Privacy Policy

Paper Lake is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

1. Information We Collect

When you place an order, we collect:

• Your details: name, email address, shipping address
• Payment information: processed securely by Stripe — Paper Lake does not store your credit card details
• Child information:the child’s first name, age, interests, personality traits, and a photo — all provided by you, the adult purchaser
• Order preferences: chosen art style, story theme, custom brief (if any), and extra characters

We may also collect your email address if you subscribe to marketing communications.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information you provide to:

• Create your custom storybook (including illustrations and text)
• Process payment and fulfil your order
• Send you order updates (confirmation, dispatch notification, delivery)
• Respond to your enquiries or remake requests
• Send marketing emails about Paper Lake products (only with your consent, and you can unsubscribe at any time)
• Improve our website and service

3. Photo Usage

The photos you upload are used solely to generate the illustrations for your storybook. We do not:

• Share your photos with third parties
• Use your photos for AI model training
• Use your photos for marketing without your explicit permission
• Retain your photos beyond the period needed to fulfil your order

4. Children’s Privacy

Paper Lake creates products about children but does not collect information from children directly. All information about the child (name, age, photo, interests) is provided by an adult purchaser — typically a parent, grandparent, or family member.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 years of age. Our website and ordering process are designed for adult use. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information directly, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Stripe — payment processing. Stripe handles your payment information in accordance with PCI DSS standards. See Stripe’s Privacy Policy.
• Gelato — print-on-demand fulfilment. Gelato receives the print files necessary to produce and ship your book (your shipping address and the book content). See Gelato’s Privacy Policy.
• Google Analytics 4 — website analytics. Collects anonymised usage data (pages visited, device type, general location) to help us understand how visitors use our site. No personally identifiable information is shared with Google.
• Meta Pixel — advertising measurement. Tracks anonymised conversion events to measure the effectiveness of our advertising on Facebook and Instagram. You can opt out via your browser or Facebook ad settings.

6. Cookies

Our website uses cookies for essential site functionality, analytics (Google Analytics 4), and advertising measurement (Meta Pixel). You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings.

7. Data Storage and Security

We store your personal information securely using industry-standard measures. Access to customer data is restricted to authorised personnel only. We use encrypted connections (HTTPS) across our entire website.

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We only share your information with the third-party service providers listed above, and only to the extent necessary to fulfil your order or operate our website.

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation.

9. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct any inaccurate or out-of-date information
• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to any legal obligations we have to retain it)
• Opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or contacting us directly

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hey@paperlake.com.au. We will respond within 30 days.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The current version will always be available on this page with the date it was last updated.

11. Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you can lodge a complaint with us at hey@paperlake.com.au. We will investigate and respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.

12. Contact

For any privacy-related questions or requests, contact us at hey@paperlake.com.au.