Privacy Policy
Last Updated: November 11, 2025
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Alicia De la Cruz ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our website or services.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.

2. Who We Are
Business Name: Alicia De la Cruz
Legal Name: Alicia de la Cruz Acedo
Location: Based in Mainz, Germany
Contact: aliciadelacruzacedo96@gmail.com

3. What Information We Collect
We collect information that you provide to us directly when you:
3.1 Contact Us or Book a Consultation

• Your name
• Email address
• Business/project name
• Information about your needs and goals
• Any other information you choose to share in contact forms or during consultations

3.2 Use Our Website

• Basic usage data (pages visited, time spent)
• Device and browser information
• IP address (anonymized)

Note: We currently do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, email marketing tools, or other tracking systems. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and obtain your consent where required.

4. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information to:

• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer service
• Deliver our services (brand strategy, social media management, paid ads, content creation)
• Schedule and conduct consultations via Calendly
• Process payments via bank transfer or PayPal
• Communicate with you about your projects
• Improve our services and website experience

We do NOT:

• Sell your personal information to third parties
• Use your information for marketing without your explicit consent
• Share your information except as described in this policy

5. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
We process your personal data based on:

• Contract performance: To provide the services you've requested
• Legitimate interests: To improve our services and communicate with clients
• Consent: When you voluntarily provide information or opt in to communications

6. How We Store and Protect Your Data
6.1 Data Storage
Your information is stored securely using:

• Tilda: Website hosting and contact forms
• Calendly: Appointment scheduling
• Email services: For business communication
• PayPal: For payment processing (when applicable)
• Banking systems: For bank transfer payments

All service providers are chosen for their security standards and GDPR compliance.
6.2 Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse.
6.3 Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax and accounting requirements)
• Resolve disputes

Typically, we retain client data for 10 years to comply with German tax law requirements (§147 AO - Abgabenordnung).

7. Your Rights (GDPR)
Under GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal obligations)
• Restriction: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
• Object: Object to processing of your data based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw consent: Withdraw any consent you've given (without affecting prior processing)

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at: aliciadelacruzacedo96@gmail.com
We will respond to your request within 30 days.

8. Cookies
Our website uses only essential cookies necessary for the website to function properly (e.g., session cookies, security features provided by Tilda).
We do not currently use tracking, analytics, or marketing cookies. If we implement cookies in the future, we will:

• Request your consent via a cookie banner
• Update this policy with detailed information
• Allow you to manage your cookie preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings at any time.

9. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may process your data:
9.1 Calendly (Appointment Scheduling)

• Purpose: To schedule and manage consultation bookings
• Data shared: Name, email, booking preferences, information you provide in booking questions
• Privacy Policy: calendly.com/privacy
• Location: USA (GDPR-compliant through Standard Contractual Clauses)

9.2 Tilda (Website Hosting)

• Purpose: Website hosting and contact forms
• Data shared: Contact form submissions, basic site usage
• Privacy Policy: tilda.cc/privacy

9.3 Payment Processors
PayPal:

• When you pay via PayPal, your payment information is processed according to PayPal's privacy policy
• We do not store your payment details
• Privacy Policy: paypal.com/privacy

Bank Transfer:

• Bank transfer information is handled by your and our banking institutions
• We only store transaction references for accounting purposes

We do not store credit card or sensitive banking details on our systems.

10. International Data Transfers
Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) when using third-party services (such as Calendly in the USA). We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
• Adequacy decisions by the European Commission
• Service providers' GDPR compliance certifications

11. Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any significant changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page

We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:
Email: aliciadelacruzacedo96@gmail.com
Instagram: @alicia.socialexpert
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aliciadelacruzacedo
For formal data protection inquiries or complaints, you also have the right to contact your local data protection authority:

• Germany: Bundesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (BfDI) - bfdi.bund.de

Alicia De la Cruz
Based in Mainz, Germany