Your privacy

The personal information we typically collect includes:

• Personal details like name, date of birth, gender, age, and contact details such as postal addresses, email address and phone numbers.
• Additional information if you tell us about your family, your circumstances or your interests during a call.
• Your interests and donation history.
• Payment card details (including transaction details/payment history).
• Records of your communication and interactions with us and details/history of your preferences.

We typically collect this information when:

• You make a donation.
• We communicate with you by phone, email, social media, webchat, post or in person.
• You contact us or fill out forms.
• You communicate with your sponsor child.
• You use our website or app.
• You use other digital services or those provided by our advertising partners like Facebook.

Remaining anonymous

If you choose to, you can talk to World Vision Australia anonymously. This includes when you call us or use our chat services. In most cases anonymous donations are not possible because of the need to collect and process payment information.

Collecting unsolicited information

If you provide us with information we did not request, a decision will be made on whether World Vision Australia could have collected this information. If it is determined this information could have been lawfully collected, it will be managed in accordance with this policy. If it is decided that World Vision Australia could not have lawfully collected the information, steps will be taken to destroy or permanently de-identify the information.

Collecting from people other than you

We typically collect information directly from you but may use other sources in some circumstances.

We use publicly available information from professional research and data analytics organisations, such as financial and demographic information, to improve the way we engage with you as a supporter. This may include inferring non-sensitive information about supporter behaviour and preferences.

This helps to ensure we provide you with relevant opportunities to support our work. This information may include:

• Information which tells us more about our supporters such as family and professional connections, memberships of clubs or associations, or capacity to support our work in various ways; and
• Things that interest you and their location, e.g. an interest in faith-based events, or events in a particular location.

We might also collect information about you from someone else, such as:

• Your parent or guardian if you are under 18;
• When we use address validation services; and
• Where we buy a marketing list you have agreed to be on.

Maintaining accurate information

World Vision Australia will take reasonable steps to ensure information about you remains accurate and up to date. Including by providing you with opportunities to correct or update information or by using third-party validation services.

Your activity on the World Vision Australia website

World Vision Australia uses cookies and other tools to collect information about how you interact with our website to:

• improve the user web experience,
• provide us with web data analytics; and,
• improve our services and market these effectively.

We provide you with options below on how you can control the way this information is used.

How are cookies and analytics tools used?

• Required: Delivers core features on our website, e.g. remembering that you have logged in, keeping items in your cart or enabling security measures preventing spam, phishing attacks and other threats.
• Performance: Allows us to understand how you interact with our website to ensure you get the best experience, e.g. date and time of visit and website interactions. This information cannot be used to identify you.
• Marketing: Allows us to personalise advertising on external platforms such as Facebook and Google. Information related to your visits (website interactions, engagement with campaigns or products) are tokenised and sent to external parties (Facebook/Meta and Google) to optimise marketing and facilitate targeted marketing campaigns.
• When World Vision Australia discloses tokenised data (which may include your name, email address, phone number, etc.) to that third party, only those third parties that already have the token (because you have an account with them) can recognise your information. Other information such as IP address, Browser ID and operating system may be sent without tokenising.

How you can control how your information is used

• When you visit our website, you can choose to reject marketing analytics tools. This means only necessary cookies and performance analytics are used and no personal information will be collected.

You can also take control over your personal information using one of the following options:

• Turning off or opting out of cookies, analytics, personalised ads by selecting ‘Required only’ on the cookie banner when visiting our website.
• Adjusting your browser to turn off use of “cookies” or for it to notify you when cookies are being used (refer to http://www.aboutads.info/choices for useful information on limiting ad tracking), but noting if you disable cookies, certain areas or features on our website will not work.
• Pixels can be managed directly with external parties (Facebook and Google) or by rejecting marketing cookies.
• You can also adjust your advertisement options directly with the third-party platform:
  • Facebook: via Ad Settings or Ad Preferences menu.
  • Instagram: via Settings > Accounts Centre > Ads > Ad Preferences >Ad Settings.
  • Google Analytics: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/.

We will use your personal information for the purpose it was collected, and to tell you about our work and how your support is helping vulnerable children, families, and communities.

