Privacy Policy

1. General Information

SilkPanel CMS ("we", "us", or "our"), operated by Alexander Frank, is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information in accordance with the GDPR and the German Digital Services Act (DDG).

Data Controller

Alexander Frank

c/o IP-Management #8154

Ludwig-Erhard-Str. 18

20459 Hamburg

Germany

Email: [email protected]

2. Data Collection and Processing

We collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Account Data: Username, email address, password (encrypted), registration date, and account preferences.
Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referral sources.
Communication Data: Name, email address, message content, and communication history when you contact us.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds under GDPR Article 6:

Consent: When you explicitly agree to data processing (e.g., newsletter subscription).
Contract: To provide our services and fulfill contractual obligations.
Legitimate Interest: To improve our services, ensure security, and prevent fraud.
Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience. Detailed information about cookies will be provided below. The table will be populated once the cookie component is integrated.

These cookies are essential for the website to function properly. They enable basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Cookie Name	Identifier	Purpose	Duration	Provider
Laravel Session Cookie	`laravel_session`	Maintains user session state, authentication, and CSRF protection. Essential for login, form submissions, and voting functionality.	120 minutes	Laravel Framework (First Party)
XSRF-TOKEN	`XSRF-TOKEN`	Protects against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks. Required for secure form submissions.	120 minutes	Laravel Framework (First Party)
Cookie Consent	`cookie_consent`	Stores your cookie preferences and consent choices.	365 days	This Website (First Party)

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or by clicking on the link next to this:

5. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our services.
To authenticate your account and ensure security.
To process votes and distribute rewards.
To communicate with you about your account and services.
To improve our website and services through analytics.
To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights.

6. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We may share your data with third parties in the following circumstances:

Service Providers: Stripe for payment processing, hosting providers, and analytics services.
Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights.
Business Transfers: In case of merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

7. Payment Processing via Stripe

We use Stripe, Inc., 510 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States, as our payment service provider for processing subscription payments and other transactions on our platform.

When you make a payment through our platform, Stripe processes the following personal data on our behalf:

Name and email address
Billing address
Payment card information (card number, expiration date, CVV)
Transaction amount and currency
IP address and device information
Transaction history and payment status

All payment card data is processed and stored directly by Stripe. We do not store complete payment card details on our servers. We only retain transaction identifiers, payment status, and metadata necessary for service delivery and accounting purposes.

The processing of your payment data by Stripe is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of contract) and Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests in secure payment processing and fraud prevention).

Stripe, Inc. is based in the United States. When you make a payment, your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. Stripe complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and uses Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission to ensure adequate protection of your personal data.

Stripe is certified as a PCI Service Provider Level 1, the highest level of certification in the payment card industry.

For detailed information about how Stripe processes your personal data, please review Stripe's Privacy Policy at https://stripe.com/privacy.

8. Data Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data:

Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Regular security audits and updates
Access controls and employee training
Secure data centers and backup systems

9. Data Retention Periods

We retain your personal data for the following periods:

Account Data: As long as your account is active, plus 3 years after deactivation.
Usage Data: 2 years for analytics and improvement purposes.
Communication Data: 5 years for legal compliance.
Payment Data: Transaction metadata is retained for 10 years as required by German commercial law (HGB).

Legal obligations may require longer retention periods.

10. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to access information about your data
Right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
Right to restriction of processing
Right to data portability
Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests
Right to withdraw consent at any time

11. Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

[email protected]

We will respond to your request within 30 days.

12. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the EU. We ensure adequate protection through standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by email or through our website.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us: