Privacy Policy for The Art of Fauna

1. General

1.1 Welcome to The Art of Fauna. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you use our iOS application (the “App”), our related services including “Friends of Fauna”, and our newsletter “Pigeon Post”, which you can subscribe to at theartof.app/newsletter. By downloading, installing, or using The Art of Fauna and any related services, you agree to the practices described herein.

1.2 The controller responsible for your data is Klemens Strasser, Prangelgasse 1, 8020 Graz, Austria. You can reach us at support@strasser.app.

1.3 We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, legal requirements, or our data-handling practices. When we post changes, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. If the changes are significant, we will provide a more prominent notice (e.g., in-app notification or email to registered “Friends of Fauna” participants or newsletter subscribers) before the changes take effect.

2. Information We Collect and How We Use It

2.1 TelemetryDeck Analytics (Anonymous, Non-PII)

2.1.1 The Art of Fauna uses the TelemetryDeck analytics service to collect only anonymous, non-personally identifiable information. We do not store names, phone numbers, or any data that directly identifies an individual. Instead, TelemetryDeck allows us to collect aggregated metrics that help us understand how users interact with The Art of Fauna, troubleshoot issues, and improve user experience. The anonymous usage data we collect may include:

• Feature Usage: Which puzzles were solved, which app icons are selected, if notifications are enabled or if a review was enabled. This may also include other features of screens in the future.
• Device Information: Device model (e.g., iPhone 12, iPhone 14 Pro), operating system version (e.g., iOS 17.2), screen resolution, and app version.
• Performance Metrics: App launch time, crash logs (e.g., stack traces without user-specific identifiers), network latency, and error rates.
• Basic Settings: Language preference, system locale, and in-app settings (e.g., Dark Mode enabled/disabled).

All of the above data is collected in an aggregated, anonymized form. We do not link it to your name, email address, IP address, or any other personally identifying detail.

2.1.2 We use this data to:

• Analyze feature usage patterns to prioritize new features, bug fixes, and performance optimizations.
• Monitor stability (e.g., track crashes) to enhance overall reliability.
• Understand aggregate engagement (e.g., which puzzles are most popular) so we can curate content accordingly.

2.2 “Friends of Fauna” Uploads (Email Addresses & Images)

2.2.1 “Friends of Fauna” is an optional service within The Art of Fauna that allows users to upload their own wildlife-inspired artwork or photographs (collectively, “Uploaded Images”) for a chance to be featured in our monthly puzzle. In order to notify you if your submission is selected, we require a valid email address. In this context, we collect the following information:

• Email Address (PII): Provided voluntarily by you so we can send a notification if you are selected for the monthly puzzle.
• Uploaded Images: Photographs that you choose to submit.

2.2.2 We use your email address solely to notify you if your submission is selected for the monthly puzzle. No marketing or unrelated communications will be sent unless you opt in to separate promotional messaging, such as our newsletter (see item 2.3 below), which is always clearly presented in a separate consent form.

2.2.3 We treat this data with care (see item 4.2 for retention). You may withdraw your email or request deletion of your images at any time; please see item 6 below for instructions. None of this data is linked to the analytics data mentioned in item 2.1.

2.3 Newsletter “Pigeon Post”

2.3.1 If you subscribe to our newsletter, we process the following information:

• Email Address (PII, required): To send you the newsletter.
• Name (optional): To address you personally, if you provide it.
• Subscription Details: Which list you subscribed to, your subscription status, and the dates of your sign-up and confirmation, so we can prove that you consented.

2.3.2 We only send the newsletter with your consent (Article 6 (1) lit a GDPR and § 174 of the Austrian Telecommunications Act 2021). After you sign up, we send you an email with a confirmation link (“double opt-in”). You will only receive the newsletter once you have clicked this link. The newsletter contains news about The Art of Fauna and Art of Flora, such as new puzzles, updates, and development insights.

2.3.3 To protect the sign-up form against automated bots, it uses ALTCHA, a privacy-friendly verification that runs a small calculation in your browser. It does not use cookies, does not track you, and is served from our own newsletter server, not by a third party.

2.3.4 We manage the newsletter with listmonk, an open-source newsletter software that we run ourselves on our own server. Your data is not shared with the developers of listmonk. To improve the newsletter, listmonk may count how often newsletter emails are opened and how often links in them are clicked. These statistics are only collected in aggregate and are not linked to individual subscribers.

