Privacy Policy

Introduction

With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about the types of your personal data (hereinafter also briefly referred to as "data") we process, for what purposes, and to what extent. The privacy policy applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of providing our services and, in particular, on our websites, in mobile applications, and within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as "online offering").

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Status: July 25, 2022

Table of Contents

Controller

care4coffee GmbH
Speicherstrasse 28, Werk 13
81671 München 

Represented by:
Sebastian Kroth, Daniel Rizzotti, Volker Meyer-Lücke

info@care4coffee.de

 

Overview of Processing Activities

The following overview summarizes the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing, and refers to the data subjects.

Types of Data Processed

  • Inventory data.
  • Payment data.
  • Contact data.
  • Content data.
  • Contract data.
  • Usage data.
  • Meta/communication data.

Categories of Data Subjects

  • Customers.
  • Prospective customers.
  • Communication partners.
  • Users.
  • Contest and competition participants.
  • Business and contractual partners.
  • Participants.

Purposes of Processing

  • Provision of contractual services and customer service.
  • Contact inquiries and communication.
  • Security measures.
  • Direct marketing.
  • Reach measurement.
  • Tracking.
  • Office and organizational procedures.
  • Conversion measurement.
  • Affiliate tracking.
  • Management and response to inquiries.
  • Conducting contests and competitions.
  • Feedback.
  • Marketing.
  • Profiles with user-related information.
  • Registration procedures.
  • Provision of our online offering and user-friendliness.
  • Information technology infrastructure.

Relevant Legal Bases

Below you will find an overview of the legal bases of the GDPR on which we process personal data. Please note that, in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or establishment. Furthermore, if specific legal bases are relevant in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the privacy policy.

  • Consent (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR) - The data subject has given their consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes.
  • Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.
  • Legal obligation (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data.

In addition to the data protection regulations of the General Data Protection Regulation, national data protection regulations apply in Germany. This includes, in particular, the Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz – BDSG). The BDSG contains special provisions, in particular, on the right to information, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission, as well as automated decision-making in individual cases including profiling. Furthermore, it regulates data processing for employment purposes (§ 26 BDSG), especially with regard to the establishment, execution, or termination of employment relationships and the consent of employees. Furthermore, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security Measures

In accordance with legal requirements and considering the state of the art, implementation costs, and the nature, scope, context, and purposes of processing, as well as the varying likelihood and severity of the risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, we implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk.

These measures include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data, as well as access, input, disclosure, ensuring availability, and their separation. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data, and responses to data breaches. We also consider the protection of personal data during the development or selection of hardware, software, and procedures, in accordance with the principle of data protection by design and by default.

SSL encryption (https): To protect your data transmitted via our online offering, we use SSL encryption. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address bar of your browser.

Transfer of Personal Data

In the course of our processing of personal data, it may happen that data is transferred to other entities, companies, legally independent organizational units, or persons, or disclosed to them. Recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers entrusted with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we comply with legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements that serve to protect your data with the recipients of your data.

Data Processing in Third Countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if processing takes place in the context of using third-party services or disclosing or transmitting data to other persons, bodies, or companies, this will only occur in accordance with legal requirements.

Subject to explicit consent or contractually or legally required transfer, we only process or allow data to be processed in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, contractual obligations through so-called standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission, in the presence of certifications, or binding internal data protection regulations (Arts. 44 to 49 GDPR, EU Commission information page: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_de).

Deletion of Data

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with legal requirements as soon as the consents allowing their processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g., if the purpose of processing this data has lapsed or they are no longer necessary for the purpose). If the data is not deleted because it is required for other and legally permissible purposes, its processing will be restricted to these purposes. This means that the data will be blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax law reasons or whose storage is necessary for the assertion, exercise, or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person.

Our privacy notices may also contain further information on the retention and deletion of data that apply preferentially to the respective processing activities.

Use of Cookies

Cookies are small text files, or other storage markers, that store information on end devices and read information from end devices. For example, to store the login status in a user account, the contents of a shopping cart in an online shop, the content viewed, or the functions used in an online offering. Cookies can also be used for different purposes, e.g., for the functionality, security, and convenience of online offerings, as well as for creating analyses of visitor flows.

Information on consent: We use cookies in accordance with legal provisions. Therefore, we obtain prior consent from users, unless this is not legally required. Consent is particularly not necessary if the storage and reading of information, including cookies, is absolutely necessary to provide users with a telemedia service (i.e., our online offering) explicitly requested by them. The revocable consent is clearly communicated to users and contains information on the respective cookie usage.

Information on data protection legal bases: On what data protection legal basis we process users' personal data with the help of cookies depends on whether we ask users for consent. If users consent, the legal basis for processing their data is the declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g., in the commercial operation of our online offering and improving its usability) or, if this occurs within the scope of fulfilling our contractual obligations, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations. The purposes for which we process cookies are explained in this privacy policy or in the context of our consent and processing procedures.

