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Privacy Policy

Shadow IT ("we", "us", "our") respects your privacy. This policy explains how we handle personal information collected through this website (shadowit.com.au) and related communications. It is written to align with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

Last updated: June 2026. We review this policy periodically and when our practices or the law change.

A note on scope​

Shadow IT is a personal professional website and knowledge base operated by Beau Dean. Depending on turnover and activities, small operators may fall outside the definition of an "APP entity" under the Privacy Act. Regardless, we choose to align our handling of personal information with the Australian Privacy Principles as a matter of good practice and professional standards.

What personal information we collect​

We aim to collect the minimum personal information needed:

  • Contact information you provide. If you use a contact form or email us, we collect your name, email address, organisation (if supplied), and the contents of your message.
  • Website usage and analytics data. We use Microsoft Clarity to understand how visitors use the site. This may include your device and browser type, approximate (IP-derived) location, pages visited, clicks, scrolling, and session interactions. Clarity may use cookies and similar technologies.
  • Technical and server data. Our hosting and content-delivery providers (GitHub Pages and Cloudflare) automatically process technical data such as IP addresses and request logs to deliver and secure the site.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive information (as defined in the Privacy Act), and we ask that you not send it to us through this site.

How we collect and hold it​

Information you provide is collected directly from you. Analytics and technical data are collected automatically through your interaction with the site, via our service providers. Information is held in the systems of those providers, which use access controls and encryption. We retain personal information only for as long as needed for the purposes below or as required by law.

Why we collect and use it (purposes)​

We collect, hold, and use personal information to:

  • respond to your enquiries and correspondence;
  • operate, secure, maintain, and improve the website and its content;
  • understand how the site is used so we can make it more useful; and
  • meet our legal and record-keeping obligations.

We do not sell personal information, and we do not use it for automated decision-making that could significantly affect your rights or interests.

Cookies and analytics choices​

This site uses cookies and similar technologies for analytics (Microsoft Clarity). You can control or block cookies through your browser settings, and you may use browser privacy controls or extensions to limit analytics tracking. Blocking cookies may affect some site functionality.

Disclosure and overseas recipients​

We disclose personal information to the third-party service providers that operate the site and its analytics — currently Microsoft (Clarity), Cloudflare, and GitHub. These providers operate globally, so your information may be processed or stored overseas, including in the United States and other countries where those providers maintain infrastructure. Where we disclose information to overseas recipients, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is handled consistently with the Australian Privacy Principles.

We may also disclose personal information where required or authorised by law.

Security of your information​

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure, consistent with APP 11. This includes relying on reputable providers with their own security controls. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Accessing and correcting your information​

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you, and ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, or misleading, consistent with APPs 12 and 13. Contact us using the details below. We will respond within a reasonable period and may need to verify your identity first.

Complaints​

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or mishandled your personal information, please contact us first using the details below so we can investigate and respond. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.

Changes to this policy​

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always available on this page, with the "last updated" date above reflecting the most recent change.

Contact us​

For privacy questions, access or correction requests, or complaints, contact Beau Dean at [email protected].