Common situations in which we use or disclose your personal information include:

• To provide, administer, improve, and personalise our communications to you (including direct and digital marketing).
• To engage, and manage our relationship, with you. For example, to:
  • Process your donations or payments, manage promotions and provide refunds.
  • Send you newsletters that you have subscribed to or respond to service requests.
  • Tell you about our work and provide you and others with opportunities to support us, including via email, post, phone, SMS, Facebook message or other social media platforms.
  • Verify your identity.
  • Maintain and update our records including by fulfilling your requests to change your details and recording the personal experiences you share with us to better serve you next time.
  • To conduct market research and analysis, including by sharing limited information with third-party specialists, to improve our engagement with you and provide opportunities for you and others to support our work.
  • Record your communications with us for security, dispute resolution and training purposes.
  • To give to a third party for a specific purpose, e.g. when you need a criminal record check or third-party specialists acting on World Vision Australia's behalf.
  • If you have indicated that you intend to leave us a bequest or have engaged with is related to such intentions, we will use your information to ensure your wishes can be honoured.
  • World Vision Australia takes the protection of vulnerable children and adults seriously. If you engage with children via child sponsorship or participate in field visits, we will use your information in keeping with community expectations and best practices relating to child protection.
  • To other third parties as required or authorised by law.

Data analytics

World Vision Australia may conduct analysis on supporter profiles to ensure we are providing you with a valuable supporter experience, improve the way we engage with you, and reach new supporters. This may include internal analytics or use of third-party specialists under contract. Analytics will use details such as your preferences, donation history and publicly available demographics to conduct propensity modelling and other forms of analysis to better understand our supporters.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

World Vision Australia may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) or related technologies in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the Australian Privacy Act for purposes which may include data analysis, operational efficiency measures, and workflow management. AI allows World Vision Australia to improve its performance and supporter management. World Vision Australia ensures strict controls and human oversight in all circumstances to ensure personal information is protected.

Adjusting your settings in your Preference Centre

You can set your own preferences for how you want to hear from us by contacting our Supporter Experience Team or through your My World Vision online account via the settings in your Preference Centre.

• Log in to your My World Vision portal>Account>Communications Preferences

Importantly, we never rent, sell or exchange your personal information without your consent.

Social media

We may reach out to you via social media if you are not a World Vision Australia follower by using the details on your supporter record, such as the email address and phone number matched to your social media account. We may target you by showing you World Vision Australia ads or content which we feel you may be interested in. This can be controlled using the social media platform as explained above.

We may also use your email address and phone/SMS to link to Facebook or other social media sites so we can identify other users of these platforms who we think might be interested in supporting us, and we may then show them our content. If you prefer this does not occur, you can adjust your preferences on the relevant social media platform.

World Vision Australia engages third parties, including digital services, research and analytics services, and other specialists to help us provide the best possible services, operate with efficiency and better serve the communities we support. These partners may be located (or have data centres) outside of Australia. We may use, and/or store your information overseas, or use cloud service providers if any of our technical systems are located or need to process data overseas (for example, social media platforms).

We may share your information within World Vision’s global network. For example, we may share your name and address with the World Vision office in the country where your sponsored child lives so they can write to you. This information is sent to World Vision International (which stores its information in Malaysia) and is accessed by the World Vision office in the relevant country. If you go on a field trip with us, we also share personal (including sensitive) information with the relevant World Vision office overseas so they can prepare appropriately for the trip.

In all cases, this does not change our commitment to safeguarding your privacy.

We require our external service providers to handle your personal information carefully, lawfully, and, where possible, in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

The countries and territories in which we may use, disclose and/or store supporter information include but are not limited to:

• Malaysia
• United States
• Singapore
• The European Union
• United Kingdom
• Other countries in which World Vision Australia or World Vision International operate.

When you agree to our Privacy Policy, you consent to us disclosing your personal information, including sensitive information, outside Australia. You understand that by giving us this consent, you may not be able to seek redress in the overseas jurisdiction if the overseas recipient handles information in breach of the Australian Privacy Principles. Your consent does not in any way lessen our commitment and the measures we take to safeguard your privacy, but it may exclude us from liability under Australian Privacy Principle 8.1 for any breach of the Australian Privacy Principles by such overseas recipients.

We store and manage your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. We take the security of your information seriously and take all reasonable steps to ensure we utilise technical and organisational measures in place to protect your information, including by:

• Using secure response forms when we ask for your personal and payment card details on our website.
• Taking reasonable steps to preserve the security of cookie and personal information in accordance with relevant security standards and our Privacy Policy.
• If your browser is suitably configured, it will advise you whether the information you are sending us will be secure (encrypted) or not secure (unencrypted). If secure transmission is indicated, World Vision Australia currently uses 256-bit TLS encryption as a minimum.
• Complying with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to ensure all sponsor and donor credit card information is securely transmitted, processed and stored.
• Keeping abreast of developments in security and encryption technologies.

