Privacy Policy

About this policy

The Mantrums is an independent Australian publication operated by Vanessa Tobias, a sole trader trading as The Mantrums (“we”, “us” or “our”). Our website is https://www.themantrums.com.au/.

We respect your privacy and recognise that sharing personal information, particularly about violence, discrimination or trauma, can carry significant risks. This policy explains how we handle personal information in running our publication and website, and sets out our editorial privacy standards.

For privacy enquiries or complaints, contact contact@themantrums.com.au , addressed to the Editor — Privacy.

Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Your name, email address and other contact details you choose to provide.
• Messages, enquiries, corrections, complaints and correspondence.
• Contributor submissions, biographies, photographs and publication preferences.
• Information and supporting material supplied for reporting, including interviews, documents and source contact details.
• Subscription details and communication preferences, if you join a mailing list.
• Donation or payment records made available to us by a payment platform, such as a supporter’s name, contact details, contribution amount or message.
• Technical information such as IP addresses, browser and device details, pages visited and access times through website logs and any tools identified below.

Some reporting material may contain sensitive information about health, racial or ethnic origin, political views, sexual orientation or criminal records. Information about abuse and personal safety also requires particular care. Please share only what is necessary and avoid including unnecessary information about other people.

How we collect information

We collect information when you contact us, submit material, participate in an interview, request updates or support our work. We may also obtain information from publicly available records, other sources or representatives as part of reporting and verification.

Our website and service providers may collect technical information automatically. Our current website tools are described in the cookies and service-provider sections below.

Where applicable law requires consent to collect sensitive information, we obtain that consent unless a lawful exception applies.

You may contact us anonymously or using a pseudonym where practical and lawful. Without enough information, we may be unable to respond, verify a claim, consider a submission or provide a requested service.

How we use information

We use information to:

• Respond to enquiries, submissions, corrections and complaints.
• Research, verify, edit and publish journalism.
• Communicate with contributors and sources and manage agreed publication arrangements.
• Manage subscriptions, donations, advertising enquiries and other publication administration.
• Operate, protect and improve our website.
• Keep necessary records and meet applicable legal obligations.

Contacting us, submitting a story or making a donation does not automatically subscribe you to marketing emails.

If we offer newsletters or promotional emails, we send them with appropriate consent, identify the sender and provide a straightforward unsubscribe option. We honour unsubscribe requests within five working days. You can also ask to unsubscribe by emailing us.

Editorial privacy standards

The Mantrums publicly commits to the following privacy standards in its journalism:

• We respect personal privacy and assess whether collecting or publishing private information serves a legitimate public interest. Curiosity or sensationalism alone is insufficient.
• We consider whether the reporting purpose can be achieved with less intrusion or fewer identifying details.
• We take particular care with victim-survivors, children and people whose safety could be affected by identification.
• We explain intended publication arrangements to people sharing their own experiences and discuss anonymity or identifying details where appropriate.
• We comply with applicable restrictions on identifying people involved in legal proceedings.
• We consider privacy complaints and requests to correct, remove or reduce identifying information fairly, taking account of safety, accuracy, public interest and legal obligations.

Submitting private material does not itself give us unrestricted permission to publish it. Equally, journalism may involve reporting information without every subject’s consent where lawful and justified in the public interest.

Confidential sources and safe contact

Where we agree to confidentiality or anonymity, we discuss the scope of that agreement and restrict access to identifying information to those who need it for the agreed purpose.

We do not disclose a confidential source’s identity simply because another person demands it. However, legal obligations can arise, and we cannot guarantee confidentiality in every circumstance.

Ordinary email and website forms are not guaranteed secure reporting channels. If disclosure could put you at risk, contact us first to discuss a suitable way to share material. Where possible, use a device and account that others cannot access.

When we share information

We may share relevant information:

• With editors, contributors or advisers who need it for reporting, verification, publication or administration, subject to appropriate confidentiality arrangements.
• With providers supporting hosting, email, website maintenance, security, subscriptions or payments.
• With your consent or at your request.
• Where disclosure is required or authorised by law.

Personal information may also appear in published journalism in accordance with our editorial privacy standards and applicable law.

We do not sell our reader, subscriber or source contact lists. We do not give advertisers access to those lists for their own marketing.

We keep personal information private and do not disclose it outside the limited circumstances described above. Information supplied in confidence is handled in accordance with our confidentiality agreements and applicable law.

Service providers and overseas handling

We use WP Engine for website hosting, Zoho Mail for email and Ko-fi for donations. These providers may process information for us or collect information directly under their own privacy policies.

We do not currently disclose personal information to overseas recipients.

Where applicable, we take reasonable steps required by Australian privacy law in relation to overseas disclosures.

If you donate through Ko-fi, Ko-fi and its payment processors handle payment information under their own policies. The Mantrums does not receive or store your payment card details.

Cookies, analytics and embedded content

We do not currently use cookies on our website. Our hosting service may still collect technical information in server logs to operate and protect the website.

Embedded videos, social posts or other third-party content may allow those providers to collect information about your visit. External websites and platforms have their own privacy practices.

Storage, security and retention

We take reasonable steps to protect the information we hold from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. Access is limited according to the purpose and sensitivity of the information. No online service or transmission method is completely secure.

We retain information for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, including publication records, verification, confidentiality commitments, dispute handling and legal recordkeeping. When it is no longer needed and retention is not legally required, we take reasonable steps to delete it or de-identify it. Backup copies may remain until the relevant backup cycle ends.

If a data breach occurs, we take steps to assess and contain it and notify affected people and regulators where legally required.

Access, correction and deletion requests

You can contact us to request access to, or correction of, personal information we hold about you. You can also request deletion.

We may need to verify your identity using proportionate information. We assess requests under applicable law, including any relevant journalistic exemptions. Access or deletion may be limited where necessary to protect another person’s privacy, a confidential source, legally retained records or other lawful interests.

We aim to respond within 30 days. If we need more time, we explain why. If we refuse a request, we provide reasons where appropriate and explain available complaint options.

Requests about published articles are considered under our editorial standards and corrections process. A request does not automatically require the removal of accurate, lawful public-interest reporting.

Privacy complaints

Email contact@themantrums.com.au with “Privacy complaint” in the subject line. Please explain your concern and the outcome you are seeking, without sending unnecessary sensitive information.

The Editor will review the complaint, seek further information where needed and aim to provide a response within 30 days. We explain any delay and work to resolve concerns fairly.

If you remain dissatisfied, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at https://www.oaic.gov.au/. The OAIC’s ability to investigate depends on whether the relevant conduct is covered by the Privacy Act.

Changes to this policy

We review this policy when our practices change and update the date above. Material changes will be brought to readers’ attention where appropriate.