Storage period: With regard to the storage period, the following types of cookies are distinguished:

  • Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offering and closed their end device (e.g., browser or mobile application).
  • Persistent cookies: Persistent cookies remain stored even after the end device is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user revisits a website. Likewise, the data collected with the help of cookies can be used for reach measurement. If we do not provide users with explicit information on the type and storage period of cookies (e.g., when obtaining consent), users should assume that cookies are persistent and the storage period can be up to two years.

General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Users can revoke their given consents at any time and also object to the processing in accordance with legal provisions in Art. 21 GDPR. Users can also declare their objection through their browser settings, e.g., by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also limit the functionality of our online services). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/.

Further information on processing procedures, procedures and services:

  • Processing of cookie data based on consent: We use a cookie consent management procedure, within which users' consents to the use of cookies, or the processing activities and service providers mentioned in the cookie consent management procedure, can be obtained, managed, and revoked by users. The declaration of consent is stored so that it does not have to be requested again and the consent can be proven in accordance with the legal obligation. Storage can take place server-side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie, or with the help of comparable technologies) to be able to assign the consent to a user or their device. Subject to individual information on the providers of cookie management services, the following notes apply: The storage period of consent can be up to two years. A pseudonymous user identifier is created and stored with the time of consent, information on the scope of consent (e.g., which categories of cookies and/or service providers), as well as the browser, system, and end device used.

Business Services

We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g., customers and prospective customers (collectively referred to as "contractual partners") within the framework of contractual and comparable legal relationships as well as related measures and within the framework of communication with contractual partners (or pre-contractually), e.g., to answer inquiries.

We process this data to fulfill our contractual obligations. This includes, in particular, the obligations to provide the agreed services, any update obligations, and remedies for warranty and other performance disruptions. In addition, we process the data to safeguard our rights and for the administrative tasks associated with these obligations, as well as for business organization. Furthermore, we process the data based on our legitimate interests in proper and business-like management, as well as security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from misuse, endangerment of their data, secrets, information, and rights (e.g., for the involvement of telecommunications, transport, and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers, or financial authorities). Within the framework of applicable law, we only pass on data of contractual partners to third parties insofar as this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or for the fulfillment of legal obligations. Contractual partners will be informed about further forms of processing, e.g., for marketing purposes, within the framework of this data protection declaration.

We will inform contractual partners which data are required for the aforementioned purposes before or during data collection, e.g., in online forms, by special marking (e.g., colors) or symbols (e.g., asterisks or similar), or personally.

We delete the data after the expiration of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., generally after 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., as long as it must be retained for legal archiving reasons. The statutory retention period for tax-relevant documents as well as for commercial books, inventories, opening balance sheets, annual financial statements, the working instructions and other organizational documents necessary for understanding these documents, and booking vouchers is ten years, and for received commercial and business letters and reproductions of sent commercial and business letters, six years. The period begins at the end of the calendar year in which the last entry was made in the book, the inventory, the opening balance sheet, the annual financial statement, or the management report was prepared, the commercial or business letter was received or sent, or the booking voucher was created, or the recording was made or other documents were created.

If we use third-party providers or platforms to provide our services, the terms and conditions and privacy notices of the respective third-party providers or platforms apply in the relationship between users and providers.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); Payment data (e.g., bank details, invoices, payment history); Contact data (e.g., email, phone numbers); Contract data (e.g., subject matter of contract, term, customer category); Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons affected: Customers; Prospects; Business and contractual partners.
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer service; Security measures; Contact requests and communication; Office and organizational procedures; Management and response to inquiries.
  • Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

  • Customer account: Contractual partners can create an account within our online offering (e.g., customer or user account, hereinafter "customer account"). If registration of a customer account is required, contractual partners will be informed of this, as well as of the information required for registration. Customer accounts are not public and cannot be indexed by search engines. As part of registration and subsequent logins and use of the customer account, we store the IP addresses of customers along with the access times to be able to prove registration and prevent any misuse of the customer account. If customers have terminated their customer account, the data relating to the customer account will be deleted, unless their retention is required for legal reasons. It is the customers' responsibility to back up their data upon termination of the customer account; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).
  • Shop and E-commerce: We process our customers' data to enable them to select, purchase, or order the chosen products, goods, and associated services, as well as their payment and delivery or execution. If required for the execution of an order, we use service providers, in particular postal, freight, and shipping companies, to carry out the delivery or execution for our customers. For the processing of payment transactions, we use the services of banks and payment service providers. The required information is marked as such within the order or comparable purchase process and includes the information required for delivery, provision, and billing, as well as contact information to enable any inquiries; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).
  • Events: We process the data of participants in the events and similar activities offered or hosted by us (hereinafter uniformly referred to as "participants" and "events") to enable them to participate in the events and use the services or promotions associated with participation. If we process health-related data, religious, political, or other special categories of data in this context, this takes place within the scope of public disclosure (e.g., for thematically oriented events or serves for health prevention, safety or takes place with the consent of the data subjects). The required information is marked as such within the scope of the order, purchase or comparable contract conclusion and includes the information required for service provision and billing, as well as contact information to enable any inquiries. Insofar as we receive access to information of end customers, employees or other persons, we process this in accordance with legal and contractual requirements; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Payment procedures

Within the framework of contractual and other legal relationships, due to legal obligations or otherwise on the basis of our legitimate interests, we offer data subjects efficient and secure payment options and use other service providers in addition to banks and credit institutions for this purpose (collectively "payment service providers").

