Privacy Policy

We take the protection of your personal data seriously. This privacy policy explains what personal data we process when you use tattooinsights.com (the “Site”), for what purposes, on which legal basis, and what rights you have. We process personal data in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the applicable German data protection laws.

1. Controller

The controller responsible for data processing on this Site is:
Christian Herrling
An der Bek 9
23611 Sereetz
Germany
Email: info@tattooinsights.com

2. Encryption

This Site uses SSL/TLS encryption to protect the transmission of data, for example when you submit forms or log in. You can recognise an encrypted connection by “https://” in your browser’s address bar.

3. Cookies and consent management

Cookies are small text files stored on your device. Some cookies are technically necessary for the Site to work. All other cookies and third-party services are only used if you give your consent via our cookie banner. You can change or withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future via “Cookie settings” at the bottom of every page.

Necessary cookies

tisess – session cookie that is only set when you use a form or log in. It protects forms against misuse and keeps you logged in. It is deleted when you close your browser.
ti_c, ti_c_stats, ti_c_ads, ti_c_media – store your cookie choices for 12 months so that we do not ask you again on every visit.

The legal basis for necessary cookies is § 25(2) TDDDG and our legitimate interest in a functioning Site (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). All other cookies are only set with your consent (§ 25(1) TDDDG, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

4. Google Analytics (only with your consent – “Statistics”)

If you consent, we use Google Analytics 4, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies (e.g. “_ga”) to analyse how visitors use the Site, for example which pages are viewed and how long visitors stay. The information collected is usually transferred to and stored on Google servers, which may also be located in the USA. IP addresses are not logged or stored by Google Analytics 4 for users in the EU.

The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can withdraw your consent at any time via “Cookie settings”; the Google Analytics cookies will then be deleted. More information: https://policies.google.com/privacy

5. Google AdSense (only with your consent – “Marketing”)

If you consent, we display advertisements on the Site via Google AdSense, a service provided by Google Ireland Limited (address see above). Google may use cookies and similar technologies to display ads, measure their performance and, depending on your settings, personalise them based on your interests. Data may be transferred to Google LLC in the USA.

The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can withdraw your consent at any time via “Cookie settings”. You can manage personalised advertising at https://adssettings.google.com. More information: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads

6. Maps from OpenStreetMap (only with your consent – “External media”)

Our listing pages can show maps from OpenStreetMap, provided by the OpenStreetMap Foundation, St John’s Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, United Kingdom. Maps are only loaded after you click “Show map” or have allowed “External media” in the cookie settings. When a map is loaded, your IP address is transmitted to OpenStreetMap servers. The United Kingdom has an adequacy decision from the European Commission.

The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). More information: https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy

7. Fonts and scripts

All fonts and scripts (including the map library) are hosted on our own server. No connection to external font or script providers (such as Google Fonts) is established when you visit the Site.

8. Submitting a listing

If you add a business via our “Add a listing” form, we process the information you enter about the business (e.g. name, address, contact details, description) as well as your name and email address. We use this data to review and publish the listing and to contact you about it. If you state that you own or manage the business, we will send you an invitation to manage the listing once it is published.

The legal basis is the performance of the requested service (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR) and our legitimate interest in providing a complete and accurate directory (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). To protect the form against spam and misuse, we also store your IP address together with the submission; it is deleted after 6 months.

9. Claiming a listing and owner accounts

If you claim a listing, we send a confirmation link to the email address stored for the listing or process your request, including your name, email address, optional phone number and message. If you create an owner account, we store your email address, an optional name and your password (only in encrypted form, as a hash), as well as the time of your last login. Owners can edit the details of their listing at any time.

The legal basis is the performance of the user relationship (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR). To protect against misuse we store the IP address of claim requests, which is deleted after 6 months. Your account remains until you ask us to delete it: info@tattooinsights.com.

10. Business information in our directory

Our directory lists tattoo shops, studios and independent tattoo artists. The information shown (e.g. business name, address, phone number, website, opening hours, ratings) comes from publicly available sources such as the businesses’ own websites and public business profiles, or was provided by the businesses themselves. If a listing concerns a sole trader or independent tattoo artist, this may include personal data.

The legal basis is our legitimate interest, and that of our visitors, in finding tattoo shops and artists (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). If you are listed and want your listing to be corrected or removed, you can object at any time by emailing info@tattooinsights.com, or claim the listing to update it yourself.

11. Contact by email

If you contact us by email, we process your email address and the content of your message to answer your request. The legal basis is our legitimate interest in answering enquiries (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) or, if your request relates to a contract, Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. Emails sent by the Site (e.g. confirmation links) are sent via the mail server of our hosting provider.

12. Transfers to third countries

Some of the services mentioned above (Google) may transfer data to the USA. Google LLC is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, for which the European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision. Such transfers only take place if you have given your consent to the respective service.

13. How long we store data

We only store personal data for as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law. Cookie retention periods are stated in section 3. Data from forms and accounts is deleted when it is no longer needed or when you ask us to delete it, unless statutory retention obligations apply.

14. Your rights

You have the right to access the personal data we hold about you (Art. 15 GDPR), to have it corrected (Art. 16), deleted (Art. 17) or its processing restricted (Art. 18), and to receive it in a portable format (Art. 20). Where processing is based on our legitimate interest, you have the right to object at any time for reasons arising from your particular situation (Art. 21 GDPR). You can withdraw any consent you have given at any time with effect for the future (Art. 7(3) GDPR). To exercise your rights, simply email info@tattooinsights.com.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. The authority responsible for us is: Unabhängiges Landeszentrum für Datenschutz Schleswig-Holstein (ULD), Holstenstraße 98, 24103 Kiel, Germany.

15. Links to other websites

This Site contains links to other websites. When you click on one of these links, you leave our Site. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of the linked websites, as their practices may differ from ours.

16. Changes to this privacy policy

We may update this privacy policy when our Site or the services we use change. The current version is always available on this page.