Datenschutzerklärung

This privacy policy informs you about the nature, scope, and purpose of the processing of personal data (hereinafter referred to as „data“) within the context of providing our services, as well as within our online presence and its associated websites, functions, and content, and external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as „online presence“). Regarding the terminology used, such as „processing“ or „controller,“ we refer to the definitions in Article 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Types of data processed

– Inventory data (e.g., personal master data, names, or addresses).
– Contact data (e.g., email addresses, telephone numbers).
– Content data (e.g., text entries, photographs, videos).
– Usage data (e.g., websites visited, interest in content, access times).
– Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).

Categories of affected persons

Visitors and users of the online service (hereinafter we will refer to the persons concerned collectively as „users“).

Purpose of processing

– Provision of the online service, its functions and content.
– Responding to contact requests and communicating with users.
– Security measures.
– Audience measurement/marketing.

Terminology used

“Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as “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. a cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

„Processing“ means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and encompasses virtually any handling of data.

“Pseudonymisation” means the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

“Profiling” means any type 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.

The term “controller” refers to 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.

“Processor” means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

Relevant legal bases

In accordance with Article 13 of the GDPR, we are informing you of the legal bases for our data processing. For users within the scope of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), i.e., the EU and the EEA, the following applies if the legal basis is not specified in the privacy policy:
The legal basis for obtaining consent is Article 6(1)(a) and Article 7 of the GDPR;
the legal basis for processing data to fulfill our services and implement contractual measures, as well as to respond to inquiries, is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR;
the legal basis for processing data to comply with our legal obligations is Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR;
in the event that processing personal data is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person, Article 6(1)(d) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis;
the legal basis for processing necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller is Article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR.
The legal basis for processing data to protect our legitimate interests is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
The processing of data for purposes other than those for which it was collected is governed by the provisions of Article 6(4) GDPR.
The processing of special categories of data (pursuant to Article 9(1) GDPR) is governed by the provisions of Article 9(2) GDPR.

Security measures

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

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

Cooperation with processors, joint controllers and third parties

If, in the course of our processing, we disclose data to other persons and companies (processors, joint controllers or third parties), transmit it to them or otherwise grant them access to the data, this is done only on the basis of a legal permission (e.g. if the transfer of data to third parties, such as payment service providers, is necessary for the performance of a contract), if users have consented, if a legal obligation requires it or on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. when using agents, web hosts, etc.).

If we disclose, transmit or otherwise grant access to data to other companies within our corporate group, this is done in particular for administrative purposes as a legitimate interest and, furthermore, on a basis that complies with legal requirements.

Transfers to third countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or the Swiss Confederation), or if this occurs in the context of using third-party services or disclosing or transferring data to other persons or companies, this will only be done if it is necessary for the performance of our (pre-)contractual obligations, based on your consent, due to a legal obligation, or based on our legitimate interests. Subject to explicit consent or contractually required transfer, we will only process or have data processed in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, which includes US processors certified under the „Privacy Shield“ or on the basis of special guarantees, such as contractual obligations through so-called standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission, the existence of certifications, or binding internal data protection regulations (Articles 44 to 49 GDPR, EU Commission information page ).

Rights of data subjects

Right to information: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether data concerning you is being processed, and to access this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with legal requirements.

Right to rectification: In accordance with legal requirements, you have the right to request the completion of your personal data or the correction of inaccurate personal data concerning you.

Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with legal requirements, you have the right to request that the data in question be erased without undue delay, or alternatively, in accordance with legal requirements, to request a restriction of the processing of the data.

Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, or to request its transmission to another controller, in accordance with the legal requirements.

Complaint to supervisory authority: You also have the right, in accordance with legal requirements, to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Right of withdrawal

You have the right to withdraw any consent you have given with effect for the future.

Right to object

Right to object: You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on point (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. Where personal data concerning you are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.

Cookies and the right to object to direct marketing

Cookies are small files that are stored on users‘ computers. Various types of information can be stored within cookies. A cookie primarily serves to store information about a user (or the device on which the cookie is stored) during or even after their visit to an online service. Temporary cookies, also known as „session cookies“ or „transient cookies,“ are deleted after a user leaves an online service and closes their browser. Such a cookie might, for example, store the contents of a shopping cart in an online store or a login status. „Permanent“ or „persistent“ cookies remain stored even after the browser is closed. These can, for example, save login status so that users remain logged in when they return to the site after several days. Similarly, user interests can be stored in such a cookie for audience measurement or marketing purposes. Third-party cookies are cookies that are offered by providers other than the operator of the online service (otherwise, if they are only the operator’s own cookies, they are called first-party cookies).

We may use temporary and permanent cookies, and we explain this in our privacy policy.

If we ask users for their consent to the use of cookies (e.g., as part of a cookie consent banner), the legal basis for this processing is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Otherwise, users‘ personal data processed via cookies is handled in accordance with the following explanations within this privacy policy, based on our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in analyzing, optimizing, and operating our online services economically, as defined in Article 6(1)(f) GDPR), or if the use of cookies is necessary for the performance of our contractual obligations, pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, or if the use of cookies is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority, pursuant to Article 6(1)(e) GDPR.

If users do not wish to have cookies stored on their computer, they are asked to deactivate the corresponding option in their browser’s system settings. Stored cookies can be deleted in the browser’s system settings. Disabling cookies may lead to functional limitations of this online service.

You can generally object to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes with many services, especially in the case of tracking, via the US website https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU website https://www.youronlinechoices.com/ . Furthermore, you can prevent the storage of cookies by disabling them in your browser settings. Please note that this may prevent you from using all the features of this website.

Deletion of data

The data we process will be deleted or its processing restricted in accordance with legal requirements. Unless expressly stated otherwise in this privacy policy, the data stored by us will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for its intended purpose and there are no legal obligations to retain it.

Unless the data is deleted because it is required for other legally permissible purposes, its processing will be restricted. This means the data will be blocked and not processed for any other purpose. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax law reasons.

Changes and updates to the privacy policy

We ask that you regularly review the content of our privacy policy. We will update the privacy policy as soon as changes to our data processing activities make this necessary. We will inform you if any changes require action on your part (e.g., consent) or any other individual notification.

Order processing in the online shop and customer account

We process our customers‘ data as part of the order process in our online shop to enable them to select and order the chosen products and services, as well as to facilitate payment and delivery or execution.

The data processed includes inventory data, communication data, contract data, and payment data. The individuals affected by this processing include our customers, prospective customers, and other business partners. Processing is carried out for the purpose of providing contractual services within the framework of operating an online shop, including invoicing, delivery, and customer service. We use session cookies to store the contents of the shopping cart and persistent cookies to store the login status.

The processing of your data is carried out to fulfill our services and implement contractual measures (e.g., processing orders) and to the extent required by law (e.g., legally mandated archiving of business transactions for commercial and tax purposes). The information marked as required is necessary for establishing and fulfilling the contract. We only disclose data to third parties in connection with delivery, payment, or within the scope of legal permissions and obligations, as well as when this is based on our legitimate interests, about which we inform you in this privacy policy (e.g., to legal and tax advisors, financial institutions, freight companies, and authorities).

Users can optionally create a user account, which allows them to view their orders. During registration, users are informed of the required mandatory information. User accounts are not public and cannot be indexed by search engines. If users terminate their user account, their data relating to the user account will be deleted, unless its retention is necessary for commercial or tax law reasons. Information in the customer account remains until its deletion, with subsequent archiving in the event of a legal obligation or our legitimate interests (e.g., in the case of legal disputes). It is the users‘ responsibility to back up their data before the end of the contract if they have terminated their account.

As part of the registration and login process, as well as the use of our online services, we store the IP address and the time of each user action. This storage is based on our legitimate interests, as well as the user’s interest in protection against misuse and other unauthorized use. This data is generally not shared with third parties, unless it is necessary for pursuing our legal claims as a legitimate interest or there is a legal obligation to do so.

The data will be deleted after the expiry of statutory warranty periods and other contractual rights or obligations (e.g., payment claims or performance obligations arising from contracts with customers), whereby the necessity of retaining the data is reviewed every three years; in the case of retention due to statutory archiving obligations, the data will be deleted after their expiry.

External payment service providers

We use external payment service providers through whose platforms users and we can process payment transactions. These payment service providers may include, each with a link to its privacy policy: PayPal ( https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full ), Klarna ( https://www.klarna.com/de/datenschutz/ ), Skrill ( https://www.skrill.com/de/fusszeile/datenschutzrichtlinie/ ), Giropay ( https://www.giropay.de/rechtliches/datenschutz-agb/ ), Visa ( https://www.visa.de/datenschutz ), Mastercard ( https://www.mastercard.de/de-de/datenschutz.html ), American Express ( https://www.americanexpress.com/de/content/privacy-policy-statement.html ), Stripe ( https://stripe.com/de/privacy ).

We use payment service providers for the performance of contracts on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. Furthermore, we use external payment service providers on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR in order to offer our users effective and secure payment options.

The data processed by payment service providers includes master data such as name and address, bank details such as account numbers or credit card numbers, passwords, TANs and checksums, as well as contract, amount, and recipient-related information. This information is required to process the transactions. However, the entered data is processed and stored only by the payment service providers. This means we do not receive any account or credit card information, but only confirmation or rejection of the payment. The payment service providers may transmit the data to credit reference agencies for identity and creditworthiness verification. Please refer to the terms and conditions and privacy policies of the payment service providers for further information.

The terms and conditions and privacy policies of the respective payment service providers apply to payment transactions and can be accessed on their respective websites or transaction applications. We also refer you to these for further information and to exercise your rights of withdrawal, access, and other data subject rights.

Administration, financial accounting, office organization, contact management

We process data for administrative tasks, the organization of our business operations, financial accounting, and compliance with legal obligations, such as archiving. In doing so, we process the same data that we process when providing our contractual services. The legal bases for this processing are Article 6(1)(c) and (f) of the GDPR. Customers, prospective customers, business partners, and website visitors are affected by this processing. The purpose of and our legitimate interest in this processing lies in administration, financial accounting, office organization, and data archiving—tasks that serve to maintain our business operations, fulfill our obligations, and provide our services. The deletion of data relating to contractual services and contractual communication is carried out in accordance with the information provided for these processing activities.

In this process, we disclose or transmit data to the tax authorities, advisors such as tax consultants or auditors, as well as other fee collection agencies and payment service providers.

Furthermore, based on our legitimate business interests, we store information about suppliers, event organizers, and other business partners, for example, for later contact. We generally store this predominantly business-related data permanently.

Participation in affiliate partner programs

Within our online services, we use industry-standard tracking measures based on our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in analyzing, optimizing, and operating our online services economically) pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, insofar as these are necessary for the operation of the affiliate system. Below, we explain the technical background to users.

The services offered by our contractual partners may also be advertised and linked on other websites (so-called affiliate links or after-buy systems, for example, when links or services from third parties are offered after a contract has been concluded). The operators of the respective websites receive a commission if users follow the affiliate links and subsequently take advantage of the offers.

In summary, for our online service, it is necessary to track whether users who are interested in affiliate links and/or the offers available on our platform subsequently take advantage of these offers as a result of clicking on the affiliate links or using our online platform. For this purpose, the affiliate links and our offers are supplemented with certain values, which can be part of the link itself or set elsewhere, for example, in a cookie. These values include, in particular, the referring website, the time, an online identifier of the operator of the website where the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, an online identifier of the user, as well as tracking-specific values such as advertising material ID, partner ID, and categorizations.

The online identifiers we use for users are pseudonymous. This means that the online identifiers themselves do not contain any personal data such as names or email addresses. They only help us determine whether the same user who clicked on an affiliate link or showed interest in an offer via our online platform has actually taken advantage of the offer, i.e., concluded a contract with the provider. However, the online identifier is considered personal data insofar as the partner company and we ourselves have access to the online identifier along with other user data. This is the only way the partner company can inform us whether the user has taken advantage of the offer and, for example, whether we can pay out the bonus.

Amazon Affiliate Program

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in the economic operation of our online services within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we participate in the Amazon EU Partner Program, which is designed to provide a means for websites to earn advertising fees by placing advertisements and links to Amazon.de (so-called affiliate system). This means that as an Amazon partner, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Amazon uses cookies to track the origin of orders. Among other things, Amazon can recognize that you clicked the affiliate link on this website and subsequently purchased a product from Amazon.

Further information on data usage by Amazon and options to object can be found in the company’s privacy policy: https://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010 .

Note: Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or one of its affiliates.

AWIN partner program

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in the economic operation of our online services within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we participate in the partner program of AWIN AG, Eichhornstraße 3, 10785 Berlin, Germany, which is designed to provide a medium for websites to earn advertising revenue through the placement of advertisements and links to AWIN (so-called affiliate system). AWIN uses cookies to track the origin of the contract. Among other things, AWIN can recognize that you clicked on the partner link on this website and subsequently concluded a contract with or via AWIN.

Further information on data usage by Awin and options for objecting can be found in the company’s privacy policy: https://www.awin.com/de/rechtliches .

Digistore24 Partner Program

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in the economic operation of our online services within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we participate in the partner program of Digistore24 GmbH, St.-Godehard-Straße 32, 31139 Hildesheim, Germany, which is designed to provide a medium for websites to earn advertising revenue through the placement of advertisements and links to Digistore24 (so-called affiliate system). Digistore24 uses cookies to track the origin of the contract. Among other things, Digistore24 can recognize that you clicked on the partner link on this website and subsequently concluded a contract with or via Digistore24.

Further information on data usage by Digistore24 and options to object can be found in the company’s privacy policy: https://www.digistore24.com/page/privacy .

Affilinet partner program

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in the economic operation of our online services within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR), we participate in the partner program of affilinet GmbH, Sapporobogen 6-8, 80637 Munich, Germany, which is designed to provide a medium for websites to earn advertising revenue through the placement of advertisements and links to Affilinet (so-called affiliate system). Affilinet uses cookies to track the origin of the contract. Among other things, Affilinet can recognize that you clicked on the partner link on this website and subsequently concluded a contract with or via Affilinet.

Further information on data usage by Affilinet and options to object can be found in the company’s privacy policy: https://www.affili.net/de/footeritem/datenschutz .

Registration function

Users can create a user account. During registration, users are informed of the required mandatory information, which is processed on the basis of Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter b GDPR for the purpose of providing the user account. The processed data includes, in particular, login information (name, password, and email address). The data entered during registration is used for the purposes of using the user account and its intended purpose.

