NZ SPHERE
PRIVACY POLICY
Last updated: 22 October 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
NZ SPHERE (“NZ SPHERE”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects the privacy of individuals and businesses interacting with our website, digital advertising platform and associated services.
We are committed to handling personal information responsibly, transparently and in accordance with applicable New Zealand privacy legislation, including the Privacy Act 2020.
This Privacy Policy explains how information may be collected, used, stored, disclosed, protected and retained when individuals or businesses access or interact with NZ SPHERE.
It applies to website visitors, business representatives, advertisers, purchasers of advertising spaces, individuals submitting enquiries and individuals whose personal information may appear in business listings.
For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, NZ SPHERE is operated by NZ SPHERE LTD, whose contact details are provided in Section 19.
By using NZ SPHERE, you acknowledge that this Privacy Policy describes our information-handling practices. Nothing in this policy limits any rights or protections available under applicable law.
2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
NZ SPHERE collects information reasonably necessary to operate, maintain, secure and improve its digital advertising and business directory services.
Depending on how you interact with the platform, this may include:
2.1 Business and contact information
Business or trading name
Name of a business owner or authorised representative
Business email address
Contact person’s email address
Business telephone number
Contact telephone number
Business location, town, city or region
Industry or business category
Website address
Business description
Business logo, branding or submitted imagery
Information relating to business registration, verification or advertising-space ownership
Other information voluntarily supplied through our website or communications
2.2 Transaction and advertising information
When advertising space is purchased, we may collect or receive:
Purchased advertising-space numbers or identifiers
Transaction references
Payment confirmation and transaction status
Amounts paid
Purchase dates
Billing or receipt information
Payment-provider references
Advertising allocation and activation records
Relevant refund, cancellation or dispute information
These records may be retained for financial reconciliation, fraud prevention, customer support, legal compliance and the administration of advertising purchases.
2.3 Technical and website information
When you access NZ SPHERE, certain technical information may be collected automatically by our website infrastructure and service providers.
This may include:
Internet Protocol (IP) address
Browser type and version
Device type and operating system
Approximate geographic location inferred from technical information
Date and time of website access
Pages visited and interactions with website functionality
Referring website addresses
Cookies and similar technical identifiers
Error reports, security events and diagnostic information
Technical information may be used to maintain website functionality, analyse performance, identify technical problems and protect against unauthorised activity.
NZ SPHERE does not intentionally request sensitive personal information that is unnecessary for providing its services.
3. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
NZ SPHERE may obtain information through several sources.
3.1 Information provided directly
Information may be collected when you:
Register or submit a business listing
Purchase an advertising space
Contact NZ SPHERE
Request assistance or verification
Update business information
Submit information for publication
Communicate with us regarding a transaction or service
3.2 Publicly available business information
NZ SPHERE operates a business discovery and advertising platform.
As part of this service, NZ SPHERE may collect, organise, index and display business information obtained from publicly available sources where permitted by applicable law.
These sources may include:
Public business websites
Public business directories
Publicly accessible business registers
Publicly available business profiles
Information supplied by authorised business representatives
Other lawful sources of business information
This information may be used to create preliminary or unclaimed business listings, support business discovery and improve the usefulness of the NZ SPHERE directory.
Where publicly available business information includes personal information relating to an identifiable individual, NZ SPHERE will handle that information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
Where notification obligations arise under Information Privacy Principle 3A of the Privacy Act 2020, NZ SPHERE will take reasonable steps to comply with those obligations unless a lawful exception applies.
The inclusion of a business in the NZ SPHERE directory does not necessarily indicate that the business has registered, purchased advertising, endorsed NZ SPHERE or established a commercial relationship with the platform.
3.3 Accuracy of third-party information
Information obtained from publicly available sources may become outdated or inaccurate.
NZ SPHERE will take reasonable steps, appropriate to the circumstances, to ensure personal information is accurate, current, relevant and not misleading before using or disclosing it.
Businesses and individuals may contact NZ SPHERE to request corrections or raise concerns about information displayed on the platform.
4. PURPOSES FOR WHICH INFORMATION IS USED
NZ SPHERE collects and uses information for legitimate purposes connected with operating its website and services.