The data processed by the payment service providers includes inventory data, such as name and address, bank data, such as account numbers or credit card numbers, passwords, TANs and checksums, as well as contract, sum and recipient-related information. The information is required to carry out the transactions. However, the entered data is only processed and stored by the payment service providers. This means that we do not receive account or credit card-related information, but only information with confirmation or negative notification of the payment. Under certain circumstances, the data may be transmitted by the payment service providers to credit agencies. This transmission is for the purpose of identity and creditworthiness checks. We refer to the terms and conditions and the data protection notices of the payment service providers for this.

For payment transactions, the terms and conditions and privacy notices of the respective payment service providers apply, which can be accessed on their respective websites or transaction applications. We also refer to these for further information and for asserting withdrawal, information and other data subject rights.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); Payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); Contract data (e.g. subject matter of contract, term, customer category); Usage data (e.g. visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses); Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Persons affected: Customers; Prospects.
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer service.
  • Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Amazon Payments: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: Amazon Payments Europe S.C.A. 38 avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://pay.amazon.de/; Privacy Policy: https://pay.amazon.de/help/201212490.
  • American Express: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: American Express Europe S.A., Theodor-Heuss-Allee 112, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://www.americanexpress.com/de; Privacy Policy: https://www.americanexpress.com/de/legal/online-datenschutzerklarung.html.
  • Apple Pay: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: Apple Inc., Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://www.apple.com/de/apple-pay/; Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/de-ww/.
  • Giropay: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: giropay GmbH, An der Welle 4, 60322 Frankfurt, Germany; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://www.giropay.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.giropay.de/rechtliches/datenschutzerklaerung/.
  • Google Pay: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://pay.google.com/intl/de_de/about/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
  • Klarna / Sofortüberweisung: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: Klarna Bank AB (publ), Sveavägen 46, 111 34 Stockholm, Sweden; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://www.klarna.com/de; Privacy Policy: https://www.klarna.com/de/datenschutz.
  • Mastercard: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: Mastercard Europe SA, Chaussée de Tervuren 198A, B-1410 Waterloo, Belgium; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://www.mastercard.de/de-de.html; Privacy Policy: https://www.mastercard.de/de-de/datenschutz.html.
  • PayPal: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods) (e.g. PayPal, PayPal Plus, Braintree); Service provider: PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://www.paypal.com/de; Privacy Policy: https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.
  • Stripe: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: Stripe, Inc., 510 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://stripe.com; Privacy Policy: https://stripe.com/de/privacy.
  • Visa: Payment services (technical integration of online payment methods); Service provider: Visa Europe Services Inc., London Branch, 1 Sheldon Square, London W2 6TT, GB; Legal bases: Fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Website: https://www.visa.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.visa.de/nutzungsbedingungen/visa-privacy-center.html.

Provision of the online offering and web hosting

To provide our online offering securely and efficiently, we use the services of one or more web hosting providers, from whose servers (or servers managed by them) the online offering can be accessed. For these purposes, we may use infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, as well as security services and technical maintenance services.

The data processed within the scope of providing the hosting offer may include all information relating to the users of our online offering that arises during use and communication. This regularly includes the IP address, which is necessary to deliver the content of online offerings to browsers, and all entries made within our online offering or on websites.

  • Types of data processed: Content data (e.g., entries in online forms); Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons affected: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offering and user-friendliness; Information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.)).
  • Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Email sending and hosting: The web hosting services we use also include sending, receiving and storing emails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders as well as other information concerning email sending (e.g. the providers involved) and the content of the respective emails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for the purpose of SPAM detection. Please note that emails are generally not sent encrypted over the internet. In most cases, emails are encrypted during transmission, but (unless an end-to-end encryption method is used) not on the servers from which they are sent and received. We can therefore not assume responsibility for the transmission path of emails between the sender and the receipt on our server; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
  • Collection of access data and log files: We (or our web hosting provider) collect data on every access to the server (so-called server log files). Server log files may include the address and name of the accessed web pages and files, date and time of access, transferred data volume, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user's operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page), and generally IP addresses and the requesting provider. Server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g., to prevent server overload (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure server capacity and stability; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further retention is required for evidentiary purposes are excluded from deletion until the final clarification of the respective incident.
  • Content Delivery Network: We use a "Content Delivery Network" (CDN). A CDN is a service that helps to deliver content of an online offering, in particular large media files such as graphics or program scripts, more quickly and securely using regionally distributed servers connected via the internet; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
  • Stackpath: Content Delivery Network (CDN) - a service that helps to deliver content of an online offering, in particular large media files such as graphics or program scripts, more quickly and securely using regionally distributed servers connected via the internet; Service provider: StackPath, LLC, 2021 McKinney Avenue, Suite 1100, Dallas, Texas 75201, USA; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.stackpath.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.stackpath.com/legal/privacy-statement/; Data Processing Agreement: https://www.stackpath.com/legal/.

