Privacy Policy
Table of Contents
- Introduction and overview
- Scope of application
- legal bases
- Contact details of the controller
- Contact details of the data protection officer
- storage period
- Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation
- Data transfer to third countries
- Data processing security
- communication
- Order Processing Agreement (OPA)
- cookies
- application data
- customer data
- registration
- Web hosting introduction
- Web Analytics Introduction
- Email Marketing Introduction
- Social Media Introduction
- cloud services
- Online map services Introduction
- Miscellaneous Introduction
- Explanation of terms used
Introduction and overview
We have drafted this privacy policy (version 09/27/2023-122077330) to explain to you, in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and applicable national laws. The terms used are gender-neutral.
In short: We provide you with comprehensive information about the data we process about you.
Privacy policies usually sound very technical and use legal terminology. This privacy policy, on the other hand, aims to describe the most important aspects as simply and transparently as possible. Where it promotes transparency, technical terms are explained in a reader-friendly manner, links to further information are provided, and graphics are used. We use clear and simple language to inform you that we only process personal data in the course of our business activities if there is a corresponding legal basis for doing so. This is certainly not possible if you provide explanations that are as concise, unclear, and legally technical as possible, as is often the standard on the Internet when it comes to data protection. I hope you find the following explanations interesting and informative, and perhaps you will find some information that you did not know before.
If you still have questions, please contact the responsible office listed below or in the legal notice, follow the links provided, and view further information on third-party websites. You will also find our contact details in the legal notice.
Scope of application
This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by us within the company and to all personal data processed by companies commissioned by us (processors). By personal data, we mean information within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 1 GDPR, such as a person's name, email address, and postal address. The processing of personal data ensures that we can offer and bill for our services and products, whether online or offline. The scope of this privacy policy covers:
- all online presences (websites, online shops) that we operate
- Social media presence and email communication
- mobile apps for smartphones and other devices
In short: The privacy policy applies to all areas in which personal data is processed in a structured manner within the company via the channels mentioned. If we enter into legal relationships with you outside of these channels, we will inform you separately if necessary.
legal bases
In the following privacy policy, we provide you with transparent information about the legal principles and regulations, i.e., the legal basis of the General Data Protection Regulation, which enable us to process personal data.
With regard to EU law, we refer to REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of April 27, 2016. You can, of course, read this EU General Data Protection Regulation online at EUR-Lex, the gateway to EU law, at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32016R0679.
We only process your data if at least one of the following conditions applies:
- Consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR): You have given us your consent to process data for a specific purpose. An example would be the storage of the data you entered in a contact form.
- Contract (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR): We process your data in order to fulfill a contract or pre-contractual obligations with you. For example, if we conclude a purchase contract with you, we need personal information in advance.
- Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c) GDPR): We process your data if we are subject to a legal obligation. For example, we are legally obliged to retain invoices for accounting purposes. These usually contain personal data.
- Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR): In the case of legitimate interests that do not restrict your fundamental rights, we reserve the right to process personal data. For example, we need to process certain data in order to operate our website securely and economically. This processing is therefore a legitimate interest.
Other conditions, such as the perception of recordings in the public interest and the exercise of public authority, as well as the protection of vital interests, do not generally apply in our case. If such a legal basis should nevertheless be relevant, it will be indicated at the appropriate place.
In addition to the EU regulation, national laws also apply:
- In Austria, this is the Federal Act on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data (Data Protection Act), or DSG for short.
- In Germany, the Federal Data Protection Act( BDSG) applies.
If other regional or national laws apply, we will inform you about them in the following sections.
Contact details of the controller
If you have any questions about data protection or the processing of personal data, please find the contact details of the responsible person or department below:
Langer GmbH
Steyrerstrasse 13, 4470 Enns
Austria
Authorized representative: Fritz Aichhorn
Email: fritz@langer-magnet.com
Phone: +43 7223 82592-0
Legal notice: https://www.langer-magnet.com/impressum/
Contact details of the data protection officer
Below you will find the contact details of the data protection officer:
Langer GmbH
Fritz Aichhorn
Steyrerstrasse 13, 4470 Enns
Austria
Email: fritz@langer-magnet.com
Phone: +43 664 2324180
storage period
It is our general policy to store personal data only for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. This means that we delete personal data as soon as the reason for data processing no longer applies. In some cases, we are legally obliged to store certain data even after the original purpose no longer applies, for example for accounting purposes.
If you wish to have your data deleted or revoke your consent to data processing, the data will be deleted as quickly as possible and insofar as there is no obligation to store it.
We will inform you about the specific duration of the respective data processing below, provided we have further information on this.
Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation
In accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of the GDPR, we hereby inform you of the following rights to which you are entitled in order to ensure fair and transparent data processing:
- According to Article 15 of the GDPR, you have the right to know whether we process your data. If this is the case, you have the right to receive a copy of the data and to obtain the following information:
- the purpose for which we process the data;
- the categories, i.e., the types of data that are processed;
- who receives this data and, if the data is transferred to third countries, how security can be guaranteed;
- how long the data will be stored;
- the existence of the right to rectification, erasure, or restriction of processing and the right to object to processing;
- that you can lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (links to these authorities can be found below);
- the origin of the data, if we did not collect it from you;
- whether profiling is carried out, i.e. whether data is automatically evaluated in order to create a personal profile of you.
- According to Article 16 of the GDPR, you have the right to have your data corrected, which means that we must correct any data if you find errors.
- According to Article 17 of the GDPR, you have the right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"), which specifically means that you may request the deletion of your data.
- According to Article 18 of the GDPR, you have the right to restrict processing, which means that we may only store the data but may not use it further.
- According to Article 20 of the GDPR, you have the right to data portability, which means that we will provide you with your data in a commonly used format upon request.
- According to Article 21 of the GDPR, you have a right to object, which, once enforced, will result in a change in the processing.
- If the processing of your data is based on Article 6(1)(e) (public interest, exercise of public authority) or Article 6(1)(f) (legitimate interest), you may object to the processing. We will then check as soon as possible whether we can legally comply with this objection.
- If data is used for direct marketing purposes, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We will then no longer be permitted to use your data for direct marketing purposes.
- If data is used for profiling purposes, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We will then no longer be permitted to use your data for profiling purposes.
- Under Article 22 of the GDPR, you may have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (e.g., profiling).
- You have the right to lodge a complaint under Article 77 of the GDPR. This means that you can lodge a complaint with the data protection authority at any time if you believe that the processing of personal data violates the GDPR.
In short: you have rights – don't hesitate to contact the responsible department listed above!
If you believe that the processing of your data violates data protection law or that your data protection rights have been violated in any other way, you can lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority. In Austria, this is the Data Protection Authority, whose website can be found at https://www.dsb.gv.at/. In Germany, there is a data protection officer for each federal state. For more information, you can contact the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI). The following local data protection authority is responsible for our company:
Austrian Data Protection Authority
Director: Mag . Dr. Andrea Jelinek
Address: Barichgasse 40-42, 1030 Vienna
Phone number: +43 1 52 152-0
Email address: dsb@dsb.gv.at
Website: https://www.dsb.gv.at/
Data transfer to third countries
We only transfer or process data to countries outside the EU (third countries) if you consent to this processing, if it is required by law or contractually necessary, and in any case only to the extent that this is generally permitted. In most cases, your consent is the most important reason for us to have data processed in third countries. The processing of personal data in third countries such as the US, where many software manufacturers offer services and have their server locations, may mean that personal data is processed and stored in unexpected ways.
We expressly point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. Data processing by US services (such as Google Analytics) may result in data not being processed and stored anonymously. Furthermore, US government authorities may have access to individual data. In addition, collected data may be linked to data from other services of the same provider, provided you have a corresponding user account. Where possible, we try to use server locations within the EU, if this is offered.
We will provide you with more detailed information about data transfers to third countries in the relevant sections of this privacy policy, where applicable.
Data processing security
We have implemented both technical and organizational measures to protect personal data. Where possible, we encrypt or pseudonymize personal data. In doing so, we make it as difficult as possible for third parties to derive personal information from our data.
Article 25 GDPR refers to "data protection through technology design and data protection-friendly default settings," meaning that security must always be considered and appropriate measures taken for both software (e.g., forms) and hardware (e.g., access to the server room). In the following, we will discuss specific measures where necessary.
TLS encryption with https
TLS, encryption, and HTTPS sound very technical, and they are. We use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) to transmit data securely over the Internet.
This means that the entire transmission of all data from your browser to our web server is secure—no one can "eavesdrop."
This means we have introduced an additional layer of security and comply with data protection through technology design (Article 25(1) GDPR). By using TLS (Transport Layer Security), an encryption protocol for secure data transmission on the Internet, we can ensure the protection of confidential data.
You can recognize the use of this data transmission security feature by the small lock icon. at the top left of the browser, to the left of the Internet address (e.g., examplepage.com) and the use of the https scheme (instead of http) as part of our Internet address.
If you would like to learn more about encryption, we recommend searching Google for "Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure wiki" to find useful links to further information.
communication
| Communication Summary 👥 Affected persons: Anyone who communicates with us by phone, email, or online form 📓 Processed data: e.g., phone number, name, email address, form data entered. More details can be found under the respective contact type 🤝 Purpose: Handling communication with customers, business partners, etc. 📅 Storage period: Duration of the business transaction and legal requirements ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (contract), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
When you contact us and communicate by phone, email, or online form, personal data may be processed.
The data will be processed for the purpose of handling and processing your inquiry and the associated business transaction. The data will be stored for as long as necessary or as required by law.
Affected persons
The above-mentioned processes affect everyone who contacts us via the communication channels we provide.
telephone
When you call us, the call data is stored in pseudonymized form on the respective end device and by the telecommunications provider used. In addition, data such as your name and telephone number may be sent by email and stored for the purpose of responding to your inquiry. The data will be deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements permit.
When you communicate with us by email, data may be stored on the respective device (computer, laptop, smartphone, etc.) and data may be stored on the email server. The data will be deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements allow.
Online forms
When you communicate with us using the online form, data is stored on our web server and, if necessary, forwarded to one of our email addresses. The data is deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements allow.
legal bases
The processing of data is based on the following legal grounds:
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent): You give us your consent to store your data and use it for purposes related to the business transaction;
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract): It is necessary for the performance of a contract with you or a processor, such as a telephone provider, or we need to process the data for pre-contractual activities, such as preparing an offer;
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests): We want to handle customer inquiries and business communications in a professional manner. This requires certain technical equipment, such as email programs, Exchange servers, and mobile phone operators, in order to communicate efficiently.
Order Processing Agreement (OPA)
In this section, we would like to explain what a data processing agreement is and why it is necessary. Because the term "data processing agreement" is quite a tongue twister, we will often use the acronym DPA in this text. Like most companies, we do not work alone, but also use the services of other companies or individuals. By involving various companies or service providers, we may pass on personal data for processing. These partners then act as processors with whom we conclude a contract, known as a data processing agreement (DPA). The most important thing for you to know is that the processing of your personal data is carried out exclusively in accordance with our instructions and must be regulated by the DPA.
Who are processors?
As a company and website owner, we are responsible for all data that we process from you. In addition to the responsible parties, there may also be so-called processors. This includes any company or person who processes personal data on our behalf. More precisely, and according to the GDPR definition, any natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body that processes personal data on our behalf is considered a processor. Processors can therefore be service providers such as hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers, or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.
For a better understanding of the terminology, here is an overview of the three roles in the GDPR:
Data subject(you as a customer or prospective customer) → Controller (we as a company and client) → Processor (service providers such as web hosts or cloud providers)
Contents of a data processing agreement
As mentioned above, we have concluded a DPA with our partners who act as processors. First and foremost, this stipulates that the processor shall process the data to be processed exclusively in accordance with the GDPR. The contract must be concluded in writing, but in this context, electronic conclusion of the contract is also considered "in writing." Personal data will only be processed on the basis of the contract. The contract must contain the following:
- Commitment to us as the responsible party
- Obligations and rights of the controller
- Categories of data subjects
- Type of personal data
- Nature and purpose of data processing
- Purpose and duration of data processing
- Place of data processing
Furthermore, the contract contains all of the obligations of the processor. The most important obligations are:
- Measures to ensure data security
- take possible technical and organizational measures to protect the rights of the data subject
- to maintain a data processing directory
- to cooperate with the data protection supervisory authority upon request
- to carry out a risk analysis with regard to the personal data received
- Sub-processors may only be engaged with the written consent of the controller.
You can see what such an AVV looks like in concrete terms at https://www.wko.at/service/wirtschaftsrecht-gewerberecht/eu-dsgvo-mustervertrag-auftragsverarbeitung.html, for example. A sample contract is presented here.
cookies
| Cookies Summary 👥 Affected persons: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Depends on the respective cookie. More details can be found below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie. 📓 Processed data: Depends on the cookie used. More details can be found below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie. 📅 Storage period: depends on the respective cookie, can vary from hours to years ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What are cookies?
Our website uses HTTP cookies to store user-specific data.
Below, we explain what cookies are and why they are used so that you can better understand the following privacy policy.
Whenever you surf the Internet, you use a browser. Well-known browsers include Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge. Most websites store small text files in your browser. These files are called cookies.
One thing cannot be denied: cookies are really useful little helpers. Almost all websites use cookies. More specifically, they are HTTP cookies, as there are other cookies for other areas of application. HTTP cookies are small files that are stored on your computer by our website. These cookie files are automatically stored in the cookie folder, which is essentially the "brain" of your browser. A cookie consists of a name and a value. When defining a cookie, one or more attributes must also be specified.
Cookies store certain user data about you, such as language or personal page settings. When you visit our site again, your browser transmits the "user-related" information back to our site. Thanks to cookies, our website knows who you are and offers you the settings you are used to. In some browsers, each cookie has its own file, while in others, such as Firefox, all cookies are stored in a single file.
The following graphic shows a possible interaction between a web browser such as Chrome and the web server. The web browser requests a website and receives a cookie from the server, which the browser reuses as soon as another page is requested.
There are both first-party cookies and third-party cookies. First-party cookies are created directly by our site, while third-party cookies are created by partner websites (e.g., Google Analytics). Each cookie must be evaluated individually, as each cookie stores different data. The expiration time of a cookie also varies from a few minutes to a few years. Cookies are not software programs and do not contain viruses, Trojans, or other "malware." Cookies also cannot access information on your PC.
Cookie data may look like this, for example:
Name: _ga
Value:GA1.2.1326744211.152122077330-9
Purpose: Distinguishing website visitors
Expiration date:After 2 years
A browser should be able to support these minimum sizes:
- At least 4096 bytes per cookie
- At least 50 cookies per domain
- At least 3000 cookies in total
What types of cookies are there?
The question of which cookies we use specifically depends on the services used and is clarified in the following sections of the privacy policy. At this point, we would like to briefly discuss the different types of HTTP cookies.
There are four types of cookies:
Essential cookies
These cookies are necessary to ensure the basic functionality of the website. For example, these cookies are needed when a user adds a product to their shopping cart, then continues browsing other pages and only proceeds to checkout later. These cookies ensure that the shopping cart is not deleted, even if the user closes their browser window.
Functional cookies
These cookies collect information about user behavior and whether the user receives any error messages. These cookies are also used to measure the loading time and behavior of the website in different browsers.
Targeted cookies
These cookies ensure better user-friendliness. For example, entered locations, font sizes, or form data are stored.
Advertising cookies
These cookies are also known as targeting cookies. They are used to deliver personalized advertising to the user. This can be very practical, but also very annoying.
When you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked which types of cookies you want to allow. And, of course, this decision is also stored in a cookie.
If you would like to learn more about cookies and are not afraid of technical documentation, we recommend https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265, the Request for Comments from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) entitled "HTTP State Management Mechanism."
Purpose of processing via cookies
The purpose ultimately depends on the respective cookie. You can find more details below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie.
What data is processed?
Cookies are little helpers for many different tasks. Unfortunately, it is not possible to generalize what data is stored in cookies, but we will inform you about the processed or stored data in the following privacy policy.
Cookie storage duration
The storage period depends on the cookie in question and is specified below. Some cookies are deleted after less than an hour, while others can remain stored on a computer for several years.
You also have control over how long cookies are stored. You can manually delete all cookies at any time via your browser (see also "Right to object" below). Furthermore, cookies that are based on consent will be deleted at the latest after you revoke your consent, whereby the legality of the storage remains unaffected until then.
Right to object – how can I delete cookies?
You decide for yourself how and whether you want to use cookies. Regardless of which service or website the cookies come from, you always have the option to delete, deactivate, or only partially allow cookies. For example, you can block third-party cookies but allow all other cookies.
If you want to find out which cookies have been stored in your browser, or if you want to change or delete cookie settings, you can find this in your browser settings:
Chrome: Delete, enable, and manage cookies in Chrome
Safari: Managing cookies and website data with Safari
Firefox: Delete cookies to remove data that websites have stored on your computer
Internet Explorer: Deleting and managing cookies
Microsoft Edge: Deleting and managing cookies
If you do not want cookies at all, you can set your browser to always inform you when a cookie is about to be set. This allows you to decide whether to accept or reject each individual cookie. The procedure varies depending on the browser. The best way to find the instructions is to search Google using the search term "delete cookies Chrome" or "disable cookies Chrome" if you are using the Chrome browser.
legal basis
The so-called "cookie guidelines" have been in place since 2009. These stipulate that the storage of cookies requires your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). However, there are still very different responses to these guidelines within EU countries. In Austria, however, this directive was implemented in Section 96(3) of the Telecommunications Act (TKG). In Germany, the cookie guidelines were not implemented as national law. Instead, this directive was largely implemented in Section 15(3) of the Telemedia Act (TMG).
There are legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) for strictly necessary cookies, even if no consent has been given, which are mostly of an economic nature. We want to provide visitors to the website with a pleasant user experience, and certain cookies are often absolutely necessary for this.
If cookies that are not absolutely necessary are used, this will only happen with your consent. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR.
The following sections provide more detailed information about the use of cookies, provided that the software used employs cookies.
application data
| Application data summary 👥 Data subjects: Users who apply for a job with us 🤝 Purpose: Processing of an application procedure 📓 Processed data: Name, address, contact details, email address, telephone number, proof of qualifications (certificates), possibly special categories of data. 📅 Storage period: if the application is successful, until the end of the employment relationship. Otherwise, the data will be deleted after the application process or stored for a certain period of time with your consent. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR), Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (contract), Art. 9 (2) (a) GDPR (processing of special categories). |
What is application data?
You can apply for a job at our company by email, online form, or via a recruiting tool. All data that we receive and process from you as part of an application is considered application data. In doing so, you always disclose personal data such as your name, date of birth, address, and telephone number.
Why do we process application data?
