Data protection

Table of contents

• Introduction and overview
• Area of application
• Legal basis
• Contact details of the person responsible
• Storage duration
• Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation
• Data transfer to third countries
• Security of data processing
• Communication
• Cookies
• Webhosting introduction
• Website modular systems Introduction
• Web Analytics Introduction
• Email marketing introduction
• Push messages Introduction
• Messenger & Communication Introduction
• Chatbots introduction
• Social media introduction
• Blogs and publication media Introduction
• Online Marketing Introduction
• Partner programs introduction
• Content Delivery Networks Introduction
• Cookie Consent Management Platform Introduction
• Security & Anti-Spam
• Cloud services
• Payment provider introduction
• External online platforms Introduction
• Credit rating agencies Introduction
• Audio & Video Introduction
• Video conferencing & streaming Introduction
• Recruiting Tools Introduction
• Single sign-on logins Introduction
• Survey and interview systems Introduction
• Evaluation platforms Introduction
• Web design introduction
• Online map services Introduction
• Content search providers Introduction
• Online booking systems Introduction
• Other Introduction
• Explanation of terms used
• Closing words

Introduction and overview

We have drawn up this privacy policy (version 22.01.2025-112937850) in order to provide you with information in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and applicable national laws, which personal data (data for short) we as the controller - and the processors commissioned by us (e.g. providers) - process, will process in the future and what lawful options you have. The terms used are to be understood as gender-neutral.
In short: We provide you with comprehensive information about the data we process about you.

Data protection declarations usually sound very technical and use legal jargon. This privacy policy, on the other hand, is intended to describe the most important things to you as simply and transparently as possible. As far as it is conducive to transparency, technical Terms explained in a reader-friendly waylinks to further information and Graphics for use. We use it to inform you in clear and simple language that we only process personal data as part of our business activities if there is a corresponding legal basis. This is certainly not possible if we provide explanations that are as concise, unclear and legally technical as possible, as is often standard on the Internet when it comes to data protection. I hope you find the following explanations interesting and informative and perhaps there is one or two pieces of information that you did not yet know.
If you still have questions, we would like to ask you to contact the responsible body named below or in the legal notice, follow the links provided and view further information on third-party websites. Our contact details can of course also be found in the legal notice.

Area of application

This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by us in the company and to all personal data processed by companies commissioned by us (processors). By personal data, we mean information within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 1 GDPR, such as a person's name, email address and postal address. The processing of personal data ensures that we can offer and bill our services and products, whether online or offline. The scope of this privacy policy includes

• all online presences (websites, online stores) that we operate
• Social media presence and e-mail communication
• Mobile apps for smartphones and other devices

In short: The privacy policy applies to all areas in which personal data is processed in the company in a structured manner via the channels mentioned. If we enter into legal relationships with you outside of these channels, we will inform you separately if necessary.

Legal basis

In the following privacy policy, we provide you with transparent information on the legal principles and regulations, i.e. the legal basis of the General Data Protection Regulation, which enable us to process personal data.
As far as EU law is concerned, we refer to REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of April 27, 2016. You can of course access this EU General Data Protection Regulation online on EUR-Lex, the access point to EU law, at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32016R0679 read more.

We only process your data if at least one of the following conditions applies:

1. Consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR): You have given us your consent to process data for a specific purpose. An example would be the storage of the data you entered in a contact form.
2. Contract (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR): In order to fulfill a contract or pre-contractual obligations with you, we process your data. For example, if we conclude a purchase contract with you, we need personal information in advance.
3. Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c) GDPR): If we are subject to a legal obligation, we process your data. For example, we are legally obliged to keep invoices for accounting purposes. These usually contain personal data.
4. Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR): In the case of legitimate interests that do not restrict your fundamental rights, we reserve the right to process personal data. For example, we need to process certain data in order to operate our website securely and efficiently. This processing is therefore a legitimate interest.

Other conditions such as recording in the public interest, the exercise of official authority and the protection of vital interests do not generally apply to us. If such a legal basis is relevant, it will be indicated at the appropriate point.

In addition to the EU regulation, national laws also apply:

• In Austria this is the Federal Act on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data (Data Protection Act), in short DSG.
• In Germany this applies Federal Data Protection Act, short BDSG.

If other regional or national laws apply, we will inform you of this in the following sections.

Contact details of the person responsible

If you have any questions about data protection or the processing of personal data, you will find below the contact details of the controller in accordance with Article 4(7) of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
B&B Services OG
Richard Virag
Wehrbrücklstraße 6/18, 1220 Vienna, Austria
Authorized to represent: Heike Maria Margarethe Wiebogen
E-Mail: office@services-bnb.com
Phone: +43 1 2051907170
Imprint: https://services-bnb.com/impressum/

Storage duration

It is a general criterion for us that we only store personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. This means that we delete personal data as soon as the reason for the data processing no longer exists. In some cases, we are legally obliged to store certain data even after the original purpose has ceased to exist, for example for accounting purposes.

If you wish your data to be deleted or revoke your consent to data processing, the data will be deleted as quickly as possible and insofar as there is no obligation to store it.

We will inform you below about the specific duration of the respective data processing if we have further information on this.

Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation

In accordance with Articles 13, 14 GDPR, we inform you of the following rights to which you are entitled in order to ensure fair and transparent processing of data:

• According to Article 15 GDPR, you have a right to information as to whether we process your data. If this is the case, you have the right to receive a copy of the data and the following information:
  
  • the purpose for which we carry out the processing;
  • the categories, i.e. the types of data that are processed;
  • who receives this data and, if the data is transferred to third countries, how security can be guaranteed;
  • how long the data will be stored;
  • the existence of the right to rectification, erasure or restriction of processing and the right to object to processing;
  • that you can lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (links to these authorities can be found below);
  • the origin of the data if we have not collected it from you;
  • whether profiling is carried out, i.e. whether data is automatically analyzed in order to create a personal profile of you.
• According to Article 16 GDPR, you have a right to rectification of data, which means that we must correct data if you find errors.
• According to Article 17 GDPR, you have the right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"), which specifically means that you may request the erasure of your data.
• According to Article 18 GDPR, you have the right to restriction of processing, which means that we may only store the data but not use it any further.
• According to Article 20 GDPR, you have the right to data portability, which means that we will provide you with your data in a commonly used format upon request.
• According to Article 21 GDPR, you have the right to object, which will result in a change in the processing after enforcement.
  
  • If the processing of your data is based on Article 6(1)(e) (public interest, exercise of official authority) or Article 6(1)(f) (legitimate interest), you can object to the processing. We will then check as quickly as possible whether we can legally comply with this objection.
  • If data is used for direct marketing purposes, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We may then no longer use your data for direct marketing.
  • If data is used for profiling purposes, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We may then no longer use your data for profiling.
• Under Article 22 GDPR, you may have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (e.g. profiling).
• According to Article 77 GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint. This means that you can lodge a complaint with the data protection authority at any time if you believe that the processing of personal data violates the GDPR.

In short: You have rights - do not hesitate to contact the responsible body listed above!

If you believe that the processing of your data violates data protection law or that your data protection rights have been violated in any other way, you can lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority. For Austria, this is the data protection authority, whose website you can find at https://www.dsb.gv.at/ find. In Germany, there is a data protection officer for each federal state. For more information, you can contact the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI) contact. The following local data protection authority is responsible for our company:

Austria Data Protection Authority

Manager: Dr. Matthias Schmidl
Address: Barichgasse 40-42, 1030 Vienna
Telephone no: +43 1 52 152-0
E-mail address: dsb@dsb.gv.at
Website: https://www.dsb.gv.at/

Data transfer to third countries

We only transfer or process data to countries outside the scope of the GDPR (third countries) if you consent to this processing or other legal permission exists. This applies in particular if the processing is required by law or necessary to fulfill a contractual relationship and in any case only to the extent that this is generally permitted. In most cases, your consent is the most important reason why we process data in third countries. The processing of personal data in third countries such as the USA, where many software manufacturers offer services and have their server locations, may mean that personal data is processed and stored in unexpected ways.

We expressly point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, an adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA currently only exists if a US company that processes personal data of EU citizens in the USA is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en

Data processing by US services that are not active participants in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework may result in data not being processed and stored anonymously. Furthermore, US government authorities may be able to access individual data. In addition, data collected may be linked to data from other services of the same provider if you have a corresponding user account. Where possible, we try to use server locations within the EU if this is offered.
We will inform you in more detail about data transfer to third countries, if applicable, in the appropriate sections of this privacy policy.

Security of data processing

In order to protect personal data, we have implemented both technical and organizational measures. Where possible, we encrypt or pseudonymize personal data. In this way, we make it as difficult as possible for third parties to infer personal information from our data.

Art. 25 GDPR speaks here of "data protection by design and by default" and thus means that both software (e.g. forms) and hardware (e.g. access to the server room) should always be designed with security in mind and appropriate measures should be taken. If necessary, we will discuss specific measures below.

TLS encryption with https

TLS, encryption and https sound very technical - and they are. We use HTTPS (the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure stands for "secure hypertext transfer protocol") to transmit data tap-proof on the Internet.
This means that the complete transmission of all data from your browser to our web server is secured - nobody can "listen in".

We have thus introduced an additional layer of security and fulfill data protection through technology design (Article 25(1) GDPR). By using TLS (Transport Layer Security), an encryption protocol for secure data transmission on the Internet, we can ensure the protection of confidential data.
You can recognize the use of this data transmission protection by the small lock symbol at the top left of the browser, to the left of the Internet address (e.g. examplepage.com) and the use of the https scheme (instead of http) as part of our Internet address.
If you want to know more about encryption, we recommend a Google search for "Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure wiki" to get good links to further information.

Communication

If you contact us and communicate with us by telephone, e-mail or online form, personal data may be processed.

The data is processed for the handling and processing of your question and the associated business transaction. The data will be stored for as long as required by law.

Affected persons

All those who seek contact with us via the communication channels provided by us are affected by the aforementioned processes.

Telephone

When you call us, the call data is stored pseudonymously on the respective end device and with the telecommunications provider used. In addition, data such as name and telephone number may subsequently be sent by e-mail and stored for the purpose of responding to inquiries. The data will be deleted as soon as the business case has been completed and legal requirements permit.

e-mail

If you communicate with us by email, data may be stored on the respective end device (computer, laptop, smartphone, etc.) and data may be stored on the email server. The data will be deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements permit.

Online forms

If you communicate with us using an online form, data is stored on our web server and may be forwarded to one of our e-mail addresses. The data will be deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements permit.

Legal basis

The processing of the data is based on the following legal bases:

• Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent): You give us your consent to store your data and to use it for purposes relating to the business transaction;
• Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract): It is necessary for the performance of a contract with you or a processor, such as the telephone provider, or we need to process the data for pre-contractual activities, such as the preparation of an offer;
• Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests): We want to handle customer inquiries and business communication in a professional manner. This requires certain technical facilities such as e-mail programs, exchange servers and mobile network operators in order to operate communication efficiently.

Cookies

What are cookies?

Our website uses HTTP cookies to store user-specific data.
Below we explain what cookies are and why they are used so that you can better understand the following privacy policy.

Whenever you surf the internet, you use a browser. Well-known browsers include Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. Most websites store small text files in your browser. These files are called cookies.

One thing cannot be denied: Cookies are really useful little helpers. Almost all websites use cookies. More precisely, they are HTTP cookies, as there are also other cookies for other areas of application. HTTP cookies are small files that are stored on your computer by our website. These cookie files are automatically stored in the cookie folder, the "brain" of your browser, so to speak. A cookie consists of a name and a value. When defining a cookie, one or more attributes must also be specified.

Cookies store certain user data about you, such as language or personal page settings. When you visit our site again, your browser transmits the "user-related" information back to our site. Thanks to cookies, our website knows who you are and offers you the settings you are used to. In some browsers, each cookie has its own file; in others, such as Firefox, all cookies are stored in a single file.

The following graphic shows a possible interaction between a web browser such as Chrome and the web server. The web browser requests a website and receives a cookie back from the server, which the browser uses again as soon as another page is requested.

There are both first-party cookies and third-party cookies. First-party cookies are created directly by our website, third-party cookies are created by partner websites (e.g. Google Analytics). Each cookie must be evaluated individually, as each cookie stores different data. The expiry time of a cookie also varies from a few minutes to a few years. Cookies are not software programs and do not contain viruses, Trojans or other "malware". Cookies also cannot access information on your PC.

Cookie data can look like this, for example:

Name: _ga
Value: GA1.2.1326744211.152112937850-9
Intended use: Differentiation of website visitors
Expiration date: after 2 years

A browser should be able to support these minimum sizes:

• At least 4096 bytes per cookie
• At least 50 cookies per domain
• At least 3000 cookies in total

What types of cookies are there?

The question of which cookies we use in particular depends on the services used and is clarified in the following sections of the privacy policy. At this point, we would like to briefly explain the different types of HTTP cookies.

A distinction can be made between 4 types of cookies:

Essential cookies
These cookies are necessary to ensure basic website functions. For example, these cookies are needed when a user places a product in the shopping cart, then continues surfing on other pages and only goes to the checkout later. These cookies ensure that the shopping cart is not deleted even if the user closes their browser window.

Purposeful cookies
These cookies collect information about user behavior and whether the user receives any error messages. These cookies are also used to measure the loading time and the behavior of the website with different browsers.

Targeted cookies
These cookies ensure better user-friendliness. For example, entered locations, font sizes or form data are saved.

Advertising cookies
These cookies are also known as targeting cookies. They are used to deliver customized advertising to the user. This can be very practical, but also very annoying.

When you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked which of these cookie types you would like to allow. And of course this decision is also stored in a cookie.

If you would like to know more about cookies and are not afraid of technical documentation, we recommend https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265the Request for Comments of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) called "HTTP State Management Mechanism".

Purpose of processing via cookies

The purpose ultimately depends on the cookie in question. You can find more details on this below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie.

What data is processed?

Cookies are little helpers for many different tasks. Unfortunately, it is not possible to generalize which data is stored in cookies, but we will inform you about the processed or stored data in the following privacy policy.

Storage duration of cookies

The storage period depends on the cookie in question and is specified below. Some cookies are deleted after less than an hour, others can remain stored on a computer for several years.

You can also influence the storage period yourself. You can delete all cookies manually at any time via your browser (see also "Right to object" below). Furthermore, cookies that are based on consent will be deleted at the latest after you withdraw your consent, whereby the legality of the storage until then remains unaffected.

Right to object - how can I delete cookies?

You decide how and whether you want to use cookies. Regardless of which service or website the cookies originate from, you always have the option of deleting, deactivating or only partially allowing cookies. For example, you can block third-party cookies but allow all other cookies.

If you want to find out which cookies have been stored in your browser, if you want to change or delete cookie settings, you can find this in your browser settings:

Chrome: Delete, activate and manage cookies in Chrome

Safari: Managing cookies and website data with Safari

Firefox: Delete cookies to remove data that websites have stored on your computer

Internet Explorer: Deleting and managing cookies

Microsoft Edge: Deleting and managing cookies

If you generally do not want to have cookies, you can set up your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. You can then decide for each individual cookie whether or not to allow it. The procedure differs depending on the browser. It is best to search for the instructions in Google using the search term "delete cookies Chrome" or "deactivate cookies Chrome" in the case of a Chrome browser.

Legal basis

The so-called "cookie guidelines" have been in place since 2009. This stipulates that the storage of cookies is a Consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR) from you. However, there are still very different reactions to these directives within the EU countries. In Austria, however, this directive was implemented in Section 165 (3) of the Telecommunications Act (2021). In Germany, the cookie directives have not been implemented as national law. Instead, this directive was largely implemented in Section 15 (3) of the Telemedia Act (TMG), which has been replaced by the Digital Services Act (DDG) since May 2024.

For strictly necessary cookies, even if no consent has been given, there are legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR), which in most cases are of an economic nature. We want to provide visitors to the website with a pleasant user experience and certain cookies are often absolutely necessary for this.

If cookies that are not absolutely necessary are used, this will only take place with your consent. The legal basis in this respect is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.

In the following sections, you will be informed in more detail about the use of cookies if the software used uses cookies.

Webhosting introduction

What is web hosting?

When you visit websites these days, certain information - including personal data - is automatically created and stored, including on this website. This data should be processed as sparingly as possible and only with justification. By website, by the way, we mean the entirety of all web pages on a domain, i.e. everything from the start page (homepage) to the very last subpage (like this one). By domain we mean, for example, example.de or example.com.

If you want to view a website on a computer, tablet or smartphone, you use a program called a web browser. You probably know a few web browsers by name: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari. We call them browsers or web browsers for short.

To display the website, the browser must connect to another computer where the website code is stored: the web server. Operating a web server is a complicated and time-consuming task, which is why this is usually done by professional providers. They offer web hosting and thus ensure reliable and error-free storage of website data. A lot of technical terms, but please stay tuned, it will get even better!

When the browser on your computer (desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone) connects and during data transfer to and from the web server, personal data may be processed. On the one hand, your computer stores data; on the other hand, the web server must also store data for a certain period of time in order to ensure proper operation.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so the following graphic illustrates the interaction between the browser, the Internet and the hosting provider.

Why do we process personal data?

The purposes of data processing are:

1. Professional website hosting and operational security
2. to maintain operational and IT security
3. Anonymous evaluation of access behavior to improve our offer and, if necessary, for criminal prosecution or prosecution of claims

What data is processed?

Even while you are currently visiting our website, our web server, i.e. the computer on which this website is stored, usually automatically saves data such as

• the complete Internet address (URL) of the website accessed
• Browser and browser version (e.g. Chrome 87)
• the operating system used (e.g. Windows 10)
• the address (URL) of the previously visited page (referrer URL) (e.g. https://www.beispielquellsite.de/vondabinichgekommen/)
• the host name and IP address of the device from which access is made (e.g. COMPUTERNAME and 194.23.43.121)
• Date and time
• in files, the so-called web server log files

How long is data stored?

As a rule, the above-mentioned data is stored for two weeks and then automatically deleted. We do not pass this data on, but we cannot rule out the possibility of this data being viewed by the authorities in the event of unlawful conduct.

In short: Your visit is logged by our provider (company that runs our website on special computers (servers)), but we do not pass on your data without your consent!

Legal basis

The lawfulness of the processing of personal data in the context of web hosting results from Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (protection of legitimate interests), because the use of professional hosting with a provider is necessary in order to present the company securely and user-friendly on the Internet and to be able to pursue attacks and claims from this if necessary.

As a rule, there is a contract between us and the hosting provider for order processing in accordance with Art. 28 f. GDPR, which ensures compliance with data protection and guarantees data security.

1&1 IONOS Webhosting Privacy Policy

What is 1&1 IONOS Webhosting?

To host our website, we use the web hosting services of the company IONOS by 1&1. In Germany, 1&1 IONOS SE is based at Elgendorfer Str. 57 in 56410 Montabaur. In Austria, you can find 1&1 IONOS SE at Gumpendorfer Straße 142/PF 266 in 1060 Vienna.

IONOS offers the following web hosting services: Domain, Website & Shop, Hosting & WordPress, Marketing, E-Mail & Office, IONOS Cloud and Server. With over 22 million domains, almost 9 million customer contracts and 100,000 servers, IONOS is one of Germany's biggest names in web hosting.
We have already mentioned it in our introductory remarks on the subject of web hosting: hosting also means that data about you or your end device is stored on the IONOS servers. First and foremost, your IP address, which is known to be personal data, is stored. In addition, technical data such as the URL of our website, the name of your internet browser or which operating system you are using is also stored.

Why do we use 1&1 IONOS Webhosting?

IONOS was founded in Germany back in 1988 and therefore has over 30 years of experience under its belt. However, this does not mean that the company is not constantly developing technologically. It is precisely this combination of experience and innovative spirit that we believe provides a good basis for our website. After all, we want our website to function smoothly 24 hours a day and guarantee a high level of security. As IONOS does not limit the monthly data traffic and provides plenty of storage space, our website remains powerful even with many visitors. We are very satisfied with the speed of the website and the price-performance ratio currently meets our requirements.

What data is processed by 1&1 IONOS Webhosting?

1&1 IONOS Webhosting may also process personal data about you. When you visit our website, the following data about you or your computer is stored by IONOS:

• the previously visited website (also called referrer)
• the requested website (in this case our website)
• Browser type and browser version
• Your operating system and device type
• Time of the page access
• Your IP address in anonymized form

The data collected is used to increase the security of the website, to detect possible errors and also to carry out anonymous statistical analyses. According to IONOS, the anonymized IP address is only used to determine the location of access.

How long and where is the data stored?

The data is stored on IONOS' own servers. In principle, IONOS stores the data for as long as is necessary to fulfill its obligations. Visitor data is stored for 8 weeks. However, data may also be stored for longer, for example to provide evidence for possible legal disputes. Visitor data is not passed on to third parties and is not transferred to a country outside the EU.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to information, correction or deletion and restriction of the processing of your personal data at any time. You can also withdraw your consent to the processing of data at any time.

If you want to deactivate, delete or manage cookies, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers in the "Cookies" section.

Legal basis

We have a legitimate interest in using IONOS in order to be able to offer our online service. Professional hosting with a provider is necessary in order to present our company on the Internet in a secure and user-friendly manner and to be able to track possible cyber attacks. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests).

You can find much more information about data protection at IONOS in the privacy policy at https://www.ionos.de/terms-gtc/datenschutzerklaerung/. If you have any further questions about data protection, you can also contact the IONOS data protection team by e-mail at datenschutz@ionos.de contact.

Website modular systems Introduction

What are website builder systems?

We use a modular website system for our website. Modular systems are special forms of a content management system (CMS). With a modular system, website operators can create a website very easily and without programming knowledge. In many cases, web hosters also offer modular systems. By using a modular system, your personal data can also be collected, stored and processed. In this data protection text, we provide you with general information about data processing by modular systems. You can find more detailed information in the provider's data protection declarations.

Why do we use website builder systems for our website?

The biggest advantage of a modular system is its ease of use. We want to offer you a clear, simple and well-organized website that we can easily operate and maintain ourselves - without external support. A modular system now offers many helpful functions that we can use even without programming knowledge. This allows us to design our web presence according to our wishes and offer you an informative and enjoyable time on our website.

What data is stored by a modular system?

Exactly which data is stored depends, of course, on the website builder system used. Each provider processes and collects different data from the website visitor. As a rule, however, technical usage information such as operating system, browser, screen resolution, language and keyboard settings, hosting provider and the date of your website visit are collected. Tracking data (e.g. browser activity, clickstream activity, session heatmaps, etc.) may also be processed. Personal data may also be collected and stored. This usually involves contact data such as email address, telephone number (if you have provided this), IP address and geographical location data. You can find out exactly what data is stored in the provider's privacy policy.

How long and where is the data stored?

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below in connection with the website building block system used, if we have further information on this. You can find detailed information about this in the provider's privacy policy. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. The provider may store your data according to its own specifications, over which we have no influence.

Right of objection

You always have the right to information, correction and deletion of your personal data. If you have any questions, you can also contact the person responsible for the website builder system used at any time. Contact details can be found either in our privacy policy or on the website of the relevant provider.

You can delete, deactivate or manage cookies that providers use for their functions in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. Please note, however, that not all functions may then work as usual.

Legal basis

We have a legitimate interest in using a website building block system to optimize our online service and to present it to you in an efficient and user-friendly manner. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the modular system if you have given your consent.

Insofar as the processing of data is not absolutely necessary for the operation of the website, the data will only be processed on the basis of your consent. This applies in particular to tracking activities. The legal basis in this respect is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.

In this privacy policy, we have provided you with the most important general information about data processing. If you would like more detailed information in this regard, you will find further information - if available - in the following section or in the provider's privacy policy.

WordPress.com privacy policy

What is WordPress?

We use the well-known content management system WordPress.com for our website. The service provider is the American company Automattic Inc, 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA.

In 2003, the company saw the light of day and developed into one of the best-known content management systems (CMS) in the world in a relatively short space of time. A CMS is software that helps us to design our website and present content in an attractive and organized way. The content can be text, audio and video.
By using WordPress, your personal data may also be collected, stored and processed. As a rule, mainly technical data such as operating system, browser, screen resolution or hosting provider are stored. However, personal data such as IP address, geographical data or contact details may also be processed.

Why do we use WordPress on our website?

We have many strengths, but real programming is not one of our core competencies.

Nevertheless, we want to have a powerful and attractive website that we can also manage and maintain ourselves. With a modular website system or a content management system like WordPress, we can do just that. With WordPress, we don't have to be programming aces to offer you a beautiful website. Thanks to WordPress, we can operate our website quickly and easily even without prior technical knowledge. If technical problems occur or we have special requests for our website, there are always our specialists who feel at home in HTML, PHP, CSS and co.

Thanks to the ease of use and comprehensive functions of WordPress, we can design our website according to our wishes and offer you a good user experience.

What data is processed by WordPress?

Non-personal data includes technical usage information such as browser activity, clickstream activity, session heatmaps and data about your computer, operating system, browser, screen resolution, language and keyboard settings, internet provider and date of the page visit.

Personal data is also collected. These are primarily contact data (e-mail address or telephone number, if you provide these), IP address or your geographical location.

WordPress can also use cookies to collect data. This often includes data about your behavior on our website. For example, it can record which subpages you particularly like to view, how long you spend on individual pages, when you leave a page again (bounce rate) or which default settings (e.g. language selection) you have made. Based on this data, WordPress can also better adapt its own marketing measures to your interests and user behavior. The next time you visit our website, you will therefore be shown our website as you have previously set it.

WordPress may also use technologies such as pixel tags (web beacons), for example to clearly identify you as a user and possibly offer interest-based advertising.

How long and where is the data stored?

How long the data is stored depends on various factors. So it mainly depends on the type of data stored and the specific settings of the website. In principle, WordPress deletes the data when it is no longer needed for its own purposes. There are of course exceptions, especially if legal obligations require the data to be stored for longer. Web server logs containing your IP address and technical data are deleted by WordPress or Automattic after 30 days. Automattic uses the data for this period to analyze the traffic on its own websites (e.g. all WordPress pages) and to resolve potential problems. Deleted content on WordPress websites is also stored in the recycle bin for 30 days to enable recovery, after which it may remain in backups and caches until it is deleted. The data is stored on Automattic's American servers.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right and opportunity to access your personal data at any time and to object to its use and processing. You can also lodge a complaint with a state supervisory authority at any time.

In your browser, you also have the option of individually managing, deleting or deactivating cookies. However, please note that deactivating or deleting cookies may have a negative impact on the functions of our WordPress site. Depending on which browser you use, the management of cookies works slightly differently. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of WordPress, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when WordPress collects data.

We also have a legitimate interest in using WordPress to optimize our online service and present it to you in an attractive manner. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use WordPress if you have given your consent.

WordPress or Automattic processes your data in the USA, among other places. Automattic is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

In addition, Automattic uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Automattic undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more details on the privacy policy and which data is processed by WordPress and in what way at https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Web Analytics Introduction

What is web analytics?

We use software on our website to evaluate the behavior of website visitors, known as web analytics or web analysis for short. This involves collecting data that is stored, managed and processed by the respective analytics tool provider (also known as a tracking tool). The data is used to create analyses of user behavior on our website and made available to us as the website operator. In addition, most tools offer various test options. For example, we can test which offers or content are best received by our visitors. To do this, we show you two different offers for a limited period of time. After the test (known as an A/B test), we know which product or content our website visitors find more interesting. For such test procedures, as well as for other analytics procedures, user profiles can also be created and the data stored in cookies.

Why do we use web analytics?

With our website, we have a clear goal in mind: we want to deliver the best web offering on the market for our industry. In order to achieve this goal, we want to offer the best and most interesting services on the one hand and make sure that you feel completely at ease on our website on the other. With the help of web analysis tools, we can take a closer look at the behavior of our website visitors and then improve our website accordingly for you and for us. For example, we can see the average age of our visitors, where they come from, when our website is visited the most or which content or products are particularly popular. All this information helps us to optimize the website and thus adapt it to your needs, interests and wishes.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is stored depends, of course, on the analysis tools used. However, the content you view on our website, the buttons or links you click on, when you access a page, the browser you use, the device (PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.) you use to visit the website or the computer system you use are generally stored. If you have agreed that location data may also be collected, this may also be processed by the web analysis tool provider.

Your IP address is also stored. According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), IP addresses are personal data. However, your IP address is usually stored pseudonymized (i.e. in an unrecognizable and shortened form). For the purpose of testing, web analysis and web optimization, no direct data such as your name, age, address or e-mail address is stored. All this data, if collected, is stored in pseudonymized form. This means that you cannot be identified as a person.

The following example shows schematically how Google Analytics works as an example of client-based web tracking with Java Script code.

