Who We Are
This website, artellsmedia.com (the "Website"), and the related publication services (the "Services") are operated by Individual Entrepreneur Marina Abramova, Varkhani, 7th Street N7, Adigeni Municipality, Georgia, Identification No. 322783653 ("Artells Media", "we", "us"). For all privacy matters contact: team@artellsmedia.com.
Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share and protect your personal data when you visit the Website, submit works to our magazines (Marika, Artells, Artego, Figgi and Quadro), upload to the Open Feed, enter the Awards, purchase paid options or a PRO membership, order a portfolio review, or contact us. It applies regardless of where you access the Website from.
Data We Collect
Data you provide: name and position, email address, phone number, social media handles, team credits, links to your works, the content of your messages, and, when you purchase services, billing information. Card and PayPal account data are processed by our payment provider (PayPal) and are never stored on our servers. Data collected automatically: IP address, browser and device data, pages visited, referral source, via cookies and similar technologies (see the Cookies section). Data from other sources: Google, when you choose to sign in with Google (your name, email address and profile photo); email and social media messages you send us.
Purposes and Legal Bases (GDPR Art. 6)
We use your data for the following purposes and on the following legal bases: Processing your submission and publishing accepted works: performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b)); Processing payments, delivering paid services, refunds: performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b)) and legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)); Replying to inquiries: legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)); Newsletters and special offers: consent (Art. 6(1)(a)), which you may withdraw at any time; Analytics and Website improvement: consent (cookies) and legitimate interests; Accounting, tax, fraud prevention: legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)).
Retention
We keep submission and publication records for as long as the relevant magazine issue remains in distribution and for up to 10 years thereafter (limitation periods for IP claims). Payment and accounting records are kept for the periods required by Georgian accounting and tax law. Marketing data is kept until you withdraw consent. Inquiry correspondence is kept up to 3 years.
Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with: our payment provider (PayPal); hosting and infrastructure providers (Vercel, Neon, Cloudflare); email and analytics providers (Resend, Google); print-on-demand and distribution partners (to the extent needed to produce and distribute issues); and public authorities where required by law.
International Transfers
Your data may be processed outside your country, including in Georgia, the EU/EEA and the USA. Where data of EU/EEA residents is transferred outside the EEA, we rely on adequacy decisions or Standard Contractual Clauses.
Your Rights
EU/EEA (GDPR) and UK residents: access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, withdrawal of consent, and the right to lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority. Residents of Georgia: equivalent rights under the Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection; complaints may be lodged with the Personal Data Protection Service of Georgia. California residents (CCPA/CPRA): the right to know, delete, correct, and opt out of "sale"/"sharing" of personal information (we do not sell personal information), and the right to non-discrimination. Russian residents: rights of access, clarification, blocking and destruction of personal data under Federal Law No. 152-FZ. To exercise any right, email team@artellsmedia.com. We will verify your identity and respond within 10 working days (residents of Georgia) and in any case within one month (EU/UK residents) (or the period required by your local law).
Publication of Your Works and Likeness
When you submit works, the images (which may include the likeness of models and team members) are published in print and digital issues, on the magazines' websites and social media, and in promotional materials, as described in the Publication Agreement you accept at submission. Removal from already printed issues is not technically possible; digital removals can be requested at team@artellsmedia.com and will be assessed case by case.
Who processes your data
Our processors, all under data-processing agreements: Vercel (website hosting and server functions, EU (Frankfurt) and USA), Neon (database, EU (Frankfurt)), Cloudflare (file storage, USA/EU), Resend (transactional email, USA), Anthropic (automated content screening via API, USA; content sent for screening is not used to train models), Google (sign-in, Analytics/Tag Manager, USA) and our print-on-demand production partner. Payments are handled by PayPal, which processes card and account data under its own privacy terms. Transfers to the USA rest on data-processing agreements with safeguards (Georgian PD Law art. 37(2); for EU data, Standard Contractual Clauses or the Data Privacy Framework).
What is public
Your profile (name, photo, bio, specialty, socials), your published works, contest results, Artist Score and badges are public: that is what the platform is for. Verified pages for publications and awards are public and indexable; you can request a takedown at team@artellsmedia.com. Direct messages are private between members but stored on our servers; we may review a conversation when it is reported or where the law requires.
Data about your team
When you credit collaborators (model, MUA, stylist…), you provide their names, social handles and, if you choose, their email addresses. We use such an email once: to tell the person about the credit when the series is published, with a link to claim it on their own page. You must have their permission and tell them about this Policy; they can request correction or removal at team@artellsmedia.com. Corrections in already-printed issues are not possible.
How long we keep things
Account and profile: until you delete the account. Published works and credits: as long as the publication exists (print cannot be unprinted). Direct messages: until either side deletes them or the account closes. Orders, invoices and consent records: kept in anonymized or minimal form for the periods bookkeeping law requires. Contest entries and results: as long as the results stay published.
Deleting your account and taking your data
In Settings you can download your data (JSON) and delete your account: the profile is anonymized, works and messages are removed, while orders and consent records are kept in de-identified form as the law requires. We answer data requests within 10 working days.
Automated Content Screening
Submitted photographs and texts are screened with the assistance of automated tools (including AI models run through Anthropic's API) for prohibited content and image quality before human editorial review. No decision with legal effect is taken solely by automated means: acceptance, rejection and moderation decisions are made or confirmed by a human editor. Content sent for screening is not used to train third-party models under our processor agreements.
Cookies
We use strictly necessary cookies (sign-in and site functions) and, only after you accept them on the cookie banner, analytics cookies (Google Analytics / Tag Manager). We do not use advertising or marketing pixels. Details are in the Cookie Policy; you can change your choice at any time with Cookie settings in the footer.
Children
The Website and Services are intended for persons aged 18+. We do not knowingly collect data from children. Works depicting minors may only be submitted by an adult copyright owner with verifiable parental/guardian consent for publication.
Security
We use industry-standard technical and organizational measures (encryption in transit, access controls, reputable processors). No method of transmission is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Changes
We may update this Policy; the current version with its date is always available on this page. Material changes will be announced on the Website.