We process your data so that we can conduct a proper selection process for the advertised position. In addition, we are also happy to keep your application documents in our application archive. This is because it often happens that, for a variety of reasons, we are unable to hire you for the advertised position, but we are impressed by you and your application and can well imagine working with you in the future. If you give us your consent, we will archive your documents so that we can easily contact you for future positions in our company.
We guarantee that we will handle your data with the utmost care and will only process it within the legal framework. Even within our company, your data will only be passed on to people who are directly involved in your application. In short: your data is safe with us!
What data is processed?
If, for example, you apply to us by email, we will of course also receive personal data, as mentioned above. Even your email address counts as personal data. However, during the application process, we only process data that is relevant to our decision on whether or not to welcome you to our team.
The exact data processed depends primarily on the job advertisement. However, it usually includes your name, date of birth, contact details, and proof of qualifications. If you submit your application via an online form, the data will be encrypted before being forwarded to us. If you send us your application by email, this encryption will not take place. We therefore cannot accept any responsibility for the transmission process. However, once the data is on our servers, we are responsible for the lawful handling of your data.
During the application process, in addition to the above-mentioned data, information about your health or ethnic origin may also be requested so that we and you can exercise your rights with regard to labor law, social security, and social protection, while at the same time fulfilling the corresponding obligations. This data is considered special category data.
Here is a list of possible data that we receive from you and process:
- Name
- contact address
- email address
- phone number
- date of birth
- Information contained in the cover letter and resume
- Proof of qualifications (e.g.) certificates
- Special categories of data (e.g., ethnic origin, health data, religious beliefs)
- Usage data (websites visited, access data, etc.)
- Metadata (IP address, device information)
How long will the data be stored?
If we accept you as a team member in our company, your data will be processed for the purpose of the employment relationship and stored by us at least until the end of the employment relationship. All application documents will then be placed in your employee file.
If we do not offer you the position, you decline our offer, or you withdraw your application, we may retain your data for up to 6 months after the conclusion of the application process on the basis of legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). After that, both your electronic data and all data from physical application documents will be completely deleted or destroyed. We retain your data so that we can answer any queries or provide evidence of the application in the event of a legal dispute. If a legal dispute arises and we may still need the data after the 6-month period has expired, we will only delete the data when there is no longer any reason to retain it. If there are legal retention obligations to be fulfilled, we must generally store the data for longer than 6 months.
Furthermore, we may also store your data for longer if you have given your specific consent to do so. We do this, for example, if we can well imagine working with you in the future. In this case, it is helpful to have your data archived so that we can contact you easily. In this case, the data will be added to our applicant pool. Of course, you can revoke your consent to the longer storage of your data at any time. If you do not revoke your consent and do not give new consent, your data will be deleted after 2 years at the latest.
legal basis
The legal basis for the processing of your data is Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (contract or pre-contractual measures), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests), and Art. 9 (2) (a) GDPR (processing of special categories).
If we include you in our applicant tool, this is done on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). Please note that your consent to be included in our applicant pool is voluntary, has no influence on the application process, and you can withdraw your consent at any time. The lawfulness of the processing up to the point of withdrawal remains unaffected.
In the case of the protection of vital interests, data processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 (2) (c) GDPR. For the purposes of healthcare, occupational medicine, medical diagnostics, care or treatment in the health or social sector, or for the administration of systems and services in the health or social sector, the processing of personal data is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 (2) (h) GDPR. If you voluntarily provide special categories of data, processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 9 (2) (a) GDPR.
customer data
| Customer data summary 👥 Data subjects: Customers or business and contractual partners 🤝 Purpose: Provision of contractually or pre-contractually agreed services, including related communication 📓 Processed data: Name, address, contact details, email address, telephone number, payment information (such as invoices and bank details), contract data (such as the term and subject matter of the contract), IP address, order data 📅 Storage period: the data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for our business purposes and there is no legal obligation to retain it. ⚖️ Legal basis: legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR), contract (Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR) |
What is customer data?
In order to offer our services and contractual services, we also process data from our customers and business partners. This data always includes personal data. Customer data refers to all information that is processed on the basis of a contractual or pre-contractual collaboration in order to be able to provide the services offered. Customer data is therefore all information that we collect and process about our customers.
Why do we process customer data?
There are many reasons why we collect and process customer data. The most important one is that we simply need various data to provide our services. Sometimes your email address is sufficient, but if you purchase a product or service, we also need data such as your name, address, bank details, or contract details. We also use the data for marketing and sales optimization so that we can improve our overall service to our customers. Another important point is our customer service, which is always very important to us. We want you to be able to contact us at any time with questions about our offers, and for this we need at least your email address.
What data is processed?
At this point, we can only provide a general overview of the data that is stored, as this always depends on the services you purchase from us. In some cases, you only provide us with your email address so that we can contact you or answer your questions, for example. In other cases, you purchase a product or service from us, and we require significantly more information, such as your contact details, payment details, and contract details.
Here is a list of possible data that we receive from you and process:
- Name
- contact address
- email address
- phone number
- date of birth
- Payment data (invoices, bank details, payment history, etc.)
- Contract details (term, content)
- Usage data (websites visited, access data, etc.)
- Metadata (IP address, device information)
How long will the data be stored?
As soon as we no longer need the customer data to fulfill our contractual obligations and our purposes, and the data is also not necessary for possible warranty and liability obligations, we delete the corresponding customer data. This is the case, for example, when a business contract ends. After that, the limitation period is usually 3 years, although longer periods are possible in individual cases. Of course, we also comply with the statutory retention obligations. Your customer data will certainly not be passed on to third parties unless you have explicitly given your consent.
legal basis
The legal basis for the processing of your data is Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (contract or pre-contractual measures), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests), and in special cases (e.g., medical services) Art. 9 (2) (a) GDPR (processing of special categories).
In the case of the protection of vital interests, data processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 (2) (c) GDPR. For the purposes of healthcare, occupational medicine, medical diagnostics, care or treatment in the health or social sector, or for the administration of systems and services in the health or social sector, the processing of personal data is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 (2) (h) GDPR. If you voluntarily provide special categories of data, processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 9 (2) (a) GDPR.
registration
| Registration Summary 👥 Affected persons: All persons who register, create an account, log in, and use the account. 📓 Processed data: Email address, name, password, and other data collected during registration, login, and account use. 🤝 Purpose: Provision of our services. Communication with customers in connection with the services. 📅 Storage period:As long as the company account associated with the texts exists and thereafter, as a rule, 3 years. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (contract), Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
When you register with us, personal data may be processed if you enter personal information or if data such as your IP address is collected during processing. You can read more about what we mean by the rather cumbersome term "personal data" below.
Please only enter data that we require for registration and for which you have the consent of a third party if you are registering on behalf of a third party. If possible, use a secure password that you do not use anywhere else and an email address that you check regularly.
Below, we provide information about the exact nature of data processing, because we want you to feel comfortable with us!
What is registration?
When you register, we collect certain data from you and enable you to easily log in online later and use your account with us. Having an account with us has the advantage that you do not have to re-enter everything each time. This saves time and effort and ultimately prevents errors in the provision of our services.
Why do we process personal data?
In short, we process personal data to enable the creation and use of an account with us.
If we didn't do this, you would have to enter all your data every time, wait for us to approve it, and then enter everything again. We and many, many customers would not like that. How would you feel about it?
What data is processed?
All data that you provided during registration, enter when logging in, or enter when managing your data in your account.
When you register, we process the following types of data:
- First name
- last name
- email address
- company name
- Street + house number
- place of residence
- postal code
- country
When you register, we process the data you enter during registration, such as your username and password, as well as data collected in the background, such as device information and IP addresses.
When you use your account, we process data that you enter during account use and that is created in the course of using our services.
storage period
We store the data entered at least for as long as the account linked to the data exists and is used by us, as long as contractual obligations between us exist and, if the contract ends, until the respective claims arising from it have become time-barred. In addition, we store your data for as long as and to the extent that we are subject to legal obligations to store it. We then retain booking documents relating to the contract (invoices, contract documents, account statements, etc.) and other relevant business documents for the legally prescribed period (usually several years).
right of objection
You have registered, entered data, and would like to revoke the processing? No problem. As you can read above, according to the General Data Protection Regulation, you also have these rights during and after registration, login, or account creation with us. Contact the data protection officer listed above to exercise your rights. If you already have an account with us, you can easily view and manage your data and texts in your account.
legal basis
By completing the registration process, you are entering into a pre-contractual agreement with us to conclude a user agreement for our platform (even if this does not automatically result in a payment obligation). Youinvest time in entering data and registering, and we offer you our services after you have logged into our system and can view your customer account. We also fulfill our contractual obligations. Finally, we must keep registered users informed of important changes by email. This means that Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (implementation of pre-contractual measures, performance of a contract) applies.
Where applicable, we will also obtain your consent, e.g. if you voluntarily provide more than the absolutely necessary data or if we are allowed to send you advertising. Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent) therefore applies.
We also have a legitimate interest in knowing who we are dealing with in order to contact them in certain cases. In addition, we need to know who is using our services and whether they are being used in accordance with our terms of use, so Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests) applies.
Note: Users should check the following sections (as needed):
Registration with real name
Since we need to know who we are dealing with in business, registration is only possible with your real name (legal name) and not with pseudonyms.
Registration with pseudonyms
Pseudonyms can be used during registration, which means you do not have to register with us using your real name. This ensures that your name cannot be processed by us.
Storage of IP address
During registration, login, and account use, we store the IP address in the background for security reasons in order to verify lawful use.
Public profile
User profiles are publicly visible, i.e., parts of the profile can be viewed on the Internet without entering a username and password.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides additional security when logging in, as it prevents you from logging in without your smartphone, for example. This technical measure to secure your account protects you from data loss or unauthorized access even if your username and password are known. You can find out which 2FA is used during registration, login, and in the account itself.
Web hosting introduction
| Web hosting summary 👥 Affected persons: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Professional hosting of the website and securing its operation 📓 Processed data: IP address, time of website visit, browser used, and other data. More details can be found below or from the respective web hosting provider. 📅 Storage period: Depends on the respective provider, but usually 2 weeks ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is web hosting?
When you visit websites today, certain information—including personal data—is automatically generated and stored, and this website is no exception. This data should be processed as sparingly as possible and only when justified. By website, we mean all web pages on a domain, i.e., everything from the home page to the very last subpage (like this one). By domain, we mean, for example, example.com or sampleexample.com.
If you want to view a website on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, you use a program called a web browser. You probably know some web browsers by name: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari. We refer to them simply as browsers or web browsers.
To display the website, the browser must connect to another computer where the website code is stored: the web server. Operating a web server is a complicated and time-consuming task, which is why it is usually handled by professional providers. These providers offer web hosting and thus ensure reliable and error-free storage of website data. That's a lot of technical terms, but please stay with us, it gets even better!
When the browser on your computer (desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone) establishes a connection and during data transmission to and from the web server, personal data may be processed. On the one hand, your computer stores data, and on the other hand, the web server must also store data for a period of time to ensure proper operation.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so the following graphic illustrates the interaction between the browser, the Internet, and the hosting provider.
Why do we process personal data?
The purposes of data processing are:
- Professional website hosting and operational security
- to maintain operational and IT security
- Anonymous evaluation of access behavior to improve our offering and, if necessary, for criminal prosecution or the pursuit of claims
What data is processed?
Even as you visit our website right now, our web server, which is the computer on which this website is stored, automatically stores data such as
- the complete Internet address (URL) of the website accessed
- Browser and browser version (e.g., Chrome 87)
- the operating system used (e.g., Windows 10)
- the address (URL) of the previously visited page (referrer URL) (e.g., https://www.beispielquellsite.de/vondabinichgekommen/)
- the host name and IP address of the device from which access is being made (e.g., COMPUTERNAME and 194.23.43.121)
- Date and time
- in files, known as web server log files
How long is data stored?
As a rule, the above data is stored for two weeks and then automatically deleted. We do not pass on this data, but cannot rule out the possibility that it may be accessed by authorities in the event of illegal behavior.
In short: Your visit is logged by our provider (the company that runs our website on special computers (servers)), but we will not pass on your data without your consent!
legal basis
The lawfulness of the processing of personal data in the context of web hosting is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (protection of legitimate interests), as the use of professional hosting by a provider is necessary in order to present the company on the Internet in a secure and user-friendly manner and to be able to pursue any attacks and claims arising from this.
We generally have a contract with the hosting provider for order processing in accordance with Art. 28 et seq. GDPR, which ensures compliance with data protection and guarantees data security.
Hetzner Privacy Policy
We use Hetzner, a web hosting provider, for our website. The service provider is the German company Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestr. 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen, Germany.
You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Hetzner in the privacy policy at https://www.hetzner.com/de/legal/privacy-policy.
Order Processing Agreement (OPA) Hetzner
We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with Hetzner in accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can read about what exactly a DPA is and, above all, what must be included in a DPA in our general section "Data Processing Agreement (DPA)".
This contract is required by law because Hetzner processes personal data on our behalf. It clarifies that Hetzner may only process data received from us in accordance with our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. The link to the data processing agreement (DPA) can be found at https://docs.hetzner.com/de/general/general-terms-and-conditions/data-privacy-faq/.
Web Analytics Introduction
| Web Analytics Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected persons: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimize the website. 📓 Processed data: Access statistics containing data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, click behavior, and IP addresses. More details can be found in the respective web analytics tool used. 📅 Storage period: Depends on the web analytics tool used. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is web analytics?
We use software on our website to evaluate the behavior of website visitors, known as web analytics or web analysis for short. This involves collecting data that is stored, managed, and processed by the respective analytics tool provider (also known as a tracking tool). The data is used to create analyses of user behavior on our website and made available to us as the website operator. In addition, most tools offer various testing options. This allows us to test which offers or content are most popular with our visitors. To do this, we show you two different offers for a limited period of time. After the test (known as an A/B test), we know which product or content our website visitors find more interesting. For such test procedures, as well as for other analytics procedures, user profiles can also be created and the data stored in cookies.
Why do we use web analytics?
With our website, we have a clear goal in mind: we want to provide the best web offering on the market for our industry. To achieve this goal, we want to offer the best and most interesting content while also ensuring that you feel completely at home on our website. With the help of web analysis tools, we can take a closer look at the behavior of our website visitors and then improve our website for you and us accordingly. For example, we can see the average age of our visitors, where they come from, when our website is most visited, and which content or products are particularly popular. All this information helps us to optimize the website and thus tailor it to your needs, interests, and wishes.
What data is processed?
Exactly which data is stored depends, of course, on the analysis tools used. However, as a rule, the following information is stored: what content you view on our website, which buttons or links you click on, when you visit a page, which browser you use, which device (PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.) you use to visit the website, and which computer system you use. If you have agreed to the collection of location data, this data may also be processed by the web analysis tool provider.
Your IP address is also stored. According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), IP addresses are personal data. However, your IP address is usually stored in pseudonymized form (i.e., in an unrecognizable and abbreviated form). For the purposes of testing, web analysis, and web optimization, no direct data such as your name, age, address, or email address is stored. All such data, if collected, is stored in pseudonymized form. This means that you cannot be identified as an individual.
The following example shows schematically how Google Analytics works as an example of client-based web tracking with JavaScript code.
How long the respective data is stored always depends on the provider. Some cookies only store data for a few minutes or until you leave the website, while others can store data for several years.
Duration of data processing
We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If required by law, for example in the case of accounting, this storage period may be exceeded.
right of objection
You also have the right and the option to revoke your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. You can do this either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating, or deleting cookies in your browser.
legal basis
The use of web analytics requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie pop-up. According to Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when collected by web analytics tools.
In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offering both technically and economically. With the help of web analytics, we can detect website errors, identify attacks, and improve economic efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.
Since web analytics tools use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly what data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.
Information on specific web analytics tools, if available, can be found in the following sections.
Facebook Pixel Privacy Policy
We use Facebook's Facebook Pixel on our website. We have implemented a code on our website for this purpose. The Facebook Pixel is a snippet of JavaScript code that loads a collection of functions that allow Facebook to track your user actions if you have come to our website via Facebook Ads. For example, if you purchase a product on our website, the Facebook pixel is triggered and stores your actions on our website in one or more cookies. These cookies enable Facebook to match your user data (customer data such as IP address, user ID) with the data in your Facebook account. Facebook then deletes this data again. The data collected is anonymous and cannot be viewed by us and is only used for advertising purposes. If you are a Facebook user and are logged in, your visit to our website will automatically be assigned to your Facebook user account.
We only want to show our services and products to people who are genuinely interested in them. With the help of Facebook pixels, our advertising measures can be better tailored to your wishes and interests. This means that Facebook users (provided they have allowed personalized advertising) will see relevant ads. Facebook also uses the collected data for analysis purposes and its own advertisements.
Below, we show you the cookies that were set by integrating Facebook pixels on a test page. Please note that these are only example cookies. Different cookies are set depending on your interaction with our website.
Name: _fbp
Value: fb.1.1568287647279.257405483-6122077330-7
Purpose: This cookie is used by Facebook to display advertising products.
Expiration date: after 3 months
Name:fr
Value: 0aPf312HOS5Pboo2r..Bdeiuf…1.0.Bdeiuf.
Purpose: This cookie is used to ensure that Facebook Pixel works properly.
Expiration date: after 3 months
Name: comment_author_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062122077330-3
Value: Name of the author
Purpose: This cookie stores the text and name of a user who, for example, leaves a comment.
Expiration date: After 12 months
Name: comment_author_url_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062
Value: https%3A%2F%2Fwww.testseite…%2F (author's URL)
Purpose: This cookie stores the URL of the website that the user enters in a text field on our website.
Expiration date: after 12 months
Name: comment_author_email_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062
Value: Author's email address
Purpose: This cookie stores the user's email address, provided they have entered it on the website.
Expiration date: After 12 months
Note: Thecookies mentioned above refer to individual user behavior. Changes to Facebook can never be ruled out, especially when it comes to the use of cookies.
If you are registered with Facebook, you can change your ad settings yourself at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/advertisers/.If you are not a Facebook user, you can manage your usage-based online advertising at https://www.youronlinechoices.com/de/praferenzmanagement/. There you have the option of deactivating or activating providers.
Facebook also processes your data in the US, among other places. Facebook, or Meta Platforms, is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the US. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.
In addition, Facebook uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. Para. 2 and 3 GDPR). Standard contractual clauses (SCC) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the US). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Facebook undertakes to comply with European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the US. These clauses are based on an implementing decision by the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de
The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.
If you would like to learn more about Facebook's data protection, we recommend that you read the company's own data policy at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy.
Matomo Privacy Policy
We use Matomo, an analysis software for websites, on our website. The service provider is the New Zealand company InnoCraft Ltd, 7 Waterloo Quay PO625, 6140 Wellington, New Zealand.
You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Matomo in the privacy policy at https://matomo.org/privacy-policy/. If you have any questions about data protection, please send an email to privacy@matomo.org.
