Privacy policy
We take your privacy seriously. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and the rights you have over it.
On this page · 13 sections
Shield Peacemakers is operated by the Centre for Armed Violence Reduction (“we”, “us”, “our”). Shield Peacemakers is a peacemaking platform that enables members of the community to record and report peacebuilding actions they are taking within their communities in Papua New Guinea. This policy is written to comply with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and to align with Papua New Guinea’s data protection framework, including the Digital Government Act 2022, the Cybercrime Code Act 2016, the Protection of Private Communications Act 1973, the National Data Governance and Data Protection Policy, and the right to privacy under Section 49 of the Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
What we collect
Information from Facebook sign-in. Shield Peacemakers uses Facebook Login to create and access your account. When you sign in with Facebook, we receive the following information from your Facebook profile, with your permission:
- Your public profile
- Your name
- Your age
- Your email address
- Your location and region
We do not receive your Facebook password, and we do not post to Facebook on your behalf.
Information you provide in the app. When you use Shield Peacemakers, you may submit reports describing peacemaking and community actions you have taken. These reports, and any details you include in them, are stored against your account.
Technical information. Like most web applications, we automatically collect limited technical data when you use the app, such as your IP address, device and browser type, and usage logs. This is used only for security, troubleshooting, and keeping the service running.
Why we collect it
We collect and use your information only to:
- Create and manage your Shield Peacemakers account
- Record, store, and display your peacemaking reports back to you
- Allow app administrators to review reports and understand peacebuilding activity across communities and regions
- Communicate with you about your account or the service
- Maintain the security and integrity of the platform
- Meet our legal obligations
We do not use your information for any purpose unrelated to the operation of Shield Peacemakers.
Who can see your information
Your privacy within the app is deliberately narrow by design:
- There are no public profiles. Other users of Shield Peacemakers cannot see your name, profile details, or reports.
- Only you and authorised app administrators can view your personal details and the reports you submit.
- Administrators are bound by confidentiality obligations and access your information only for the purposes described in this policy.
We do not sell your data
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone. We do not share your information with advertisers or data brokers.
When we may disclose information
We only disclose personal information outside the circumstances above where:
You ask us to or consent to it.
Service providers require it to run the app. We use trusted third-party providers for hosting, storage, email, and authentication (including Meta Platforms, Inc. for Facebook Login). These providers only process your data on our behalf and under our instructions. Our primary hosting is located in Sydney, Australia.
The law requires it. We may disclose information where required by a court order, law enforcement request, or other legal obligation in Australia or Papua New Guinea.
Aggregated, de-identified reporting. We may publish or share statistics about peacemaking activity (for example, the number of actions reported in a region). These statistics never identify you personally.
Cross-border transfers
Shield Peacemakers serves users in Papua New Guinea while data may be stored and processed in Sydney, Australia. Where personal information is transferred across borders, we take reasonable steps consistent with APP 8 (cross-border disclosure of personal information) to ensure it is handled in accordance with this policy and applicable law.
How we protect your information
We understand that the nature of Shield Peacemakers means your participation and your reports may be sensitive. We take reasonable steps, consistent with APP 11 and PNG’s data protection framework, to protect your information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These steps include:
- Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
- Access controls limiting administrator access to those who need it
- Secure authentication via Facebook Login (we never store your Facebook password)
- Regular review of our security practices
Data breaches. If a data breach occurs that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify affected users and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), and any applicable PNG authorities.
How long we keep your information
We retain your personal information and reports for as long as your account is active, or as needed to fulfil the purposes described in this policy and meet legal obligations. When information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it.
Your rights: access, correction, and deletion
You have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct information that is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete
- Delete your account and personal information
How to delete your data, including data obtained from Facebook. Contact us at info@shieldpng.org with the subject line “Delete my data”, from the email address associated with your account; or use the account deletion option within the app. On receiving a verified deletion request, we will delete your account, your Facebook-derived profile information, and your reports within 30 days, except where we are legally required to retain specific records.
You can also revoke Shield Peacemakers’ access to your Facebook information at any time via your Facebook account settings (Settings → Apps and Websites). Revoking access stops future data sharing from Facebook but does not delete data we already hold — use the deletion process above for that.
Facebook Login and Meta
Our use of information received from Facebook complies with Meta’s Platform Terms and Developer Policies. For information about how Meta handles your data, see the Meta Privacy Policy.
Children
Shield Peacemakers is not intended for users under the age of 18. Facebook Login requires users to be at least 13 years old. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a person under this age, we will delete it.
Complaints
If you have a concern about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first at info@shieldpng.org. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe (usually 30 days).
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. Users in Papua New Guinea may also raise concerns with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) or other relevant PNG authorities.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the app or by email. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows the current version.
Contact us
Centre for Armed Violence Reduction — questions about this policy, or about your own information.
info@shieldpng.org