Users may be informed by email about information relevant to their user account, such as technical changes. If users have terminated their user account, their data relating to the user account will be deleted, subject to any statutory retention obligations. It is the users‘ responsibility to back up their data before the end of the contract if they have terminated their account. We are entitled to irretrievably delete all user data stored during the contract period.

When you use our registration and login functions, as well as your user account, we store your IP address and the time of each action. This storage is based on our legitimate interests, as well as the user’s interest in protection against misuse and other unauthorized use. We generally do not share this data with third parties, unless it is necessary for pursuing our claims or we are legally obligated to do so pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR. IP addresses are anonymized or deleted after a maximum of 7 days.

Comments and posts

When users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored for 7 days based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. This is done for our security in case someone leaves unlawful content in comments and contributions (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we ourselves could be held liable for the comment or contribution and are therefore interested in the author’s identity.

Furthermore, we reserve the right, based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR, to process user data for spam detection purposes.

On the same legal basis, we reserve the right to store users‘ IP addresses for the duration of surveys and to use cookies to prevent multiple voting.

The personal information provided in the comments and posts, including contact and website information as well as the content itself, will be stored by us permanently until the user objects.

Contact

When you contact us (e.g., via contact form, email, telephone, or social media), your information will be processed in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b (within the framework of contractual/pre-contractual relationships) and Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f (other inquiries) of the GDPR for the purpose of processing and handling your inquiry. Your information may be stored in a customer relationship management system („CRM system“) or a comparable system for managing inquiries.

We delete inquiries when they are no longer needed. We review the necessity of retaining inquiries every two years; statutory archiving obligations also apply.

Communication via Facebook Messenger

We use Facebook Messenger for communication purposes and ask you to take note of the following information regarding its functionality, encryption, risks, use of metadata within the Facebook group of companies, and your options to object.
You are not required to use Facebook Messenger and can contact us via alternative methods, such as telephone or email. Please use the contact options provided to you or the contact options listed on our website.

The Facebook Messenger is offered by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, whereby the data entered during communication and otherwise collected is processed in the USA by Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.

However, Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and therefore guarantees compliance with European and Swiss data protection law ( https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active ).

Facebook also assures that the content of your messages (i.e., the content of your message and any attached images) cannot be read and offers end-to-end encryption. This means that the content of your messages is not visible, not even to Facebook itself. However, end-to-end encryption requires activation, which you must enable in your Messenger settings under the „Secret Conversations“ menu item. You should always use the latest version of Facebook Messenger to ensure that your message content is encrypted.

We would like to inform our communication partners that even with encryption enabled, Facebook can determine that and when communication partners communicate with us, as well as process technical information about the communication partners‘ devices and, depending on their device settings, location information (so-called metadata). Except for the encrypted content, the transfer of communication partners‘ data within the Facebook group of companies is possible, particularly for the purposes of optimizing the respective services and for security purposes. Communication partners should also assume, at least until they have objected, that their data processed by Facebook Messenger may be used for marketing purposes or to display personalized advertising.

If we request consent from communication partners before communicating with them via Facebook Messenger, the legal basis for processing their data is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Otherwise, if we do not request consent and they contact us on their own initiative, we use WhatsApp in our dealings with our contractual partners and during the pre-contractual phase as a contractual measure pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, and in the case of other interested parties and communication partners based on our legitimate interests in fast and efficient communication and fulfilling the needs of our communication partners for communication via messengers pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Further information on the purposes, types and scope of the processing of your data by Facebook, as well as the related rights and settings options to protect your privacy, can be found in Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy .

You can object to communication with us via Facebook Messenger at any time and request that we cease communication via Facebook Messenger and delete the communication content. We delete Facebook messages as soon as we can assume that we have answered any user inquiries, provided that no reference to a previous conversation is to be expected and that no legal retention obligations prevent deletion.

Finally, we would like to point out that, for your security, we reserve the right not to respond to inquiries via Facebook Messenger. This applies, for example, if contractual details require special confidentiality or if a response via Messenger does not meet formal requirements. In such cases, we will refer you to more appropriate communication channels.

The following information explains the content of our newsletter, the registration, distribution, and statistical analysis procedures, as well as your rights to object. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive it and to the procedures described.

Newsletter content: We only send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications containing promotional information (hereinafter „newsletters“) with the recipient’s consent or where legally permitted. If the newsletter’s content is specifically described during the registration process, this description is decisive for the user’s consent. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about our services and our company.

Double opt-in and logging: Subscription to our newsletter uses a double opt-in process. This means that after registering, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your subscription. This confirmation is necessary to prevent anyone from subscribing using someone else’s email address. Newsletter subscriptions are logged to document the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes recording the time of registration and confirmation, as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored with the email service provider are also logged.