Registration, login, and user account

Users can create a user account. During registration, users are informed of the required mandatory information, which is processed for the purpose of providing the user account based on contractual obligations. The processed data particularly includes login information (username, password, and an email address).

When using our registration and login functions, as well as the user account, we store the IP address and the time of the respective user action. The storage is based on our legitimate interests as well as those of the users in protection against misuse and other unauthorized use. This data is generally not passed on to third parties, unless it is necessary to pursue our claims or there is a legal obligation to do so.

Users can be informed by email about events relevant to their user account, such as technical changes.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); contact data (e.g., email, phone numbers); content data (e.g., entries in online forms); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer service; security measures; management and answering of inquiries; provision of our online offering and user-friendliness.
  • Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

  • Registration with real names: Due to the nature of our community, we ask users to use our service only under their real names. This means that the use of pseudonyms is not permitted; Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).
  • Deletion of data after termination: If users have terminated their user account, their data related to the user account will be deleted, subject to legal permission, obligation, or user consent; Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).
  • No obligation to retain data: It is the users' responsibility to secure their data upon termination before the end of the contract. We are entitled to irreversibly delete all user data stored during the contract period; Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) DSGVO).

Community Functions

The community functions we provide allow users to engage in conversations or otherwise interact with each other. Please note that the use of the community functions is only permitted in compliance with applicable law, our terms and policies, and the rights of other users and third parties.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer service; security measures.
  • Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

  • Protection of own data: Users themselves decide what data they disclose about themselves within our online offering. For example, when users provide personal information or participate in conversations. We ask users to protect their data and to publish personal data only with care and only to the extent necessary. In particular, we ask users to note that they must protect their access data very carefully and use secure passwords (i.e., especially character combinations that are as long and random as possible); Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Single Sign-On Login

"Single Sign-On" or "Single Sign-On Login/Authentication" refers to procedures that allow users to log in to our online service using a user account from a Single Sign-On provider (e.g., a social network). A prerequisite for Single Sign-On authentication is that users are registered with the respective Single Sign-On provider and enter the required login data in the provided online form, or are already logged in to the Single Sign-On provider and confirm the Single Sign-On login via a button.

Authentication takes place directly with the respective Single Sign-On provider. As part of such authentication, we receive a user ID with the information that the user is logged in to the respective Single Sign-On provider under this user ID, and an ID that cannot be used by us for other purposes (so-called "User Handle"). Whether additional data is transmitted to us depends solely on the Single Sign-On procedure used, the data releases selected during authentication, and also on what data users have released in the privacy or other settings of the user account with the Single Sign-On provider. Depending on the Single Sign-On provider and the user's choice, this may be various data, typically the email address and username. The password entered for the Single Sign-On provider as part of the Single Sign-On process is neither visible to us nor stored by us.

Users are asked to note that their data stored with us may be automatically matched with their user account with the Single Sign-On provider, but this is not always possible or actually happens. For example, if users' email addresses change, they must manually update them in their user account with us.

We may use Single Sign-On login, if agreed with the users, as part of or before the performance of the contract, insofar as users have been asked to process it with their consent, and otherwise use it on the basis of our legitimate interests and the interests of the users in an effective and secure login system.

Should users decide they no longer wish to use the link to their user account with the Single Sign-On provider for the Single Sign-On process, they must deactivate this connection within their user account with the Single Sign-On provider. If users wish to delete their data with us, they must cancel their registration with us.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); contact data (e.g., email, phone numbers); usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer service; security measures; login procedures.
  • Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

Blogs and Publication Media

We use blogs or similar means of online communication and publication (hereinafter "publication medium"). The readers' data is processed for the purposes of the publication medium only to the extent necessary for its presentation and communication between authors and readers, or for security reasons. For the rest, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium within this privacy notice.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); contact data (e.g., email, phone numbers); content data (e.g., entries in online forms); usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer service; feedback (e.g., collecting feedback via online form); provision of our online offering and user-friendliness; security measures; management and answering of inquiries.
  • Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

  • Comments and contributions: If users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored based on our legitimate interests. This is for our security, in case someone leaves unlawful content in comments and contributions (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we ourselves could be held liable for the comment or contribution and are therefore interested in the identity of the author. Furthermore, we reserve the right, based on our legitimate interests, to process user data for spam detection purposes. On the same legal basis, we reserve the right, in the case of surveys, to store the IP addresses of users for their duration and to use cookies to prevent multiple votes. The personal information provided within comments and contributions, any contact and website information, as well as the content details, are stored by us permanently until the user's objection; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Contact and Inquiry Management

When you contact us (e.g., via contact form, email, telephone, or social media) and within existing user and business relationships, the information of the inquiring persons is processed insofar as this is necessary to answer the contact inquiries and any requested measures.

The answering of contact inquiries and the management of contact and inquiry data within the framework of contractual or pre-contractual relationships is carried out to fulfill our contractual obligations or to answer (pre-)contractual inquiries and, in addition, on the basis of legitimate interests in answering the inquiries and maintaining user or business relationships.

