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Preamble

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

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Status: 26 July 2023

Table of contents

Responsible

Patrick Ruppelt
On the egg meadow 20
82031 Grünwald
Germany

E-mail address:

post@paddys.de

Imprint:

https://paddys.de/impressum/

Relevant legal bases

Relevant legal basis according to the GDPR: Below you will find an overview of the legal basis of the GDPR on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. Should more specific legal bases be relevant in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

  • Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO) - The data subject has given consent to the processing of personal data relating to him or her for a specific purpose or purposes.
  • Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO) - The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures taken at the data subject's request.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO) - Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests of the controller or of a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require the protection of personal data.

National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national regulations on data protection apply in Germany. These include, in particular, the Act on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act - BDSG). In particular, the BDSG contains special regulations on the right to information, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, the processing for other purposes and the transmission as well as automated decision-making in individual cases including profiling. Furthermore, data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Reference to the applicability of the GDPR and the Swiss DPA: This data protection notice serves to provide information in accordance with both the Swiss Federal Data Protection Act (Schweizer DSG) and the General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO). For this reason, we ask you to note that due to the broader spatial application and comprehensibility, the terms of the GDPR are used. In particular, instead of the terms "processing" of "personal data", "overriding interest" and "personal data requiring special protection" used in the Swiss DPA, the terms "processing" of "personal data" as well as "legitimate interest" and "special categories of data" used in the GDPR are used. However, the legal meaning of the terms will continue to be determined in accordance with the Swiss DPA within the scope of its application.

Overview of the processing

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

Types of data processed

  • Inventory data.
  • Location data.
  • Contact details.
  • Content data.
  • Usage data.
  • Meta, communication and procedural data.
  • Picture and/or video recordings.
  • Event data (Facebook).

Categories of persons concerned

  • Customers.
  • Employees.
  • Interested parties.
  • Communication partner.
  • Users.

Purposes of the processing

  • Provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations.
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Safety measures.
  • Direct marketing.
  • Reach measurement.
  • Office and organisational procedures.
  • Conversion measurement.
  • Click tracking.
  • A/B testing.
  • Managing and responding to enquiries.
  • Content Delivery Network (CDN).
  • Feedback.
  • Heatmaps.
  • Marketing.
  • Profiles with user-related information.
  • Application procedure.
  • Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Information technology infrastructure.

Security measures

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of protection appropriate to the risk in accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the nature, scope, circumstances and purposes of the processing as well as the different probabilities of occurrence and the extent of the threat to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.

The measures include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data, as well as access to, entry into, disclosure of, assurance of availability of and segregation of the data. We also have procedures in place to ensure the exercise of data subjects' rights, the deletion of data and responses to data compromise. Furthermore, we already take the protection of personal data into account in the development or selection of hardware, software and procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.

TLS encryption (https): In order to protect your data transmitted via our online offer, we use TLS encryption. You can recognise such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address bar of your browser.

Transmission of personal data

In the course of our processing of personal data, the data may be transferred to or disclosed to other bodies, companies, legally independent organisational units or persons. The recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we observe the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude corresponding contracts or agreements that serve to protect your data with the recipients of your data.

International data transfers

Data processing in third countries: If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or the processing takes place in the context of the use of third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, bodies or companies, this is only done in accordance with the legal requirements.

Subject to express consent or contractually or legally required transfer (see Art. 49 of the GDPR), we only process or leave the data in third countries with a recognised level of data protection (Art. 45 of the GDPR), in the presence of and compliance with contractual obligations through so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission (Art. 46 of the GDPR) or in the presence of certifications or binding internal data protection regulations (see Art. 44 to 49 of the GDPR, information page of the EU Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_de).

EU-US Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework: Under the so-called "Data Privacy Framework" (DPF), the level of data protection in the EU has also been recognised for certain companies from the USA. The list of certified companies as well as further information on the DPF can be found on the website of the US Department of Commerce at https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/ (in English). Information in German and other languages can be found on the website of the EU Commission: https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection/eu-us-data-transfers_de We also inform you about the companies we use that are certified under the Data Privacy Framework.

Data deletion

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as their consents permitted for processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data has ceased to apply or it is not required for the purpose). If the data are not deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing is limited to these purposes. I.e. the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for reasons of commercial or tax law or whose storage is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person.

As part of our privacy notices, we may provide users with further information on the deletion and retention of data specific to the processing operation.

