smarthome.codes
smarthome.codes

Privacy Policy

Preamble

With the following Data Protection Statement we would like to inform you about which types of your personal data (hereinafter also briefly referred to as “data”) we process, for which purposes, and to what extent. This Data Protection Statement applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of providing our services and in particular on our websites, in mobile applications as well as within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Online Offering”).

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Version: April 13, 2025

Table of Contents

Controller

Adriana Mantsch
c/o Postflex #8690
Emsdettener Str. 10
48268 Greven
Germany
No packages or parcels – delivery will be refused!

Email Address: info@smarthome.codes

Legal Notice: https://smarthome.codes/en/privacy-policy/

Overview of Processing Activities

The following overview summarizes the types of data processed and the purposes of the processing, and refers to the data subjects concerned.

Types of Processed Data

  • Inventory data.
  • Payment data.
  • Contact data.
  • Content data.
  • Contract data.
  • Usage data.
  • Metadata, communication and procedural data.
  • Log data.

Categories of Data Subjects

  • Service recipients and clients.
  • Interested parties.
  • Communication partners.
  • Users.

Purposes of the Processing

  • Providing contractual services and fulfilling contractual obligations.
  • Communication.
  • Security measures.
  • Traffic measurement.
  • Tracking.
  • Audience segmentation.
  • Affiliate tracking.
  • Organizational and administrative procedures.
  • Feedback.
  • Marketing.
  • User profiles with personalized information.
  • Provision of our Online Offering and user-friendliness.
  • IT infrastructure.
  • Public relations and information purposes.
  • Public relations.

Legal Bases

Applicable Legal Bases under the GDPR: The following provides an overview of the legal bases under the GDPR on which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the GDPR regulations, national data protection regulations in your or our country of residence may apply. Should there be specific legal bases in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the Data Protection Statement.

  • Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR) – The data subject has given consent to the processing of his/her personal data for one or more specific purposes.
  • Performance of a Contract and Pre-contractual Requests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or for taking pre-contractual measures at the data subject’s request.
  • Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR) – Processing is necessary to safeguard the legitimate interests of the controller or a third party, provided that the interests, rights, and freedoms of the data subject which require data protection do not prevail.

National Data Protection Regulations in Germany: In addition to the GDPR, national data protection regulations in Germany apply. This includes in particular the Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz – BDSG). The BDSG contains, among other things, special provisions regarding 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 the transfer and automated decision-making in individual cases including profiling. Furthermore, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security Measures

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

These measures include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data by controlling both physical and electronic access to the data as well as access, input, transmission, availability assurance, and separation. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subjects’ rights, the erasure of data, and responses to data breaches. In addition, we consider the protection of personal data during the development or selection of hardware, software, and procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection by design and by default settings.

IP Address Truncation: If IP addresses are processed by us or by the service providers and technologies we use, and processing a full IP address is not necessary, the IP address is truncated (also referred to as “IP masking”). In this process, the last two digits, or the last part of the IP address after a dot, are removed or replaced with placeholders. The purpose of truncating the IP address is to prevent or significantly hinder the identification of a person based on their IP address.

Securing Online Connections with TLS/SSL Encryption Technology (HTTPS): To protect users’ data transmitted via our online services from unauthorized access, we employ TLS/SSL encryption technology. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) are the cornerstones of secure data transmission on the internet. These technologies encrypt the information exchanged between the website or app and the user’s browser (or between two servers), thus protecting the data from unauthorized access. TLS, as the advanced and more secure version of SSL, ensures that all data transmissions comply with the highest security standards. When a website is secured with an SSL/TLS certificate, it is indicated by HTTPS in the URL. This serves as an indicator to users that their data is transmitted securely and encrypted.

Transfer of Personal Data

In the context of our processing of personal data, there are occasions when such data is transferred to other locations, companies, legally independent organizational units, or persons, or is disclosed to them. Recipients of such 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 legal requirements and especially conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with the recipients that are intended to protect your data.

International Data Transfers

Data Processing in Third Countries: If we transfer data to a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if such transfer occurs in the context of using third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, entities or companies (which becomes apparent from the postal address of the respective provider or when the Data Protection Statement explicitly refers to data transfer to third countries), this is always carried out in accordance with legal requirements.

For data transfers to the USA, we primarily rely on the Data Privacy Framework (DPF), which was recognized as a secure legal framework by an adequacy decision of the EU Commission on July 10, 2023. Additionally, we have concluded Standard Contractual Clauses with the respective providers that comply with the requirements of the EU Commission and set contractual obligations for the protection of your data.

This dual protection guarantees comprehensive protection of your data: The DPF forms the primary level of protection, while the Standard Contractual Clauses serve as additional security. Should changes occur within the scope of the DPF, the Standard Contractual Clauses serve as a reliable fallback option. In this way, we ensure that your data is always adequately protected even in the event of potential political or legal changes.

For each of the individual service providers, we inform you whether they are certified under the DPF and whether Standard Contractual Clauses are in place. For further information about the DPF and a list of certified companies, please visit the website of the US Department of Commerce at https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/ (in English).

