Privacy Policy
Last updated: 13 June 2026
Nook is a community project for Mount Alexander Shire, not a data business. We collect as little as possible, we don't sell your data, we don't run ads, and we don't build profiles on you.
The short version
You never need an account to read local news, browse events, or listen to the radio. If you don't sign in, we collect only the standard web traffic logs our host (Vercel) keeps — nothing that identifies you.
If you create an account, we store your email address, display name and profile photo so you can sign in and save events. That data lives on US-based services (Clerk, Convex and Vercel). Details below.
Who we are
Nook is a community-run platform for Mount Alexander Shire residents, operated as a personal community project by a local resident.
- Contact: hello@nook.town
- Location: Mount Alexander Shire, Victoria, Australia
What we collect
If you don't have an account
We don't ask for your name, email or any personal details. Our host, Vercel, keeps standard server logs to run the site and fix errors: pages visited, browser type, approximate location (country/state — not your street), referring site, and an IP address used briefly for routing. We don't use this to identify you. See Vercel's privacy policy.
If you create an account
Sign-in is passwordless: Clerk emails you a one-time code. We never create or store a password. When you sign in, we store:
| Data | Why |
|---|---|
| Email address | Sign-in and account recovery |
| Display name | Shown on your profile |
| Profile photo (avatar) | Synced from Clerk if you set one |
| Account role | Whether you're a reader, curator or admin |
| Saved events | Your personal bookmarks |
We do not store passwords, payment details, or precise (GPS) location.
Where your data goes
These services are based in the United States, so by creating an account you acknowledge your data is processed in the US.
| Service | What they handle | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk | Sign-in emails and session management | clerk.com/legal/privacy |
| Convex | Database and image storage | convex.dev privacy |
| Vercel | Hosting and traffic logs | vercel.com privacy |
Embedded content: the radio player streams MainFM from a self-hosted relay (no third-party tracking). Where we embed a YouTube video, YouTube may set its own cookies — open it in a private window to avoid that. Google's policy.
News aggregation
Nook shows headlines, excerpts and links from local publishers' public RSS feeds — not full article text. Every article links back to the original publisher. If you're a publisher with a concern about how your content appears, email hello@nook.town.
Cookies
Signed out, Nook sets no cookies of its own. Signed in, Clerk sets one essential session cookie to keep you logged in — clearing it signs you out. We show no consent banner because we use only this essential cookie and run no advertising or analytics trackers.
Your rights
Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, you can ask us to show you the personal information we hold, correct it, or delete your account and data. To exercise any of these, email hello@nook.townand we'll action it — we aim to respond within 30 days.
Children
Nook is for a general audience. We don't knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us personal data, email hello@nook.townand we'll remove it.
Changes
We'll update this policy as Nook gains features that affect privacy, and change the date at the top. Significant changes — especially anything that expands what we collect — will be flagged in the app before they take effect.
Written in plain English for the people of Mount Alexander Shire. If anything here is unclear, email us and we'll explain it — you'll get a person, not a ticket number.