PRIVACY POLICY
How we handle your information
The Familiar Cage offers educational self-awareness content. It is not therapy, diagnosis, medical treatment or mental-health treatment, and it is not an emergency service. This policy explains what we collect when you use the Pattern Check and The Familiar Cage System, why we collect it, and the choices you have.
Who we are
In this policy, “The Familiar Cage”, “we” and “us” refers to The Familiar Cage, which provides this service. You can contact us about privacy at support.familiarcage@gmail.com.
What we collect
When you take the Pattern Check
Your answers, any words you write in your own words, your follow-up answers and the result you are shown are kept in your browser’s session storage while you take the Pattern Check. They are not sent to us unless you choose to request a place.
While you use the Pattern Check, we also record anonymous steps of the journey: a random attempt identifier created in your browser, which step was reached (started, result viewed, “I want more choice” selected, request form opened, request submitted), the Pattern Check version and the time. These records contain no name, email, phone number or answers.
When you request a place
If you complete the Request a Place form, we collect:
- your first name, email address and mobile number;
- your agreement to be contacted about your Pattern Check result and the System, and the wording you agreed to;
- your Pattern Check answers, including anything you wrote in your own words, and the result worked out from them;
- when you submitted the request, and how many times you have submitted it.
Submitting a request does not create an account and does not give you access to the System.
When you have an account in the System
- Account details: your email address, your name if you give it, and your sign-in details. Passwords are handled by our authentication provider; we cannot see your password.
- Access details: the dates your access starts and ends, and whether it has been changed or ended.
- What you write and record: the moments you catch, check-backs, Fear entries and reflections, reality checks, Work It Through entries, your progress through each stage, the focus you set, and any feedback you choose to give.
When you contact us
If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you include in your message.
How we use it
- to show you your Pattern Check result;
- to respond to your request for a place and contact you about your result and the System, as you agreed;
- to set up your account, give you access for the period agreed, and end access when that period ends or access is withdrawn;
- to save what you write and show your progress back to you;
- to understand how people move through the Pattern Check, using the anonymous journey records, and to improve the content using feedback you choose to give;
- to measure our advertising, using the Meta Pixel described below;
- to keep the service secure, for example by briefly using your IP address to limit repeated requests. It is not stored for this purpose.
We do not sell your information.
Meta Pixel on the Pattern Check
The Pattern Check pages use the Meta Pixel, a tool from Meta Platforms, to measure our advertising. When you use the Pattern Check, it sends Meta information about your visit and your progress: page views, that you started, which question number and topic you reached, which two patterns were being compared in any follow-up questions, that you finished, and the result pattern you were shown with related scoring details (for example the closest other pattern and how many answers were in your own words, but not the words themselves). Meta may also receive information from your browser and device, such as your IP address and cookie identifiers, and uses it as described in Meta’s own privacy policy.
The Pixel is not given your name, email address, mobile number or anything you write in your own words. The System pages, where you write your private reflections, do not use the Meta Pixel.
Who can see your information
Our team uses an admin area to run the service. It shows contact details and Pattern Check results from requests, access dates and status, whether an account has been set up, progress status through each stage, and feedback you choose to give. It is designed not to show the content of what you write in your journey.
The people who administer our database can technically access stored information. We limit this to what is needed to operate and support the service.
Service providers
We use service providers to run The Familiar Cage:
- Supabase: our database, sign-in and account emails such as setup and password reset links;
- Netlify: hosting for our websites and the server functions that save requests and prepare your exports;
- Meta: the Pixel on the Pattern Check pages, as described above;
- Google Fonts and jsDelivr: fonts and a software library, which your browser downloads directly from them;
- Google (Gmail): our support email inbox;
- Payhip: our checkout, if you choose to pay for access.
Payments may be completed through Payhip and the payment provider available at checkout. The Familiar Cage does not collect or store your full payment-card details. When you pay, we receive confirmation of your payment, such as your name, email address, what you bought and the amount, so we can set up your access.
These providers may store and process information in Australia or in other countries.
Cookies and browser storage
- The Pattern Check keeps your progress in session storage, which your browser clears when you close the tab.
- When you sign in to the System, your browser stores a sign-in session so you stay signed in.
- The Meta Pixel on the Pattern Check uses cookies and similar technology.
Your choices
- Export your data: signed in, you can download “Export my data” (everything we hold for your account) or “My progress” as a PDF from Settings or Your account, including after your access has ended.
- Delete your account: you can delete your account yourself from Settings or Your account, including after your access has ended. This removes your account, everything you wrote and recorded, your access records, and the Pattern Check requests and results linked to your email address. The anonymous journey records described above are not linked to you and are not affected.
- No account? If you requested a place but do not have an account, email us to see, correct or delete the information from your request, or to stop being contacted.
- Correct your details: email us if something we hold about you is wrong.
Questions and concerns
If you have a question or concern about how we handle your information, please contact us first at support.familiarcage@gmail.com. We will look into it and reply to you. If you are not satisfied with our response, depending on your circumstances you may also be able to raise your concern with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (oaic.gov.au).
How long we keep information
We keep personal information for as long as it is needed to provide The Familiar Cage to you, and for any legitimate operational or legal requirements that apply. You can delete your account at any time, or ask us to delete your information, as described above.
Security
We use reasonable measures to protect your information, including encrypted connections, sign-in for your account, and database rules that limit each person to their own records. No method of storing or sending information is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Age
The Familiar Cage is intended for people aged 18 and over. Please do not use it if you are under 18. If you believe someone under 18 has given us their information, contact us and we will delete it.
Not an emergency service
The Familiar Cage cannot respond to emergencies. If you are in immediate danger, call 000. For crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the service changes. We will change the date at the top when we do.
Contact
Questions or requests about your information: support.familiarcage@gmail.com