Matomo On-Premise Privacy Policy
We use the privacy-friendly analysis program Matomo On-Premise on our website. With the on-premise version, Matomo is installed on our own server. This means that we act as the operator of the software and any data we may collect from you is stored directly with us. Data processing therefore remains entirely in our hands. The service provider is the New Zealand company InnoCraft Ltd, 7 Waterloo Quay PO625, 6140 Wellington, New Zealand.
If you would like to know more about data processing by Matomo On-Premise, please feel free to contact us. We also recommend reading Matomo's privacy policy at https://matomo.org/privacy-policy/.
Matomo On-Premise (without cookies)
Many web analytics tools typically use cookies to collect and process large amounts of personal data for analysis and marketing purposes. Cookies are small text files that are usually stored in your browser and may contain personal data. We want to respect and protect your privacy as much as possible. That is why we have decided to take a different approach and use Matomo On-Premise without cookies. Although we can perform various measurements and web analyses with Matomo, no personal data about you is stored in cookies. Matomo On-Premise without cookies is one of the most privacy-friendly web analytics services on the market.
Email Marketing Introduction
| Email marketing summary 👥 Data subjects: Newsletter subscribers 🤝 Purpose: Direct marketing via email, notification of system-relevant events 📓 Processed data: Data entered during registration, but at least the email address. More details can be found in the respective email marketing tool used. 📅 Storage period: Duration of the subscription ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is email marketing?
We also use email marketing to keep you up to date. If you have agreed to receive our emails or newsletters, your data will also be processed and stored. Email marketing is a sub-area of online marketing. It involves sending news or general information about a company, products, or services by email to a specific group of people who are interested in it.
If you would like to participate in our email marketing (usually via newsletter), you normally only need to register with your email address. To do so, simply fill out an online form and submit it. However, we may also ask you for your title and name so that we can address you personally.
Basically, newsletter registration works using the "double opt-in" procedure. After you have registered for our newsletter on our website, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your newsletter registration. This ensures that the email address belongs to you and that no one else has registered with someone else's email address. We or a notification tool we use logs each individual registration. This is necessary so that we can verify that the registration process was legally correct. The time of registration, the time of registration confirmation, and your IP address are usually stored. In addition, any changes you make to your stored data are also logged.
Why do we use email marketing?
We naturally want to stay in touch with you and keep you up to date with the most important news about our company. To this end, we use email marketing—often referred to simply as "newsletters"—as an essential part of our online marketing strategy. If you agree to this or if it is legally permitted, we will send you newsletters, system emails, or other notifications by email. When we use the term "newsletter" in the following text, we mainly mean regularly sent emails. Of course, we do not want to bother you with our newsletters in any way. That is why we always strive to provide only relevant and interesting content. For example, you can learn more about our company, our services, or our products. Since we are constantly improving our offerings, our newsletter will also keep you informed about any news or special, lucrative promotions we may be offering. If we commission a service provider that offers a professional mailing tool for our email marketing, we do so in order to be able to offer you fast and secure newsletters. The purpose of our email marketing is basically to inform you about new offers and also to bring us closer to our business goals.
What data is processed?
If you subscribe to our newsletter via our website, you confirm your membership in an email list by email. In addition to your IP address and email address, your title, name, address, and telephone number may also be stored. However, this will only happen if you consent to this data storage. The data marked as such is necessary for you to participate in the service offered. Providing this information is voluntary, but failure to do so will result in you being unable to use the service. In addition, information about your device or your preferred content on our website may also be stored. For more information about data storage when you visit a website, please refer to the section "Automatic data storage." We record your declaration of consent so that we can always prove that it complies with our laws.
Duration of data processing
If you unsubscribe from our email/newsletter distribution list, we may store your address for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests so that we can still prove your consent at that time. We may only process this data if we need to defend ourselves against any claims.
However, if you confirm that you have given us your consent to subscribe to the newsletter, you can submit an individual deletion request at any time. If you permanently revoke your consent, we reserve the right to store your email address in a block list. As long as you have voluntarily subscribed to our newsletter, we will of course retain your email address.
right of objection
You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time. All you need to do is revoke your consent to subscribe to the newsletter. This usually takes just a few seconds or one or two clicks. In most cases, you will find a link at the end of each email to unsubscribe from the newsletter. If you really cannot find the link in the newsletter, please contact us by email and we will unsubscribe you from the newsletter immediately.
legal basis
Our newsletter is sent on the basis of your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). This means that we may only send you a newsletter if you have actively subscribed to it beforehand. We may also send you advertising messages if you have become our customer and have not objected to the use of your email address for direct marketing purposes.
Information about specific email marketing services and how they process personal data can be found in the following sections, if available.
Click tip Privacy policy
We use Klick-Tipp, a marketing automation service, on our website. The service provider is the British company Klick-Tipp Limited, 15 Cambridge Court, 210 Shepherd's Bush Road, London W67NJ, United Kingdom. You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Klick-Tipp in the privacy policy at https://www.klicktipp.com/datenschutzerklarung/.
Social Media Introduction
| Social media privacy policy summary 👥 Affected parties: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Presentation and optimization of our services, contact with visitors, interested parties, etc., advertising 📓 Processed data: Data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, contact details, user behavior data, information about your device, and your IP address. You can find more details on this in the respective social media tool used. 📅 Storage period: Depends on the social media platforms used. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is social media?
In addition to our website, we are also active on various social media platforms. User data may be processed so that we can specifically target users who are interested in us via social networks. Furthermore, elements of a social media platform may also be embedded directly into our website. This is the case, for example, when you click on a social button on our website and are redirected directly to our social media presence. Social media refers to websites and apps through which registered members can produce content, exchange content openly or within specific groups, and network with other members.
Why do we use social media?
For years, social media platforms have been the place where people communicate and connect online. Our social media presence allows us to bring our products and services closer to potential customers. The social media elements integrated into our website help you quickly and easily access our social media content.
The data stored and processed through your use of a social media channel is primarily intended to enable web analytics. The aim of these analyses is to develop more accurate and personalized marketing and advertising strategies. Depending on your behavior on a social media platform, the evaluated data can be used to draw appropriate conclusions about your interests and create so-called user profiles. This also enables the platforms to present you with customized advertisements. In most cases, cookies are set in your browser for this purpose, which store data about your usage behavior.
We generally assume that we remain responsible for data protection even when using the services of a social media platform. However, the European Court of Justice has ruled that in certain cases, the operator of the social media platform may be jointly responsible with us within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR. If this is the case, we will point this out separately and work on the basis of a relevant agreement. The essence of the agreement is then reproduced below for the platform concerned.
Please note that when using social media platforms or our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many social media channels, such as Facebook or Twitter, are American companies. This may mean that you are no longer able to easily assert or enforce your rights with regard to your personal data.
What data is processed?
Exactly what data is stored and processed depends on the respective social media platform provider. However, it usually includes data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, data you enter in a contact form, user data such as which buttons you click, who you like or follow, when you visited which pages, information about your device, and your IP address. Most of this data is stored in cookies. Especially if you have a profile on the social media channel you are visiting and are logged in, data can be linked to your profile.
All data collected via a social media platform is also stored on the providers' servers. This means that only the providers have access to the data and can provide you with the relevant information or make changes.
If you want to know exactly what data is stored and processed by social media providers and how you can object to data processing, you should carefully read the company's privacy policy. If you have any questions about data storage and data processing or want to assert your rights in this regard, we recommend that you contact the provider directly.
Duration of data processing
We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information on this. For example, the social media platform Facebook stores data until it is no longer needed for its own purposes. However, customer data that is matched with your own user data is deleted within two days. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary to provide our services and products. If required by law, as in the case of accounting, for example, this storage period may be exceeded.
right of objection
You also have the right and the option to revoke your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers such as embedded social media elements at any time. You can do this either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating, or deleting cookies in your browser.
Since social media tools may use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly what data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.
legal basis
If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). In principle, if you have given your consent, your data will also be stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) in fast and effective communication with you or other customers and business partners. However, we only use the tools if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and review the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
Information on specific social media platforms can be found in the following sections, where available.
LinkedIn Privacy Policy
| LinkedIn Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Optimization of our services 📓 Processed data: Data such as user behavior data, information about your device, and your IP address. More details can be found below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: the data is generally deleted within 30 days ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is LinkedIn?
We use social plug-ins from the social media network LinkedIn, LinkedIn Corporation, 2029 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA, on our website. Social plug-ins can be feeds, content sharing, or links to our LinkedIn page. Social plug-ins are clearly marked with the familiar LinkedIn logo and allow you to share interesting content directly from our website, for example. For the European Economic Area and Switzerland, LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company Wilton Place in Dublin is responsible for data processing.
By embedding such plug-ins, data can be sent to LinkedIn, stored, and processed there. In this privacy policy, we want to inform you about what data is involved, how the network uses this data, and how you can manage or prevent data storage.
LinkedIn is the largest social network for business contacts. Unlike Facebook, for example, the company focuses exclusively on establishing business contacts. Companies can use the platform to present their services and products and establish business relationships. Many people also use LinkedIn to search for jobs or to find suitable employees for their own companies. In Germany alone, the network has over 11 million members. In Austria, there are around 1.3 million.
Why do we use LinkedIn on our website?
We know how busy you are. It's impossible to follow all social media channels individually. Even if, as in our case, it would be worthwhile. Because we regularly post interesting news or reports that are worth sharing. That's why we've created the option on our website to share interesting content directly on LinkedIn or link directly to our LinkedIn page. We consider built-in social plug-ins to be an extended service on our website. The data collected by LinkedIn also helps us to show potential advertising measures only to people who are interested in what we have to offer.
What data does LinkedIn store?
LinkedIn does not store any personal data simply by integrating social plug-ins. LinkedIn refers to this data generated by plug-ins as passive impressions. However, if you click on a social plug-in, for example to share our content, the platform stores personal data as so-called "active impressions." This happens regardless of whether you have a LinkedIn account or not. If you are logged in, the data collected will be assigned to your account.
Your browser establishes a direct connection to LinkedIn's servers when you interact with our plug-ins. This allows the company to log various usage data. In addition to your IP address, this may include login data, device information, or information about your Internet or mobile service provider. If you access LinkedIn services via your smartphone, your location may also be determined (after you have given your consent). LinkedIn may also pass this data on to third-party advertisers in "hashed" form. Hashing means that a data record is converted into a string of characters. This allows the data to be encrypted so that individuals can no longer be identified.
Most data relating to your user behavior is stored in cookies. These are small text files that are usually placed in your browser. LinkedIn may also use web beacons, pixel tags, display tags, and other device identifiers.
Various tests also show which cookies are set when a user interacts with a social plug-in. The data found cannot claim to be complete and serves only as an example. The following cookies were set without being logged in to LinkedIn:
Name: bcookie
Value: =2&34aab2aa-2ae1-4d2a-8baf-c2e2d7235c16122077330-
Purpose: This cookie is a so-called "browser ID cookie" and therefore stores your identification number (ID).
Expiration date: After 2 years
Name: lang
Value: v=2&lang=en-US
Purpose: This cookie stores your default or preferred language.
Expiration date: after the end of the session
Name: lidc
Value: 1818367:t=1571904767:s=AQF6KNnJ0G122077330…
Purpose: This cookie is used for routing. Routing records the paths you took to get to LinkedIn and how you navigate through the website.
Expiration date: after 24 hours
Name: rtc
Value: kt0lrv3NF3x3t6xvDgGrZGDKkX
Purpose:No further information could be obtained about this cookie.
Expiration date: after 2 minutes
Name: JSESSIONID
Value: ajax:1220773302900777718326218137
Purpose: This is a session cookie that LinkedIn uses to maintain anonymous user sessions through the server.
Expiration date: After the end of the session
Name: bscookie
Value: “v=1&201910230812…
Purpose: This cookie is a security cookie. LinkedIn describes it as a secure browser ID cookie.
Expiration date: after 2 years
Name: fid
Value: AQHj7Ii23ZBcqAAAA...
Purpose: No further information could be found about this cookie.
Expiration date: after 7 days
Note: LinkedIn also works with third-party providers. That is why we also detected the two Google Analytics cookies _ga and _gat in our test.
How long and where is the data stored?
In principle, LinkedIn retains your personal data for as long as the company deems necessary to provide its services. However, LinkedIn will delete your personal data when you delete your account. In some exceptional cases, LinkedIn may retain some data in aggregated and anonymized form even after you delete your account. Once you delete your account, other people will no longer be able to see your data within one day. LinkedIn generally deletes the data within 30 days. However, LinkedIn retains data if it is necessary to do so for legal reasons. Data that can no longer be attributed to individuals remains stored even after the account is closed. The data is stored on various servers in the US and presumably also in Europe.
How can I delete my data or prevent it from being stored?
You have the right to access and delete your personal data at any time. You can manage, change, and delete your data in your LinkedIn account. You can also request a copy of your personal data from LinkedIn.
How to access the account information in your LinkedIn profile:
In LinkedIn, click on your profile icon and select the "Settings and Privacy" section. Now click on "Privacy" and then on "Change" in the "How LinkedIn uses your data" section. In just a few moments, you can download selected data about your web activity and account history.
You also have the option of preventing LinkedIn from processing data in your browser. As mentioned above, LinkedIn stores most data via cookies that are set in your browser. You can manage, deactivate, or delete these cookies. Depending on which browser you use, the management process works slightly differently. Under the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the respective instructions for the most popular browsers.
You can also configure your browser so that you are always informed when a cookie is to be set. You can then decide individually whether you want to accept the cookie or not.
legal basis
If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). In principle, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) in fast and effective communication with you or other customers and business partners. However, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and review the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
LinkedIn also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.
LinkedIn uses standard contractual clauses (SCC) as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e., in particular in the USA) or for data transfers to such countries (Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard contractual clauses (SCC) are model templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through these clauses, LinkedIn undertakes to comply with European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision by the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de
For more information about the standard contractual clauses on LinkedIn, please visit https://de.linkedin.com/legal/l/dpa or https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/eu-sccs.
We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by LinkedIn. You can find out more about data processing by the social media network LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.
Order Processing Agreement (OPA) LinkedIn
We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with LinkedIn in accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can read about what exactly a DPA is and, above all, what must be included in a DPA in our general section "Data Processing Agreement (DPA)".
This contract is required by law because LinkedIn processes personal data on our behalf. It clarifies that LinkedIn may only process data received from us in accordance with our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. The link to the data processing agreement (DPA) can be found at https://de.linkedin.com/legal/l/dpa.
Pinterest Privacy Policy
| Pinterest Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected parties: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Optimization of our services 📓 Processed data: Data such as user behavior data, information about your device, your IP address, and search terms. More details can be found below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: until Pinterest no longer needs the data for its purposes ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is Pinterest?
We use buttons and widgets from the social media network Pinterest, operated by Pinterest Inc., 808 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA, on our website. For the European region, the Irish company Pinterest Europe Ltd. (Palmerston House, 2nd Floor, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible for all data protection-related aspects.
Pinterest is a social network that specializes in graphic representations and photographs. The name is a combination of the words "pin" and "interest." Users can exchange information about various hobbies and interests via Pinterest and view each other's profiles with pictures, either openly or in defined groups.
Why do we use Pinterest?
Pinterest has been around for several years now, and this social media platform is still one of the most visited and valued platforms. Pinterest is particularly suitable for our industry because the platform is primarily known for beautiful and interesting images. That's why we are also represented on Pinterest and want to showcase our content outside of our website. The data collected can also be used for advertising purposes, enabling us to show advertising messages to precisely those people who are interested in our services or products.
What data does Pinterest process?
So-called log data may be stored. This includes information about your browser, IP address, the address of our website and the activities carried out on it (for example, when you click the "Save" or "Pin" button), search history, date and time of the request, and cookie and device data. If you interact with an embedded Pinterest feature, cookies that store various data may also be set in your browser. In most cases, the above-mentioned log data, preset language settings, and clickstream data are stored in cookies. Pinterest defines clickstream data as information about your website behavior.
If you have a Pinterest account and are logged in, the data collected via our site may be added to your account and used for advertising purposes. When you interact with our integrated Pinterest features, you will usually be redirected to the Pinterest site. Here you can see a sample selection of cookies that will then be set in your browser.
Name: _auth
Value: 0
Purpose: The cookie is used for authentication. For example, a value such as your "user name" can be stored in it.
Expiration date: after one year
Name: _pinterest_referrer
Value: 1
Purpose: This cookie stores the fact that you arrived at Pinterest via our website. The URL of our website is therefore stored.
Expiration date: after the end of the session
Name: _pinterest_sess
Value: …9HRHZvVE0rQlUxdG89
Purpose: This cookie is used to log in to Pinterest and contains user IDs, authentication tokens, and timestamps.
Expiration date: after one year
Name: _routing_id
Value: "8d850ddd-4fb8-499c-961c-77efae9d4065122077330-8"
Purpose: The cookie contains an assigned value that is used to identify a specific routing destination.
Expiration date: after one day
Name: cm_sub
Value: denied
Purpose: This cookie stores a user ID and timestamp.
Expiration date: after one year
Name: csrftoken
Value: 9e49145c82a93d34fd933b0fd8446165122077330-1
Purpose: This cookie is most likely set for security reasons to prevent requests from being forged. However, we were unable to find out more specific details.
Expiration date: after one year
Name: sessionFunnelEventLogged
Value: 1
Purpose: We have not yet been able to obtain any further informationabout this cookie.
Expiration date: after one day
How long and where is the data stored?
Pinterest generally stores the collected data until it is no longer needed for the purposes of the company. As soon as data storage is no longer necessary, for example to comply with legal requirements, the data is either deleted or anonymized so that you can no longer be identified as a person. The data may also be stored on American servers.
right of objection
You also have the right and the option to revoke your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers such as Pinterest at any time. You can do this either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating, or deleting cookies in your browser.
Since cookies may be used in embedded Pinterest elements, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly what data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.
legal basis
If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). In principle, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) in fast and effective communication with you or other customers and business partners. However, we only use the tool if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and review the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
Pinterest also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.
Pinterest uses standard contractual clauses (SCC) as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e., in particular in the USA) or for data transfers to such countries (Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard contractual clauses (SCC) are model templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, Pinterest undertakes to comply with European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision by the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.
For more information about the standard contractual clauses at Pinterest, please visit https://policy.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy#section-residents-of-the-eea.
We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Pinterest. You can find out more about Pinterest's data policy at https://policy.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.
Twitter Privacy Policy
| Twitter Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected parties: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Optimization of our services 📓 Processed data: Data such as user behavior data, information about your device, and your IP address. More details can be found below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: Twitter deletes data collected from other websites after 30 days at the latest. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is Twitter?
We have integrated Twitter features into our website. These include embedded tweets, timelines, buttons, and hashtags. Twitter is a short message service and social media platform operated by Twitter Inc., One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland.
To the best of our knowledge, no personal data or data relating to your web activities is transferred to Twitter in the European Economic Area and Switzerland simply by integrating Twitter functions. Only when you interact with Twitter functions, such as clicking on a button, can data be sent to Twitter, stored there, and processed. We have no influence on this data processing and bear no responsibility for it. In this privacy policy, we want to give you an overview of what data Twitter stores, what Twitter does with this data, and how you can largely protect yourself from data transfer.
For some, Twitter is a news service, for others a social media platform, and still others refer to it as a microblogging service. All of these descriptions are valid and mean more or less the same thing.
Both individuals and companies use Twitter to communicate with interested parties via short messages. Twitter allows only 280 characters per message. These messages are called "tweets." Unlike Facebook, for example, the service does not focus on expanding a network of "friends," but rather aims to be understood as a global and open news platform. On Twitter, you can also maintain an anonymous account, and tweets can be deleted by the company on the one hand, or by the users themselves on the other.
Why do we use Twitter on our website?
Like many other websites and companies, we try to offer our services and communicate with our customers through various channels. We have grown particularly fond of Twitter as a useful "small" messaging service. We regularly tweet or retweet exciting, funny, or interesting content. We realize that you can't follow every channel separately. After all, you have other things to do. That's why we've integrated Twitter functions into our website. You can follow our Twitter activity "on site" or access our Twitter page via a direct link. By integrating Twitter, we want to enhance our service and the user-friendliness of our website.
What data does Twitter store?
Some of our subpages feature built-in Twitter functions. If you interact with Twitter content, such as clicking on a button, Twitter may collect and store data. This is also the case if you do not have a Twitter account yourself. Twitter calls this data "log data." This includes demographic data, browser cookie IDs, your smartphone ID, hashed email addresses, and information about which pages you visited on Twitter and what actions you took. Of course, Twitter stores more data if you have a Twitter account and are logged in. This storage usually takes place via cookies. Cookies are small text files that are usually set in your browser and transmit various information to Twitter.
We will now show you which cookies are set when you are not logged in to Twitter but visit a website with built-in Twitter features. Please consider this list as an example. We cannot guarantee that it is complete, as the choice of cookies is constantly changing and depends on your individual actions with Twitter content.
These cookies were used in our test:
Name: personalization_id
Value: “v1_cSJIsogU51SeE122077330”
Purpose: This cookie stores information about how you use the website and which advertisement you may have used to access Twitter.
Expiration date: after 2 years
Name: lang
Value: de
Purpose: This cookie stores your default or preferred language.
Expiration date: afterthe end of the session
Name: guest_id
Value: 122077330v1%3A157132626
Purpose: This cookie is set to identify you as a guest.
Expiration date: after 2 years
Name: fm
Value: 0
Purpose: Unfortunately, we were unable to determine the purposeof this cookie.
Expiration date: afterthe end of the session
Name: external_referer
Value: 1220773302beTA0sf5lkMrlGt
Purpose: This cookie collects anonymous data, such as how often you visit Twitter and how long you visit Twitter.
Expiration date: After 6 days
Name: eu_cn
Value: 1
Purpose: This cookie stores user activity and serves various advertising purposes for Twitter .
Expiration date: After one year
Name: ct0
Value: c1179f07163a365d2ed7aad84c99d966
Purpose: Unfortunately, we have not found any informationabout this cookie.
Expiration date: after 6 hours
Name: _twitter_sess
Value: 53D%253D–dd0248122077330-
Purpose: This cookieallows youto use features within the Twitter website.
Expiration date: after the end of the session
Note: Twitter also works with third-party providers. That is why we also detected the three Google Analytics cookies _ga, _gat, and _gid in our test.
Twitter uses the collected data on the one hand to better understand user behavior and thus improve its own services and advertising offerings, and on the other hand, the data also serves internal security measures.
How long and where is the data stored?
When Twitter collects data from other websites, it is deleted, summarized, or otherwise obscured after a maximum of 30 days. Twitter's servers are located in various server centers in the United States. It can therefore be assumed that the data collected is stored in America. Based on our research, we were unable to determine conclusively whether Twitter also has its own servers in Europe. In principle, Twitter can store the collected data until it is no longer useful to the company, you delete the data, or a statutory deletion period applies.
How can I delete my data or prevent it from being stored?
In its privacy policy, Twitter repeatedly emphasizes that it does not store any data from external website visits if you or your browser are located in the European Economic Area or Switzerland. However, if you interact directly with Twitter, Twitter will of course also store data about you.
If you have a Twitter account, you can manage your data by clicking on "More" under the "Profile" button. Then click on "Settings and privacy." Here you can manage data processing individually.
If you do not have a Twitter account, you can go to twitter.comand then click on "Personalization." Under "Personalization and data," you can manage your collected data.
As mentioned above, most data is stored via cookies, which you can manage, deactivate, or delete in your browser. Please note that you can only "edit" cookies in the browser you have selected. This means that if you use a different browser in the future, you will have to manage your cookies again according to your preferences. Under the "Cookies" section, you will find the corresponding links to the respective instructions for the most popular browsers.
You can also configure your browser to notify you each time a cookie is set. This allows you to decide individually whether to accept or reject each cookie.
Twitter also uses the data for personalized advertising on and off Twitter. You can turn off personalized advertising in your settings under "Personalization and data." If you use Twitter on a browser, you can disable personalized advertising at https://optout.aboutads.info/?c=2&lang=EN.
legal basis
If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). In principle, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) in fast and effective communication with you or other customers and business partners. However, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and review the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
Twitter also processes your data in the United States, among other places. We would like to point out that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the United States. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.
Twitter uses standard contractual clauses (SCC) as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e., in particular in the USA) or for data transfers to such countries (Art. 46(2) and (3) GDPR). Standard contractual clauses (SCC) are model templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, Twitter undertakes to comply with European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision by the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de
For more information about the standard contractual clauses on Twitter, please visit https://gdpr.twitter.com/en/controller-to-controller-transfers.html.
We hope we have provided you with a basic overview of data processing by Twitter. We do not receive any data from Twitter and are not responsible for what Twitter does with your data. If you have any further questions on this topic, we recommend that you read Twitter's privacy policy at https://twitter.com/de/privacy.
cloud services
| Cloud services Privacy policy Summary 👥 Data subjects: We as website operators and you as website visitors 🤝 Purpose: Security and data storage 📓 Processed data: Data such as your IP address, name, or technical data such as browser version You can find more details below and in the individual data protection texts or in the privacy policies of the providers 📅 Storage period: In most cases, the data is stored until it is no longer needed to fulfill the service ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What are cloud services?
Cloud services provide us, as website operators, with storage space and computing power via the Internet. Data can be transferred to an external system, processed, and stored via the Internet. The relevant cloud provider is responsible for managing this data. Depending on requirements, an individual or a company can choose the amount of storage space or computing power they need. Cloud storage is accessed via an API or storage protocols. API stands for Application Programming Interface and refers to a programming interface that connects software and hardware components.
Why do we use cloud services?
We use cloud services for several reasons. A cloud service allows us to store our data securely. It also gives us access to our data from different locations and devices, giving us greater flexibility and simplifying our work processes. Cloud storage also saves us money because we don't have to set up and manage our own infrastructure for data storage and data security. By storing our data centrally in the cloud, we can also expand our areas of application and manage our information much more effectively.
As website operators and as a company, we primarily use cloud services for our own purposes. For example, we use the services to manage our calendar and to store documents or other important information in the cloud. However, this may also involve the storage of your personal data. This is the case, for example, if you provide us with your contact details (such as your name and email address) and we store our customer data with a cloud provider. Consequently, data that we process about you may also be stored and processed on external servers. If we offer certain forms or content from cloud services on our website, cookies may also be set for web analysis and advertising purposes. Furthermore, such cookies remember your settings (such as the language used) so that you will find your usual web environment when you visit our website again.
What data is processed by cloud services?
Much of the data we store in the cloud is not personally identifiable, but some data is considered personal data according to the definition in the GDPR. This often includes customer data such as name, address, IP address, or phone number, or technical device information. Videos, images, and audio files can also be stored in the cloud. How exactly the data is collected and stored depends on the service in question. We try to use only services that handle data in a highly trustworthy and professional manner. In principle, services such as Amazon Drive have access to the stored files in order to be able to offer their own services accordingly. However, to do so, the services require permissions such as the right to copy files for security reasons. This data is processed and managed within the scope of the services and in compliance with applicable laws. This also includes the GDPR for US providers (via the standard contractual clauses). In some cases, these cloud services also work with third-party providers who can process data under instruction and in accordance with data protection guidelines and other security measures. We would like to emphasize once again that all known cloud services (such as Amazon Drive, Google Drive, or Microsoft Onedrive) reserve the right to access stored content in order to offer and optimize their own services accordingly.
Duration of data processing
We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information on this. In general, cloud services store data until you or we revoke the data storage or delete the data. As a rule, personal data is only stored for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of services. However, it can take several months to permanently delete data from the cloud. This is because the data is usually not only stored on one server, but is distributed across several servers.
right of objection
You also have the right and the option to revoke your consent to data storage in a cloud at any time. If cookies are used, you also have a right of revocation here. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating, or deleting cookies in your browser. We also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective cloud providers.
legal basis
We use cloud services primarily on the basis of our legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) in a good security and storage system.
Certain processing operations, in particular the use of cookies and storage functions, require your consent. If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by cloud services, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). Most of the services we use set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and review the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
Information on special tools can be found in the following sections, if available.
Dropbox Privacy Policy
We use Dropbox, an online storage service for files, photos, and videos, for our website. The service provider is the American company Dropbox Inc. The company's European branch is located in Ireland (One Park Place, Floor 5, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2).
Dropbox also processes your data in the United States, among other places. Please note that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the United States. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.
Dropbox uses standard contractual clauses (SCC) as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e., in particular in the USA) or for data transfers to such countries (Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard contractual clauses (SCC) are model templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, Dropbox undertakes to comply with European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the US. These clauses are based on an implementing decision by the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de
The Data Processing Agreements, which comply with the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://assets.dropbox.com/documents/en/legal/dfb-data-processing-agreement.pdf.
For more information about the data processed when using Dropbox, please refer to the Privacy Policy at https://www.dropbox.com/privacy.
Online map services Introduction
| Online map services Privacy policy summary 👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To improve the user experience 📓 Data processed: The data processed depends largely on the services used. In most cases, this includes IP addresses, location data, search items, and/or technical data. More details can be found in the tools used. 📅 Storage period: Depends on the tools used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What are online map services?
We also use online map services as an extended service for our website. Google Maps is probably the service you are most familiar with, but there are also other providers that specialize in creating digital maps. Such services make it possible to display locations, route plans, or other geographical information directly on our website. With an integrated map service, you no longer have to leave our website to view the route to a location, for example. To ensure that the online map works on our website, map sections are integrated using HTML code. The services can then display road maps, the earth's surface, or aerial or satellite images. When you use the built-in map service, data is also transferred to the tool used and stored there. This data may also include personal data.
Why do we use online map services on our website?
Generally speaking, our goal is to make your time on our website as pleasant as possible. And of course, your time will only be pleasant if you can easily find your way around our website and quickly and easily find all the information you need. That's why we thought an online map system could be a significant improvement to our website service. Without leaving our website, you can easily view route descriptions, locations, and even points of interest with the help of the map system. It is also very practical that you can see at a glance where our company is located, so that you can find us quickly and easily. As you can see, there are many advantages, and we clearly consider online map services on our website to be part of our customer service.
What data is stored by online map services?
When you open a page on our website that has an online map function, personal data may be transmitted to the respective service and stored there. In most cases, this is your IP address, which can also be used to determine your approximate location. In addition to your IP address, data such as search terms entered and longitude and latitude coordinates are also stored. If you enter an address for route planning, for example, this data is also stored. The data is not stored by us, but on the servers of the integrated tools. You can think of it like this: you are on our website, but when you interact with a map service, this interaction actually takes place on their website. To ensure that the service works properly, at least one cookie is usually set in your browser. Google Maps, for example, also uses cookies to record user behavior in order to optimize its own service and display personalized advertising. You can find out more about cookies in our "Cookies" section.
How long and where is the data stored?
Each online map service processes different user data. If we have further information, we will inform you about the duration of data processing below in the relevant sections on the individual tools. As a rule, personal data is only stored for as long as is necessary to provide the service. Google Maps, for example, stores certain data for a specified period of time, while other data must be deleted by you. Mapbox, for example, stores IP addresses for 30 days and then deletes them. As you can see, each tool stores data for different lengths of time. We therefore recommend that you carefully review the privacy policies of the tools used.
Providers also use cookies to store data about your user behavior with the map service. You can find more general information about cookies in our "Cookies" section, but you can also find out which cookies may be used in the privacy policies of the individual providers. In most cases, however, this is only an illustrative list and is not exhaustive.
right of objection
You always have the option and the right to access your personal data and to object to its use and processing. You can also revoke your consent at any time. The easiest way to do this is usually via the cookie consent tool. However, there are also other opt-out tools that you can use. You can also manage, delete, or deactivate cookies set by the providers used with just a few clicks of the mouse. However, this may mean that some functions of the service no longer work as usual. How you manage cookies in your browser depends on the browser you use. In the "Cookies" section, you will also find links to instructions for the most important browsers.
legal basis
If you have consented to the use of an online map service, this consent forms the legal basis for the corresponding data processing. According to Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), this consent forms the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when data is collected by an online map service.
We also have a legitimate interest in using an online map service to optimize our service on our website. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use an online map service if you have given your consent. We would like to emphasize this point once again at this juncture.
Information on special online map services can be found in the following sections, if available.
Miscellaneous Introduction
| Other Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Improving the user experience 📓 Processed data: The data processed depends heavily on the services used. In most cases, this is the IP address and/or technical data. More details can be found in the tools used. 📅 Storage period: Depends on the tools used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What falls under "Other"?
The category "Other" includes services that do not fit into any of the above categories. These are usually various plugins and integrated elements that improve our website. These functions are usually obtained from third-party providers and integrated into our website. Examples include web search services such as Algolia Place, Giphy, Programmable Search Engine, or online services for weather data such as OpenWeather.
Why do we use other third-party providers?
We want our website to offer you the best web service in our industry. For a long time now, a website has been more than just a business card for companies. Rather, it is a place that should help you find what you are looking for. In order to make our website even more interesting and helpful for you, we use various third-party services.
What data is processed?
Whenever elements are integrated into our website, your IP address is transmitted to the respective provider, stored, and processed there. This is necessary because otherwise the content will not be sent to your browser and consequently will not be displayed correctly. Service providers may also use pixel tags or web beacons. These are small graphics on websites that can record a log file and also create analyses of this file. Providers can use the information obtained to improve their own marketing measures. In addition to pixel tags, such information (such as which button you click or when you visit which page) can also be stored in cookies. In addition to analysis data on your web behavior, technical information such as your browser type or operating system can also be stored in these cookies. Some providers can also link the data obtained to other internal services or third-party providers. Each provider handles your data differently. We therefore recommend that you carefully read the privacy policies of the respective services. We always strive to use only services that handle data protection with great care.
Duration of data processing
We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products.
legal basis
If we ask for your consent and you agree that we may use the service, this constitutes the legal basis for the processing of your data (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). In addition to your consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offering both technically and economically. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.
Information about the special tools can be found in the following sections, if available.
Weglot Privacy Policy
We use the Weglot translation service for our website. The service provider is the French company Weglot SAS, 7 cité Paradis 75010 Paris, France.
For more information about the data processed through the use of Weglot, please refer to the privacy policy at https://weglot.com/privacy/.
Explanation of terms used
We always strive to make our privacy policy as clear and understandable as possible. However, this is not always easy, especially when it comes to technical and legal issues. It often makes sense to use legal terms (such as personal data) or certain technical terms (such as cookies, IP address). However, we do not want to use them without explanation. Below you will find an alphabetical list of important terms used that we may not have covered sufficiently in the previous privacy policy. If these terms are taken from the GDPR and are definitions, we will also cite the GDPR texts here and add our own explanations where necessary.
processor
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:
"Processor" means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body that processes personal data on behalf of the controller;
Explanation: As a company and website owner, we are responsible for all data that we process from you. In addition to the responsible parties, there may also be so-called processors. This includes any company or person who processes personal data on our behalf. Processors can therefore be service providers such as tax advisors, but also hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers, or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.
consent
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:
"Consent" of the data subject means any freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous indication of the data subject's wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her;
Explanation: On websites, such consent is usually given via a cookie consent tool. You are probably familiar with this. Whenever you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked via a banner whether you agree to or consent to data processing. In most cases, you can also make individual settings and thus decide for yourself which data processing you allow and which you do not. If you do not give your consent, no personal data about you may be processed. In principle, consent can of course also be given in writing, i.e., not via a tool.
Personal data
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:
"Personal data" any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as "data subject"); A natural person is considered identifiable if they 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 or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
Explanation: Personal data is therefore any data that can be used to identify you as a person. This usually includes data such as:
- Name
- Address
- email address
- mailing address
- phone number
- date of birth
- Identification numbers such as social security number, tax identification number, ID card number, or student ID number
- Bank details such as account numbers, credit information, account balances, and much more.
According to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), your IP address is also considered personal data. IT experts can use your IP address to determine at least the approximate location of your device and, subsequently, identify you as the connection owner. Therefore, storing an IP address also requires a legal basis within the meaning of the GDPR. There are also so-called "special categories" of personal data that are particularly worthy of protection. These include:
- racial and ethnic origin
- political views
- religious or ideological beliefs
- union membership
- genetic data, such as data obtained from blood or saliva samples
- Biometric data (information about psychological, physical, or behavioral characteristics that can identify a person).
Health data - Data on sexual orientation or sex life
profiling
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:
"Profiling" means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of such personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyze or predict aspects concerning that natural person's performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements;
Explanation: Profiling involves gathering various pieces of information about a person in order to learn more about them. In the web sector, profiling is often used for advertising purposes or for credit checks. Web and advertising analysis programs, for example, collect data about your behavior and interests on a website. This results in a specific user profile that can be used to target advertising to a specific audience.
person in charge
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:
"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; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law;
Explanation: In our case, we are responsible for processing your personal data and are therefore the "controller." If we pass on collected data to other service providers for processing, they are "processors." For this, a "processing agreement" must be signed.
processing
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:
"Processing" Any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction;
Note: When we refer to processing in our privacy policy, we mean any type of data processing. As mentioned above in the original GDPR statement, this includes not only the collection but also the storage and processing of data.
All texts are protected by copyright.