We will keep your personal information for as long as you continue to engage with us, unless you advise otherwise, in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles and all other laws and regulations that govern us, including the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 (Cth).

Personal information that is no longer required for a lawful purpose, is not related to field visits, and belongs to a supporter who has not engaged with us for more than seven years will be deleted in accordance with the law.

The data of individuals who have let us know they wish to leave a bequest or have expressed interest in doing so (including by requesting information) are retained to ensure World Vision Australia can honour their intentions.

If you request us to delete your personal information, we will investigate your enquiry and, where possible, action it, subject to any legal or safeguarding requirements which mean we may have to keep your information. If information cannot be deleted, we will respect your wishes not to be contacted and archive your information in a secure manner until requirements to store this information are met.

We value the contributions our supporters make. If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please: 

• call us on 13 32 40 (Mon to Fri 9am-5pm AEST/AEDT, excluding national public holidays);
• email us at feedback@worldvision.com.au;  
• submit an enquiry and choose “Other” as the nature of your enquiry; or
• submit a privacy-related complaint by selecting "other" via our online Make a Complaint form.

If you make a Complaint, a relevant staff member will confirm receipt and provide updates on its progress until a decision is made. We will communicate our decision to you as soon as is practicable. Our Data Privacy Manager will oversee the management of any Privacy-related Complaints.

If you are not satisfied with our decision, we will be prepared to consider any additional information you may wish to provide and review our decision.

In cases where your Complaint is unable to be addressed to your satisfaction, we will advise you that the Complaint may be referred to the Code of Conduct Committee | ACFID and offer to assist in the referral.

You may also wish to submit your Complaint, or any additional concerns, to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

You can learn more about our Complaints Policy via the following link: World Vision Australia Complaints Policy.

Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) you have the right to access your personal information.

You can view and update your personal information, view annual tax statements or communicate with your sponsored child by logging in to your My World Vision online account. If you are visiting for the first time, our Supporter Experience Team on 13 32 40 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm AEST/AEDT) can help.

You can also request to access the personal information we hold about you, update or correct the information we have collected, or let us know your communications preferences by calling our Supporter Experience Team.

In some circumstances authorised by law, we may be unable to provide you with access to all your personal information and where this occurs, we will explain the reasons why.

If you choose to download the My World Vision App (the App) you will be required to agree to the App End User Licensing Agreement. Any personal information submitted in the App will be collected, managed, used and disclosed in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Information included in the App is populated via your Supporter profile. If you make changes to your personal information these will take effect across all World Vision Australia platforms.  

Information which may be automatically collected about you when using the App. 

App analytics

In compliance with any relevant platform terms, we may use analytics tools in the App. These support the function of the App and allow us to assess how supporters are using the App, including which content areas they may access the most, or which sections they avoid. 

This information will only be shared with authorised World Vision Australia staff members and trusted third parties acting on World Vision Australia’s behalf (including World Vision’s global network, World Vision International and Support Offices), who may be located in, or store, or use your personal information, outside of Australia including the USA.   

Information will be used to: 

• Optimise and improve the performance of the App and ensure the App provides the best possible user experience, with information that appeals to our supporters.
• Share analytics and other App learnings with World Vision International and Support Offices. 

Understanding App permissions 

We have listed out the various permissions so you can understand why they are needed for your use of the World Vision Australia Mobile App.

Identity permissions 

We do not capture any personal information without your consent. Only the generic device ID is gathered so that your download of the App can be associated with your Google Play/AppStore account. The device ID is an identifying number for your device. Most apps require this so they can "tie" the app to your phone.  Also, if you choose to subscribe to push notifications, your device ID is used to associate your phone to receive the notifications.  

Media permissions (photos/videos/files)

Access to photos/media/files and camera only relates to when a supporter wishes to share photos from their device to add to a letter or personalise their account. The way we use the personal information provided is explained in the section above related to "What information do we collect?" The App will (only with your consent) access your camera so you can take a photo or access your library to select a photo. The App then takes that photo from the storage on the device and attaches it to a communication. We are not accessing files at any other times.

By using this website and providing your personal information when engaging with World Vision Australia, you agree to and accept this Privacy Policy. This Policy may be changed from time to time, so we encourage you to check back regularly to see if any changes have been made.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on 29 October 2025.

The above statement is intended as notice of these changes. This version and any future amendments replace previous privacy policies, effective from the date the new version is published online.