these permissions at any time through your device settings.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored using Google Firebase and Google Cloud infrastructure. This means:

• Data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest
• Authentication is handled by Firebase Authentication, which follows industry-standard security practices
• Data is stored in data centres that comply with ISO 27001, SOC 1/2/3, and other security certifications
• Access to personal data is restricted to authorised team members on a need-to-know basis
• We use Firebase Security Rules to enforce access control at the database level

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your account.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. If you request account deletion, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain it.

Device records (brand, model, specifications) may be retained in de-identified form for impact reporting and e-waste metrics.

7. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct any inaccurate or out-of-date information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Withdraw consent for data processing at any time
• Complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you believe your privacy has been breached

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address below.

8. Children's Privacy

Our app is not directed at children under the age of 16. Where a recipient is under 16, a parent or guardian must manage their account and provide consent on their behalf.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy in the app and updating the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Contact Us