2.3.5 You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, by clicking the unsubscribe link included in every newsletter email or by emailing us at support@strasser.app. Withdrawing your consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

2.4 Security and Fraud Prevention

2.4.1 We also use information to detect and prevent misuse or unauthorized access to The Art of Fauna’s features and our newsletter, and to protect our infrastructure and your data against malicious activity (e.g., repeated failed login attempts, automated bots).

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

3.1 No Sale of Personal Data

3.1.1 The Art of Fauna does not sell or rent your personal information (including email addresses, names, or Uploaded Images) to any third parties.

3.2 Service Providers

3.2.1 We work with the following service providers (“Processors”), who process data on our behalf and for our purposes, but not for their own purposes:

3.2.2 To deliver newsletter emails, your email address, your name (if provided), and the content of the email are transferred to Postmark in the USA. This transfer is based on the Standard Contractual Clauses of the European Commission (Article 46 (2) lit c GDPR), which are part of our data processing agreement with Postmark.

3.3 Legal Compliance

3.3.1 We may disclose information if required by law (e.g., in response to a valid subpoena, court order, or government request), to protect our rights, or to comply with an investigation relating to suspected illegal activity.

4. Data Retention and Deletion

4.1 TelemetryDeck Analytics Data

4.1.1 Anonymous, aggregated telemetry data is retained by TelemetryDeck per their standard data-retention policy. We do not store raw telemetry data containing any potential identifiers beyond what TelemetryDeck retains.

4.2 “Friends of Fauna” Data

• Retention Period: Uploaded Images & Email Addresses are stored on our servers for up to one year from the date of submission.
• Automatic Deletion: After one year, we permanently delete both the image file(s) and your email address from our systems.
• Upon Request: You can ask us to delete your Uploaded Images and email address at any time prior to the one-year mark. To do so, contact us at support@strasser.app and include the subject line “Friends of Fauna Data Deletion Request.” We will process deletion requests within 30 days of receipt.

4.3 Newsletter Data

• While Subscribed: We store your newsletter data for as long as you are subscribed.
• Unconfirmed Sign-Ups: If you do not confirm your subscription, we delete your data regularly, and you will not receive the newsletter.
• After Unsubscribing: We keep your email address marked as “unsubscribed”, so that we do not email you again by mistake and can prove your earlier consent (Article 6 (1) lit f GDPR). If you would like it removed completely, contact us at support@strasser.app with the subject line “Delete My Newsletter Data.” We will process deletion requests within 30 days of receipt.

5. Security Measures

• We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
• Uploaded Images and Email Addresses for “Friends of Fauna” are stored in an encrypted database. Only authorized personnel have access.
• Newsletter data is stored on our own server, which is only accessible to authorized personnel. The sign-up form and newsletter server are only reachable via encrypted connections (HTTPS).
• TelemetryDeck communication is encrypted in transit (HTTPS), and data is stored per TelemetryDeck’s security protocols.

While no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, we strive to use industry-standard technologies and best practices.

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data (such as your email address, name, or Uploaded Images):

1. Right to Information (Article 15 GDPR): You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed, and if so, to receive a copy of that data and information about it.
2. Right to Rectification and Erasure (Articles 16–17 GDPR): You have the right to request the correction of inaccurate personal data and the deletion of your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
3. Right to Restriction of Processing (Article 18 GDPR): You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted under certain circumstances.
4. Right to Data Portability (Article 20 GDPR): Where processing is based on consent or a contract and carried out by automated means, you have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
5. Right to Object (Article 21 GDPR): You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances.
6. Right to Withdraw Consent (Article 7 (3) GDPR): You can withdraw your consent at any time, for example by unsubscribing from the newsletter (see item 2.3.5).
7. Right to File a Complaint with a Supervisory Authority: You have the right to file a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the EU Member State of your residence, your workplace, or the place of the alleged infringement. The contact information of the Austrian Data Protection Authority is available at: https://www.dsb.gv.at/

6.2 Access: If you wish to receive a copy of the personal information we have about you in connection with “Friends of Fauna” or the newsletter, you may email support@strasser.app. We will respond within 30 days.

6.3 Deletion: If you would like us to delete your Email Address and any Uploaded Images before the one-year retention period ends, please email support@strasser.app with the subject line “Delete My Friends of Fauna Data.” For newsletter data, use the subject line “Delete My Newsletter Data.” We will confirm deletion within 30 days.

7. Third-Party Links and Services

7.1 The Art of Fauna and our newsletter may contain links to external websites or services (for example, payment processors if you purchase premium content). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any site you visit from our App or newsletter.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: