Privacy Policy

1. Introduction and Data Controller

1.1 We are pleased about your interest in our website. Protecting your personal data is an important concern for us. Below, we inform you about how we process personal data when you use our website. Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.

1.2 The data controller responsible for data processing within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), UK GDPR, Swiss FADP, and applicable international privacy laws is:

Escape Readz Publishing Köhler GbR
Helbigsdorfer Weg 4
D-01169 Dresden
Germany
Email: hello@escapereadz.eu
The data controller solely determines the purposes and means of processing personal data.

1.3 Universal Scope of Data Collection: Across all jurisdictions, we strictly adhere to the principle of data minimization. We only collect basic personal data—specifically your name, address, and email address. This data is processed exclusively for the purposes of establishing and managing your customer account, communicating with you, and facilitating order and billing processing via our payment providers. We do not collect any additional personal data from our customers beyond these stated purposes.

2. Data Collection When Visiting Our Website & Hosting

2.1 When using our website for informational purposes only—meaning when you do not actively transmit data to us—we only collect the data that your browser automatically transmits to our server (so-called server log files). In particular, the following data is recorded:
Visited website
Date and time of access
Amount of data transferred in bytes
Source/reference from which you reached the page
Browser used
Operating system used
IP address (anonymized where applicable)
Processing is carried out pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR / UK GDPR based on our legitimate interest in improving the technical stability, security, and optimization of our website.

2.2 Web Hosting: We use the services of an external web hosting provider to host our website and platform content. The collection of log files and operation of the page take place on our behalf based on our legitimate interest in providing a secure, stable, and efficient online offer (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR / UK GDPR). A legally required Data Processing Agreement (DPA) has been concluded with the provider.

2.3 For security reasons, this website uses SSL or TLS encryption to protect transmitted content (such as orders or inquiries) from unauthorized third-party access.

3. Cookies, Consent Management, and Web Analytics

3.1 Cookies: Our website uses cookies. Cookies are small text files stored on your device. Some cookies are automatically deleted after closing your browser (session cookies), while others remain stored on your device (persistent cookies) and enable, for example, the storage of page settings or keeping you logged in.
If personal data is processed by cookies, this is done:
Pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR for contract fulfillment (e.g., for the login area)
Pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR based on your explicit consent (e.g., for third-party tools requiring consent)
Pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR based on our legitimate interest in optimal website functionality
You can configure your browser to inform you about the setting of cookies or to disable cookies entirely or partially. Disabling cookies may limit the functionality of the website.

3.2 Local Web Analytics (Independent Analytics): We use the analysis tool “Independent Analytics” on our website. This plugin runs entirely locally on our own web server. At no point is data transmitted to the plugin developer or other third parties.
The tool serves the statistical evaluation of visitor traffic on our website in order to provide an error-free offering and optimize it. Processing is based on our legitimate interest in measuring reach and technical optimization of our online offering pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR. IP addresses are anonymized immediately during this process, making it impossible to draw conclusions about the identity of individual visitors. No tracking cookies are stored on your device for this analysis.

3.3 Live Chat (tawk.to): On our website, we use the live chat service tawk.to (Provider: tawk.to Inc., 1875 S. State St, Suite #3211, Orem, UT 84058, USA) to offer you a direct communication and support option.
The chat is configured in such a way that within the European Union, UK, and Switzerland it only loads and becomes active after you have actively given your consent via our consent form. In this case, processing takes place based on your explicit consent pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR as well as our legitimate interest in fast and effective customer communication (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR).
If you use the chat, the data you enter (such as name, email address, and chat history) will be processed and stored for the purpose of handling your inquiry. Further information on data privacy at tawk.to can be found at: https://www.tawk.to/privacy-policy/.

3.4 Measurement Pixels / Scalable Central Measurement System (VG WORT): Our digital books and platform content—both freely accessible preview/free texts and content accessible behind the paid subscription paywall—utilize measurement pixels provided by INFONET AG on behalf of Verwertungsgesellschaft WORT (VG WORT). These pixels enable VG WORT to record readership and access counts for both free and paid digital reading, ensuring statutory remuneration for our authors. This system measures access frequency to individual texts to calculate royalty payouts. Only anonymous statistical counts are collected; your IP address is processed in an anonymized format strictly for technical verification of access and is not combined with any customer account or personal identification data. The legal basis for this processing is our legitimate interest in supporting copyright royalties and fair remuneration for our authors pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR.

4. Contacting Us
When contacting us (e.g., via email or contact form), personal data is processed exclusively for the purpose of processing and answering your inquiry.
The legal basis for this processing is our legitimate interest in responding to your request pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR / UK GDPR. If your contact aims at concluding a contract (e.g., booking the flat-rate subscription), the additional legal basis for processing is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR / UK GDPR.