How long the respective data is stored always depends on the provider. Some cookies only store data for a few minutes or until you leave the website, while other cookies can store data for several years.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If required by law, for example in the case of accounting, this storage period may also be exceeded.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

Legal basis

The use of web analytics requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie pop-up. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offer technically and economically. With the help of web analytics, we can detect errors on the website, identify attacks and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

Since web analytics tools use cookies, we recommend that you also read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Information on special web analytics tools, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Amazon Personalize privacy policy

What is Amazon Personalize?

We use the real-time personalization program Amazon Personalize on our website. The service provider is the American company Amazon Web Services, Inc, 410 Terry Avenue North, Seattle WA 98109, USA.

The Amazon Personalize service is offered by Amazon Web Service (AWS) and is a machine learning service to provide personalized advertising and recommendations of our services and products. Amazon Personalize uses modern machine learning algorithms to analyze your individual behavior on our website. Based on these analyses, recommendations can then be generated that are individually tailored to you.

Why do we use Amazon Personalize?

Our goal is to provide you with the best possible experience on our website. We are convinced of our offers and want our website to be a helpful and useful place for you. To achieve this, we need to customize our website as much as possible to your wishes and concerns. With a web analysis tool such as Amazon Personalize and the resulting data, we can significantly improve our specific offer for you. The data can also help us to customize our advertising and marketing measures. With all these web analyses, however, the protection of personal data is important to us. If we can make you customized offers, this naturally also helps us to achieve our economic goals.

What data is stored by Amazon Personalize?

Amazon Personalize stores and analyzes data that we make available to the tool. This may include information about your user interaction (such as button clicks, product purchases, time spent on a subpage, etc.), but also personal data that you actively provide to us. This includes user data such as name, address or demographic data such as gender and age. Furthermore, Amazon is also provided with so-called catalog data such as item IDs and metadata on ordered items.

Amazon uses this data to train and create a model that generates individual recommendations for interested people.

How long and where is the data stored?

Amazon has servers all over the world, so the data can also be stored in the USA, for example. The data records collected are not associated with other Amazon accounts.

In principle, data is stored by Amazon for as long as required for business purposes and as long as Amazon is contractually and legally obliged to do so. Unfortunately, we cannot specify exact retention periods at this point because these also depend on the individual configurations.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right and opportunity to access your personal data at any time and to object to its use and processing. You can also lodge a complaint with a state supervisory authority at any time.
In your browser, you also have the option of individually managing, deleting or deactivating cookies. However, please note that deactivating or deleting cookies may have a negative impact on the functions of our website. Depending on which browser you use, the management of cookies works slightly differently. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

The use of Amazon Personalize requires your consent, which we have obtained using our consent management tool (pop-up). According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offer technically and economically. With the help of Amazon Personalize, we can detect errors on the website, identify attacks and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Amazon Personalize if you have given your consent.

Amazon also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Amazon is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Amazon also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Amazon undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Amazon data processing conditions (AWS GDPR DATA PROCESSING), which correspond to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://d1.awsstatic.com/legal/aws-gdpr/AWS_GDPR_DPA.pdf.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Amazon Personalize in the Privacy Policy on https://d1.awsstatic.com/legal/privacypolicy/AWS_Privacy_Notice_German_2020-08-15.pdf.

etracker privacy policy

What is etracker?

We use the analysis tracking tool etracker Analytics from the German company etracker GmbH, Erste Brunnenstraße 1, D-20459 Hamburg on our website. etracker Analytics is a software that collects and analyzes data about your actions on our website. We receive analysis reports on how you use our website and can thus better adapt our offer to your wishes. In this privacy policy, we go into more detail about the analysis tool and, in particular, show you which data is stored when, how and where.

etracker Analytics is an analysis tool that measures and analyzes the performance of our website and online campaigns. For example, the software program collects data on how long you have been on our website, how many users visit our website and where you came to our website from. We also receive precise evaluations of visitor behavior on our website. For example, we can find out which buttons you like to click or which subpages you like and which you tend to avoid. All this information is anonymous. This means that we do not identify you as a person through this data, but only receive general user information and statistics.

Why do we use etracker on our website?

We use the software tool to increase the quality of our website and our offer. Our aim is to provide you with the best possible service. We want you to feel comfortable on our website and get exactly what you expect. To achieve this, we must of course adapt our offer as well as possible to your wishes and requirements.

The data also helps us to carry out our online marketing and advertising measures more cost-effectively and individually. After all, we naturally only want to show our offer to people who are interested in it.

What data is stored by etracker?

For tracking to work, a JavaScript code must be integrated into the website. etracker works on a pixel technology.

By default, etracker does not use cookies or technologies for tracking on a website, as this has been implemented in so-called cookie-less mode by privacy-by-design. In this case, only absolutely necessary cookies are set. However, if you have actively consented to the use of cookies, etracker will also use cookies.

The following data is stored and processed when the page is accessed:

• Your pseudonymized IP address
• Technical information about your browser, operating system and the device you are using
• Location information up to city level
• the URL called up with the corresponding page title and optional information on the page content
• Referrer website: this is the website from which you came to our website
• the following page: this is the website where you click afterwards
• how long you stay on our website (dwell time)
• Interactions on the website. These can be, for example, clicks on the website, search terms entered, files downloaded, videos or items ordered.

This means that website data is used by the web server and information that the web browser transmits to the web server to retrieve websites. This information is transmitted each time a page is accessed.

Unlike other technologies, etracker does not read any information from the memory of your end device and does not store any data on your end device. The data is not used by etracker for any other purposes or passed on to third parties.

The cookies used do not receive any information that can identify you as a person. Data such as IP address, device and domain data are encrypted or shortened during storage. This makes it impossible for us or etracker to identify individual persons.

If you have consented to the use of cookies, the following cookies can be set:

Name: GS3_v
Value: 146480958112937850-9
Intended use: This cookie is set by the etracker Optimizer web service.
Expiration date: after one year

Name: _et_coid
Value: e9cc2b3efbf7807c6157e8b151baa2f3112937850-1
Intended use: This cookie is used for cookie recognition and is only set when the cookie is activated.
Expiration date: after 3 years

Name: pll_language
Value: en
Intended use: This cookie is used to save the preset language.
Expiration date: after one year

Note: Please note that the list given here is only a selection of cookies used and cannot claim to be exhaustive. Which cookies are set in a specific case depends on the evaluation mechanisms used in each case. You can view a list of all cookies under the following link: https://www.etracker.com/docs/integration-setup/einstellungen-accounts/etracker-cookies/verwendete-cookies-zaehlung/

How long and where is the data stored?

The data center (the servers) is in Hamburg and the entire system administration also takes place in Hamburg. This means that all data is stored exclusively on German servers. etracker stores the data until the contract with us as a customer expires. After a short period of time following termination of the contract, all data is permanently deleted.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to information, correction or deletion and restriction of the processing of your personal data at any time. You can also withdraw your consent to the processing of data at any time.

If you want to deactivate, delete or manage cookies, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers in the "Cookies" section.

Legal basis

The use of etracker requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie pop-up. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offer technically and economically. With the help of etracker, we can detect errors on the website, identify attacks and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use etracker if you have given your consent.

We hope we have been able to provide you with the most important information about etracker's data processing. If you would like to find out more about the tracking service, we recommend that you read the company's privacy policy at https://www.etracker.com/datenschutz/.

Facebook Conversions API privacy policy

What is a Facebook Conversions API?

We use Facebook Conversions API, a server-side event tracking tool, on our website. The service provider is the American company Meta Platforms Inc. Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible for the European region.

The Facebook Conversions API is a tool or function that can measure the performance of our advertising campaigns in real time. The API is an interface that connects our website with Facebook and thereby measures certain actions on our website. A conversion occurs when you, as a visitor to a website, perform a desired action. This can be, for example, clicking on a button or filling out a registration form. This conversion tracking method is an alternative to Facebook pixels and aims to optimize conversion tracking through precision and reliability. The API sends data directly from our server to Facebook. Personal data may also be processed in the process. In this privacy policy, we go into more detail about data processing by us and Facebook.

Why do we use the Facebook Conversions API on our website?

We use the Facebook Conversions API to increase the quality of our website, our offer and our advertising campaigns. Our goal is to provide you with the best possible service. We want you to feel comfortable on our website and get exactly what you expect. To achieve this, we must of course adapt our offer to your wishes and requirements as well as possible. With the Facebook Conversions API, we can respond to this very well and customize content and offers. This flexibility helps us to take different needs into account and improve our website at the same time. The data also helps us to carry out our advertising measures more cost-effectively and individually. After all, we naturally only want to show our offer to people who are interested in it.

What data is stored by the Facebook Conversions API?

With the help of the Facebook Conversions API, we can collect various data about events on our website and deliver it to Facebook. Exactly which data is stored and processed depends on our individual settings and the specific events and parameters. As a rule, event data, user data, device data and the time at which an event (e.g. button click) took place are stored and sent to Facebook. Event data includes actions such as registration, product purchases, page views or button clicks that can be carried out on our website. User data may also include personal data such as IP address, name, address or e-mail address. Device data refers to your device type, operating system, browser and screen resolution.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, Facebook stores data until it is no longer needed for its own services and Facebook products. Facebook has servers all over the world where data is stored. However, customer data is deleted within 48 hours after it has been compared with the company's own user data.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right and opportunity to access your personal data at any time and to object to its use and processing. You can also lodge a complaint with a state supervisory authority at any time. You can prevent data storage by not consenting to data processing via the Consent Management Tool. Facebook Conversions API works on the server side and therefore the deletion of data is different from client-side methods. Nevertheless, you can check the data protection and security settings in your browser and, if possible, block tracking resources (pixels, cookies, scripts).

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by Facebook Conversions API, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the Facebook Conversions API if you have given your consent.

Facebook also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Facebook or Meta Platforms is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Facebook also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Facebook undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Facebook Conversions API in the Privacy Policy on https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy.

Firebase privacy policy

What is Firebase?

We also use the app development platform Firebase for our business. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European region, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

The company was founded in 2011 by Andrew Lee and James Tamplin and was acquired by Google in 2014. In the early days, the company focused primarily on real-time database functions that enabled developers to synchronize data between users in real time. The takeover by Google significantly expanded the range of tools and functions. Firebase now offers databases, hosting, authentication, cloud messaging and analysis functions, for example, which are helpful when developing your own apps. Here you can find an overview of all the services offered by Firebase: https://firebase.google.com/terms/

Why do we use Firebase?

With our web or mobile applications, we naturally want to provide you with a useful service. To develop these applications, we use the services and functions of Firebase. The developer platform makes our work easier and saves resources because it significantly simplifies back-end development in particular by providing the necessary infrastructure through services such as hosting, database and authentication. Firebase also offers powerful analysis functions that help us to better understand your user behavior. With the help of this data, we can adapt our offer to your needs and consequently optimize our service.

What data is stored by Firebase?

Exactly which data is stored depends on the respective functions used for the app. Firebase services often use "instance IDs" to analyze user behavior. This is a unique identifier that can link various actions in the app. According to Google, however, no personal data is processed. The analysis function also processes various other data using so-called advertising IDs (unique identifiers). This includes, for example, the session duration, your operating system used, the model of your end device, your approximate location, actions in the app and information on possible purchases in the app. All data collected is transmitted to Google in anonymized form.

For authentication purposes, Firebase also stores data such as user name, profile picture, e-mail address and encrypted passwords. The data is used to authenticate users and manage their identity. Please note that personal data, such as your e-mail address, may also be processed. If you receive push messages via the app, the content of the messages, metadata and the type of your end device are stored.

How long and where is the data stored?

Both the storage period and the storage location depend on the functions used and the type of data collected. In principle, Firebase stores data for as long as it is relevant to the application. Firebase is a cloud-based platform and therefore the data is stored in the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) data centers. Firebase Analytics generally stores event and other analytics data for 30 days, but it can be stored for longer if it is exported to BigQuery.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to information, correction or deletion and restriction of the processing of your personal data at any time. You can also withdraw your consent to the processing of data at any time. The deletion of data is usually carried out by us or the administrators of the app or by you directly in the user interface. Exactly how the data is deleted or information is provided depends on the individual configuration of the app.

Legal basis

Firebase or Google may also process your data in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Firebase in the Privacy Policy on https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google Analytics privacy policy

What is Google Analytics?

On our website, we use the analysis tracking tool Google Analytics in the version Google Analytics 4 (GA4) of the American company Google Inc. For the European area, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services. Google Analytics collects data about your actions on our website. However, by combining various technologies such as cookies, device IDs and login information, you can be identified as a user across different devices. This means that your actions can also be analyzed across platforms.

For example, when you click on a link, this event is stored in a cookie and sent to Google Analytics. The reports we receive from Google Analytics enable us to better tailor our website and our service to your wishes. In the following, we will go into more detail about the tracking tool and inform you in particular about which data is processed and how you can prevent this.

Google Analytics is a tracking tool that is used to analyze the traffic on our website. These measurements and analyses are based on a pseudonymous user identification number. This number does not contain any personal data such as name or address, but is used to assign events to an end device. GA4 uses an event-based model that records detailed information on user interactions such as page views, clicks, scrolling and conversion events. GA4 also incorporates various machine learning functions to better understand user behavior and certain trends. GA4 relies on modeling with the help of machine learning functions. This means that missing data can also be extrapolated on the basis of the collected data in order to optimize the analysis and also to be able to make forecasts.

For Google Analytics to work in principle, a tracking code is built into the code of our website. When you visit our website, this code records various events that you perform on our website. With GA4's event-based data model, we as website operators can define and track specific events in order to obtain analyses of user interactions. In addition to general information such as clicks or page views, specific events that are important for our business can also be tracked. Such specific events can be, for example, the sending of a contact form or the purchase of a product.

As soon as you leave our website, this data is sent to the Google Analytics servers and stored there.

Google processes the data and we receive reports about your user behavior. These may include the following reports:

• Target group reports: We use target group reports to get to know our users better and know more precisely who is interested in our service.
• Ad reports: Ad reports make it easier for us to analyze and improve our online advertising.
• Acquisition reports: Acquisition reports provide us with helpful information on how we can get more people interested in our service.
• Behavior reports: Here we learn how you interact with our website. We can track which route you take on our site and which links you click on.
• Conversion reports: Conversion is a process in which you perform a desired action as a result of a marketing message. For example, when you go from being just a website visitor to a buyer or newsletter subscriber. With the help of these reports, we learn more about how our marketing measures are received by you. This is how we want to increase our conversion rate.
• Real-time reports: Here we always know immediately what is happening on our website. For example, we can see how many users are currently reading this text.

In addition to the analysis reports mentioned above, Google Analytics 4 also offers the following functions, among others:

• Event-based data model: This model captures very specific events that can take place on our website. For example, playing a video, purchasing a product or subscribing to our newsletter.
• Extended analysis functions: These functions allow us to better understand your behavior on our website or certain general trends. For example, we can segment user groups, carry out comparative analyses of target groups or track your path on our website.
• Predictive modeling: Based on collected data, missing data can be extrapolated using machine learning to predict future events and trends. This can help us to develop better marketing strategies.
• Cross-platform analysis: Data can be collected and analyzed from both websites and apps. This gives us the opportunity to analyze user behavior across platforms, provided you have of course consented to data processing.

Why do we use Google Analytics on our website?

Our goal with this website is clear: we want to offer you the best possible service. The statistics and data from Google Analytics help us to achieve this goal.

The statistically analyzed data gives us a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of our website. On the one hand, we can optimize our site so that it can be found more easily by interested people on Google. On the other hand, the data helps us to better understand you as a visitor. We therefore know exactly what we need to improve on our website in order to offer you the best possible service. The data also helps us to carry out our advertising and marketing measures more individually and cost-effectively. After all, it only makes sense to show our products and services to people who are interested in them.

What data is stored by Google Analytics?

Google Analytics uses a tracking code to create a random, unique ID that is linked to your browser cookie. This is how Google Analytics recognizes you as a new user and you are assigned a user ID. The next time you visit our site, you will be recognized as a "returning" user. All collected data is stored together with this user ID. This makes it possible to evaluate pseudonymous user profiles.

In order to be able to analyze our website with Google Analytics, a property ID must be inserted into the tracking code. The data is then saved in the corresponding property. The Google Analytics 4 property is standard for every newly created property. Depending on the property used, data is stored for different lengths of time.

Through identifiers such as cookies, app instance IDs, user IDs or user-defined event parameters, your interactions are measured across platforms if you have given your consent. Interactions are all types of actions that you perform on our website. If you also use other Google systems (such as a Google account), data generated via Google Analytics may be linked to third-party cookies. Google does not pass on any Google Analytics data unless we as the website operator authorize this. Exceptions may be made if required by law.

According to Google, no IP addresses are logged or stored in Google Analytics 4. However, Google uses the IP address data to derive location data and deletes it immediately afterwards. All IP addresses collected from users in the EU are therefore deleted before the data is stored in a data center or on a server.

Since Google Analytics 4 focuses on event-based data, the tool uses significantly fewer cookies compared to previous versions (such as Google Universal Analytics). Nevertheless, there are some specific cookies that are used by GA4. These include, for example:

Name: _ga
Value: 2.1326744211.152112937850-5
Intended use: By default, analytics.js uses the _ga cookie to store the user ID. It is basically used to differentiate between website visitors.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: _gid
Value: 2.1687193234.152112937850-1
Intended use: The cookie is also used to distinguish website visitors
Expiration date: after 24 hours

Name: _gat_gtag_UA_
Value: 1
Intended use: Used to lower the request rate. If Google Analytics is provided via the Google Tag Manager, this cookie is given the name _dc_gtm_ .
Expiration date: after 1 minute

Note: This list cannot claim to be exhaustive, as Google is constantly changing its choice of cookies. The aim of GA4 is also to improve data protection. The tool therefore offers a number of options for controlling data collection. For example, we can set the storage period ourselves and also control data collection.

Here we show you an overview of the most important types of data that are collected with Google Analytics:

Heatmaps: Google creates so-called heat maps. Heatmaps allow you to see exactly those areas that you click on. This gives us information about where you are "traveling" on our site.

Session duration: Google defines session duration as the time you spend on our site without leaving it. If you have been inactive for 20 minutes, the session ends automatically.

Bounce rate (Bounce rate:) A bounce is when you only view one page on our website and then leave our website again.

Account creation: When you create an account on our website or place an order, Google Analytics collects this data.

Location: IP addresses are not logged or stored in Google Analytics. However, shortly before the IP address is deleted, derivations are used for location data.

Technical information: The technical information includes your browser type, your internet provider or your screen resolution.

Source of origin: Google Analytics and we are of course also interested in which website or which advertisement brought you to our site.

Other data includes contact details, any ratings, playing media (e.g. when you play a video on our site), sharing content via social media or adding it to your favorites. The list is not exhaustive and is only intended to provide a general overview of data storage by Google Analytics.

How long and where is the data stored?

Google has its servers spread all over the world. Here you can read exactly where the Google data centers are located: https://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/?hl=de

Your data is distributed on different physical data carriers. This has the advantage that the data can be accessed more quickly and is better protected against manipulation. There are appropriate emergency programs for your data in every Google data center. If, for example, the hardware at Google fails or natural disasters paralyze servers, the risk of a service interruption at Google remains low.

The retention period of the data depends on the properties used. The storage period is always defined separately for each individual property. Google Analytics offers us four options for controlling the storage period:

• 2 months: this is the shortest storage period.
• 14 months: by default, the data is stored in GA4 for 14 months.
• 26 months: you can also save the data for 26 months.
• Data is only deleted when we delete it manually

In addition, there is also the option that data will only be deleted if you no longer visit our website within the period selected by us. In this case, the retention period is reset each time you visit our website again within the specified period.

Once the specified period has expired, the data will be deleted once a month. This retention period applies to your data linked to cookies, user recognition and advertising IDs (e.g. DoubleClick domain cookies). Reporting results are based on aggregated data and are stored independently of user data. Aggregated data is an amalgamation of individual data into a larger unit.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

Under European Union data protection law, you have the right to obtain information about your data and to update, delete or restrict it. You can use the browser add-on to deactivate Google Analytics JavaScript (analytics.js, gtag.js) to prevent Google Analytics 4 from using your data. You can download the browser add-on at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de and install it. Please note that this add-on only deactivates data collection by Google Analytics.

If you want to deactivate, delete or manage cookies, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers in the "Cookies" section.

Legal basis

The use of Google Analytics requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie pop-up. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offer technically and economically. With the help of Google Analytics, we can detect errors on the website, identify attacks and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Google Analytics if you have given your consent.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

We hope we have been able to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Google Analytics. If you would like to find out more about the tracking service, we recommend these two links: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/terms/de/ and https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de.

If you want to find out more about data processing, please use the Google privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google Optimize privacy policy

We use Google Optimize, a website optimization tool, on our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European area, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google Optimize in the privacy policy on https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google Site Kit Privacy Policy

What is Google Site Kit?

We have integrated the WordPress plugin Google Site Kit from the American company Google Inc. into our website. Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services in Europe. With Google Site Kit, we can quickly and easily view statistics from various Google products such as Google Analytics directly in our WordPress dashboard. The tool or the tools integrated into Google Site Kit also collect personal data from you, among other things. In this privacy policy, we explain why we use Google Site Kit, how long and where data is stored and which other data protection texts are relevant for you in this context.

Google Site Kit is a plugin for the WordPress content management system. With this plugin, we can view important website analysis statistics directly in our dashboard. These are statistics that are collected by other Google products. First and foremost Google Analytics. In addition to Google Analytics, the Google Search Console, Page Speed Insight, Google AdSense, Google Optimize and Google Tag Manager services can also be linked to Google Site Kit.

Why do we use Google Site Kit on our website?

As a service provider, it is our job to offer you the best possible experience on our website. We want you to feel comfortable on our website and find exactly what you are looking for quickly and easily. Statistical evaluations help us to get to know you better and to adapt our offer to your wishes and interests. We use various Google tools for these evaluations. Site Kit makes our work much easier in this respect because we can view and analyze the statistics of Google products directly in the dashboard. We no longer have to register for the respective tool separately. Site Kit therefore always provides a good overview of the most important analysis data.

What data is stored by Google Site Kit?

If you have actively consented to tracking tools in the cookie notice (also called script or banner), Google products such as Google Analytics will set cookies and send data from you, for example about your user behavior, to Google, where it will be stored and processed. This also includes storing personal data such as your IP address.

For more detailed information on the individual services, we have separate text sections in this privacy policy. For example, take a look at our privacy policy for Google Analytics. Here we go into great detail about the data collected. You can find out how long Google Analytics stores, manages and processes data, which cookies may be used and how you can prevent data storage. We also have separate privacy policies with comprehensive information for other Google services such as Google Tag Manager and Google AdSense.

Below we show you examples of Google Analytics cookies that can be set in your browser if you have consented to data processing by Google. Please note that these cookies are only a selection:

Name: _ga
Value:2.1326744211.152112937850-2
Intended use: By default, analytics.js uses the _ga cookie to store the user ID. It is basically used to differentiate between website visitors.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: _gid
Value:2.1687193234.152112937850-7
Intended use: This cookie is also used to distinguish website visitors.
Expiration date: after 24 hours

Name: _gat_gtag_UA_
Value: 1
Intended use: This cookie is used to lower the request rate.
Expiration date: after 1 minute

How long and where is the data stored?

Google stores collected data on its own Google servers, which are distributed worldwide. Most of the servers are located in the United States and it is therefore easily possible that your data will also be stored there. On https://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/?hl=de you can see exactly where the company provides servers.

Data collected by Google Analytics is stored for a standardized period of 26 months. Your user data will then be deleted. The retention period applies to all data linked to cookies, user recognition and advertising IDs.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You always have the right to receive information about your data and to have your data deleted, corrected or restricted. You can also deactivate, delete or manage cookies in your browser at any time.

If you want to deactivate, delete or manage cookies, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers in the "Cookies" section.

Legal basis

The use of Google Site Kit requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie pop-up. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offer technically and economically. With the help of Google Site Kit, we can detect errors on the website, identify attacks and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Google Site Kit if you have given your consent.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

To find out more about data processing by Google, we recommend that you read Google's comprehensive privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Jetpack privacy policy

What is Jetpack?

We use the WordPress plug-in Jetpack on our website. Jetpack is a software that provides us with web analytics, among other things. Jetpack is operated by the company Automattic (Inc. 132 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94107, USA), which uses the technology of the company Quantcast (Inc., 201 3rd St, Floor 2, San Francisco, CA 94103-3153, USA) for this product. The integrated tracking tool also collects, stores and processes your personal data. In this privacy policy, we show you exactly what data is involved, why we use Jetpack and how you can prevent this data storage.

Jetpack is a plug-in for WordPress websites with many different functions and modules. All these tools help us to make our website more beautiful, more secure and to welcome more visitors here. The tool can also be used to display related posts, content can be shared and Jetpack can also improve the loading speed of our website. All functions are hosted and provided by WordPress.

Why do we use Jetpack?

It is crucial for us that you feel comfortable on our website and find what you are looking for. We can only be successful if you are satisfied with our service. And so that we know how and where we can improve our website, we need information. Jetpack allows us to see, for example, how often and for how long you visit an individual web page or which buttons you like to click. With the help of this information, we can improve our website and adapt it to your wishes and preferences.

What data is stored by Jetpack?

The built-in tracking tool WordPress.com statistics in particular also collects, stores and processes your personal data. In order for the Jetpack tool to work, Jetpack sets a cookie in your browser when you open a website that has components of the tool built in. The collected data is synchronized with Automattic and stored there.

In addition to IP address (anonymized before storage) and data on user behaviour, this includes, for example, browser type, unique device identifier, preferred language, data and time of page access, operating system and information on the mobile network. Jetpack uses this information to improve its own services and offers and to gain better insights into the use of its own service. The following data can also be synchronized and stored:

• For Google Ads customers, the email address and the physical address of the account are synchronized
• Successful and unsuccessful login attempts. Your IP address and the user agent are also stored for this purpose
• The user IDs, user names, e-mail addresses, roles and skills of the registered users. But no passwords are saved
• The user ID of users who make changes to the website
• Twitter username, if configured with Jetpack

Jetpack also uses cookies to store data. Below we show you a few selected, exemplary cookies that Jetpack uses:

Name: eucookielaw
Value: 1613651061376112937850-6
Intended use: Saves the status of the user's consent to the use of cookies.
Expiration date: after 180 days

Name: tk_ai
Value: 0
Intended use: This cookie stores a randomly generated anonymous ID. It is only used within the administration area to track the general analyses.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: tk_tc
Value: E3%2BgJ1Pw6iYKk%2Fvj112937850-3
Intended use: This is a so-called referral cookie. This is used to analyze the connection between WooCommerce and a website with a Jetpack plugin.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Note: Jetpack uses many different cookies. Which cookies are actually used depends on the Jetpack functions used on the one hand and on your actions on the websites with integrated Jetpack plug-in on the other. Under https://de.jetpack.com/support/cookies/ you can see a list of possible cookies that Jetpack uses.

How long and where is the data stored?

Automattic stores the collected data until it is no longer used for its own services. Beyond this period, the data is only stored if the company is obliged to do so for legal reasons. Web server logs such as your IP address, browser type and operating system are deleted after around 30 days. The data is stored on the company's American servers.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

As mentioned above, Jetpack uses cookies to store data. If you do not want Jetpack to collect data from you in the future, you can opt out at https://www.quantcast.com/opt-out/ request an "opt-out" cookie. Quantcast sets this cookie so that no visitor data is stored. This is the case until you delete this cookie.

Alternatively, you can simply manage, deactivate or delete cookies in your browser as you wish. Depending on the browser type, cookie management works slightly differently. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

The use of Jetpack requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie popup. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offer technically and economically. With the help of Jetpack, we can detect errors on the website, identify attacks and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Jetpack if you have given your consent.

Automattic also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Jetpack or Automattic is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

In addition, Automattic uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Automattic undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

If you want to learn more about the privacy policy and the processing of data by Jetpack or Automattic, we recommend the privacy policy at https://automattic.com/privacy/, the cookie guidelines at https://automattic.com/cookies/ and also the information page https://jetpack.com/support/what-data-does-jetpack-sync/. We hope we have been able to give you a good insight into data processing by Jetpack.

Email marketing introduction

What is email marketing?

In order to keep you up to date, we also use the option of e-mail marketing. If you have agreed to receive our e-mails or newsletters, your data will also be processed and stored. Email marketing is a sub-area of online marketing. It involves sending news or general information about a company, products or services by email to a specific group of people who are interested in them.

If you want to take part in our e-mail marketing (usually by newsletter), you normally just need to register with your e-mail address. To do this, you fill out an online form and send it off. However, we may also ask you to provide your title and name so that we can write to you personally.

Basically, the registration for newsletters works with the help of the so-called "double opt-in procedure". After you have registered for our newsletter on our website, you will receive an e-mail confirming your newsletter registration. This ensures that the e-mail address belongs to you and that no one has registered with a third-party e-mail address. We or a notification tool used by us logs each individual registration. This is necessary so that we can prove that the registration process is legally correct. As a rule, the time of registration, the time of registration confirmation and your IP address are saved. In addition, it is also logged when you make changes to your stored data.

