We don’t track you. Here’s what actually happens with your data.
Before the legal language: here is what you need to know in plain terms.
The rest of this document explains each of these points in detail.
For The data controller for personal data processed through the 8t3.net service and full legal entity details, registration numbers, and authorized representatives, see our Impressum.
To be clear about what does not happen when you visit 8t3.net or click a short URL:
The following minimal data processing occurs as a necessary part of operating the service:
Like virtually every web server on the internet, our server automatically generates access logs when a request is made. These logs may include:
These logs exist for server administration, security, and abuse prevention. They are not analyzed for visitor profiling, not cross-referenced with other data sources, and not used for any marketing purpose. Server logs are retained according to standard operational practices and may be automatically rotated and deleted.
When you access a short URL that requires multi-step gateway validation (age confirmation, tracking consent, agreement acceptance, onerous clause acceptance), the server stores temporary session data to remember which steps you have completed. This data:
Each short URL has an aggregate view counter that increments when a successful redirect occurs. This counter records only the total number — it does not record who viewed the link or when individual views occurred (unless creator-enabled access logging is active, see below).
This is the most important section of this policy to understand, because it describes the one situation where personal information about you may be shared with another person through this platform.
Some link creators enable a feature called “view tracking.” Despite the name, this is more accurately described as access logging — a record of who accessed a specific resource and when. The purpose is typically legal or administrative: documenting who received a confidential document, who accessed a press kit under embargo, who viewed contract terms, or who downloaded project materials.
Think of it as signing a visitor logbook at a building reception desk, or as the “read receipt” function in email. The creator wants to know that a specific person received access to a specific resource at a specific time. That is the full extent of what this feature does.
This is not behavioral tracking. The system does not:
One link, one log entry, one creator. That is the scope.
If you consent to access logging, the link creator will be able to see:
The creator does not see your IP address, your browser information, your location, your device type, or any other technical data. IP addresses are recorded in system logs for abuse prevention by platform administrators only and are not exposed to creators through any interface.
Access logging can only happen when all three of the following conditions are met:
There is no scenario in which your personal information is shared with a creator without your knowledge and explicit, affirmative consent.
When a creator receives your access log data (after you have consented), the creator becomes an independent data controller under applicable data protection law, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means:
If you have concerns about how a specific creator is handling your data, you should contact them directly. If you believe a creator is misusing data obtained through the platform, you may also contact our support team.
Some short URLs require you to accept agreement text or onerous clauses before being redirected. When this is the case, access logging is automatically enabled because the creator needs a record that a specific person accepted specific terms at a specific time. This is not surveillance — it is a legal necessity for documented consent.
The same consent mechanism applies: you will be shown what information will be shared, and you may decline at any step. If you decline, no redirect occurs and no record is created.
The platform records the existence of the log entry (your account ID, the short URL ID, and the timestamp). The full text of the agreement you accepted is stored as part of the short URL configuration. Together, these records serve as evidence that a specific person viewed and accepted specific terms — which may be important for both parties in a legal or commercial context.
We believe honest privacy disclosure requires acknowledging what happens outside our systems. When you access any website — including 8t3.net — your request passes through multiple layers of infrastructure, each operated by independent third parties with their own data practices:
Your ISP can see that you connected to 8t3.net and the A’ Design Award server infrastructure. Depending on your ISP’s practices and applicable law in your jurisdiction, they may log this connection data. We have no control over your ISP’s data retention or surveillance practices.
When your browser resolves the domain 8t3.net to an IP address, this lookup is handled by DNS resolvers (which may be your ISP’s, or a third-party service like Cloudflare DNS, Google Public DNS, or others). These DNS providers may log your query. We have no control over DNS-level logging.
The servers that host 8t3.net are operated by third-party hosting providers. These providers may maintain their own infrastructure logs (network traffic, connection metadata) as part of their standard operations and security practices. We select providers with responsible data practices, but we cannot guarantee or control their internal logging.
Static resources (such as fonts loaded from Google Fonts or the Bootstrap framework loaded from jsDelivr) are served from third-party CDNs. When your browser requests these resources, the CDN provider receives your IP address and request metadata. These are standard web infrastructure services used by the vast majority of websites.
Government agencies in various jurisdictions may operate lawful interception, data retention, or surveillance programs that capture network traffic or metadata. The scope and legality of such programs varies by jurisdiction. We are subject to Italian and EU law regarding data disclosure to authorities, and we will comply with valid legal orders. We do not voluntarily share data with any government agency.
After you are redirected from 8t3.net to a destination URL, you are on a different website with its own privacy practices. The destination website may use analytics, tracking cookies, advertising networks, or any other data collection mechanisms. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the privacy practices of destination websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any website you visit.
We disclose all of the above not to alarm you, but because we believe genuine transparency means acknowledging the full picture — not just the part we directly control.
8t3.net uses one type of cookie: a standard PHP session cookie (PHPSESSID or equivalent). This cookie:
We do not use:
Under ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC) and Italian implementation (D.Lgs. 196/2003, as amended), strictly necessary cookies that are essential for providing a service explicitly requested by the user do not require consent. Our session cookie falls into this category.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), every processing of personal data requires a legal basis. Here is how each type of processing on 8t3.net is justified:
| Processing Activity | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Server access logs (IP, timestamp, URL) | Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)) — security, abuse prevention, server administration |
| Session cookie for gateway steps | Necessary for service (Art. 6(1)(b)) — you requested the redirect, steps are required to complete it |
| Aggregate view counter increment | Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)) — no personal data involved |
| Creator-enabled access logging | Explicit consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) — you are informed and must affirmatively accept before any data is shared |
| Agreement acceptance timestamp | Legitimate interest / Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(f) / Art. 6(1)(c)) — documenting contract formation |
Under the GDPR and applicable data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
To exercise any of these rights, contact us through our impressum page with sufficient detail to identify yourself and the data in question. We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law (generally 30 days under GDPR).
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. The lead supervisory authority for the data controller is the Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la protezione dei dati personali).
The data controller is established in Italy, within the European Economic Area (EEA). Server infrastructure is hosted within the EEA or in jurisdictions for which the European Commission has issued an adequacy decision.
If any processing involves transfer of personal data outside the EEA (for example, through third-party infrastructure providers), such transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards as required by GDPR Chapter V, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or adequacy decisions.
When you are redirected to a destination URL, you leave the 8t3.net infrastructure entirely. The destination website may be hosted anywhere in the world, subject to its own data transfer practices. We have no control over this.
8t3.net is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 16 (or the applicable age of digital consent in the child’s jurisdiction). Some short URLs may include age verification gates configured by creators — these are the creator’s responsibility.
If you believe that a child’s personal data has been processed through the platform without appropriate consent, please contact us through our impressum page and we will take steps to investigate and, if appropriate, delete the data.
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect the personal data we process, including:
https:// destination URLs are permitted — no unencrypted http:// linksNo system is perfectly secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of data in transit or at rest. If you become aware of a security vulnerability, please report it to us through our impressum page.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. If we make material changes to how we handle personal data, we will communicate the changes through the website.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the service after changes become effective constitutes acknowledgment of the updated policy.
For privacy-related questions, data subject requests, or concerns about how your data is handled and to view complete legal entity information, please see our Impressum.
For usage terms, see our Usage Terms.