Rights of the data subjects

Data subjects' rights under the GDPR: As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Art. 15 to 21 GDPR:

  • Right to object: You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out on the basis of Article 6(1)(e) or (f) DSGVO; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you are processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing.
  • Right of withdrawal for consents: You have the right to revoke any consent you have given at any time.
  • Right to information: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether data in question is being processed and to information about this data, as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the legal requirements.
  • Right of rectification: In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to request that the data concerning you be completed or that the incorrect data concerning you be corrected.
  • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to demand that data relating to you be deleted immediately or, alternatively, to demand restriction of the processing of the data in accordance with the statutory provisions.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data relating to you that you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements, or to request that it be transferred to another person responsible.
  • Complaint to supervisory authority: In accordance with the law and without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, in particular a supervisory authority in the Member State where you usually reside, the supervisory authority of your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you infringes the GDPR.

Use of cookies

Cookies are small text files or other memory notes that store information on end devices and read information from the end devices. For example, to save the login status in a user account, the contents of a shopping basket in an e-shop, the contents called up or the functions used in an online offer. Cookies can also be used for various purposes, e.g. for the purpose of functionality, security and comfort of online offers as well as the creation of analyses of visitor flows.

Notes on consent: We use cookies in accordance with the law. We therefore obtain prior consent from users, except where this is not required by law. In particular, consent is not required if the storage and reading of information, i.e. including cookies, are absolutely necessary in order to provide a telemedia service (i.e. our online offer) expressly requested by the users. Cookies that are strictly necessary generally include cookies with functions that serve the display and operability of the online offer , load balancing, security, storage of users' preferences and choices or similar purposes related to the provision of the main and secondary functions of the online offer requested by users. The revocable consent will be clearly communicated to the users and will contain the information on the respective cookie use.

Information on the legal basis for data protection: The legal basis under data protection law on which we process users' personal data with the help of cookies depends on whether we ask users for consent. If users consent, the legal basis for processing their data is their declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed using cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the business operation of our online offer and improvement of its usability) or, if this is done in the context of the performance of our contractual obligations, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations. We explain the purposes for which we process cookies in the course of this data protection declaration or as part of our consent and processing procedures.

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

  • Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed their end device (e.g. browser or mobile app).
  • Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the terminal device is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. Likewise, user data collected with the help of cookies can be used to measure reach. Unless we provide users with explicit information on the type and storage duration of cookies (e.g. when obtaining consent), users should assume that cookies are permanent and that they can be stored for up to two years.

General information on revocation and objection (so-called "opt-out"): Users can revoke the consents they have given at any time and object to the processing in accordance with the legal requirements. For this purpose, users can, among other things, restrict the use of cookies in the settings of their browser (whereby the functionality of our online offer may also be restricted as a result). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be made via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/ be explained.

  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Processing of cookie data on the basis of consent: We use a cookie consent management procedure in which the consent of users to the use of cookies, or the processing and providers named in the cookie consent management procedure, can be obtained and managed and revoked by the users. The declaration of consent is stored in order not to have to repeat the request and to be able to prove the consent in accordance with the legal obligation. The storage can take place on the server side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie or with the help of comparable technologies) in order to be able to assign the consent to a user or their device. Subject to individual information on the providers of cookie management services, the following information applies: The duration of the storage of consent can be up to two years. A pseudonymous user identifier is created and stored with the time of consent, information on the scope of consent (e.g. which categories of cookies and/or service providers) and the browser, system and end device used; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); .
  • BorlabsCookie: Cookie consent management; Service provider: Hosted locally on our server, no data transfer to third parties; Website: https://de.borlabs.io/borlabs-cookie/; Further information: An individual user ID, language as well as types of consent and the time of their submission are stored on the server side and in the cookie on the user's device.

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

We process users' data in order to provide them with our online services. For this purpose, we process the user's IP address, which is necessary to transmit the content and functions of our online services to the user's browser or terminal device.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status); content data (e.g. entries in online forms).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.).); security measures; Content Delivery Network (CDN).
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Provision of online offer on rented storage space: For the provision of our online offer, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also called "web hoster"); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); .
  • Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online offer is logged in the form of so-called "server log files". The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, the date and time of the access, the amount of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user's operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g. to prevent server overload (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure the utilisation of the servers and their stability; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymised. Data whose further storage is required for evidentiary purposes is exempt from deletion until the respective incident has been finally clarified.
  • Email sending and hosting: The web hosting services we use also include the sending, receiving and storing of e-mails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders as well as further information regarding the e-mail dispatch (e.g. the providers involved) and the contents of the respective e-mails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for the purpose of recognising SPAM. Please note that e-mails on the Internet are generally not sent in encrypted form. As a rule, e-mails are encrypted in transit, but (unless a so-called end-to-end encryption procedure is used) not on the servers from which they are sent and received. We can therefore not assume any responsibility for the transmission path of the e-mails between the sender and the reception on our server; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); .
  • Cloudflare: Content Delivery Network (CDN) - Service with the help of which the contents of an online offer, in particular large media files such as graphics or programme scripts, can be delivered faster and more securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet; Service provider: Cloudflare, Inc, 101 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.cloudflare.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/; Order processing contract: https://www.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-customer-dpa; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard contractual clauses (https://www.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-customer-scc).

