1. Introduction

ArtConnect GmbH ("ArtConnect," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information when you visit our websites at magazine.artconnect.com and artconnect.com (together, the "Website") or use our services.

ArtConnect GmbH is the data controller responsible for your personal data processed under this policy. Please read this document carefully.

2. Data Controller

ArtConnect GmbH

Sophie-Charlotten-Strasse 15, 14059 Berlin, Germany

General enquiries: hello@artconnect.com

Privacy and data protection enquiries: legal@artconnect.com

3. What Data We Collect

3.1 Data You Provide Directly

● Account registration: name, email address, password, and profile information

● Contact form: email address, name, and website

● Newsletter subscription: email address and name

● Profile content: biography, images, portfolio links, and other content you choose to add

● Payment details: billing address and payment information processed by our payment providers (we do not store full card details)

3.2 Data Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website, we and our partners automatically collect the following:

● IP address and approximate location derived from IP

● Browser type, version, and language

● Device type and operating system

● Pages visited, time spent, and navigation paths

● Referring website or source

● Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7)

3.3 Data from Third Parties

If you register or log in using your Facebook account, we may receive your name, email address, and public profile information from Facebook, subject to your Facebook privacy settings.

We also display content from Instagram and Vimeo on our Website. These platforms may independently collect data when you interact with their embedded content.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

We process your personal data under the following legal bases as defined in Article 6 of the GDPR:

● Contractual necessity (Article 6(1)(b)): to create and manage your account, deliver our services, and process subscription payments.

● Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)): to operate and improve our Website, prevent fraud and abuse, ensure security, and send service-related communications where these interests are not overridden by your fundamental rights.

● Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): for marketing emails, non-essential analytics cookies, and advertising. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

● Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)): where required by applicable law, such as retaining financial records under German tax and commercial law.

5. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

● Creating and managing your ArtConnect account

● Providing, maintaining, and improving our services

● Sending newsletters and marketing communications (with your consent)

● Processing payments and managing your subscription

● Analysing Website traffic and user behaviour to improve performance

● Detecting and preventing fraud, spam, and abuse

● Sending push notifications (with your consent)

● Complying with legal obligations

● Responding to your enquiries

6. Third-Party Service Providers

We work with the following third-party service providers, who may access or process your personal data on our behalf or independently as controllers. We have data processing agreements in place with processors where required by GDPR.

Analytics

● Google Analytics (Google LLC): Website traffic and usage analysis. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

● MixPanel (Mixpanel, Inc.): Product analytics and user behaviour tracking. Privacy Policy: https://mixpanel.com/legal/privacy-policy/

● Google Analytics for Firebase (Google LLC): App analytics and performance monitoring. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

● Hotjar (Hotjar Ltd.): Heat mapping, session recordings, and form performance analysis. Privacy Policy: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/policies/privacy/

Advertising

● Google AdSense (Google LLC): Personalised advertising. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Authentication

● Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. (Facebook Login): Social login functionality. Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/

Embedded Content

● Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. (Instagram): Display of Instagram content. Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/

● Vimeo, Inc.: Display of Vimeo video content. Privacy Policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy

Payments

● Stripe, Inc.: Payment processing. Privacy Policy: https://stripe.com/privacy

● Apple Inc. (Apple Pay): Payment processing. Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/

Tag Management

● Google Tag Manager (Google LLC): Management of tracking and marketing tags on our Website. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Infrastructure, Hosting, and Security

● Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS): Cloud hosting and data storage. Privacy Policy: https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/

● Google Cloud Storage (Google LLC): Data storage. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

● Photon Engine Cloud (Exit Games GmbH): Application infrastructure. Privacy Policy: https://www.photonengine.com/en-US/Cloud

● Cloudflare, Inc.: Content delivery, traffic optimisation, and security (DDoS protection). Privacy Policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/

● Google reCAPTCHA (Google LLC): Spam and bot protection. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our Website. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us recognise you and remember your preferences.

Types of Cookies We Use

● Strictly necessary cookies: required for the Website to function (e.g., session management, login). These cannot be disabled.

● Analytics cookies: help us understand how visitors use our Website (e.g., Google Analytics, MixPanel). These require your prior consent.

● Advertising cookies: used to serve relevant advertisements (e.g., Google AdSense). These require your prior consent.

● Functional / preference cookies: store your preferences such as timezone and region settings. These require your consent where non-essential.

When you first visit our Website, you will be asked for consent to non-essential cookies via our cookie consent banner. Non-essential cookies will not be loaded until you give consent. You can change your cookie preferences at any time via the cookie settings link in our Website footer or through your browser settings.

