Privacy Statement
HUMANS Deep Space Message (the “Project”) is presented by Powerhouse Museum, part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, a body corporate established under the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Act 1945 (NSW). Powerhouse is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (“PPIP Act”).
This Privacy Statement explains how we collect, use, store and disclose your personal information in connection with the Project. For more information about how we collect, use, store and disclose personal information outside the Project, please see powerhouse.com.au/governance#privacy.
We share personal information relating to the Project with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US and MIT may collect, use, store and disclose your personal information for similar purposes to those described in this Privacy Statement. You can find MIT’s Privacy Statement relating to the Project at humans.mit.edu/terms.
1. What Personal Information We Collect
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when making a submission to the Project. This may include:
- Your name and email address
- Location and language information
- Audio recordings that may include your voice, name, or other identifiable personal content
We may also collect aggregated website and email analytics information (which do not identify you individually).
We do not collect sensitive personal information unless it is directly relevant to your submission and you have consented to its inclusion.
2. How We Collect Personal Information
We collect personal information directly from you through online forms or recordings submitted to the Project website. We may also collect anonymised analytical data about user interactions with the site.
All personal information is provided voluntarily. You are under no legal obligation to participate or provide any personal information.
3. How We Use Your Personal Information
We use, store and disclose your personal information for the following purposes:
- To record, manage and present your submission as part of the HUMANS Project
- To communicate with you about your contribution or the Project
- For archival, research, curatorial and public engagement purposes consistent with the mission of Powerhouse
We will not use your personal information for commercial or unrelated activities. If you wish to withdraw consent or raise concerns about the use of your personal information, please contact us (see Section 9).
4. Disclosure of Personal Information
We disclose personal information to MIT, our collaborator in the Project, as described above. We do not otherwise disclose your personal information to third parties unless:
- You have provided consent
- It is necessary for the core function of the Project (e.g. public display of your submission)
- It is required or authorised by law (e.g. to applicants under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW), court orders and law enforcement requests)
If published as part of the Project, your name may be publicly attributed unless you request anonymity.
5. Storage and Security
Powerhouse takes reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access.
- Text-based submissions are stored securely in a database hosted by Prospect2
- Audio recordings are stored on secure servers provided by Amazon S3 Bucket
- Both providers implement robust security protocols. Information may be stored outside Australia
While we take precautions to safeguard the information provided over the internet to our website, there is always a potential risk of interception by third parties during transmission.
6. Cross-Border Disclosures
Your data may be stored with overseas service providers (e.g. Prospect2 and Amazon S3 Bucket), located in jurisdictions such as the United States. By submitting content, you consent to this international storage arrangement. Powerhouse takes reasonable steps to ensure such service providers maintain security standards consistent with the NSW Government’s cloud services policies and the PPIP Act.
7. Retention of Personal Information
We retain submissions (including personal information) in perpetuity for the purposes of the Project, including historical archiving and research. We also retain information as required to comply with our obligations under the State Records Act 1998. You may request removal or de-identification of your personal information and we will take reasonable steps to comply unless retention is legally required or necessary for the public record.
8. Your Rights Under NSW and Australian Law
You have the right to:
- Access your personal information
- Request correction of your personal information
- Withdraw your consent (noting this may limit your participation in the Project and may not be feasible after your personal information has been finalised for publication for the Project)
To exercise these rights or make a complaint about privacy practices, please contact the Powerhouse Privacy Officer below. You may also escalate complaints to the NSW Information and Privacy Commission (IPC).
9. Contact Us
10. Changes to This Statement
We may update this Privacy Statement periodically. Any significant changes will be communicated via the Project website or via direct contact.