For data transfers to other third countries, appropriate security measures apply, in particular Standard Contractual Clauses, explicit consents, or legally required transfers. Information on third country transfers and applicable adequacy decisions can be found in the EU Commission’s information: https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_en?prefLang=de.

General Information on Data Storage and Deletion

We delete personal data that we process in accordance with legal provisions as soon as the underlying consents are withdrawn or there are no further legal grounds for the processing. This applies to cases where the original purpose of the processing no longer exists or the data is no longer needed. Exceptions to this rule exist if legal obligations or special interests require a longer storage or archiving of the data.

In particular, data that must be retained for commercial or tax reasons, or whose storage is necessary for the enforcement of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of other natural or legal persons, must be archived accordingly.

Our data protection information contains additional details on the retention and deletion of data, which apply specifically to certain processing activities.

If several retention periods or deletion timeframes are indicated for a given piece of data, the longest period shall apply.

If a period does not explicitly begin on a specific date and is at least one year long, it automatically starts at the end of the calendar year in which the triggering event occurred. In the case of ongoing contractual relationships during which data is stored, the triggering event is the moment the termination takes effect or any other cessation of the legal relationship.

Data that is no longer retained for its originally intended purpose but is kept due to legal requirements or other reasons is processed exclusively for the reasons that justify its retention.

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Retention and Deletion of Data: The following general retention periods apply for the retention and archiving under German law:
    • 10 years – Retention period for books and records, annual financial statements, inventories, management reports, opening balance sheets as well as the working instructions and other organizational documents necessary for their comprehension (§ 147 para. 1 no. 1 in conjunction with para. 3 AO, § 14b para. 1 UStG, § 257 para. 1 no. 1 in conjunction with para. 4 HGB).
    • 8 years – Booking documents, e.g. invoices and expense receipts (§ 147 para. 1 no. 4 and 4a in conjunction with para. 3 sentence 1 AO as well as § 257 para. 1 no. 4 in conjunction with para. 4 HGB).
    • 6 years – Other business documents: received commercial or business letters, copies of sent commercial or business letters, other documents insofar as they are of tax significance, e.g. hourly wage records, cost accounting sheets, calculation documents, price lists, but also payroll documents insofar as they are not already booking documents and cash receipts (§ 147 para. 1 nos. 2, 3, 5 in conjunction with para. 3 AO, § 257 para. 1 nos. 2 and 3 in conjunction with para. 4 HGB).
    • 3 years – Data that is required to account for potential warranty and damage claims or similar contractual claims and rights, as well as to process related inquiries, based on previous business experiences and common industry practices, is stored for the duration of the regular legal limitation period of three years (§§ 195, 199 BGB).

Rights of the Data Subjects

Rights of the data subjects under the GDPR: As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, in particular as set out in Articles 15 to 21 of the GDPR:

  • Right to Object: You have the right to object at any time, based on reasons arising from your particular situation, to the processing of your personal data carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1) lit. e or f GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If your personal data is processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data for such marketing purposes; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: You have the right to withdraw any consent you have given at any time.
  • Right to Access: You have the right to obtain confirmation of whether your personal data is being processed and to receive information and a copy of the data in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Right to Rectification: You have the right to demand that incomplete data be completed or that incorrect data be rectified in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Right to Erasure and Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request the immediate deletion of your data, or alternatively, the restriction of the processing of your data in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive the personal data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or to request the transfer of such data to another controller, in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Right to Complain to a Supervisory Authority: Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedies, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work, or the location of the alleged infringement, if you believe that the processing of your personal data violates the GDPR.

Provision of the Online Offering and Web Hosting

We process users’ data in order to be able to provide 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 browser or device of the user.

  • Processed Data Types: Usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved); log data (e.g. logfiles regarding logins or data requests or access times); content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and posts as well as related information, such as details about the author or the creation time).
  • Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the Processing: Provision of our Online Offering and user-friendliness; IT infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices such as computers, servers, etc.); security measures.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”.
  • Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Provision of the Online Offering on Rented Server Space: For the provision of our Online Offering, we use storage space, computing capacity, and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also referred to as a “web host”); Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).
  • Collection of Access Data and Logfiles: Access to our Online Offering is recorded in the form of so-called “server logfiles”. Server logfiles may include the address and name of the websites and files accessed, date and time of access, amount of data transmitted, a message on successful access, browser type and version, operating system of the user, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and usually IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server logfiles may be used for security purposes, for example to prevent server overload (particularly in the case of abusive attacks, known as DDoS attacks), and to ensure the stability and capacity of the servers; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR). Deletion of Data: Logfile information is stored for a maximum period of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further retention is necessary for evidentiary purposes is exempted from deletion until the respective incident is conclusively clarified.
  • Email Sending and Hosting: The web hosting services we use also include the sending, receiving, and storage of emails. For these purposes, the email addresses of recipients and senders, as well as other information related to the email transmission (e.g. involved providers) and the contents of the respective emails, are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for the purpose of identifying spam. Please note that emails sent over the internet are generally not sent encrypted. Typically, while emails are encrypted during transmission, they are not encrypted on the servers from which they are sent and received (unless an end-to-end encryption method is used). We therefore cannot assume responsibility for the transmission path of emails between the sender and their receipt on our server; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).
  • ALL-INKL: Services in the field of providing IT infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities); Service Provider: ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich, Owner: René Münnich, Hauptstraße 68, 02742 Friedersdorf, Germany; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://all-inkl.com/; Data Protection Statement: https://all-inkl.com/datenschutzinformationen/. Data Processing Agreement: Provided by the service provider.

