Section 01
About this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy describes how personal information is
managed in connection with the Fire Rant
mobile application and associated Fire Rant services.
Fire Rant is operated by
NEON SNOW Pty Ltd
("Fire Rant", "we", "us" or "our").
Fire Rant is a community reporting and AI-assisted
identification platform designed to support the detection
and reporting of suspected fire ants, fire ant nests and
related biosecurity observations.
We aim to manage personal information in accordance with
applicable Australian privacy laws, including the
Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the
Australian Privacy Principles where they apply.
Important distinction
This Privacy Policy explains our general information-handling
practices. Additional collection notices or permission
explanations may also be shown inside the app when particular
information or device permissions are requested.
Section 03
How We Collect Information
We generally collect information directly from you when you
use Fire Rant.
-
When you create or manage a Fire Rant account.
-
When you take or select a photograph for analysis.
-
When you allow the app to access your location.
-
When you create, edit or submit a suspected fire ant report.
-
When you enter a description, contact information or
other observations.
-
When you contact Fire Rant for support or make a
privacy request.
-
Automatically through normal app, server and security
operations where technical or diagnostic information
is generated.
Information may also be generated through the operation of
app features, such as AI-assisted analysis results, report
identifiers, timestamps and participation points.
Section 04
How We Use Your Information
We may use personal information for purposes reasonably
connected with operating Fire Rant, including to:
-
Create, authenticate and manage user accounts.
-
Analyse submitted photographs for characteristics
associated with fire ants or fire ant nests.
-
Create and maintain suspected fire ant reports.
-
Associate reports with a location, date, time and
supporting evidence.
-
Display your own reports and account activity to you.
-
Operate points, leaderboard and community
participation functionality.
-
Support mapping, surveillance and analysis of
suspected fire ant activity.
-
Communicate with you about reports, account matters,
support requests or important service information.
-
Protect Fire Rant, investigate misuse, prevent fraud
and maintain system security.
-
Diagnose faults and improve the reliability,
functionality and usability of Fire Rant.
-
Meet legal, regulatory, safety or biosecurity-related
obligations where applicable.
We do not use your report photographs, precise location or
Fire Rant account information for third-party behavioural
advertising.
We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration.
Section 05
AI-Assisted Image Analysis
Artificial Intelligence
Your images may be processed by AI systems
When you use Fire Rant's image-analysis functionality,
a photograph you submit may be processed by an
AI-assisted image analysis service.
The analysis may identify visible characteristics,
generate an indicative classification, produce a
confidence result and provide explanatory information
about the image.
Information processed for this purpose may include the image,
an analysis request identifier and technical information
necessary to complete the request.
AI-generated results are indicative only.
They are not a formal pest identification, government
determination or professional biosecurity assessment.
Fire Rant's AI-assisted analysis does not make decisions
about a person's legal rights, eligibility, employment,
credit, insurance, health care or access to essential services.
Section 06
Camera, Photos, Location and Device Permissions
Fire Rant may request access to device features that are
needed to provide particular functionality.
Camera
Camera access may be requested so you can photograph a
suspected fire ant, nest, mound or affected area directly
from the app.
Photo Library
Photo access may be requested so you can select an existing
image to analyse or attach to a report.
Location
Location access may be requested to determine or assist you
in recording the location of a suspected sighting.
Where precise location is available and you permit its use,
Fire Rant may associate coordinates and an address with the
report you create.
Notifications
If notification functionality is enabled, Fire Rant may ask
for permission to send service, report or account-related
notifications.
You can refuse or later change app permissions through your
device settings. Some features may not function correctly
if a permission required for that feature is disabled.
Section 07
When Information May Be Shared
Fire Rant does not disclose personal information simply
because it is commercially valuable.
Information may be disclosed where reasonably necessary
to operate the service, including to:
-
Cloud hosting, storage, authentication and infrastructure
service providers.
-
Technology providers that support AI or image-analysis
functionality.
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Mapping, geolocation or related technology providers
where those services are used.
-
Service providers assisting with security, diagnostics,
communications or technical support.
-
Relevant biosecurity, government, council, environmental
or other authorised bodies where a report is submitted
for review or action, where you request this, or where
disclosure is otherwise authorised or required.
-
Professional advisers or contractors where reasonably
required to operate or protect Fire Rant.
-
Law enforcement, courts, regulators or government
authorities where disclosure is required or authorised
by law.
We expect service providers that process personal information
on our behalf to protect that information and use it only for
authorised purposes consistent with their role in providing
the service.
Section 08
Overseas Processing and Disclosure
Some technology, cloud infrastructure, hosting,
authentication or AI service providers used to operate
Fire Rant may process or store information outside Australia.
