1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Countdown Party Pty Ltd (ABN 16 694 687 557) ("Countdown Party", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you use the Countdown Party platform, including our website, applications, and services (collectively, the "Platform").
We are committed to handling your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles ("APPs"). Where the European Union General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") applies to you, we also seek to comply with its requirements.
By using the Platform, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Platform.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
- Account information — your name and email address, collected through our authentication provider when you register or sign in.
- Countdown content — countdown names, song shortlists, votes, and any other data you submit when creating or participating in a countdown.
- Communications — information you provide when you contact us for support.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Usage and device data — pages viewed, actions taken, approximate location, browser and device type, collected via our analytics provider.
- Cookies and similar technologies — used for authentication, session management, and analytics. See section 6.
2.3 Information From Third Parties
- Music service data — if you connect a Spotify account, we receive a limited access token and profile identifier to enable previews and playlist export. We do not receive your Spotify password.
- Payment data — payments are processed by our third-party payment provider. We receive confirmation of a purchase and an order reference, but we do not store your full card details.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information to:
- Create and administer your account and countdowns
- Operate the voting, shortlist, and reveal features
- Send transactional emails (invitations, reminders, receipts, and service notices)
- Process payments and manage subscriptions and their validity periods
- Provide music previews and playlist export where you connect a music service
- Understand usage, improve the Platform, and fix problems
- Protect the Platform, prevent fraud and abuse, and comply with our legal obligations
4. Third-Party Service Providers
We use trusted third-party providers to operate the Platform. These providers process personal information on our behalf and are bound by their own privacy and security obligations:
- Kinde — authentication, identity, and access management
- Cloudflare — application hosting, database, caching, real-time infrastructure and content delivery
- Resend — transactional email delivery
- Spotify — music previews and playlist export (only where you connect your account)
- PostHog — product analytics
- Kinde Billing and Stripe — plans and payment processing (card details are held by Stripe only)
We do not sell your personal information. We disclose it only as described in this Policy, or where required or permitted by law.
5. International Data Transfers
Some of our service providers store or process data outside Australia, including in the United States and the European Union. Where we transfer personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is handled in accordance with the APPs and, where applicable, the GDPR.
7. Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Platform, and thereafter only as required to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it.
8. Data Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including encryption of sensitive credentials at rest, row-level security for tenant data isolation, and least-privilege access controls. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Your Rights
Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Request deletion of your personal information
- Object to or restrict certain processing
- Request a copy of your information in a portable format (where the GDPR applies)
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in section 12. We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law. You may also delete your account, which triggers removal of your shortlists, connected-service tokens, and memberships; votes may be retained in de-identified form for the integrity of completed countdowns.
10. Children's Privacy
The Platform is not directed to children. You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated Policy on the Platform and update the "Last Updated" date above. Where changes are material, we will provide additional notice (such as by email or a prominent notice on the Platform). Your continued use of the Platform after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, or if you wish to make a privacy complaint, please contact us:
Countdown Party Pty Ltd
ABN: 16 694 687 557
Email: support@countdown-party.com
If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy complaint, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.
This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms of Service.