Privacy Policy

TEDE Holdings LLC d/b/a aha! (Art Haus Auction) Effective Date: February 11, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how aha! collects, uses, and protects your information when you use our platform at arthausauction.com and arthaus.auction (the "Service"). We believe in transparency, and we have written this policy in plain language so you can understand exactly what happens with your data.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

When you create an account, list artwork, place bids, or otherwise interact with the Service, you may provide:

• Account information: name, email address, password, and profile details
• Identity verification: information needed to verify your identity for transactions
• Artwork listings: images, descriptions, dimensions, provenance, and condition information
• Payment information: billing address and payment details (processed and stored by Stripe; aha! does not store your card numbers)
• Shipping information: delivery addresses for purchases
• Communications: messages you send through the platform, support requests, and feedback
• aha! Capture data: photos and information submitted through our condition documentation tool

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Service, we automatically collect:

• Usage data: pages viewed, artworks browsed, searches performed, bids placed, and time spent on the platform
• Device information: browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• Log data: IP address, access times, and referring URLs
• Cookies and similar technologies: see Section 6 for details

1.3 Information From Third Parties

We may receive information from Stripe (payment confirmation and fraud detection), authentication providers if you sign in via a third-party service, and publicly available information related to artwork provenance or artist records.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Operate the platform: process transactions, facilitate auctions, manage your account, and provide customer support
• Improve your experience: personalize artwork recommendations, match you with relevant auctions and curators, and surface content aligned with your interests
• Generate market intelligence: create anonymized, aggregated analytics for the aha! Index (see Section 3)
• Communicate with you: send transaction confirmations, auction updates, and (with your consent) newsletters and editorial content
• Ensure safety and compliance: detect fraud, enforce our Terms of Service, and meet legal obligations
• Improve the Service: analyze usage patterns to improve features, fix issues, and develop new tools

We will never use your personal information for purposes unrelated to the Service without your explicit consent.

3. The aha! Index and Anonymized Analytics

The aha! Index is our market intelligence tool that provides insights into art market trends, artist trajectories, and collecting patterns. Here is how it works and what it means for your data:

3.1 What We Aggregate

Transaction data (sale prices, auction results, time-to-sell), engagement patterns (which categories, styles, and price ranges attract interest), and market trends (pricing movements, collector demand signals) are aggregated across all platform activity.

3.2 How We Protect You

All data used in the aha! Index is anonymized and aggregated. This means:

• Your name, account, and personal details are stripped before any data enters the Index
• No individual transaction can be traced back to a specific buyer or seller
• Data is combined across many users so that no single person's activity is identifiable
• The aha! Index reflects collective market patterns, not individual behavior

3.3 Why This Matters

The aha! Index exists to make the art market more transparent and accessible. Historically, art market data has been opaque and available only to insiders. By aggregating anonymized platform activity, the aha! Index helps artists understand how their work is valued, collectors make informed decisions, curators identify emerging trends, and the broader art community benefit from market transparency.

3.4 Your Choice

You can opt out of having your activity included in anonymized analytics through your account settings. Opting out will not affect your ability to use the platform. Note that opting out applies to future data collection; previously anonymized and aggregated data cannot be extracted from the Index because it is no longer tied to your identity.

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 We Do Not Sell Your Data

aha! does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We have never done this, and we will not do this.

4.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted service providers who help us operate the platform:

• Stripe: payment processing, tax calculation, and fraud prevention
• Supabase: database infrastructure and authentication
• Vercel: website hosting and performance analytics
• Email providers: transactional and marketing communications

These providers are contractually bound to use your information only to provide services to aha! and are prohibited from using it for their own purposes.

4.3 Transaction Counterparties

When you complete a transaction, limited information is shared between buyer and seller as necessary to fulfill the sale (such as shipping address for delivery). Curators may see aggregate engagement data for auctions they organize, but not individual bidder identities.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law, such as in response to a subpoena or court order, to comply with tax reporting requirements, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of aha!, our users, or the public.

4.5 Anonymized Data

We may share anonymized, aggregated data that cannot identify you, including through the aha! Index. This is not personal information.

5. AI and Automated Systems

aha! uses artificial intelligence in several areas of the platform:

• Artwork categorization and discovery: AI helps classify artwork by style, medium, and subject to improve search and recommendations
• aha! Capture: AI-assisted condition analysis, dimensional measurement, and material identification for artwork documentation
• Personalized recommendations: AI suggests artworks, auctions, and curators based on your browsing and collecting patterns
• aha! Index analytics: AI processes anonymized data to identify market trends and generate insights

In compliance with the California AI Transparency Act and EU AI Act Article 50, AI-generated or AI-assisted content on the platform is labeled as such. You can adjust your AI personalization preferences in your account settings.

Your personal data is not used to train third-party AI models. AI features on aha! are designed to improve your experience on this platform only.

6. Cookies and Tracking

6.1 What We Use

aha! uses cookies and similar technologies for:

• Essential cookies: required for the platform to function (authentication, security, cart)
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how the platform is used so we can improve it
• Preference cookies: remember your settings and preferences

6.2 What We Do Not Use

aha! does not use third-party advertising cookies or tracking pixels. We do not serve ads, and we do not allow third-party advertisers to track you on our platform.

6.3 Your Choices

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• All data is transmitted over encrypted connections (TLS/SSL)
• Payment information is processed by Stripe, a PCI DSS Level 1 certified provider
• Access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis
• We regularly review and update our security practices

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. After account deletion:

• Personal account information is deleted within 30 days
• Transaction records are retained as required by tax and legal obligations (typically 7 years)
• Anonymized data that has been incorporated into the aha! Index is retained indefinitely, as it is no longer personally identifiable
• Backup copies may persist for up to 90 days before automatic deletion

9. Your Rights

9.1 All Users

Regardless of where you live, you can:

• Access and review the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate information in your account
• Delete your account and request removal of your personal data
• Opt out of marketing communications
• Opt out of anonymized analytics (see Section 3.4)
• Export your data in a portable format

To exercise these rights, contact us at legal@arthausauction.com or through your account settings.

9.2 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act:

• Right to Know: You can request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you
• Right to Delete: You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
• Right to Opt Out of Sale: We do not sell personal information, so this right is automatically satisfied
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

9.3 European Users (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation:

• Legal Basis: We process your data based on contractual necessity (to provide the Service), legitimate interest (to improve the platform and generate anonymized analytics), and consent (for marketing communications)
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: You may file a complaint with your local data protection authority

Our contact for EU data inquiries is legal@arthausauction.com.

10. International Data Transfers

aha! is based in the United States. If you use the Service from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States. We rely on standard contractual clauses and other lawful transfer mechanisms to ensure your data is protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

11. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete that information promptly.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email to registered users or through a prominent notice on the Service at least 14 days before taking effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or your rights:

• Email: legal@arthausauction.com
• General inquiries: hello@arthausauction.com
• Mailing address: TEDE Holdings LLC d/b/a aha! (Art Haus Auction), 418 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Albany, NY 12207