Why do we use email marketing?

We naturally want to stay in contact with you and always present you with the most important news about our company. To do this, we use email marketing - often simply referred to as "newsletters" - as an essential part of our online marketing. If you agree to this or if it is permitted by law, we will send you newsletters, system e-mails or other notifications by e-mail. When we use the term "newsletter" in the following text, we mainly mean regularly sent e-mails. Of course, we do not want to bother you in any way with our newsletters. That is why we make every effort to offer only relevant and interesting content. For example, you can find out more about our company, our services or products. As we are constantly improving our offers, you will always find out via our newsletter when there is news or when we are offering special, lucrative promotions. If we commission a service provider who offers a professional mailing tool for our email marketing, we do so in order to be able to offer you fast and secure newsletters. The purpose of our e-mail marketing is basically to inform you about new offers and also to achieve our business goals.

What data is processed?

If you become a subscriber to our newsletter via our website, you confirm your membership of an e-mail list by e-mail. In addition to your IP address and e-mail address, your title, name, address and telephone number may also be stored. However, only if you consent to this data storage. The data marked as such is necessary so that you can participate in the service offered. Providing this information is voluntary, but if you do not provide it, you will not be able to use the service. In addition, information about your device or your preferred content on our website may also be stored. You can find out more about the storage of data when you visit a website in the "Automatic data storage" section. We record your declaration of consent so that we can always prove that it complies with our laws.

Duration of data processing

If you unsubscribe your e-mail address from our e-mail/newsletter distribution list, we may store your address for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests so that we can still prove your consent at that time. We may only process this data if we have to defend ourselves against any claims.

However, if you confirm that you have given us your consent to the newsletter registration, you can submit an individual deletion request at any time. If you permanently revoke your consent, we reserve the right to store your e-mail address in a blacklist. As long as you have voluntarily subscribed to our newsletter, we will of course retain your e-mail address.

Right of objection

You can cancel your newsletter subscription at any time. All you have to do is withdraw your consent to the newsletter subscription. This usually only takes a few seconds or one or two clicks. You will usually find a link to cancel your newsletter subscription at the end of every email. If you really cannot find the link in the newsletter, please contact us by e-mail and we will cancel your newsletter subscription immediately.

Legal basis

Our newsletter is sent on the basis of your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). This means that we may only send you a newsletter if you have actively subscribed to it beforehand. We may also send you advertising messages if you have become our customer and have not objected to the use of your email address for direct advertising.

Information on specific email marketing services and how they process personal data, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Push messages Introduction

What are push notifications?

We also use so-called push notification services on our website, with which we can keep our users up to date at all times. This means that if you have consented to the use of such push notifications, we can send you short news items with the help of a software tool. Push notifications are a form of text message that appears directly on your smartphone or other devices such as tablets or PCs if you have registered for them. You will receive these messages even if you are not on our website or are not actively using our services. Data about your location and your usage behavior may also be collected and stored.

Why do we use push notifications?

On the one hand, we use push notifications in order to be able to fully provide the services that we have contractually agreed with you. On the other hand, the messages also serve our online marketing. We can use these messages to bring our services or products closer to you. Especially when there is news in our company, we can inform you immediately. We want to get to know the preferences and habits of all our users as well as possible in order to continuously improve our offer.

What data is processed?

In order to receive push messages, you must also confirm that you wish to receive these messages. The data collected during the consent process is also stored, managed and processed. This is necessary so that it can be proven and recognized that a user has agreed to receive the push messages. A so-called device token or push token is stored in your browser for this purpose. The data of your location or the location of the end device you are using is usually also stored.

To ensure that we always send interesting and important push messages, we also statistically evaluate how the messages are handled. This allows us to see, for example, whether and when you open the message. With the help of these findings, we can adapt our communication strategy to your wishes and interests. Although this stored data can be assigned to you, we do not want to check you as an individual. Rather, we are interested in the data collected from all our users so that we can make optimizations. You can find out exactly which data is stored in the data protection declarations of the respective service providers.

Duration of data processing

How long the data is processed and stored depends primarily on the tool we use. You can find out more about the data processing of the individual tools below. The providers' privacy policies usually state exactly which data is stored and processed and for how long. In principle, personal data is only processed for as long as is necessary for the provision of our services. If data is stored in cookies, the storage period varies greatly. The data can be deleted immediately after leaving a website, but it can also remain stored for several years. You should therefore look at each individual cookie in detail if you want to know more about data storage. In most cases, you will also find informative information about the individual cookies in the data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Legal basis

It may also be that the push notifications are necessary so that certain obligations contained in a contract can be fulfilled. For example, so that we can inform you of technical or organizational news. Then the legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR.

If this is not the case, the push messages will only be sent on the basis of your consent. In particular, our push messages may have advertising content. The push messages may also be sent depending on your location, which your end device displays. The above-mentioned analytical evaluations are also based on your consent to receive such messages. The legal basis in this respect is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. You can of course withdraw your consent or change various settings in the settings at any time.

Messenger & Communication Introduction

What are messenger & communication functions?

We offer various options on our website (such as messenger and chat functions, online and contact forms, email, telephone) for communicating with us. Your data will also be processed and stored to the extent necessary to answer your request and our subsequent actions.

In addition to traditional means of communication such as email, contact forms and telephone, we also use chats and messengers. The most commonly used messenger function is currently WhatsApp, but there are of course many different providers that offer messenger functions specifically for websites. If content is end-to-end encrypted, this is indicated in the individual data protection texts or in the privacy policy of the respective provider. End-to-end encryption means that the content of a message itself is not visible to the provider. However, information about your device, location settings and other technical data can still be processed and stored.

Why do we use messenger & communication functions?

Communication options with you are of great importance to us. After all, we want to talk to you and answer all possible questions about our service in the best possible way. Well-functioning communication is an important part of our service. With the practical messenger & communication functions, you can choose the ones you prefer at any time. In exceptional cases, however, we may not be able to answer certain questions via chat or messenger. This is the case, for example, when it comes to internal contractual matters. In this case, we recommend other communication options such as e-mail or telephone.

As a rule, we assume that we remain responsible under data protection law, even if we use the services of a social media platform. However, the European Court of Justice has ruled that in certain cases the operator of the social media platform may be jointly responsible with us within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR. If this is the case, we will point this out separately and work on the basis of an agreement to this effect. The essence of the agreement is set out below for the platform concerned.

Please note that when using our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many providers, such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, are American companies. As a result, you may not be able to claim or enforce your rights in relation to your personal data as easily.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is stored and processed depends on the respective provider of the messenger & communication functions. Basically, it is data such as name, address, telephone number, email address and content data such as all information that you enter in a contact form. In most cases, information about your device and IP address is also stored. Data that is collected via a messenger & communication function is also stored on the provider's servers.

If you want to know exactly what data is stored and processed by the respective providers and how you can object to data processing, you should read the respective company's privacy policy carefully.

How long is data stored?

How long the data is processed and stored depends primarily on the tools we use. You can find out more about the data processing of the individual tools below. The privacy policies of the providers usually state exactly which data is stored and processed and for how long. In principle, personal data is only processed for as long as is necessary for the provision of our services. If data is stored in cookies, the storage period varies greatly. The data can be deleted immediately after leaving a website, but it can also remain stored for several years. You should therefore look at each individual cookie in detail if you want to know more about data storage. In most cases, you will also find informative information about the individual cookies in the data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser. For more information, please refer to the section on consent.

As cookies may be used for messenger & communication functions, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated messenger & communication functions, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). We process your request and manage your data in the context of contractual or pre-contractual relationships in order to fulfill our pre-contractual and contractual obligations or to answer inquiries. The basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR. In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest if you have given your consent. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your personal data to ensure fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners.

Facebook Messenger privacy policy

What is Facebook Messenger?

We use the instant messaging service Facebook Messenger on our website. The service provider is the American company Meta Platforms Inc. Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible for the European region.

Facebook Messenger is a chat messaging function developed by Facebook that allows you to send and receive text messages, voice and video calls, photos and other media files to other Facebook users.
If you use Facebook Messenger, your personal data will also be processed on the Facebook servers. In addition to your phone number and chat messages, this also includes photos, videos, profile data, your address and your location.

Why do we use Facebook Messenger?

We want to stay in touch with you and the best way to do this is via messaging services such as Facebook Messenger. Firstly because the service works perfectly and secondly because Facebook is still one of the best-known social media platforms. The service is practical and allows us to communicate with you quickly and easily.

What data is processed by Facebook Messenger?

Various types of data, including personal data, may be processed through the use of Facebook Messenger. This includes account information such as your telephone number, your profile picture, your user name or other information that you provide to Facebook in the course of creating and managing your account. Of course, Facebook also stores the content of your messages (text, photos, videos, voice messages). Facebook also stores so-called metadata, such as the date and time a message was sent or received. Facebook Messenger can also access your contacts to enable communication with your contacts. Furthermore, technical data such as device type, operating system or location data is also stored.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, Facebook stores data until it is no longer needed for its own services and Facebook products. Facebook has servers all over the world where its data is stored. However, customer data is deleted within 48 hours after it has been compared with the company's own user data.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to information, correction or deletion and restriction of the processing of your personal data at any time. You can also withdraw your consent to the processing of data at any time. Your data will only be permanently deleted if you delete your Facebook account.

Follow these steps to completely delete your Facebook account:

1) Log in to Facebook and then click on "Settings" in the top right-hand corner.

2) Then click on "Your Facebook information" in the left-hand column.

3) Now click on "Deactivation and deletion".

4) Now select "Delete account" and then click on "Continue and delete account"

5) Now enter your password, click on "Next" and then on "Delete account"

Legal basis

The use of Facebook Messenger requires your consent, which we have obtained using our consent tool (pop-up). According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by Facebook Messenger.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in improving our service. With the help of Facebook Messenger, we can communicate with you faster and better. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Facebook Messenger if you have given your consent.

Facebook also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Facebook or Meta Platforms is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Facebook also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Facebook undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Facebook in the privacy policy on https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy.

LiveAgent privacy policy

We also use the LiveAgent help desk software for our website. The service provider is the Slovakian company Quality Unit, s. r. o., Vajnorska 100/A, 831 04 Bratislava, Slovakia.

What is LiveAgent?

This customer service software simplifies and improves communication with you. The program was developed by the two founders Viktor Leman and Andrej Harsani in 2004 and offers a comprehensive customer support service with a live chat function, a ticket system and various helpdesk functions. LiveAgent now has over 150 million users and serves more than 40,000 companies worldwide.

Why do we use LiveAgent?

Of course we want to stay in communication with you and at the same time constantly improve our customer service. With LiveAgent we can do both. With the help of the chat function, your questions are answered quickly and efficiently. The ticket system improves our workflow and increases our productivity. Another important reason why we opted for LiveAgent when choosing a help desk software is the secure and professional handling of personal data. Like us, data protection is a major concern for the makers of LiveAgent. LiveAgent uses SSL encryption to protect data transmission between you and the servers. All data stored there is also encrypted and therefore cannot be viewed.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of LiveAgent in the Privacy Policy on https://www.liveagent.de/privacy-policy/.

WhatsApp privacy policy

What is WhatsApp?

We use the WhatsApp instant messaging service on our website. The service provider is the American company WhatsApp Inc, a subsidiary of Meta Platforms Inc (until October 2021 Facebook Inc.). WhatsApp Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, is responsible for the European region.

We probably don't need to introduce WhatsApp to you in detail. The likelihood that you yourself use this well-known messaging service on your smartphone is relatively high. For many years, there have been voices criticizing WhatsApp and its parent company Meta Platforms with regard to the handling of personal data. The main criticism in recent years has related to the merging of WhatsApp user data with Facebook. Facebook responded to this in 2021 and amended its terms of use. Facebook stated that currently (as of 2021) no personal data of WhatsApp users is shared with Facebook.
Nevertheless, WhatsApp will of course process some of your personal data if you use WhatsApp and have consented to data processing. In addition to your phone number and chat messages, this also includes photos, videos and profile data that you send. However, photos and videos are only stored temporarily and all messages and phone calls are provided with end-to-end encryption. They should therefore not be visible to Meta itself. WhatsApp also stores information from your address book and other metadata.

Why do we use WhatsApp?

We want to stay in touch with you and the best way to do that is via WhatsApp. Firstly, because the service works flawlessly, and secondly because WhatsApp is still the most widely used instant messaging tool worldwide. The service is practical and allows us to communicate with you quickly and easily.

What data is processed by WhatsApp?

By using WhatsApp, various types of data, including personal data, may be processed. This includes account information such as your telephone number, your profile picture, your user name or other information that you provide to WhatsApp in the course of creating and managing your WhatsApp account. Of course, WhatsApp also stores the content of your messages (text, photos, videos, voice messages). WhatsApp also stores so-called metadata, such as the date and time a message was sent or received. Telephone numbers of the people involved and technical data such as device type, operating system or location data are also stored.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, WhatsApp stores data for as long as is necessary for legitimate purposes and to fulfill legal obligations. It is not possible to give a specific answer here as to exactly how long the data is stored, as this depends heavily on the type of data. As a rule, messages are only stored in encrypted form by WhatsApp during delivery and are deleted from the servers as soon as a message has been delivered. Messages are only stored on your own device for longer. When media is sent, WhatsApp stores this data in encrypted form for up to 30 days in order to optimize delivery. Account data is stored for as long as you have an active WhatsApps account. If you delete or deactivate the account, your account data will normally also be deleted. The data stored by WhatsApp is stored on the company's own servers, which are located all over the world. In order to operate the web-based WhatsApp services, data is also collected with the help of cookies.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to information, correction or deletion and restriction of the processing of your personal data at any time. You can also withdraw your consent to the processing of data at any time.

If you do not want cookies to be set for the desktop version and data to be saved as a result, you can also prevent cookies from being set in your browser. This is because you can manage, deactivate or delete cookies in your browser. This always works slightly differently depending on your browser. You can find out more in our section on cookies.

Legal basis

The use of WhatsApp requires your consent, which we have obtained using our consent tool (pop-up). According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) The legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by WhatsApp.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in improving our communication services. With the help of WhatsApp, we can respond faster and better to your inquiries, communicate important messages to you and thus take our service to the next level. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use WhatsApp if you have given your consent.

WhatsApp also processes your data in the USA, among other places. WhatsApp is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

WhatsApp also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, WhatsApp undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

Information on data transmission at WhatsApp, which corresponds to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/business-data-transfer-addendum-20210927

We hope we have provided you with the most important information about the use and data processing by WhatsApp. You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of WhatsApp in the Privacy Policy on https://www.whatsapp.com/privacy.

Chatbots introduction

What are chatbots?

You can also communicate with us via chatbots or similar chat functions. A chat offers the opportunity to write or speak to each other with very little delay. A chatbot is a piece of software that attempts to answer your question and informs you of any news. By using these means of communication, your personal data may also be processed and stored.

Why do we use chatbots?

Communication options with you are important to us. After all, we want to talk to you and answer all possible questions about our service in the best possible way. Well-functioning communication is an important part of our service. Chatbots have the great advantage that we can answer frequently asked questions automatically with the help of this software. This saves us time and you still receive detailed and helpful answers. If the chatbot is unable to help, you can of course contact us in person at any time.

Please note that when using our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many providers are American companies. As a result, you may not be able to claim or enforce your rights in relation to your personal data as easily.

What data is processed?

You may also use the chat services on other websites/platforms. In this case, your user ID will also be stored on the servers of this website. We may also be informed about which user has used the chat and when. The content is also stored. Exactly which data is stored depends on the respective service. As a rule, however, it is contact data such as e-mail address or telephone number, IP address and various usage data.

If you have consented to the chat function being used, this consent and any registration will also be saved or logged. We do this so that we can prove the registration or consent if this is required by law.

The provider of a chat platform can also find out when you chat and also receives technical information about the device you are using. Exactly what information is stored and processed also depends on your PC settings. In many cases, for example, data on your approximate location can be collected. This is done on the one hand to optimize the chat services and on the other hand to ensure greater security. Furthermore, the information can also be used to set personalized advertising and marketing measures.

If you have agreed that a chatbot can send you messages, you can of course deactivate this activation at any time. The chatbot also serves as an aid here and shows you how to unsubscribe from this function. All your data in this regard will then be deleted from the recipient directory.

We use the above-mentioned data to be able to address you personally via the chat, for example, to answer your questions and inquiries or to send you possible content. It also enables us to fundamentally improve our chat services.

How long is data stored?

How long the data is processed and stored depends primarily on the tools we use. You can find out more about the data processing of the individual tools below. The privacy policies of the providers usually state exactly which data is stored and processed and for how long. In principle, personal data is only processed for as long as is necessary for the provision of our services. If data is stored in cookies, the storage period varies greatly. The data can be deleted immediately after leaving a website, but it can also remain stored for several years. You should therefore look at each individual cookie in detail if you want to know more about data storage. In most cases, you will also find informative information about the individual cookies in the data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

As chat services may use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

We use a pop-up window to ask for your permission to process your data as part of the chat services. If you consent, this consent also serves as a legal basis (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) for data processing. We also process your inquiries and manage your data in the context of contractual or pre-contractual relationships in order to fulfill our pre-contractual and contractual obligations or to respond to inquiries. The basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR. In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

Social media introduction

What is social media?

In addition to our website, we are also active on various social media platforms. User data may be processed so that we can target users who are interested in us via the social networks. In addition, elements of a social media platform may also be embedded directly in our website. This is the case, for example, if you click on a social button on our website and are forwarded directly to our social media presence. Social media refers to websites and apps that registered members can use to produce content, share content openly or in specific groups and network with other members.

Why do we use social media?

For years, social media platforms have been the place where people communicate and get in touch online. Our social media presence allows us to bring our products and services closer to interested parties. The social media elements integrated on our website help you to switch to our social media content quickly and without complications.

The data that is stored and processed through your use of a social media channel is primarily for the purpose of carrying out web analyses. The aim of these analyses is to be able to develop more precise and personalized marketing and advertising strategies. Depending on your behavior on a social media platform, the evaluated data can be used to draw conclusions about your interests and create user profiles. This also enables the platforms to present you with customized advertisements. Cookies are usually set in your browser for this purpose, which store data on your usage behavior.

As a rule, we assume that we remain responsible under data protection law, even if we use the services of a social media platform. However, the European Court of Justice has ruled that in certain cases the operator of the social media platform may be jointly responsible with us within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR. If this is the case, we will point this out separately and work on the basis of an agreement to this effect. The essence of the agreement is then reproduced below for the platform concerned.

Please note that when using the social media platforms or our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many social media channels, such as Facebook or Twitter, are American companies. As a result, you may not be able to claim or enforce your rights in relation to your personal data as easily.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is stored and processed depends on the respective provider of the social media platform. However, it usually involves data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, data that you enter in a contact form, user data such as which buttons you click, who you like or follow, when you visited which pages, information about your device and your IP address. Most of this data is stored in cookies. Data can be linked to your profile, especially if you have a profile on the social media channel you are visiting and are logged in.

All data that is collected via a social media platform is also stored on the provider's servers. This means that only the providers have access to the data and can provide you with the appropriate information or make changes.

If you want to know exactly what data is stored and processed by social media providers and how you can object to data processing, you should carefully read the company's privacy policy. We also recommend that you contact the provider directly if you have any questions about data storage and data processing or wish to assert corresponding rights.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. For example, the social media platform Facebook stores data until it is no longer required for its own purposes. However, customer data that is compared with our own user data is deleted within two days. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If required by law, for example in the case of accounting, this storage period may be exceeded.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers such as embedded social media elements at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

As social media tools may use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest if you have given your consent. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use these tools if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

Information on specific social media platforms - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Facebook privacy policy

What are Facebook tools?

We use selected tools from Facebook on our website. Facebook is a social media network of the company Meta Platforms Inc. or, for the European region, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland. With the help of these tools, we can offer you and people who are interested in our products and services the best possible offer.

If data is collected and forwarded from you via our embedded Facebook elements or via our Facebook page (fan page), both we and Facebook Ireland Ltd. are responsible for this. Facebook is solely responsible for the further processing of this data. Our joint obligations have also been set out in a publicly accessible agreement at https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum anchored. It states, for example, that we must clearly inform you about the use of Facebook tools on our website. Furthermore, we are also responsible for ensuring that the tools are securely integrated into our website in accordance with data protection law. Facebook, on the other hand, is responsible for the data security of Facebook products, for example. If you have any questions about data collection and data processing by Facebook, you can contact the company directly. If you address the question to us, we are obliged to forward it to Facebook.

Below we provide an overview of the various Facebook tools, what data is sent to Facebook and how you can delete this data.

In addition to many other products, Facebook also offers the so-called "Facebook Business Tools". This is the official name of Facebook. However, as the term is hardly known, we have decided to simply call them Facebook tools. These include, among others:

• Facebook pixel
• social plug-ins (such as the "Like" or "Share" button)
• Facebook Login
• Account Kit
• APIs (programming interface)
• SDKs (collection of programming tools)
• Platform integrations
• Plugins
• Codes
• Specifications
• Documentations
• Technologies and services

Through these tools, Facebook expands services and has the ability to obtain information about user activity outside of Facebook.

Why do we use Facebook tools on our website?

We only want to show our services and products to people who are really interested in them. With the help of advertisements (Facebook ads), we can reach precisely these people. However, Facebook needs information about people's wishes and needs in order to show users suitable advertising. The company is therefore provided with information about user behavior (and contact details) on our website. As a result, Facebook collects better user data and can show interested people suitable advertising about our products or services. The tools thus enable customized advertising campaigns on Facebook.

Facebook calls data about your behavior on our website "event data". This is also used for measurement and analysis services. Facebook can thus create "campaign reports" on our behalf about the impact of our advertising campaigns. Furthermore, analytics give us a better insight into how you use our services, website or products. This allows us to optimize your user experience on our website with some of these tools. For example, you can use the social plug-ins to share content on our site directly on Facebook.

What data is stored by Facebook tools?

By using individual Facebook tools, personal data (customer data) can be sent to Facebook. Depending on the tools used, customer data such as name, address, telephone number and IP address may be sent.

Facebook uses this information to match the data with the data it has about you (if you are a Facebook member). Before customer data is transmitted to Facebook, it is hashed. This means that a data record of any size is transformed into a character string. This also serves to encrypt data.

In addition to the contact data, "event data" is also transmitted. "Event data" refers to the information that we receive about you on our website. For example, which subpages you visit or which products you buy from us. Facebook does not share the information it receives with third parties (such as advertisers) unless the company has explicit permission or is legally obliged to do so. "Event data" can also be linked to contact details. This allows Facebook to offer better personalized advertising. After the aforementioned matching process, Facebook deletes the contact data again.

In order to deliver optimized ads, Facebook only uses the event data if it has been combined with other data (collected by Facebook in other ways). Facebook also uses this event data for security, protection, development and research purposes. Much of this data is transferred to Facebook via cookies. Cookies are small text files that are used to store data or information in browsers. Depending on the tools used and whether you are a Facebook member, different numbers of cookies are stored in your browser. We go into more detail about individual Facebook cookies in the descriptions of the individual Facebook tools. You can also find general information about the use of Facebook cookies at https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, Facebook stores data until it is no longer needed for its own services and Facebook products. Facebook has servers all over the world where its data is stored. However, customer data is deleted within 48 hours after it has been compared with the company's own user data.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to information, correction, transferability and deletion of your data.

The data will only be completely deleted if you delete your Facebook account completely. And this is how deleting your Facebook account works:

1) Click on Settings on the right-hand side of Facebook.

2) Then click on "Your Facebook information" in the left-hand column.

3) Now click on "Deactivation and deletion".

4) Now select "Delete account" and then click on "Continue and delete account"

5) Now enter your password, click on "Next" and then on "Delete account"

The data that Facebook receives via our site is stored using cookies (e.g. for social plugins). You can deactivate, delete or manage individual or all cookies in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

If you generally do not want to have cookies, you can set up your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. This allows you to decide for each individual cookie whether you want to allow it or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated Facebook tools, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use these tools if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy about cookies carefully and take a look at Facebook's privacy policy or cookie guidelines.

Facebook also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Facebook or Meta Platforms is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Facebook also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Facebook undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

We hope we have provided you with the most important information about the use and data processing by the Facebook tools. If you want to find out more about how Facebook uses your data, we recommend that you read the data guidelines on https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/.

Facebook Login Privacy Policy

We have integrated the practical Facebook login on our website. This allows you to easily log in with your Facebook account without having to create another user account. If you decide to register via the Facebook login, you will be redirected to the Facebook social media network. There you can log in using your Facebook user data. Through this login procedure, data about you or your user behavior is stored and transmitted to Facebook.

Facebook uses various cookies to store the data. Below we show you the most important cookies that are set in your browser or already exist when you log in to our site via the Facebook login:

Name: fr
Value: 0jieyh4c2GnlufEJ9..Bde09j...1.0.Bde09j
Intended use: This cookie is used to ensure that the social plugin on our website works as well as possible.
Expiration date: after 3 months

Name: datr
Value: 4Jh7XUA2112937850SEmPsSfzCOO4JFFl
Intended use: Facebook sets the "datr" cookie when a web browser accesses facebook.com, and the cookie helps identify login activity and protect users.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: _js_datr
Value: deleted
Intended use: Facebook sets this session cookie for tracking purposes, even if you do not have a Facebook account or are logged out.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Note: The cookies listed are only a small selection of the cookies available to Facebook. Other cookies are, for example, _ fbp, sb or wd. A complete list is not possible, as Facebook has a large number of cookies and uses them variably.

The Facebook login offers you a quick and easy registration process on the one hand, and on the other hand it gives us the opportunity to share data with Facebook. This allows us to better tailor our offers and advertising campaigns to your interests and needs. Data that we receive from Facebook in this way is public data such as

• Your Facebook name
• Your profile picture
• a registered e-mail address
• Friends lists
• Button details (e.g. "Like" button)
• Birthday date
• Language
• Place of residence

In return, we provide Facebook with information about your activities on our website. This includes information about the device you use, which subpages you visit or which products you have purchased from us.

By using Facebook Login, you consent to data processing. You can revoke this agreement at any time. If you would like more information about data processing by Facebook, we recommend that you read the Facebook privacy policy at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/.

If you are logged in to Facebook, you can change your settings for advertisements under https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/advertisers/?entry_product=ad_settings_screen to change themselves.

Instagram privacy policy

What is Instagram?

We have integrated Instagram functions on our website. Instagram is a social media platform of the company Instagram LLC, 1601 Willow Rd, Menlo Park CA 94025, USA. Instagram has been a subsidiary of Meta Platforms Inc. since 2012 and is a Facebook product. Embedding Instagram content on our website is called embedding. This allows us to show you content such as buttons, photos or videos from Instagram directly on our website. When you visit web pages on our website that have an Instagram function integrated, data is transmitted to Instagram, stored and processed. Instagram uses the same systems and technologies as Facebook. Your data is therefore processed across all Facebook companies.

In the following, we want to give you a more detailed insight into why Instagram collects data, what data is involved and how you can largely control data processing. Since Instagram belongs to Meta Platforms Inc., we obtain our information from the Instagram guidelines on the one hand, but also from the Meta privacy policy itself on the other.

Instagram is one of the best-known social media networks in the world. Instagram combines the advantages of a blog with the benefits of audiovisual platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo. You can upload photos and short videos to "Insta" (as many users casually call the platform), edit them with various filters and also share them on other social networks. And if you don't want to be active yourself, you can also just follow other interesting users.

Why do we use Instagram on our website?

Instagram is the social media platform that has really gone through the roof in recent years. And of course we have also responded to this boom. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible on our website. That's why a varied presentation of our content is a matter of course for us. The embedded Instagram functions allow us to enrich our content with helpful, funny or exciting content from the Instagram world. As Instagram is a subsidiary of Facebook, the data collected can also be useful to us for personalized advertising on Facebook. This means that only people who are genuinely interested in our products or services receive our advertisements.

Instagram also uses the collected data for measurement and analysis purposes. We receive summarized statistics and thus more insight into your wishes and interests. It is important to note that these reports do not identify you personally.

What data is stored by Instagram?

When you visit one of our pages that has Instagram functions (such as Instagram images or plug-ins), your browser automatically connects to Instagram's servers. In the process, data is sent to Instagram, stored and processed. This happens regardless of whether you have an Instagram account or not. This includes information about our website, your computer, purchases made, advertisements you see and how you use our services. The date and time of your interaction with Instagram are also stored. If you have an Instagram account or are logged in, Instagram stores significantly more data about you.

Facebook distinguishes between customer data and event data. We assume that this is exactly the case with Instagram. Customer data includes, for example, name, address, telephone number and IP address. This customer data is only transmitted to Instagram once it has been hashed. Hashing means that a data record is converted into a character string. This allows the contact data to be encrypted. The "event data" mentioned above is also transmitted. By "event data", Facebook - and consequently Instagram - means data about your user behavior. Contact data may also be combined with event data. The contact data collected is compared with the data that Instagram already has about you.