Table of contents
- Privacy Policy Introduction and Overview
- Scope
- Legal bases
- Contact details of the data protection controller
- Contact details of our data protection officer
- Storage Period
- Rights in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation
- Transfer of data to third countries
- Security of data processing operations
- Communications
- Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
- cookies
- Customer Data
- Registration
- Web hosting
- Web analytics
- email marketing
- social media
- Cloud services
- Introduction to Online Map Services
- Miscellaneous Overview
- Explanation of the terminology used
Privacy Policy Introduction and Overview
We have written this privacy policy (version 27.09.2023-122077330) in order to explain to you, in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and applicable national laws, which personal data (data for short) we as the controller – and the processors commissioned by us (e.g. providers) – process, will process in the future and what legal options you have. The terms used are to be considered gender-neutral.
In short: We provide you with comprehensive information about any of your personal data we process.
Privacy policies usually sound very technical and use legal terminology. However, this privacy policy is intended to describe the most important things to you as simply and transparently as possible. So long as it aids transparency, technical terms are explained in a reader-friendly manner, links to further information are provided, and graphics are used. We are thus informing you in clear and simple language that we only process personal data in the context of our business activities if there is a legal basis for it. This is certainly not possible with brief, unclear, and legal-technical statements, as is often standard on the internet when it comes to data protection. I hope you find the following explanations interesting and informative. Maybe you will also find some information that you have not been familiar with.
If you still have questions, we kindly ask you to contact the responsible body named below or in the imprint, follow the existing links and look at further information on third-party sites. You can of course also find our contact details in the imprint.
Scope
This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by our company and to all personal data processed by companies commissioned by us (processors). By personal data, we refer to information within the meaning of Article 4 No. 1 GDPR, such as a person's name, email address, and postal address. The processing of personal data ensures that we can offer and invoice our services and products, whether online or offline. The scope of this privacy policy includes:
- all online presences (websites, online shops) that we operate
- Social media presence and email communication
- mobile apps for smartphones and other devices
In short: This privacy policy applies to all areas in which personal data is processed in a structured manner by the company via the channels mentioned. Should we enter into legal relations with you outside of these channels, we will inform you separately if necessary.
Legal bases
In the following privacy policy, we provide you with transparent information on the legal principles and regulations, i.e. the legal bases of the General Data Protection Regulation, which enable us to process personal data.
Whenever EU law is concerned, we refer to REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of April 27, 2016. You can of course access the General Data Protection Regulation of the EU online at EUR-Lex, the gateway to EU law, at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32016R0679.
We only process your data if at least one of the following conditions applies:
- Consent (Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. a GDPR): You have given us your consent to process data for a specific purpose. An example would be the storage of data you entered into a contact form.
- Contract (Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. b GDPR): We process your data in order to fulfill a contract or pre-contractual obligations with you. For example, if we conclude a sales contract with you, we need personal information in advance.
- Legal obligation (Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. c GDPR): If we are subject to a legal obligation, we will process your data. For example, we are legally required to keep invoices for our bookkeeping. These usually contain personal data.
- Legitimate interests (Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. f GDPR): In the case of legitimate interests that do not restrict your basic rights, we reserve the right to process personal data. For example, we have to process certain data in order to be able to operate our website securely and economically. Therefore, the processing is a legitimate interest.
Other conditions such as making recordings in the interest of the public, the exercise of official authority as well as the protection of vital interests do not usually occur with us. Should such a legal basis be relevant, it will be disclosed in the appropriate place.
In addition to the EU regulation, national laws also apply:
- In Austria, this is the Austrian Data Protection Act (Datenschutzgesetz), abbreviated as DSG.
- In Germany, this is the Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz), abbreviated as BDSG.
Should other regional or national laws apply, we will inform you about them in the following sections.
Contact details of the data protection controller
If you have any questions about data protection, you will find the contact details of the responsible person or controller below:
Langer GmbH
Steyrerstrasse 13, 4470 Enns
Austria
Authorized to represent: Fritz Aichhorn
Email: fritz@langer-magnet.com
Phone: +43 7223 82592-0
Company details: https://www.langer-magnet.com/impressum/
Contact details of our data protection officer
You can find the contact details of our data protection officer below:
Email: fritz@langer-magnet.com
Phone: +43 664 2324180
Storage Period
It is a general criterion for us to store personal data only for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. This means that we delete personal data as soon as any reason for the data processing no longer exists. In some cases, we are legally obliged to keep certain data stored even after the original purpose no longer exists, such as for accounting purposes.
If you want your data to be deleted or if you want to revoke your consent to data processing, the data will be deleted as soon as possible, provided there is no obligation to continue its storage.
We will inform you below about the specific duration of the respective data processing, provided we have further information.
Rights in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation
In accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of the GDPR, we inform you about the following rights you have to ensure fair and transparent processing of data:
- According to Article 15 GDPR, you have the right to information about whether we are processing data about you. If this is the case, you have the right to receive a copy of the data and to know the following information:
- for what purpose we are processing;
- the categories, i.e. the types of data that are processed;
- who receives this data and if the data is transferred to third countries, how security can be guaranteed;
- how long the data will be stored;
- the existence of the right to rectification, erasure or restriction of processing and the right to object to processing;
- that you can lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (links to these authorities can be found below);
- the origin of the data if we have not collected it from you;
- Whether profiling is carried out, i.e. whether data is automatically evaluated to arrive at a personal profile of you.
- You have a right to rectification of data according to Article 16 GDPR, which means that we must correct data if you find errors.
- You have the right to erasure ("right to be forgotten") according to Article 17 GDPR, which specifically means that you may request the deletion of your data.
- According to Article 18 of the GDPR, you have the right to restriction of processing, which means that we may only store the data but not use it further.
- According to Article 20 of the GDPR, you have the right to data portability, which means that we will provide you with your data in a standard format upon request.
- According to Article 21 GDPR, you have the right to object, which entails a change in processing after enforcement.
- If the processing of your data is based on Article 6(1)(e) (public interest, exercise of official authority) or Article 6(1)(f) (legitimate interest), you may object to the processing. We will then check as soon as possible whether we can legally comply with this objection.
- If data is used to conduct direct advertising, you may object to this type of data processing at any time. We may then no longer use your data for direct marketing.
- If data is used to conduct profiling, you may object to this type of data processing at any time. We may no longer use your data for profiling thereafter.
- According to Article 22 of the GDPR, you may have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (for example, profiling).
- You have the right to lodge a complaint under Article 77 of the GDPR. This means that you can complain to the data protection authority at any time if you believe that the processing of personal data violates the GDPR.
In short: you have rights – do not hesitate to contact the responsible party listed above with us!
If you believe that the processing of your data violates data protection law or your data protection rights have been violated in any other way, you can complain to the supervisory authority. For Austria, this is the data protection authority, whose website can be found at https://www.dsb.gv.at/. In Germany, there is a data protection officer for each federal state. For more information, you can contact the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI). The following local data protection authority is responsible for our company:
Austria Data Protection Authority
Manager: Mag . Dr. Andrea Jelinek
Address: Barichgasse 40-42, 1030 Vienna
Phone number: +43 1 52 152-0
E-mail address: dsb@dsb.gv.at
Website: https://www.dsb.gv.at/
Transfer of data to third countries
We only transfer or process data to countries outside the EU (third countries) if you consent to this processing, if this is required by law, or if it is contractually necessary. In any case, we generally only do so to the permitted extent. In most cases, your consent is the most important reason for data being processed in third countries. When personal data is being processed in third countries such as the USA, where many software manufacturers offer their services and have their servers located, your personal data may be processed and stored in unexpected ways.
We want to expressly point out that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfer to the USA. Data processing by US services (such as Google Analytics) may result in data processing and retention without the data having undergone anonymization processes. Furthermore, US government authorities may be able to access individual data. The collected data may also be linked to data from other services of the same provider, should you have a user account with the respective provider. We try to use server locations within the EU whenever this is offered and possible.
We will provide you with more details about data transfer to third countries in the appropriate sections of this privacy policy, whenever applicable.
Security of data processing operations
In order to protect personal data, we have implemented both technical and organizational measures. We encrypt or pseudonymize personal data wherever this is possible. Thus, we make it as difficult as we can for third parties to extract personal information from our data.
Article 25 of the GDPR refers to “data protection by technical design and by data protection-friendly default” which means that both software (e.g. forms) and hardware (e.g. access to server rooms) appropriate safeguards and security measures shall always be placed. If applicable, we will outline the specific measures below.
TLS encryption with https
The terms TLS, encryption, and https sound very technical, which they indeed are. We use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) to securely transfer data on the Internet.
This means that the entire transmission of all data from your browser to our web server is secured—nobody can "listen in."
We have thus introduced an additional layer of security and meet privacy requirements through technology design. Article 25 Section 1 GDPR). With the use of TLS (Transport Layer Security), which is an encryption protocol for secure data transfer on the internet, we can ensure the protection of confidential information.
You can recognize the use of this safeguarding tool by the little lock symbol. , which is located in the top left corner of your browser to the left of the internet address (e.g. examplepage.uk), as well as by the display of the letters https (instead of http) as part of our web address.
If you want to know more about encryption, we recommend you do a Google search for "Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure wiki" to find good links to further information.
Communications
| Communications Overview 👥 Affected parties: Anyone who communicates with us via phone, email, or online form 🤝 Processed data: e.g., telephone number, name, email address, or data entered in forms. You can find more details on this under the respective form of contact 📓 Purpose: handling communication with customers, business partners, etc. 📅 Storage duration: for the duration of the business case and the legal requirements ⚖️ Legal basis: Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent), Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR (contract), Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests) |
If you contact us and communicate with us via phone, email, or online form, your personal data may be processed.
The data will be processed for handling and processing your request and for the related business transaction. The data is stored for this period of time or for as long as is legally required.
Affected individuals
The above-mentioned processes affect all those who seek contact with us via the communication channels we provide.
Telephone
When you call us, the call data is stored in a pseudonymized form on the respective terminal device, as well as by the telecommunications provider that is being used. In addition, data such as your name and telephone number may be sent via email and stored for answering your inquiries. The data will be erased as soon as the business case has ended and the legal requirements allow for its erasure.
If you communicate with us via email, your data is stored on the respective terminal device (computer, laptop, smartphone, etc.) as well as on the email server. The data will be deleted as soon as the business case has ended and the legal requirements allow for its erasure.
Online forms
If you communicate with us using an online form, your data is stored on our web server and, if necessary, forwarded to our email address. The data will be erased as soon as the business case has ended and the legal requirements allow for its erasure.
Legal bases
Data processing is based on the following legal bases:
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent): You give us your consent to store your data and to continue to use it for the purposes of the business case;
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract): For the performance of a contract with you or a processor such as a telephone provider, or if we have to process the data for pre-contractual activities, such as preparing an offer;
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests): We want to conduct our customer inquiries and business communication in a professional manner. Thus, certain technical facilities such as email programs, Exchange servers, and mobile network operators are necessary to efficiently operate our communications.
Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
In this section, we would like to explain what a Data Processing Agreement is and why it is needed. As the term “Data Processing Agreement” is quite lengthy, we will often only use the acronym DPA here in this text. Like most companies, we do not work alone, but also use the services of other companies or individuals. By involving different companies or service providers, we may pass on personal data for processing. These partners then act as processors with whom we conclude a contract, the so-called Data Processing Agreement (DPA). Most importantly for you to know is that any processing of your personal data takes place exclusively according to our instructions and must be regulated by the DPA.
Who are the processors?
As a company and website owner, we are responsible for any of your data that is processed by us. In addition to the controller, there may also be so-called processors involved. This includes any company or person who processes your personal data. More precisely and according to the GDPR's definition, this means: Any natural or legal person, authority, institution, or other entity that processes your personal data is considered a processor. Processors can therefore be service providers such as hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers, or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.
To make the terminology easier to understand, here is an overview of the GDPR's three roles:
Data subject (you as a customer or interested party) → Controller(we as a company and contracting entity) → Processors (service providers such as web hosts or cloud providers)
Contents of a Data Processing Agreement
As mentioned above, we have concluded a DPA with our partners who act as processors. First and foremost, it states that the processor processes the data exclusively in accordance with the GDPR. The contract must be concluded in writing, although an electronic contract completion is also considered a "written contract." Any processing of personal data only takes place after this contract is concluded. The contract must contain the following:
- indication to us as the controller
- obligations and rights of the controller
- categories of data subjects
- type of personal data
- type and purpose of data processing
- subject and duration of data processing
- location of data processing
Furthermore, the contract contains all obligations of the processor. The most important obligations are:
- ensuring data security measures
- taking possible technical and organizational measures to protect the rights of the data subject
- maintaining a data processing record
- cooperation with the data protection authority upon request
- performing a risk analysis for any personal data received
- Subprocessors may only be appointed with the written consent of the controller.
You can see an example of what a DPA looks like at https://gdpr.eu/data-processing-agreement/. This link shows a sample contract.
cookies
| Cookies Overview 👥 Affected parties: visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: depending on the respective cookie. You can find out more details below or from the software manufacturer that sets the cookie. 📓 Processed data: depends on the cookie used. More details can be found below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie. 📅 Storage duration: can vary from hours to years, depending on the respective cookie ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What are cookies?
Our website uses HTTP cookies to store user-specific data.
In the following we explain what cookies are and why they are used, so that you can better understand the following privacy policy.
Whenever you surf the Internet, you are using a browser. Common browsers are, for example, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge. Most websites store small text files in your browser. These files are called cookies.
It is important to note that cookies are very useful little helpers. Almost every website uses cookies. More precisely, these are HTTP cookies, as there are also other cookies for other uses. HTTP cookies are small files that our website stores on your computer. These cookie files are automatically placed into the cookie folder, which is the "brain" of your browser. A cookie consists of a name and a value. Moreover, to define a cookie, one or multiple attributes must be specified.
Cookies store certain user data about you, such as language or personal page settings. When you re-open our website to visit again, your browser submits this "user-related" information back to our site. Thanks to cookies, our website knows who you are and offers you the settings you are familiar with. In some browsers, each cookie has its own file, while in others, such as Firefox, all cookies are stored in a single file.
The following graphic shows a possible interaction between a web browser such as Chrome and the web server. The web browser requests a website and receives a cookie back from the server. The browser then uses this again as soon as another page is requested.
There are both first-party cookies and third-party cookies. First-party cookies are created directly by our site, while third-party cookies are created by partner websites (e.g., Google Analytics). Each cookie must be evaluated individually, as each cookie stores different data. The expiry time of a cookie also varies from a few minutes to a few years. Cookies are not software programs and do not contain viruses, trojans, or other malware. Cookies also cannot access your PC's information.
This is an example of how cookie files can look:
Name: _ga
Value: GA1.2.1326744211.152122077330-9
Purpose: Differentiation between website visitors
Expiry date: after 2 years
A browser should support these minimum sizes:
- At least 4096 bytes per cookie
- At least 50 cookies per domain
- At least 3000 cookies in total
What types of cookies are there?
The exact cookies that we use depend on the services used, which will be outlined in the following sections of this privacy policy. Firstly, we will briefly focus on the different types of HTTP cookies.
There are 4 different types of cookies:
Essential cookies
These cookies are necessary to ensure the basic functions of a website. They are needed when a user, for example, puts a product into their shopping cart, then continues surfing on different websites and comes back later in order to proceed to the checkout. These cookies ensure the shopping cart does not get deleted, even if the user closes their browser window.
Purposive cookies
These cookies collect information about user behavior and whether the user receives any error messages. Furthermore, these cookies record the website’s loading time as well as its behavior in different browsers.
Target-oriented cookies
These cookies ensure better user-friendliness. Thus, information such as previously entered locations, font sizes, or data in forms remain stored.
Advertising cookies
These cookies are also known as targeting cookies. They serve the purpose of delivering customized advertisements to the user. This can be very practical, but also rather annoying.
Upon your first visit to a website, you are usually asked which of these cookie types you want to accept. Furthermore, this decision will of course also be stored in a cookie.
If you want to learn more about cookies and don't mind technical documentation, we recommend https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265, the Request for Comments of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) called "HTTP State Management Mechanism".
Purpose of processing via cookies
The purpose ultimately depends on the respective cookie. You can find out more details below or from the software manufacturer that sets the cookie.
What data is processed?
Cookies are little helpers for a wide variety of tasks. Unfortunately, it is not possible to tell which data is generally stored in cookies, but in the privacy policy below we will inform you on what data is processed or stored.
Storage period of cookies
The storage period depends on the respective cookie and is further specified below. Some cookies are erased after less than an hour, while others can remain on a computer for several years.
You can also influence the storage duration yourself. You can manually erase all cookies at any time in your browser (see also "Right of objection" below). Furthermore, the latest instance cookies based on consent will be erased after you withdraw your consent. The legality of storage will remain unaffected until then.
Right of objection – how can I delete cookies?
You can decide for yourself how and whether you want to use cookies. Regardless of which service or website the cookies originate from, you always have the option of erasing, deactivating, or only partially accepting cookies. For example, you can block third-party cookies but allow all other cookies.
If you want to find out which cookies have been stored in your browser, or if you want to change or erase cookie settings, you can find this option in your browser settings:
Chrome: Clear, enable, and manage cookies in Chrome
Safari: Manage cookies and website data in Safari
Firefox: Clear cookies and site data in Firefox
Internet Explorer: Delete and manage cookies
Microsoft Edge: Delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
If you generally do not want cookies, you can set up your browser in a way to notify you whenever a cookie is about to be set. This gives you the opportunity to manually decide to either permit or deny the placement of every single cookie. This procedure varies depending on the browser. Therefore, it might be best for you to search for the instructions in Google. If you are using Chrome, you could, for example, enter the search term "delete cookies Chrome" or "deactivate cookies Chrome" into Google.
Legal basis
The so-called “cookie directive” has existed since 2009. It states that the storage of cookies requires your consent (Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. a GDPR). Within countries of the EU, however, the reactions to these guidelines still vary greatly. In Austria, however, this directive was implemented in Section 96 (3) of the Telecommunications Act (TKG). In Germany, the cookie guidelines have not been implemented as national law. Instead, this guideline was largely implemented in Section 15 (3) of the Telemedia Act (TMG).
For absolutely necessary cookies, even if no consent has been given, there are legitimate interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR), which in most cases are of an economic nature. We want to offer our visitors a pleasant user experience on our website. For this, certain cookies are often absolutely necessary.
This is done exclusively with your consent, unless absolutely necessary cookies are used. The legal basis for this is Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR.
In the following sections, you will find more details on the use of cookies, provided that the software used does use cookies.
Customer Data
| Customer Data Overview 👥Affected parties: Customers or business and contractual partners 🤝 Purpose: Performance of a contract for the provision of agreed services or prior to entering into such a contract, including associated communications. 📓 Data processed: name, address, contact details, email address, telephone number, payment information (such as invoices and bank details), contract data (such as duration and subject matter of the contract), IP address, order data 📅 Storage period: the data will be erased as soon as they are no longer required for our business purposes and there is no legal obligation to process them. ⚖️ Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR), Contract (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR) |
What is customer data?
