Privacy Policy

1. Controller

Fabian Lehmann
Abraham-Wolf-Str., 70567 Stuttgart-Möhringen, Germany
Email: Smartwelcome@gmx.de

This policy applies to the Papierfrei app (iPhone, iPad) and to the website papierfrei.info, including the browser version at /app.

2. The app: processing only on your device

Papierfrei stores your documents, the text recognized in them, thumbnails, folders, tags and notes exclusively in the app’s protected storage on your device.

Processing happens there too: text recognition uses Apple’s built-in Vision framework on the device, as do search, automatic filing and the detection of vendor, date and amount.

So that you can find documents via iPhone search, Papierfrei also adds titles and recognized text to the device’s search index (Spotlight). This index belongs to the operating system, stays on the device and is not transmitted. You can turn this off in the app under “About Papierfrei → Search”; the index is then cleared.

There is no server operated by the provider to which this data could be sent. The provider never has access to your documents or to whether or how you use the app. There is no usage analysis (no telemetry, no third-party crash or analytics tools).

3. App permissions

• Camera – only when you photograph or scan a document. The photo is saved directly in the app.
• Photos – only for the images you choose to import. Papierfrei does not read your library beyond that.
• Notifications – only if you turn on warranty reminders. They are scheduled locally on the device and do not go through a push server.

You can revoke any of these permissions in iOS Settings at any time. The app remains usable without them; individual features are then unavailable.

4. Reference to ContractLife

In a few places, Papierfrei points to the separate app ContractLife by the same provider. Tapping such a hint opens ContractLife if it is installed, otherwise its App Store page. Papierfrei does not pass any documents, recognized text or other data from your archive to ContractLife.

5. Backups and the App Store

If you use iCloud Backup or an encrypted backup via Finder, the app’s storage becomes part of that backup like any other app. Apple is responsible for this, and Apple’s privacy policy applies. Apple also processes the usual data when you download and update the app from the App Store (Apple Distribution International Ltd., Hollyhill Industrial Estate, Cork, Ireland). The provider only receives anonymous, aggregated download statistics from Apple that do not allow conclusions about individual people.

6. Deletion

You delete individual documents directly in the app. When you remove the app from your device, all data it stored is removed too. No request to the provider is needed – and none is possible, since the provider holds no data.

7. This website

papierfrei.info is hosted as a static website by Vercel Inc., 440 N Barranca Ave #4133, Covina, CA 91723, USA. When a page is requested, Vercel processes technically necessary access data: IP address, time of the request, requested address, amount of data transferred, browser type and operating system. This data is required to deliver the site and keep it secure.

The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in a stable and secure service). A data processing agreement is in place with Vercel; the transfer to the USA is covered by standard contractual clauses under Art. 46(2)(c) GDPR. The website sets no analytics or advertising cookies, loads no fonts from external servers and does not track visitors.

8. Browser version at /app

The browser version works on the same principle as the app: your files are not uploaded but stored and processed only in your browser’s storage (IndexedDB).

One exception: for text recognition, the browser version downloads the recognition program and the German and English language data from the content delivery network jsDelivr (ProdSens Ltd., United Kingdom) the first time it is used. Your IP address is transmitted to jsDelivr in the process. Only program files are loaded – your documents are not transmitted. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. To avoid this, use the iOS app, whose text recognition runs entirely within the operating system.

9. Your rights

You have the right of access (Art. 15 GDPR), rectification (Art. 16), erasure (Art. 17), restriction of processing (Art. 18), data portability (Art. 20) and objection (Art. 21 GDPR). Please send requests to Smartwelcome@gmx.de.

Please note: the controller cannot provide information about or delete the contents of your archive, because this data never reaches them. You exercise these rights directly in the app.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. The competent authority is the State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Baden-Württemberg, Königstraße 10 a, 70173 Stuttgart, Germany.

10. Changes

If features are added that process data differently, this policy will be updated. The version published here applies. In case of doubt, the German version prevails.