🏠SmartHome Automate

Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 2026

1. Controller

Internetmarketing Geissel
Thorsten Geissel
Leipziger Str. 22
50858 Cologne, Germany
Email: hello@smarthomeautomate.com

2. Overview of Data Processing

SmartHome Automate is a practical guide to smart home automation, devices, and connected living. In the course of using our website, we process personal data to provide the website, to handle contact inquiries, and — with your consent — for audience measurement and personalised advertising. No user accounts are created. Analytics and advertising cookies are only set after your explicit consent.

3. Legal Basis

We process your personal data on the following legal bases under the GDPR:

  • Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR – Performance of a contract (handling contact inquiries)
  • Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR – Consent (newsletter, Google Analytics, Google AdSense)
  • Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR – Legitimate interest (security, website operation)

4. Types of Data Processed

4.1 Contact Form

When you send us a message via the contact form, we collect your email address, subject, and message text. This data is stored in our database and used exclusively to process your inquiry (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).

4.2 Blog Views

We record anonymous view counts for our blog posts for internal statistics. No personal data such as IP addresses is stored in this process.

4.3 Server Log Data

Each time you access our website, the following data is automatically collected: IP address (anonymised), date and time of access, browser type and version, operating system, and referrer URL. This data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interest in the security and stability of the service (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).

4.4 Newsletter

When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect and process the following data:

  • Email address
  • IP address and time of sign-up (proof of consent)
  • IP address and time of confirmation (double opt-in)
  • Topic selection if applicable (lead magnet)

Double Opt-In: After signing up you will receive a confirmation email with a verification link. Your subscription only becomes active once you click that link. This ensures that no one can sign up with someone else's email address.

Purpose: Sending editorial content, new articles, and where applicable a welcome PDF. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent).

Withdrawal: You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. Every email contains an unsubscribe link. After unsubscribing, your email address is kept as “unsubscribed” to prevent accidental re-sending. You may request full deletion at any time by contacting hello@smarthomeautomate.com.

Email Delivery: Emails are sent via our own SMTP server. Your data is not shared with third-party email marketing providers.

5. Hosting

5.1 Vercel

This website is hosted by Vercel Inc., 340 S Lemon Ave #4133, Walnut, CA 91789, USA. Vercel processes the log data described in section 4.3. Data transfer to the USA is based on EU Standard Contractual Clauses (Art. 46(2)(c) GDPR). More information: Vercel Privacy Policy.

5.2 Supabase

For our database (blog posts, contact inquiries) we use Supabase Inc., 970 Toa Payoh North #07-04, Singapore 318992. Supabase stores data on Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers in the EU (Frankfurt, eu-central-1). Processing is governed by a data processing agreement. More information: Supabase Privacy Policy.

6. Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies that enable an analysis of your use of the website.

We operate Google Analytics with Google Consent Mode v2. This means analytics cookies are only set once you give your explicit consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). Without your consent, no personal data is transmitted to Google and no cookies are placed.

With your consent the following data is collected: page views, session duration, approximate location (city level), device type, browser and operating system. Your IP address is anonymised by Google. Data transfer to the USA is based on EU Standard Contractual Clauses (Art. 46(2)(c) GDPR).

You may withdraw your consent at any time. More information: Google Privacy Policy.

7. Google AdSense

We use Google AdSense, an advertising service provided by Google Ireland Limited, to display advertisements. Google AdSense uses cookies to serve relevant ads and to generate ad reports.

Google AdSense also operates with Google Consent Mode v2. Advertising cookies and personalised ads are only activated after your explicit consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). Without your consent, no advertising cookies are set and no personal data is processed for advertising purposes.

Data transfer to the USA is based on EU Standard Contractual Clauses. More information: Google Ads Privacy.

8. Cookies

Strictly necessary cookies: This website uses cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of the website (e.g. session management). Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Analytics and advertising cookies: Cookies from Google Analytics and Google AdSense are only set after your explicit consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time through the cookie settings. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

9. Your Rights

You have the following rights at any time:

  • Access (Art. 15 GDPR) to your stored data
  • Rectification (Art. 16 GDPR) of inaccurate data
  • Erasure (Art. 17 GDPR) of your data
  • Restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
  • Data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
  • Objection (Art. 21 GDPR) to processing

To exercise your rights, please contact: hello@smarthomeautomate.com

10. Right to Lodge a Complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority (Art. 77 GDPR). The competent authority is the State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information of North Rhine-Westphalia (LDI NRW), Kavalleriestr. 2–4, 40213 Düsseldorf, Germany.

11. Data Security

We use SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmissions. Access to personal data in the database is restricted through Row Level Security (RLS).

12. Image Credits

Images used on this website are sourced from Unsplash. The images are provided under the Unsplash License and are free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes. When loading images, data (IP address, browser information) is transmitted to the servers of Unsplash Inc., 500 William S Canning Blvd, Suite 3F, Fall River, MA 02721, USA. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in an appealing website design). Data transfer to the USA is based on EU Standard Contractual Clauses.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to amend this privacy policy to adapt it to changed legal requirements or changes to the service. The current version published on our website shall always apply.