Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 September 2026

Encyclopedia Ottomanica (“Ottomanica”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

1. What Information We Collect

Depending on how you use our website, we may collect:

  • your name;

  • email address;

  • professional or academic affiliation;

  • information you provide when submitting articles, research, sources or other material;

  • information provided through contact, subscription or contributor forms;

  • donation or transaction information where applicable;

  • correspondence between you and Ottomanica; and

  • limited technical information, such as IP address, browser type, device information and website usage information.

We generally do not seek to collect sensitive information. If you voluntarily provide sensitive information, we will handle it in accordance with the Privacy Act and applicable APPs.

2. How We Collect Personal Information

We generally collect personal information directly from you, including when you:

  • contact us;

  • subscribe to our newsletter or updates;

  • submit an article, source, research material or contributor application;

  • make a donation or other payment;

  • interact with our website; or

  • otherwise communicate with Ottomanica.

We may also receive limited information automatically through cookies, analytics services and similar technologies.

Where we collect personal information indirectly, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are aware of the collection where required by APP 5.

3. Why We Collect and Use Personal Information

We may collect, hold, use and disclose personal information for purposes including:

  • responding to enquiries;

  • communicating with contributors, scholars, educators and subscribers;

  • assessing and managing academic submissions;

  • publishing and attributing scholarly contributions;

  • providing newsletters and website updates where you have subscribed;

  • administering donations and transactions;

  • maintaining, securing and improving our website;

  • understanding how visitors use our website;

  • preventing misuse, fraud or security incidents; and

  • complying with legal obligations.

We will generally only use or disclose personal information for the purpose for which it was collected, or for another purpose permitted by the Privacy Act, including where you have consented or where an exception under the APPs applies.

4. Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information.

Where necessary to operate Ottomanica, personal information may be disclosed to service providers that assist us with services such as:

  • website hosting;

  • email and newsletter distribution;

  • website analytics;

  • payment processing;

  • website security; and

  • information technology services.

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is handled appropriately by service providers.

5. Overseas Disclosure

Some third-party service providers used by Ottomanica may store or process personal information outside Australia.

Where personal information is disclosed to an overseas recipient, we will take reasonable steps to comply with the requirements of APP 8 and other applicable provisions of the Privacy Act.

Depending on the services used by Ottomanica, overseas recipients may be located in countries including the United States and other jurisdictions in which our technology or service providers operate.

6. Cookies and Analytics

Ottomanica may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, understand visitor usage and improve our services.

Third-party services used on the website may also collect technical information in accordance with their own privacy policies.

You may be able to disable cookies through your browser settings, although this may affect some website functionality.

7. Security of Personal Information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, consistent with APP 11.

Where personal information is no longer required for a purpose for which it may lawfully be retained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it, subject to any legal or administrative requirements that require us to retain it.

8. Access and Correction

Under APPs 12 and 13, you generally have the right to request access to personal information we hold about you and to request that inaccurate, incomplete or outdated information be corrected.

To request access to or correction of your information, please contact us using the contact details provided on the Ottomanica website.

We will deal with requests in accordance with the Privacy Act.

9. Complaints

If you believe Ottomanica has handled your personal information in a way that does not comply with the Australian Privacy Principles, you may contact us and make a privacy complaint.

We will acknowledge and investigate your complaint and aim to respond within a reasonable period.

If you are not satisfied with our response, or if your complaint is not resolved, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

10. Anonymity and Pseudonymity

Where practicable and appropriate, you may interact with Ottomanica anonymously or using a pseudonym. However, some services or activities—such as academic submissions, donations, subscriptions or matters requiring a response—may require identifying information.

11. Academic and Contributor Submissions

Where you submit academic work, research, sources or other material to Ottomanica, information such as your name, academic affiliation and biographical information may be used for purposes associated with reviewing, editing, publishing and appropriately attributing your contribution.

We will not ordinarily publish private contact information, such as your personal email address, without your consent.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our website, services, information-handling practices or applicable privacy law.

The current version will be made available on the Ottomanica website and will include the date on which it was last updated.

13. Contact Us

If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, wish to request access to or correction of your personal information, or wish to make a privacy complaint, please contact Encyclopedia Ottomanica through the contact details provided on our website.

Encyclopedia Ottomanica
info@ottomanica.org
Victoria, Australia