5. Customer Account and Community Features

5.1 Customer Account: When opening a customer account, we process personal data (specifically name, email address, and address) pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR / UK GDPR to the extent necessary to provide the account, manage your subscription, and execute the contract. Deletion of the customer account is possible at any time. Following deletion, the data will be deleted unless statutory tax or commercial retention obligations prevent it.

5.2 Community, Reading Rounds, and Reviews: If you actively participate in our forums, reading rounds, or jury reviews, your published posts, comments, reviews, and chosen username will be stored permanently on our platform. This data is visible to other registered community members. This serves the fulfillment and execution of the offered community contract pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR / UK GDPR.

5.3 Direct Messages (Chat): Messages sent directly to authors or other users via the internal messaging system are stored on our servers to technically enable communication. Processing is carried out to fulfill the community offering (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR / UK GDPR).

5.4 Translators’ Area: Data and information that you enter and exchange in connection with applications or listings in the specific translators’ area are processed exclusively for initiating, mediating, and technically processing the corresponding services and payment flows via our platform (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR / UK GDPR).

5.5 Audiobook Narrators’ Area: Data and information that you enter and exchange in connection with applications or listings in the specific audiobook narrators’ area are processed exclusively for initiating, mediating, and technically processing the corresponding services and payment flows via our platform (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR / UK GDPR).

6. Data Processing for Order Handling & Payment Service Providers

6.1 To process flat-rate subscriptions, we process the personal data entered by you during the ordering process (specifically name, email address, and billing address) pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR / UK GDPR.

6.2 Payment Service Provider Mollie (EU/EEA): For customers within the EU/EEA, payment processing is carried out via Mollie B.V., Keizersgracht 313, 1016 EE Amsterdam, Netherlands. Mollie processes personal data (such as name, address, bank/payment details, IP address) as an independent controller.

6.3 Payment Service Provider Paddle (Non-EU / International): For international customers outside the EU (e.g., US, CA, AU, NZ, UK, CH, NO), payment processing is handled via Paddle.com Market Limited, Judd House, 18-29 Mora Street, London EC1V 8EJ, UK. Paddle acts as the Merchant of Record and independent data controller for these transactions.

7. Merchandise (Spreadshirt)
The sale and production of merchandise items are carried out via the external provider Spreadshirt (sprd.net AG). When you order merchandise items, you will be redirected to the Spreadshirt platform. Data collection and processing are carried out by Spreadshirt as an independent controller.

8. International Data Transfers
If we process personal data in third countries outside the EU/EEA, UK, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the US, or if this occurs in connection with the use of third-party services, data will only be transferred if suitable safeguards are in place (such as EU Standard Contractual Clauses – SCCs, UK International Data Transfer Agreements, adequacy decisions, or statutory legal exemptions) in compliance with international privacy standards.

9. Rights of Data Subjects (General, EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway)
Under applicable data protection laws (GDPR, UK GDPR, Swiss FADP, Norwegian Data Protection Act), you have the right to access (Art. 15 GDPR), rectification (Art. 16 GDPR), erasure (Art. 17 GDPR), restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR), data portability (Art. 20 GDPR), and to object to processing (Art. 21 GDPR). You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority (Art. 77 GDPR / ICO in the UK / FADP in Switzerland).

10. Special Notice for Residents of California (CCPA / CPRA)
If you are a resident of California, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) grants you specific rights:
Categories of Personal Information Collected: In accordance with section 1.3, we strictly collect basic identifiers (name, address, and email address) necessary for customer communication, account creation, and payment processing. We do not collect sensitive personal information, biometric data, or commercial tracking profiles.
Right to Know / Access: You have the right to request details about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you over the past 12 months.
Right to Delete: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
Right to Correct: You have the right to request the correction of inaccurate personal information.
No Sale or Sharing of Personal Information: We do not sell your personal information and we do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. Therefore, we do not offer an opt-out link for selling/sharing.
Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA/CPRA rights.
To exercise your California rights, please contact us at hello@escapereadz.eu.

11. Special Notice for Residents of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
Canada (PIPEDA): Residents of Canada have rights of access and correction regarding their personal information held by us, as well as the right to withdraw consent to processing. You may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) if you have unresolved concerns.
Australia (Privacy Act 1988 / APPs): Australian residents have the right to request access to and correction of their personal information held by us. If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), you may submit a complaint to us or to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
New Zealand (Privacy Act 2020): New Zealand residents have the right to request access to and correction of personal information under the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs), or contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC NZ).

12. Storage Duration
The storage duration of personal data depends on the respective legal basis, the purpose of processing, and statutory retention periods (e.g., commercial and tax retention periods under the German Commercial Code – HGB and Fiscal Code – AO). After the processing purpose ceases to apply or upon expiration of statutory periods, data is routinely deleted in compliance with data protection regulations.