Registration details: To subscribe to the newsletter, simply provide your email address. Optionally, you can also provide your name for personalized addressing in the newsletter.

The newsletter is sent and its success is measured based on the recipients‘ consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a, Art. 7 GDPR in conjunction with § 7 para. 2 no. 3 UWG, or, if consent is not required, on the basis of our legitimate interests in direct marketing pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR in conjunction with § 7 para. 3 UWG.

The registration process is logged based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. Our interest lies in the use of a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves both our business interests and meets user expectations, and also allows us to provide proof of consent.

Cancellation/Revocation – You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, i.e., revoke your consent. You will find an unsubscribe link at the end of each newsletter. We may store unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years based on our legitimate interests before deleting them, in order to be able to prove previously given consent. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of defending against potential claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the prior existence of consent is confirmed.

Newsletters are sent via the email marketing service provider CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, Mühlenstr. 43, 26180 Rastede, Germany. You can view the service provider’s privacy policy here: https://www.cleverreach.com/de/datenschutz/ . The service provider is used on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR and a data processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 para. 3 sentence 1 GDPR.

The email service provider may use recipient data in pseudonymized form, i.e., without linking it to a specific user, to optimize or improve its own services, for example, for the technical optimization of email delivery and the display of newsletters, or for statistical purposes. However, the email service provider does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to contact them directly or to share the data with third parties.

Newsletters are sent via the email service provider [NAME, ADDRESS, COUNTRY]. You can view the email service provider’s privacy policy here: [LINK TO PRIVACY POLICY]. The email service provider is used on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR and a data processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 para. 3 sentence 1 GDPR.

The newsletters contain a so-called „web beacon,“ i.e., a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from our server, or, if we use a mailing service provider, from their server, when the newsletter is opened. During this retrieval, technical information such as browser and system information, as well as your IP address and the time of retrieval, are collected.

This information is used to technically improve our services based on technical data or target groups and their reading behavior, including their location (determined using their IP address) and access times. Statistical analysis also includes determining whether newsletters are opened, when they are opened, and which links are clicked. While this information can be technically associated with individual newsletter recipients, it is neither our intention, nor, if applicable, that of our email service provider, to monitor individual users. Rather, the analyses help us understand our users‘ reading habits and tailor our content accordingly, or send different content based on their interests.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to separately revoke consent for performance measurement; in this case, the entire newsletter subscription must be cancelled.

Competitions and contests

We process personal data of participants in prize draws and competitions only in compliance with the relevant data protection regulations and only for the provision, execution and processing of the prize draws and competitions (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR).

The data of the participants will only be transmitted to other bodies if this is necessary for the execution of the prize draws and competitions (e.g. for the purpose of sending prizes) or if a participant has consented to the transmission.

If entries from participants are published as part of the prize draws or competitions (e.g., during voting, presentations of entries, winners, or in reports about the prize draw or competition), please note that the participants‘ names may also be published in this context. Participants may object to this at any time.

If the prize draws and competitions take place within an online platform or social network (e.g., Facebook or Instagram, hereinafter referred to as „online platform“), the terms of use and privacy policies of the respective platforms also apply. In these cases, we would like to point out that we are responsible for the information provided by participants in connection with the prize draws and competitions, and that any inquiries regarding the prize draws and competitions should be directed to us.

Participant data will be deleted as soon as the competition or contest has ended and the data is no longer needed to inform winners or for follow-up questions regarding the competition. Generally, participant data will be deleted no later than six months after the competition ends. Winners‘ data may be retained for a longer period, for example, to answer questions about the prizes or to fulfill prize obligations. In this case, the retention period depends on the type of prize and, for example, can be up to three years for goods or services, in order to process warranty claims. Furthermore, participant data may be stored for a longer period, for example, for reporting on the competition in online and offline media.

If data is collected for other purposes within the scope of the competition, its processing and retention period are governed by the data protection information for this use (e.g., in the case of registration for the newsletter within the scope of a competition).

Hosting and email delivery

The hosting services we use serve to provide the following services: infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, email delivery, security services and technical maintenance services, which we use for the purpose of operating this online service.

In this process, we, or our hosting provider, process inventory data, contact data, content data, contract data, usage data, meta and communication data of customers, prospective customers and visitors of this online service on the basis of our legitimate interests in the efficient and secure provision of this online service pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR in conjunction with Art. 28 GDPR (conclusion of a data processing agreement).

Collection of access data and log files

We, or rather our hosting provider, collect data about every access to the server on which this service is located (so-called server log files) based on our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. Access data includes the name of the accessed website, file, date and time of access, amount of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page), IP address, and the requesting provider.

Log file information is stored for a maximum of 7 days for security reasons (e.g., to investigate misuse or fraud) and then deleted. Data that needs to be retained for evidentiary purposes is exempt from deletion until the respective incident has been fully resolved.