Use of Cookies

The term “cookies” refers to functions that store information on users’ devices and read it from them. Cookies can also be used for various purposes, such as for functionality, security, and user convenience of online offerings, as well as for the creation of visitor traffic analyses. We use cookies in accordance with legal regulations. Where necessary, we obtain the user’s consent in advance. If consent is not necessary, we rely on our legitimate interests. This applies when storing and reading information is essential to provide explicitly requested content and functions. This includes, for example, storing user settings as well as ensuring the functionality and security of our Online Offering. The consent can be withdrawn at any time. We clearly inform about its scope and which cookies are being used.

Notes on the Legal Bases: Whether we process personal data using cookies depends on consent. If consent is given, it serves as the legal basis. Without consent, we rely on our legitimate interests, which are explained above in this section and in the context of the respective services and procedures.

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

  • Temporary Cookies (also: Session or Session Cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest once a user leaves an online offering and closes his/her device (e.g. browser or mobile application).
  • Persistent Cookies: Persistent cookies remain stored even after the device is closed. For instance, they can store the login status so that preferred content is displayed immediately when the user visits a website again. Likewise, usage data collected via cookies may be used for traffic measurement. If we do not provide users with explicit information regarding the type and storage duration of cookies (e.g. in the context of obtaining consent), you should assume that these cookies are persistent and may be stored for up to two years.

General Information on Withdrawal and Objection (Opt-out): Users can withdraw any consent they have given at any time and also object to the processing in accordance with legal requirements, including through their browser’s privacy settings.

Cookie Settings/Objection Option:
Privacy Settings
Privacy Settings History
Withdraw Consents

  • Processed Data Types: Metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
  • Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal Bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR). Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Consent Management with Real Cookie Banner: To manage the use of cookies and similar technologies (e.g., tracking pixels, web beacons) as well as the related consents, we use the consent management tool Real Cookie Banner. This tool is used to obtain, manage, document, and, if necessary, revoke user consent for specific data processing operations. These consents particularly apply to cookies and comparable technologies that store, read, or process information on the user’s device. As part of this consent management process, the consents given are stored server-side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie) or by means of similar technologies in order to assign the consent to a specific user or their device and to provide proof of consent in accordance with legal requirements. The storage duration is up to two years. A pseudonymous user ID is generated and stored together with the time of consent, the selected settings (e.g., categories of cookies or service providers), as well as information about the browser, operating system, and device used. For more information about how Real Cookie Banner processes data, please visit https://devowl.io/rcb/data-processing/. Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR), legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR), and legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Our legitimate interest lies in the legally compliant and user-friendly management of cookie consents. Note: The provision of personal data in the context of this service is neither legally nor contractually required. You are not obliged to provide your consent. However, without such consent, certain features or services on our website may not be available.

Blogs and Publishing Media

We use blogs or comparable forms of online communication and publishing (hereinafter “Publishing Medium”). The readers’ data is processed for the purposes of the Publishing Medium only to the extent necessary for its presentation and for communication between authors and readers, or for security reasons. In other respects, we refer you to the information regarding the processing of the visitors of our Publishing Medium as set forth in this Data Protection Statement.

  • Processed Data Types: Inventory data (e.g. full name, address, contact information, customer number, etc.); contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and posts as well as related information, such as details about the authorship or creation time); usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
  • Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the Processing: Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via an online form); provision of our Online Offering and user-friendliness; security measures; organizational and administrative procedures.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”.
  • Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Comments and Contributions: If users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored based on our legitimate interests for our security in case someone posts unlawful content (insults, prohibited political propaganda etc.). In this case, we could be held liable for the comment or contribution and are therefore interested in the identity of the author.

    Furthermore, we reserve the right to process users’ information for spam detection on the basis of our legitimate interests.

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

    The information provided by users in the context of comments and contributions, such as any contact and website details as well as the content provided, will be stored by us permanently until the user objects; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).
  • Retrieval of WordPress Emojis and Smileys: Retrieval of WordPress emojis and smileys – Within our WordPress blog, graphical emojis (or smileys), i.e. small graphic files that express emotions, are used for efficient integration of content elements and are obtained from external servers. The providers of these servers collect users’ IP addresses. This is necessary so that the emoji files can be transmitted to the users’ browsers; Service Provider: Automattic A8C Irland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://automattic.com; Data Protection Statement: https://automattic.com/privacy; Data Processing Agreement: Provided by the service provider. Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (provided by the service provider).
  • Akismet Anti-Spam Check: We use the service “Akismet” based on our legitimate interests to differentiate genuine comments from spam comments. For this purpose, all comment details are sent to a server in the USA, where they are analyzed and stored for comparison purposes for four days. If a comment is classified as spam, the data is stored beyond that period. This data includes the entered name, the email address, the IP address, the comment content, the referrer, details about the browser and computer system as well as the time of the entry.