Registration, login and user account

Users can create a user account. As part of the registration process, users are provided with the required mandatory information and this information is processed for the purpose of providing the user account on the basis of contractual obligation fulfilment. The processed data includes in particular the login information (user name, password and an e-mail address).

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

Users can be informed by e-mail about processes that are relevant to their user account, such as technical changes.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations; security measures; administration and response to enquiries; provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Legal basis: Contract performance and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Registration with pseudonyms: Users may use pseudonyms as user names instead of plain names; Legal basis: Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); .
  • Deletion of data after termination: If users have terminated their user account, their data relating to the user account will be deleted, subject to any legal permission, obligation or consent of the users; Legal basis: Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); .
  • No obligation to retain data: It is the responsibility of the users to save their data before the end of the contract in the event of termination. We are entitled to irretrievably delete all user data stored during the term of the contract; Legal basis: Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); .

Single sign-on login

Single sign-on" or "single sign-on registration or "authentication" are procedures that allow users to register with a provider of single sign-on procedures (e.g. a social network), including our online offer, with the help of a user account. The prerequisite for single sign-on authentication is that users are registered with the respective single sign-on provider and enter the required access data in the online form provided for this purpose, or are already registered with the single sign-on provider and confirm the single sign-on registration via a button.

Authentication takes place directly with the respective single sign-on provider. In the course of such authentication, we receive a user ID with the information that the user is logged in under this user ID at the respective single sign-on provider and an ID that cannot be used by us for other purposes (so-called "user handle"). Whether additional data is transmitted to us depends solely on the single sign-on procedure used, on the data releases selected in the context of authentication and also on which data users have released in the privacy or other settings of the user account with the single sign-on provider. Depending on the single sign-on provider and the user's choice, this can be different data, usually the e-mail address and the user name. The password entered as part of the single sign-on procedure with the single sign-on provider is neither visible to us nor is it stored by us.

Users are asked to note that their details stored with us can be automatically matched with their user account with the single sign-on provider, but that this is not always possible or actually happens. If, for example, the users' e-mail addresses change, they must change them manually in their user account with us.

We may use single sign-on login, where agreed with users, as part of or prior to the performance of the contract, where users have been asked to do so, process it under consent and otherwise use it based on the legitimate interests of us and the interests of users in an effective and secure login system.

Should users ever decide that they no longer wish to use the link between their user account and the single sign-on provider for the single sign-on procedure, they must remove this link within their user account with the single sign-on provider. If users wish to delete their data from us, they must cancel their registration with us.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status); event data (Facebook) ("event data" are data that can be transmitted by us to Facebook, e.g. via the Facebook pixel (via apps or in other ways) and relate to persons or their actions; the data include e.g. information about visits to websites, interactions with content, functions, installations of apps, purchases of products, etc.). Event data is processed for the purpose of creating target groups for content and advertising information (Custom Audiences); Event data does not include the actual content (such as written comments), no login information and no contact information (i.e. no names, email addresses and telephone numbers). Event data are deleted by Facebook after a maximum of two years, the target groups formed from them with the deletion of our Facebook account).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations; security measures; registration procedures.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

Blogs and publication media

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

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; security measures; administration and response to enquiries.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Comments and contributions: When users leave comments or other posts, their IP addresses may be stored based on our legitimate interests. This is done for our security in case someone leaves unlawful content in comments and posts (insults, forbidden political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we ourselves can be prosecuted for the comment or post and are therefore interested in the identity of the author. Furthermore, we reserve the right to process users' details for the purpose of spam detection on the basis of our legitimate interests. On the same legal basis, we reserve the right to store the IP addresses of users for the duration of surveys and to use cookies in order to avoid multiple voting. The personal information provided in the context of comments and contributions, any contact and website information as well as the content-related information will be permanently stored by us until the user objects; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); .
  • Retrieve WordPress emojis and smilies: Retrieval of WordPress emojis and smilies - Within our WordPress blog, graphical emojis (or smilies), i.e. small graphic files expressing emotions, are used for the purpose of efficient integration of content elements, obtained from external servers. The providers of the servers collect the IP addresses of the users. This is necessary so that the emoji files can be transmitted to the users' browsers; Service provider: Aut O'Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd, Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://automattic.com; Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • Akismet anti-spam check: Akismet anti-spam check - We use the "Akismet" service based on our legitimate interests. With the help of Akismet, comments from real people are distinguished from spam comments. For this purpose, all comment details are sent to a server in the USA, where they are analysed and stored for four days for comparison purposes. If a comment has been classified as spam, the data is stored beyond this time. This data includes the name entered, the e-mail address, the IP address, the comment content, the referrer, information on the browser used as well as the computer system and the time of the entry. Users are welcome to use pseudonyms or to refrain from entering their name or email address. They can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system. That would be a shame, but unfortunately we don't see any alternatives that work just as effectively; Service provider: Aut O'Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd, Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://automattic.com; Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • UpdraftPlus: Backup software and backup storage; Service provider: Simba Hosting Ltd, 11, Barringer Way, St Neots, Cambs., PE19 1LW, GB; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://updraftplus.com/; Privacy Policy: https://updraftplus.com/data-protection-and-privacy-centre/.

Contact and enquiry management

When contacting us (e.g. by post, contact form, email, telephone or via social media) as well as in the context of existing user and business relationships, the information of the enquiring persons is processed to the extent necessary to respond to the contact enquiries and any measures requested.

  • Types of data processed: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Persons concerned: Communication partner.
  • Purposes of the processing: Contact requests and communication; managing and responding to requests; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); providing our online service and user experience.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); contract performance and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Contact form: If users contact us via our contact form, e-mail or other communication channels, we process the data communicated to us in this context to process the communicated request; Legal basis: Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); .

Communication via messenger

We use messengers for communication purposes and therefore ask you to observe the following information on the functionality of the messengers, on encryption, on the use of the metadata of the communication and on your objection options.

You can also contact us by alternative means, e.g. via telephone or e-mail. Please use the contact options provided to you or the contact options indicated within our online offer.

In the case of end-to-end encryption of content (i.e., the content of your message and attachments), we point out that the communication content (i.e., the content of the message and attached images) is encrypted from end to end. This means that the content of the messages cannot be viewed, not even by the messenger providers themselves. You should always use an up-to-date version of messengers with encryption enabled to ensure that the message content is encrypted.

However, we also point out to our communication partners that the providers of the messengers cannot view the content, but they can find out that and when communication partners communicate with us and that technical information about the device used by the communication partners and, depending on the settings of their device, also location information (so-called metadata) is processed.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask communication partners for permission before communicating with them via Messenger, the legal basis for our processing of their data is their consent. Otherwise, if we do not ask for consent and they contact us on their own initiative, for example, we use Messenger in relation to our contractual partners as well as in the context of contract initiation as a contractual measure and, in the case of other interested parties and communication partners, on the basis of our legitimate interests in fast and efficient communication and meeting the needs of our communication partners in communication via Messenger. Furthermore, we would like to point out that we do not transmit the contact data provided to us to the messengers for the first time without your consent.

Revocation, objection and deletion: You can revoke consent at any time and object to communication with us via Messenger at any time. In the case of communication via Messenger, we delete the messages in accordance with our general deletion guidelines (i.e., e.g., as described above, after the end of contractual relationships, in the context of archiving requirements, etc.) and otherwise as soon as we can assume that we have answered any information provided by the communication partners, if no reference to a previous conversation is to be expected and the deletion does not conflict with any statutory retention obligations.

Reservation of reference to other communication channels: Finally, we would like to point out that we reserve the right not to answer enquiries via Messenger for reasons of your security. This is the case if, for example, internal contractual information requires special confidentiality or an answer via Messenger does not meet formal requirements. In such cases, we will refer you to more adequate communication channels.

  • Types of data processed: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Persons concerned: Communication partner.
  • Purposes of the processing: Contact requests and communication; direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

Cloud services

We use software services accessible via the Internet and running on the servers of their providers (so-called "cloud services", also referred to as "software as a service") for the storage and management of content (e.g. document storage and management, exchange of documents, content and information with specific recipients or publication of content and information).

