PRIVACY
POLICY.

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.

Information We Collect

The information collected depends on the Fire Rant features you choose to use.

You are not required to provide personal information that is not reasonably necessary for the feature you are using. However, some features cannot operate without particular information. For example, a report cannot accurately identify a sighting location if location information is not provided.

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.

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.

AI-Assisted Image Analysis

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.

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.

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.
• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Delete Your Account and Data

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 .

Contact Fire Rant

For privacy enquiries, account deletion, access requests, correction requests or privacy complaints, contact: