The following data protection declaration shall inform you about the types of the personal data (hereinafter also referred to as "data") that we process, for what purposes and to what extent.

Last edited: Mai 2023

Relevant legal basis

You will find an overview of the legal bases of the GDPR below. We base the process of personal data based on these bases. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. Furthermore, should more specific legal bases be relevant in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

• Consent (Art. 6 Abs. 1 S. 1 lit. a) GDPR) - The data subject has given his/her consent to the processing of personal data relating to him/her for a specific purpose or purposes.
• Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Abs. 1 S. 1 lit. f) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests of the controller or a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require the protection of personal data.

In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national regulations on data protection apply in Germany. These include, in particular, the Act on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act - BDSG). In particular, the BDSG contains special regulations on the right to information, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission, as well as automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. Furthermore, it regulates data processing for employment purposes (Section 26 BDSG), in particular with regard to the establishment, implementation or termination of employment relationships as well as the consent of employees. Furthermore, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security measures

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

The measures include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as the access, input, transfer, safeguarding of availability and its separation. Furthermore, we have established procedures to ensure the exercise of data subjects' rights, the deletion of data, and responses to data compromise. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and processes in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.

Transmission of personal data

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

Data processing in third countries

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

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

Deletion of data

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

Our data protection notices may also contain further details on the retention and deletion of data, which take priority for the respective processing operations.

Use of cookies

Cookies are small text files, or other memory notes, which store information on end devices and read information from the end devices. E.g. to store the login status in a user account, a shopping cart content in an e-shop, the content accessed or functions used of an online offer. Cookies can further be used for various purposes, e.g. for purposes of functionality, security and comfort of online offers as well as the creation of analyses of visitor flows.

Notes on consent: We use cookies in accordance with legal requirements. Therefore, we obtain prior consent from users except where it is not required by law. In particular, consent is not required if the storage and reading of information, including cookies, is absolutely necessary to provide a telemedia service (i.e., our online offering) expressly requested by users. The strictly necessary cookies usually include cookies with functions related to the display and operability of the online offer , load balancing, security, storage of users' preferences and choices or similar purposes related to the provision of the main and secondary functions of the online offer requested by the users. The revocable consent is clearly communicated to the users and contains the information about the respective cookie use.

Notes on legal bases under data protection law: The legal basis under data protection law on which we process users' personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask users for consent. If users consent, the legal basis for processing their data is their declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in a business operation of our online offer and improvement of its usability) or, if this is done in the context of the fulfillment of our contractual obligations, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations. For what purposes the cookies are processed by us, we clarify in the course of this privacy policy or in the context of our consent and processing procedures.

Storage duration: With regard to the storage duration, there are different types of cookies:

• Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed his end device (e.g. browser or mobile application).
• Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the end device is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. Likewise, user data collected with the help of cookies can be used for reach measurement. Unless we provide users with explicit information about the type and storage duration of cookies (e.g., as part of obtaining consent), users should assume that cookies are permanent and that the storage period can be up to two years.
  General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Users can revoke the consent they have given at any time and also file an objection to processing in accordance with the legal requirements in Art. 21 GDPR. Users can also declare their objection via their browser settings, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (whereby this may also limit the functionality of our online services).

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

Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services

Cookie data processing based on consent: We use a cookie consent management procedure, in the context of which the consent of users to the use of cookies, or the processing and providers mentioned in the cookie consent management procedure, can be obtained and managed and revoked by users. Here, the declaration of consent is stored in order not to have to repeat its query and to be able to prove the consent in accordance with the legal obligation. The storage can take place on the server side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie, or with the help of comparable technologies), in order to be able to assign the consent to a user or their device. Subject to individual information on the providers of cookie management services, the following information applies: The duration of the storage of consent can be up to two years. Here, a pseudonymous user identifier is formed and stored with the time of consent, information on the scope of consent (e.g. which categories of cookies and/or service providers) as well as the browser, system and end device used; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Provision of the online service and web hosting

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

• Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
• Subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes: provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.).); provision of contractual services and customer service.
• Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) GDPR)..

Further information on processing procedures, methods and services

• Provision of online offer on rented storage space: for the provision of our online offer, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also referred to as "web hoster"); legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) GDPR).
• 1&1 IONOS: Services in the field of providing information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacity); Service provider: 1&1 IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.ionos.de; Privacy policy: https://www.ionos.de/terms-gtc/terms-privacy; Order processing contract: https://www.ionos.de/hilfe/datenschutz/allgemeine-informationen-zur-datenschutz-grundverordnung-dsgvo/auftragsverarbeitung

Web analysis, monitoring and optimization

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

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

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

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

• Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, consent status).
• Subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Rreach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles); provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
• Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
• Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Further notes on processing procedures, methods and services

• Google Analytics 4: We use Google Analytics to measure and analyze the use of our online offer on the basis of a pseudonymous user identification number. This identification number does not contain any unique data, such as names or email addresses. It is used to assign analysis information to an end device in order to recognize which content users have accessed within one or various usage processes, which search terms they have used, have accessed again or have interacted with our online offering. Likewise, the time of use and its duration are stored, as well as the sources of the users referring to our online offer and technical aspects of their end devices and browsers. In the process, pseudonymous profiles of users are created with information from the use of various devices, and cookies may be used. In Analytics, higher level geographic location data is provided by collecting the following metadata based on IP search: "city" (and the derived latitude and longitude of the city), "continent", "country", "region", "subcontinent" (and the ID-based equivalents). To ensure the protection of user data in the EU, Google receives and processes all user data via domains and servers within the EU. Users' IP addresses are not logged and are truncated by the last two digits by default. The shortening of the IP address takes place on EU servers for EU users. In addition, all sensitive data collected from users in the EU is deleted before it is collected via EU domains and servers; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: consent (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website:  https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract:  https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection for processing in third countries):  https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for the display of ads: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (types of processing as well as data processed).
• Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution with which we can manage so-called website tags via an interface and thus integrate other services into our online offering (please refer to further information in this privacy policy). With the Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags), therefore, no profiles of users are created or cookies are stored, for example. Google only learns the IP address of the user, which is necessary to run the Google Tag Manager; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection for processing in third countries):  https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms.
  

Plugins and embedded functions and content

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

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

• Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g., web pages visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication, and procedural data (e.g., IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, consent status).
• Subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes: provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
• Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further notes on processing, procedures and services

• Google Fonts (sourcing from Google Server): Obtaining fonts (and symbols) for the purpose of a technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts and symbols with regard to up-to-dateness and loading times, their uniform display and consideration of possible restrictions under licensing law. The provider of the fonts is informed of the user's IP address so that the fonts can be made available in the user's browser. In addition, technical data (language settings, screen resolution, operating system, hardware used) are transmitted that are necessary for the provision of the fonts depending on the devices used and the technical environment. This data may be processed on a server of the provider of the fonts in the USA - When visiting our online offer, users' browsers send their browser HTTP requests to the Google Fonts Web API (i.e. a software interface for retrieving fonts). The Google Fonts Web API provides users with the Google Fonts Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and then the fonts specified in the CCS. These HTTP requests include (1) the IP address used by the particular user to access the Internet, (2) the requested URL on the Google server, and (3) the HTTP headers, including the user agent describing the browser and operating system versions of the website visitors, and the referral URL (i.e., the web page where the Google font should be displayed). IP addresses are not logged or stored on Google servers and they are not analyzed. The Google Fonts Web API logs details of HTTP requests (requested URL, user agent, and referring URL). Access to this data is restricted and strictly controlled. The requested URL identifies the font families for which the user wants to load fonts. This data is logged so that Google can determine how often a particular font family is requested. With the Google Fonts Web API, the user agent must match the font that is generated for the particular browser type. The user agent is logged primarily for debugging purposes and is used to generate aggregate usage statistics that measure the popularity of font families. These aggregate usage statistics are published on Google Fonts' Analytics page. Finally, the referral URL is logged so that the data can be used for production maintenance and to generate an aggregate report on top integrations based on the number of font requests. Google says it does not use any of the information collected by Google Fonts to profile end users or serve targeted ads; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://fonts.google.com; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Further information: https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq/privacy?hl=en.
  

Change and update of the privacy policy

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

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

Rights of the data subjects

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

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