  • Types of data processed: Contact data (e.g., email, phone numbers); content data (e.g., entries in online forms); usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer service; contact inquiries and communication; management and answering of inquiries; feedback (e.g., collecting feedback via online form); provision of our online offering and user-friendliness.
  • Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

  • Contact form: If users contact us via our contact form, email or other communication channels, we process the data provided to us in this context to handle the communicated concern. For this purpose, we process personal data within the framework of pre-contractual and contractual business relationships, insofar as this is necessary for their fulfillment, and otherwise on the basis of our legitimate interests as well as the interests of the communication partners in answering the concerns and our legal retention obligations; Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
  • Zendesk: Management of contact inquiries and communication; Service provider: Zendesk, Inc., 989 Market Street #300, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA; Legal bases: Performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.zendesk.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.zendesk.de/company/customers-partners/privacy-policy/; Standard Contractual Clauses (Ensuring data protection level for processing in third countries): Binding internal data protection regulations as a basis for US data transfers: https://www.zendesk.de/company/privacy-and-data-protection/#data-processing-agreement.

Newsletter and electronic notifications

We only send newsletters, e-mails, and other electronic notifications (hereinafter "newsletters") with the consent of the recipients or with legal permission. If the content of the newsletter is specifically described as part of the registration, it is decisive for the user's consent. In other respects, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

To subscribe to our newsletters, it is generally sufficient to provide your e-mail address. However, we may ask you to provide a name for personal addressing in the newsletter, or other information, if these are necessary for the purposes of the newsletter.

Double-Opt-In Procedure: Registration for our newsletter generally takes place in a so-called double opt-in procedure. This means that after registration, you will receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary to prevent anyone from registering with third-party e-mail addresses. Newsletter registrations are logged to be able to prove the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes storing the time of registration and confirmation, as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored with the mailing service provider are also logged.

Deletion and Restriction of Processing: We may store unsubscribed e-mail addresses for up to three years based on our legitimate interests before deleting them, to be able to prove a previously given consent. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of consent is simultaneously confirmed. In the case of obligations to permanently observe objections, we reserve the right to store the e-mail address solely for this purpose in a blocklist.

The logging of the registration process is based on our legitimate interests for the purpose of proving its proper course. Insofar as we commission a service provider with the sending of e-mails, this is done based on our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure dispatch system.

Content:

Information about us, our services, promotions, and offers.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); contact data (e.g., e-mail, telephone numbers); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses); usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times).
  • Affected persons: Communication partners; users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Direct marketing (e.g., by e-mail or post); provision of contractual services and customer service.
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).
  • Right to object (Opt-Out): You can cancel your subscription to our newsletter at any time, i.e., revoke your consent, or object to receiving further newsletters. You will find a link to cancel the newsletter either at the end of each newsletter or you can use one of the contact options given above, preferably e-mail, for this purpose.

Further notes on processing processes, procedures, and services:

  • Measurement of opening and click rates: The newsletters contain a so-called "web-beacon", i.e., a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from our server, or, if we use a mailing service provider, from their server when the newsletter is opened. As part of this retrieval, technical information, such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and the time of retrieval, are initially collected. This information is used for the technical improvement of our newsletter based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading behavior based on their retrieval locations (which can be determined with the help of the IP address) or the access times. This analysis also includes determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).
  • Condition for the use of free services: Consent to the sending of mailings may be made a condition for the use of free services (e.g., access to certain content or participation in certain promotions). If users wish to use the free service without subscribing to the newsletter, please contact us.

Promotional communication via e-mail, post, fax or telephone

We process personal data for the purposes of promotional communication, which may take place via various channels, such as e-mail, telephone, post or fax, in accordance with legal requirements.

Recipients have the right to revoke granted consent at any time or to object to promotional communication at any time.

After revocation or objection, we store the data required to prove the previous authorization to contact or send for up to three years after the end of the year of revocation or objection based on our legitimate interests. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. Based on the legitimate interest to permanently observe the revocation or objection of users, we also store the data necessary to avoid renewed contact (e.g., depending on the communication channel, the e-mail address, telephone number, name).

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); contact data (e.g., e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Affected persons: Communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: Direct marketing (e.g., by e-mail or post).
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Competitions and Contests

We process personal data of participants in competitions and contests only in compliance with the relevant data protection provisions, insofar as the processing is contractually required for the provision, execution, and handling of the competition, the participants have consented to the processing, or the processing serves our legitimate interests (e.g., in the security of the competition or the protection of our interests against abuse by possibly collecting IP addresses when submitting competition entries).

If contributions from participants are published as part of the competitions (e.g., as part of a vote or presentation of the competition entries or the winners or reporting on the competition), we point out that the names of the participants may also be published in this context. Participants can object to this at any time.

If the competition takes place within an online platform or a social network (e.g., Facebook or Instagram, hereinafter referred to as "online platform"), the terms of use and data protection provisions of the respective platforms also apply. In these cases, we point out that we are responsible for the information provided by participants within the framework of the competition and that inquiries regarding the competition should be addressed to us.