The collected data is transmitted to Facebook via small text files (cookies), which are usually set in your browser. Depending on the Instagram functions used and whether you have an Instagram account yourself, different amounts of data are stored.

We assume that Instagram processes data in the same way as Facebook. This means that if you have an Instagram account or www.instagram.com Instagram has at least set a cookie. If this is the case, your browser sends information to Instagram via the cookie as soon as you come into contact with an Instagram function. This data is deleted or anonymized after 90 days at the latest (after reconciliation). Although we have looked closely at Instagram's data processing, we cannot say exactly what data Instagram collects and stores.

Below we will show you the minimum cookies that are set in your browser when you click on an Instagram function (such as a button or an Insta image). In our test, we assume that you do not have an Instagram account. If you are logged in to Instagram, significantly more cookies will of course be set in your browser.

These cookies were used in our test:

Name: csrftoken
Value: ""
Intended use: This cookie is most likely set for security reasons to prevent falsified requests. However, we were unable to find out more about this.
Expiration date: after one year

Name: mid
Value: ""
Intended use: Instagram sets this cookie to optimize its own services and offers inside and outside Instagram. The cookie defines a unique user ID.
Expiration date: after the end of the session

Name: fbsr_112937850124024
Value: not specified
Intended use: This cookie stores the log-in request for users of the Instagram app.
Expiration date: after the end of the session

Name: rur
Value: ATN
Intended use: This is an Instagram cookie that ensures functionality on Instagram.
Expiration date: after the end of the session

Name: urlgen
Value: “{”194.96.75.33”: 1901}:1iEtYv:Y833k2_UjKvXgYe112937850”
Intended use: This cookie is used for Instagram's marketing purposes.
Expiration date: after the end of the session

Note: We cannot claim completeness here. Which cookies are set in individual cases depends on the embedded functions and your use of Instagram.

How long and where is the data stored?

Instagram shares the information received between the Facebook companies with external partners and with people you connect with worldwide. Data processing is carried out in compliance with our own data policy. For security reasons, among others, your data is distributed on Facebook servers around the world. Most of these servers are located in the USA.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

Thanks to the General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to access, portability, rectification and erasure of your data. You can manage your data in the Instagram settings. If you want to completely delete your data on Instagram, you must permanently delete your Instagram account.

And this is how deleting your Instagram account works:

First open the Instagram app. Go to the bottom of your profile page and click on "Help section". You will now be taken to the company's website. On the website, click on "Manage your account" and then on "Delete your account".

If you delete your account completely, Instagram will delete posts such as your photos and status updates. Information that other people have shared about you does not belong to your account and is therefore not deleted.

As mentioned above, Instagram stores your data primarily via cookies. You can manage, deactivate or delete these cookies in your browser. Depending on your browser, the management always works a little differently. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

You can also set up your browser so that you are always informed when a cookie is to be set. Then you can always decide individually whether you want to allow the cookie or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

Instagram also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Instagram or Meta Platforms is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Instagram also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Instagram undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Instagram. On https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/ you can take a closer look at Instagram's data policy.

TikTok privacy policy

What is TikTok?

We use the TikTok integration on our website. The service provider is the Chinese company Beijing Bytedance Technology Ltd. The Irish company TikTok Technology Limited, 10 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, D02 T380, Ireland, is responsible for the European region. TikTok is a popular social media platform, especially among young people, on which users can create, share and view short video clips.

In this privacy policy, we inform you about which data is processed by TikTok, how long the data is stored and how you can manage your privacy settings.

Why do we use TikTok on our website?

We have integrated TikTok into our website so that you can watch TikTok videos if you feel like it and interact with the videos where appropriate. TikTok is particularly known for funny and creative content and of course we don't want to deprive you of such content. After all, we also enjoy watching the odd creative TikTok video ourselves.

What data is processed by TikTok?

When you watch or interact with TikTok videos on our website, TikTok may collect information about your usage behavior and your device. This may include data such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, location and other technical information. TikTok may also use cookies and similar technologies to collect information and personalize your user experience.

If you have a TikTok account yourself, further information may also be collected and processed. This includes, for example, user information (such as name, date of birth or your e-mail address) and data about your communication with other TikTok users.

How long and where is the data stored?

The storage period and storage locations of the data collected by TikTok can vary greatly and are subject to TikTok's privacy policy. TikTok may also store data on servers in the USA and other countries. The storage period generally depends on the respective legal requirements and internal guidelines. However, we have not yet been able to find out exactly how long data is stored. As soon as we have more detailed information, we will of course let you know.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

If you have a TikTok account, you can manage your privacy settings directly on TikTok. For example, you can specify in your TikTok account settings which information may and may not be shared. You can also manage and disable cookies in your web browser to limit data collection. This is of course also possible without a TikTok account. Please note, however, that this may affect the functionality of our website and your TikTok experience.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by TikTok, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. TikTok can also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

TikTok also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

TikTok uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer there. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, TikTok undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

For more information on TikTok's privacy policy and the collection of data by TikTok, please visit the TikTok website at https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/eea/privacy-policy/en and in the general information on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/en/.

X (formerly: Twitter) Privacy Policy

What is X?

We have integrated functions from X on our website. These are, for example, embedded tweets, timelines, buttons or hashtags. X is a short message service and a social media platform of the American company X Corp, 1355 Market Street, Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. For the European region, Twitter International Unlimited Company (One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07, Ireland) is responsible for the processing of personal data.

To our knowledge, in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, no personal data or data on your web activities are transmitted to X simply by integrating X functions. Only when you interact with the X functions, for example by clicking on a button, can data be sent to X, stored there and processed. We have no influence on this data processing and bear no responsibility for it. In this privacy policy, we want to give you an overview of what data X stores, what X does with this data and how you can largely protect yourself from data transmission.

For some, X is a news service, for others a social media platform and still others refer to it as a microblogging service. All of these terms are justified and mean more or less the same thing.

Both private individuals and companies use X to communicate with interested parties via short messages. X only allows 280 characters per message. These messages are called "tweets". Unlike Facebook, for example, the service does not focus on developing a network for "friends", but wants to be seen as a global and open messaging platform. With X, you can also have an anonymous account and tweets can be deleted by the company or by the users themselves.

Why do we use X on our website?

Like many other websites and companies, we try to offer our services and communicate with our customers via various channels. X, in particular, (better known to many as Twitter) has grown on us as a useful "little" news service. We are always tweeting or retweeting exciting, funny or interesting content. We realize that you can't follow every channel separately. After all, you have other things to do as well. That's why we have also integrated X functions on our website. You can experience our X activity "on site" or go to our X page via a direct link. By integrating them, we want to improve our service and the user-friendliness of our website.

What data is stored by X?

You will find built-in X functions on some of our subpages. When you interact with X content, for example by clicking on a button, X can collect and store data. This happens even if you do not have an X account. X calls this data "log data". This includes demographic data, browser cookie IDs, the ID of your smartphone, hashed email addresses, and information about which pages you have visited on X and what actions you have taken. X naturally stores more data if you have an X account and are logged in. Previously, this storage was done via cookies. Cookies are small text files that are usually set in your browser and transmit different information to X.

We will now show you which cookies are set if you are not logged in to X but visit a website with built-in X functions. Please consider this list as an example. We cannot guarantee that this list is complete, as the choice of cookies changes constantly and depends on your individual actions with the X content.

These cookies were used in our test:

Name: personalization_id
Value: “v1_cSJIsogU51SeE112937850”
Intended use: This cookie stores information about how you use the website and which advertisements you may have come to X from.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: long
Value: en
Intended use: This cookie saves your preset or preferred language.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: guest_id
Value: 112937850v1%3A157132626
Intended use: This cookie is set to identify you as a guest. 
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: fm
Value: 0
Intended use: Unfortunately, we were unable to find out the purpose of this cookie.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: external_referer
Value: 1129378502beTA0sf5lkMrlGt
Intended use: This cookie collects anonymous data, such as how often you visit X and how long you visit X for.
Expiration date: After 6 days

Name: eu_cn
Value: 1
Intended use: This cookie stores user activity and is used for various advertising purposes by X.
Expiration date: After one year

Name: ct0
Value: c1179f07163a365d2ed7aad84c99d966
Intended use: Unfortunately, we have not found any information on this cookie.
Expiration date: after 6 hours

Name: _twitter_sess
Value: 53D%253D–dd0248112937850-
Intended use: This cookie allows you to use functions within the X website.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Note: X also works with third-party providers. This is why we also recognized the three Google Analytics cookies _ga, _gat, _gid during our test.

X uses the data collected on the one hand to better understand user behavior and thus improve its own services and advertising offers, and on the other hand the data is also used for internal security measures.

How long and where is the data stored?

If X collects data from other websites, this data is deleted, summarized or otherwise concealed after a maximum of 30 days. The X servers are located on various server centers in the United States. It can therefore be assumed that the data collected is collected and stored in America. After our research, we were unable to clearly determine whether X also has its own servers in Europe. In principle, X can store the collected data until it is no longer useful to the company, you delete the data or there is a statutory deletion period.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

In its privacy policy, X repeatedly emphasizes that it does not store any data from external website visits if you or your browser are located in the European Economic Area or in Switzerland. However, if you interact with X directly, X will of course also store data about you.

If you have an X account, you can manage your data by clicking on "More" under the "Profile" button. Then click on "Settings and data protection". Here you can manage the data processing individually.

If you do not have an X account, you can click on twitter.com and then click on "Individualization". You can manage your collected data under "Individualization and data".

As mentioned above, most of the data is stored via cookies, which you can manage, deactivate or delete in your browser. Please note that you can only "edit" cookies in the browser you have selected. This means that if you use a different browser in the future, you will have to manage your cookies again according to your wishes. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

You can also manage your browser so that you are informed for each individual cookie. You can then always decide individually whether to allow a cookie or not.

X also uses the data for personalized advertising inside and outside X. You can deactivate personalized advertising in the settings under "Individualization and data". If you use X on a browser, you can deactivate personalized advertising under https://optout.aboutads.info/?c=2&lang=EN deactivate.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

X also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

X uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer to these countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, X undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more information on the standard contractual clauses at X at https://gdpr.twitter.com/en/controller-to-controller-transfers.html.

We hope we have given you a basic overview of data processing by X. We do not receive any data from X and are not responsible for what X does with your data. If you have any further questions on this topic, we recommend that you read the X data protection declaration at https://twitter.com/de/privacy.

XING privacy policy

What is Xing?

We use social plugins from the social media network Xing, Xing SE, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, on our website. These functions allow you, for example, to share content on Xing directly via our website, log in via Xing or follow interesting content. You can recognize the plug-ins by the company name or the Xing logo. When you visit a website that uses a Xing plug-in, data may be transmitted to the "Xing servers", stored and analyzed. In this privacy policy, we want to inform you about what data is involved and how you can manage or prevent this data storage.

Xing is a social network with its headquarters in Hamburg. The company specializes in the management of professional contacts. This means that, unlike other networks, Xing is primarily about professional networking. The platform is often used for job searches or to find employees for your own company. Xing also offers interesting content on various professional topics. Its global counterpart is the American company LinkedIn.

Why do we use Xing on our website?

There is now a flood of social media channels and we are well aware that your time is very valuable. Not every company's social media channel can be scrutinized closely. That's why we want to make your life as easy as possible so that you can share or follow interesting content directly via our website on Xing. With such "social plug-ins" we expand our service on our website. In addition, the data collected by Xing helps us to carry out targeted advertising measures on the platform. This means that our service is only shown to people who are really interested in it.

What data is stored by Xing?

Xing offers the share button, the follow button and the log-in button as plug-ins for websites. As soon as you open a page where a Xing social plug-in is integrated, your browser connects to servers in a data center used by Xing. In the case of the share button, according to Xing, no data should be stored that could be directly related to a person. In particular, Xing does not store your IP address. Furthermore, no cookies are set in connection with the share button. Therefore, no evaluation of your user behavior takes place. You can find more information on this at https://dev.xing.com/plugins/share_button/privacy_policy

With the other Xing plug-ins, cookies are only set in your browser when you interact with the plug-in or click on it. Personal data such as your IP address, browser data, date and time of your Xing page visit can be stored here. If you have a XING account and are logged in, the data collected will be assigned to your personal account and the data stored in it.

The following cookies are set in your browser when you click on the follow or log-in button and are not yet logged in to Xing. Please bear in mind that this is an exemplary list and that we cannot claim to be exhaustive:

Name: AMCVS_0894FF2554F733210A4C98C6%40AdobeOrg
Value: 1
Intended use: This cookie is used to create and store identifications of website visitors.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: c_
Value: 157c609dc9fe7d7ff56064c6de87b019112937850-8
Intended use: We were unable to find out any further information about this cookie.
Expiration date: after one day

Name: prevPage
Value: wbm%2FWelcome%2Flogin
Intended use: This cookie stores the URL of the previous website you visited.
Expiration date: after 30 minutes

Name: s_cc
Value: true
Intended use: This Adobe Site Catalyst cookie determines whether cookies are generally activated in the browser.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: s_fid
Value: 6897CDCD1013221C-39DDACC982217CD1112937850-2
Intended use: This cookie is used to identify a unique visitor.
Expiration date: after 5 years

Name: visitor_id
Value: fe59fbe5-e9c6-4fca-8776-30d0c1a89c32
Intended use: The visitor cookie contains a unique visitor ID and the unique identifier for your account.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name:_session_id
Value: 533a0a6641df82b46383da06ea0e84e7112937850-2
Intended use: This cookie creates a temporary session ID that is used as an in-session user ID. The cookie is absolutely necessary to provide the functions of Xing.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

As soon as you are logged in to Xing or become a member, further personal data will definitely be collected, processed and stored. Xing also passes on personal data to third parties if this is necessary for the fulfillment of its own business purposes, if you have given your consent or if there is a legal obligation.

How long and where is the data stored?

Xing stores the data on various servers in various data centers. The company stores this data until you delete the data or until a user account is deleted. Of course, this only affects users who are already Xing members.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to access and delete your personal data at any time. Even if you are not a Xing member, you can use your browser to prevent any data processing or manage it according to your wishes. Most data is stored via cookies. Depending on which browser you have, the administration works slightly differently. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

You can also set up your browser so that you are always informed when a cookie is to be set. Then you can always decide individually whether you want to allow the cookie or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Xing. On https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung to find out more about the data processing of the Xing social media network.

Blogs and publication media Introduction

What are blogs and publication media?

We use blogs or other means of communication on our website with which we can communicate with you on the one hand and you with us on the other. We may also store and process your data in the process. This may be necessary so that we can display content appropriately, communication works and security is increased. In our data protection text, we provide a general description of which of your data may be processed. Exact details on data processing always depend on the tools and functions used. You can find detailed information on data processing in the data protection notices of the individual providers.

Why do we use blogs and publication media?

Our greatest concern with our website is to offer you interesting and exciting content and at the same time your opinions and content are also important to us. That's why we want to create a good interactive exchange between us and you. With various blogs and publication options, we can achieve exactly that. For example, you can write comments on our content, comment on other comments or, in some cases, write articles yourself.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is processed always depends on the communication functions we use. Very often, the IP address, user name and published content are stored. This is primarily done to ensure security protection, to prevent spam and to be able to take action against illegal content. Cookies can also be used for data storage. These are small text files that are stored with information in your browser. You can find more information on the data collected and stored in our individual sections and in the privacy policy of the respective provider.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. For example, contribution and comment functions store data until you revoke the data storage. In general, personal data is only stored for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party communication tools at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

As publication media may also use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

We use the means of communication mainly on the basis of our legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in fast and good communication with you or other customers, business partners and visitors. Insofar as the use serves the processing of contractual relationships or their initiation, the legal basis is also Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR.

Certain processing operations, in particular the use of cookies and the use of comment or message functions, require your consent. If and insofar as you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated publication media, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Most of the communication functions we use set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and view the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

Information on special tools - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Blog posts and comment functions Privacy policy

There are various online communication tools that we can use on our website. For example, we use blog posts and comment functions. This gives you the opportunity to comment on content or write articles. If you use this function, your IP address may be stored for security reasons. In this way, we protect ourselves against illegal content such as insults, unauthorized advertising or prohibited political propaganda. In order to recognize whether comments are spam, we may also store and process user information on the basis of our legitimate interest. If we start a survey, we also store your IP address for the duration of the survey so that we can ensure that all participants only vote once. Cookies may also be used for storage purposes. All data that we store about you (such as content or personal information) will remain stored until you object.

WordPress emojis privacy policy

We also use so-called emojis and smilies in our blog. We probably don't need to explain exactly what emojis are here. You know those smiling, angry or sad faces. They are graphic elements or files that we make available and are loaded from another server. The service provider for retrieving WordPress emojis and smilies is Automattic Inc, 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. This third-party provider stores your IP address in order to be able to transmit the emoji files to your browser.

Automattic also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Automattic is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

In addition, Automattic uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Automattic undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

The data processing conditions (Data Processing Agreements), which correspond to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of WordPress emojis in the privacy policy on https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Online Marketing Introduction

What is online marketing?

Online marketing refers to all measures that are carried out online in order to achieve marketing goals such as increasing brand awareness or closing a deal. Our online marketing measures are also aimed at drawing people's attention to our website. We therefore use online marketing to show our offer to many interested people. This usually involves online advertising, content marketing or search engine optimization. Personal data is also stored and processed so that we can use online marketing efficiently and in a targeted manner. On the one hand, the data helps us to show our content only to those people who are actually interested in it and, on the other hand, we can measure the advertising success of our online marketing measures.

Why do we use online marketing tools?

We want to show our website to everyone who is interested in what we have to offer. We are aware that this is not possible without deliberate measures. That's why we do online marketing. There are various tools that make it easier for us to work on our online marketing measures and also constantly provide suggestions for improvement via data. This allows us to focus our campaigns more precisely on our target group. The purpose of these online marketing tools is ultimately to optimize our offering.

What data is processed?

To ensure that our online marketing works and the success of the measures can be measured, user profiles are created and data is stored in cookies (small text files), for example. With the help of this data, we can not only place traditional advertising, but also display our content directly on our website in the way you prefer. There are various third-party tools that offer these functions and collect and store your data accordingly. For example, the named cookies store which web pages you have visited on our website, how long you have viewed these pages, which links or buttons you click or which website you came to us from. Technical information may also be stored. For example, your IP address, which browser you use, from which device you visit our website or the time when you accessed our website and when you left it again. If you have agreed that we may also determine your location, we may also store and process this.

Your IP address is stored in pseudonymized form (i.e. shortened). Unique data that directly identifies you as a person, such as your name, address or e-mail address, is also only stored in pseudonymized form as part of the advertising and online marketing process. We are therefore unable to identify you as a person; we only store the pseudonymized, saved information in the user profiles.

The cookies may also be used, analyzed and used for advertising purposes on other websites that work with the same advertising tools. The data can then also be stored on the servers of the advertising tool providers.

In exceptional cases, unique data (name, email address, etc.) may also be stored in the user profiles. This storage occurs, for example, if you are a member of a social media channel that we use for our online marketing measures and the network links previously received data to the user profile.

With all the advertising tools we use that store your data on their servers, we only ever receive aggregated information and never data that identifies you as an individual. The data only shows how well advertising measures worked. For example, we can see which measures prompted you or other users to come to our website and purchase a service or product there. Based on the analyses, we can improve our advertising offer in the future and adapt it even more precisely to the needs and wishes of interested persons.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. Data that is stored in cookies is stored for different lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others may be stored in your browser for several years. You can usually find detailed information about the individual cookies used by the provider in the respective data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser. The lawfulness of the processing until the revocation remains unaffected.

As cookies can generally be used with online marketing tools, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by online marketing tools.

We also have a legitimate interest in measuring online marketing measures in anonymized form in order to optimize our offer and our measures with the help of the data obtained. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

Information on special online marketing tools - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Partner programs introduction

What are partner programs?

We use partner programs from various providers on our website. By using an affiliate program, your data may be transferred to the respective affiliate program provider, stored and processed. In this data protection text, we provide you with a general overview of data processing by partner programs and show you how you can also prevent or revoke data transmission. Every partner program (also known as an affiliate program) is based on the principle of commission. A link or advertisement including a link is placed on our website and if you are interested and click on it and purchase a product or service in this way, we receive a commission (reimbursement of advertising costs)

Why do we use partner programs on our website?

Our aim is to provide you with an enjoyable time with lots of helpful content. We put a lot of work and time into the development of our website. With the help of partner programs, we have the opportunity to be rewarded a little for our work. Each partner link is of course always related to our topic and shows offers that might be of interest to you.

What data is processed?

In order to be able to track whether you have clicked on a link we have used, the partner program provider must know that it was you who followed the link via our website. This means that the affiliate program links used must be correctly assigned to the subsequent actions (business transaction, purchase, conversion, impression, etc.). Only then can the billing of commissions work.

For this assignment to work, a value can be attached to a link (in the URL) or information can be stored in cookies. This stores information such as which page you came from (referrer), when you clicked on the link, an identifier for our website, which offer it is and a user ID.

This means that as soon as you interact with the products and services of a partner program, this provider also collects data from you. Exactly which data is stored depends on the individual provider. For example, the Amazon affiliate program distinguishes between active and automatic information. Active information includes your name, e-mail address, telephone number, age, payment information or location information. The automatically stored information in this case includes user behavior, IP address, device information and the URL.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, if we have further information on this. In general, personal data is only processed for as long as is necessary to provide the services and products. Data that is stored in cookies is stored for different lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others may be stored in your browser for several years if they are not actively deleted. The exact duration of data processing depends on the provider used; in most cases, you should be prepared for a storage period of several years. You can usually find precise information about the duration of data processing in the respective data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right of objection

You always have the right to information, correction and deletion of your personal data. If you have any questions, you can also contact the person responsible for the partner program provider used at any time. Contact details can be found either in our specific privacy policy or on the website of the relevant provider.

You can delete, deactivate or manage cookies that providers use for their functions in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of partner programs, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by a partner program.

We also have a legitimate interest in using a partner program to optimize our online service and our marketing measures. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the partner program if you have given your consent.

Information on special partner programs, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Content Delivery Networks Introduction

What is a content delivery network?

We use a so-called content delivery network on our website. Such a network is usually just called a CDN. A CDN helps us to load our website quickly and easily, regardless of your location. Your personal data is also stored, managed and processed on the servers of the CDN provider used. In the following, we go into more detail about the service and its data processing. You can find detailed information about how your data is handled in the provider's privacy policy.

Each Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a network of regionally distributed servers that are all connected to each other via the Internet. Via this network, website content (especially very large files) can be delivered quickly and smoothly, even during large load peaks. The CDN creates a copy of our website on your servers. As these servers are distributed worldwide, the website can be delivered quickly. The data transfer to your browser is therefore significantly shortened by the CDN.

Why do we use a content delivery network for our website?

A fast-loading website is part of our service. Of course, we know how annoying it is when a website loads at a snail's pace. Most people even lose patience and leave before the website has fully loaded. Of course we want to avoid that. That's why a fast-loading website is a natural part of our website offering. With a content delivery network, our website loads much faster in your browser. The use of a CDN is particularly helpful if you are abroad, because the website is delivered from a server near you.

What data is processed?

When you request a website or the content of a website and it is cached on a CDN, the CDN routes the request to the server closest to you and that server delivers the content. Content delivery networks are structured in such a way that JavaScript libraries can be downloaded and hosted on npm and Github servers. Alternatively, WordPress plugins can also be downloaded from most CDNs if they are hosted on WordPress.org are hosted. Your browser may send personal data to the content delivery network we use. This includes data such as IP address, browser type, browser version, which website is loaded or the time and date of the page visit. This data is collected and stored by the CDN. Whether cookies are used for data storage depends on the network used. Please read the data protection texts of the respective service.

Right of objection

If you want to completely prevent this data transfer, you can use a JavaScript blocker (see for example https://noscript.net/) on your PC. Of course, our website will then no longer be able to offer the usual service (such as a fast loading speed).

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of a content delivery network, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by a content delivery network.

We also have a legitimate interest in using a content delivery network to optimize our online service and make it more secure. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tool if you have given your consent.

Information on special content delivery networks - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Cloudflare privacy policy

What is Cloudflare?

We use Cloudflare from Cloudflare, Inc. (101 Townsend St., San Francisco, CA 94107, USA) on this website to make our website faster and more secure. Cloudflare uses cookies and processes user data. Cloudflare, Inc. is an American company that offers a content delivery network and various security services. These services are located between the user and our hosting provider. We will try to explain exactly what this means below.

A Content Delivery Network (CDN), such as the one provided by Cloudflare, is nothing more than a network of connected servers. Cloudflare has distributed such servers around the world to bring websites to your screen faster. Simply put, Cloudflare creates copies of our website and places them on their own servers. Now, when you visit our website, a load balancing system ensures that the largest parts of our website are delivered from the server that can display our website to you the fastest. The data transfer route to your browser is significantly shortened by a CDN. This means that the content of our website is delivered to you by Cloudflare not only from our hosting server, but from servers all over the world. The use of Cloudflare is particularly helpful for users from abroad, as the site can be delivered from a server nearby. In addition to the fast delivery of websites, Cloudflare also offers various security services, such as DDoS protection or the web application firewall.

Why do we use Cloudflare on our website?

Of course, we want to offer you the best possible service with our website. Cloudflare helps us to make our website faster and more secure. Cloudflare provides us with web optimization as well as security services such as DDoS protection and web firewall. This also includes a Reverse proxy and the content distribution network (CDN). Cloudflare blocks threats and limits abusive bots and crawlers that waste our bandwidth and server resources. By storing our website on local data centers and blocking spam software, Cloudflare enables us to reduce our bandwidth usage by approximately 60%. Serving content through a data center near you and doing some web optimization there reduces the average load time of a web page by about half. According to Cloudflare, the "I'm Under Attack Mode" setting can further mitigate attacks by displaying a JavaScript calculation task that must be solved before a user can access a web page. Overall, this makes our website significantly more powerful and less susceptible to spam or other attacks.

What data is processed by Cloudflare?

Cloudflare generally only forwards data that is controlled by website operators. The content is therefore not determined by Cloudflare, but always by the website operator itself. In addition, Cloudflare may collect certain information about the use of our website and process data that is sent by us or for which Cloudflare has received appropriate instructions. In most cases, Cloudflare receives data such as IP address, contact and log information, security fingerprints and performance data for websites. Log data helps Cloudflare to detect new threats, for example. This enables Cloudflare to ensure a high level of security protection for our website. Cloudflare processes this data as part of its services in compliance with applicable laws. This naturally also includes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Cloudflare also works with third-party providers. These may only process personal data under the instruction of Cloudflare and in accordance with the data protection guidelines and other confidentiality and security measures. Cloudflare does not pass on any personal data without our explicit consent.

How long and where is the data stored?

Cloudflare stores your information primarily in the United States and the European Economic Area. Cloudflare may transfer and access the information described above from around the world. In general, Cloudflare stores user-level data for domains in the Free, Pro and Business versions for less than 24 hours. For Enterprise domains that have Cloudflare Logs (formerly Enterprise LogShare or ELS) enabled, data can be stored for up to 7 days. However, if IP addresses trigger security alerts at Cloudflare, there may be exceptions to the above retention period.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

Cloudflare only keeps data logs for as long as necessary and in most cases this data is deleted within 24 hours. Cloudflare also does not store any personal data, such as your IP address. However, there is information that Cloudflare stores indefinitely as part of its permanent logs in order to improve the overall performance of Cloudflare Resolver and to identify any security risks. You can find out exactly which permanent logs are stored at https://www.cloudflare.com/application/privacypolicy/ read more. All data that Cloudflare collects (temporary or permanent) is cleansed of all personal data. All permanent logs are also anonymized by Cloudflare.

Cloudflare states in their privacy policy that they are not responsible for the content they receive. For example, if you ask Cloudflare whether you can update or delete your content, Cloudflare always refers to us as the website operator. You can also completely prevent the entire collection and processing of your data by Cloudflare by deactivating the execution of script code in your browser or by integrating a script blocker in your browser.

Legal basis

If you have consented to Cloudflare being used, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) The legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when Cloudflare collects it.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Cloudflare to optimize our online service and make it more secure. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Cloudflare if you have given your consent.

Cloudflare also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Cloudflare is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Cloudflare also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Cloudflare undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

You can find out more about the standard contractual clauses and data processed through the use of Cloudflare in the privacy policy on https://www.cloudflare.com/de-de/privacypolicy/.

Cookie Consent Management Platform Introduction

What is a Cookie Consent Management Platform?

We use Consent Management Platform (CMP) software on our website, which makes it easier for us and you to handle scripts and cookies correctly and securely. The software automatically creates a cookie pop-up, scans and checks all scripts and cookies, provides you with the cookie consent required under data protection law and helps us and you to keep track of all cookies. Most cookie consent management tools identify and categorize all existing cookies. As a website visitor, you then decide for yourself whether and which scripts and cookies you allow or do not allow. The following graphic shows the relationship between browser, web server and CMP.