In this context, personal data may be processed and stored on the servers of the providers, insofar as these are part of communication processes with us or are otherwise processed by us as set out in the context of this privacy policy. This data may include, in particular, master data and contact data of users, data on transactions, contracts, other processes and their contents. The cloud service providers also process usage data and metadata used by them for security purposes and service optimisation.

If we use cloud services to provide forms or other documents and content to other users or publicly accessible websites, the providers may store cookies on users' devices for the purposes of web analytics or to remember users' settings (e.g. in the case of media control).

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status); image and/or video recordings (e.g. photographs or video recordings of a person).
  • Persons concerned: Customers; employees (e.g. employees, applicants, former employees); interested parties; communication partners.
  • Purposes of the processing: Office and organisational procedures; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical equipment (computers, servers, etc.).); provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

Newsletter and electronic notifications

We send newsletters, e-mails and other electronic notifications (hereinafter "newsletter") only with the consent of the recipients or a legal permission. Insofar as the contents of the newsletter are specifically described in the course of registration, they are decisive for the consent of the users. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

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

Double opt-in procedure: Registration for our newsletter is always carried out in a so-called double opt-in process. This means that after registration you will receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with other people's email addresses. The registrations for the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process in accordance with the legal requirements. This includes the storage of the registration and confirmation time as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored with the dispatch service provider are also logged.

erasure and restriction of processing: We may store unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before deleting them in order to be able to prove consent formerly given. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defence against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of consent is confirmed at the same time. In the case of obligations to permanently observe objections, we reserve the right to store the e-mail address in a block list (so-called "block list") for this purpose alone.

The logging of the registration process is carried out on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purpose of proving that it has been carried out properly. If we commission a service provider to send e-mails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure sending system.

Contents:

Information about newly published articles on my website

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Persons concerned: Communication partner.
  • Purposes of the processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
  • Possibility of objection (opt-out): You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent or object to further receipt. You will find a link to cancel the newsletter either at the end of each newsletter or you can use one of the contact options given above, preferably e-mail, for this purpose.

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Measurement of open and click rates: The newsletters contain a so-called "web beacon", i.e. a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from our server when the newsletter is opened or, if we use a dispatch service provider, from their server. Within the scope of this retrieval, technical information such as information on the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and the time of the retrieval, are initially collected. This information is used for the technical improvement of our newsletter on the basis of the technical data or the target groups and their reading behaviour on the basis of their retrieval locations (which can be determined with the help of the IP address) or the access times. This analysis also includes determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened and which links are clicked. This information is assigned to the individual newsletter recipients and stored in their profiles until they are deleted. The analyses help us to recognise the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to them or to send different content according to the interests of our users. The measurement of opening rates and click rates as well as the storage of the measurement results in the profiles of the users and their further processing are based on the consent of the users. Unfortunately, a separate revocation of the performance measurement is not possible; in this case, the entire newsletter subscription must be cancelled or revoked. In this case, the stored profile information will be deleted; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); .
  • Mailchimp: E-mail dispatch and e-mail dispatch and automation services; Service provider: Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://mailchimp.com; Privacy Policy: https://mailchimp.com/legal/; Order processing contract: https://mailchimp.com/legal/; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (Provided by the service provider); Further information: Special safety measures: https://mailchimp.com/help/Mailchimp-european-data-transfers/.

Web analysis, monitoring and optimisation

Web analytics (also referred to as "reach measurement") is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to our online offering and may include behaviour, interests or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of the reach analysis, we can, for example, recognise at what time our online offer or its functions or contents are most frequently used or invite re-use. Likewise, we can understand which areas need optimisation.

In addition to web analysis, we may also use testing procedures, e.g. to test and optimise different versions of our online offer or its components.