The participants' data will be deleted as soon as the competition or contest is over and the data is no longer required to inform the winners or because inquiries about the competition are to be expected. In principle, the participants' data will be deleted no later than 6 months after the end of the competition. Winner data may be retained longer, for example, to answer questions about prizes or to fulfill prize services; in this case, the retention period depends on the type of prize and is, for example, up to three years for goods or services, for example, to handle warranty cases. Furthermore, participants' data may be stored longer, e.g., in the form of reporting on the competition in online and offline media.

If data was also collected for other purposes within the framework of the competition, their processing and retention period depend on the data protection information for this use (e.g., in the case of subscribing to the newsletter within the framework of a competition).

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); content data (e.g., entries in online forms); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Competition and contest participants.
  • Purposes of processing: Conducting competitions and contests.
  • Legal bases: Fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Surveys and Questionnaires

We conduct surveys and questionnaires to collect information for the communicated survey or questionnaire purpose. The surveys and questionnaires conducted by us (hereinafter "surveys") are evaluated anonymously. Personal data is only processed to the extent necessary for the provision and technical execution of the surveys (e.g., processing of the IP address to display the survey in the user's browser or to enable resuming the survey with the help of a cookie).

  • Types of data processed: Contact data (e.g., e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g., entries in online forms); usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Communication partners; participants.
  • Purposes of processing: Feedback (e.g., collecting feedback via online form).
  • Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services:

Web analysis, monitoring and optimization

Web analysis (also known as "reach measurement") serves to evaluate the visitor flows of our online offering and can include behavior, interests or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of reach analysis, we can, for example, recognize at what time our online offering or its functions or content are most frequently used or invite reuse. We can also understand which areas need optimization.

In addition to web analysis, we can also use testing procedures to, for example, test and optimize different versions of our online offering or its components.

Unless otherwise stated below, for these purposes, profiles, i.e., data summarized for a usage process, can be created and information can be stored in a browser or on a device and read from it. The collected data includes in particular visited websites and elements used there, as well as technical information, such as the browser used, the computer system used, and information on usage times. If users have agreed to the collection of their location data with us or with the providers of the services we use, location data can also be processed.

The IP addresses of users are also stored. However, we use an IP masking procedure (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear data of users (such as e-mail addresses or names) are stored within the framework of web analysis, A/B testing and optimization, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the software used know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purposes of the respective procedures.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Reach measurement (e.g., access statistics, recognition of recurring visitors); profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles); tracking (e.g., interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies); provision of our online offering and user-friendliness.
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Google Analytics 4: We use Google Analytics to perform user analysis based on a pseudonymous user identification number. This identification number does not contain any unique data, such as names or email addresses. It serves to assign analysis information to an end device to recognize what content users have accessed within one or various usage processes, what search terms they have used, have accessed again, or have interacted with our online offering. The time and duration of use are also stored, as well as the sources of the users that refer to our online offering and technical aspects of their end devices and browsers. Pseudonymous user profiles are created with information from the use of various devices, whereby cookies may be used. In Analytics, data on geographical location is provided at a higher level by collecting the following metadata based on IP lookup: "City" (and the derived latitude and longitude of the city), "Continent", "Country", "Region", "Subcontinent" (and the ID-based equivalents). To ensure the protection of user data in the EU, Google receives and processes all user data via domains and servers within the EU. The user's IP address is not logged and is truncated by default by the last two digits. The IP address truncation takes place on EU servers for EU users. Furthermore, all sensitive data collected from users in the EU is deleted before it is collected via EU domains and servers; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data Processing Agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/; Standard Contractual Clauses (Ensuring data protection level when processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Opt-out option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for displaying advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (Types of processing and data processed).
  • Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution that allows us to manage so-called website tags via an interface and thus integrate other services into our online offering (further details are provided in this privacy policy). With Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags), no user profiles are created or cookies stored, for example. Google only learns the user's IP address, which is necessary to run Google Tag Manager; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data Processing Agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard Contractual Clauses (Ensuring data protection level when processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (Types of processing and data processed).
  • Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution that allows us to manage so-called website tags via an interface and thus integrate other services into our online offering (further details are provided in this privacy policy). With Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags), no user profiles are created or cookies stored, for example. Google only learns the user's IP address, which is necessary to run Google Tag Manager; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data Processing Agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard Contractual Clauses (Ensuring data protection level when processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (Types of processing and data processed).

    • Online Marketing

    We process personal data for online marketing purposes, which may include, in particular, the marketing of advertising spaces or the display of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as "content") based on the potential interests of users, as well as measuring their effectiveness.

    For these purposes, so-called user profiles are created and stored in a file (so-called "cookie") or similar procedures are used, by means of which information relevant to the display of the aforementioned content is stored about the user. This information may include, for example, content viewed, websites visited, online networks used, as well as communication partners and technical information such as the browser used, the computer system used, and information on usage times and functions used. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this may also be processed.

    The IP addresses of users are also stored. However, we use available IP masking procedures (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. Generally, no clear user data (such as email addresses or names) are stored in the context of online marketing procedures, but rather pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the online marketing procedures know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles.

    The information in the profiles is generally stored in cookies or by similar procedures. These cookies can later generally also be read on other websites that use the same online marketing procedure and analyzed for the purpose of displaying content, as well as supplemented with additional data and stored on the server of the online marketing procedure provider.