These purposes include:
Platform operations
Creating and maintaining business listings
Displaying participating businesses on the digital sphere
Processing advertising-space registrations
Allocating, activating and managing advertising spaces
Maintaining accurate business directory information
Providing business search and discovery functionality
Transaction administration
Processing and verifying purchases
Confirming successful payments
Maintaining transaction records
Investigating payment discrepancies
Handling refunds and payment disputes where applicable
Customer communications
Responding to enquiries
Confirming registrations and purchases
Providing service-related notifications
Addressing listing disputes
Communicating important operational changes
Security and compliance
Detecting suspected fraud or misuse
Preventing unauthorised transactions
Protecting website infrastructure
Investigating technical or security incidents
Maintaining appropriate financial and operational records
Complying with applicable legal obligations
Platform development
Improving website performance
Identifying technical issues
Improving the user experience
Developing relevant business discovery and advertising functionality
Analysing general website usage and platform performance
NZ SPHERE will not use personal information for an unrelated purpose unless that use is permitted by applicable law.
5. PUBLICATION OF BUSINESS INFORMATION
NZ SPHERE is a publicly accessible business advertising and discovery platform.
Information intended for publication may be displayed to visitors through business listings, search results, interactive markers and other public-facing website features.
Publicly displayed information may include:
Business name
Business location
Industry or category
Business website
Business description
Business logo or imagery
Other business information intended for public display
Information displayed publicly may also be accessed, indexed or reproduced by third-party search engines or other internet users.
5.1 Information submitted for publication
Individuals submitting business information should ensure that the material is appropriate for public display and that they have the necessary authority to provide it.
Private residential addresses, personal contact details and other information not intended for public disclosure should not be submitted for publication.
NZ SPHERE may review, restrict or decline publication of information where reasonably necessary to address privacy, security, accuracy or legal concerns.
5.2 Public availability
Once information has been lawfully published online, NZ SPHERE cannot guarantee that copies will not be retained by third parties, search engines, internet archives or other external services.
Where information is removed from NZ SPHERE, copies previously obtained by independent third parties may remain outside our control.
NZ SPHERE will consider legitimate requests for correction or removal in accordance with applicable law and its operational responsibilities.
6. PAYMENT PROCESSING AND FINANCIAL SECURITY
Payments for advertising spaces are processed through third-party payment-processing services.
NZ SPHERE does not require customers to provide full payment card details directly to NZ SPHERE through ordinary business registration or enquiry forms.
Payment providers may collect and process information necessary to authorise, complete, verify or refund transactions.
This may include payment card information, billing information and transaction details.
Payment providers are responsible for handling information collected directly through their payment systems in accordance with their applicable privacy notices and legal obligations.
NZ SPHERE may receive transaction confirmation, payment status, transaction identifiers and other information necessary to administer purchases.
NZ SPHERE does not intentionally collect or store complete payment card numbers, card security codes or equivalent sensitive card-authentication information in its business listing database.
Customers should not submit payment card details through general contact forms or ordinary email correspondence.
NZ SPHERE takes reasonable steps to verify transaction information before allocating or activating purchased advertising spaces.
7. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
NZ SPHERE may disclose information where reasonably necessary to operate its services or where disclosure is permitted or required by law.
Information may be disclosed to:
Website hosting and infrastructure providers
Payment-processing services
Database and cloud-storage providers
Website security and technical service providers
Communications and email service providers
Professional advisers, including accountants and legal advisers
Government agencies, regulators or law-enforcement authorities where legally required or otherwise lawfully permitted
Other parties where disclosure is authorised by the individual concerned or permitted under applicable law
Third-party providers may process information on behalf of NZ SPHERE to deliver relevant services.
Where appropriate, NZ SPHERE will take reasonable steps to ensure that service providers handling personal information apply suitable privacy and security protections.
NZ SPHERE does not sell personal information to third parties for their independent marketing purposes.
This does not prevent the publication of business information through the NZ SPHERE directory where such publication is lawful and consistent with the purposes described in this policy.
8. INTERNATIONAL DATA PROCESSING
NZ SPHERE may use website infrastructure, cloud services, payment processors or other technology providers that operate or store information outside New Zealand.
Consequently, personal information may be processed, accessed or stored internationally.
Where an overseas transfer or disclosure is subject to Information Privacy Principle 12 of the Privacy Act 2020, NZ SPHERE will take steps required by that principle.
These may include assessing applicable privacy protections, using appropriate contractual safeguards or obtaining express authorisation where legally necessary.
Different countries may have different privacy laws and data-protection standards.