The country in which information is processed can depend on
the provider, infrastructure region and service configuration
being used at the relevant time.
Where personal information is disclosed to an overseas
recipient, we take reasonable steps appropriate to the
circumstances to ensure that the information is handled
consistently with applicable privacy requirements.
Where it is practicable to identify the countries in which
overseas recipients are located, this Privacy Policy will
be updated to identify those locations.
Section 09
Fire Ant Maps and Community Reporting Data
Fire Rant may use report information to help identify,
analyse and display patterns of suspected fire ant activity.
Report information may be combined, aggregated or
de-identified for mapping, statistical, research,
awareness or biosecurity purposes.
Public-facing information should not intentionally display
your account password, private authentication information,
private email address or telephone number.
Where a public map displays the location of a reported
sighting, Fire Rant may reduce the precision of the displayed
location where appropriate to protect individual privacy
while preserving the usefulness of community biosecurity data.
Section 10
How We Protect Information
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures
designed to protect personal information against misuse,
interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification
or disclosure.
Measures may include access controls, authentication,
secure communications, infrastructure security controls,
restricted administrative access, monitoring and appropriate
security practices for service providers.
No internet-connected service can guarantee absolute security.
Users should protect their Fire Rant account credentials
and notify us if they believe their account or personal
information has been compromised.
Where required, suspected eligible data breaches will be
assessed and managed in accordance with applicable
Australian data breach notification requirements.
Section 11
How Long We Keep Information
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably
necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to
provide Fire Rant, maintain legitimate reporting records,
resolve disputes, maintain security or comply with legal
obligations.
Retention periods can vary depending on the type of information.
For example, account information may be retained while your
account remains active, while report information may need to
be retained for longer where it forms part of an operational,
safety, biosecurity or legal record.
When personal information is no longer reasonably required,
we will take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it,
subject to lawful retention requirements and normal backup
cycles.
Section 12
Delete Your Account and Data
Account & Data Deletion
You can request deletion of your Fire Rant account.
Inside the Fire Rant app:
open your Profile and select
Delete Account.
Outside the app:
you can request account deletion by contacting Fire Rant
using the button below.
When we receive a valid account deletion request, we will
take reasonable steps to delete the account and personal
information associated with that account.
Some information may need to be retained where this is
required or authorised by law, necessary for security,
fraud prevention, dispute resolution or necessary to
preserve an official or operational record.
Where information must be retained after account deletion,
we will limit its continued use to the purpose requiring
retention and delete or de-identify it when that requirement
ends.
Information contained in system backups may remain for a
limited period until it is removed through the normal
backup replacement cycle.
Where a report can be retained without identifying you,
we may de-identify the report rather than retain your
personal account information.
Section 13
Accessing or Correcting Your Information
You may request access to personal information we hold
about you and ask us to correct information that is
inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.
Some account information may be available directly through
the Fire Rant app. For other access or correction requests,
contact us at
info@neonsnow.com.au
.
We may need to verify your identity before providing access
to or changing personal information.
If we cannot provide access or make a requested correction,
we will explain the reason where required by law and advise
you of available complaint options.
Section 14
Withdrawing Consent and Managing Permissions
Where information is collected or processed on the basis
of your permission or consent, you may withdraw that
permission where applicable.
You can manage camera, photo, location and notification
permissions through your iOS or Android device settings.
You can also stop future processing associated with your
account by deleting your Fire Rant account or contacting us.
Withdrawing permission does not affect processing that
occurred before the permission was withdrawn, and some
Fire Rant functionality may become unavailable where the
relevant information is required to provide that feature.
Section 15
Children and Young People
Fire Rant is a community biosecurity service and is not
designed primarily as a service directed to young children.
Where a young person does not have legal capacity to provide
a required consent under applicable law, a parent, guardian
or other authorised person should provide any required
permission.
If you believe personal information relating to a child has
been provided to Fire Rant in circumstances where it should
not have been collected, please contact us so the matter
can be reviewed.
Section 16
Changes to This Privacy Policy
Fire Rant may change over time, including the features,
technology and service providers used to operate the app.
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to
our information-handling practices, technology, legal
obligations or app functionality.
The current version will be published on the Fire Rant
website and the "Last updated" date at the top of this
page will be revised when the policy changes.
Where a change materially affects how personal information
is handled, we will take reasonable steps to provide
appropriate notice.
Section 17
Privacy Questions and Complaints
If you believe Fire Rant has not handled your personal
information appropriately, please contact us using the
details below.
Please provide enough information for us to understand
your concern and investigate it. We will acknowledge and
investigate privacy complaints and aim to respond within
a reasonable period, generally within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may be
entitled to make a complaint to the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
.
Information about making a privacy complaint is available
from the OAIC at
www.oaic.gov.au
.