Privacy Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how Suspense Club (operated by Thomas Mai) collects, uses, discloses, and stores personal information.

This policy applies to readers, writers, and visitors of the Services.

We handle personal information in accordance with applicable Australian privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (where applicable).

2. What Personal Information We Collect

• Account and contact data: name, email address, username, password hash, and account preferences.
• Profile data: profile bio, profile image, social links, and any other information you choose to add.
• Community and usage data: comments, ratings, reviews, messages, forum posts, reading progress, feature usage, and interactions.
• Technical data: IP address, device identifiers, browser type, operating system, referral URLs, pages viewed, timestamps, and approximate location derived from IP.
• Payment and transaction data: subscription status, purchase history, transaction IDs, and billing metadata received from payment providers. We generally do not store full card details.
• Support data: information you provide when contacting support, including emails and attachments.

3. Writer-Specific Information

If you sign up as a writer, we may collect additional information you submit, such as author bio details, story titles, story descriptions, chapter text, cover images, genre tags, and any notes you choose to include.

Writer Content may contain personal information if the writer includes it. Writers should avoid placing sensitive personal information into story text, author notes, or uploads unless they intend it to be shared.

If monetisation is offered later, we may collect additional administrative details required for payouts through third-party providers.

4. How We Collect Personal Information

• We collect information you provide directly when you create an account, fill out forms, subscribe to newsletters, purchase Paid Services, or contact us.
• We collect information automatically through cookies, logs, and similar technologies when you use the Services.
• We may receive information from service providers as needed to operate the Services.

5. How We Use Personal Information

• To create and manage accounts and provide platform functionality.
• To display profiles and community participation where applicable.
• To operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and improve the Services.
• To communicate with you about service updates, security notices, and support requests.
• To send newsletters or marketing communications if you opt in.
• To enforce our terms, moderate content, prevent abuse, and comply with legal obligations.

6. When We Disclose Personal Information

• To service providers who assist us in operating the Services (hosting, analytics, email delivery, payment processing).
• Service providers are permitted to use personal information only to perform services for us.
• Where required by law, court order, or regulator request.
• If the platform is restructured, sold, or transferred, personal information may be disclosed subject to appropriate protections.

7. Overseas Disclosures

Some service providers may store or process information outside Australia. Where overseas disclosure occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

8. Cookies, Analytics, and Tracking

• We use cookies and similar technologies to keep the site functioning, remember preferences, enable logins, and improve performance.
• We may use analytics tools to understand how people use the Services.
• You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect functionality.

9. Email Communications

If you opt in, we may send newsletters, announcements, and promotional messages. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in the email or by contacting us.

We may still send essential service messages that are not marketing, such as security or account notifications.

10. Public Profiles and Community Features

Depending on platform features and settings, your username, profile details, badges, comments, ratings, and other community activity may be visible to other users and, in some cases, the public.

Writers should expect that author pages, story listings, and published chapters are public or visible to readers as configured by the platform.

11. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to operate the Services, fulfil the purposes in this policy, and comply with legal, accounting, dispute, and security requirements.

If you delete your account, we will take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify personal information, except where we must retain information for legal, safety, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, or legitimate operational purposes.

12. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organisational safeguards to protect personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. Access, Correction, and Deletion

You may request access to personal information we hold about you and request corrections if information is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading.

You may request deletion of personal information where applicable. Some information may need to be retained for legal or operational reasons.

14. Complaints

If you have a privacy complaint, contact us and we will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may be able to complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If changes are significant, we will provide notice via email or an in-platform notice.

16. Contact

Privacy enquiries or requests: thomas@suspenseclub.com