NZ SPHERE will not treat the use of an overseas service provider as removing its responsibilities under applicable New Zealand privacy legislation.
9. DATA STORAGE AND SECURITY
NZ SPHERE recognises the importance of protecting information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, misuse, destruction and loss.
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures appropriate to the nature of the information held and the risks associated with its processing.
Depending on the relevant systems and services, these measures may include:
Access controls and authentication
Restrictions on administrative permissions
Secure communication methods
Database access restrictions
Transaction verification controls
Monitoring of relevant technical and security events
Use of established infrastructure and payment providers
Measures designed to reduce unauthorised modification of advertising records
Periodic review of security practices
Processes for investigating suspected security incidents
Access to non-public information should be limited to authorised persons and service providers who require it for legitimate operational purposes.
Although reasonable precautions are taken, no website, database, electronic communication or internet-connected system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
NZ SPHERE therefore cannot warrant that unauthorised access or security incidents will never occur.
This statement does not limit any legal responsibility NZ SPHERE may have to protect personal information.
10. PRIVACY AND SECURITY INCIDENTS
NZ SPHERE takes suspected privacy breaches and unauthorised disclosures seriously.
Where a potential privacy breach is identified, NZ SPHERE will take reasonable steps to:
Investigate the circumstances
Contain or reduce any ongoing exposure
Assess the nature and extent of the information affected
Identify potential risks to affected individuals
Implement appropriate remedial measures
Review relevant controls to help prevent recurrence
Where a privacy breach meets the notification requirements of the Privacy Act 2020, NZ SPHERE will notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and affected individuals as soon as practicable, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
NZ SPHERE will cooperate with lawful investigations and regulatory requirements relating to privacy incidents.
11. INFORMATION RETENTION
NZ SPHERE retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it may lawfully be used.
Retention periods may vary according to the nature of the information and the reasons for which it is held.
Information may be retained to:
Maintain active business listings
Administer advertising-space purchases
Confirm advertising entitlements
Address customer enquiries
Resolve payment disputes
Investigate fraud or suspected misuse
Maintain financial records
Comply with tax, accounting and other legal obligations
Establish, exercise or defend legal claims
Certain financial and business records may be required to be retained for at least seven tax years under applicable New Zealand record-keeping requirements.
Where personal information is no longer required for a lawful purpose, NZ SPHERE will take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy or de-identify that information.
Information contained in backups or archives may remain temporarily until it can be removed through applicable retention or backup processes.
Where an advertising space expires or a business listing is removed, associated records may be retained where reasonably required for transaction verification, accounting, dispute resolution or other lawful purposes.
12. COOKIES AND WEBSITE TECHNOLOGIES
NZ SPHERE and its service providers may use cookies, local storage and similar technologies to support website functionality and performance.
Depending on the technologies in use, these may assist with:
Essential website operations
Maintaining user preferences
Providing interactive website functionality
Detecting security threats
Preventing misuse
Understanding general website traffic
Identifying performance problems
Improving the website experience
Some technologies may be operated by third-party website or infrastructure providers.
Users can generally manage or restrict cookies through their browser settings.
Disabling certain technologies may affect the functionality or performance of parts of the website.
Where additional notification or consent is required for particular tracking or advertising technologies, NZ SPHERE will provide the relevant information and choices in accordance with applicable law.
13. BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
NZ SPHERE may contact businesses or their authorised representatives for legitimate service-related purposes.
These may include:
Purchase confirmations
Advertising activation notices
Transaction or billing enquiries
Verification requests
Business listing updates
Technical or security notifications
Responses to enquiries
Important service announcements
NZ SPHERE may also conduct promotional communications where permitted by law.
Commercial electronic messages will be sent in accordance with applicable requirements, including the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007.
Where required, marketing messages will be sent only with appropriate consent and will include accurate sender identification and a functional unsubscribe mechanism.
Recipients may withdraw consent to marketing communications using the available unsubscribe method or by contacting NZ SPHERE.
Opting out of marketing communications will not necessarily prevent the delivery of essential transactional, security or service-related messages.
14. ACCESS TO AND CORRECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Individuals have rights under the Privacy Act 2020 concerning personal information held about them.
Subject to applicable legal requirements and exceptions, individuals may request:
Confirmation of whether NZ SPHERE holds their personal information
Access to personal information held about them
Correction of inaccurate or misleading personal information
Review of relevant information displayed in a business listing
NZ SPHERE may request reasonable evidence of identity or authority before disclosing non-public information or making changes that could affect another person or business.