In order to be able to offer our services and contractual services, we also process data from our customers and business partners. This data always includes personal data. Customer data is all information that is processed on the basis of contractual or pre-contractual agreements so that the offered services can be provided. Customer data is therefore all the information we collect and process about our customers.
Why do we process customer data?
There are many reasons why we collect and process customer data. The main reason is that we simply need specific data to provide our services. Sometimes, for example, your email address may be enough. But if you purchase a product or service, we may also need data such as your name, address, bank details, or other contract data. This data will subsequently be used for marketing and sales optimization so that we can improve our overall service for our customers and clients. Another important reason for data processing is our customer service, which is very important to us. We want you to have the opportunity to contact us at any time with questions about our offers. Thus, we may need certain data such as your email address at the very least.
What data is processed?
Exactly which data is stored can only be shown by putting them in categories. All in all, it always depends on which of our services you receive. In some cases, you may only give us your email address so that we can e.g. contact you or answer your questions. In other instances, you may purchase one of our products or services. Then we may need significantly more information, such as your contact details, payment details, and contract details.
Here is a list of potential data we may receive and process:
- Name
- Contact address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Your birthday
- Payment data (invoices, bank details, payment history, etc.)
- Contract data (duration, contents)
- Usage data (websites visited, access data, etc.)
- Metadata (IP address, device information)
How long is the data stored?
We erase corresponding customer data as soon as we no longer need it to fulfill our contractual obligations and purposes, and as soon as the data is also no longer necessary for possible warranty and liability obligations. This can, for example, be the case when a business contract ends. Thereafter, the limitation period is usually 3 years, although longer periods may be possible in individual cases. Of course, we also comply with the statutory retention requirements. Your customer data will certainly not be passed on to third parties unless you have given your explicit consent.
Legal basis
The legal basis for the processing of your data is Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter a GDPR (consent), Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter b GDPR (contract or pre-contractual measures), Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f GDPR (legitimate interests) and in special cases (e.g. medical services) Art. 9 (2) lit. GDPR (processing of special categories).
In the case of protecting vital interests, data processing is carried out in accordance with Article 9 Paragraph 2 Letter c. GDPR. For the purposes of health care, occupational medicine, medical diagnostics, care or treatment in the health or social sectors or for the administration of systems and services in health or social sectors, the processing of personal data takes place in accordance with Art. 9 Para. 2 lit. h. GDPR. If you voluntarily provide data of these special categories, the processing takes place on the basis of Article 9 Paragraph 2 lit. a GDPR.
Registration
| Registration Overview 👥 Affected parties: Anyone who registers to create an account with us, and logs in to use the account. 📓 Processed data: Personal data such as email address, name, password, and other data that is collected during registration, login, and account use. 🤝 Purpose: For the provision of our services, as well as to communicate with clients or customers in the scope of our services. 📅Storage period: As long as the company account associated with the texts exists, plus a period of usually 3 years. ⚖️ Legal bases: Article 6 paragraph 1 letter b GDPR (contract), Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent), Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
If you register with us and provide any personal data, this data may be processed, possibly along with your IP address. Below you can explore what we mean by the rather broad term “personal data”.
Please only enter the data we need for the registration. If you are registering on behalf of a third party, please only enter data for which you have the approval of the party you are registering for. If possible, use a secure password that you don't use anywhere else and an email address that you check regularly.
Below, we will inform you about the exact type of data processing we do. After all, we want you to feel at ease with the services we provide!
What is a registration?
When you register, we retain certain of your data in order to make it easy for you to log in with us online and use your account. An account with us has the advantage that you don’t have to re-enter everything every time. It saves time and effort and ultimately prevents any issues with the provision of our services.
Why do we process personal data?
In short, we process personal data to enable you to register and use your account. If we didn't do this, you would have to enter all your data each time, wait for our approval, and then enter everything again. This strenuous process would probably not only irritate us a little, but also many of our dear clients and customers.
What data is processed?
Any data that you provided during registration or login and any data that you may enter as part of managing your account data.
During registration, we process the following types of data:
- First name
- Last name
- Email address
- Company name
- Street + house number
- Residence
- postal code
- Country
During your registration, we process any data you enter, such as your username and password, along with data that is collected in the background such as your device information and IP addresses.
When you use your account, we process any data you enter while using the account, as well as any data that is created while you use our services.
Storage time
We store the entered data for at least as long as the account associated with the data exists with us and is in use – and as long as there are contractual obligations between you and us. In case the contract ends, we retain the data until the respective claims become time-barred. Moreover, we store your data as long as we are subject to legal storage obligations, if applicable. Following that, we keep any accounting records (invoices, contract documents, account statements, etc.) of the contract for 10 years (§ 147 AO) and other relevant business documents for 6 years (§ 247 HGB) after accrual.
Right to object
Have you registered, entered data, and want to revoke the data processing? No problem. As you can see above, you retain this right under the General Data Protection Regulation also at and after registration, login, or account creation with us. Contact the Data Protection Officer above to exercise your rights. If you already have an account with us, you can easily view and manage your data and texts in your account.
Legal basis
By completing the registration process, you enter into a pre-contractual agreement with us, with the intention to conclude a contract of use for our platform (although there is no automatic payment obligation). You invest time to enter data and register, and in return, we offer you our services after you log on to our system and view your customer account. We also meet our contractual obligations. Finally, we need to be able to email registered users about important changes. Article 6(1)(b) GDPR (implementation of pre-contractual measures, fulfillment of a contract) applies.
Where applicable, we will ask for your consent, e.g. in case you voluntarily provide more data than is absolutely necessary, or in case we may ask you if we may send you advertising. Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) applies in this matter.
We also have a legitimate interest in knowing who our clients or customers are, in order to get in touch if required. We also need to know who is using our services and whether they are being used in accordance with our terms of use, i.e. Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests) applies in this matter.
Note: the following sections are to be checked by users (as required):
Registration with real names
Since business operations require us to know who our clients or customers are, registration is only possible with your real name (full name) and not with a pseudonym.
Registration with pseudonyms
You can use a pseudonym for registration, which means you don't have to register with your real name. This ensures that your real name cannot be processed by us.
Storage of the IP address
During registration, login, and account use, we store your IP address for security reasons in order to be able to determine legitimate use.
Public Profile
User profiles are publicly visible, i.e. parts of the profiles can also be viewed on the Internet without the need to enter a username and password.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
Two Factor Authentication (2FA) offers additional security when logging in, as it prevents you from logging in without a smartphone, for example. This technical measure to secure your account protects you against the loss of data or unauthorized access, even if your username and password were leaked. During your registration process, login, or within the account itself, youyou can find out which 2FA is used.
Web hosting
| Web hosting Overview 👥 Affected parties: visitors to the website 📓 Purpose: professional hosting of the website and security of operations 🤝 Processed data: IP address, time of website visit, browser used, and other data. You can find more details on this below or at the respective web hosting provider. 📅 Storage period: dependent on the respective provider, but usually 2 weeks ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is web hosting?
Every time you visit a website nowadays, certain information—including personal data—is automatically created and stored, including on this website. This data should be processed as sparingly as possible, and only with good reason. By website, we mean the entirety of all websites on your domain, i.e. everything from the homepage to the very last subpage (like this one here). By domain we mean example.uk or examplepage.com.
When you want to view a website on a screen, you use a program called a web browser. You probably know the names of some web browsers: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari.
The web browser has to connect to another computer which stores the website’s code: the web server. Operating a web server is complicated and time-consuming, which is why this is usually done by professional providers. They offer web hosting and thus ensure the reliable and flawless storage of website data.
Whenever the browser on your computer establishes a connection (desktop, laptop, smartphone) and whenever data is being transferred to and from the web server, personal data may be processed. After all, your computer stores data, and the web server also has to retain the data for a period of time in order to ensure it can operate properly.
Illustration:
Why do we process personal data?
The purposes of data processing are:
- Professional hosting of the website and operational security
- To maintain operational and IT security
- Anonymous evaluation of access patterns to improve our offer, and if necessary, for prosecution or the pursuit of claims.
What data is processed?
Even while you are visiting our website, our web server, that is the computer on which this website is saved, usually automatically saves data such as
- the full address (URL) of the accessed website (e.g. https://www.examplepage.uk/examplesubpage.html?tid=122077330)
- Browser and browser version (e.g., Chrome 87)
- the operating system used (e.g. Windows 10)
- the address (URL) of the previously visited page (referrer URL) (e.g. https://www.examplepage.uk/icamefromhere.html/)
- the host name and the IP address of the device from which the website is being accessed (e.g. COMPUTERNAME and 194.23.43.121)
- date and time
- in so-called web server log files
How long is the data stored?
Generally, the data mentioned above are stored for two weeks and are then automatically deleted. We do not pass this data on to others, but we cannot rule out the possibility that this data may be viewed by the authorities in the event of illegal conduct.
In short: Your visit is logged by our provider (company that runs our website on special computers (servers)), but we do not pass on your data without your consent!
Legal basis
The lawfulness of processing personal data in the context of web hosting is justified in Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (safeguarding of legitimate interests), as the use of professional hosting with a provider is necessary to present the company in a safe and user-friendly manner on the internet, as well as to have the ability to track any attacks and claims, if necessary.
Hetzner Privacy Policy
We use Hetzner for our website, which is a web hosting provider, among other things. The provider of this service is the German company Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestr. 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen, Germany. You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Hetzner in their Privacy Policy at https://www.hetzner.com/de/rechtliches/datenschutz.
Data Processing Agreement (DPA) Hetzner
In accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with Hetzner. You can read about what exactly a DPA is and, in particular, what must be included in a DPA in our general section "Data Processing Agreement (DPA)".
This contract is required by law because Hetzner processes personal data on our behalf. It clarifies that Hetzner may only process data they receive from us according to our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. You can find the link to the Data Processing Agreement (DPA) at https://docs.hetzner.com/de/general/general-terms-and-conditions/data-privacy-faq/.
Web analytics
| Web Analytics Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimize the website. 📓 Processed data: Access statistics that contain data such as access location, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, click behavior, and IP addresses. You can find more details on this from the respective web analytics tool directly. 📅 Storage period: depending on the respective web analytics tool used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is web analytics?
We use software on our website, known as web analytics, to evaluate website visitor behavior. This collects data, which the analytics tool provider (also called a tracking tool) stores, manages, and processes. This data is used to create analyses of user behavior on our website, which we, as the website operator, receive. Most tools also offer various testing options. These enable us, for example, to test which offers or content our visitors prefer. For this purpose, we may show you two different offers for a limited period of time. After the test (a so-called A/B test), we know which product or content our website visitors find more interesting. For such testing, as well as for various other analyses, user profiles are created and the respective data is stored in cookies.
Why do we run web analytics?
We have a clear goal in mind when it comes to our website: we want to offer the best website in our industry on the market. Therefore, we want to give you both the best and most interesting offer as well as comfort when you visit our website. With web analysis tools, we can observe the behavior of our website visitors and then improve our website accordingly for you and for us. For example, we can see the average age of our visitors, where they come from, the times our website gets visited the most, and which content or products are particularly popular. All this information helps us to optimize our website and adapt it to your needs, interests, and wishes.
What data is processed?
The exact data that is stored depends on the analysis tools that are being used. But generally, data such as the content you view on our website is stored, as well as, for example, which buttons or links you click, when you open a page, which browser you use, which device (PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.) you visit the website with, or which computer system you use. If you have agreed that location data may also be collected, this data may also be processed by the provider of the web analysis tool.
Moreover, your IP address is also stored. According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), IP addresses are personal data. However, your IP address is usually stored in a pseudonymized form (i.e., in an unrecognizable and abbreviated form). No directly linkable data such as your name, age, address, or email address are stored for testing purposes, web analyses, and web optimizations. If this data is collected, it is retained in a pseudonymized form. Therefore, it cannot be used to identify you as a person.
The following example shows Google Analytics' functionality as an example for client-based web tracking with JavaScript code.
The storage period of the respective data always depends on the provider. Some cookies only retain data for a few minutes or until you leave the website, while other cookies can store data for several years.
Duration of data processing
If we have any further information on the duration of data processing, you will find it below. We generally only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary to provide products and services. The storage period may be extended if it is required by law, such as for accounting purposes.
Right to object
You also have the option and the right to revoke your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data processing by cookies by managing, deactivating, or erasing cookies in your browser.
Legal basis
The use of web analytics requires your consent, which we obtained with our cookie popup. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a of the GDPR (consent), this consent represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as by collection through web analytics tools.
In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors, which enables us to technically and economically improve our offer. With Web Analytics, we can recognize website errors, identify attacks, and improve profitability. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f of the GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use these tools if you have given your consent.
Since web analytics tools use cookies, we recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies. If you want to find out which of your data are stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.
If available, information on special web analytics tools can be found in the following sections.
Facebook Pixel Privacy Policy
We use Facebook's Facebook pixel on our website. For that, we have implemented a code on our website. The Facebook pixel is a segment of a JavaScript code, which, in case you came to our website via Facebook ads, loads an array or functions that enable Facebook to track your user actions. For example, if you buy a product on our website, the Facebook pixel is triggered and stores your actions on our website in one or more cookies. These cookies enable Facebook to match your user data (customer data such as IP address, user ID) with the data of your Facebook account. After that, Facebook deletes your data again. The collected data is anonymous as well as inaccessible and can only be used for ad placement purposes. If you are a Facebook user and you are logged in, your visit to our website is automatically assigned to your Facebook user account.
We exclusively want to show our products or services to persons who are interested in them. With the aid of the Facebook pixel, our advertising measures can be better adjusted to your wishes and interests. Therefore, Facebook users get to see suitable advertisements (if they allowed personalized advertising). Moreover, Facebook uses the collected data for analytical purposes and for its own advertisements.
Below, we will show you the cookies that were set on a test page with the Facebook pixel integrated into it. Please note that these cookies are only examples. Depending on the interaction that takes place on our website, different cookies are set.
Name: _fbp
Value: fb.1.1568287647279.257405483-6122077330-7
Purpose: Facebook uses this cookie to display advertising products.
Expiration date: after 3 months
Name: fr
Value: 0aPf312HOS5Pboo2r..Bdeiuf…1.0.Bdeiuf.
Purpose: This cookie is used for Facebook pixels to function properly.
Expiration date: after 3 months
Name: comment_author_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062122077330-3
Value: Name of the author
Purpose: This cookie saves the text and name of a user who, for example, leaves a comment.
Expiration date: after 12 months
Name: comment_author_url_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062
Value: https%3A%2F%2Fwww.testseite…%2F (URL of the author)
Purpose: This cookie saved the URL of the website that the user types into a text box on our website.
Expiration date: after 12 months
Name: comment_author_email_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062
Value: email address of the author
Purpose: This cookie saves the email address of the user, if they provided it on the website.
Expiration date: after 12 months
Note: The cookies mentioned above relate to individual user behavior. Furthermore, changes at Facebook can never be ruled out, especially with regard to the use of cookies.
If you are registered on Facebook, you can change the settings for advertisements yourself at https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences/?entry_product=ad_settings_screen. If you are not a Facebook user, you can manage your user-based online advertising at https://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices. You have the option to activate or deactivate any providers there.
Facebook processes data from you, among other things, in the USA. Facebook, or Meta Platforms, is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. More information can be found at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.
Additionally, Facebook uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46(2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) are template clauses provided by the EU Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards, even when transferred and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Facebook commits to maintaining the European data protection level when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_2847.
The Facebook Data Processing Term, which references the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.
If you want to learn more about Facebook's data protection, we recommend you view the company's in-house data policies at https://www.facebook.com/policy.php.
Matomo privacy policy
On our website we use Matomo, a web analysis tool. The provider of this service is the company InnoCraft Ltd, 7 Waterloo Quay PO625, 6140 Wellington, New Zealand. You can find out more about the data that is processed when using Matomo in their privacy policy at https://matomo.org/privacy-policy/. Questions regarding data protection can be sent by email to privacy@matomo.org.
Matomo On-Premise Privacy Policy
We use the privacy-friendly analysis program Matomo On-Premise on our website. With the on-premise variant, Matomo is installed on our own server. This means that we act as the operator of the software and any data that we might collect from you is stored directly by us. The data processing thus remains entirely in our hands. The service provider is the New Zealand company InnoCraft Ltd, 7 Waterloo Quay PO625, 6140 Wellington, New Zealand.
If you want to know more about the data processing by Matomo On-Premise, you can also contact us. In addition, we recommend reading Matomo’s privacy policy on https://matomo.org/privacy-policy/.
Matomo On-Premise (without cookies)
It is common practice for many web analytics tools to collect and process a lot of personal data for analysis purposes and for their own marketing with the help of so-called cookies. Cookies are small text files that are usually stored in your browser and may contain personal data. We want to respect and protect your privacy as best as possible. That's why we decided to take a different approach and use Matomo On-Premise entirely without cookies. While we can use Matomo to perform various measurements and web analytics, it does not store any of your personal data in cookies. Matomo On-Premise without cookies is one of the most privacy-friendly web analytics services on the market.
email marketing
| Email Marketing Overview 👥 Affected parties: newsletter subscribers 🤝 Purpose: direct marketing via email, notification of events that are relevant to the system 📓 Processed data: data entered during registration, but at least the email address. You can find more details on this in the respective email marketing tool used. 📅 Storage duration: for the duration of the subscription ⚖️ Legal bases: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is email marketing?
We use email marketing to keep you up to date. If you have agreed to receive our emails or newsletters, your data will be processed and stored. Email marketing is a part of online marketing. In this type of marketing, news or general information about a company, product, or service are emailed to a specific group of people who are interested in it.
If you want to participate in our email marketing (usually via newsletter), you usually just have to register with your email address. To do this, you have to fill in and submit an online form. However, we may also ask you for your title and name, so we can address you personally in our emails.
Registration for newsletters generally works with the help of the so-called "double opt-in procedure." After you have registered for our newsletter on our website, you will receive an email, via which you can confirm the newsletter registration. This ensures that you own the email address you signed up with, and prevents anyone from registering with a third-party email address. We or a notification tool we use will log every single registration. This is necessary so we can ensure and prove that registration processes are done legally and correctly. In general, the time of registration and registration confirmation are stored, as well as your IP address. Moreover, any change you make to your data that we have on file is also logged.
Why do we use email marketing?