Why do we use a cookie management tool?

Our aim is to offer you the best possible transparency in the area of data protection. We are also legally obliged to do so. We want to provide you with as much information as possible about all tools and all cookies that can store and process your data. It is also your right to decide for yourself which cookies you accept and which you do not. In order to grant you this right, we first need to know exactly which cookies have landed on our website in the first place. Thanks to a cookie management tool that regularly scans the website for all existing cookies, we know about all cookies and can provide you with GDPR-compliant information about them. You can then accept or reject cookies via the consent system.

What data is processed?

As part of our cookie management tool, you can manage each individual cookie yourself and have complete control over the storage and processing of your data. The declaration of your consent is stored so that we do not have to ask you every time you visit our website and we can also prove your consent if required by law. This is stored either in an opt-in cookie or on a server. The storage period of your cookie consent varies depending on the provider of the cookie management tool. In most cases, this data (e.g. pseudonymous user ID, time of consent, details of cookie categories or tools, browser, device information) is stored for up to two years.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. Data that is stored in cookies is stored for different lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others may be stored in your browser for several years. The exact duration of data processing depends on the tool used; in most cases you should be prepared for a storage period of several years. You can usually find precise information about the duration of data processing in the respective data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

Information on special cookie management tools, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Legal basis

If you consent to cookies, your personal data will be processed and stored via these cookies. If we use your Consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), this consent is also the legal basis for the use of cookies and the processing of your data. Cookie consent management platform software is used to manage consent to cookies and to enable you to give your consent. The use of this software enables us to operate the website in an efficient and legally compliant manner, which is a legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).

Security & Anti-Spam

What is security & anti-spam software?

With so-called security and anti-spam software, you and we can protect ourselves from various spam or phishing emails and possible other cyberattacks. Spam refers to advertising emails from a mass mailing that you did not request yourself. Such emails are also known as data junk and can also cause costs. Phishing emails, on the other hand, are messages that aim to build trust via fake messages or websites in order to obtain personal data. Anti-spam software generally protects against unwanted spam messages or malicious emails that could introduce viruses into our system. We also use general firewall and security systems to protect our computers from unwanted network attacks.

Why do we use security & anti-spam software?

We attach great importance to security on our website. After all, it's not just about our security, but above all about yours. Unfortunately, cyber threats are now part of everyday life in the world of IT and the Internet. Hackers often try to steal personal data from an IT system with the help of a cyber attack. And that is why a good defense system is absolutely essential. A security system monitors all incoming and outgoing connections to our network or computer. To achieve even greater security against cyber attacks, we also use other external security services in addition to the standardized security systems on our computer. This prevents unauthorized data traffic and protects us from cybercrime.

What data is processed by security & anti-spam software?

Exactly which data is collected and stored depends of course on the respective service. However, we always strive to use only programs that collect data very sparingly or only store data that is necessary for the performance of the service offered. In principle, the service may store data such as name, address, IP address, e-mail address and technical data such as browser type or browser version. Any performance and log data may also be collected in order to detect possible incoming threats in good time. This data is processed as part of the services and in compliance with the applicable laws. This also includes the GDPR for US providers (via the standard contractual clauses). In some cases, these security services also work with third-party providers who may store and/or process data under instructions and in accordance with the data protection guidelines and other security measures. Data is usually stored via cookies.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. For example, security programs store data until you or we revoke the data storage. In general, personal data is only stored for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of the services. Unfortunately, in many cases we do not receive precise information from the providers about the length of storage.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party security software at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

As such security services may also use cookies, we recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

We use the security services mainly on the basis of our legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in a good security system against various cyber attacks.

Certain processing operations, in particular the use of cookies and the use of security functions, require your consent. If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated security services, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Most of the services we use set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and view the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

Information on special tools - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Google reCAPTCHA privacy policy

What is reCAPTCHA?

Our primary goal is to secure and protect our website for you and for us in the best possible way. To ensure this, we use Google reCAPTCHA from Google Inc. For the European region, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services. With reCAPTCHA we can determine whether you are really a flesh and blood person and not a robot or other spam software. By spam we mean any unsolicited information that is sent to us electronically. With the classic CAPTCHAs, you usually had to solve text or picture puzzles to verify your identity. With reCAPTCHA from Google, we don't usually have to bother you with such puzzles. In most cases, all you have to do is tick a box to confirm that you are not a bot. With the new Invisible reCAPTCHA version, you no longer even have to tick the box. You can find out exactly how this works and, above all, which data is used for this in the course of this privacy policy.

reCAPTCHA is a free captcha service from Google that protects websites from spam software and misuse by non-human visitors. This service is most commonly used when you fill out forms on the Internet. A Captcha service is a type of automatic Turing test that is designed to ensure that an action on the Internet is performed by a human and not by a bot. In the classic Turing test (named after the computer scientist Alan Turing), a human determines the difference between a bot and a human. With captchas, this is also done by a computer or software program. Classic captchas work with small tasks that are easy for humans to solve but present considerable difficulties for machines. With reCAPTCHA, you no longer have to actively solve puzzles. The tool uses modern risk techniques to distinguish humans from bots. All you have to do here is tick the "I am not a robot" text field, and with Invisible reCAPTCHA even this is no longer necessary. With reCAPTCHA, a JavaScript element is integrated into the source code and then the tool runs in the background and analyzes your user behaviour. The software calculates a so-called captcha score from these user actions. Google uses this score to calculate the probability that you are human even before you enter the captcha. reCAPTCHA or captchas in general are always used when bots could manipulate or abuse certain actions (e.g. registrations, surveys, etc.).

Why do we use reCAPTCHA on our website?

We only want to welcome people of flesh and blood on our site. Bots and spam software of all kinds can safely stay at home. That's why we do everything we can to protect ourselves and offer you the best possible user-friendliness. For this reason, we use Google reCAPTCHA from Google. This way we can be pretty sure that we remain a "bot-free" website. By using reCAPTCHA, data is transmitted to Google to determine whether you are actually a human being. reCAPTCHA therefore serves to ensure the security of our website and, by extension, your security. For example, without reCAPTCHA it could happen that a bot registers as many e-mail addresses as possible during registration in order to subsequently "spam" forums or blogs with unwanted advertising content. With reCAPTCHA, we can prevent such bot attacks.

What data is stored by reCAPTCHA?

reCAPTCHA collects personal data from users in order to determine whether the actions on our website actually originate from people. The IP address and other data that Google requires for the reCAPTCHA service may therefore be sent to Google. IP addresses are almost always truncated within the member states of the EU or other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before the data is sent to a server in the USA. The IP address is not combined with other Google data unless you are logged in with your Google account while using reCAPTCHA. First, the reCAPTCHA algorithm checks whether Google cookies from other Google services (YouTube, Gmail, etc.) have already been placed on your browser. Then reCAPTCHA places an additional cookie in your browser and takes a snapshot of your browser window.

The following list of collected browser and user data does not claim to be exhaustive. Rather, they are examples of data that, to our knowledge, are processed by Google.

• Referrer URL (the address of the page from which the visitor comes)
• IP address (e.g. 256.123.123.1)
• Information about the operating system (the software that enables your computer to operate. Common operating systems are Windows, Mac OS X or Linux)
• Cookies (small text files that store data in your browser)
• Mouse and keyboard behavior (every action you perform with the mouse or keyboard is saved)
• Date and language settings (which language or date you have preset on your PC is saved)
• All JavaScript objects (JavaScript is a programming language that enables websites to adapt to the user. JavaScript objects can collect all kinds of data under one name)
• Screen resolution (indicates how many pixels the image display consists of)

It is undisputed that Google uses and analyzes this data even before you click on the "I am not a robot" checkbox. With the Invisible reCAPTCHA version, you don't even have to check the box and the entire recognition process runs in the background. Google does not tell you in detail exactly how much and what data it stores.

The following cookies are used by reCAPTCHA: Here we refer to the reCAPTCHA demo version from Google at https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api2/demo. All these cookies require a unique identifier for tracking purposes. Here is a list of cookies that Google reCAPTCHA has set on the demo version:

Name: IDE
Value: WqTUmlnmv_qXyi_DGNPLESKnRNrpgXoy1K-pAZtAkMbHI-112937850-8
Intended use: This cookie is set by the company DoubleClick (also owned by Google) to register and report the actions of a user on the website when interacting with advertisements. This allows the effectiveness of advertising to be measured and appropriate optimization measures to be taken. IDE is stored in browsers under the domain doubleclick.net.
Expiration date: after one year

Name: 1P_JAR
Value: 2019-5-14-12
Intended use: This cookie collects statistics on website usage and measures conversions. A conversion occurs, for example, when a user becomes a buyer. The cookie is also used to display relevant advertisements to users. The cookie can also be used to prevent a user from seeing the same ad more than once.
Expiration date: after one month

Name: ANID
Value: U7j1v3dZa1129378500xgZFmiqWppRWKOr
Intended use: We were unable to find out much information about this cookie. In Google's privacy policy, the cookie is mentioned in connection with "advertising cookies" such as "DSID", "FLC", "AID", "TAID". ANID is stored under domain google.com.
Expiration date: after 9 months

Name: CONSENT
Value: YES+AT.de+20150628-20-0
Intended use: The cookie stores the status of a user's consent to the use of various Google services. CONSENT is also used for security purposes to verify users, prevent fraudulent login information and protect user data from unauthorized attacks.
Expiration date: after 19 years

Name: NID
Value: 0WmuWqy112937850zILzqV_nmt3sDXwPeM5Q
Intended use: NID is used by Google to customize advertisements to your Google searches. With the help of the cookie, Google "remembers" your most frequently entered search queries or your previous interaction with ads. So you always get customized ads. The cookie contains a unique ID to collect the user's personal settings for advertising purposes.
Expiration date: after 6 months

Name: DP
Value: gEAABBCjJMXcI0dSAAAANbqc112937850-4
Intended use: As soon as you have checked the "I am not a robot" box, this cookie will be set. The cookie is used by Google Analytics for personalized advertising. DV collects information in anonymized form and is also used to make user distinctions.
Expiration date: after 10 minutes

Note: This list cannot claim to be exhaustive, as experience has shown that Google changes its choice of cookies from time to time.

How long and where is the data stored?

By inserting reCAPTCHA, data is transferred from you to the Google server. Where exactly this data is stored is not made clear by Google, even after repeated requests. Without having received confirmation from Google, it can be assumed that data such as mouse interaction, time spent on the website or language settings are stored on the European or American Google servers. The IP address that your browser transmits to Google is not merged with other Google data from other Google services. However, if you are logged in to your Google account while using the reCAPTCHA plug-in, the data will be merged. The deviating data protection provisions of Google apply.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

If you do not want any data about you and your behavior to be transmitted to Google, you must log out of Google completely and delete all Google cookies before you visit our website or use the reCAPTCHA software. In principle, the data is automatically transmitted to Google as soon as you visit our website. To delete this data again, you must contact Google support at  https://support.google.com/?hl=de&tid=112937850 contact.

Therefore, when you use our website, you consent to Google LLC and its representatives automatically collecting, processing and using data.

Please note that when using this tool, your data may also be stored and processed outside the EU. Most third countries (including the USA) are not considered secure under current European data protection law. Data may therefore not simply be transferred to insecure third countries, stored and processed there, unless there are suitable guarantees (such as EU standard contractual clauses) between us and the non-European service provider.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Google reCAPTCHA, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when Google reCAPTCHA collects data.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Google reCAPTCHA to optimize our online service and make it more secure. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Google reCAPTCHA if you have given your consent.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

You can find out more about reCAPTCHA on Google's web developer page at https://developers.google.com/recaptcha/. Although Google goes into more detail about the technical development of reCAPTCHA here, you will search in vain for precise information about data storage and data protection issues. A good overview of the basic use of data at Google can be found in the company's own privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Cloud services

What are cloud services?

Cloud services provide us as website operators with storage space and computing power via the internet. Data can be transferred to an external system, processed and stored via the internet. This data is managed by the corresponding cloud provider. Depending on requirements, an individual person or even a company can choose the amount of storage space or computing power. Cloud storage is accessed via an API or storage protocols. API stands for Application Programming Interface and refers to a programming interface that connects software and hardware components.

Why do we use cloud services?

We use cloud services for several reasons. A cloud service offers us the opportunity to store our data securely. We also have access to the data from different locations and devices, giving us more flexibility and making our work processes easier. Cloud storage also saves us costs because we don't have to set up and manage our own infrastructure for data storage and data security. By storing our data centrally in the cloud, we can also expand our fields of application and manage our information much better.

As website operators and companies, we primarily use cloud services for our own purposes. For example, we use the services to manage our calendar and to store documents or other important information in the cloud. However, your personal data may also be stored in the process. This is the case, for example, if you provide us with your contact details (such as your name and email address) and we store our customer data with a cloud provider. Consequently, data that we process from you may also be stored and processed on external servers. If we offer certain forms or content from cloud services on our website, cookies may also be set for web analytics and advertising purposes. Furthermore, such cookies remember your settings (such as the language used) so that you will find your familiar web environment the next time you visit our website.

What data is processed by cloud services?

Much of the data we store in the cloud has no personal reference, but some data is considered personal data as defined by the GDPR. This often involves customer data such as name, address, IP address or telephone number or technical device information. Videos, images and audio files can also be stored in the cloud. Exactly how the data is collected and stored depends on the respective service. We only try to use services that handle the data in a very trustworthy and professional manner. In principle, the services, such as Amazon Drive, have access to the stored files in order to be able to offer their own service accordingly. However, the services require permissions for this, such as the right to copy files for security reasons. This data is processed and managed as part of the services and in compliance with the applicable laws. This also includes the GDPR for US providers (via the standard contractual clauses). In some cases, these cloud services also work with third-party providers who may process data under instructions and in accordance with the data protection guidelines and other security measures. At this point, we would like to emphasize once again that all known cloud services (such as Amazon Drive, Google Drive or Microsoft Onedrive) obtain the right to access stored content in order to offer and optimize their own service accordingly.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. In general, cloud services store data until you or we revoke the data storage or delete the data. In general, personal data is only stored for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of the services. However, it may take several months to permanently delete data from the cloud. This is the case because the data is usually not stored on just one server, but is distributed across various servers.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to data storage in a cloud at any time. If cookies are used, you also have a right of withdrawal here. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser. We also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly what data of yours is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective cloud providers.

Legal basis

We use cloud services mainly on the basis of our legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in a good security and storage system.

Certain processing operations, in particular the use of cookies and the use of storage functions, require your consent. If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by cloud services, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Most of the services we use set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and view the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

Information on special tools - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Google Cloud privacy policy

We use Google Cloud, an online storage service for files, photos and videos, for our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European region, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

Google has a contract for order processing in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR, which serves as the data protection basis for our customer relationship with Google. The content of this contract refers to the EU standard contractual clauses. You can find the order processing conditions here: https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google Cloud in the Privacy Policy on https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Payment provider introduction

What is a payment provider?

We use online payment systems on our website that enable us and you to make secure and smooth payments. Among other things, personal data may be sent to the respective payment provider, stored and processed there. Payment providers are online payment systems that enable you to place an order via online banking. Payment processing is carried out by the payment provider you have selected. We then receive information about the payment made. This method can be used by any user who has an active online banking account with PIN and TAN. There are hardly any banks that do not offer or accept such payment methods.

Why do we use payment providers on our website?

We naturally want to offer the best possible service with our website and our integrated online store so that you feel comfortable on our site and make use of our offers. We know that your time is precious and that payment processes in particular must function quickly and smoothly. For these reasons, we offer you various payment providers. You can choose your preferred payment provider and pay in the usual way.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is processed depends of course on the respective payment provider. However, data such as name, address, bank details (account number, credit card number, passwords, TANs, etc.) are generally stored. This is necessary data in order to be able to carry out a transaction at all. In addition, any contract data and user data, such as when you visit our website, what content you are interested in or which subpages you click on, may also be stored. Your IP address and information about the computer you are using are also stored by most payment providers.

The data is usually stored and processed on the payment provider's servers. We as the website operator do not receive this data. We are only informed whether the payment has worked or not. For identity and credit checks, payment providers may forward data to the relevant body. The business and data protection principles of the respective provider always apply to all payment transactions. Therefore, please always take a look at the payment provider's general terms and conditions and privacy policy. You also have the right to have data deleted or corrected at any time. Please contact the respective service provider regarding your rights (right of withdrawal, right to information and right to be affected).

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If it is required by law, for example in the case of accounting, this storage period may also be exceeded. For example, we store accounting documents relating to a contract (invoices, contract documents, account statements, etc.) for 10 years (§ 147 AO) and other relevant business documents for 6 years (§ 247 HGB) after they are created.

Right of objection

You always have the right to information, correction and deletion of your personal data. If you have any questions, you can also contact the person responsible for the payment provider used at any time. Contact details can be found either in our specific privacy policy or on the website of the relevant payment provider.

You can delete, deactivate or manage cookies that payment providers use for their functions in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. Please note, however, that the payment process may then no longer work.

Legal basis

We therefore offer the following services for the handling of contractual and legal relationships (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR)  In addition to traditional banking/credit institutions, we also offer other payment service providers. In the data protection declarations of the individual payment providers (such as Amazon Payments, Apple Pay or Discover) provides you with a detailed overview of data processing and data storage. In addition, you can always contact the persons responsible if you have any questions about data protection issues.

Information on the special payment providers - if available - can be found in the following sections.

American Express Privacy Policy

We use American Express, a global financial services provider, on our website. The service provider is the American Express Company. The company American Express Europe S.A. (Avenida Partenón 12-14, 28042, Madrid, Spain) is responsible for the European region.

American Express also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

American Express uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer to these countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, American Express undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of American Express in the Privacy Policy on https://www.americanexpress.com/de-de/firma/legal/datenschutz-center/online-datenschutzerklarung/.

eps bank transfer privacy policy

We use eps-Überweisung, a service for online payment methods, on our website. The service provider is the Austrian company Stuzza GmbH, Frankgasse 10/8, 1090 Vienna, Austria.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of eps-Überweisung in the privacy policy on https://eservice.psa.at/de/datenschutzerklaerung.html.

giropay privacy policy

We use the online payment provider giropay on our website. The service provider is the German company paydirekt GmbH, Stephanstraße 14-16, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of giropay in the privacy policy on https://www.giropay.de/agb/index.html.

Google Pay privacy policy

We use the online payment provider Google Pay on our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European region, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The data processing terms for Google advertising products (Google Ads Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms), which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms/.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google Pay in the privacy policy on https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Klarna Checkout privacy policy

What is Klarna Checkout?

We use the online payment system Klarna Checkout from the Swedish company Klarna Bank AB on our website. Klarna Bank has its head office at Sveavägen 46, 111 34 Stockholm, Sweden. If you choose to use this service, personal data will be sent to Klarna, stored and processed. In this privacy policy we would like to give you an overview of the data processing by Klarna.

Klarna Checkout is a payment system for orders in an online store. The user selects the payment method and Klarna Checkout takes care of the entire payment process. Once a user has made a payment via the checkout system and entered the relevant data, future online purchases can be made even more quickly and easily. The Klarna system then recognizes the existing customer after the email address and zip code have been entered.

Why do we use Klarna Checkout for our website?

Our aim with our website and our integrated online store is to offer you the best possible service. In addition to the overall experience on the website and our offers, this also includes smooth, fast and secure payment processing of your orders. To ensure this, we use the Klarna Checkout payment system.

What data is stored by Klarna Checkout?

As soon as you decide to use the Klarna payment service and pay via the Klarna Checkout payment method, you also transmit personal data to the company. On the Klarna Checkout page, technical data such as browser type, operating system, our Internet address, date and time, language settings, time zone settings and IP address are collected from you and transmitted to Klarna's servers and stored there. This data is stored even if you have not yet completed an order.

When you order a product or service via our store, you must enter your personal data in the fields provided. This data is processed by Klarna for payment processing. In particular, the following personal data (as well as general product information) may be stored and processed by Klarna for credit and identity checks:

• Contact information: Name, date of birth, national ID number, title, billing and shipping address, e-mail address, telephone number, nationality or salary.
• Payment information such as credit card details or your bank account number
• Product information such as shipment number, type of item and price of the product

There is also data that can be collected optionally if you make a conscious decision to do so. These include political, religious or ideological beliefs or various health data.

Klarna may also collect data about the goods or services you purchase or order itself or via third parties (such as us or via public databases) in addition to the above-mentioned data. This may include, for example, the consignment number or the type of item ordered, but also information about your creditworthiness, your income or the granting of credit. Klarna may also pass on your personal data to service providers such as software providers, data storage providers or us as a merchant.

If data is automatically entered into a form, cookies are always involved. If you do not wish to use this function, you can deactivate these cookies at any time. Further down in the text you will find instructions on how to delete, deactivate or manage cookies in your browser. Our tests have shown that Klarna does not set any cookies directly. If you select the payment method "Klarna Sofort" and click on "Order", you will be redirected to the Sofort website. After successful payment, you will be taken to our thank you page. The following cookie is set there by sofort.com:

NameSOFUEB
Value: e8cipp378mdscn9e17kajlfhv7112937850-4
Intended use: This cookie stores your session ID.
Expiration date: after ending the browser session

How long and where is the data stored?

Klarna endeavors to store your data only within the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA). However, data may also be transferred outside the EU/EEA. If this happens, Klarna ensures that the data protection is in accordance with the GDPR and that the third country is covered by an adequacy decision of the European Union. The data is always stored as long as Klarna needs it for the processing purpose.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You can revoke your consent to Klarna processing your personal data at any time. You also always have the right to information, correction and deletion of your personal data. All you have to do is contact the company or the company's data protection team by e-mail at datenschutz@klarna.de contact us. About the Klarna website "My data protection request" you can also contact Klarna directly.

You can delete, deactivate or manage cookies that Klarna may use for its functions in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. Under the section "Cookies" you will find the corresponding links to the respective instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

We therefore offer the following services for the handling of contractual and legal relationships (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR)  In addition to conventional bank/credit institutions, we also offer the payment service provider Klarna Checkout.

We hope that we have provided you with a good overview of data processing by Klarna. If you would like to find out more about how your data is handled, we recommend that you read Klarna's privacy policy at https://cdn.klarna.com/1.0/shared/content/legal/terms/0/de_at/privacy.

PayPal privacy policy

What is PayPal?

We use the online payment service PayPal on our website. The service provider is the American company PayPal Inc. The company PayPal Europe (S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg) is responsible for the European area.

With PayPal, all users can send and receive money electronically. The company was founded in 1998 and is now one of the best-known and largest online payment service providers in the world with over 325 million active customers.

Why do we use PayPal for our website?

There are various reasons why we use PayPal and offer it on our website. Since PayPal is one of the best-known online payment providers, many of our website visitors also use and trust this service. PayPal also offers high security standards for digital money transfers. The service uses various encryption methods to protect your personal data in the best possible way. We also appreciate the ease of use of PayPal and the possibility of international payments in different currencies. As a rule, transactions are processed very quickly, which is a further advantage for both us and you as a customer.

What data is processed by PayPal?

In its privacy policy, PayPal distinguishes between different categories of personal data that can be processed through the use of the service. These include login and contact data, identification and signature data, payment information, information about imported contacts, data from your account profile, device data such as your IP address, location data and so-called derived data. This is information that can be derived from transactions or other data. This may include purchasing habits, behavioral patterns, creditworthiness or personal preferences.

Then there is also personal data that is collected by third parties (such as identity checkers, fraud detection providers or your bank). This data includes information from credit agencies, transaction data, information on legal requirements, technical usage data, location data and also derived data.

PayPal and its partners also use tracking technologies such as cookies, pixel tags, web beacons and widgets to recognize you as a user, customize content and perform analytics for interest-based advertising.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, PayPal stores the data for as long as it is necessary to fulfill its obligations and within the scope of the purpose. Personal data that is necessary for the customer relationship will be stored for 10 years after termination of the relationship. If PayPal is subject to a legal obligation, the retention period of personal data is in accordance with the applicable law (e.g. insolvency law). PayPal also stores personal data for as long as necessary if retention is advisable with regard to legal disputes.

Since PayPal is a global company, the service also has data centers worldwide where your data can be stored. This means that your data can also be stored on PayPal servers outside your country and also outside the scope of the GDPR.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to information, correction or deletion and restriction of the processing of your personal data at any time. You can also withdraw your consent to the processing of data at any time.

If you want to deactivate, delete or manage cookies, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers in the "Cookies" section.

Legal basis

We have a legitimate interest in integrating an external payment service with PayPal in order to make our offer more attractive and to improve it technically and economically. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). We would like to point out that you can only use PayPal if you enter into a contractual relationship with PayPal. In this case, it may be necessary to provide further data protection and contractual declarations (e.g. consent).

PayPal also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

PayPal uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer there. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, PayPal undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

For more information on the standard contractual clauses and the data processed through the use of PayPal, please refer to the privacy policy at https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.

Store Pay Privacy Policy

We use Shop Pay, a service for online payment solutions, on our website. The service provider is the American company Shopify Inc. The company Shopify International Limited (Victoria Buildings, 2nd floor, 1-2 Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 XN32, Ireland) is responsible for the European region.

We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. Data processing is essentially carried out by Shop Pay. This may result in data not being processed and stored anonymously. Furthermore, US government authorities may be able to access individual data. It is also possible that this data may be linked to data from other Shop Pay services with which you have a user account.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Shop Pay in the Privacy Policy on https://www.shopify.de/legal/datenschutz.

Visa privacy policy

We use Visa, a global payment provider, on our website. The service provider is the American company Visa Inc. Visa Europe Services Inc. (1 Sheldon Square, London W2 6TT, United Kingdom) is responsible for the European region.

Visa also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

Visa uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer to these countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, Visa undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more information on Visa's standard contractual clauses at https://www.visa.de/nutzungsbedingungen/visa-globale-datenschutzmitteilung/mitteilung-zu-zustandigkeitsfragen-fur-den-ewr.html.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Visa in the Privacy Policy on https://www.visa.de/nutzungsbedingungen/visa-privacy-center.html.

External online platforms Introduction

What are external online platforms?

We also use external platforms to offer our services or products outside of our website. These are usually online marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay. In addition to our responsibility for data protection, the data protection provisions of the external platforms we use also apply. This is particularly the case if our products are purchased via the platform. In other words, if there is a payment process. Furthermore, most platforms also use your data to optimize their own marketing measures. For example, the platform can use the data collected to tailor advertisements precisely to the interests of customers and website visitors.

Why do we use external online platforms?

In addition to our website, we also want to offer our products on other platforms in order to bring our range closer to more customers. External online marketplaces such as Amazon, Ebay or Digistore24 offer large sales websites that offer our products to people who may not be familiar with our website. It may also be the case that embedded elements on our site redirect to an external online platform. Data that is processed and stored by the online platform used is used by the company to record the payment process on the one hand and to carry out web analyses on the other.

The aim of these analyses is to be able to develop more precise and personalized marketing and advertising strategies. Depending on your behavior on a platform, the evaluated data can be used to draw conclusions about your interests and create user profiles. This also enables the platforms to present you with customized advertisements or products. Cookies are usually set in your browser for this purpose, which store data on your usage behavior.

Please note that when using the platforms or our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as online platforms such as Amazon or eBay are American companies. As a result, you may not be able to claim or enforce your rights in relation to your personal data as easily.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is stored and processed depends on the external platform in question. But it is usually data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, data that you enter in a contact form, user data such as which buttons you click, when you visited which pages, information about your device and your IP address. Very often, most of this data is stored in cookies. If you have your own profile on an external platform and are also logged in there, data can be linked to the profile. The data collected is stored on the servers of the platforms used and processed there. You can find out exactly how an external platform stores, manages and processes data in the respective privacy policy. If you have any questions about data storage and data processing or wish to assert corresponding rights, we recommend that you contact the platform directly.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. For example, Amazon stores data until it is no longer required for its own purposes. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via opt-out functions on the respective external platform. You can also prevent the collection of data by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

As cookies may be used, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly what data of yours is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective external platforms.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by external platforms, this applies Consent as the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of your consent if you have given it. legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. If we have integrated elements from external platforms on our website, we will only use these if you have given your consent.

Information on special external platforms - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Amazon (Europe) Privacy Policy

We also use the online trading platform Amazon (Europe). The service provider is the American company Amazon Inc. The company Amazon Europe Core S.à r.l. (Société à responsabilité limitée), 38 avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg is responsible for the European region.

