1. About This Policy
VK Radio Trader ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect your personal information when you use our platform at https://vkradiotrader.com.au.
By using VK Radio Trader you consent to the collection and use of your personal information as described in this policy.
2. Information We Collect
Information you provide directly:
- Name, email address and password when you register
- VK callsign and amateur radio licence class
- Phone number and location (suburb/state) if provided in your profile
- Listing content including descriptions, photos and pricing
- Messages sent through our inbuilt messaging system
- Verification documents (ACMA certificates) submitted for callsign verification
- Payment information processed through Stripe (we do not store card details)
Information collected automatically:
- IP address and browser/device information
- Pages visited and features used on the Platform
- Login times and session information
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information to:
- Operate and improve the VK Radio Trader platform
- Verify your identity and amateur radio qualification
- Display your listings and profile to other users
- Send transactional emails — account verification, password resets, message notifications
- Send the weekly listing digest (if you have notifications enabled)
- Process payments for optional paid features
- Investigate reports of abuse, fraud or policy violations
- Comply with our legal obligations
4. Information We Display Publicly
The following information is visible to other users of the Platform:
- Your VK callsign
- Your first name only (surnames are never displayed publicly)
- Your licence class and verification badges
- Your listings, including suburb and state
- Member since date
Your full name, email address, phone number and exact address are never displayed publicly.
5. Information Sharing
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
We may share your information with:
- Stripe — payment processing for optional paid features. Stripe's privacy policy applies to payment data.
- Our hosting provider — your data is stored on servers in Australia.
- Law enforcement — where required by law or to protect the rights and safety of users.
6. Verification Documents
Documents submitted for callsign verification (e.g. ACMA confirmation letters) are stored securely outside the web-accessible directory of our servers. They are accessible only to VK Radio Trader administrators and are used solely for the purpose of verifying your amateur radio qualification.
Verification documents are not shared with any third party. You may request deletion of your verification documents by contacting us at support@vkradiotrader.com.au.
7. Data Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, and unauthorised access. These measures include:
- Passwords stored using bcrypt hashing — we cannot see your password
- HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted to and from the Platform
- Verification documents stored outside the public web directory
- Regular security reviews of our code and infrastructure
- Admin access protected by strong authentication
No system is completely secure. If you become aware of any security issue, please contact us immediately at support@vkradiotrader.com.au.
8. Cookies
VK Radio Trader uses session cookies to keep you logged in. These cookies are essential for the Platform to function and do not track you across other websites.
We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking cookies.
9. Email Communications
We send the following types of emails:
- Transactional emails — account verification, password resets, callsign verification updates. These cannot be opted out of as they are essential to the service.
- Notification emails — new messages, listing expiry warnings, saved search alerts. You can turn these off in Account Settings.
- Weekly digest — a weekly summary of new listings. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in the email or in Account Settings.
10. Your Rights
Under Australian privacy law you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate personal information
- Request deletion of your account and personal information
- Complain about how we handle your personal information
To exercise these rights, contact us at support@vkradiotrader.com.au. We will respond within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
11. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. If you request deletion of your account we will remove your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it by law.
Listings and messages may be retained in anonymised form for analytical purposes after account deletion.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of significant changes by email. The date of the last update is shown at the top of this page.
13. Contact Us
For any privacy-related questions or requests, contact our Privacy Officer at:
VK Radio Trader — Privacy Officer
Email: support@vkradiotrader.com.au
Website: https://vkradiotrader.com.au
State: New South Wales, Australia