Of course, we want to stay in contact with you and keep you in the loop of the most important news about our company. For this, we use email marketing – often just referred to as “newsletters” – as an essential part of our online marketing. If you agree to this or if it is permitted by law, we will send you newsletters, system emails, or other notifications via email. Whenever the term "newsletter" is used in the following text, it mainly refers to emails that are sent regularly. We of course don't want to bother you with our newsletter in any way. Thus, we genuinely strive to offer only relevant and interesting content. In our emails, you can find out more about our company and our services or products, for example. Since we are continuously improving our offer, our newsletter will always give you the latest news or special, lucrative promotions. Should we commission a service provider for our email marketing who offers a professional mailing tool, we do this in order to offer you fast and secure newsletters. The purpose of our email marketing is to inform you about new offers and also to get closer to our business goals.
What data is processed?
If you subscribe to our newsletter via our website, you must then confirm your membership in our email list via an email that we will send to you. In addition to your IP and email address, your name, address, and telephone number may also be stored. However, this will only be done if you agree to this data retention. Any data marked as such is necessary so that you can participate in the service offered. Providing this information is voluntary, but failure to provide it will prevent you from using this service. Moreover, information about your device or the type of content you prefer on our website may also be stored. In the section "Automatic data storage," you can find out more about how your data is stored when you visit a website. We record your informed consent so that we can always prove that it complies with our laws.
Duration of data processing
If you unsubscribe from our email/newsletter distribution list, we may store your address for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests, so we can keep proof of your consent at the time. We are only allowed to process this data if we have to defend ourselves against any claims.
However, if you confirm that you have given us your consent to subscribe to the newsletter, you can submit an individual request for erasure at any time. Furthermore, if you permanently object to your consent, we reserve the right to store your email address in a blacklist. But as long as you have voluntarily subscribed to our newsletter, we will of course keep your email address on file.
Withdrawal – how can I cancel my subscription?
You have the option to cancel your newsletter subscription at any time. All you have to do is revoke your consent to the newsletter subscription. This usually only takes a few seconds or a few clicks. Most of the time you will find a link at the end of every email, via which you will be able to cancel the subscription. Should you not be able to find the link in the newsletter, you can contact us by email and we will immediately cancel your newsletter subscription for you.
Legal basis
Our newsletter is sent on the basis of your consent ( Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR). This means that we are only allowed to send you a newsletter if you have actively registered for it beforehand. Moreover, we may also send you advertising messages on the basis of Section 7 (3) UWG (Unfair Competition Act), provided you have become our customer and have not objected to the use of your email address for direct mail.
If available, you can find information on special email marketing services and how they process personal data in the following sections.
Click tip Privacy Policy
We use Klick-Tipp on our website, which is a service for email automation. The service provider is the British company Klick-Tipp Limited, 15 Cambridge Court, 210 Sheperd’s Bush Road, London W67NJ, United Kingdom. You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Klick-Tipp in the privacy policy at https://www.klicktipp.com/datenschutzerklarung/.
social media
| Social Media Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: website visitors 🤝 Purpose: Service presentation and optimization, staying in contact with visitors, interested parties, etc. as well as advertising 📓 Processed data: data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, contact data, data on user behavior, information about your device and your IP address. You can find more details on this directly at the respective social media tool used. 📅 Storage period: depending on the social media platforms used ⚖️ Legal bases: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is social media?
In addition to our website, we are also active on various social media platforms. In order for us to be able to target interested users via social networks, user data may be processed. In addition, elements of social media platforms may be embedded directly in our website. This is the case, for example, if you click on a so-called social button on our website and are forwarded directly to our social media presence. So-called social media are websites and apps on which registered members can produce and exchange content with other members, either openly or in certain groups and networks.
Why do we use social media?
For years, social media platforms have been the place where people communicate and get in touch online. With our social media presence, we can familiarize interested people better with our products and services. The social media elements integrated on our website help you switch to our social media content quickly and hassle-free.
The data that is retained and processed when you use a social media channel is primarily used to conduct web analyses. The aim of these analyses is to be able to develop more precise and personal marketing and advertising strategies. The evaluated data on your behavior on any social media platform can help to draw appropriate conclusions about your interests. Moreover, so-called user profiles can be created. Thus, the platforms may also present you with customized advertisements. For this, cookies are usually placed in your browser, which store data on your user behavior.
We generally assume that we will continue to be responsible under Data Protection Law, even when using the services of a social media platform. However, the European Court of Justice has ruled that, within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR, in certain cases the operator of the social media platform can be jointly responsible with us. Should this be the case, we will point it out separately and work on the basis of a related agreement. You will then find the essence of the agreement for the platform concerned below.
Please note that when you use social media platforms or our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many social media channels, such as Facebook or Twitter, are American companies. As a result, you may no longer be able to easily claim or enforce your rights regarding your personal data.
What data is processed?
Exactly which data are stored and processed depends on the respective provider of the social media platform. But usually it is data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, data you enter in contact forms, user data such as which buttons you click, what you like or who you follow, when you visited which pages, as well as information about your device and IP address. Most of this data is stored in cookies. Should you have a profile on the social media channel you are visiting and are logged in, data may be linked to your profile.
All data collected via social media platforms is also stored on the providers' servers. This means that only the providers have access to the data and can provide you with appropriate information or make changes for you.
If you want to know exactly which data is stored and processed by social media providers and how you can object to the data processing, we recommend you carefully read the privacy policy of the respective company. We also recommend you contact the provider directly if you have any questions about data storage and data processing or if you want to assert any corresponding rights.
Duration of data processing
Provided we have any further information on this, we will inform you about the duration of the data processing below. The social media platform Facebook, for example, stores data until it is no longer needed for the company's own purposes. However, customer data that is synchronized with your own user data is deleted within two days. Generally, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. However, this storage period may also be exceeded if required by law, such as in the case of accounting.
Right to object
You also retain the right and the option to revoke your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers such as embedded social media elements at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. You can e.g. also prevent data collection via cookies by managing, deactivating, or erasing cookies in your browser.
Since cookies may be used with social media tools, we also recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies. If you want to find out which of your data is stored and processed, we advise you to read the privacy policies of the respective tools.
Legal basis
If you have consented to the processing and storage of your data by integrated social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Generally, provided you have given your consent, your data will also be stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in maintaining fast and good communication with you and other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have consented. Most social media platforms also set cookies on your browser to store data. We therefore recommend you to read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and to take a look at the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
In the following section, you can find information on special social media platforms – provided this information is available.
LinkedIn Privacy Policy
| LinkedIn Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: website visitors 🤝 Purpose: optimization of our service 📓 Processed data: includes data on user behavior, information about your device, and IP address. More details can be found in the privacy policy below. 📅 Storage period: the data is generally deleted within 30 days ⚖️ Legal bases: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is LinkedIn?
On our website, we use social plugins from the social media network LinkedIn, owned by LinkedIn Corporation, 2029 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Social plugins can be feeds, content sharing, or a link to our LinkedIn page. Social plugins are clearly marked with the well-known LinkedIn logo and, for example, allow interesting content to be shared directly via our website. Furthermore, LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company Wilton Place in Dublin is responsible for data processing in the European Economic Area and Switzerland.
By embedding these plugins, data can be sent to, as well as stored and processed by LinkedIn. In this privacy policy, we want to inform you what data this is, how the network uses this data, and how you can manage or prevent data retention.
LinkedIn is the largest social network for business contacts. Unlike Facebook, for example, LinkedIn focuses exclusively on establishing business connections. Companies can therefore present their services and products on the platform and establish business relationships. Many people also use LinkedIn to find a job or to find suitable employees for their own company. In Germany alone, the network has over 11 million members. In Austria, there are around 1.3 million.
Why do we use LinkedIn on our website?
We know how busy you are. You just cannot keep up with following every single social media channel. Even if it would really be worth it, as it is with our channels, since we keep posting interesting news and articles worth spreading. Therefore, on our website we have created the opportunity to share interesting content directly on LinkedIn, or to refer directly to our LinkedIn page. We consider built-in social plugins as an extended service on our website. The data LinkedIn collects also helps us to display potential advertising measures only to people who are interested in our offer.
What data does LinkedIn store?
LinkedIn does not store any personal data due to the mere integration of social plugins. LinkedIn refers to the data generated by plugins as passive impressions. However, if you click on a social plugin to share our content, for example, the platform stores personal data as so-called "active impressions." This happens regardless of whether you have a LinkedIn account or not. If you are logged in, the collected data will be assigned to your account.
When you interact with our plugins, your browser establishes a direct connection to LinkedIn's servers. Through that, the company logs various usage data. These may include your IP address, login data, device information, or information about your internet or cellular provider. If you use LinkedIn services via your smartphone, your location may also be identified (after you have given permission). Moreover, LinkedIn can share this data with third-party advertisers in "hashed" form. Hashing means that a data set is transformed into a character string. This allows data to be encrypted, which prevents persons from being identified.
Most data on your user behavior is stored in cookies. These are small text files that are usually placed in your browser. Furthermore, LinkedIn can also use web beacons, pixel tags, display tags, and other device recognition technologies.
Various tests also show which cookies are set when a user interacts with a social plug-in. We do not claim that the information we found is exhaustive, as it only serves as an example. The following cookies were set without being logged in to LinkedIn:
Name: bcookie
Value: =2&34aab2aa-2ae1-4d2a-8baf-c2e2d7235c16122077330-
Purpose: Thiscookie is a so-called “browser ID cookie” and stores your identification number (ID).
Expiry date: after 2 years
Name: lang
Value: v=2&lang=en-gb
Purpose:This cookie saves your default or preferred language.
Expiry date: after end of session
Name: lidc
Value: 1818367:t=1571904767:s=AQF6KNnJ0G122077330…
Purpose:This cookie is used for routing. Routing records how you found your way to LinkedIn and how you navigate through the website.
Expiry date: after 24 hours
Name: rtc
Value: kt0lrv3NF3x3t6xvDgGrZGDKkX
Purpose:No further information could be found about this cookie.
Expiry date: after 2 minutes
Name: JSESSIONID
Value: ajax:1220773302900777718326218137
Purpose: This is a session cookie that LinkedIn uses to maintain anonymous user sessions through the server.
Expiry date: after end of session
Name: bscookie
Value: “v=1&201910230812…
Purpose: This cookie is a security cookie. LinkedIn describes it as a secure browser ID cookie.
Expiry date: after 2 years
Name: fid
Value: AQHj7Ii23ZBcqAAAA…
Purpose: We could not find any further information about this cookie.
Expiry date: after 7 days
Note: LinkedIn also works with third parties. That is why we identified the Google Analytics cookies _ga and _gat in our test.
How long and where are the data stored?
In general, LinkedIn retains your personal data for as long as the company considers it necessary for providing its services. However, LinkedIn deletes your personal data when you delete your account. In some exceptional cases, LinkedIn keeps some summarized and anonymized data, even account deletions. As soon as you delete your account, it may take up to a day until other people can no longer see your data. LinkedIn generally deletes the data within 30 days. However, LinkedIn retains data if it is necessary for legal reasons. Also, data that can no longer be assigned to any person remains stored even after the account is closed. The data are stored on various servers in America and presumably also in Europe.
How can I delete my data or prevent data retention?
You have the right to access and delete your personal data at any time. In your LinkedIn account, you can manage, change, and delete your data. Moreover, you can request a copy of your personal data from LinkedIn.
How to access account data in your LinkedIn profile:
In LinkedIn, click on your profile icon and select the "Settings & Privacy" section. Now click on "Privacy" and then on the section "How LinkedIn uses your data on". Then, click "Change" in the row with "Manage your data and activity". There you can instantly view selected data on your web activity and your account history.
In your browser, you also have the option of preventing data processing by LinkedIn. As mentioned above, LinkedIn stores most data via cookies that are placed in your browser. You can manage, deactivate, or delete these cookies. Depending on which browser you have, these settings work a little differently. You can find the instructions for the most common browsers here:
Chrome: Clear, enable, and manage cookies in Chrome
Safari: Manage cookies and website data in Safari
Firefox: Clear cookies and site data in Firefox
Internet Explorer: Delete and manage cookies
Microsoft Edge: Delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
You can generally set your browser to always notify you when a cookie is about to be set. Then you can always decide individually whether you want to allow the cookie or not.
Legal basis
If you have consented to the processing and storage of your data by integrated social media elements, your consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Generally, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) to maintain fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. We only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also place cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy about cookies carefully and take a look at the privacy policy or the cookie policy of the respective service provider.
LinkedIn also processes data in the USA, among other countries. We would like to note that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This can be associated with various risks to the legality and security of data processing.
LinkedIn uses standard contractual clauses approved by the EU Commission as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and especially in the USA) or data transfer there (= Art. 46, paragraph 2 and 3 of the GDPR). These clauses oblige LinkedIn to comply with the EU’s level of data protection when processing relevant data outside the EU. These clauses are based on an implementing order by the EU Commission. You can find the order and the clauses here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_2847
We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by LinkedIn. On https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy you can find out more about data processing by the social media network LinkedIn.
Data Processing Agreement (DPA) LinkedIn
In accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with LinkedIn. You can read about what exactly a DPA is and, in particular, what must be included in a DPA in our general section "Data Processing Agreement (DPA)".
This contract is required by law because LinkedIn processes personal data on our behalf. It clarifies that LinkedIn may only process data they receive from us according to our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. You can find the link to the Data Processing Agreement (DPA) under https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/dpa?.
Pinterest Privacy Policy
| Pinterest Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: website visitors 🤝 Purpose: service optimization 📓 Processed data: data such as data on user behavior, device information, IP address, and search terms. You can find more details in the Privacy Policy below. 📅 Storage period: until Pinterest no longer needs the data for its purposes ⚖️ Legal bases: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is Pinterest?
On our website, we use buttons and widgets from the social media network Pinterest, owned by Pinterest Inc., 808 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. For the European area, the entity responsible for all aspects of privacy is the Irish company Pinterest Europe Ltd. (Palmerston House, 2nd Floor, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, Ireland).
Pinterest is a social network that specializes in graphic representations and photographs. Its name is made up of the two words "pin" and "interest." Users can exchange ideas about various hobbies and interests via Pinterest and view profiles with pictures openly or in defined groups.
Why do we use Pinterest?
The social media platform Pinterest has been around for a few years now and is still one of the most visited and valued platforms. Pinterest is particularly suitable for our industry because the platform is primarily known for beautiful and interesting images. That is why we are of course also represented on Pinterest and want to put our content in the limelight in places other than our website. The collected data may also be used for advertising purposes, so we can show advertising messages to precisely those people who are interested in our services or products.
What data is processed by Pinterest?
Pinterest may store so-called log data. This includes information about your browser, IP address, our website address and your activities on it (e.g. when you click the save or pin button), along with your search history, the date and time of the request, as well as cookie and device data. If you interact with an embedded Pinterest function, cookies that store various data may also be set in your browser. Most of the above-mentioned log data, as well as preset language settings and clickstream data, are stored in cookies. Pinterest considers clickstream data to be information about your website behavior.
If you have a Pinterest account yourself and are logged in, the data collected via our site may be linked to your account and used for advertising purposes. If you interact with our integrated Pinterest functions, you will usually be redirected to the Pinterest page. Below you will see an exemplary selection of cookies that can then be placed in your browser.
Name: _auth
Value: 0
Purpose: The cookie is used for authentication. A value such as your "username" can be stored in it, for example.
Expiry date: after one year
Name: _pinterest_referrer
Value: 1
Purpose: This cookie stores the information that you came to Pinterest via our website. Thus, the URL of our website is retained.
Expiry date: after the session ends
Name: _pinterest_sess
Value: … 9HRHZvVE0rQlUxdG89
Purpose: This cookie is used to log into Pinterest and it contains user IDs, authentication tokens, and time stamps.
Expiration date: after one year
Name: _routing_id
Value: “8d850ddd-4fb8-499c-961c-77efae9d4065 122077330 -8”
Purpose: This cookie contains an assigned value that is used to identify a specific routing destination.
Expiry date: after one day
Name: cm_sub
Value: denied
Purpose: This cookie stores user IDs and time stamps.
Expiration date: after one year
Name: csrftoken
Value: 9e49145c82a93d34fd933b0fd8446165 122077330-1
Purpose: This cookie is most certainly placed for security reasons in order to prevent falsified inquiries. However, we could not find more precise information.
Expiry date: after one year
Name: sessionFunnelEventLogged
Value: 1
Purpose: We have not yet been able to find out more information about this cookie.
Expiration date: after one day
How long and where are the data retained?
Pinterest basically stores the collected data until it is no longer needed for the company’s purposes. As soon as the storage of this data is no longer necessary, e.g. for compliance with legal regulations, the data is either erased or anonymized so that you can no longer be identified as a person. The data may also be stored on American servers.
Right to object
You also have the right and the option to revoke your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers such as Pinterest at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. You can, for example, also prevent data retention by cookies by managing, deactivating, or erasing cookies in your browser.
Since cookies can be used with embedded Pinterest elements, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out which of your data are stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.
Legal basis
If you have consented to the processing and storage of your data by integrated social media elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Generally, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in maintaining fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the tool if you have given your consent to it. Most social media platforms also place cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and take a look at the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
Pinterest also processes data in the USA, among other countries. We would like to note that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This can be associated with various risks to the legality and security of data processing.
Pinterest uses standard contractual clauses approved by the EU Commission as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and especially in the USA) or data transfer there (= Art. 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). These clauses oblige Pinterest to comply with the EU's level of data protection when processing relevant data outside the EU. These clauses are based on an implementing order by the EU Commission. You can find the order and the clauses here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_2847
We hope we could provide you with the most important information about data processing by Pinterest. You can find out more about Pinterest’s privacy guidelines at https://policy.pinterest.com/en-gb/privacy-policy.
Twitter Privacy Policy
| Twitter Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: website visitors 🤝 Purpose: optimising our service 📓 Processed data: includes data on user behaviour, information about your device and IP address. More details can be found in the privacy policy below. 📅 Storage period: Twitter deletes collected data of other websites after 30 days at most ⚖️ Legal bases: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is Twitter?
We have incorporated Twitter functions on our website. These are, for example, embedded tweets, timelines, buttons, or hashtags. Twitter is a short message service and social media platform from the company Twitter Inc., One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland.
To our knowledge, in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, merely integrating the Twitter function does not transfer any personal data or data about your web activities to Twitter. Only when you interact with the Twitter functions, such as by clicking a button, could data be sent to Twitter and saved and processed there. We have no influence on this processing of data and do not bear any responsibility for it. Within this privacy statement, we want to give you an overview of what data Twitter stores, what Twitter does with this data, and how you can largely protect yourself from data transmission.
For some, Twitter is a news service, for others, a social media platform, and for others still it is a microblogging service. All these terms are justified and mean pretty much the same.
Both individuals and companies use Twitter to communicate with interested people via short messages. Twitter only allows 280 characters per message. These messages are called "tweets." In contrast to Facebook, for example, the service does not focus on expanding a network of "friends," but strives to be regarded as an open, worldwide news platform. On Twitter, you can also have an anonymous account, and tweets can be deleted by both the company and the users themselves.
Why do we use Twitter on our website?