    Users are free to use pseudonyms or to omit entering their name or email address. They can entirely prevent the transmission of data by not using our commenting system. That would be unfortunate, but unfortunately we see no equally effective alternatives; Service Provider: Automattic A8C Irland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://automattic.com; Data Protection Statement: https://automattic.com/privacy/; Data Processing Agreement: Provided by the service provider. Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (provided by the service provider).
  • Gravatar Profile Pictures: Profile Pictures – We use the service Gravatar within our Online Offering and in particular in the blog. Gravatar is a service where users can register and store profile pictures along with their email addresses. When users leave posts or comments on other online presences (especially blogs) with the email address provided, their profile pictures can be displayed next to the posts or comments. For this purpose, the email address provided by the users is transmitted to Gravatar in encrypted form for verification as to whether a profile is stored for it. This is the only purpose for transmitting the email address. It is not used for other purposes but is deleted afterwards.

    The use of Gravatar is based on our legitimate interests, since it enables us to offer comment and post authors the opportunity to personalize their contributions with a profile picture.

    By displaying the images, Gravatar obtains the users’ IP address, as this is necessary for communication between a browser and an online service.

    If users do not wish for a profile image linked to their email address on Gravatar to appear in comments, they should use an email address for commenting that is not registered with Gravatar. We further note that it is possible to use an anonymous or even no email address, should users wish to prevent their email address from being transmitted to Gravatar. Users can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our commenting system; Service Provider: Automattic A8C Irland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://automattic.com; Data Protection Statement: https://automattic.com/privacy; Data Processing Agreement: Provided by the service provider. Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (provided by the service provider).
  • UpdraftPlus: Backup software and backup storage; Service Provider: Simba Hosting Ltd., 11, Barringer Way, St. Neots, Cambs., PE19 1LW, GB; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://updraftplus.com/; Data Protection Statement: https://updraftplus.com/data-protection-and-privacy-centre/.

Contact and Inquiry Management

When contacting us (e.g. via mail, contact form, email, telephone or via social media) as well as within existing user and business relationships, the data provided by the contacting persons is processed to the extent necessary to answer the inquiries and implement any requested measures.

  • Processed Data Types: Inventory data (e.g. full name, address, contact information, customer number, etc.); contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and posts, as well as related information such as details about the authorship or the creation time); usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
  • Data Subjects: Communication partners.
  • Purposes of the Processing: Communication; organizational and administrative procedures; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via an online form); provision of our Online Offering and user-friendliness.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”.
  • Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); performance of a contract and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Contact Form: When contacting us via our contact form, by email, or through other channels, we process the personal data transmitted to us to answer and address the respective inquiry. This generally includes details such as name, contact information and, if applicable, additional information provided that is necessary for proper handling. We use this data exclusively for the stated purpose of contact and communication; Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).

Web Analytics, Monitoring and Optimization

Web analytics (also referred to as “traffic measurement”) serves to evaluate the visitor flows of our Online Offering and may include data on behavior, interests or demographic information about the visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of traffic measurement, we can, for example, determine at what times our Online Offering or its functions or content are most frequently used, or encourage revisits. It also enables us to recognize which areas require optimization.

In addition to web analytics, we may also use testing procedures to test and optimize different versions of our Online Offering or its components.

If not stated otherwise below, for these purposes profiles—that is, data summarized for a usage session—may be created and information stored in a browser or on a device and then read out. The collected details include, in particular, visited websites and elements used there as well as technical information, such as the browser used, the computer system, and usage time details. If users have consented to the collection of their location data with us or with the providers of the services we use, the processing of location data is also possible.

Moreover, users’ IP addresses are stored. However, we use an IP-masking procedure (i.e. pseudonymization by truncating the IP address) to protect users. In general, in the context of web analytics, A/B testing and optimization, no plain personal data of users (such as email addresses or names) is stored, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the software know the users’ actual identities but only the information stored in their profiles for the purposes of the respective procedures.

Notes on Legal Bases: If we request the users’ consent for the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for data processing is consent. Otherwise, users’ data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. the interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this Data Protection Statement.

  • Processed Data Types: Usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
  • Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the Processing: Traffic measurement (e.g. access statistics, identifying recurring visitors); creation of user profiles; provision of our Online Offering and user-friendliness.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”. Storage of cookies for up to 2 years (unless stated otherwise, cookies and similar storage methods may be stored on users’ devices for a period of up to two years.).
  • Security Measures: IP-masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal Bases: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to measure and analyze the use of our Online Offering based on 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 a device in order to determine which content users have accessed within one or several usage sessions, which search terms they used, viewed again, or interacted with in our Online Offering. The time of use and duration, as well as the sources referring users to our Online Offering and technical details of their devices and browsers, are also stored.
    In this process, pseudonymous profiles of users are created from information gathered from the usage of various devices, whereby cookies may be used. Google Analytics does not log or store individual IP addresses for EU users. Instead, Analytics derives approximate geographical location data by deriving the following metadata from IP addresses: city (and the derived latitude and longitude of the city), continent, country, region, subcontinent (and corresponding ID-based counterparts). For EU traffic, the IP address data is used exclusively for this derivation of geolocation data before being immediately deleted. They are not logged, not accessible, and not used for further purposes. When Google Analytics collects measurement data, all IP requests are carried out on EU-based servers before the traffic is forwarded to Analytics servers for processing; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal Basis: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Security Measures: IP-masking (pseudonymization of the IP address); Data Protection Statement: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data Processing Agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms), Data Privacy Framework (DPF) Standard Contractual Clauses (https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms); Opt-Out Option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of ads: https://myadcenter.google.com/personalizationoff. Further Information: https://business.safety.google/adsservices/ (types of processing as well as the processed data).

Online Marketing

We process personal data for the purpose of online marketing, which may include, in particular, the marketing of advertising spaces or the presentation of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as “content”) based on users’ potential interests as well as the measurement of their effectiveness.

For these purposes, so-called user profiles are created and stored in a file (the so-called “cookie”) or similar methods are used, whereby the information relevant for the display of the aforementioned content is stored. This may include, for example, viewed content, visited websites, online networks used, as well as communication partners and technical details, such as the browser used, the computer system used, as well as details on usage times and functions used. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this data may also be processed.

Moreover, users’ IP addresses are stored. However, we use available IP-masking methods (i.e. pseudonymization by truncating the IP address) for user protection. In general, within the online marketing procedure, no plain personal data of users (e.g. email addresses or names) is stored but pseudonyms are used. This means that neither we nor the providers of the online marketing procedures know the actual identity of the users but only the data stored in their profiles.

The statements in the profiles are generally stored in cookies or by similar methods. These cookies may later also be read on other websites that use the same online marketing procedure, analyzed for the purpose of displaying content, and supplemented with further data and stored on the server of the online marketing service provider.

Exceptionally, it is possible to associate plain data with the profiles, primarily if, for example, users are members of a social network whose online marketing procedure we use and the network links the user profiles with the aforementioned data. Please note that users may also conclude additional agreements with the providers, for example by giving consent in the course of registration.

In principle, we only have access to aggregated information about the success of our advertisements. However, within the scope of so-called conversion measurements, we can check which of our online marketing procedures led to a conversion, i.e. for example to a contract conclusion with us. The conversion measurement is used solely for the purpose of analyzing the success of our marketing measures.

Unless stated otherwise, please assume that deployed cookies are stored for a period of two years.

Notes on the Legal Bases: If we request users’ consent for the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for the processing is consent. Otherwise, users’ data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. the interest in efficient, economic, and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this Data Protection Statement.

Notes on Withdrawal and Objection:

We refer you to the data protection statements of the respective providers and the objection options provided by the providers (so-called “opt-out”). If no explicit opt-out option is provided, you have the possibility to disable cookies in your browser settings. However, this may restrict some functions of our Online Offering. Therefore, we additionally recommend the following opt-out options, which are offered collectively targeting specific regions:

a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu.

b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices.

c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices.

d) Cross-regional: https://optout.aboutads.info.

  • Processed Data Types: Usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
  • Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the Processing: Traffic measurement (e.g. access statistics, identification of recurring visitors); tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies); audience segmentation; marketing. Creation of user profiles.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”. Storage of cookies for up to 2 years (unless stated otherwise, cookies and similar storage methods may be stored on users’ devices for a period of up to two years.).
  • Security Measures: IP-masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal Bases: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Google Adsense with Personalized Ads: We integrate the Google Adsense service, which enables personalized advertisements to be displayed within our Online Offering. Google Adsense analyzes user behavior and uses this data to serve targeted advertising that corresponds to the interests of our visitors. For each advertisement served or other uses of these ads, we receive financial compensation; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal Basis: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Data Protection Statement: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Data Privacy Framework (DPF); Further Information: types of processing and the processed data: https://business.safety.google/adsservices/. Data Processing Terms for Google Advertising Products: information on the services, data processing terms between controllers, and Standard Contractual Clauses for third-country data transfers: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.
  • Google Adsense with Non-Personalized Ads: We use the Google Adsense service to display non-personalized ads in our Online Offering. These ads are not based on individual user behavior but are selected based on general characteristics such as the content of the page or your approximate geographical location. For displaying or otherwise using these ads, we receive compensation; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal Basis: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Data Protection Statement: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Data Privacy Framework (DPF); Further Information: types of processing and the processed data: https://business.safety.google/adsservices/. Data Processing Terms for Google Advertising Products: information on the services, data processing terms between controllers, and Standard Contractual Clauses for third-country data transfers: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.

Affiliate Programs and Affiliate Links

We integrate so-called affiliate links or other references (which may include search forms, widgets or discount codes, for example) to the offerings and services of third-party providers into our Online Offering (collectively referred to as “affiliate links”). If users follow the affiliate links or subsequently take advantage of the offers, we may receive a commission or other benefits from these third-party providers (collectively referred to as “commission”).

In order to track whether users have taken advantage of the offers of an affiliate link used by us, it is necessary that the respective third-party providers become aware that the user has followed an affiliate link provided within our Online Offering. The assignment of the affiliate links to the respective business transactions or other actions (for example, purchases) is solely for the purpose of commission accounting and is deleted as soon as it is no longer required for that purpose.

For the purpose of assigning the affiliate links as described above, the affiliate links may be supplemented with certain values that become part of the link or can be stored in another way, for example in a cookie. The values may include in particular the originating website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operators of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, the type of link used, the type of offer, and an online identifier of the user.

Notes on the Legal Bases: If we request users’ consent for the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for the data processing is consent. Otherwise, users’ data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. the interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this Data Protection Statement.

  • Processed Data Types: Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, duration, customer category); usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved); inventory data (e.g. full name, address, contact information, customer number, etc.); payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history).
  • Data Subjects: Prospects; users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services); service recipients and clients.
  • Purposes of the Processing: Affiliate tracking; provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”.
  • Legal Basis: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Amazon Affiliate Program: Affiliate partner program (Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or one of its affiliates); Service Provider: Amazon EU S.à r.l. (Société à responsabilité limitée), 38 avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://www.amazon.de; Data Protection Statement: https://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010. Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • eBay Partner Network: Affiliate marketing partner program; Service Provider: eBay Partner Network, Inc., 2145 Hamilton Ave., San Jose, CA 95125, USA; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://partnernetwork.ebay.de; Data Protection Statement: https://partnernetwork.ebay.de/legal#privacy-policy.

Social Media Presences

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

Please note that in the process user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may pose risks for users, for example because the enforcement of users’ rights might be hindered.

Furthermore, the data of users within social networks is generally processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, based on user behavior and resulting interests, user profiles may be created. These profiles may in turn be used, for instance, to display advertisements within and outside the networks that are assumed to correspond to the users’ interests. Therefore, in general, cookies are stored on users’ computers in which the users’ behavior and interests are stored. In addition, the profiles may also store data independent of the devices used by the users (in particular if they are members of the respective platforms and are logged in there).

For a detailed description of the respective processing methods and the objection options (opt-out), please refer to the Data Protection Statements and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

Even in the case of access requests and the exercise of data subject rights, please note that these can most effectively be asserted with the providers. Only they have access to the user data and can directly take corresponding measures and provide information. Should you require assistance, you may contact us.

  • Processed Data Types: Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and posts as well as related information such as details about the authorship or the creation time); usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); inventory data (e.g. full name, address, contact information, customer number, etc.); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
  • Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the Processing: Communication; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via an online form); public relations; provision of our Online Offering and user-friendliness; IT infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices such as computers, servers, etc.); public relations and informational purposes.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”.
  • Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Bluesky: Decentralized social media network – enables creating, sharing, and commenting on content as well as following user profiles; Service Provider: Bluesky, PBLLC., Seattle, USA, support@bsky.app; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://bsky.social/; Data Protection Statement: https://bsky.social/about/support/privacy-policy.
  • Instagram: Social network that enables sharing photos and videos, commenting and favoriting posts, messaging, and following profiles and pages; Service Provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://www.instagram.com; Data Protection Statement: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • Facebook Pages: Profiles within the Facebook social network – Together with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, we are responsible for the collection (but not further processing) of data of visitors to our Facebook page (the so-called “Fanpage”). This data includes information about the types of content users view or interact with, or actions they perform (see the “Things Provided by You and Others” section in Facebook’s Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/), as well as information about the devices used by the users (e.g. IP addresses, operating system, browser type, language settings, cookie data; see the “Device Information” section in Facebook’s Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/). As explained in the Facebook Data Policy under “How We Use This Information,” Facebook also collects and uses information to provide analytics services, so-called “Page Insights,” to page operators so that they can gain insights into how people interact with their pages and associated content. We have concluded a special agreement with Facebook (“Information on Page Insights”, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum), in which the security measures that Facebook must observe are defined and in which Facebook commits to fulfilling the data subjects’ rights (i.e. users can, for example, address requests for information or deletion directly to Facebook). The rights of the users (in particular the right of access, deletion, objection, and complaint with the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook. Further information can be found in the “Information on Page Insights” (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data). The joint responsibility is limited to the collection and transmission of data to Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, a company based in the EU. The further processing of the data is the sole responsibility of Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, in particular as regards the transmission of the data to the parent company Meta Platforms, Inc. in the USA; Service Provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Data Protection Statement: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum), Data Privacy Framework (DPF) Standard Contractual Clauses (https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum).
  • LinkedIn: Social network – Together with LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, we are responsible for the collection (but not further processing) of the data of visitors that is used to create the “Page Insights” (statistics) of our LinkedIn profiles. This data includes information on the types of content users view or interact with, as well as the actions they perform. In addition, details of the devices used are recorded, such as IP addresses, operating system, browser type, language settings, and cookie data, as well as information from user profiles such as job function, country, industry, hierarchy level, company size, and employment status. Privacy information on the processing of user data by LinkedIn can be found in LinkedIn’s Data Protection Statement: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.
    We have concluded a special agreement with LinkedIn Ireland (“Page Insights Joint Controller Addendum”, https://legal.linkedin.com/pages-joint-controller-addendum), in which it is specified which security measures LinkedIn must observe and in which LinkedIn commits to fulfilling the data subjects’ rights (i.e. users can for example address requests for access or deletion directly to LinkedIn). The rights of the users (in particular the right of access, deletion, objection, and complaint with the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with LinkedIn. The joint responsibility is limited to the collection and transmission of data to LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, a company based in the EU. The further processing of the data is the sole responsibility of LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, particularly with regard to transmission of the data to the parent company LinkedIn Corporation in the USA; Service Provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Data Protection Statement: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa), Data Privacy Framework (DPF) Standard Contractual Clauses (https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa). Opt-Out Option: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.
  • Threads: Social network; Service Provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://www.threads.net/; Data Protection Statement: https://help.instagram.com/515230437301944.
  • X: Social network; Service Provider: Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://x.com; Data Protection Statement: https://x.com/de/privacy.
  • YouTube: Social network and video platform; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Data Protection Statement: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Opt-Out Option: https://myadcenter.google.com/personalizationoff.
  • Xing: Social network; Service Provider: New Work SE, Am Strandkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR); Website: https://www.xing.com/; Data Protection Statement: https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung.