Amazon also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Amazon is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Amazon also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Amazon undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Amazon Data Processing Terms (AWS GDPR DATA PROCESSING), which correspond to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://d1.awsstatic.com/legal/aws-gdpr/AWS_GDPR_DPA.pdf.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Amazon in the privacy policy on https://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010&ref_=footer_privacy .

shopify privacy policy

We use the online marketplace shopify. The service provider is the American company Shopify International Limited, Victoria Buildings, 2nd Floor, 1-2 Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 XN32, Ireland.

shopify also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

As a basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or a data transfer there, shopify uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, shopify undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

For more information on the standard contractual clauses and the data processed through the use of shopify, please refer to the Privacy Policy at https://www.shopify.de/legal/datenschutz resp. https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/your-account/privacy/GDPR/gdpr-faq#will-shopify-sign-standard-contractual-clauses.

Credit rating agencies Introduction

What are credit rating agencies?

In some cases, we use credit rating agencies for our online transactions so that we can obtain information about your creditworthiness if we make advance payments. The credit agencies calculate a statistical probability of non-payment. This means that we receive information about how likely it is that you will be able to pay your invoice, for example. Based on this information, we can better decide whether or not to make advance payments. We can also refuse advance payments (such as payment on account) if the result of a credit check is negative.

Why do we use credit rating agencies?

In our business, it happens time and again that we provide a service before the contractually agreed consideration or accept similar economic risks. This is always the case, for example, when ordering on account. In order to protect our legitimate interests, we can obtain so-called identity and creditworthiness information. This involves assessing the credit risk using a mathematical-statistical procedure from credit rating agencies (credit agencies).

What data is processed?

The decision to make advance payment or not is made by software that works with the information from the credit assessment agency on the basis of an automated decision in individual cases (= Art. 22 GDPR). The data that is usually processed includes name, address, bank details, invoices, payment history, contact details such as email address and telephone number as well as contract data such as term, customer information and the subject matter of the contract. You can find more information about data processing in the data protection declarations of the respective credit rating agencies.

Duration of data processing

How long the data is processed and stored depends mainly on the credit rating agencies we use. You can find out more about the data processing of the individual providers below. The providers' privacy policies usually state exactly which data is stored and processed and for how long. In principle, personal data is only processed for as long as is necessary for the provision of our services. If data is stored in cookies, the storage period varies greatly. In most cases, you will also find detailed information about the individual cookies in the privacy policies of the individual providers.

Legal basis

If we obtain consent from our contractual partners, this is also the legal basis (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR) for the credit report and also for the transfer of the customer's data to a credit reference agency. If this consent does not exist, the legal basis is our legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) in default protection. If we obtain your consent, this is also the legal basis for creditworthiness information and data transmission.

We have no influence on the specific checking process or the profiling of the credit rating agencies we use and therefore have no influence on the accuracy or appropriateness of the result. In this respect, we are not responsible under data protection law. In this respect, responsibility remains solely with the credit assessment agency, to whose data protection information we refer below. We are only responsible for obtaining and using a credit report provided by a third party in individual cases.

Creditreform privacy policy

We use Creditreform, a credit agency, for our business. The service provider is the Austrian company Creditreform Wirtschaftsauskunftei Kubicki KG, Muthgasse 36-40, 1190 Vienna, Austria.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Creditreform in the privacy policy on https://www.creditreform.at/wien/eu-dsgvo.

Creditsafe privacy policy

We use Creditsafe, a credit agency, for our business. The service provider is the German company Creditsafe Deutschland GmbH, Schreiberhauer Straße 30, 10317 Berlin, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Creditsafe in the privacy policy on https://www.creditsafe.com/de/de/rechtliches/datenschutz.html.

IHD privacy policy

We use IHD, a credit management company, for our business. The service provider is the German company IHD Kreditschutzverein E.V. Augustinusstraße 11B, 50226 Frechen, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of IHD in the privacy policy on https://ihd.de/datenschutz/.

Intrum privacy policy

We use Intrum, a service provider for credit management and debt collection, for our business. The service provider is the Swedish company Intrum AB, Sicklastråket 4, Nacka, Stockholm, Sweden.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Intrum in the privacy policy on https://www.intrum.com/about-us/privacy/privacy-terms/.

SCHUFA privacy policy

We use SCHUFA, a credit rating agency, for our business. The service provider is the German company SCHUFA Holding AG, Kormoranweg 5, 65201 Wiesbaden, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of SCHUFA in the privacy policy on https://www.schufa.de/global/datenschutz-dsgvo/.

Audio & Video Introduction

What are audio and video elements?

We have integrated audio and video elements on our website so that you can watch videos or listen to music/podcasts directly via our website. The content is provided by service providers. All content is therefore also obtained from the corresponding servers of the providers.

These are integrated functional elements from platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo or Spotify. The use of these portals is usually free of charge, but paid content can also be published. With the help of these integrated elements, you can listen to or watch the respective content via our website.

If you use audio or video elements on our website, your personal data may also be transmitted to the service providers, processed and stored.

Why do we use audio & video elements on our website?

Of course we want to provide you with the best offer on our website. And we are aware that content is no longer simply conveyed in text and static images. Instead of simply giving you a link to a video, we offer you audio and video formats directly on our website that are entertaining or informative and ideally even both. This expands our service and makes it easier for you to access interesting content. We therefore offer video and/or audio content in addition to our texts and images.

What data is stored by audio & video elements?

When you access a page on our website that has an embedded video, for example, your server connects to the server of the service provider. Your data is also transmitted to the third-party provider and stored there. Some data is collected and stored regardless of whether you have an account with the third-party provider or not. This usually includes your IP address, browser type, operating system and other general information about your end device. In addition, most providers also collect information about your web activity. This includes, for example, session duration, bounce rate, which button you clicked on or which website you used to access the service. All this information is usually stored using cookies or pixel tags (also known as web beacons). Pseudonymized data is usually stored in cookies in your browser. You can always find out exactly which data is stored and processed in the privacy policy of the respective provider.

Duration of data processing

You can find out exactly how long the data is stored on the servers of the third-party providers either below in the data protection text of the respective tool or in the provider's privacy policy. In principle, personal data is only ever processed for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services or products. This generally also applies to third-party providers. In most cases, you can assume that certain data will be stored on the servers of third-party providers for several years. Data can be stored for different lengths of time, especially in cookies. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others may be stored in your browser for several years.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser. The lawfulness of the processing until the revocation remains unaffected.

Since the integrated audio and video functions on our website usually also use cookies, you should also read our general privacy policy on cookies. You can find out more about the handling and storage of your data in the privacy policies of the respective third-party providers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated audio and video elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated audio and video elements if you have given your consent.

SoundCloud privacy policy

What is SoundCloud?

We use functions (widgets) of the social media network SoundCloud of SoundCloud Limited, Rheinsberger Str. 76/77, 10115 Berlin, Germany on our website. You can recognize the widgets by the familiar orange logo. By using functions such as playing music, data is transmitted to SoundCloud, stored and analyzed. In this privacy policy, we show you what data is involved, why we use SoundCloud and how you can manage or prevent your data or data transmission.

The social media network SoundCloud is an online music platform for sharing and distributing audio files. Musicians or podcasters offer their audio files for download on SoundCloud. SoundCloud can also be used to integrate audio files into other websites. And that's exactly what we did. Typical for SoundCloud are the graphical representations of the audio files in wave form and the comment bar. This allows registered users to listen to and comment on music tracks or podcasts at any time.

Why do we use SoundCloud on our website?

Our aim is to provide you with the best possible service on our website. By this we don't just mean our products or services. Overall customer service also includes how comfortable you feel on our website and how helpful our website is for you. With the embedded SoundCloud playback function, we can provide you with acoustic content directly and free of charge. You don't have to follow a link to listen to an audio file, you can start right away via our website.

What data is stored on SoundCloud?

As soon as you visit one of our websites that has a widget (like or share button or playback function), your browser connects to a SoundCloud server. Your data may be transferred to SoundCloud, managed and stored there. For example, SoundCloud learns your IP address and which page (in this case ours) you visited and when. If you have a SoundCloud account and are logged in while browsing our website, the data collected will be assigned directly to your account/account. You can only prevent this by logging out of SoundCloud while you are on our website. In addition to the information mentioned above, data about your user behavior is also stored in the cookies. For example, whenever you click a button, play or pause a piece of music, this information is stored in the cookies. The widget or SoundCloud is therefore able to recognize you and sometimes the widget is also used to provide you with personalized content. SoundCloud not only uses its own cookies, but also cookies from third-party providers such as Facebook or Google Analytics. These cookies help the company to obtain more information about your behavior on external websites and its own platform. As the website operator, we do not receive any information about your user behavior through the cookies used by SoundCloud. The data transfer and therefore also the information about technical devices and your behavior on the website takes place between you and SoundCloud.

Below we show cookies that have been set when you go to a website that has integrated SoundCloud functions. This list is only an example of possible cookies and cannot claim to be exhaustive. In this example, the user does not have a SoundCloud account:

Name: sc_anonymous_id
Value: 208165-986996-398971-423805112937850-0
Intended use: This cookie makes it possible to integrate files or other content into websites and stores a user ID.
Expiration date: after 10 years

Note:
The sc_anonymous_id cookie is set immediately if you are on one of our websites that has a Soundcloud function built in. You do not need to interact with the function to do this.

Name: __qca
Value: P0-1223379886-1579605792812112937850-7
Intended use: This cookie is a third-party cookie from Quantcast and collects data such as how often you visit the site or how long you stay on the site. The information collected is then passed on to SoundCloud.
Expiration date: after one year

Name: Sclocale
Value: en
Intended use: The cookie saves the language setting that you have preset.
Expiration date: after one year

Name: _soundcloud_session
Value: /
Intended use: We were unable to find out any specific information about this cookie.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: _session_auth_key
Value: /
Intended use: Cookies can be used to store session information (i.e. user behavior) and authenticate a client request.
Expiration date: after 10 years

SoundCloud also uses other third-party cookies such as _fbp, _ga, gid from Facebook and Google Analytics. SoundCloud uses all the information stored in the cookies to improve its own services and to display personalized advertising.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, the data collected remains stored at SoundCloud for as long as a user account exists or is necessary for SoundCloud to achieve its business objectives. Exactly how long data is stored changes depending on the context and legal obligations. Even if you do not have an account and personal data has been stored, you have the right to request the deletion of your data.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

If you have a SoundCloud account, you can manage data processing or delete your entire account via "Settings". However, you can also manage, delete or deactivate cookies in your browser exactly according to your requirements. The approach always depends on the browser you are using. If you decide to delete or deactivate cookies, please note that not all functions may then be available. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated SoundCloud elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated SoundCloud elements if you have given your consent. SoundCloud also sets cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and view the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

We hope we have provided you with a good overview of the data traffic through SoundCloud. If you would like to learn more about SoundCloud's privacy policy and how it handles data in general, we recommend that you read the company's privacy policy at https://soundcloud.com/pages/privacy.

Spotify privacy policy

We use Spotify, a tool for music and podcasts, on our website. The service provider is the Swedish company Spotify AB, Regeringsgatan 19, SE-111 53 Stockholm, Sweden.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Spotify in the Privacy Policy on https://www.spotify.com/de/legal/privacy-policy/.

YouTube privacy policy

What is YouTube?

We have integrated YouTube videos on our website. This allows us to present interesting videos directly on our site. YouTube is a video portal that has been a subsidiary of Google since 2006. The video portal is operated by YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA. When you access a page on our website that has an embedded YouTube video, your browser automatically connects to the YouTube or Google servers. Various data will be transmitted (depending on the settings). Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all data processing in Europe.

In the following, we would like to explain to you in more detail what data is processed, why we have integrated YouTube videos and how you can manage or delete your data.

On YouTube, users can watch, rate, comment on and upload videos for free. Over the last few years, YouTube has become one of the most important social media channels worldwide. To enable us to display videos on our website, YouTube provides a code snippet that we have integrated into our site.

Why do we use YouTube videos on our website?

YouTube is the video platform with the most visitors and the best content. We strive to offer you the best possible user experience on our website. And of course, interesting videos are a must. With the help of our embedded videos, we provide you with further helpful content in addition to our texts and images. The embedded videos also make our website easier to find on the Google search engine. Even if we place ads via Google Ads, Google can - thanks to the data collected - only show these ads to people who are interested in our offers.

What data is stored by YouTube?

As soon as you visit one of our pages that has a YouTube video embedded, YouTube sets at least one cookie that stores your IP address and our URL. If you are logged into your YouTube account, YouTube can usually assign your interactions on our website to your profile with the help of cookies. This includes data such as session duration, bounce rate, approximate location, technical information such as browser type, screen resolution or your internet provider. Other data may include contact details, any ratings, the sharing of content via social media or adding to your favorites on YouTube.

If you are not logged into a Google account or a YouTube account, Google stores data with a unique identifier that is linked to your device, browser or app. For example, your preferred language setting is retained. But a lot of interaction data cannot be saved because fewer cookies are set.

In the following list, we show cookies that were set in the browser in a test. On the one hand, we show cookies that are set without a logged-in YouTube account. On the other hand, we show cookies that are set with a logged-in account. The list cannot claim to be complete because the user data always depends on the interactions on YouTube.

Name: YSC
Value: b9-CV6ojI5Y112937850-1
Intended use: This cookie registers a unique ID to store statistics of the video viewed.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: PREF
Value: f1=50000000
Intended use: This cookie also registers your unique ID. Google receives statistics on how you use YouTube videos on our website via PREF.
Expiration date: after 8 months

Name: GPS
Value: 1
Intended use: This cookie registers your unique ID on mobile devices to track the GPS location.
Expiration date: after 30 minutes

Name: VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Value: 95Chz8bagyU
Intended use: This cookie attempts to estimate the user's bandwidth on our websites (with integrated YouTube video).
Expiration date: after 8 months

Other cookies that are set when you are logged in to your YouTube account:

Name: APISID
Value: zILlvClZSkqGsSwI/AU1aZI6HY7112937850-
Intended use: This cookie is used to create a profile of your interests. The data is used for personalized advertisements.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: CONSENT
Value: YES+AT.de+20150628-20-0
Intended use: The cookie stores the status of a user's consent to the use of various Google services. CONSENT is also used for security purposes to check users and protect user data from unauthorized attacks.
Expiration date: after 19 years

Name: HSID
Value: AcRwpgUik9Dveht0I
Intended use: This cookie is used to create a profile of your interests. This data helps to display personalized advertising.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: LOGIN_INFO
Value: AFmmF2swRQIhALl6aL...
Intended use: Information about your login data is stored in this cookie.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: SAPISID
Value: 7oaPxoG-pZsJuuF5/AnUdDUIsJ9iJz2vdM
Intended use: This cookie works by uniquely identifying your browser and device. It is used to create a profile of your interests.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: SID
Value: oQfNKjAsI112937850-
Intended use: This cookie stores your Google Account ID and your last login time in digitally signed and encrypted form.
Expiration date: after 2 years

Name: SIDCC
Value: AN0-TYuqub2JOcDTyL
Intended use: This cookie stores information about how you use the website and what advertisements you may have seen before visiting our site.
Expiration date: after 3 months

How long and where is the data stored?

The data that YouTube receives from you and processes is stored on Google servers. Most of these servers are located in America. Under https://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/?hl=de you can see exactly where the Google data centers are located. Your data is distributed across the servers. This means that the data can be accessed more quickly and is better protected against manipulation.

Google stores the data collected for different lengths of time. You can delete some data at any time, others are automatically deleted after a limited time and others are stored by Google for a longer period of time. Some data (such as elements from "My activity", photos or documents, products) that are stored in your Google account remain stored until you delete them. Even if you are not signed in to a Google Account, you can delete some data associated with your device, browser or app.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

In principle, you can delete data in your Google account manually. With the automatic deletion function for location and activity data introduced in 2019, information is stored for either 3 or 18 months, depending on your decision, and then deleted.

Regardless of whether you have a Google account or not, you can configure your browser so that cookies are deleted or deactivated by Google. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

If you generally do not want to have cookies, you can set up your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. This allows you to decide for each individual cookie whether you want to allow it or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated YouTube elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated YouTube elements if you have given your consent. YouTube also sets cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

YouTube also processes your data in the USA, among other places. YouTube and Google are active participants in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

As YouTube is a subsidiary of Google, there is a joint privacy policy. If you would like to find out more about how your data is handled, we recommend that you read the privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Video conferencing & streaming Introduction

What are video conferencing & streaming?

We use software programs that enable us to hold video conferences, online meetings, webinars, display sharing and/or streaming. During a video conference or streaming, information is transmitted simultaneously via sound and moving images. With the help of such video conferencing or streaming tools, we can communicate with customers, business partners, clients and even employees quickly and easily via the Internet. When selecting the service provider, we naturally pay attention to the specified legal framework conditions.

In principle, third-party providers can process data as soon as you interact with the software program. Third-party providers of video conferencing and streaming solutions use your data and metadata for various purposes. For example, the data helps to make the tool more secure and to improve the service. In most cases, the data may also be used for the third-party provider's own marketing purposes.

Why do we use video conferencing & streaming on our website?

We want to communicate quickly, easily and securely with you, our customers and business partners digitally. This works best with video conferencing solutions that are very easy to use. Most tools also work directly via your browser and after just a few clicks you are right in the middle of a video meeting. The tools also offer helpful additional features such as a chat and screen sharing function or the option to share content between meeting participants.

What data is processed?

If you participate in our video conference or streaming, your data will also be processed and stored on the servers of the respective service provider.

Exactly which data is stored depends on the solutions used. Each provider stores and processes a different amount of data. As a rule, however, most providers store your name, address, contact details such as your email address or telephone number and your IP address. Information about the device you are using, usage data such as which websites you visit, when you visit a website or which buttons you click on may also be stored. Data that is shared within the video conference (photos, videos, texts) may also be stored.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below in connection with the service used, if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. The provider may store your data according to its own specifications, over which we have no influence.

Right of objection

You always have the right to information, correction and deletion of your personal data. If you have any questions, you can also contact the person responsible for the video conferencing or streaming tool used at any time. Contact details can be found either in our specific privacy policy or on the website of the relevant provider.

You can delete, deactivate or manage cookies that providers use for their functions in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. Please note, however, that not all functions may then work as usual.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by the video or streaming solution, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). We can also offer video conferencing as part of our services if this has been contractually agreed with you in advance (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) The data is stored and processed for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners, but only if you have at least given your consent. Most video and streaming solutions also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

Information on special video conferencing and streaming solutions, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Cisco WebEx Privacy Policy

We use Cisco WebEx on our website, a service for online meetings and video conferences. The service provider is the American company Cisco Systems, Inc, Legal Department, 170 West Tasman Dr., San Jose, CA 95134 USA.

Cisco also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Cisco is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Cisco also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Cisco undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find out more about the data and standard contractual clauses that are processed through the use of Cisco in the privacy policy on https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/legal/privacy-full.html.

Microsoft Teams Privacy Policy

We use Microsoft Teams on our website, a service for online meetings and video conferencing. The service provider is the American company Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA.

Microsoft also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Microsoft is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Microsoft also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Microsoft undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more information on the standard contractual clauses at Microsoft at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/compliance/regulatory/offering-eu-model-clauses

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Microsoft in the privacy policy on https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

Skype privacy policy

We use Skype, a service for chat and video conferencing solutions, on our website. The service provider is the American company Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA.

Microsoft also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Skype and Microsoft are active participants in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Microsoft also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Microsoft undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more information on the standard contractual clauses at Microsoft at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/compliance/regulatory/offering-eu-model-clauses

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Microsoft in the privacy policy on https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

TeamViewer privacy policy

We use TeamViewer, a service for web conferencing and remote maintenance, on our website. The service provider is the German company TeamViewer Germany GmbH, Bahnhofsplatz 2, 73033 Göppingen, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of TeamViewer in the Privacy Policy on https://www.teamviewer.com/de/datenschutzinformation/.

Twitch privacy policy

We use Twitch, a live streaming portal for video games, on our website. The service provider is the American company Interactive, Inc, 350 Bush Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA.

We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. Data processing is essentially carried out by Twitch. This may result in data not being processed and stored anonymously. Furthermore, US government authorities may be able to access individual data. It is also possible that this data may be linked to data from other Twitch services with which you have a user account.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Twitch in the Privacy Policy on https://www.twitch.tv/p/de-de/legal/privacy-notice/.

Zoom privacy policy

What is Zoom?

We use the Zoom video conferencing tool from the American software company Zoom Video Communications for our website. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, 55 Almaden Boulevard, 6th Floor, CA 95113. Thanks to Zoom, we can easily hold video conferences with customers, business partners, clients and employees without installing any software. In this privacy policy, we go into more detail about the service and inform you about the most important aspects relevant to data protection.

Zoom is one of the world's best-known video conferencing solutions. With the "Zoom Meetings" service, we can hold an online video conference with you, for example, but also with employees or other users via a digital conference room. This makes it very easy for us to get in touch digitally, discuss various topics, send text messages or even make phone calls. Zoom can also be used to share the screen, exchange files and use a whiteboard.

Why do we use Zoom on our website?

It is important to us that we can communicate with you quickly and easily. And this is exactly what Zoom offers us. The software program also works directly via a browser. This means we can simply send you a link and start the video conference. Of course, additional functions such as screen sharing or file exchange are also very practical.

What data is stored by Zoom?

When you use Zoom, data is also collected from you so that Zoom can provide its services. On the one hand, this is data that you consciously provide to the company. This includes, for example, your name, telephone number or e-mail address. However, data is also automatically transmitted to Zoom and stored. This includes, for example, technical data from your browser or your IP address. In the following, we will go into more detail about the data that Zoom can collect and store from you:

If you enter data such as your name, your user name, your e-mail address or your telephone number, this data will be stored by Zoom. Content that you upload while using Zoom is also stored. This includes, for example, files or chat logs.

The technical data that Zoom automatically saves includes the IP address mentioned above as well as the MAC address, other device IDs, device type, which operating system you are using, which client you are using, camera type, microphone and speaker type. Your approximate location is also determined and stored. Zoom also stores information about how you use the service. For example, whether you "zoom" via desktop or smartphone, whether you use a phone call or VoIP, whether you participate with or without video or whether you request a password. Zoom also records so-called metadata such as the duration of the meeting/call, start and end of the meeting participation, meeting name and chat status.

Zoom mentions in its own privacy policy that the company does not use advertising cookies or tracking technologies for its services. Only on its own marketing websites, such as https://explore.zoom.us/docs/de-de/home.html these tracking methods are used. Zoom does not resell personal data and does not use it for advertising purposes.

How long and where is the data stored?

Zoom does not provide a specific time frame in this regard, but emphasizes that the data collected will be stored for as long as is necessary to provide the services or for its own purposes. The data will only be stored for longer if this is required for legal reasons.

In principle, Zoom stores the data it collects on American servers, but data can arrive at different data centers around the world.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

If you do not want data to be saved during the Zoom meeting, you must refrain from attending the meeting. However, you always have the right and the option to have all your personal data deleted. If you have a Zoom account, you can find it at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201363243-How-Do-I-Delete-Terminate-My-Account instructions on how to delete your account.

Please note that when using this tool, your data may also be stored and processed outside the EU. Most third countries (including the USA) are not considered secure under current European data protection law. Data may therefore not simply be transferred to insecure third countries, stored and processed there, unless there are suitable guarantees (such as EU standard contractual clauses) between us and the non-European service provider.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by the video or streaming solution, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). We can also offer video conferencing as part of our services if this has been contractually agreed with you in advance (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR). In principle, your data is also processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) We store and process your personal data for the purpose of fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners, but only if you have at least given your consent.

Zoom also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Zoom is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

In addition, Zoom uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Zoom undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

We hope to have provided you with an overview of data processing by Zoom. Of course, it is always possible that the company's data protection guidelines may change. Therefore, for more information on the data processed and the standard contractual clauses, we also recommend that you read Zoom's privacy policy at https://explore.zoom.us/de/privacy/.

Recruiting Tools Introduction

What are recruiting tools?

Various companies offer software programs that can make the application process much easier. Most systems offer filter options to search through databases of potential candidates. This enables us to quickly and efficiently find employees who are a good fit for our company. Both online forms and recruiting tools are used to transfer, store and manage your personal data. In this general text, we refer not only to recruiting tools but also to the traditional application process by e-mail or online form. You can find more detailed information on the recruiting tools in the data protection declarations of the respective providers.

Why do we use recruiting tools?

We use software programs and platforms that specialize in application management to search for suitable applicants and administer all application documents, taking into account all legal guidelines. Recruiting tools generally make the application process easier by taking over many administrative tasks and optimizing processes in the application procedure. In some cases, this enables us to find suitable employees for our company more quickly.

Please refer to the respective job advertisements for details of the conditions of the recruitment process.

What data is processed?

If you apply to us, you must of course also provide us with information about yourself so that we can assess your application accordingly. Exactly what information you provide us with depends on the job advertisement or the information required in the online form.

As a rule, this involves data such as your name, address, date of birth and proof of your qualifications required for the job. During the application process, however, not only the usual personal data, such as name or address, may be transmitted, but also information about your health or ethnic origin may be requested so that we and you can exercise the rights relating to labor law, social security and social protection and at the same time comply with the corresponding obligations. This data is called special category data.

The data or your application will be sent to us in encrypted form via the online form. Alternatively, you can also send us your application by e-mail. If you choose this option, the data will be transmitted in encrypted form, but will not be stored in encrypted form by the server that sends and receives it.

Duration of data processing

If your application is successful, we may process the data you provide for the purposes of an employment relationship. If the application does not meet your expectations, we will delete the data received. This data will also be deleted if you withdraw your application. If you agree to be included in our applicant pool, we will store your data collected in this context until you leave the applicant pool. The same rules apply to withdrawal as to the revocation of your consent.

Right of objection

You also always have the right and the option to withdraw your consent. The data will be deleted after 6 months at the latest so that we can answer any questions about your application and meet our obligations to provide evidence. We archive invoices for possible reimbursement of travel expenses due to tax regulations.

Legal basis

If we include you in our application pool, this is done on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). We would like to point out that your consent to our application pool is voluntary, has no influence on the application process and you have the option of withdrawing your consent at any time.

In the case of the protection of vital interests, data processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. c. GDPR. For the purposes of health care, occupational medicine, medical diagnosis, health or social care or treatment or for the management of health or social care systems and services, the processing of personal data is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. h. GDPR. GDPR. If you voluntarily provide data of special categories, the processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a. GDPR.

Information on the special recruiting tools - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Facebook Jobs Privacy Policy

We use the job management tool Facebook Jobs. The service provider is the American company Meta Platforms Inc. Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland is responsible for the European region.

Facebook also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Facebook or Meta Platforms is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Facebook also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Facebook undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Facebook in the privacy policy on https://www.facebook.com/policy.php.

LinkedIn Recruiter privacy policy

We use the LinkedIn Recruiter recruiting tool on our website. The service provider is the American company LinkedIn Corporation, 2029 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

LinkedIn also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

LinkedIn uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer to these countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through these clauses, LinkedIn undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more information on the standard contractual clauses at LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/customer-sccs

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of LinkedIn Recruiter in the privacy policy on https://de.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.

Stepstone privacy policy

We use StepStone, an applicant management software. The service provider is the Austrian company StepStone Österreich GmbH, Prinz-Eugen-Straße 8-10, A-1040 Vienna, Austria. You can find out more about the data processed through the use of StepStone in the privacy policy at https://www.stepstone.at/Ueber-StepStone/rechtliche-hinweise/datenschutzerklarung/.

Single sign-on logins Introduction

What are single sign-on logins?

On our website, you have the option of registering quickly and easily for our online service using a user account from another provider (e.g. via Facebook). This authentication procedure is known as "single sign-on registration". Of course, this login procedure only works if you are registered with the other provider or have a user account and enter the relevant access data in the online form. In many cases, you are already registered, the access data is automatically entered into the form and you only have to confirm the single sign-on registration by clicking a button. In the course of this registration, your personal data may also be processed and stored. In this data protection text, we provide a general description of data processing through single sign-on logins. You can find more detailed information in the privacy policies of the respective providers.

Why do we use single sign-on logins?

We want to make your life on our website as easy and pleasant as possible. That's why we also offer single sign-on logins. This saves you valuable time because you only need one authentication. As you only have to remember one password and it is only transmitted once, security is also increased. In many cases, you have already saved your password automatically using cookies and the login process on our website therefore only takes a few seconds.

What data is stored by single sign-on logins?

Although you log in to our website using this special login procedure, the actual authentication takes place with the corresponding single sign-on provider. As the website operator, we receive a user ID as part of the authentication process. This states that you are registered with the relevant provider under this ID. This ID cannot be used for any other purpose. Other data may also be transmitted to us, but this depends on the single sign-on providers used. It also depends on which data you voluntarily provide during the authentication process and which data you generally release in your settings with the provider. In most cases, this is data such as your e-mail address and your user name. We do not know your password, which is required for logging in, and we do not store it. It is also important for you to know that data stored by us can be automatically compared with the data of the respective user account during the registration process.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. For example, the social media platform Facebook stores data until it is no longer required for its own purposes. However, customer data that is compared with our own user data is deleted within two days. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of single sign-on logins at any time. This usually works via the provider's opt-out functions. If available, you will also find links to the corresponding opt-out functions in our data protection texts for the individual tools.

