Privacy Policy

The sophiaclub.co website is operated by the not-for-profit, registered charity Aeon Media Group Ltd (‘Aeon’), Australian Business Number 80 612 076 614.   We want you to enjoy our website and services secure in the knowledge that we have implemented fair information practices to protect your privacy. By visiting our website, you are accepting the practices described in our Privacy Policy, including our use of cookies and similar online tracking technologies. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not use the website.   We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page and you should regularly check to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy was last updated on 7 March 2022.   The policy outlines: 

  •   General principle
  •   How we collect information
  •   Types of information we may collect
  •   How we use your information
  •   How we protect the information we collect
  •   Access to your personal information
  •   How to contact us

1. General principle   

There are two types of information we may collect from you when you use the website: non-personally identifiable information and personally identifiable information. Non-personally identifiable information does not individually identify you, but it may include tracking and usage information about your general location, demographics, use of the website and the internet. Personally identifiable information is information that you voluntarily provide when you subscribe to a newsletter, complete an online ticket purchase or make a query that can individually identify you and may include your name and email address etc.   We do not link non-personally identifiable information to your personally identifiable information.   We do not share either type of information unless required to run the website and services (see third-party services below). We will never sell either type of information.   This Privacy Policy does not apply to any information collected outside of the website, including offline or through other means (for example, via telephone or through email), unless otherwise stated below or at the time of collection. 

2. How we collect information

We collect information when you: 

  •   Ask to be placed on an email newsletter list
  •   Purchase a ticket for an event
  •   Make an enquiry about our services
  •   Visit our website
  •   Answer a reader survey
  •   Provide information to us
  •   Tracking technologies

   When you visit our website, we collect information through the tracking technologies ‘cookies’, Google Analytics and Hotjar.   As is true of most websites, we gather certain information automatically and store it in temporary log files. This information includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system and date/time stamp.   We use a third-party tracking service called Google Analytics, which uses cookies to track non-personally identifiable information about visitors in aggregate form. We also use a third-party service called Hotjar, which uses cookies and other technologies to collect anonymised information that helps us deepen our understanding of our users’ experience and behaviour. Neither Hotjar nor we will ever use this information to identify individual users or to match it with further data on an individual user.   We use the information gathered from the services outlined above to better gain an understanding about how our website is used by visitors, to analyse trends, to administer the website, and to gather demographic information about our user base. This enables us to build and maintain our service with user feedback, helping us to update and improve the service we provide.   Opting out   You can opt out of these services by installing ad blockers or privacy browser extensions.   Regular cookies may generally be disabled or removed by tools available as part of most browsers. However, this means you won’t receive the benefits cookies provide. For example, a cookie may enable you to resume a video you watched in a previous visit, or keep you logged in to the website.   You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by visiting this link to download the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.   For further details about Hotjar’s privacy policy, click on this link. You can opt-out of Hotjar’s storage, use and analysis of your anonymous information by following this opt-out link.   Links to other websites, social media platforms   Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our website, you should note that we do not have any control over the information that is collected and shared about you. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.   You may interact with content on our website through social media platforms we use such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram by using their social features. Examples of social features include ‘liking’ or ‘sharing’ our content. We encourage you to review their policies before using their tools, which can be found at their respective websites. If you’d prefer that these social media platforms do not collect information about the content you share and use, we suggest that you don’t use their tools. 

3. Types of information we may collect

The types of information we may collect include: 

  •   Internet Protocol (IP) address
  •   Location
  •   Device (iPad, laptop, mobile etc)
  •   Browser type (Safari, Firefox etc)
  •   Internet Service Provider (ISP)
  •   Date and time stamp of access/payment
  •   Referral/exiting information – for example, the website you came from prior to our website, or go to after leaving our website
  •   Information that tells us how you experience the site – for example, how much time you spend on which pages, which links you choose to click
  •   Account information (email address, payment method etc)
  •   Information you provide through a survey which might include age range, education level etc

   Aeon Media Group Ltd is not responsible for any information you have provided in public areas of our website or on our social media platforms, which may then be viewed by other users. 

