Privacy Policy

1. Australian Privacy Principles Commitment

As an independent digital publication, The Sydney Times complies with the obligations set out in Schedule 1 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). We manage personal information in an open and transparent manner, collecting only what is strictly necessary to publish our metropolitan dispatches, correspond with our readership, and maintain technical site infrastructure.

2. Information We Collect

We do not require user account registration to read our dispatches. Personal information is only collected when voluntarily provided by readers:

• Editorial Correspondence: Name, contact email, and documentation submitted to our journalists, newsroom desks, or opinion editors.
• Newsletter Subscriptions: Your preferred email address when requesting our morning and weekend metropolitan dispatches.
• Corrections & Feedback: Identifying information provided when seeking factual clarifications or rectifications.

3. Telemetry, Cookies & Server Logs

We keep our own telemetry deliberately minimal, and we disclose every third party that collects data on our pages. Ours consists solely of:

• Standard Server Logs: IP address, browser type, referral URLs, and access timestamps recorded for network security and DDoS mitigation.
• Aggregated Readership Metrics: Anonymized page counts and geographic density indicators (e.g., Greater Sydney and regional NSW readership) to understand which beats serve the community.
• Advertising Partner: Pages carry advertising served by Monetag, our ad partner. Monetag and its partners may set cookies or use similar technologies to measure and limit advertising, and may collect data such as your IP address, browser and device type, and the pages you visit on this site. We do not send you their personal information and they do not send us yours.

Analytics and audience measurement are handled by Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity. Where you have a General Data Protection obligation or simply prefer not to be tracked, browser-level blocking and advertising controls are widely available.

4. Editorial & Journalistic Exemption

In accordance with Section 7B(4) of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), acts and practices engaged in by a media organisation in the course of journalism are exempt from the APPs where the organisation is committed to journalistic standards.

The Sydney Times observes rigorous standards of accuracy, balance, fairness, and confidential source protection in accordance with our published Editorial Guidelines. Confidential journalistic sources and off-the-record disclosures are safeguarded as matters of press freedom and public interest.

5. Use, Disclosure & Overseas Transfer

We do not sell, rent, or trade reader personal information under any circumstance. We only disclose personal data where:

• Expressly authorized by the individual in writing.
• Required to transmit digital newsletters via encrypted transactional dispatch partners bound by confidentiality covenants.
• Mandated by Australian law, court subpoena, or enforceable warrant.

6. Data Security & Retention

All electronic communications, including newsroom correspondence and subscriber records, are transmitted using Transport Layer Security (TLS/HTTPS) encryption. Personal data that is no longer required for editorial verification or statutory compliance is permanently de-identified or destroyed.

7. Access, Corrections & Complaints to the OAIC

Under APPs 12 and 13, you have the right to request access to any personal information we hold about you and request corrections if inaccurate.

If you believe The Sydney Times has breached an Australian Privacy Principle, contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@sydtimes.com. We will investigate and respond within 30 days.

If unresolved, you may lodge a formal complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):