Google Analytics

Disable Google Analytics from tracking me

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”). Google uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website is generally transmitted to and stored on a Google server in the USA.

Google will use this information on our behalf to evaluate users‘ use of our online services, to compile reports on activity within these online services, and to provide us with other services related to the use of these online services and internet usage. Pseudonymous user profiles may be created from the processed data.

We only use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled. This means that Google shortens the IP address of users within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there.

The IP address transmitted by the user’s browser is not merged with other Google data. Users can prevent the storage of cookies by adjusting their browser settings; furthermore, users can prevent Google from collecting and processing data generated by the cookie and related to their use of the online service by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de .

If we request users‘ consent (e.g., as part of cookie consent), the legal basis for this processing is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Otherwise, users‘ personal data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in analyzing, optimizing, and operating our online services economically, in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).

Insofar as data is processed in the USA, we would like to point out that Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thereby guarantees compliance with European data protection law ( https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active ).

For further information on Google’s data usage, settings and opt-out options, please see Google’s privacy policy ( https://policies.google.com/privacy ) and the settings for Google’s ad personalization (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated ).

Users‘ personal data will be deleted or anonymized after 14 months.

Google Universal Analytics

We use Google Analytics in its “ Universal Analytics “ configuration. „Universal Analytics“ refers to a Google Analytics method where user analysis is based on a pseudonymous user ID, thus creating a pseudonymous user profile with information from the use of different devices (so-called „cross-device tracking“).

Target group creation with Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to display ads served through Google’s and its partners‘ advertising services only to users who have shown an interest in our online offerings or who exhibit certain characteristics (e.g., interests in specific topics or products, determined based on the websites they visit) that we transmit to Google (so-called „remarketing“ or „Google Analytics audiences“). With the help of remarketing audiences, we also want to ensure that our ads correspond to the potential interests of users.

We use the services of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”).

We use the AdSense service, which displays advertisements on our website, and we receive payment for these displays or other uses. For these purposes, usage data, such as clicks on ads and users‘ IP addresses, are processed, whereby the IP address is shortened by removing the last two digits. Therefore, user data is processed in a pseudonymized form.

We use AdSense with personalized ads. Google uses the websites users visit or the apps they use, and the resulting user profiles, to infer their interests. Advertisers use this information to tailor their campaigns to these interests, which benefits both users and advertisers. For Google, ads are considered personalized when collected or known data determines or influences ad selection. This includes, among other things, previous search queries, activities, website visits, app usage, demographic and location information. Specifically, this includes: demographic targeting, interest category targeting, remarketing, and targeting based on customer match lists and audience lists uploaded to DoubleClick Bid Manager or Campaign Manager.

Further information on data usage by Google, setting and opt-out options can be found in Google’s privacy policy ( https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads ) and in the settings for displaying ads by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated ).

We use the services of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”).

We use AdSense with non-personalized ads. These ads are not displayed based on user profiles. Non-personalized ads are not based on past user behavior. Targeting uses contextual information, including broad geographic targeting (e.g., at the location level) based on the current location, the content of the current website or app, and current search terms. Google prohibits all personalized targeting, including demographic targeting and targeting based on user lists.

Google AdWords and conversion measurement

We use the online marketing tool Google „AdWords“ to place ads in the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.) so that they are displayed to users who are likely to be interested in the ads. This allows us to display ads for and within our online services in a more targeted way, so that users only see ads that potentially match their interests. For example, if a user is shown ads for products they have previously viewed on other websites, this is called „remarketing.“ For these purposes, when our website and other websites where the Google advertising network is active are accessed, Google immediately executes a code and integrates so-called (re)marketing tags (invisible graphics or code, also known as „web beacons“) into the website. These tags store an individual cookie, i.e., a small file, on the user’s device (comparable technologies may also be used instead of cookies). This file records which websites the user has visited, which content they are interested in and which offers the user has clicked on, as well as technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, time of visit and other information about the use of the online service.

Furthermore, we receive an individual „conversion cookie.“ The information collected with the help of this cookie is used by Google to create conversion statistics for us. However, we only receive the anonymous total number of users who clicked on our ad and were redirected to a page with a conversion tracking tag. We do not receive any information that can personally identify users.

User data is processed pseudonymously within the Google advertising network. This means that Google does not store or process, for example, the name or email address of users, but rather processes the relevant data on a cookie-based basis within pseudonymous user profiles. From Google’s perspective, this means that ads are not managed and displayed for a specifically identified person, but rather for the cookie holder, regardless of who that cookie holder is. This does not apply if a user has explicitly permitted Google to process the data without this pseudonymization. The information collected about users is transmitted to Google and stored on Google’s servers in the USA.

Hotjar analysis and optimization service

We use Hotjar, an analytics software provided by Hotjar Ltd., 3 Lyons Range, 20 Bisazza Street, Sliema SLM 1640, Malta (“Hotjar”). The information obtained through Hotjar allows us to analyze and improve the use of our online services.