Plug-ins and Embedded Functions and Contents

We integrate function and content elements into our Online Offering which are retrieved from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”). These may include, for example, graphics, videos or maps (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).

The integration always presupposes that these third-party providers process users’ IP addresses, as without the IP address they could not send the content to the users’ browsers. The IP address is thus necessary for the display of these contents or functions. We strive to use only those contents whose respective providers use the IP address solely for the delivery of the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also called “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. Through these pixel tags, information such as the visitor traffic on the pages of this website can be evaluated. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the users’ devices and may include, among other things, technical details about the browser and operating system, referring websites, time of visit, as well as further information about the use of our Online Offering, which may also be linked to such information from other sources.

Notes on the Legal Bases: If we request users’ consent for the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for the processing is consent. Otherwise, users’ data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. the interest in efficient, economic, and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this Data Protection Statement.

  • Processed Data Types: Usage data (e.g. page views and duration, click paths, frequency and intensity of use, types of devices and operating systems used, interactions with contents and functions); metadata, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
  • Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the Processing: Provision of our Online Offering and user-friendliness; traffic measurement (e.g. access statistics, identification of recurring visitors); tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies); audience segmentation; marketing.
  • Retention and Deletion: Deletion in accordance with the details provided in the section “General Information on Data Storage and Deletion”. Storage of cookies for up to 2 years (unless stated otherwise, cookies and similar storage methods may be stored on users’ devices for a period of up to two years.).
  • Legal Bases: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).

Further Information on Processing Activities, Procedures, and Services:

  • Integration of Third-Party Software, Scripts or Frameworks (e.g. jQuery): We integrate software into our Online Offering which we retrieve from other providers’ servers (e.g. functional libraries that we use for the purpose of displaying or enhancing the user-friendliness of our Online Offering). In doing so, the respective providers collect users’ IP addresses, which may be processed for the purpose of transmitting the software to the users’ browsers as well as for security and for the evaluation and optimization of their offerings; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).
  • Google Fonts (Hosted on Our Own Server): Provision of font files for a user-friendly display of our Online Offering; Service Provider: The Google Fonts are hosted on our server, and no data is transmitted to Google; Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR).
  • YouTube Videos: Video content; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal Basis: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Data Protection Statement: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Opt-Out Option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of ads: https://myadcenter.google.com/personalizationoff.
  • YouTube Videos: Within our Online Offering, videos are embedded that are hosted on YouTube. The integration of these YouTube videos is carried out via a special domain using the “youtube-nocookie” component in the so-called “enhanced privacy mode”. In enhanced privacy mode, before the video is started, only information such as your IP address as well as browser and device details, necessary for YouTube to display, control, and optimize the video, may be stored on your device in cookies or by comparable methods. Once you play the videos, additional information may be processed for the analysis of user behavior as well as for storage in the user profile and personalization of content and ads by YouTube. The storage duration for the cookies may be up to two years; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal Basis: Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Data Protection Statement: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for Third-Country Transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Further Information: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/171780?hl=de-DE#zippy=%2Cturn-on-privacy-enhanced-mode%2Cerweiterten-datenschutzmodus-aktivieren.

Changes and Updates

Please regularly inform yourself about the content of our Data Protection Statement. We will adjust the Data Protection Statement as soon as changes in the processing activities we carry out make it necessary. We will inform you as soon as any changes require your active cooperation (e.g. consent) or any other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information for companies and organizations in this Data Protection Statement, please note that these addresses may change over time, and we kindly ask you to verify the details before contacting them.

Definitions of Terms

This section provides an overview of the terms used in this Data Protection Statement. As far as the terms are legally defined, their legal definitions apply. The following explanations are primarily intended to aid understanding.