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

The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use an IP masking procedure (i.e. pseudonymisation by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) is stored in the context of web analysis, A/B testing and optimisation, but pseudonyms. This means that we as well as the providers of the software used do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purpose of the respective procedures.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles); provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; conversion measurement (measurement of the effectiveness of marketing measures); click tracking; A/B tests; heat maps (mouse movements on the part of users that are combined to form an overall picture).
  • Safety measures: IP masking (pseudonymisation of the IP address).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Google Analytics 4: We use Google Analytics to measure and analyse the use of our online offer on the basis of a pseudonymous user identification number. This identification number does not contain any unique data, such as names or email addresses. It is used to assign analysis information to an end device in order to recognise which content users have accessed within one or various usage processes, which search terms they have used, have accessed again or have interacted with our online offer. The time of use and its duration are also stored, as well as the sources of the users referring to our online offer and technical aspects of their end devices and browsers. In the process, pseudonymous profiles of users are created with information from the use of various devices, whereby cookies may be used. Google Analytics does not log and store individual IP addresses for EU users. However, Analytics provides coarse geographic location data by deriving the following metadata from IP addresses: City (and the derived latitude and longitude of the city), Continent, Country, Region, Subcontinent (and ID-based counterparts). For EU traffic, IP address data are used exclusively for this derivation of geolocation data before being immediately deleted. They are not logged, are not accessible and are not used for any other purpose. When Google Analytics collects measurement data, all IP queries are performed on EU-based servers before the traffic is forwarded to Analytics servers for processing; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard contractual clauses (https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms); Possibility of objection (opt-out): Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (Types of processing and data processed).
  • Jetpack (WordPress Stats): Jetpack offers analysis functions for WordPress software; Service provider: Aut O'Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd, Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://automattic.com; Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • Microsoft Clarity: Software for the analysis and optimisation of online offers on the basis of feedback functions as well as pseudonymously conducted measurements and analyses of user behaviour, which may include in particular A/B tests (measurement of the popularity and user-friendliness of different contents and functions), measurement of click paths and interaction with contents and functions of the online offer; Service provider: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://clarity.microsoft.com/; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Presence in social networks (social media)

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

We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for the users because, for example, it could make it more difficult to enforce the rights of the users.

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

For a detailed presentation of the respective forms of processing and the options to object (opt-out), we refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

In the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would also like to point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the providers have access to the users' data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. If you still need help, you can contact us.

  • Types of data processed: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Contact requests and communication; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); marketing.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

Plugins and embedded functions and content

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

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

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status); inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); location data (information on the geographical position of a device or a person); event data (Facebook) ("event data" are data which, e.g.. Event Data (Facebook) ("Event Data" is data that may be transmitted by us to Facebook, e.g. via the Facebook Pixel (via apps or other means), and relates to persons or their actions; the data includes, for example, information about visits to websites, interactions with content, functions, installations of apps, purchases of products, etc.; the Event Data is processed for the purpose of creating target groups for content and advertising information (Custom Audiences); Event Data does not include the actual content (such as comments written), no login information and no contact information (i.e. no names, email addresses and telephone numbers). Event data are deleted by Facebook after a maximum of two years, the target groups formed from them with the deletion of our Facebook account).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services); communication partners.
  • Purposes of the processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; marketing; profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles); provision of contractual services and fulfilment of contractual obligations; contact enquiries and communication; direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post); security measures.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO).

Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Integration of third-party software, scripts or frameworks (e.g. jQuery): We integrate software into our online offer that we retrieve from servers of other providers (e.g. function libraries that we use for the purpose of presentation or user-friendliness of our online offer). In doing so, the respective providers collect the IP address of the user and may process this for the purpose of transmitting the software to the user's browser and for security purposes, as well as for the evaluation and optimisation of their offer. - We integrate software into our online offer that we retrieve from servers of other providers (e.g. function libraries that we use for the purpose of presentation or user-friendliness of our online offer). The respective providers collect the IP address of the user and may process this for the purpose of transmitting the software to the user's browser and for security purposes, as well as for the evaluation and optimisation of their offer; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); .
  • Facebook plugins and content: Facebook social plugins and content - This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or text and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Facebook. The list and appearance of Facebook social plugins can be viewed here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/ - We are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for collecting or receiving in transmission (but not further processing) "Event Data" that Facebook collects or receives in transmission through the Facebook social plugins (and content embedding features) that run on our Online Service for the purposes of: a) displaying content and advertising information that is relevant to users' perceived interests; b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g., targeting users via Facebook Messenger); c) improving ad delivery and personalising features and content (e.g., improving the identification of which content or advertising information is relevant to users' perceived interests). (c) improving ad delivery and personalising features and content (e.g., improving the identification of which content or advertising information is likely to be relevant to users' interests). We have entered into a specific agreement with Facebook ("Responsible Party Addendum", https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which regulates in particular which security measures Facebook must observe (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to comply with data subjects' rights (i.e. users can, for example, provide information or make deletion requests directly to Facebook). Note: When Facebook provides us with metrics, analytics and reports (which are aggregated, i.e. do not receive information about individual users and are anonymous to us), this processing is not carried out under shared responsibility, but on the basis of a commissioned processing agreement ("Data Processing Terms ", https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing) the "data security conditions" (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and with regard to processing in the USA on the basis of standard contractual clauses ("Facebook EU Data Transfer Addendum, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). The rights of users (in particular to information, deletion, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • Google Fonts (obtained from the Google server): Obtaining fonts (and symbols) for the purpose of a technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts and symbols with regard to up-to-dateness and loading times, their uniform presentation and consideration of possible restrictions under licensing law. The provider of the fonts is informed of the user's IP address so that the fonts can be made available in the user's browser. In addition, technical data (language settings, screen resolution, operating system, hardware used) are transmitted which are necessary for the provision of the fonts depending on the devices used and the technical environment. This data may be processed on a server of the provider of the fonts in the USA - When visiting our online offer, users' browsers send their browser HTTP requests to the Google Fonts Web API (i.e. a software interface for retrieving fonts). The Google Fonts Web API provides users with the Google Fonts Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and then the fonts specified in the CCS. These HTTP requests include (1) the IP address used by each user to access the Internet, (2) the requested URL on the Google server, and (3) the HTTP headers, including the user agent describing the browser and operating system versions of the website visitors, as well as the referral URL (i.e., the web page where the Google font is to be displayed). IP addresses are neither logged nor stored on Google servers and they are not analysed. The Google Fonts Web API logs details of HTTP requests (requested URL, user agent and referring URL). Access to this data is restricted and strictly controlled. The requested URL identifies the font families for which the user wishes to load fonts. This data is logged so that Google can determine how often a particular font family is requested. With the Google Fonts Web API, the user agent must match the font that is generated for the particular browser type. The user agent is logged primarily for debugging purposes and is used to generate aggregate usage statistics that measure the popularity of font families. These aggregate usage statistics are published on Google Fonts' Analytics page. Finally, the referral URL is logged so that the data can be used for production maintenance and to generate an aggregate report on top integrations based on the number of font requests. Google says it does not use any of the information collected by Google Fonts to profile end users or serve targeted ads; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://fonts.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF); Further information: https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq/privacy?hl=de.
  • Google Maps: We integrate the maps of the "Google Maps" service of the provider Google. The data processed may include, in particular, IP addresses and user location data; Service provider: Google Cloud EMEA Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://mapsplatform.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • Google Maps APIs and SDKs: Interfaces to Google's map and location services, which allow, for example, supplementing address entries, location determinations, distance calculations or provision of supplementary information on stand and other locations; Service provider: Google Cloud EMEA Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://mapsplatform.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • Instagram plugins and content: Instagram plugins and content - This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or text and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Instagram. - We are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for the collection or receipt in connection with a transmission (but not the further processing) of "Event Data" that Facebook collects or receives in connection with a transmission through Instagram features (e.g., content embedding features) running on our Online Offer for the purposes of: a) displaying content and promotional information that is relevant to users' perceived interests; b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g., targeting users via Facebook Messenger) to users of our Online Offer. (c) improving ad delivery and personalising features and content (e.g., improving the identification of which content or advertising information is likely to be relevant to users' interests). We have entered into a specific agreement with Facebook ("Responsible Party Addendum", https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which regulates in particular which security measures Facebook must observe (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to comply with data subjects' rights (i.e. users can, for example, provide information or make deletion requests directly to Facebook). Note: When Facebook provides us with metrics, analytics and reports (which are aggregated, i.e. do not receive information about individual users and are anonymous to us), this processing is not carried out under shared responsibility, but on the basis of a commissioned processing agreement ("Data Processing Terms ", https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing) the "data security conditions" (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and with regard to processing in the USA on the basis of standard contractual clauses ("Facebook EU Data Transfer Addendum, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). The rights of users (in particular to information, deletion, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.
  • LinkedIn plugins and content: LinkedIn plugins and content- This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content from this online offering within LinkedIn; Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Order processing contract: https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Standard contractual clauses (https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa); Possibility of objection (opt-out): https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.
  • YouTube videos: Video content; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF); Possibility of objection (opt-out): Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
  • Xing plugins and buttons: Xing plugins and buttons - This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content from this online offering within Xing; Service provider: New Work SE, Am Strandkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.xing.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung.
  • Instagram: Social network; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.
  • Facebook Single Sign-On: Authentication service of the Facebook platform; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Order processing contract: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard contractual clauses (https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum).
  • Facebook Messenger: Facebook Messenger with end-to-end encryption (Facebook Messenger's end-to-end encryption requires activation if it should not be activated by default); Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Order processing contract: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard contractual clauses (https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum).
  • Facebook pages: Profiles within the social network Facebook - We are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for the collection (but not further processing) of data from visitors to our Facebook page (so-called "Fanpage"). This data includes information about the types of content users view or interact with, or the actions they take (see under "Things you and others do and provide" in the Facebook Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy), as well as information about the devices used by users (e.g. IP addresses, operating system, browser type, language settings, cookie data; see under "Device Information" in the Facebook Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy). As explained in the Facebook Privacy Policy under "How do we use this information?", Facebook also collects and uses information to provide analytics services, called "Page Insights", to Page operators to provide them with insights into how people interact with their Pages and the content associated with them. We have entered into a specific agreement with Facebook ("Page Insights Information", https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum), which regulates in particular which security measures Facebook must observe and in which Facebook has agreed to fulfil the rights of data subjects (i.e. users can, for example, send information or deletion requests directly to Facebook). The rights of users (in particular to information, deletion, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook. Further information can be found in the "Information on Page Insights" (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data); Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard contractual clauses (https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum); Further information: Agreement on joint responsibility: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data. The joint responsibility is limited to the collection by and transfer of data to Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, a company based in the EU. Further processing of the data is the sole responsibility of Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, which concerns in particular the transfer of the data to the parent company Meta Platforms, Inc. in the USA (on the basis of the standard contractual clauses concluded between Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and Meta Platforms, Inc.).
  • Gymnastics styles: CAPTCHA service used to check whether data entered within our online offer (e.g. on a login page or a contact form) has been entered by a human or an automated programme. For this purpose, the service analyses the behaviour of the users of our online offer on the basis of various characteristics. This analysis begins automatically as soon as a user uses our online offer. Various information is evaluated for the analysis (IP address, duration of the visitor's stay on the website or app or mouse movements of the user as well as technical information on the end device and browser used by the user); Service provider: Cloudflare, Inc, 101 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.cloudflare.com/lp/turnstile/; Privacy Policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/; Order processing contract: https://www.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-customer-dpa; Basis third country transfer: EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Amendment and update of the privacy policy