Legal basis

If it has been agreed with you and this is done in the context of contract performance (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR) and consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), we may use the single sign-on procedure on their legal bases.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in offering you a quick and easy registration process. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use single sign-on registration if you have given your consent.

If you no longer wish to have this link to the provider with the single sign-on login, please delete it in your user account with the respective provider. If you also wish to delete your data with us, you will need to cancel your registration.

Auth0 Single-Sign-On Privacy Policy

We also use the Auth0 single sign-on authentication service to log in to our website. The service provider is the American company Auth0 Inc, 10800 NE 8th Street, Suite 700, Bellevue, WA 98004, USA.

Auth0 also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Auth0 is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Auth0 in the privacy policy on https://www.okta.com/privacy-policy/.

Facebook single sign-on privacy policy

We also use the Facebook Single Sign-On authentication service to log in to our website. The service provider is the American company Meta Platforms Inc. Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland is responsible for the European region.

Facebook also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Facebook or Meta Platforms is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Facebook also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Facebook undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

If you are logged in to Facebook, you can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/ad_settings Revoke your consent to the use of single sign-on logins using the opt-out function. You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Facebook in the privacy policy on https://www.facebook.com/policy.php.

Google Single-Sign-On Privacy Policy

We also use the Google Single Sign-On authentication service to log in to our website. The service provider is the American company Facebook Inc. For the European area, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

On Google you can go to https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated revoke your consent to the use of single sign-on logins using the opt-out function. You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google Single-Sign-On in the privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Instagram single sign-on privacy policy

We also use the Instagram single sign-on authentication service to log in to our website. The service provider is the American company Instagram Inc, 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA. Instagram has been a subsidiary of Meta Platforms Inc. since 2012 and is a Facebook product.

Instagram also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Instagram or Meta Platforms is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Instagram also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Instagram undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

If you are logged in to Meta or Instagram, you can access your account at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/ad_settings Revoke your consent to the use of single sign-on logins using the opt-out function. You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Instagram/Meta in the privacy policy on https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875.

Snap Login Kit Privacy Policy

We also use the Snap Login Kit authentication service to log in to our website. The service provider is the American company Snap Inc, 2772 Donald Douglas Loop N, Santa Monica (HQ), CA, USA.

Snap also processes your data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

Snap uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer there. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through these clauses, Snap undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more information on Snap's standard contractual clauses at https://snap.com/en-US/terms/standard-contractual-clauses.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Snapchat in the privacy policy on https://snap.com/de-DE/privacy/privacy-policy.

Twitter single sign-on privacy policy

We also use the Twitter single sign-on authentication service to log in to our website. The service provider is the American company Twitter Inc. Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland, is responsible for the European region.

Twitter also processes data in the USA, among other places. We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This may entail various risks for the legality and security of data processing.

Twitter uses standard contractual clauses approved by the EU Commission (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer to these countries. These clauses oblige Twitter to comply with the EU level of data protection when processing relevant data outside the EU. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/settings/account/personalization Revoke your consent to the use of single sign-on logins using the opt-out function. You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Twitter in the privacy policy on https://twitter.com/de/privacy.

Survey and interview systems Introduction

What are survey and interview systems?

We are also happy to conduct various surveys and questionnaires via our website. These are always evaluated anonymously. A survey or questionnaire system is a tool integrated into our website that asks you questions (e.g. about our products or services) which you can answer if you participate. Your answers are always analyzed anonymously. However, personal data may also be stored and processed after you have given your consent to data processing.

Why do we use survey and interview systems?

We want to offer you the best products and services in our industry. Surveys provide us with perfect feedback and tell us what you expect from us and our services. Based on these anonymous evaluations, we can adapt our products and services to your wishes and expectations. Furthermore, the information also helps us to target our advertising and marketing measures to those people who are really interested in what we have to offer.

What data is processed?

Personal data is only processed if it is necessary for the technical implementation or if you have consented to the processing of personal data. For example, your IP address is stored so that the survey can be displayed in your browser. Cookies may also be used so that you can continue your survey at a later point in time without any problems.

If you have consented to data processing, contact data such as your e-mail address or telephone number may be processed in addition to your IP address. Data that you enter in an online form, for example, will also be stored and processed. Some providers also store information about the web pages you have visited (on our website), when you started and ended the survey and various technical information about your computer.

How long is data stored?

How long the data is processed and stored depends primarily on the tools we use. You can find out more about the data processing of the individual tools below. The privacy policies of the providers usually state exactly which data is stored and processed and for how long. In principle, personal data is only processed for as long as is necessary for the provision of our services. If data is stored in cookies, the storage period varies greatly. The data can be deleted immediately after leaving a website, but it can also remain stored for several years. You should therefore look at each individual cookie in detail if you want to know more about data storage. In most cases, you will also find informative information about the individual cookies in the data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or embedded survey systems at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

As survey systems may use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

The use of survey systems requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie pop-up. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by survey and interview systems.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in conducting a survey on our topic. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

As survey systems use cookies, we recommend that you also read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Information on the individual survey systems, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Google form privacy policy

We use Google Form, a service for Google Cloud Forms, for our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European area, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which correspond to the standard contractual clauses and also apply to Google Form, can be found at https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google in the privacy policy on https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Evaluation platforms Introduction

What are rating platforms?

You can rate our products or services on various rating platforms. We participate in some of these platforms so that we can receive feedback from you and thus optimize our offer. If you rate us via a rating platform, the privacy policy and general terms and conditions of the respective rating service apply. Very often you will also need to register in order to submit a review. Evaluation technologies (widgets) can also be integrated into our website. By using such an integrated tool, data is also transferred to the corresponding provider, processed and stored.

Many of these integrated programs work on a similar principle. After you have ordered a product or used a service from us, you will be asked to leave a review by e-mail or on the website. You are usually redirected to a review page via a link and can quickly and easily create a review there. Some rating systems also offer an interface to various social media channels to make the feedback accessible to more people.

Why do we use rating platforms?

Rating platforms collect feedback and ratings about our offers. Your reviews provide us with quick feedback and enable us to improve our products and/or services much more efficiently. The reviews therefore help us to optimize our offers on the one hand and on the other hand they give you and all our future customers a good overview of the quality of our products and services.

What data is processed?

With your consent, we transmit information about you and the services you have used to the corresponding evaluation platform. We do this to ensure that you have actually used one of our services. Only then can you provide genuine feedback. The transmitted data is only used for user recognition. Exactly which data is stored and processed depends, of course, on the providers used. In most cases, the review platforms are also provided with personal data such as IP address, e-mail address or your name. Order information, such as the order number of a purchased item, is also forwarded to the relevant platform after you have submitted your review. If your e-mail address is transmitted, this is done so that the review platform can send you an e-mail after you have purchased a product. So that we can also incorporate your review into our website, we also provide the providers with the information that you have accessed our site. The review platform used is responsible for the personal data collected.

How long and where is the data stored?

You can find out more about the duration of data processing below in the relevant provider's privacy policy, if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. Personal data mentioned in a review is usually anonymized by employees of the platform used and is therefore only visible to administrators of the company. The data collected is stored on the provider's servers and is deleted by most providers once the order has been completed.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of a review platform, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by a rating portal.

We also have a legitimate interest in using an evaluation platform to optimize our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use an evaluation platform if you have given your consent.

We hope we have been able to provide you with the most important general information about the data processing of rating platforms. You can find more detailed information below in the data protection texts or in the linked data protection declarations of the company.

bewertet.de Privacy Policy

We also use the rating platform bewertet.de for our website. The service provider is the German company Expert Systems AG, Quedlinburger Straße 1, 10589 Berlin, Germany.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of bewertet.de in the privacy policy on https://www.bewertet.de/datenschutz.

Customer Alliance Privacy Policy

We also use the Customer Alliance rating platform for our website. The service provider is the German company CA Customer Alliance GmbH Ullsteinstr.130 Tower B, 12109 Berlin, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Customer Alliance in the privacy policy on https://www.customer-alliance.com/de/datenschutzbestimmungen/.

Google Customer Reviews Privacy Policy

We also use the Google Customer Reviews rating platform for our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European area, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The data processing terms for Google advertising products (Google Ads Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms), which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google in the privacy policy on https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

ProvenExpert privacy policy

We also use the ProvenExpert rating platform for our website. The service provider is the German company Expert Systems AG, Quedlinburger Straße 1, 10589 Berlin, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of ProvenExpert in the privacy policy on https://www.provenexpert.com/de-de/datenschutzbestimmungen/. 

Trusted Shops privacy policy

We also use the Trusted Shops rating platform for our website. The service provider is the German company Trusted Shops GmbH, Subbelrather Straße 15c, 50823 Cologne, Germany.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Trusted Shops in the privacy policy on https://www.trustedshops.de/impressum-datenschutz/#datenschutz.

Web design introduction

What is web design?

We use various tools on our website that serve our web design. Web design is not, as is often assumed, just about making our website look pretty, but also about functionality and performance. But of course the right look of a website is also one of the major goals of professional web design. Web design is a branch of media design and deals with the visual as well as the structural and functional design of a website. The aim of web design is to improve your experience on our website. In web design jargon, this is referred to as user experience (UX) and usability. User experience refers to all impressions and experiences that website visitors have on a website. Usability is a sub-item of user experience. This is about the user-friendliness of a website. The main focus here is on ensuring that content, subpages or products are clearly structured and that you can find what you are looking for quickly and easily. In order to offer you the best possible experience on our website, we also use third-party web design tools. In this privacy policy, the category "web design" therefore includes all services that improve the design of our website. These can be, for example, fonts, various plugins or other integrated web design functions.

Why do we use web design tools?

How you absorb information on a website depends very much on the structure, functionality and visual perception of the website. This is why good and professional web design has become increasingly important for us. We are constantly working on improving our website and also see this as an extended service for you as a website visitor. Furthermore, a beautiful and functioning website also has economic advantages for us. After all, you will only visit us and make use of our services if you feel completely at ease.

What data is stored by web design tools?

When you visit our website, web design elements may be integrated into our pages that can also process data. Exactly what data is involved naturally depends heavily on the tools used. Below you can see exactly which tools we use for our website. For more detailed information about data processing, we recommend that you also read the privacy policies of the tools used. In most cases, this will tell you what data is processed, whether cookies are used and how long the data is stored. Fonts such as Google Fonts also automatically transmit information such as language settings, IP address, browser version, browser screen resolution and browser name to the Google servers.

Duration of data processing

How long data is processed is very individual and depends on the web design elements used. If cookies are used, for example, the storage period can be as short as one minute or as long as a few years. Please find out more about this. We recommend that you read our general text section on cookies as well as the data protection declarations of the tools used. There you can usually find out exactly which cookies are used and what information is stored in them. Google font files, for example, are stored for one year. This is to improve the loading time of a website. In principle, data is only stored for as long as is necessary to provide the service. Data can also be stored for longer if required by law.

Right of objection

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. You can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser. Under web design elements (mostly fonts), however, there is also data that cannot be deleted quite so easily. This is the case when data is automatically collected directly when a page is accessed and transmitted to a third-party provider (such as Google). In this case, please contact the support of the relevant provider. In the case of Google, you can reach support at https://support.google.com/?hl=de.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of web design tools, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by web design tools. We also have a legitimate interest in improving the web design on our website. After all, only then can we provide you with an attractive and professional website. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use web design tools if you have given your consent. We would like to emphasize this again here in any case.

Information on special web design tools - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Adobe Fonts Privacy Policy

We use Adobe Fonts, a web font hosting service, on our website. The service provider is the American company Adobe Inc. The Irish company Adobe Systems Software Ireland Companies, 4-6 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Ireland, is responsible for the European region.

Adobe also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Adobe is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Adobe also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Adobe undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find more information on the standard contractual clauses at Adobe at https://www.adobe.com/at/privacy/eudatatransfers.html.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Adobe Fonts in the Privacy Policy on https://www.adobe.com/at/privacy.html .

Font Awesome Privacy Policy

What is Font Awesome?

We use Font Awesome from the American company Fonticons (307 S. Main St., Suite 202, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA) on our website. When you access one of our websites, the Font Awesome web font (in particular icons) is loaded via the Font Awesome Content Delivery Network (CDN). This ensures that the texts, fonts and icons are displayed appropriately on every device. In this privacy policy, we go into more detail about data storage and data processing by this service.

Icons are playing an increasingly important role for websites. Font Awesome is a web font that has been specially developed for web designers and web developers. With Font Awesome, icons can be scaled and colored as desired using the CSS style sheet language. They thus replace old image icons. Font Awesome CDN is the easiest way to load icons or fonts onto your website. All we had to do was add a small line of code to our website.

Why do we use Font Awesome on our website?

Font Awesome allows content on our website to be better presented. This makes it easier for you to find your way around our website and grasp the content more easily. The icons can sometimes even be used to replace entire words and save space. This is particularly practical when we optimize content specifically for smartphones. These icons are inserted as HMTL code instead of images. This allows us to edit the icons with CSS exactly as we want. At the same time, we also improve our loading speed with Font Awesome because they are only HTML elements and not icon images. All these advantages help us to make the website even clearer, fresher and faster for you.

What data is stored by Font Awesome?

The Font Awesome Content Delivery Network (CDN) is used to load icons and symbols. CDNs are networks of servers that are distributed worldwide and make it possible to quickly load files from nearby. Thus, as soon as you call up one of our pages, the corresponding icons are provided by Font Awesome.

In order for the web fonts to be loaded, your browser must establish a connection to the servers of Fonticons, Inc. Your IP address is recognized in the process. Font Awesome also collects data about which icon files are downloaded and when. In addition, technical data such as your browser version, screen resolution or the time the page was called up is also transmitted.

This data is collected and stored for the following reasons:

• to optimize content delivery networks
• to detect and rectify technical faults
• to protect CDNs from misuse and attacks
• to be able to charge fees from Font Awesome Pro customers
• to find out the popularity of icons
• to know which computer and software you are using

If your browser does not allow web fonts, a standard font from your PC will be used automatically. As far as we are currently aware, no cookies are set. We are in contact with Font Awesome's data protection department and will let you know as soon as we find out more.

How long and where is the data stored?

Font Awesome stores data about the use of the Content Delivery Network on servers in the United States of America. However, the CDN servers are located worldwide and store user data wherever you are. The data is usually only stored in identifiable form for a few weeks. Aggregated statistics on the use of CDNs can also be stored for longer. Personal data is not included here.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

To the best of our knowledge, Font Awesome does not store any personal data about the content delivery networks. If you do not want data about the icons used to be stored, you will unfortunately not be able to visit our website. If your browser does not allow web fonts, no data will be transmitted or stored. In this case, your computer's default font will simply be used.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Font Awesome, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur during the collection by Font Awesome.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Font Awesome to optimize our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Font Awesome if you have given your consent.

We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. Data processing is essentially carried out by Font Awesome. This may result in data not being processed and stored anonymously. Furthermore, US government authorities may have access to individual data. It is also possible that this data may be linked to data from other Font Awesome services with which you have a user account.

If you would like to learn more about Font Awesome and how they handle data, we recommend that you read their privacy policy at https://fontawesome.com/privacy and the help page at https://fontawesome.com/support.

Getty Images Privacy Policy

We use the image portal Getty Images for our website. The service provider is the American company Getty Images Inc, 605 5th Avenue South Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104, USA.

Getty Images also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Getty Images is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

In addition, Getty Images uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Getty Images undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

You can find out more about the data and standard contractual clauses that are processed through the use of Getty Images in the privacy policy on https://www.gettyimages.at/company/privacy-policy.

Google Fonts privacy policy

What are Google Fonts?

We use Google Fonts on our website. These are the "Google fonts" of Google Inc. For the European area, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

You do not need to log in or enter a password to use Google fonts. Furthermore, no cookies are stored in your browser. The files (CSS, fonts) are requested via the Google domains fonts.googleapis.com and fonts.gstatic.com. According to Google, requests for CSS and fonts are completely separate from all other Google services. If you have a Google account, you do not need to worry that your Google account data will be transmitted to Google while using Google Fonts. Google records the use of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and the fonts used and stores this data securely. We will take a closer look at exactly how the data is stored.

Google Fonts (formerly Google Web Fonts) is a directory of over 800 fonts that can be Google to your users free of charge.

Many of these fonts are published under the SIL Open Font License, while others are published under the Apache License. Both are free software licenses.

Why do we use Google Fonts on our website?

With Google Fonts, we can use fonts on our own website without having to upload them to our own server. Google Fonts is an important component in keeping the quality of our website high. All Google fonts are automatically optimized for the web and this saves data volume and is a great advantage, especially for use on mobile devices. When you visit our site, the low file size ensures a fast loading time. Furthermore, Google Fonts are secure web fonts. Different image synthesis systems (rendering) in different browsers, operating systems and mobile devices can lead to errors. Such errors can sometimes visually distort texts or entire websites. Thanks to the fast Content Delivery Network (CDN), there are no cross-platform problems with Google Fonts. Google Fonts supports all common browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera) and works reliably on most modern mobile operating systems, including Android 2.2+ and iOS 4.2+ (iPhone, iPad, iPod). We use Google Fonts so that we can present our entire online service as beautifully and uniformly as possible.

What data is stored by Google?

When you visit our website, the fonts are reloaded via a Google server. This external call transmits data to the Google server. In this way, Google also recognizes that you or your IP address is visiting our website. The Google Fonts API was developed to reduce the use, storage and collection of end user data to what is necessary for the proper provision of fonts. Incidentally, API stands for "Application Programming Interface" and is used, among other things, as a data transmitter in the software sector.

Google Fonts stores CSS and font requests securely at Google and is therefore protected. Google can use the collected usage figures to determine how well the individual fonts are received. Google publishes the results on internal analysis pages, such as Google Analytics. Google also uses data from its own web crawler to determine which websites use Google fonts. This data is published in the Google Fonts BigQuery database. Entrepreneurs and developers use the Google web service BigQuery to analyze and move large amounts of data.

However, it should also be noted that each Google Font request also automatically transmits information such as language settings, IP address, browser version, browser screen resolution and browser name to the Google servers. It is not clear whether this data is also stored or whether it is clearly communicated by Google.

How long and where is the data stored?

Google stores requests for CSS assets for one day on its servers, which are mainly located outside the EU. This allows us to use the fonts with the help of a Google stylesheet. A stylesheet is a format template that can be used to quickly and easily change the design or font of a website, for example.

The font files are stored by Google for one year. Google's aim is to fundamentally improve the loading time of websites. If millions of websites refer to the same fonts, they are cached after the first visit and immediately reappear on all other websites visited later. Sometimes Google updates font files to reduce the file size, increase language coverage and improve the design.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

The data that Google stores for one day or one year cannot simply be deleted. The data is automatically transmitted to Google when the page is accessed. To delete this data prematurely, you must contact Google support at https://support.google.com/?hl=de&tid=112937850 contact us. In this case, you can only prevent data storage if you do not visit our website.

Unlike other web fonts, Google allows us unrestricted access to all fonts. This means we have unlimited access to a sea of fonts and can therefore get the most out of our website. You can find out more about Google Fonts and other questions at https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq?tid=112937850. Although Google addresses data protection issues there, it does not contain any really detailed information about data storage. It is relatively difficult to obtain really precise information from Google about stored data.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Google Fonts, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when Google Fonts is used to collect data.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Google Font to optimize our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Google Font if you have given your consent.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

You can also find out which data is generally collected by Google and what this data is used for at https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/ read more.

Google Fonts Local Privacy Policy

We use Google Fonts from Google Inc. on our website. Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for the European region. We have integrated the Google fonts locally, i.e. on our web server - not on Google's servers. This means that there is no connection to Google servers and therefore no data transfer or storage.

What are Google Fonts?

Google Fonts used to also be called Google Web Fonts. This is an interactive directory with over 800 fonts that can be Google free of charge. With Google Fonts, you could use fonts without uploading them to your own server. However, in order to prevent any transfer of information to Google servers in this regard, we have downloaded the fonts to our server. In this way, we act in compliance with data protection regulations and do not send any data to Google Fonts.

Online map services Introduction

What are online map services?

We also use online map services for our website as an extended service. Google Maps is probably the service you are most familiar with, but there are also other providers that specialize in creating digital maps. Such services make it possible to display locations, route plans or other geographical information directly via our website. With an integrated map service, you no longer have to leave our website to view the route to a location, for example. In order for the online map to work on our website, map sections are integrated using HTML code. The services can then display street maps, the earth's surface or aerial or satellite images. If you use the integrated map service, data is also transferred to the tool used and stored there. This data may also include personal data.

Why do we use online map services on our website?

Generally speaking, our aim is to offer you a pleasant time on our website. And of course, your time is only pleasant if you can easily find your way around our website and find all the information you need quickly and easily. That's why we thought that an online map system could significantly improve our service on the website. Without leaving our website, you can use the map system to easily view route descriptions, locations or even places of interest. Of course, it is also very practical that you can see at a glance where we are based so that you can find us quickly and safely. As you can see, there are simply many advantages and we clearly regard online map services on our website as part of our customer service.

What data is stored by online map services?

When you open a page on our website that has a built-in online map function, personal data may be transmitted to the respective service and stored there. In most cases, this is your IP address, which can also be used to determine your approximate location. In addition to the IP address, data such as search terms entered and longitude and latitude coordinates are also stored. If you enter an address for route planning, for example, this data is also stored. The data is not stored by us, but on the servers of the integrated tools. You can imagine it like this: You are on our website, but when you interact with a map service, this interaction actually happens on their website. In order for the service to function properly, at least one cookie is usually set in your browser. Google Maps, for example, also uses cookies to record user behaviour in order to optimize its own service and provide personalized advertising. You can find out more about cookies in our "Cookies" section.

How long and where is the data stored?

Each online map service processes different user data. If we have further information, we will inform you about the duration of data processing below in the relevant sections on the individual tools. In principle, personal data is only stored for as long as is necessary for the provision of the service. Google Maps, for example, stores certain data for a specified period of time, while you must delete other data yourself. With Mapbox, for example, the IP address is stored for 30 days and then deleted. As you can see, each tool stores data for different lengths of time. We therefore recommend that you take a close look at the privacy policies of the tools you use.

The providers also use cookies to store data on your user behavior with the map service. You can find more general information on cookies in our "Cookies" section, but you can also find out which cookies may be used in the data protection texts of the individual providers. In most cases, however, this is only an exemplary list and is not complete.

Right of objection

You always have the possibility and also the right to access your personal data and also to object to its use and processing. You can also withdraw the consent you have given us at any time. As a rule, the easiest way to do this is via the cookie consent tool. However, there are also other opt-out tools that you can use. You can also manage, delete or deactivate any cookies set by the providers you use yourself with just a few mouse clicks. However, some functions of the service may then no longer work as usual. How you manage cookies in your browser also depends on the browser you are using. In the "Cookies" section, you will also find links to the instructions for the most important browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of an online map service, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by an online map service.

We also have a legitimate interest in using an online map service to optimize our service on our website. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only ever use an online map service if you have given your consent. We would like to make this clear at this point.

Information on special online map services - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Google Maps privacy policy

What is Google Maps?

We use Google Maps from Google Inc. on our website. Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services in Europe. Google Maps enables us to show you locations better and thus adapt our service to your needs. By using Google Maps, data is transmitted to Google and stored on Google servers. We would now like to explain in more detail what Google Maps is, why we use this Google service, what data is stored and how you can prevent this.

Google Maps is an internet map service from Google. With Google Maps, you can search online for exact locations of cities, places of interest, accommodation or businesses using a PC, tablet or app. If companies are represented on Google My Business, further information about the company is displayed in addition to the location. To display directions, map sections of a location can be integrated into a website using HTML code. Google Maps shows the earth's surface as a street map or as an aerial or satellite image. Thanks to the Street View images and the high-quality satellite images, very accurate representations are possible.

Why do we use Google Maps on our website?

All our efforts on this site are aimed at providing you with a useful and meaningful time on our website. By integrating Google Maps, we can provide you with the most important information on various locations. You can see at a glance where we are based. The directions always show you the best or quickest way to reach us. You can call up the directions for routes by car, public transport, on foot or by bike. For us, providing Google Maps is part of our customer service.

What data is stored by Google Maps?

In order for Google Maps to be able to offer its full service, the company must collect and store data from you. This includes the search terms entered, your IP address and also the latitude and longitude coordinates. If you use the route planner function, the start address you enter is also saved. However, this data storage takes place on the Google Maps websites. We can only inform you about this, but cannot influence it. As we have integrated Google Maps into our website, Google sets at least one cookie (name: NID) in your browser. This cookie stores data about your user behavior. Google uses this data primarily to optimize its own services and to provide you with individual, personalized advertising.

The following cookie is set in your browser due to the integration of Google Maps:

Name: NID
Value: 188=h26c1Ktha7fCQTx8rXgLyATyITJ112937850-5
Intended use: NID is used by Google to customize advertisements to your Google searches. With the help of the cookie, Google "remembers" your most frequently entered search queries or your previous interaction with ads. So you always get customized ads. The cookie contains a unique ID that Google uses to collect your personal settings for advertising purposes.
Expiration date: after 6 months

Note: We cannot guarantee the completeness of the stored data. Changes can never be ruled out, especially when cookies are used. In order to identify the NID cookie, a separate test page was created where only Google Maps was integrated.

How long and where is the data stored?

Google servers are located in data centers all over the world. However, most of the servers are located in America. For this reason, your data is increasingly stored in the USA. Here you can read exactly where the Google data centers are located: https://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/?hl=de

Google distributes the data on different data carriers. This means that the data can be accessed more quickly and is better protected against any attempts at manipulation. Each data center also has special emergency programs. If, for example, there are problems with the Google hardware or a natural disaster paralyzes the servers, the data is almost certainly still protected.

Google stores some data for a fixed period of time. For other data, Google only offers the option of deleting it manually. Furthermore, the company also anonymizes information (such as advertising data) in server logs by deleting part of the IP address and cookie information after 9 and 18 months respectively.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

With the automatic deletion function for location and activity data introduced in 2019, location and web/app activity information is stored for either 3 or 18 months - depending on your decision - and then deleted. You can also manually delete this data from your history at any time via your Google account. If you want to completely prevent your location from being recorded, you must pause the "Web and app activity" section in your Google account. Click on "Data and personalization" and then on the "Activity settings" option. Here you can switch the activities on or off.

You can also deactivate, delete or manage individual cookies in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this always works slightly differently. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

If you generally do not want to have cookies, you can set up your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. This allows you to decide for each individual cookie whether you want to allow it or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Google Maps, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur during the collection by Google Maps.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Google Maps to optimize our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Google Maps if you have given your consent.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

If you would like to find out more about Google's data processing, we recommend that you read the company's own privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Mapbox API Privacy Policy

What is Mapbox API?

On our website we use the Mapbox API of the American software company Mapbox Inc, 740 15th Street NW, 5th Floor, District of Columbia 20005, USA. Mapbox is an online map tool (open source mapping) that is accessed via an interface (API). By using this tool, your IP address is forwarded to Mapbox and stored, among other things. In this privacy policy, you can find out more about the functions of the tool, why we use it and, above all, what data is stored and how you can prevent this.

Mapbox is an American software company that offers customized online maps for websites. Mapbox can be used to illustrate content on our website or, for example, to graphically display directions. The maps can be easily integrated into our website using small code snippets (JavaScript code). Among other things, Mapbox offers a mobile-friendly environment, route information is provided in real time and data is visualized.

Why do we use Mapbox API on our website?

We also want to offer you a comprehensive service on our website and this should not simply end with our services or products. No, all of our content should also be of use to you. And this includes, for example, maps that show you the way to our company.

What data is stored by Mapbox API?

When you visit one of our subpages that has an integrated online map from Mapbox, data about your user behavior may be collected and stored. This is necessary to ensure that the integrated online maps function properly. It is also possible that data collected by Mapbox will be passed on to third parties, but not personal data. This happens either if this is necessary for legal reasons or if Mapbox explicitly commissions another company. The map content is transmitted directly to your browser and integrated into our website.

Mapbox automatically collects certain technical information when requests are made to the APIs. In addition to your IP address, this includes browser information, your operating system, the content of the request, limited location and usage data, the URL of the website visited and the date and time of the website visit. According to Mapbox, the data is only used to improve its own products. Mapbox also collects randomly generated IDs to analyze user behavior and determine the number of active users.

If you use one of our subpages and interact with an online map, Mapbox sets the following cookie in your browser:

Name: ppcbb-enable-content-mapbox_js
Value: 1605795587112937850-4
Intended use: We have not yet been able to find out more detailed information about the purpose of the cookie.
Expiration date: after one year

Note: In our tests, we did not find any cookies in the Chrome browser, but we did in other browsers.

How long and where is data stored?

