Quorum Sense privacy policy

1.1 Overview 

(a) This Privacy Policy explains how Quorum Sense may collect, hold, use and disclose information that identifies you (your personal information). 

(b) If you would like to contact us in relation to this Privacy Policy or our use of your information, please email us at the details set out in the Contact Us section below.

1.2 Application of this Privacy Policy 

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully.  It applies to any personal information that you provide to Quorum Sense or authorise us to collect.  By providing Quorum Sense with personal information, or using The Dig online community or any other services, you authorise us to collect, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1.3 Updates to this Privacy Policy 

Quorum Sense may update this Privacy Policy at any time by posting an updated version of this Privacy Policy on our website or via our services.  The updated version of this Privacy Policy will take effect immediately upon publication (or, if applicable, on the date specified in the updated Privacy Policy) and will apply to all personal information that we hold about you.  If the changes are material, we may also take additional steps to bring the changes to your attention, including by notifying you directly. We will update you of any material changes as required by law. You are responsible for reviewing this Privacy Policy regularly to ensure that you are aware of any updates.

1.4 Additional rights and obligations 

This Privacy Policy applies in addition to, and does not limit, our rights and obligations under the Privacy Act 2020 (as amended or replaced from time to time) (Privacy Act) or any specific authorisation that you provide to us when you interact with us or use The Dig online community or our services.

You are not required to provide us with any personal information that we request.  However, if you do not do so, we may not be able to provide certain services to you. 

1.5 Important Notice: New Zealand residents

The Dig online community and our services are intended for New Zealand residents only.  If you are located in another country you may be subject to other laws, including data protection laws.  For that reason, if you are not located in New Zealand you are not permitted to use, and must immediately cease using, The Dig online community and our services.

2.1 Types of personal information we collect

The personal information we collect will vary depending on the services that you use, and your interactions with us. For example, we may collect your:

(a) name, address, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and date of birth;

(b) demographic information such as your gender and your location or city of residence;

(c) information relating to your relationship with Quorum Sense, for example whether you are a newsletter subscriber, podcast guest etc.;

(d) information (if any) that you upload to your profile or any other form of information you publicly post via The Dig online community or our services;

(e) listing content for any goods or services you intend trade via The Dig online community or our services;

(f) feedback that you provide, including via surveys; and 

(g) attendance at events information;

(h) farm operation details;

(i) personal goals provided to us (via The Dig online community or otherwise);

(j) usage information with respect to your use of The Dig online community and our services, including the listings or content that you view, your searches for listings, your trades you have made and any messages generated through your use of The Dig online community or our services; and

(k) analytics information relating to how you’ve used The Dig online community or our services (including links to third party applications), your IP address, access times, hardware and software information, device information, device event information and the services you’ve used (including through the use of cookies and similar technologies, which may track such information across devices – see the Cookies sections below).

You may also otherwise provide us with your information directly, such as by email or in other formats or messaging functions, post to communication tools, uploading to The Dig online community or our services or use other features of our services.

2.2 How we collect personal information 

Generally, we collect personal information directly from you in the manner and forms specified in this Privacy Policy.  We may also collect your personal information from a third party if you have authorised them to provide, or authorised us to collect, that information. For example: 

we may automatically collect analytics information when you use The Dig online community or our services, which may include using third party providers. This may include information on your activity undertaken prior to interacting with The Dig online community or our services;

we may also collect analytics information directly from third parties (such as Google Analytics or similar third party services); 

we may collect information using cookies and similar technologies (see the Cookies sections below); and

if you link, connect, or log in to your account with a third party service (such as Google or Facebook), the third party service may send us information such as your registration and profile information from that service. This information is governed by your relationship with that third party service.

2.3 Cookies

Quorum Sense also collects information through The Dig online community and services through cookies or similar technologies (such as Google Analytics). Cookies are small pieces of information that are stored on a user’s computer. We use cookies or similar technologies to collect and store information when you use The Dig online community or our services and this collection may occur across your devices. We may use cookies to personalise your experience on The Dig online community or with our services, make it easier for you to navigate The Dig online community and services, and improve your experience by storing your search, posting and application history, and, if we develop log-in functionality, your login details. Cookies can be disabled via your web browser; however doing so may limit your access to some of The Dig online community and our service content and features. We may use cookies to track non-personally identifiable information such as usage and volume statistics, for research purposes in order to further develop The Dig online community and services. 