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

Where we provide addresses and contact details of companies and organisations in this privacy statement, please note that the addresses may change over time and please check the details before contacting us.

Definitions of terms

This section provides you with an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Insofar as the terms are defined by law, their legal definitions apply. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to aid understanding.

  • A/B testing: A/B tests are used to improve the usability and performance of online offers. For example, users are presented with different versions of a website or its elements, such as input forms, on which the placement of the content or the labels of the navigation elements may differ. Then, based on the behaviour of the users, e.g. staying longer on the website or interacting more frequently with the elements, it can be determined which of these websites or elements are more likely to meet the needs of the users.
  • Content Delivery Network (CDN): A "Content Delivery Network" (CDN) is a service with the help of which the contents of an online offer, especially large media files such as graphics or programme scripts, can be delivered faster and more securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet.
  • Heatmaps: "Heatmaps" are mouse movements of users that are summarised to form an overall picture, with the help of which it can be recognised, for example, which website elements are preferred and which website elements users prefer less.
  • Click tracking: Click tracking allows us to keep track of users' movements within an entire online offering. Since the results of these tests are more accurate if the interaction of the users can be tracked over a certain period of time (e.g. so that we can find out whether a user likes to return), cookies are usually stored on the users' computers for these testing purposes.
  • Conversion measurement: Conversion measurement (also known as "visit action evaluation") is a procedure that can be used to determine the effectiveness of marketing measures. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the users' devices within the websites on which the marketing measures take place and then retrieved again on the target website. For example, this allows us to track whether the ads we have placed on other websites have been successful.
  • Personal data: "Personal data" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter "data subject"); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • Profiles with user-related information: The processing of "profiles with user-related information", or "profiling" for short, includes any type of automated processing of personal data that consists of using these personal data to analyse, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information concerning demographics, behaviour and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behaviour on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
  • Reach measurement: Reach measurement (also referred to as web analytics) is used to evaluate the visitor flows of an online offer and can include the behaviour or interests of visitors in certain information, such as website content. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can see, for example, at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This enables them, for example, to better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors. For the purposes of reach analysis, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to recognise returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offer.
  • Location data: Location data is generated when a mobile device (or another device with the technical requirements of location determination) connects to a radio cell, a WLAN or similar technical means and functions of location determination. Location data is used to indicate the geographically determinable position on earth at which the respective device is located. Location data can be used, for example, to display map functions or other information dependent on a location.
  • Responsible: Controller" means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
  • Processing: "Processing" means any operation or set of operations which is performed upon personal data, whether or not by automatic means. The term is broad and covers virtually any handling of data, be it collection, analysis, storage, transmission or erasure.