For this purpose only, user data from our online services is stored and analyzed. We use Hotjar to analyze our online services, not individual users. User data is therefore pseudonymized and processed within the European Union and on the basis of the data processing agreement offered by Hotjar. User input, such as in forms or keystrokes, is not processed; that is, it is neither stored by Hotjar nor transmitted to Hotjar (unless this input is clearly intended for evaluation purposes, such as in feedback forms).

For the aforementioned purposes, Hotjar stores cookies with a pseudonymous identification number on users‘ devices and analyzes them. The cookies used by Hotjar have different „lifespans“; some remain for up to 365 days, while others are only valid for the current visit.

The processed user data includes, in particular:
– Device and metadata: IP address of the end device (collected and stored in anonymized format), screen/display resolution, device type (unique device identifiers), operating system, browser type, referring URL and domain;
– Geographic location (country only);
– Usage and log data: Date and time the online service was accessed, preferred language, user interactions such as mouse events (movements, position, and clicks), keyboard input, web pages visited, and interactions with their content and functions.
– Content data: Input from surveys and feedback forms.

Users can prevent Hotjar from collecting their data by using their browser’s Do Not Track settings or by clicking on the following link and following the instructions there: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/compliance/opt-out .

Hotjar’s privacy policy: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/policies/privacy . Cookie policy: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/policies/cookie-information .

Jetpack (WordPress Stats)

We use the Jetpack plugin (specifically the „WordPress Stats“ feature), which integrates a tool for statistical analysis of visitor traffic and is provided by Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. Jetpack uses so-called „cookies,“ text files that are stored on your computer and enable an analysis of your use of the website.

The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is stored on a server in the USA. Usage profiles may be created from the processed data, but these are used solely for analysis and not for advertising purposes. Further information can be found in Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/ and in the Jetpack cookie policy: https://jetpack.com/support/cookies/ .

Facebook Pixel, Custom Audiences and Facebook Conversion

Within our online service, we use the so-called “Facebook pixel” of the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”).

With the help of the Facebook pixel, Facebook can identify visitors to our website as a target audience for displaying advertisements (so-called „Facebook Ads“). Accordingly, we use the Facebook pixel to show the Facebook Ads we place only to Facebook users who have shown an interest in our website or who exhibit certain characteristics (e.g., interests in specific topics or products, determined based on the websites they visit) that we transmit to Facebook (so-called „Custom Audiences“). We also use the Facebook pixel to ensure that our Facebook Ads correspond to the potential interests of users and are not perceived as intrusive. Furthermore, the Facebook pixel allows us to track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users were redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (so-called „conversion“).

Facebook processes data in accordance with its Data Policy. General information on how Facebook ads are displayed can be found in Facebook’s Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy . Specific information and details about the Facebook Pixel and how it works can be found in Facebook’s Help Center: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/651294705016616 .

Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thereby guarantees compliance with European data protection law ( https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active ).

You can object to the collection of data by the Facebook pixel and the use of your data for displaying Facebook ads. To adjust which types of ads are displayed to you on Facebook, you can visit the page provided by Facebook and follow the instructions for managing your ad preferences: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads . These settings are platform-independent, meaning they apply to all devices, such as desktop computers and mobile devices.

You can also object to the use of cookies for audience measurement and advertising purposes via the Network Advertising Initiative’s opt-out page ( https://optout.networkadvertising.org/ ) and additionally the US website ( https://www.aboutads.info/choices ) or the European website ( https://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices/ ).

Online presence on social media

We maintain online presences within social networks and platforms in order to communicate with customers, prospects and users active there and to inform them about our services.

Please note that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may pose risks for users, as it could, for example, make it more difficult to enforce their rights. With regard to US providers certified under the Privacy Shield, we would like to point out that they are thereby obligated to comply with EU data protection standards.

Furthermore, user data is generally processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created based on usage patterns and the resulting user interests. These user profiles can then be used to display advertisements, both on and off the platforms, that are likely to match the users‘ interests. For these purposes, cookies are typically stored on users‘ computers, recording their usage patterns and interests. Additionally, user profiles can also store data independent of the devices used by the users (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in).

The processing of users‘ personal data is based on our legitimate interests in effectively informing and communicating with users, pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. If users are asked by the respective platform providers for their consent to the aforementioned data processing, the legal basis for the processing is Article 6(1)(a) and Article 7 GDPR.

For a detailed description of the respective processing activities and the options for objecting (opt-out), we refer to the information provided by the providers linked below.

Regarding information requests and the assertion of user rights, we would like to point out that these can be most effectively addressed directly with the service providers. Only the providers have access to user data and can take appropriate action and provide information directly. However, should you require assistance, you can contact us.

– Facebook, Pages, Groups (Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland) based on a joint controllership agreement – Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/ , specifically for Pages: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data , Opt-Out: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads and https://www.youronlinechoices.com , Privacy Shield: https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active .

