Privacy Policy – Found Loop

Effective Date: June 21, 2025

Found Loop (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect the information you provide when you use our service to help you recover lost items or report found items.

By using Found Loop, you agree to the collection and use of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1. Information we collect

When you use Found Loop, whether telling us about a lost item or a found item, we collect the following information:

For lost item:

What item you lost
A detailed description of the lost item (including unique identifiers like brand name, scratches, engravings, etc.)
Where you lost your item (location)
When you lost your item (date and time)
Photos of the lost item (if provided)

For found item:

What item you found
A detailed description of the found item (including unique identifiers like brand name, scratches, engravings, etc.)
Where you found this item (location)
When you found it (date and time)
Photos of the found item (if provided)
Consent to disclose location of found item for pickup (if applicable): Your explicit consent regarding whether we can share the general location where the item was found with the verified owner.

For Partners (e.g., venues, event organisers) listing found items:

Name of the organisation/venue
Contact person’s name (if applicable)
Details of the found item (same as current “For Found Item”)
Location where the item was found within their premises
Date and time the item was found

Contact Information (for people who tell us about lost and found items):

First name
Last name
Email address
Phone number
Postal address (collected only if your item is found and requires shipping for return, or if you are returning a found item via post and agree to this arrangement with us)

Consent for third-party engagement (for people who tell us about a lost item):

Your explicit consent regarding whether we can make inquiries with and send lost item alerts to organisations not associated with us (e.g., venues where you may have lost the item).

Consent for reunification (for people who tell us about a found item):

By providing your information as someone who has found an item, you consent to Found Loop using your information to facilitate the reunification of the item with its rightful owner.

2. How we use your information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To match lost and found items: The primary purpose of collecting both lost and found item details is to identify potential matches between lost items and found items.
To facilitate lost item recovery and reunification:
- For people who lost an item: To help you recover your lost item by matching it with found items and contacting you about potential matches.
- For people who found an item: To help reunite the item you found with its rightful owner by matching it with lost items and contacting you to facilitate the return.
To contact you: We use your contact information (email, phone number) to:
- Update you on the progress of your lost item recovery.
- Notify you if your lost item is found.
- Contact you if you have found an item, to discuss potential matches and arrange reunification.
To make inquiries and send lost item alerts (with consent from people who have lost an item): If you provide your consent as a lost item reporter, we will use the information you supply to make inquiries with and send alerts containing relevant details about your lost item to organisations (such as venues, public transport companies, event organisers, and other relevant third parties) that may be able to assist in its recovery. These inquiries and alerts will only include necessary details to help identify your item and a way for the organisation to contact Found Loop, not your direct contact information unless specifically requested by you and approved for a direct match. This proactive approach aims to increase your chances of finding your lost item.
To integrate partner-listed found items: We use information provided by our partners (e.g., venues, public transport companies) who find and list items with us, to populate our found item database and facilitate matches with lost item reports.
To facilitate communication with partners: To coordinate the return of items found by our partners with their rightful owners.
To facilitate item pickup (with consent from the person who has found an item): As an individual who has found a lost item you consent to share the general location of the found item (approx 5km radius). We will use this information to help facilitate retrieval.
To arrange item return: If an item is found and matched, and requires shipping for its return (whether you are the owner or the finder agreeing to ship), we will collect your postal address solely for the purpose of arranging the secure return of the item.
For internal operations: We may use your information for internal purposes such as improving our services, troubleshooting, and data analysis to enhance the effectiveness of our lost and found item matching and recovery processes.

3. How we share your information

We take your privacy seriously and are committed to not sharing your data with third parties beyond what is necessary to provide our service and only with your explicit consent where required.

With your explicit consent for inquiries and alerts (from people who tell us about the Lost Item): As mentioned above, if you provide your consent as someone who has listed their lost item with us, we will make inquiries and send lost item alerts to relevant organisations. These communications will be carefully crafted to include only the information essential for the recovery process and will not directly share your personal contact details unless a specific recovery mechanism requires it and you have explicitly approved.
For reunification (between lost and found parties): We will act as an intermediary to facilitate communication between the lost item owner and the person who has found the item. We will not directly share the personal contact information (e.g., email, phone number) of someone who has found an item with a lost item owner, or vice versa, without explicit, separate consent from both parties. All initial communications will be facilitated through Found Loop.
With our partners for item reunification: We may share relevant details of a lost item (e.g., description, unique identifiers) with our partners who have listed a matching found item, to verify ownership and facilitate the return process. We will only share your contact information with the partner if you explicitly consent to the same.
Receiving information from partners: We receive information about found items from our partner organisations (e.g., venues, transport hubs) to expand our database of found items and improve our matching capabilities.
To facilitate item pickup (with consent from the person who has found an item): If you, as someone who has found an item, explicitly consent to share the general location of the found item for pickup, we will provide this location information to the verified lost item owner to facilitate direct retrieval. We will not share your personal contact details for this purpose unless separately agreed upon.
To facilitate item return: If we ship a recovered item, we will provide the necessary postal address with trusted third-party shipping or courier services, but only for the purpose of delivering the item. These third parties are obligated to keep your information confidential and use it solely for delivery purposes, in accordance with their own privacy policies.
Legal requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect and defend our rights or property, or act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of the service or the public.

4. Data security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

5. Your choices and rights (in line with Australian Privacy Principles)

Access and correction: You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you and to request its correction if you believe it is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date. To do so, please contact us using the details below.
Withdraw consent: You can withdraw your consent for us to make inquiries or send lost item alerts (if you have listed a lost item with us) or for us to use your information for reunification or share the item’s found location (if you have found an item) at any time by contacting us. However, please note that withdrawing consent may reduce the effectiveness of our service in helping you recover your item or facilitating its return.
Data deletion: You may request the deletion of your personal information. We will comply with such requests unless we are legally required or entitled to retain the information for legitimate business purposes.
Anonymity: You have the option to deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym where it is lawful and practicable. However, for the core functions of Found Loop (matching, recovering, and returning items), personal contact and detailed item information are necessary.

6. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the “Effective Date” at the top. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Your continued use of our service after any modifications indicates your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to make a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us at: foundloop@awethentic.co

We will respond to your inquiry or complaint promptly and within a reasonable timeframe. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).