Privacy & Data Policy
Samantha Talbot Studio (ABN: 33188770420) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
Information We Collect
Account information
When you create an account, we collect your username, email address, and a securely hashed password. We never store your password in plain text.
Booking and lesson information
When you book lessons, we store booking dates, times, duration, lesson type, pricing, and any notes you or your teacher add. We also track lesson block credits, catch-up credits, and quiz scores to manage your learning experience.
Enquiry and contact forms
If you submit an enquiry or contact form, we collect the information you provide (such as your name, email, phone number, location, instrument, and any other details you include). We also record your IP address for spam prevention.
Forum activity
Posts you make on the community forum are stored and visible to other logged-in users. Moderators can review flagged content.
Learning progress
We track which lessons you have completed and your quiz results so you can see your progress on your dashboard.
Payment Processing
Payments are processed securely by Stripe, a PCI-compliant third-party payment provider. We do not store your credit card number or full payment details on our servers. We store only a Stripe customer reference and checkout session identifiers to link payments to your account. Stripe’s handling of your payment data is governed by their privacy policy.
Cookies and Sessions
We use a session cookie (PHPSESSID) to keep you logged in while you use the site. This cookie is essential for the site to function and expires when you close your browser or log out. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.
Emails We Send
We send transactional emails related to your account, including:
- Booking confirmations and cancellations
- Lesson reminders (2 days before a booking)
- Catch-up credit expiry reminders
- Block access expiry reminders during your grace period
- Password reset links
- Enquiry and contact form acknowledgements
We keep a log of emails sent (recipient, subject, and delivery status) for troubleshooting purposes. We do not send marketing emails.
How We Use Your Information
- To provide and manage your lessons, bookings, and learning content
- To communicate with you about your account and bookings
- To track your learning progress and quiz scores
- To respond to enquiries and contact messages
- To maintain the security and integrity of the platform
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties, except for Stripe for payment processing as described above.
Children’s Data
As stated in our Terms of Use, accounts for students under 16 must be created and managed by a parent or legal guardian. The parent or guardian provides consent for the collection and use of the child’s information as described in this policy. Parents and guardians may contact us at any time to review, update, or request deletion of their child’s data.
Data Retention
Your account information, booking history, quiz scores, and learning progress are retained for as long as your account is active. If you request account deletion, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain records for legal or accounting purposes.
Data Security
We protect your information using secure, encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, CSRF protection on all forms, and access controls that limit data to authorised users. While no system is completely immune to risk, we follow industry best practices to keep your data safe.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Withdraw consent for data processing (which may affect your ability to use the platform)
To make a request, please contact Samantha at the contact page or email directly. We will respond within 30 days.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Last updated: February 2026