– Google/YouTube (Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) – Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy , Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated , Privacy Shield: https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active .

– Instagram (Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA) – Privacy Policy/Opt-Out: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/ .

– Twitter (Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA) – Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy , Opt-Out: https://twitter.com/personalization , Privacy Shield: https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active .

– Pinterest (Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA) – Privacy Policy/Opt-Out: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy .

– LinkedIn (LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland) – Privacy Policy : https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy , Opt-Out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out , Privacy Shield: https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000L0UZAA0&status=Active .

– Xing (XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany) – Privacy Policy/ Opt-Out: https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung .

– Wakelet (Wakelet Limited, 76 Quay Street, Manchester, M3 4PR, United Kingdom) – Privacy Policy/Opt-Out: https://wakelet.com/privacy.html .

– Soundcloud (SoundCloud Limited, Rheinsberger Str. 76/77, 10115 Berlin, Germany) – Privacy Policy/Opt-Out: https://soundcloud.com/pages/privacy .

Integration of third-party services and content

Within our online services, we use content or service offerings from third-party providers based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization and economic operation of our online services within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR) in order to integrate their content and services, such as videos or fonts (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Content”).

This always requires that the third-party providers of this content are aware of the users‘ IP addresses, as they could not send the content to their browsers without them. The IP address is therefore necessary for displaying this content. We strive to use only content from providers who use the IP address solely for delivering the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as „web beacons“) for statistical or marketing purposes. These pixel tags allow information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website to be analyzed. The pseudonymized information can also be stored in cookies on the users‘ devices and may include, 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 services, as well as be combined with such information from other sources.

YouTube

We embed videos from the platform “YouTube” provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/ , Opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated .

Google Fonts

We integrate fonts („Google Fonts“) from the provider Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. According to Google, user data is used solely for the purpose of displaying the fonts in the user’s browser. This integration is based on our legitimate interests in the technically secure, maintenance-free, and efficient use of fonts, their consistent display, and compliance with any applicable licensing restrictions. Privacy policy : https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/

Use of Facebook Social Plugins

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., our interest in analyzing, optimizing, and operating our online services economically, in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR), we use social plugins („plugins“) from the social network facebook.com, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland („Facebook“).
These plugins may include content such as images, videos, or text, as well as buttons that allow users to share content from this website within Facebook. The list and appearance of the Facebook social plugins can be viewed here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/ .

Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thus offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law ( https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active ).

When a user accesses a feature of this online service that contains such a plugin, their device establishes a direct connection to Facebook’s servers. The plugin’s content is transmitted directly from Facebook to the user’s device and integrated into the online service. Usage profiles of users can be created from the processed data. We therefore have no control over the scope of data that Facebook collects using this plugin and are informing users accordingly, based on our current knowledge.

By integrating these plugins, Facebook receives information that a user has accessed the corresponding page of the website. If the user is logged into Facebook, Facebook can associate the visit with their Facebook account. When users interact with the plugins, for example, by clicking the Like button or leaving a comment, the corresponding information is transmitted directly from their device to Facebook and stored there. Even if a user is not a member of Facebook, it is still possible that Facebook will learn and store their IP address. According to Facebook, only an anonymized IP address is stored in Germany.

The purpose and scope of data collection and the further processing and use of data by Facebook, as well as the related rights and settings options for protecting users‘ privacy, can be found in Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/ .

If a user is a Facebook member and does not want Facebook to collect data about them via this website and link it to their Facebook profile data, they must log out of Facebook and delete their cookies before using our website. Further settings and options to object to the use of data for advertising purposes are available within the Facebook profile settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads or via the US website https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU website https://www.youronlinechoices.com/ . These settings are platform-independent, meaning they apply to all devices, such as desktop computers and mobile devices.

Twitter

Our website may include features and content from the Twitter service, offered by Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. This may include content such as images, videos, or text, as well as buttons that allow users to share content from this website on Twitter.
If users are members of the Twitter platform, Twitter may associate the access of the aforementioned content and features with their Twitter profiles. Twitter is certified under the Privacy Shield Framework and thus guarantees compliance with European data protection law ( https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active ). Privacy policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy , Opt-out: https://twitter.com/personalization .

Instagram

Our website may include features and content from the Instagram service, offered by Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA. This may include content such as images, videos, or text, as well as buttons that allow users to share content from this website on Instagram. If users are members of the Instagram platform, Instagram may associate the access of the aforementioned content and features with their Instagram profiles. Instagram’s privacy policy can be found here: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/ .

Our website may include features and content from the Pinterest service, offered by Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA. This may include content such as images, videos, or text, as well as buttons that allow users to share content from this website on Pinterest. If users are members of the Pinterest platform, Pinterest may associate their access to the aforementioned content and features with their Pinterest profiles. Pinterest’s privacy policy can be found here: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy .

Created with Datenschutz-Generator.de by Attorney Dr. Thomas Schwenke