The data collected is stored and processed on the American servers of the company Mapbox. Your IP address is stored for 30 days for security reasons and then deleted. Randomly generated IDs (no personal data) that analyze the use of the APIs are deleted after 36 months.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

If you do not want Mapbox to process data about you or your user behavior, you can deactivate JavaScript in your browser settings. Of course, you will then no longer be able to use the corresponding functions to their full extent.

You have the right to access your personal data at any time and to object to its use and processing. You can manage, delete or deactivate cookies that may be set by Mapbox API in your browser at any time. However, this may prevent the service from functioning fully. The management, deletion or deactivation of cookies works slightly differently for each browser. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Mapbox API, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by Mapbox API.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Mapbox API to optimize our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Mapbox API if you have given your consent.

Mapbox also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Mapbox is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Mapbox also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Mapbox undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

You can find out more about the data and standard contractual clauses that are processed through the use of Mapbox API in the privacy policy on https://www.mapbox.com/legal/privacy.

OpenStreetMap privacy policy

What is OpenStreetMap?

We have integrated map sections from the online map tool "OpenStreetMap" on our website. This is a so-called open source mapping, which we can access via an API (interface). This function is offered by OpenStreetMap Foundation, St John's Innovation Center, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, United Kingdom. By using this map function, your IP address is forwarded to OpenStreetMap. In this privacy policy, you can find out why we use functions of the OpenStreetMap tool, where which data is stored and how you can prevent this data storage.

The OpenStreetMap project was launched in 2004. The aim of the project is and was to create a free map of the world. Users around the world collect data on buildings, forests, rivers and roads, for example. Over the years, an extensive digital world map has been created by users themselves. Of course, the map is not complete, but in most regions it contains a great deal of data.

Why do we use OpenStreetMap on our website?

First and foremost, our website should be helpful to you. And from our point of view, it is always helpful when you can find information quickly and easily. On the one hand, of course, it is about our services and products, but on the other hand it should also provide you with other helpful information. That's why we also use the OpenStreetMap map service. For example, we can show you exactly how to find our company. The map shows you the best way to reach us and your journey becomes child's play.

What data is stored by OpenStreetMap?

When you visit one of our websites that offers OpenStreetMap, user data is transmitted to the service and stored there. OpenStreetMap collects information about your interactions with the digital map, your IP address, data about your browser, device type, operating system and on which day and at what time you used the service. Tracking software is also used to record user interactions. The company specifies the analysis tool "Piwik" in its own privacy policy.

The data collected is subsequently accessible to the relevant working groups of the OpenStreetMap Foundation. According to the company, personal data is not passed on to other persons or companies unless this is legally required. The third-party provider Piwik does store your IP address, but in abbreviated form.

The following cookie may be set in your browser when you interact with OpenStreetMap on our website:

Name: _osm_location
Value: 9.63312%7C52.41500%7C17%7CM
Intended use: The cookie is required to unlock the contents of OpenStreetMap.
Expiration date: after 10 years

If you want to view the full image of the map, you will be linked to the OpenStreetMap website. The following cookies, among others, can be stored in your browser there:

Name: _osm_totp_token
Value: 148253112937850-2
Intended use: This cookie is used to ensure the operation of the map section.
Expiration date: after one hour

Name: _osm_session
Value: 1d9bfa122e0259d5f6db4cb8ef653a1c
Intended use: Session information (i.e. user behavior) can be stored with the help of cookies.
Expiration date: after the end of the meeting

Name: _pk_id.1.cf09
Value: 4a5.1593684142.2.1593688396.1593688396112937850-9
Intended use: This cookie is set by Piwik to store or measure user data such as click behavior.
Expiration date: after one year

How long and where is the data stored?

The API servers, the databases and the servers of auxiliary services are currently located in the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and in the Netherlands. Your IP address and user information, which is stored in abbreviated form by the web analysis tool Piwik, will be deleted after 180 days.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to access your personal data at any time and to object to its use and processing. You can manage, delete or deactivate cookies that may be set by OpenStreetMap in your browser at any time. However, this will prevent the service from working to its full extent. The management, deletion or deactivation of cookies works slightly differently for each browser. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of OpenStreetMap, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur during the collection by OpenStreetMap.

We also have a legitimate interest in using OpenStreetMap to optimize our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use OpenStreetMap if you have given your consent.

If you would like to find out more about data processing by OpenStreetMap, we recommend that you read the company's privacy policy at https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy.

OpenWeather privacy policy

We use OpenWeather, an online service for weather data, for our website. The service provider is the British company Openweather Ltd, 17th floor, 1 Ropemaker Street, City Point, London, EC2Y 9ST, United Kingdom.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of OpenWeather in the privacy policy on https://openweather.co.uk/privacy-policy.

Content search providers Introduction

What is a content search provider?

We have already published a lot of content on our website. And of course we don't want it to be forgotten just because it can't be found. That's why we use a content search provider on our website. You are probably familiar with major search engines such as Google. A content search provider is basically also a search engine, but unlike Google, it does not search the entire web for content, but only the website you are on. You can use a text field to enter terms that match the content you are looking for and the search program will find the desired articles for you. If you use the integrated search function, your personal data may also be processed.

Why do we use a content search provider?

If you take a look around our website, you will quickly realize how much useful content we have already published over the years. There are some real treasures and we want you to find them quickly without having to click around. With a content search function directly on our website, you can quickly and easily find the content you are looking for using keywords that match the topic you are searching for. This feature is really practical and we also see it as our task to make your life on our website as pleasant and helpful as possible. That is why we have decided to integrate a content search program into our website.

What data is processed?

If you use the search function on our website, the integrated content search provider (such as Algolia Places or Giphy) may automatically receive and store data from you. This involves technical data about your browser as well as data such as your IP address, device ID and the search terms entered. Please note that IP addresses are personal data. The providers' privacy policies state that this information is collected and stored in order to increase security and improve their own services. The automatically collected usage data, which does not contain any personal data and is processed in anonymized form, can also be used for analysis purposes. Some providers also pass this anonymized data on to third parties. To find out more about this, we recommend that you read the specific data protection declarations of the individual providers carefully. In order for the services to function properly, cookies are usually also set in your browser. You can find out more about cookies in our general "Cookies" section. You can find out whether and which cookies the individual search tools use - if available - below or in the corresponding data protection declarations of the integrated tools.

How long and where is the data stored?

As a general rule, every content search provider processes different data. It is therefore not possible to go into the specific data processing of the individual tools in this general section. However, the services usually only store personal data for as long as this is necessary for the smooth functioning of the tools. Some services (such as Giphy) also store personal data for longer if this is necessary due to legal obligations. In depersonalized form, data is also stored for longer by most providers. Content search providers may also use cookies to store various data. You can find out more about this in our general section on cookies. If you want to know more about the specific cookies used by a search provider, we recommend that you read the privacy policies of the providers we use. You will usually find an exemplary list of the cookies used there.

Right of objection

Always be aware: if you do not want your personal data to be processed, it may not be processed. You always have the right to access your personal data and to object to its use. You can also withdraw your consent at any time using the cookie consent tool or other opt-out options. You can also easily manage, delete or deactivate the cookies used yourself via your browser. If you delete cookies, some of the tool's functions may no longer work. So please do not be surprised. How you manage cookies in your browser also depends on the browser you are using. In the "Cookies" section you will also find links to the instructions for the most important browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of a content search provider, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by a content search provider.

We also have a legitimate interest in using a content search provider to optimize our service on our website. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only ever use a content search provider if you have given your consent. We would like to make this clear at this point.

Information on special content search providers - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Custom Google Search Privacy Policy

What is Google Custom Search?

We have integrated the Google plug-in for user-defined searches on our website. Google is the largest and best-known search engine in the world and is operated by the US company Google Inc. Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for the European area. Through the user-defined Google search, data may be transferred from you to Google. In this privacy policy, we inform you why we use this plug-in, what data is processed and how you can manage or prevent this data transfer.

The custom Google search plug-in is a Google search bar directly on our website. The search takes place as on www.google.com but the search results focus on our content and products or on a limited search group.

Why do we use Google Custom Search on our website?

A website with a lot of interesting content often becomes so large that you may lose track of it. Over time, we have also accumulated a lot of valuable material and as part of our service, we want you to find our content as quickly and easily as possible. Custom Google search makes finding interesting content a breeze. The built-in Google plug-in improves the overall quality of our website and makes searching easier for you.

What data is saved by the custom Google search?

With the user-defined Google search, your data is only transmitted to Google if you actively use the Google search integrated on our website. This means that only when you enter a search term in the search bar and then confirm this term (e.g. by clicking on "Enter") will your IP address be sent to Google, stored and processed there in addition to the search term. Based on the cookies set (e.g. 1P_JAR), it can be assumed that Google also receives data on website usage. If you search for content during your visit to our website using the integrated Google search function and are logged in with your Google account at the same time, Google can also assign the data collected to your Google account. As the website operator, we have no influence on what Google does with the data collected or how Google processes the data.

The following cookies are set in your browser if you use the custom Google search and are not logged in with a Google account:

Name: 1P_JAR
Value: 2020-01-27-13112937850-5
Intended use: This cookie collects statistics on website usage and measures conversions. A conversion occurs, for example, when a user becomes a buyer. The cookie is also used to display relevant advertisements to users.
Expiration date: after one month

Name: CONSENT
Value: WP.282f52112937850-9
Intended use: The cookie stores the status of a user's consent to the use of various Google services. CONSENT is also used for security purposes to check users and protect user data from unauthorized attacks.
Expiration date: after 18 years

Name: NID
Value: 196=pwIo3B5fHr-8
Intended use: NID is used by Google to customize advertisements to your Google searches. With the help of the cookie, Google "remembers" the search queries you have entered or your previous interaction with ads. So you always get customized ads.
Expiration date: after 6 months

Note: This list cannot claim to be exhaustive, as Google changes its choice of cookies from time to time.

How long and where is the data stored?

Google servers are located all over the world. As Google is an American company, most of the data is stored on American servers. Under https://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/?hl=de you can see exactly where the Google servers are located.
Your data is distributed on various physical data carriers. This means that the data can be accessed more quickly and is better protected against possible manipulation. Google also has appropriate emergency programs for your data. For example, if there are internal technical problems at Google and servers stop working as a result, the risk of service interruption and data loss remains low.
Depending on the data in question, Google stores it for different lengths of time. You can delete some data yourself, others are automatically deleted or anonymized by Google. However, there is also data that Google stores for longer if this is necessary for legal or business reasons.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

Under European Union data protection law, you have the right to access, update, delete or restrict your data. There is some data that you can delete at any time. If you have a Google account, you can delete data about your web activity there or specify that it should be deleted after a certain period of time.
In your browser, you also have the option of deactivating or deleting cookies or managing them according to your wishes and preferences. In the "Cookies" section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Google Custom Search, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data as it may occur when collected by Google Custom Search.

We also have a legitimate interest in using the user-defined Google search to optimize our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the user-defined Google search if you have given your consent.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/

We hope we have been able to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Google. If you would like to find out more, we recommend Google's comprehensive privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Giphy privacy policy

We use Giphy, an online database and search engine, for our website. The service provider is the American company Giphy, Inc, 416 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10014, USA.

Giphy also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Giphy is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Giphy in the privacy policy on https://support.giphy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032872931.

Online booking systems Introduction

What is an online booking system?

We use one or more booking systems so that you can make bookings via our website. Appointments, for example, can be easily created online. A booking system is a software application integrated into our website that displays available resources (such as free appointments) and allows you to book and usually also pay directly online. You are probably already familiar with such booking systems from the hospitality or hotel industry. However, such systems are now used in a wide range of industries. Depending on the tool and settings, booking systems can be used both internally for us and for customers like you. As a rule, your personal data is also collected and stored.

Booking usually works as follows: You will find the booking system on our website, where you can book an appointment for a service directly by clicking the mouse and entering your details, and usually pay for it straight away. You may be able to use a form to enter various details about yourself. Please be aware that all the data you enter may be stored and managed in a database.

Why do we use an online booking system?

In a way, we see our website as a free service for you. We want you to receive helpful information and feel completely at ease on our site. This also includes an online service that makes it as easy as possible for you to book appointments or services. Gone are the days when you had to wait days for a booking confirmation by phone or e-mail. With an online booking system, everything is done in just a few clicks and you can get on with other things. The system also makes it easier for us to manage all bookings and appointments. We therefore consider such a booking system to be absolutely sensible for both you and us.

What data is processed?

Of course, we cannot tell you exactly which data is processed in this general information text about booking systems. This always depends on the tool used and the functions and options it contains. In addition to the conventional booking function, many booking systems also offer a range of other features. For example, many systems also have an integrated external online payment system (e.g. from Stripe, Klarna or Paypal) and a calendar synchronization function. Accordingly, depending on the functions, different and varying amounts of data can be processed. Data such as IP address, name and contact details, technical information about your device and the time of a booking are usually processed. If you also make a payment in the system, bank details such as account number, credit card number, passwords, TANs etc. are also stored and forwarded to the respective payment provider. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of the tool used carefully so that you know which of your data is specifically processed.

Duration of data processing

Each booking system stores data for different lengths of time. We are therefore unable to provide any specific information about the duration of data processing here. In principle, however, personal data is only stored for as long as is absolutely necessary to provide the services. Booking systems generally also use cookies, which store information for different lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted immediately after leaving the site, others can be stored for several years. You can find out more about this in our "Cookies" section. Please also take a look at the respective data protection declarations of the providers. These should explain how long your data is stored in each specific case.

Right of objection

If you have consented to data processing by a booking system, you naturally always have the option and the right to withdraw this consent. So please always be aware that you have rights in relation to your personal data and that you can exercise these rights at any time. If you do not want personal data to be processed, then no personal data may be processed. It's as simple as that. The easiest way to revoke data processing is via a cookie consent tool or other opt-out functions offered. You can also manage data storage by cookies directly in your browser, for example. The legality of data processing remains unaffected until you withdraw your consent.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of booking systems, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), it represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur through booking systems.

Furthermore, we also have a legitimate interest in using booking systems because they allow us to expand our customer service and optimize our internal booking organization. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent. We would like to make this clear at this point.

Information on special booking systems - if available - can be found in the following sections.

Calendly privacy policy

We also use the online booking system Calendly. The service provider is the American company Calendly Inc, 115 E. Main St., Ste A1B, Buford, GA 30518, USA.

Calendly also processes your data in the USA, among other places. Calendly is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Calendly also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Calendly undertakes to comply with the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding standard contractual clauses here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

You can find more information on the standard contractual clauses at Calendly in the data processing conditions at https://calendly.com/dpa.

We hope we have been able to provide you with the most important information about Calendly's data processing. You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of Calendly in the privacy policy on https://calendly.com/privacy.

Other Introduction

What falls under "Other"?

The "Other" category includes services that do not fit into one of the above categories. These are usually various plugins and integrated elements that improve our website. As a rule, these functions are obtained from third-party providers and integrated into our website. For example, these are web search services such as Algolia Place, Giphy, Programmable Search Engine or online services for weather data such as OpenWeather.

Why do we use other third-party providers?

With our website, we want to offer you the best web offering in our industry. A website has long been more than just a business card for companies. Rather, it is a place to help you find what you are looking for. To make our website even more interesting and helpful for you, we use various third-party services.

What data is processed?

Whenever elements are integrated into our website, your IP address is transmitted to the respective provider, stored and processed there. This is necessary because otherwise the content will not be sent to your browser and will therefore not be displayed accordingly. Service providers may also use pixel tags or web beacons. These are small graphics on websites that record a log file and can also create analyses of this file. Providers can use the information obtained to improve their own marketing measures. In addition to pixel tags, such information (such as which button you click or when you visit which page) can also be stored in cookies. In addition to analysis data on your web behavior, technical information such as your browser type or operating system can also be stored in cookies. Some providers can also link the data obtained with other internal services or with third-party providers. Each provider handles your data differently. We therefore recommend that you carefully read the data protection declarations of the respective services. As a matter of principle, we endeavor to only use services that handle the issue of data protection very carefully.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products.

Legal basis

If we ask for your consent and you also agree that we may use the service, this is the legal basis for processing your data (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing the behavior of website visitors in order to improve our offer technically and economically. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

Information on the special tools, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Explanation of terms used

We always endeavor to write our privacy policy as clearly and comprehensibly as possible. However, this is not always easy, especially when it comes to technical and legal topics. It often makes sense to use legal terms (such as personal data) or certain technical terms (such as cookies, IP address). However, we do not want to use these without explanation. Below you will find an alphabetical list of important terms used, which we may not have sufficiently addressed in the previous privacy policy. If these terms have been taken from the GDPR and are definitions, we will also quote the GDPR texts here and add our own explanations if necessary.

Supervisory authority

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Supervisory authority" an independent public body set up by a Member State in accordance with Article 51;

Explanation: "Supervisory authorities" are always independent state institutions that are also authorized to issue instructions in certain cases. They serve to carry out so-called state supervision and are located in ministries, special departments or other authorities. For data protection in Austria, there is an Austrian Data protection authorityGermany has its own data protection authority for each federal state.

Processor

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Processor" a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller;

Explanation: As a company and website owner, we are responsible for all data that we process from you. In addition to controllers, there may also be so-called processors. This includes any company or person that processes personal data on our behalf. In addition to service providers such as tax consultants, processors can therefore also be hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.

Supervisory authority concerned

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"supervisory authority concerned" a supervisory authority concerned by the processing of personal data because

a)

the controller or processor is established in the territory of the Member State of that supervisory authority,

b)

this processing has or may have a significant impact on data subjects residing in the Member State of that supervisory authority, or

c)

a complaint has been submitted to this supervisory authority;

Explanation: In Germany, each federal state has its own supervisory authority for data protection. So if your company headquarters (main branch) is in Germany, your contact is generally the respective supervisory authority of the federal state. In Austria, there is only one for the entire country Supervisory authority for data protection.

Biometric data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"biometric data" personal data relating to the physical, physiological or behavioral characteristics of a natural person, such as facial images or dactyloscopic data, obtained using specific technical procedures, which allow or confirm the unique identification of that natural person;

Explanation: These are biological characteristics that are described by biometric data and from which personal data can be obtained with the help of technical processes. This includes DNA, fingerprints, the geometry of various body parts, body size, but also handwriting or the sound of a voice.

File system

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"File system" any structured collection of personal data accessible according to specific criteria, regardless of whether this collection is managed centrally, decentrally or according to functional or geographical aspects;

Explanation: Any organized storage of data on a data carrier of a computer is referred to as a "file system". For example, if we store your name and email address on a server for our newsletter, then this data is stored in a so-called "file system". The most important tasks of a "file system" include quickly searching for and finding specific data and, of course, securely storing the data.

Service of the information society

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Service of the information society" a service within the meaning of Article 1(1)(b) of Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council (19);

Explanation: Basically, the term "information society" refers to a society that is based on information and communication technologies. As a website visitor in particular, you are familiar with various types of online services and most online services are classified as "information society services". A classic example of this is an online transaction, such as the purchase of goods over the Internet.

Third

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Third" a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body other than the data subject, controller, processor and persons who, under the direct authority of the controller or processor, are authorized to process personal data;

Explanation: The GDPR basically only explains what a "third party" is not. In practice, a "third party" is anyone who also has an interest in the personal data but is not one of the above-mentioned persons, authorities or bodies. For example, a parent company can act as a "third party". In this case, the subsidiary group is the controller and the parent group is the "third party". However, this does not mean that the parent company may automatically view, collect or store the personal data of the subsidiary company.

Restriction of processing

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Restriction of processing" the marking of stored personal data with the aim of restricting its future processing;

Explanation: It is one of your rights that you can request processors to restrict your personal data for further processing operations at any time. For this purpose, specific personal data such as your name, your date of birth or your address will be marked in such a way that further processing is no longer possible. For example, you could restrict processing to the effect that your data may no longer be used for personalized advertising.

Consent

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Consent" any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her;

Explanation: As a rule, websites obtain this consent via a cookie consent tool. You are probably familiar with this. Whenever you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked via a banner whether you agree or consent to data processing. In most cases, you can also make individual settings and decide for yourself which data processing you allow and which you do not. If you do not give your consent, your personal data may not be processed. In principle, consent can of course also be given in writing, i.e. not via a tool.

Receiver

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Receiver" a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or another body, to which the personal data are disclosed, whether a third party or not. However, public authorities which may receive personal data in the framework of a particular inquiry in accordance with Union or Member State law shall not be regarded as recipients; the processing of those data by those public authorities shall be in compliance with the applicable data protection rules according to the purposes of the processing;

Explanation: Every person and every company that receives personal data is considered a recipient. This means that we and our processors are also so-called recipients. Only authorities that have an investigation mandate are not considered recipients.

Genetic data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"genetic data" personal data relating to the inherited or acquired genetic characteristics of a natural person, which provide unique information about the physiology or health of that natural person and which have been obtained in particular from the analysis of a biological sample from the natural person concerned;

Explanation: With a certain amount of effort, people can be identified using genetic data. This is why genetic data also falls into the category of personal data. Genetic data is obtained from blood or saliva samples, for example.

Health data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Health data" personal data relating to the physical or mental health of a natural person, including the provision of healthcare services, and from which information about their health status is derived;

Explanation: Health data therefore includes all stored information relating to your own health. This is often data that is also recorded in a patient file. This includes, for example, which medication you use, X-ray images, your entire medical history or, as a rule, your vaccination status.

Cross-border processing

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"cross-border processing" either

a)

processing of personal data carried out in the context of the activities of establishments of a controller or processor in the Union in more than one Member State, where the controller or processor is established in more than one Member State, or

b)

processing of personal data carried out in the context of the activities of a single establishment of a controller or processor in the Union, but which produces or is likely to produce significant effects on data subjects in more than one Member State;

Explanation: For example, if a company or other organization has branches in Spain and Croatia and personal data is processed in connection with the activities of the branches, this is "cross-border processing" of personal data. Even if the data is only processed in one country (as in this example in Spain), but the effects for the data subject are also recognizable in another country, this is also referred to as "cross-border processing".

Head office

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Head office"

a)

in the case of a controller with establishments in more than one Member State, the place of its head office in the Union, unless the decisions as to the purposes and means of the processing of personal data are taken in another establishment of the controller in the Union and that establishment is authorized to have those decisions implemented, in which case the establishment taking such decisions shall be considered to be the main establishment;

b)

in the case of a processor with establishments in more than one Member State, the place of its head office in the Union or, where the processor does not have a head office in the Union, the place of establishment of the processor in the Union where the main processing activities in the context of the activities of an establishment of a processor take place, insofar as the processor is subject to specific obligations under this Regulation;

Explanation: Google, for example, is an American company that also processes data in the USA, but its European headquarters are located in Ireland (Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland). Google Ireland Limited is therefore legally an independent company and is responsible for all Google products offered in the European Economic Area. In contrast to a main office, there are also branch offices, but these do not function as legally independent branches and must therefore also be distinguished from subsidiaries. A principal place of business is therefore always the place where a company (trading company) has its center of operations.

International Organization

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"international organization" an organization under international law and its subordinate bodies or any other body established by or on the basis of an agreement concluded between two or more countries.

Explanation: The best-known examples of international organizations are probably the European Union or the United Nations. The GDPR distinguishes between third countries and international organizations in connection with data transfer. Within the EU, the transfer of personal data is not a problem because all EU countries are bound by the provisions of the GDPR. On the other hand, data transfers with third countries or international organizations are subject to certain conditions.

Relevant and well-founded objection

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Relevant and well-founded objection" an objection to a draft decision as to whether there is an infringement of this Regulation or whether envisaged measures against the controller or processor comply with this Regulation, clearly indicating the significance of the risks posed by the draft decision as regards the fundamental rights and freedoms of data subjects and, where applicable, the free flow of personal data in the Union;

Explanation: If certain measures that we take as the controller or our processors do not comply with the GDPR, you can raise a so-called "relevant and reasoned objection". In doing so, you must explain the scope of the risks in relation to your fundamental rights and freedoms and possibly the free movement of your personal data in the EU.

Personal data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"personal data" 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 or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person;

Explanation: Personal data is therefore all data that can identify you as a person. This is usually data such as

• Name
• Address
• E-mail address
• Postal address
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Identification numbers such as social security number, tax identification number, identity card number or matriculation number
• Bank data such as account number, credit information, account balances and much more.

According to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), your IP address for the personal data. IT experts can use your IP address to determine at least the approximate location of your device and subsequently you as the owner of the connection. Therefore, the storage of an IP address also requires a legal basis within the meaning of the GDPR. There are also so-called "special categories" of personal data that is also particularly worthy of protection. These include

• racial and ethnic origin
• political opinions
• religious or ideological convictions
• trade union membership
• genetic data such as data taken from blood or saliva samples
• biometric data (i.e. information on psychological, physical or behavioral characteristics that can identify a person).
  Health data
• Data on sexual orientation or sexual life

Profiling

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Profiling" any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyze or predict aspects concerning that natural person's performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location or movements;

Explanation: Profiling involves collecting various pieces of information about a person in order to find out more about them. In the web sector, profiling is often used for advertising purposes or for credit checks. For example, web and advertising analysis programs collect data about your behavior and interests on a website. This results in a special user profile that can be used to target advertising to a specific target group.

Pseudonymization

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Pseudonymization" 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 organizational measures to ensure that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person;

Explanation: Our privacy policy often refers to pseudonymized data. Pseudonymized data means that you can no longer be identified as a person, unless other information is added. However, you should not confuse pseudonymization with anonymization. Anonymization removes any personal reference, meaning that this can only be reconstructed with a disproportionate amount of technical effort.

The company

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Company" a natural and legal person who carries out an economic activity, regardless of its legal form, including partnerships or associations that regularly engage in an economic activity;

Explanation: For example, we are a company and also carry out an economic activity via our website by offering and selling services and/or products. The formal characteristic of every company is its legal entity, such as a GmbH or AG.

Group of companies

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Group of companies" A group consisting of a controlling company and the companies dependent on it;

Explanation: We speak of a "group of companies" when several companies unite and are legally and financially linked to each other, but there is still a central, overarching company. For example, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus VR and Facebook are largely independent companies, but are all subject to the parent company Meta Platforms, Inc.

Person responsible

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Responsible person" the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law;

Explanation: In our case, we are responsible for the processing of your personal data and are therefore the "controller". If we pass on collected data to other service providers for processing, they are "processors". An "order processing contract (AVV)" must be signed for this.

Processing

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Processing" any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction;

Note: When we talk about processing in our privacy policy, we mean any kind of data processing. As mentioned above in the original GDPR declaration, this includes not only the collection but also the storage and processing of data.

Binding internal data protection regulations

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"binding internal data protection regulations" measures to protect personal data which a controller or processor established in the territory of a Member State undertakes to comply with in respect of transfers or a set of transfers of personal data to a controller or processor within the same group of undertakings or the same group of undertakings engaged in a joint economic activity in one or more third countries;

Explanation: You may have heard or read the term "Binding Corporate Rules" before. After all, this is the term that usually comes up when it comes to binding internal data protection regulations. Especially for companies (such as Google) that process data in third countries, it is advisable to have such an internal regulation, through which a company commits itself, so to speak, to comply with data protection regulations. This regulation governs the handling of personal data that is transferred to and processed in third countries.

Violation of the protection of personal data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Violation of the protection of personal data" a breach of security which, whether accidental or unlawful, results in the destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed;

Explanation: For example, a "personal data breach" can occur in the event of a data leak, i.e. a technical problem or a cyberattack. If the breach results in a risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, the controller must report the incident immediately to the competent supervisory authority. In addition, the data subjects must also be informed if the breach poses a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.

Representative

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation:

"Representative" a natural or legal person established in the Union who has been designated in writing by the controller or processor in accordance with Article 27 and who represents the controller or processor in relation to their respective obligations under this Regulation;

Explanation: A "representative" can therefore be any person who has been appointed in writing by us (controller) or one of our service providers (processor). Companies outside the EU that process data of EU citizens must specify a representative within the EU. For example, if a web analytics provider has its main office in the USA, it must appoint a "representative" within the European Union to represent its obligations in relation to data processing.

Closing words

Congratulations! If you are reading this, you have really "fought" your way through our entire privacy policy, or at least scrolled this far. As you can see from the scope of our privacy policy, we take the protection of your personal data anything but lightly.
It is important to us to inform you to the best of our knowledge and belief about the processing of personal data. However, we not only want to tell you which data is processed, but also explain the reasons for using various software programs. As a rule, privacy policies sound very technical and legal. However, as most of you are not web developers or lawyers, we wanted to take a different approach and explain the facts in simple and clear language. Of course, this is not always possible due to the subject matter. Therefore, the most important terms are explained in more detail at the end of the privacy policy.
If you have any questions about data protection on our website, please do not hesitate to contact us or the responsible office. We wish you a pleasant time and hope to welcome you back to our website soon.

All texts are protected by copyright.

Source: Privacy policy created with the data protection generator for Austria by AdSimple