Privacy Policy

Case updates and MatchPoint Studio news

If you subscribe, we process your email address, selected topics, subscription and confirmation dates, consent version and delivery status to send the updates you requested. Subscription is voluntary and based on your consent under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. We use double opt-in: newsletters are sent only after you confirm your address. A confirmation request expires after 48 hours.

You can withdraw consent at any time, without charge, using the unsubscribe link in every newsletter or by contacting ch@photomatchforensics.com. The same personal link lets you change topics. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

We use our hosting and email delivery providers to operate this service. They process recipient addresses and message contents as needed for delivery. These data are not sold or used for advertising profiling.

Email provider: ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich
Processing location and transfer information: Germany — email hosting and SMTP services provided by ALL-INKL.COM in its data centres in Dresden, Germany.

Active subscription records are retained until you unsubscribe. Unsubscribing deletes the subscription and its associated delivery records from the live newsletter database. Unconfirmed requests are removed after 48 hours, delivery records after 90 days, and anti-abuse counters after 24 hours, during the next newsletter-page or administration request. Server backups and mail-provider logs follow their separate operational retention schedules.

To limit misuse, the newsletter stores a keyed hash of the requesting IP address and email address with hourly request counts; raw IP addresses are not stored in newsletter tables. This limited security processing is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, our legitimate interest in preventing abuse. Hosting access logs may separately contain IP addresses and requested URLs; keep personal confirmation and management links private.

We do not use newsletter opening pixels or click tracking. A necessary session cookie protects forms against misuse. The newsletter page is excluded from website visitor analytics. SMTP acceptance is recorded to manage delivery, but does not tell us whether you read a message.

You may request access, correction, erasure, restriction or portability of your data where applicable, object to processing based on legitimate interests, and lodge a complaint with a data-protection supervisory authority. Contact the controller listed below for these requests. GDPR legal text.

Responsible for data processing

Email: ch@photomatchforensics.com

Hosting and technical operation

When this website is accessed, technical information may be processed by the hosting provider and the website infrastructure to deliver the service and maintain security and stability.

This may include information such as IP address, date and time of access, requested pages or files, browser information, operating system information, referrer information and technical status information.

Processing is based, where applicable, on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The legitimate interest is the secure, stable and technically reliable operation of the website.

Self-hosted privacy-friendly analytics

PhotoMatchForensics uses a self-hosted visitor statistics system to understand general website usage and improve the technical operation and usability of the website.

The system records technical usage information such as visited pages, access date and time, and statistical visitor information.

IP addresses are never stored in readable form. Instead, a one-way cryptographic hash is generated solely for statistical purposes and to distinguish unique visitors. The original IP address cannot be reconstructed from this hash.

The collected information is used exclusively to generate aggregated statistics such as:

• page popularity
• visitor countries
• browser distribution
• operating system statistics
• device statistics
• referrer statistics
• PMF - MatchPoint Studio download totals and country-level download statistics

When the MatchPoint Studio installer is downloaded, the release, time and country-level location are recorded for aggregate download statistics. The raw IP address is not stored in the download statistics table; where available, a salted one-way hash is used instead.

No individual visitor profiles are created.

Geographic information is generated using the GeoLite2 database provided by MaxMind. Only generalized location information, such as country level data, is used. No precise location tracking is performed.

PhotoMatchForensics does not use Google Analytics, advertising trackers, cross-site tracking technologies or live visitor monitoring systems. The analytics system is fully self-hosted on the PhotoMatchForensics server. No visitor data is shared with third parties for analytics or advertising purposes.

Cookies and similar technologies

PhotoMatchForensics does not intentionally use advertising cookies or third-party tracking cookies.

The website is designed to operate without user profiling, advertising tracking or cross-site behavioural tracking.

Email and communication

If you contact PhotoMatchForensics by email or other communication channels, the information you provide is processed only for handling and responding to your request.

Communication data is retained only as long as necessary for the purpose of the request or as required by applicable legal obligations.

External communication via Telegram

PhotoMatchForensics may provide links to Telegram for communication purposes. Telegram is an external service operated independently from this website.

If you use Telegram, the processing of data is subject to Telegram's own privacy practices.

External social media link to Instagram

PhotoMatchForensics may provide links to its Instagram profile. Instagram is an external service operated independently from this website.

If you follow an Instagram link, you leave PhotoMatchForensics and the processing of personal data is subject to Instagram's and Meta's own privacy practices. PhotoMatchForensics does not embed Instagram content or tracking elements directly into this website.

Third-party websites

PhotoMatchForensics may contain links to external websites. When following such links, the privacy policies of the respective third-party providers apply.

Storage period

Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary for the respective purpose or where legal obligations require longer retention.

Data protection rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights including access, rectification, deletion, restriction of processing and objection to certain processing activities.

To exercise your rights, contact: ch@photomatchforensics.com

Changes to this privacy policy

This privacy policy may be updated if the website, technical infrastructure or processing activities change.