To opt out of Google Analytics tracking, you may use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

For more information on managing cookies, please refer to your browser's help section or visit www.aboutcookies.org.

8. Push Notifications

With your consent, we may send push notifications to your device for relevant updates and communications. You can opt out of push notifications at any time by adjusting your device or browser notification settings, or by contacting us at hello@artconnect.com.

9. International Data Transfers

Some of our third-party service providers are based outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including in the United States (for example, Google, Stripe, AWS, Mixpanel, Hotjar, Intercom, Vimeo, and Cloudflare). When we transfer your personal data outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by Chapter V of the GDPR.

In most cases, international transfers are made on the basis of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission pursuant to Article 46(2)(c) GDPR. Some providers may also operate under adequacy decisions or other approved mechanisms.

For more information on the specific safeguards applicable to any transfer, please contact us at legal@artconnect.com.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy and to comply with our legal obligations:

● Account data: retained for the duration of your account, and for up to 3 years following account closure for legal and operational purposes.

● Transaction and billing records: retained for up to 10 years to comply with German commercial and tax law (§§ 238, 257 HGB; § 147 AO).

● Marketing data: retained until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe.

● Analytics data: typically anonymised or aggregated after 26 months.

● Support communications: retained for up to 3 years after the matter is resolved.

When retention periods expire, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

11. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

● Right of access (Article 15): request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

● Right to rectification (Article 16): request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.

● Right to erasure (Article 17): request deletion of your personal data (the "right to be forgotten") where it is no longer necessary or consent is withdrawn.

● Right to restriction of processing (Article 18): request that we limit how we process your data in certain circumstances.

● Right to data portability (Article 20): receive your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format and have it transmitted to another controller where technically feasible.

● Right to object (Article 21): object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing at any time.

● Right to withdraw consent (Article 7(3)): withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of prior processing.

● Right not to be subject to automated decision-making (Article 22): not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that produce significant legal or similarly significant effects.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@artconnect.com or legal@artconnect.com. We will respond within 30 days; for complex or numerous requests, this period may be extended by up to two additional months, and we will inform you accordingly. We may request proof of identity before processing your request.

Right to Lodge a Complaint with a Supervisory Authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. As ArtConnect GmbH is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, the competent supervisory authority is:

Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit

Alt-Moabit 59–61, 10555 Berlin, Germany

Tel: +49 30 13889-0

Email: mailbox@datenschutz-berlin.de

Website: https://www.datenschutz-berlin.de

You may also contact the supervisory authority in your country of residence or place of work within the EEA.

12. US State Privacy Rights

12.1 California Residents (CCPA / CPRA)

California residents have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

● Know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold

● Delete personal information we hold about you

● Correct inaccurate personal information

● Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising

● Limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information

● Non-discrimination for exercising your rights

ArtConnect does not sell personal information for monetary consideration. However, sharing data with advertising partners (e.g., Google AdSense) may constitute "sharing" under CCPA. To opt out, use the cookie settings on our Website or contact legal@artconnect.com.

To submit a verifiable consumer request, email legal@artconnect.com. We will respond within 45 days (extendable by a further 45 days with notice).

12.2 Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and Other US States

Residents of Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Utah (UCPA), Texas (TDPSA), Oregon (OCPA), Montana (MCDPA), and other states with applicable consumer privacy legislation have the right to access, correct, delete, and receive a portable copy of their personal data, and to opt out of targeted advertising and profiling. To exercise these rights, contact us at legal@artconnect.com.

13. Newsletter and Marketing Communications

With your consent, we send newsletters and marketing emails to subscribers. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email, or by updating your preferences under Settings > Email Notifications in your account.

Unsubscribing from marketing emails does not affect service-related communications such as account confirmations, billing notices, and security alerts.

14. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access. These measures include encryption, access controls, and regular security reviews.

No method of internet transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at hello@artconnect.com.

15. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data without your consent, please contact us at hello@artconnect.com and we will delete the information promptly.

16. Third-Party Websites

Our Website may contain links to external websites operated by third parties. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email to the address associated with your account and/or by posting a prominent notice on our Website at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

The date of the most recent revision is shown at the top of this document. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

18. Contact Us

For any questions, requests, or concerns relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal data, please contact:

ArtConnect GmbH

Sophie-Charlotten-Strasse 15, 14059 Berlin, Germany

General: hello@artconnect.com

Privacy & data protection: legal@artconnect.com

Company registration: Amtsgericht Charlottenburg, HRB 135272 B

VAT ID: DE278448333