Privacy Policy

ARBCLUB ("ARBCLUB", "we", "our", "us") respects your privacy. This policy explains what personal information we collect when you use the ARBCLUB website, members club and related services (the "Service"), how we use it, and the choices you have. We handle personal information in line with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

1. Information we collect

You give us

• Account details — name, email address, role (climber, groundie, boss, etc.) and any optional profile info you add.
• Payment details — handled by our payment processor Stripe. We do not store full card numbers; Stripe stores them under their own security standards. We see only billing metadata (last four digits, expiry, country).
• Content you post — messages, photos, comments and submissions in chat rooms, lesson quizzes, prize-draw entries, support emails and surveys.
• Communications — emails, support tickets and any other correspondence with us.

Collected automatically

• Usage data — pages visited, lessons completed, entries earned, IP address, browser/device type, referring URL, timestamps.
• Local storage — your XP, patches, knot progress and preferences are stored in your browser's local storage so the Service works without an account on the marketing site.
• Cookies — only what's required to make the Service work and basic privacy-friendly analytics. We do not use third-party advertising cookies.

2. How we use it

• To create and manage your membership and process payments.
• To provide chat rooms, lessons, prize-draw entry tracking and the rest of the Service.
• To send essential account emails (receipts, trial-ending warnings, password resets, draw winner notifications).
• To improve the Service — fix bugs, understand which lessons/rooms get used, prioritise what to build.
• To meet legal obligations (tax records, trade-promotion permit reporting, fraud prevention).
• To send marketing emails only if you opt in. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email.

3. Who we share it with

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with the service providers we need to run the Service:

• Stripe — payment processing (USA / global; PCI DSS compliant).
• Circle — the platform that powers the chat rooms (USA).
• Netlify — website hosting and form submission processing (USA).
• Email service provider — transactional and (opt-in) marketing emails.
• Australian regulators — only when required by law (e.g. NSW Fair Trading or ACT Gambling and Racing Commission for trade-promotion compliance).

Some of these providers are based outside Australia. By using the Service you consent to your information being transferred to and processed in those countries. We take reasonable steps to ensure each provider handles your information consistently with the APPs.

4. Storage and security

We use industry-standard security (TLS in transit, encrypted at rest, scoped access for staff). No system is perfectly secure — if you suspect your account has been compromised, email hello@arbclub.com.au immediately.

5. How long we keep it

We keep account and payment information for as long as you are a member and for up to 7 years after you cancel, to meet Australian tax and consumer-law record-keeping obligations. Posts and content you have shared in member-only rooms may remain visible to other members after you leave unless you ask us to remove them.

6. Your rights

Under the Privacy Act you can:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate information — most fields you can edit yourself in your profile.
• Delete your account and have associated personal information removed (subject to legal retention obligations).
• Withdraw consent for marketing emails at any time.
• Make a complaint — first to us, then to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.

To exercise any of these, email hello@arbclub.com.au. We respond within 30 days.

7. Children

The Service is not intended for anyone under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you become aware a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

8. Cookies and tracking

We use essential cookies and your browser's local storage to make the Service work (login, preferences, lesson progress). We do not use cross-site advertising trackers. Analytics, where used, are configured to be IP-anonymised and not shared with advertising networks.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the Service evolves or the law changes. The "Last updated" date at the top will change. Material changes will be notified by email and on the website at least 14 days before they take effect.

10. Contact

Privacy questions or requests: hello@arbclub.com.au or via our contact page.