Like many other websites and companies, we try to use different channels to offer our services and communicate with our customers. Twitter is a truly useful "small" news service, which is why it has grown dear to us. We regularly tweet or retweet exciting, funny, or interesting content. We understand that you don't have the time to follow every channel, as you surely have enough other things to do. That's why we have also integrated Twitter functions into our website. That way, you can experience our Twitter activities "on site" or come to our Twitter page via a direct link. With this integration, we want to strengthen the service and user-friendliness of our website.
What data does Twitter store?
You will find integrated Twitter functions on some of our subpages. If you interact with Twitter content, such as by clicking a button, Twitter may collect and save data. This can happen even if you don’t have a Twitter account yourself. Twitter calls this data “log data.” It includes demographic data, browser cookie IDs, your smartphone’s ID, hashed email addresses, and information on which pages you have visited on Twitter and what actions you have taken there. Of course, Twitter stores more data if you have a Twitter account and are logged in. This retention is usually done via cookies. Cookies are small text files that are usually set in your browser and transmit various information to Twitter.
We will now show you which cookies are placed if you are not logged in to Twitter but visit a website with built-in Twitter functions. Please consider this list as an example. We do not claim for this list to be extensive, since the array of cookies always changes and depends on your individual actions with Twitter content.
The following cookies were used in our test:
Name: personalization_id
Value: “v1_cSJIsogU51SeE122077330”
Purpose: This cookie stores information on how you use the website and what ad may have led you to Twitter.
Expiry date: after 2 years
Name: lang
Value: en
Purpose: This cookie stores your default or preferred language.
Expiry date: after end of session
Name: guest_id
Value: 122077330v1%3A157132626
Purpose: This cookie is set to identify you as a guest.
Expiry date: after 2 years
Name: fm
Value: 0
Purpose: Unfortunately , we could not find out the purpose of this cookie.
Expiry date: after end of session
Name: external_referer
Value: 1220773302beTA0sf5lkMrlGt
Purpose: This cookie collects anonymous data, such as how often you visit Twitter and how long you visit Twitter.
Expiry date: after 6 days
Name: eu_cn
Value: 1
Purpose: This cookie stores user activity and is used for Twitter’s various advertising purposes.
Expiry date: after one year
Name: ct0
Value: c1179f07163a365d2ed7aad84c99d966
Purpose: Unfortunately we could not find any information on this cookie.
Expiry date: after 6 hours
Name: _twitter_sess
Value: 53D%253D–dd0248122077330-
Purpose: With this cookie you can use functions within Twitter’s website.
Expiry date: after end of session
Note: Twitteralso works with third parties. Therefore, we have recognized the three Google Analytics cookies _ga, _gat, _gid in our test.
On the one hand, Twitter uses the collected data to gain a better understanding of user behavior and thus to improve its own services and advertising offers. On the other hand, the data is also used for internal security measures.
How long and where are the data stored?
When Twitter collects data from other websites, after a maximum of 30 days, it will be deleted, summarized, or otherwise concealed. Twitter's servers are located in various server centers in the United States. Accordingly, it can be assumed that the gathered data will be collected and stored in America. In our research, we could not clearly determine whether Twitter also owns servers in Europe. Generally, Twitter may keep collected data stored until either the data are no longer useful to the company, until you delete the data, or until a potential legal deletion period has been reached.
How can I erase my data or prevent data retention?
In their Privacy Policy, Twitter repeatedly emphasizes that they do not save data from external website visits, provided you or your browser are in the European Economic Area or Switzerland. However, if you interact directly with Twitter, the company will of course store your data.
If you have a Twitter account, you can manage your data by clicking on "More" under the "Profile" button. Then click on "Settings and privacy." Here you can manage data processing individually.
If you do not have a Twitter account, you can go to twitter.com and click "Settings." Under "Personalization and data," you can manage the data that is collected about you.
As mentioned above, most data are stored via cookies, which you can manage, deactivate, or delete in your browser. Please note that when changing cookie settings in your browser, the edits will only affect that very browser. This means that if you use another browser in the future, you will have to manage your cookie settings there again. In the following, you will find instructions for managing cookies in the most popular browsers.
Chrome: Clear, enable, and manage cookies in Chrome
Safari: Manage cookies and website data in Safari
Firefox: Clear cookies and site data in Firefox
Internet Explorer: Delete and manage cookies
Microsoft Edge: Delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
You can also set your browser to notify you about each individual cookie. This lets you decide individually whether you want to allow or deny a cookie.
Twitter also uses the data for personalized advertising on and off Twitter. You can turn off personalized advertising in the settings under "Personalization and data." If you use Twitter on a browser, you can deactivate personalized advertising at http://optout.aboutads.info/?c=2&lang=EN.
Legal basis
If you have consented to the processing and storage of your data by integrated social media elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Generally, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) to maintain fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. We only use integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also place cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy about cookies carefully and also take a look at the privacy policy or cookie policy of the respective service provider.
Twitter processes data in the USA, among other countries. We would like to note that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This can be associated with various risks to the legality and security of data processing.
Twitter uses standard contractual clauses, which are approved by the EU Commission, as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and especially in the USA) or data transfers there (= Art. 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). These clauses oblige ShareThis to comply with the EU's level of data protection when processing relevant data outside the EU. These clauses are based on an implementing order by the EU Commission. You can find the order and the clauses here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_2847
We hope we could give you a basic overview of Twitter’s data processing. We do not receive any data from Twitter and are not responsible for what Twitter does with your data. If you have any further questions on this topic, we recommend you to read Twitter’s privacy statement at https://twitter.com/en/privacy.
Cloud services
| Cloud Services Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: We as the website operator and you as the website visitor 🤝 Purpose: security and data storage 📓 Processed data: Data such as your IP address, name or technical data such as your browser version More details can be found below and in the individual privacy policies or in the privacy policies of the providers 📅 Duration of storage: In most cases, data is stored until it is no longer required in order to provide the service ⚖️ Legal bases: Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What are cloud services?
As a website operator, cloud services provide us with storage space and computing power via the internet. Data can be transmitted to an external system, where it may be processed and stored via the internet. The relevant cloud provider manages this data. Depending on specific requirements, an individual or a company can choose storage space or computing power. Cloud storage is accessed via an API or via storage protocols. API stands for Application Programming Interface, which is a programming interface that connects software with hardware components.
Why do we use cloud services?
We use cloud services for several reasons. A cloud service offers us the opportunity to store our data securely. In addition, we can access the data from different locations and devices, giving us more flexibility and simplifying our work processes. Cloud storage also saves us costs because we don’t have to set up and manage our own infrastructure for data storage and data security. By storing our data centrally in the cloud, we can also expand our application fields and manage our information much better.
As a website operator or company, we primarily use cloud services for our own purposes. For example, we manage our calendar and store documents or other important information in the cloud. However, your personal data may also be stored. This can happen if you provide us with your contact details (e.g., name and email address) while we store our customer data with a cloud provider. Consequently, any of your data we process may also be stored and processed on external servers. Provided we offer certain forms of content by cloud services on our website, cookies can also be set for web analysis and advertising purposes. Furthermore, such cookies retain your settings (e.g., the language used) so you will be provided with your usual web environment next time you visit our website.
Which data is processed by cloud services?
Much of the data we store in the cloud cannot be used to identify you as a person, but some data is personal data as defined by the GDPR. This is often customer data such as name, address, IP address, telephone number, or technical device information. Videos, images, and audio files may also be stored in the cloud. Exactly how the data is collected and stored depends on the respective service. We only try to use services that handle your data in a very reliable and professional manner. Generally, services such as Amazon Drive have access to the stored files in order to be able to offer their own service accordingly. For this, however, the services require consent (such as for the right to copy files for security reasons). The data will be processed and handled as part of the provided services and in compliance with applicable laws. This also includes compliance with the GDPR for US providers (via the standard contractual clauses). In some cases, cloud services also cooperate with third parties who may process data under instructions and in accordance with privacy policies and other security measures. At this point, we would like to emphasize again that all well-known cloud services (such as Amazon Drive, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive) obtain the right to access stored content in order to be able to offer and optimize their own services accordingly.
Duration of data processing
We will inform you below about the duration of data processing, provided we have further information on this. In general, cloud services store data until you or we revoke the data storage or erase the retained data. In general, personal data is only stored for as long as it is necessary for the provision of the respective services. However, it may take up to several months to erase your data from the cloud. This may occur because data is usually not only stored on one server but divided between different servers.
Right to object
You also have the right and the opportunity to revoke your consent to data storage in a cloud at any time. If cookies are used, you also have a right to withdraw your consent. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection through cookies by managing, deactivating, or erasing the cookies in your browser. We also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policy of the respective cloud provider.
Legal basis
We use cloud services mainly on the basis of our legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in good security and storage systems.
Certain types of processing, in particular the use of cookies and storage functions, require your consent. If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by cloud services, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR). Most of the services we use place cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy on cookies carefully and study the privacy policy or cookie policy of the relevant service provider.
Information on special tools – if available – can be found in the following sections.
Dropbox Privacy Policy
We use Dropbox, an online storage service for files, photos, and videos, for our website. The service provider is the American company Dropbox Inc. The company's European office is in Ireland (One Park Place, Floor 5, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2).
Dropbox also processes data in the USA, among other countries. We would like to note that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This can be associated with various risks to the legality and security of data processing.
Dropbox uses standard contractual clauses approved by the EU Commission as the basis for data processing by recipients based in third countries (i.e., outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and thus especially in the USA) or data transfer there (= Art. 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) are legal templates provided by the EU Commission. Their purpose is to ensure that your data complies with European data privacy standards, even if your data is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). With these clauses, Dropbox commits to comply with the EU's level of data protection when processing relevant data, even if it is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing order by the EU Commission. You can find the order and the standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=en
The Data Processing Agreement, which corresponds to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://assets.dropbox.com/documents/en/legal/dfb-data-processing-agreement.pdf.
You can find out more about the data processed by using Dropbox in the Privacy Policy at https://www.dropbox.com/privacy.
Introduction to Online Map Services
| Online Map Services Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: website visitors 🤝 Purpose: Improvement of user experience 📓 Processed data: the data that is processed depends heavily on the services used. Usually, it is your IP address, location data, search queries and/or technical data. You can find more details on this under the respective tools used. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the tools used ⚖️ Legal bases: Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What are online map services?
We also use online map services for our website as an extended service. Google Maps is probably the service you are most familiar with. But there are also other providers out there that specialize in creating digital maps. These services allow the display of locations, route maps, or other geographical information directly via our website. Thanks to an integrated map service, you no longer have to leave our website to, for example, view the route to a location. In order to ensure that the online map can run on our website, we have integrated map sections within our HTML code. This way the services can display street maps, the earth’s surface, or aerial or satellite imagery. If you use the built-in map service, your data will be transferred to the tool used, where it will be retained. This may also include your personal data.
Why do we use online map services on our website?
Generally speaking, it is imperative for us to offer you a pleasant time on our website. Of course, we know that you will most likely only enjoy your time here if you can easily find your way around and find all the information you need quickly and easily. Therefore, we decided that an online map system may be a significant optimization of our website's service. After all, you can use the map system to easily view route descriptions, locations, or any other points of interest—without leaving our site. Needless to say, it is certainly also very practical that you can easily see where our company headquarters are so that you can find us quickly and safely. As you can see, there are just a lot of advantages—and we clearly consider online map services on our website to be part of our customer service.
What data is stored by online map services?
If you open a page on our website with an online map function installed, your personal data may be transmitted to the relevant service, where it may be stored. This usually includes your IP address, which may also be used to determine your approximate location. In addition to your IP address, data such as the search terms you entered, as well as your longitude and latitude coordinates will be stored. If you e.g. enter an address for route planning, this data will also be stored. This data is not stored by us but instead on the servers of the integrated tools. You can think of it like this: You may be on our website, but when you interact with a mapping service, that interaction is actually happening on their website. Moreover, in order for the service to function properly, at least one cookie is usually set in your browser. As an example, Google Maps also uses cookies to record user behavior, with which it can optimize its own service and offer personalized advertising. You can find out more about cookies in our "Cookies" section.
How long and where is the data stored?
Every online map service processes different user data. Provided we have further information, we will inform you about the duration of data processing in the corresponding sections on the individual tools below. Generally, personal data is only retained for as long as is necessary to provide the service. Google Maps, for example, stores certain data for a specified period of time, but you must erase other data yourself. At Mapbox, for example, your IP address is stored for 30 days, after which it is deleted. As you can see, each tool stores data for different lengths of time. We therefore recommend that you take a closer look at the privacy policies of the tools used.
The providers may use cookies to store data on your user behavior in relation to their map services. You can find more information about cookies in our "Cookies" section, but you can most likely also find out which cookies may be used in the individual providers' privacy policies. In most cases, however, this is only an indicative list and is not exhaustive.
Right to object
You always have the possibility and the right to access your personal data and to object to its use and processing. You can also revoke the consent you gave to us at any time. This is usually easiest through the cookie consent tool. However, there are other opt-out tools that you can use. You can also manage, erase, or deactivate any cookies set by the used providers yourself with just a few mouse clicks. However, this may lead to some service functions stopping to work as usual. It also depends on your browser how you can manage cookies there. In our "Cookies" section you will find links to instructions of the most popular browsers.
Legal basis
If you have agreed to the use of an online map service, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. (consent) this consent is the legal basis for the processing of personal data as may occur when collected by an online map service.
We also have a legitimate interest in using an online map service to optimize our service on our website. The corresponding legal basis for this is Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use an online map service if you have given your consent. We definitely wanted to stress this point once again.
You can find information on specific online map services—if available—in the following sections.
Miscellaneous Overview
| Miscellaneous Privacy Policy Overview 👥 Affected parties: website visitors 🤝 Purpose: Improvement of user experience 📓 Processed data: The processed data depends heavily on the services used. Usually, it is an IP address and/or technical data. You can find more details on this in the sections of the respective tools. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the tools used ⚖️ Legal bases: Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) |
What is included in "Miscellaneous"?
The "Miscellaneous" category includes any services that do not fit into any of the above categories. Usually, these are various plugins and integrated elements that are intended to improve our website. Generally, these functions are obtained from third parties and integrated into our website. They may, for example, be web search services such as Algolia Place, Giphy, Programmable Search Engine, or online services for weather data such as OpenWeather.
Why do we use these third parties?
With our website, we want to provide you with the best web offer in our industry. Websites have long been so much more than just a business card for companies. Instead, they are a place designed to help you find what you’re looking for. And in order to make our website even more interesting and helpful for you, we use various third-party services.
What data is processed?
Whenever elements are integrated into our website, your IP address will be transmitted to the respective provider, where it will be stored and processed. This is necessary to send the content to your browser, which will then display it for you. Moreover, service providers may also use pixel tags or web beacons. These are small graphics on websites that can record a log file and create analyses of it. Providers can improve their own marketing measures with the information they receive this way. In addition to pixel tags, this information (e.g., which button you click or when you access which page) can also be stored in cookies. In addition to data analyses on your web behavior, technical information such as your browser type or operating system may also be stored there. Some providers can also link the data they obtain to other internal services or to third-party providers. Each provider handles your data differently. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read the privacy policies of the respective services. We make every effort to only use services that operate very carefully with regard to data protection and privacy.
Duration of data processing
Below we will inform you about the duration of data processing, provided we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products.
Legal basis
If we ask for your consent and you agree to us using a service, this consent serves as the legal basis for the processing of your data (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR). In addition to your consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of our website visitors and thus technically and economically improving our offer. The legal basis for this is Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use any tools if you have given your consent.
Information on the special tools – if available – can be found in the following sections.
Weglot Privacy Policy
We use the translation service Weglot for our website. The service provider is the French company Weglot SAS, 7 cité Paradis 75010 Paris, France.
You can find out more about the data processed by using Weglot in the Privacy Policy at https://weglot.com/privacy/.
Explanation of the terminology used
We always strive to make our privacy policy as clear and comprehensible as possible. However, this is not always easy, especially when it comes to technical and legal matters. It is often sensible to use legal terms (such as 'personal data') or certain technical terms (such as 'cookies' or 'IP address'). But we don't want to use such terms without any explanation. This is why you will find an alphabetical list of important terms used below. These are terms we may not yet have sufficiently explained in the privacy policy. In case we have adopted any of these terms from the GDPR which are definitions, we will also list the GDPR texts here and add our own further explanations if necessary.
Processor
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:
“processor” means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body that processes personal data on behalf of the controller;
Explanation: As a company and a website owner, we are responsible for all your data we process (i.e. the ‘controller’). In addition to the controller, there may also be so-called processors. This includes any company or person who processes personal data on our behalf. In addition to service providers such as tax consultants, processors can also be hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.
Consent
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:
“consent”of the data subject means any freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous indication of the data subject’s wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her;
Explanation: With websites, such consent is usually given via a cookie consent tool. You've most certainly come across these. Whenever you visit a website for the first time, you will usually be asked via a banner whether you agree or consent to the data processing. You can usually also make individual settings and thus decide for yourself which level of data processing you want to allow. If you do not give your consent, no personal data may be processed. Consent can of course also be given in writing, i.e. not via a tool.
Personal Data
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:
“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 or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person;
Explanation: Personal data is all data that can identify you as a person. This is usually data such as:
- name
- address
- email address
- mailing address
- phone number
- birthday
- identification numbers such as social security number, tax identification number, ID card number, or matriculation number
- banking data such as account number, credit information, account balances, and more.
According to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), your IP address is also personal data. IT experts can use your IP address to determine at least the approximate location of your device and subsequently your location as the connection owner. Therefore, storing an IP address also requires a legal basis within the scope of the GDPR. There are also so-called “special categories” of personal data, which are particularly worthy of protection. These include:
- racial and ethnic origin
- political views
- religious or ideological beliefs
- Union membership
- genetic data such as data obtained from blood or saliva samples
- biometric data (this is information about psychological, physical, or behavioral characteristics that can identify an individual).
health data - Data relating to sexual orientation or sex life
profiling
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:
“Profiling” means 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, in particular to analyze or predict aspects concerning that natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements.
Explanation: Profiling collects various personal data about an individual in order to learn more about that individual. On the internet, profiling is often used for advertising purposes or for credit checks. Web and advertising analysis programs, for example, collect data about your behavior and interests on a website. This results in a special user profile that can be used to target advertising to specific target groups.
controller
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:
“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; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law;
Explanation: In our example, we are responsible for the processing of your personal data and are therefore the "controller." If we pass on collected data to other service providers for processing, they are considered "contract processors." For this, a "Data Processing Agreement (DPA)" must be concluded.
Processing
Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR
For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:
“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, such as collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction;
Note: When we talk about processing in our Privacy Policy, we talk about any type of data processing. As mentioned above in the original GDPR declaration, this includes not only the collection but also the storage and processing of data.
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