4. How we use your information

The information we collect may be used to help us: 

  •   Provide services you voluntarily subscribed to such as email newsletters
  •   Issue payment receipts or notify you of payment failures
  •   Collect payment and deal with your purchase
  •   Improve the quality of our website
  •   Promote services to you including advising you of updates or changes to our website and services
  •   Improve the website through reader surveys and feedback
  •   In fraud prevention purposes
  •   Disclosure to third-party services

   As part of providing our website and services to you we use a limited number of third-party services that perform functions on our behalf, including but not limited to website hosting, server monitoring, tracking user behaviour, marketing automation services, payments, billing and customer service.   We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the conduct, practices or privacy policies of these third-party services and encourage you to read the policies of the services we use below:   Aeon uses the MailChimp marketing automation service owned by Intuit to issue newsletters. Find out more about Intuit/Mailchimp’s Privacy Policy and Terms.   Aeon uses Team Tito Ltd (Tito) to collect data to plan and manage the event for which you registered, as well as email you relevant details about the event. Find out more about Tito’s Privacy Policy and Terms.   Aeon uses the Help Scout help-desk software to respond to enquiries. Find out more about how Help Scout protects your security here.   Aeon uses Xero accounting software for supplier and staff payments and billing. Find out more about how Xero protects your security here.   Aeon uses third-party tracking technologies Google Analytics and Hotjar. Please see ‘Tracking technologies’ above for more information and for the privacy policies of these services.   When you purchase from Aeon Media Group   We do not retain or use any credit card or other financial account information on our servers. That information is conveyed to third-party payment services and is used only to clear the payment for your donation. Aeon uses Stripe to process secure payments online. Find out more about how Stripe protects your privacy and security. We also accept donations via PayPal. Find out more about how PayPal protects your privacy and security.   When you subscribe to our email newsletters   By clicking ‘subscribe’ you agree to the following:   We will use the email address you provide to send you Sophia Club event updates and news and occasional surveys.   The email address/es you provide will be transferred to our external marketing automation service MailChimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms. We use MailChimp to issue our newsletters, donation requests and reader surveys. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the conduct, practices or privacy policies of MailChimp.   Unsubscribing   You can change your mind at any time by clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in the footer of emails you receive from us, or by contacting us at info@sophiaclub.co. If you want to review and correct the personal information we have about you, you can click on ‘update preferences’ in the footer of emails you receive from us, or by contacting us at info@sophiaclub.co

5. How we protect the information we collect

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. We have taken reasonable measures to protect information about you from loss, theft, misuse or unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. No physical or electronic security system is impenetrable however and you should take your own precautions to protect the security of any personally identifiable information you transmit. We cannot guarantee that the personal information you supply will not be intercepted while transmitted to us or third-party service providers.   Sharing your personal information   We will not disclose your personal information except; (1) as described by this Privacy Policy (2) after obtaining your permission for a specific use or disclosure or (3) if we are required do so by a valid legal process or government request (such as a court order, a search warrant, a subpoena, a civil discovery request, or a statutory requirement). We will retain your information for as long as needed in light of the purposes for which it was obtained or to comply with our legal obligations and enforce our agreements.   Data transfer   This website is published in Australia. If you are located in a country outside of Australia and voluntarily submit personally identifiable information to us, you should be aware that information about you will be transferred to Australia. We attempt to comply with local data protection laws to the extent that they may apply to Aeon Media Group Ltd’s services.   Children’s privacy   Our website is not directed at children under the age of 16 and we do not knowingly collect or maintain information from those we know are younger than 16. If you are younger than 16, you should not submit or post any personally identifiable information to our website.

6. Access to your personal information

You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you by submitting a written request to info@sophiaclub.co. We may only implement requests with respect to the personal information associated with the particular email address you use to send us the request. We will try to respond to your request as soon as reasonably practicable. When you receive the information, if you think any of it is wrong or out of date, you can ask us to change or delete it for you.   We take all reasonable steps to ensure the information held is accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading.

7. Contact us 

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or our use of your information, please contact us at info@sophiaclub.co.

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The Sophia Club is a new venture from Aeon Media, the publisher of Aeon and Psyche magazines.

Aeon is based in Melbourne, Australia and we respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our Melbourne events take place, the Wurundjeri people of the Woiworung language group of the Kulin Nation.

We value the knowledge traditions and rich practice of philosophy among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia, and all First Nations peoples around the world.

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