2.4 Information about other people

If you provide us with, or authorise us to collect, personal information about another person, you confirm that they have authorised you to provide us, or authorise us to collect, their personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and that you have informed them of their rights to access and request correction of their personal information, as set out below.

Quorum Sense may use your personal information for the following purposes:

(a) for the general operation of Quorum Sense, The Dig online community, our services and our relationship with you - including providing you with products or services that you have requested 

(b) to enable you use The Dig online community to list goods and services, trade and exchange information with us and other users;

(c) to enable you to use The Dig online community to post content and links to the whole user group and communicate directly (direct message) with individuals or small sub-groups belonging to the user group;

(d) contracting you in relation to your use of The Dig online community or our services;

(e) tracking your attendance at events

(f) capturing background information about you (such as prior to running a podcast or presenting case studies)

(g) capturing your feedback after events;

(h) linking you to external resources;

(i) monitoring your activity within our network and use of The Dig online community and our services;

(j) determining priorities for investment of project resources; 

(k) to measure activity on The Dig online community and through use of our services, to analyse trends and to help us understand how we are performing and what we can do better;

(l) in accordance with your express consent and the terms of any applicable Terms; 

(m) for any other purpose authorised by you or permitted by law; and

(n) when we believe in good faith that a legal obligation requires disclosure.

We also use aggregated and anonymous information (where identifiable characteristics are removed, so that you will remain anonymous) for statistical and research purposes.

We may communicate with you by email and other electronic means.

Quorum Sense may share your personal information with the following parties:

(a) our related companies and organisations, partners, contractors and service providers (including IT services providers) to assist us with the operation of Quorum Sense (include giving access to our users’ name and contact details to our developers for testing purposes); 

(b) government agencies and government or corporate sponsors (such as the Ministry for Primary Industries) on an anonymised and aggregated basis for the purpose of illustrating use of The Dig online community or our services; and

(c) any other party authorised by you (via express permission or by authorising third party access or disclosures) or to whom we are required or authorised to disclose personal information in accordance with applicable law (or to facilitate legal process, enforce our Terms or Privacy Policy or protect the rights, property or safety of us, our users or others).

We require any third parties to adhere to our confidentiality requirements and to the requirements of the Privacy Act. 

If we do send personal information overseas either directly or via a third party, we will ensure that any such transfer of personal information will only be undertaken in compliance with applicable laws, including the Privacy Act

5.1 Storage

Personal Information that we collect is either held by us at [our head office] (refer to the Contact Us section below) or on our behalf by third party service providers.  For example, some information we hold will be stored in “the cloud” in secure databases on our behalf by third parties based overseas.  The use of these services, and the transfer of information overseas (if applicable) will not relieve us of our obligations under the Privacy Act and this Privacy Policy. You specifically authorise us to transfer, store, and process your personal information in New Zealand and possibly other countries in compliance with the Privacy Act. Where we store information overseas, or a third party we use to provide The Dig online community or our services stores information overseas (such as Amazon Web Services or Google), we will ensure that the storage complies with New Zealand privacy obligations.

5.2 Security 

Security of your information is very important to us.  We will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to protect personal information that we hold.   However, due to the inherent nature of the internet, we are not able to guarantee the security of any information that we hold or that you transmit to us. 

5.3 Updates 

We rely on you to update us if your contact details change (please refer to the Contact Us section below). 

Under the Privacy Act, you have the right to access and request correction of any personal information that we hold about you. Please refer to the Contact Us section below.

In certain circumstances, you may also request to have your personal information removed in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions.

If you request us to do so, we will remove any personal information from The Dig online community and any other system used by Quorum Sense. Once a request is received, the following will happen:

(a) the content you have posted in conversations will remain available within The Dig online community;

(b) your username will be replaced by ‘user has left’ in all of your posts and conversation starters;

(c) the name of organisations listed alongside roles will be deleted in your profile; and

(d) the content of all direct messages within chats will be deleted.

If you have any questions or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or personal information that we may hold about you, please contact us using the contact@quorumsense.org.nz email.

These Terms were last updated in October 2024.