Privacy Policy – Treegarten

1. OVERVIEW OF DATA PROTECTION

General Information

The following privacy policy provides a comprehensive overview of how your personal data is collected, processed, and protected when you visit the Treegarten website. Personal data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person.

Data Collection on This Website

Data processing on this website is carried out by the site operator, Ben Baumgarten (Treegarten). Detailed contact information is available in Section 2 of this Privacy Policy and in our Legal Notice (Imprint).

How We Collect Your Data

We collect data through two primary methods:

1. Data you provide directly to us (e.g., via contact forms, artist booking inquiries, or email demo submissions).

2. Data collected automatically or after your explicit consent when you visit our website (e.g., technical connection data, IP addresses, web analytics, and integrated third-party audio/video players).

Purpose of Data Processing

Data is processed to ensure technical stability and security of the website, analyze site usage, process artist demo submissions and licensing requests, send newsletters, and embed content from streaming services, video networks, and social media platforms.

2. CONTROLLER (VERANTWORTLICHER) & HOSTING

Controller Pursuant to Art. 4(7) GDPR

Treegarten

Ben Baumgarten

Mehringdamm 82

10965 Berlin, Germany

Email: info@treegarten.com

Data Protection Officer

As an individual operator / sole proprietor, we are not legally required under German law (§ 38 BDSG) to designate a Data Protection Officer.

Web Hosting via Strato

Our website is hosted on the servers of:

STRATO AG, Otto-Ostrowski-Straße 7, 10249 Berlin, Germany (“Strato”).

When you visit our website, Strato processes personal data (such as IP addresses, access logs, and meta-communication data). Data processing by Strato is based on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (contract performance) and Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in the secure, fast, and stable provision of our online presence). We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA / Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag) with Strato pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR.

3. LEGAL BASES FOR DATA PROCESSING

We process personal data in accordance with the GDPR, the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), and the Telecommunications Digital Services Data Protection Act (TDDDG) based on:

Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR & § 25(1) TDDDG): For non-essential cookies, analytics, social media integrations, and embedded music players.
Contract Performance / Pre-contractual Measures (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR): For artist submissions, demo evaluations, licensing inquiries, and music releases.
Legal Obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR): For tax and statutory record-keeping obligations.
Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR): For secure server operation, abuse prevention, and effective marketing of our releases.

4. SERVER LOG FILES (STRATO)

Strato automatically collects and stores technical connection data transmitted by your browser in server log files:

Browser type and browser version
Operating system used
Referrer URL (previously visited website)
Hostname of the accessing device
Time and date of the server request
IP address (anonymized by Strato)

This technical data is not combined with other data sources. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in security and stability).

5. CONSENT MANAGEMENT & COOKIE BANNER

Our website utilizes a Consent Management Platform (Cookie Banner) to manage user consent for storing cookies and loading external media scripts (e.g., streaming players).

Essential technical cookies are processed on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR and § 25(2) TDDDG. Non-essential tracking cookies and external media tools (e.g., Spotify, YouTube, SoundCloud) are loaded only after your explicit consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. You can revoke or adjust your settings at any time via the “Cookie Settings” link in our website footer.

6. CONTACT, DEMO SUBMISSIONS & ARTIST INQUIRIES

When you contact Treegarten via email, contact forms, or demo submission forms, your provided information (e.g., name, email, artist links, attached audio files, or press kits) is processed solely for evaluating, reviewing, and responding to your request.

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (for pre-contractual artist submissions and licensing requests) or Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (for general inquiries). Your data remains stored until the purpose of storage lapses, you request deletion, or statutory retention obligations expire.

7. THE 10 MAJOR MUSIC STREAMING SERVICES & AUDIO EMBEDS

To present Treegarten releases, artist discographies, and audio samples, we integrate widgets, embeds, and links from major streaming services. Third-party content is blocked by default and activated only upon your explicit consent via our cookie consent banner (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

a) Spotify

Services provided by Spotify AB, Regeringsgatan 19, 111 53 Stockholm, Sweden. When activated, Spotify receives your IP address and sets tracking cookies.

b) Apple Music

Services provided by Apple Inc., One Apple Park Way, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA / Apple Distribution International Ltd., Dublin, Ireland. Embedded players transmit usage data and IP addresses upon consent.

c) YouTube Music

Services provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Embedded players operate using privacy-enhanced modes.

d) Amazon Music

Services provided by Amazon Europe Core S.à r.l., 38 avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg. Embedded players or link routes transmit connection data upon activation.

e) SoundCloud

Services provided by SoundCloud Limited, Rheinsberger Str. 76/77, 10115 Berlin, Germany. When loading a SoundCloud player, SoundCloud processes browser and log data.

f) Bandcamp

Services provided by Bandcamp Inc. (Songtradr Inc.), 2200 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA. Embedded Bandcamp audio players process IP and usage data upon consent.

g) Tidal

Services provided by ASPIRO AB / TIDAL, Lästmakargatan 22, 111 44 Stockholm, Sweden. Links or embedded widgets connect to Tidal servers upon user consent.

h) Deezer

Services provided by Deezer S.A., 24 rue de Calais, 75009 Paris, France. Embedded audio widgets process connection data upon activation.

i) Napster / Rhapsody

Services provided by Napster Music Inc., 837 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90014, USA. Embedded widgets connect to Napster servers upon explicit consent.

j) Qobuz & Regional Streaming Services (e.g. Tencent Music / NetEase)

For additional streaming services (e.g., Qobuz S.A., Tencent Music Entertainment, NetEase Cloud Music), link routing or widgets transmit technical access data to the respective platforms upon activation. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (Consent).

8. SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS, SMART LINKS & VIDEO PLATFORMS

Social Media Platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, Threads)

We link to our social media profiles using static buttons. Simply visiting our website does not send any data to social networks. A data transfer to the respective platform occurs only if you actively click on a social icon button.

Smart Links & Release Campaigns (e.g., Linkfire, Feature.fm, ToneDen)

For our release promotional campaigns, we utilize smart links (e.g., Linkfire, Feature.fm). When you click a smart link, anonymized device information, referral sources, and your chosen DSP (music platform) are processed to measure marketing performance. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

9. WEB ANALYTICS & TRACKING

If activated on our website, web analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics or Matomo) are used exclusively subject to your explicit consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR & § 25(1) TDDDG). IP addresses are anonymized before evaluation. You can opt out or revoke consent at any time via our Cookie Settings.

10. NEWSLETTER & EMAIL UPDATES (OPTIONAL)

If you subscribe to the Treegarten mailing list, we utilize a double opt-in procedure. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. You can revoke consent and unsubscribe at any time using the link provided at the bottom of every newsletter email.

11. DATA SUBJECT RIGHTS

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data processed by Treegarten:

Right to Access (Art. 15 GDPR)
Right to Rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)
Right to Erasure / “Right to be Forgotten” (Art. 17 GDPR)
Right to Restriction of Processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
Right to Data Portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
Right to Object (Art. 21 GDPR)
Right to Revoke Consent (Art. 7(3) GDPR) with effect for the future
Right to Lodge a Complaint with a Supervisory Authority (Art. 77 GDPR)

Competent Data Protection Authority for Berlin:

Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit

Alt-Moabit 140, 10557 Berlin, Germany

Phone: +49 (0)30 13889-0 | Website: https://www.datenschutz-berlin.de

12. SSL/TLS ENCRYPTION

This website uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of sensitive content, such as contact inquiries or demo submissions. An encrypted connection is identified by the “https://” prefix and lock icon in your browser address bar.