    In exceptional cases, clear data can be assigned to the profiles. This is the case if, for example, users are members of a social network whose online marketing procedure we use and the network links the user profiles with the aforementioned information. Please note that users may make additional agreements with the providers, e.g., by giving consent during registration.

    We generally only have access to aggregated information about the success of our advertisements. However, as part of so-called conversion measurement, we can check which of our online marketing procedures have led to a so-called conversion, i.e., for example, to a contract conclusion with us. Conversion measurement is used solely to analyze the success of our marketing measures.

    Unless otherwise stated, please assume that cookies used are stored for a period of two years.

    • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
    • Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
    • Purposes of processing: Reach measurement (e.g., access statistics, recognition of recurring visitors); Tracking (e.g., interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies); Marketing; Profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles); Conversion measurement (measuring the effectiveness of marketing measures).
    • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
    • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).
    • Opt-out option: We refer to the privacy policies of the respective providers and the opt-out options specified for the providers. If no explicit opt-out option has been provided, one possibility is to disable cookies in your browser settings. However, this may limit the functions of our online offering. We therefore also recommend the following opt-out options, which are offered collectively for respective areas: a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu. b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices. c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices. d) Cross-regional: https://optout.aboutads.info.

    Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

    Affiliate Programs and Affiliate Links

    We integrate so-called affiliate links or other references (which may include, e.g., search masks, widgets or discount codes) to the offers and services of third-party providers into our online offering (collectively referred to as "affiliate links"). If users follow the affiliate links or subsequently use the offers, we may receive a commission or other benefits from these third-party providers (collectively referred to as "commission").

    To track whether users have accepted offers from an affiliate link we use, it is necessary for the respective third-party providers to know that users have followed an affiliate link embedded in our online offering. The assignment of affiliate links to the respective business transactions or other actions (e.g., purchases) serves solely for the purpose of commission accounting and will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for this purpose.

    For the purposes of the aforementioned assignment of affiliate links, the affiliate links can be supplemented with certain values that are part of the link or can be stored otherwise, e.g., in a cookie. Such values may include, in particular, the referring website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operators of the website where the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, the type of link used, the type of offer, and an online identifier of the user.

    Notes on Legal Bases: If we ask users for their consent to use third-party providers, the legal basis for data processing is consent. Otherwise, user data is processed based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in efficient, economic, and user-friendly services). In this context, we also refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

    • Types of data processed: Contract data (e.g., subject matter of contract, term, customer category); Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
    • Persons affected: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
    • Purposes of processing: Affiliate tracking.
    • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a) GDPR); Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR).

    Customer reviews and rating procedures

    We participate in review and rating procedures to evaluate, optimize, and promote our services. If users rate us or otherwise provide feedback through the participating rating platforms or procedures, the general terms and conditions of business or use and the data protection notices of the providers also apply. As a rule, a rating also requires registration with the respective providers.

    To ensure that the reviewers have actually used our services, with the customer's consent, we transmit the necessary data regarding the customer and the service used to the respective rating platform (including name, e-mail address, and order number or item number). This data is used solely to verify the authenticity of the user.

    • Types of data processed: Contract data (e.g., subject matter of contract, term, customer category); Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
    • Persons affected: Customers; Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
    • Purposes of processing: Feedback (e.g., collecting feedback via online form); Marketing.
    • Legal bases: Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR).

    Presences in social networks (Social Media)

    We maintain online presences within social networks and process user data in this context to communicate with users active there or to offer information about us.

    We point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for users, for example, because the enforcement of user rights could be made more difficult.

    Furthermore, user data within social networks is usually processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created based on user behavior and resulting interests. These usage profiles can in turn be used to place advertisements within and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the users' computers, in which the usage behavior and interests of the users are stored. Furthermore, data independent of the devices used by the users can also be stored in the usage profiles (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in there).

    For a detailed description of the respective processing forms and the possibilities of objection (opt-out), we refer to the data protection declarations and information of the operators of the respective networks.

    Even in the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the providers have access to the user data and can directly take appropriate measures and provide information. Should you still need assistance, you can contact us.

    • Types of data processed: Contact data (e.g., e-mail, telephone numbers); Content data (e.g., entries in online forms); Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
    • Persons affected: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
    • Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication; Feedback (e.g., collecting feedback via online form); Marketing.
    • Legal bases: Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

    Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services:

    Plugins and embedded functions and content

    We integrate functional and content elements into our online offering that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as "third-party providers"). This may include, for example, graphics, videos, or city maps (hereinafter uniformly referred to as "content").

    The integration always requires that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the users, as they would not be able to send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore necessary for the display of this content or functions. We endeavor to use only such content whose respective providers use the IP address solely for the delivery of the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as "web beacons") for statistical or marketing purposes. Through the "pixel tags," information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website can be evaluated. The pseudonymous information can also be stored in cookies on the users' device and may contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visit time, and other information about the use of our online offering, as well as be linked to such information from other sources.

    • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g., visited websites, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses); Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); Contact data (e.g., e-mail, telephone numbers); Content data (e.g., entries in online forms).
    • Persons affected: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
    • Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offering and user-friendliness; Provision of contractual services and customer service; Marketing; Profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles).
    • Legal bases: Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR).

    Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services:

    • Google Fonts (retrieved from Google Server): Retrieval of fonts (and symbols) for the purpose of technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts and symbols with regard to up-to-date status and loading times, their uniform display and consideration of possible licensing restrictions. The IP address of the user is communicated to the font provider so that the fonts can be provided in the user's browser. In addition, technical data (language settings, screen resolution, operating system, hardware used) is transmitted, which is necessary for providing the fonts depending on the devices used and the technical environment; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://fonts.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
    • Google Maps: We embed the maps of the "Google Maps" service provided by Google. The processed data may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of users, which, however, are not collected without their consent (usually given in the settings of their mobile devices); Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-out option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for displaying advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
    • Instagram Plugins and Content: Instagram plugins and content - This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Instagram. - Together with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, we are jointly responsible for the collection or receipt of "event data" by Facebook through Instagram functions (e.g. embedding functions for content) that are executed on our online offering or received within the scope of a transmission for the following purposes: a) display of content and advertising information that corresponds to the alleged interests of users; b) delivery of commercial and transaction-related messages (e.g. addressing users via Facebook Messenger); c) improvement of ad delivery and personalization of functions and content (e.g. improving the recognition of which content or advertising information presumably corresponds to the interests of users). We have concluded a special agreement with Facebook ("Controller Addendum", https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which, in particular, regulates what security measures Facebook must observe (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to fulfill data subject rights (i.e. users can, for example, direct requests for information or deletion directly to Facebook). Note: If Facebook provides us with metrics, analyses, and reports (which are aggregated, i.e. do not contain information about individual users and are anonymous to us), this processing does not take place within the scope of joint responsibility, but on the basis of a data processing agreement ("Data Processing Terms", https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing), the "Data Security Terms" (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and, with regard to processing in the USA, on the basis of standard contractual clauses ("Facebook EU Data Transfer Addendum", https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). The rights of users (in particular to information, deletion, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.
    • YouTube videos: Video content; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, Parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-out option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for displaying advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

    Changes and Updates to the Privacy Policy

    We kindly ask you to regularly inform yourself about the content of our privacy policy. We will adapt the privacy policy as soon as changes in the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require an act of cooperation on your part (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

    If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organizations in this privacy policy, please note that the addresses may change over time and we ask you to check the information before contacting them.

    Rights of Data Subjects

    As a data subject under the GDPR, you have various rights, which arise in particular from Art. 15 to 21 GDPR:

    • Right to object: You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. Where personal data are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.
    • Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw given consents at any time.
    • Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether data in question is being processed and to information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Right to rectification: In accordance with legal requirements, you have the right to request the completion of data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you.
    • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with legal requirements, you have the right to request that data concerning you be erased without undue delay, or, alternatively, in accordance with legal requirements, to request a restriction of the processing of the data.
    • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data concerning you that you have provided to us, in accordance with legal requirements, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, or to request its transmission to another controller.
    • Complaint to the supervisory authority: Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the GDPR.

    Definitions of Terms

    In this section you will find an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are taken from the law and are defined primarily in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, however, are primarily intended to serve understanding. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

    • Affiliate Tracking: Affiliate tracking records links used by linking websites to refer users to websites with product or other offers. The operators of the respective linking websites can receive a commission if users follow these so-called affiliate links and then take advantage of the offers (e.g. buy goods or use services). For this, it is necessary that the providers can track whether users who are interested in certain offers subsequently take advantage of them due to the affiliate links. Therefore, for affiliate links to function, they must be supplemented with certain values that become part of the link or are otherwise stored, e.g. in a cookie. These values include, in particular, the originating website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operators of the website where the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, an online identifier of the user, as well as tracking-specific values, such as, for example, advertising material ID, partner ID, and categorizations.
    • Conversion Measurement: Conversion measurement (also known as "visitor action evaluation") is a procedure by which the effectiveness of marketing measures can be determined. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the users' devices within the websites where the marketing measures take place and then accessed again on the target website. For example, we can track whether the ads we placed on other websites were successful.
    • Personal Data: "Personal data" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person ("data subject"); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
    • Profiles with User-Related Information: The processing of "profiles with user-related information," or "profiles" for short, comprises any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information concerning demographics, behavior, and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.) to analyze, evaluate or predict them (e.g. interest in certain content or products, click behavior on a website, or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
    • Reach Measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the visitor flows of an online offering and can include the behavior or interests of visitors in certain information, such as the content of websites. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can, for example, recognize at what time visitors visit their website and which content they are interested in. This allows them to better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors. For the purposes of reach analysis, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to recognize recurring visitors and thus obtain more accurate analyses of the use of an online offering.
    • Tracking: "Tracking" refers to the ability to trace the behavior of users across multiple online offerings. Typically, behavioral and interest information is stored in cookies or on the servers of the tracking technology providers with regard to the online offerings used (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to correspond to their interests.
    • Controller: "Controller" means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
    • Processing: "Processing" means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and covers virtually any handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission, or deletion.

    Legal text by Dr. Schwenke - click for more information.