Requests for access or correction will be considered in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020.
NZ SPHERE will ordinarily communicate its decision within 20 working days of receiving a valid request, subject to extensions or other provisions permitted by law.
Where a requested correction is declined, the individual may have the right to request that a statement of correction be attached to the relevant information.
NZ SPHERE will explain applicable rights and review options where required by law.
15. BUSINESS LISTING CORRECTIONS AND REMOVAL REQUESTS
NZ SPHERE recognises that businesses may wish to update, dispute or request the removal of information appearing in the directory.
Businesses or authorised representatives may contact NZ SPHERE to:
Report incorrect business information
Request an update to their listing
Report an unauthorised claim of a business
Raise concerns about the publication of information
Request review or removal of a listing
Report possible misuse of business identity or branding
NZ SPHERE may undertake reasonable verification before modifying or removing a listing.
Requests will be assessed according to the nature of the information, applicable law, legitimate privacy concerns and relevant operational requirements.
The publication of publicly available business information does not, by itself, establish an advertising purchase, contractual relationship or endorsement of NZ SPHERE by the listed business.
Removing a public listing does not necessarily require NZ SPHERE to delete legitimate financial, transaction or security records that it is legally entitled or required to retain.
16. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES AND EXTERNAL LINKS
NZ SPHERE may display links to websites operated by participating businesses or other independent third parties.
These websites are not necessarily owned, controlled or operated by NZ SPHERE.
External websites may maintain their own privacy policies, security practices and information-collection procedures.
NZ SPHERE is not responsible for the independent privacy practices of third-party websites.
Users should review the privacy policies and terms of external websites before providing personal information.
The inclusion of an external link does not necessarily constitute an endorsement, verification or guarantee of the third party’s services.
Nothing in this section excludes responsibilities that cannot lawfully be excluded.
17. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
NZ SPHERE is primarily intended as a business advertising and discovery platform.
Its advertising registration and purchasing services are not directed at children.
NZ SPHERE does not intentionally solicit unnecessary personal information from children.
Where we become aware that personal information relating to a child has been collected or published in circumstances that are inappropriate or unlawful, we will take reasonable steps to review the information and address the issue.
Parents or guardians may contact NZ SPHERE regarding relevant privacy concerns.
18. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
NZ SPHERE may amend this Privacy Policy to reflect:
Changes to applicable legislation
Changes to website functionality
Changes to service providers
Improvements to privacy or security practices
Changes to business operations
Additional information-processing activities
The latest version will be made available through the NZ SPHERE website, together with its effective date.
Where a material change requires additional notification or authorisation under applicable law, NZ SPHERE will take the necessary steps.
Continued use of the website does not remove any privacy rights or replace consent where consent is legally required.
Previous versions may be retained for administrative or compliance purposes.
19. CONTACT INFORMATION AND PRIVACY REQUESTS
Questions, concerns or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of personal information may be directed to NZ SPHERE.
Business: NZ SPHERE
Legal operator: NZ SPHERE LTD
Privacy Officer: NZ SPHERE Privacy Officer
Email: privacy@nzsphere.co.nz
Business contact address: Christchurch, New Zealand
Website: https://nzsphere.co.nz
Please include sufficient information for NZ SPHERE to identify the relevant record or listing and understand the nature of your request.
Do not include sensitive personal information or payment card details unless specifically requested through an appropriate secure process.
NZ SPHERE will review privacy enquiries and complaints and respond in accordance with applicable law.
Independent privacy complaints
Individuals who believe their privacy rights have been breached may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner in New Zealand.
Information about privacy rights and the complaints process is available at:
Individuals are encouraged to contact NZ SPHERE first so that concerns can be investigated and, where appropriate, resolved directly.
20. COMPLIANCE WITH NEW ZEALAND LAW
This Privacy Policy is intended to describe NZ SPHERE’s information-handling practices under applicable New Zealand law, particularly the Privacy Act 2020.
Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any statutory obligation, consumer protection or privacy right that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified.
Where a provision of this policy is inconsistent with a mandatory requirement of applicable law, the legal requirement will prevail.
NZ SPHERE remains committed to protecting personal information while providing a secure, transparent and accessible business advertising and discovery platform for New Zealand.
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