  • Affiliate Tracking: In the context of affiliate tracking, links that refer users from the linking websites to websites with product or other offers are recorded. The operators of the respective linking websites may receive a commission if users follow these so-called affiliate links and subsequently take advantage of the offers (e.g. purchase goods or use services). For this purpose, it is necessary for the providers to be able to track whether users interested in certain offers subsequently follow the affiliate links. Therefore, it is necessary for the functionality of affiliate links that they be supplemented with certain values that become part of the link or are stored in another way, such as in a cookie. The values include in particular the originating website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operators of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, an online identifier of the user as well as tracking-specific values, such as advertising material ID, partner ID, and categorizations.
  • Inventory Data: Inventory data includes essential information that is necessary for the identification and management of contractual partners, user accounts, profiles and similar assignments. This data may include personal and demographic information such as names, contact details (addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses), dates of birth, and specific identifiers (user IDs). Inventory data forms the basis for any formal interaction between persons and services, organizations, or systems by enabling unique assignment and communication.
  • Content Data: Content data encompasses information generated during the creation, editing, and publication of content of all kinds. This category of data may include texts, images, videos, audio files, and other multimedia content published on various platforms and media. Content data is not limited to the content itself but also includes metadata providing information about the content, such as tags, descriptions, author details, and publication dates.
  • Contact Data: Contact data are essential pieces of information that facilitate communication with persons or organizations. They include, for example, telephone numbers, postal addresses, and email addresses, as well as communication handles such as social media identifiers and instant messaging IDs.
  • Metadata, Communication and Procedural Data: These categories comprise information about the manner in which data is processed, transmitted, and managed. Metadata, also known as data about data, includes information that describes the context, origin, and structure of other data, such as file size, creation date, document author, and change histories. Communication data capture the exchange of information between users via different channels, such as email exchanges, call logs, messages on social networks, and chat histories – including the persons involved, timestamps, and transmission paths. Procedural data describe the processes and workflows within systems or organizations, including workflow documentation, transaction and activity logs, and audit trails used to track and verify operations.
  • Usage Data: Usage data refers to information that captures how users interact with digital products, services, or platforms. This data includes a wide range of information that reveals how users use applications, which functions they prefer, how long they stay on certain pages, and the paths they take through an application. Usage data may also include frequency of use, timestamps of activities, IP addresses, device information, and location data. This data is particularly valuable for analyzing user behavior, optimizing user experiences, personalizing content, and improving products or services. Additionally, usage data plays a crucial role in identifying trends, preferences, and potential issues within digital offerings.
  • Personal Data: “Personal Data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. a cookie) or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • User Profiles with Personalized Information: The processing of “profiles with personalized information”, or briefly “profiles”, encompasses any type of automated processing of personal data that involves using such personal data to analyze, evaluate, or to predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information regarding demographics, behavior, and interests, such as interactions with websites and their content, etc.). For the purposes of profiling, cookies and web beacons are frequently used.
  • Log Data: Log data is information about events or activities that have been recorded in a system or network. These data typically include details such as timestamps, IP addresses, user actions, error messages, and other information about the use or operation of a system. Log data are often used to analyze system issues, monitor security, or generate performance reports.
  • Traffic Measurement: Traffic measurement (also known as web analytics) serves the purpose of evaluating the visitor flows of an online offering and may encompass visitor behavior or interests regarding certain information, such as webpage content. With the help of traffic analysis, operators of online offerings can, for example, determine at which time users visit their websites and what content they are interested in. This enables them, for instance, to better tailor the content of the websites to the needs of their visitors. For the purpose of traffic analysis, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to identify returning visitors and obtain more accurate usage analyses of an online offering.
  • Tracking: “Tracking” refers to the ability to trace user behavior across multiple online offerings. Typically, with regard to the used online offerings, behavioral and interest information is stored in cookies or on the servers of the tracking technology providers (so-called profiling). This information may subsequently be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to correspond to their interests.
  • Controller: “Controller” is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
  • Processing: “Processing” means any operation or set of operations which is performed 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.
  • Contract Data: Contract data consists of specific information relating to the formalization of an agreement between two or more parties. It documents the conditions under which services or products are provided, exchanged, or sold. This data category is essential for the management and fulfillment of contractual obligations and includes both the identification of the contracting parties and the specific terms and conditions of the agreement. Contract data may include contract start and end dates, the nature of the agreed services or products, pricing agreements, payment terms, termination rights, renewal options, and special conditions or clauses. It serves as the legal basis for the relationship between the parties and is crucial for clarifying rights and obligations, enforcing claims, and resolving disputes.
  • Payment Data: Payment data includes all information required to process payment transactions between buyers and sellers. This data is essential for electronic commerce, online banking, and any other form of financial transaction. It includes details such as credit card numbers, bank account information, payment amounts, transaction dates, verification numbers, and invoice information. Payment data may also include information regarding payment status, chargebacks, authorizations, and fees.
  • Audience Segmentation: “Audience Segmentation” (also known as “Custom Audiences”) refers to the determination of target groups for advertising purposes, e.g. the display of advertisements. It may be inferred, for example, from a user’s interest in certain products or topics online that the user is interested in advertising for similar products or the online shop where the products were viewed. “Lookalike Audiences” refers to target groups that are assumed to correspond to the users for whom the profiles have been created. For the purposes of forming custom audiences and lookalike audiences, cookies and web beacons are generally used.

Created with the free Data Protection Generator by Dr. Thomas Schwenke

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