Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

ClimateScore ("we", "our", "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service.

We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Email Address: When you sign up for early access or create an account
• Payment Information: If you subscribe to paid plans (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Contact Information: If you contact us for support

2.2 Information Automatically Collected

• Property Searches: Addresses you search for (to provide the Service)
• Usage Data: Pages viewed, features used, time spent on site
• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address
• Cookies: Small data files stored on your device (see Cookie Policy below)

2.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

• We do NOT collect your physical address (unless you voluntarily provide it)
• We do NOT collect financial account numbers (beyond payment processing)
• We do NOT collect sensitive personal information

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide the Service: Generate climate risk scores for searched addresses
• Communication: Send you updates about the Service, respond to inquiries
• Improvements: Analyze usage patterns to improve features and user experience
• Account Management: Manage your subscription and account settings
• Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Security: Detect and prevent fraud or abuse

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with:

4.1 Service Providers

• Hosting Services: Vercel (website hosting)
• Email Services: For sending notifications and updates
• Payment Processors: Stripe or similar (for paid subscriptions)
• Analytics: To understand how users interact with our Service

These providers are contractually required to protect your information and only use it for specified purposes.

4.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government authority.

4.3 Aggregated Data

We may share anonymized, aggregated statistics (e.g., "searches in bushfire zones increased 20%") that cannot identify individual users.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information:

• HTTPS encryption for data transmission
• Secure hosting infrastructure
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security assessments

Note: No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights

Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time
• Complaint: Lodge a complaint about our handling of your information

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

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide the Service to you
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax records for 7 years)
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements

When you close your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

8. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Service to function (e.g., login sessions)
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the Service
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect Service functionality.

9. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., government data sources). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. Please review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. International Users

ClimateScore is operated in Australia. If you access the Service from outside Australia, your information may be transferred to and processed in Australia, which may have different data protection laws than your country.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Significant changes will be notified via email.

Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information: