Privacy Policy - VPN Whale

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 2025

1. Introduction & Who We Are

Welcome to VPN Whale. We are an independent VPN review and comparison website that helps users make informed decisions about virtual private network services.

Business Name: VPN Whale

ABN: 13 117 402 838

Address: Level 9, 1 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Email: privacy@vpnwhale.com

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly and transparently.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

Contact Information

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Any other information you voluntarily provide through contact forms or communications

Technical & Usage Data

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type and operating system
  • Pages visited and time spent on pages
  • Referring website or source
  • Click behavior and interaction with website elements
  • UTM parameters and marketing campaign data
  • Cookie identifiers and tracking pixels

We do not collect sensitive information (as defined under the Privacy Act) unless specifically required and with your explicit consent.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information through various methods:

Direct Collection

  • When you submit a contact form or enquiry
  • When you subscribe to our newsletter or communications
  • When you interact with our website

Automated Collection

  • Cookies: Small text files stored on your device that track your browsing activity
  • Tracking Pixels: Invisible images that help us measure website usage and marketing effectiveness
  • Google Tag Manager: A tag management system that deploys analytics and marketing tags
  • Meta Pixel (Facebook): A tracking code that measures ad performance and visitor behavior
  • Analytics Services: Third-party tools that collect usage statistics

UTM Parameters

We use UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters in URLs to track the source and effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. This data helps us understand which channels bring visitors to our website.

4. Why We Use Your Personal Information

We collect and use your personal information for the following purposes:

  • Website Operation: To provide, maintain, and improve our website functionality
  • Analytics: To understand how visitors use our site and optimize user experience
  • Marketing Measurement: To evaluate the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns and affiliate partnerships
  • Security & Fraud Prevention: To detect, prevent, and respond to security incidents and fraudulent activity
  • Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations
  • Communication: To respond to your enquiries and provide customer support
  • Affiliate Tracking: To accurately attribute referrals to VPN providers through our affiliate links

All uses of your personal information are in accordance with the APPs and our legitimate business interests.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and collect usage data.

Types of Cookies We Use

  • Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality
  • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand website usage (e.g., Google Analytics)
  • Marketing Cookies: Track ad performance and conversions (e.g., Meta Pixel)
  • Affiliate Cookies: Track referrals to VPN providers for commission purposes

Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings:

Opt-Out Options

Note: Disabling cookies may affect website functionality and your user experience.

๐Ÿ”” Affiliate Disclosure & NordVPN Guidelines

VPN Whale is an independent review website that may earn commissions when you purchase VPN services through links on this site.

We participate in affiliate programs with various VPN providers, including NordVPN and others. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

Important Points:

  • Affiliate commissions help us maintain this website and continue providing free, unbiased reviews
  • Our recommendations are based on extensive testing and genuine research
  • Earning a commission does not influence our reviews or create any endorsement
  • All opinions expressed are our own and independent
  • We are not employed by, sponsored by, or officially affiliated with any VPN provider

Third-Party Services

When you click an affiliate link, you will be directed to the VPN provider's website, which operates under its own privacy policy and terms of service. We encourage you to review their policies before making a purchase.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party VPN services.

6. Disclosure to Third Parties

We may share your personal information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and conducting our business:

Categories of Third Parties

  • Hosting Providers: Services that host our website and store data
  • Analytics Providers: Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and similar services
  • Advertising Partners: Meta (Facebook), advertising networks for marketing measurement
  • Affiliate Networks: Platforms that manage our affiliate partnerships with VPN providers
  • Email Service Providers: If you subscribe to communications

Cross-Border Data Transfers

Some of our service providers are located overseas, including in the United States and European Union. When we transfer your personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure it receives protection consistent with Australian privacy laws, including:

  • Using service providers that comply with international privacy frameworks
  • Implementing contractual safeguards
  • Ensuring providers have appropriate data protection measures

Legal Disclosures

We may disclose personal information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect our legal rights.

7. Your Rights Under Australian Law

Under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the following rights:

Access

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.

Correction

You have the right to request correction of your personal information if it is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading.

Complaints

You have the right to make a complaint about how we handle your personal information.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details in the Contact Us section below. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days.

Note: In some circumstances, we may refuse access or correction requests if permitted or required by law. We will provide reasons for any refusal.

8. How to Make a Complaint

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or have concerns about how we handle your personal information, we encourage you to contact us first.

Internal Complaint Process

  1. Submit Your Complaint: Email us at privacy@vpnwhale.com with details of your concern
  2. Investigation: We will investigate your complaint and respond within 30 days
  3. Resolution: We will work with you to resolve the issue and take appropriate action

Complaint to the OAIC

If you are not satisfied with our response or wish to make a formal complaint, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Website: www.oaic.gov.au

Phone: 1300 363 992

Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

Post: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001

Online Complaint Form: Submit a Privacy Complaint

The OAIC can investigate complaints about breaches of the Australian Privacy Principles and provide guidance on privacy matters.

9. Data Security & Retention

Security Measures

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include:

  • Secure server infrastructure with encryption (HTTPS/SSL)
  • Access controls and authentication measures
  • Regular security assessments and updates
  • Secure data transmission protocols

Please note: No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including:

  • To provide our services and fulfill your requests
  • To comply with legal, accounting, or regulatory requirements
  • For analytics and business intelligence purposes (in aggregated, de-identified form where possible)

When personal information is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it securely.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.

When we make changes, we will:

  • Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
  • Post the revised policy on this page
  • Notify you of significant changes through website notice or email (if applicable)

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Last Updated: October 2025

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

VPN Whale - Privacy Officer

Email: privacy@vpnwhale.com

Postal Address: Level 9, 1 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000

We will make every effort to respond to your enquiry promptly and address your concerns in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

For general enquiries: contact@vpnwhale.com