Privacy policy
Introduction
With the following data protection declaration, we would like to inform you about the types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as “data”) that we process, for what purposes and to what extent. The data protection declaration applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of the provision of our services and in particular on our websites, in mobile applications and within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Online Offer”).
The terms used are not gender specific.
Status: October 21, 2022
Table of contents
- Introduction
- Responsible
- Processing overview
- Relevant legal bases
- Security measures
- Transmission of personal data
- Data processing in third countries
- Data deletion
- Cookies use
- Business services
- Provision of the online offer and web hosting
- Contact and request management
- Communication via messenger
- Cloud services
- Promotional communication via e-mail, mail, fax or telephone
- Web analysis, monitoring and optimization
- Online marketing
- Plugins and embedded functions and content
- Modification and update of the privacy policy
- Rights of the data subjects
- Definitions
Responsible
LEDbow GmbH
Mannheim street, 19
75179, Pforzheim, Germany
Authorized representatives: Lars Weber (Managing Director) & Hai Ha Nguyen (Managing Director)
E-mail address: info@ledbow-germany.de
Phone: +49 7231 4626 903
Imprint: https://www.ledbow-germany.de/impressum/
Processing overview
The following overview summarizes the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing and refers to the data subjects.
Types of data processed
- Inventory data.
- Payment details.
- Contact details.
- Content data.
- Contract data.
- Usage data.
- Meta/communication data.
Categories of persons concerned
- Customers.
- Employees.
- Interested parties.
- Communication partner.
- Users.
- Business and Contractual Partners.
Processing purposes
- Provision of contractual services and customer service.
- Contact requests and communication.
- Safety measures.
- Direct marketing.
- Reach measurement.
- Tracking.
- Office and organizational procedures.
- Remarketing.
- Conversion measurement.
- Managing and responding to inquiries.
- Feedback.
- Marketing.
- Profiles with user-related information.
- Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
- Information Technology Infrastructure.
Relevant legal bases
Below you will find an overview of the legal basis of the GDPR on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. If, in addition, more specific legal bases are relevant in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.
- Consent (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO) – The data subject has given his/her consent to the processing of personal data relating to him/her for a specific purpose or purposes.
- Contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or for the performance of pre-contractual measures taken at the data subject’s request.
- Legal obligation (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. c) DSGVO) – Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
- Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO) – Processing is necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the controller or a third party, unless 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 General Data Protection Regulation, national regulations on data protection apply in Germany. This includes, 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 provisions 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 purposes of the employment relationship (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 to ensure a level of protection appropriate to the risk in accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the nature, scope, circumstances and purposes of the processing, as well as the different probabilities of occurrence and the extent of the threat to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.
The measures include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as access to, input of, disclosure of, ensuring the availability of and segregation of the data. Furthermore, we have established procedures to ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data, and responses to data compromise. Furthermore, we already take the protection of personal data into account during 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.
IP address shortening: If IP addresses are processed by us or by the service providers and technologies used and the processing of a full IP address is not required, the IP address is shortened (also referred to as “IP masking”). The last two digits or the last part of the IP address after a period are removed or replaced by wildcards. The shortening of the IP address is intended to prevent or make it significantly more difficult to identify a person by their IP address.
TLS encryption (https): To protect your data transmitted via our online offer, we use TLS encryption. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address bar of your browser.
Transmission of personal data
In the course of our processing of personal data, the data may be transferred to or disclosed to other entities, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons. The recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we 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 the use of third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, entities or companies, this is only done in accordance with the legal requirements.
Subject to express consent or contractually or legally required transfer, we process or have the data processed only in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, contractual obligation by 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, EU Commission information page: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_de).
Data deletion
The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as their consents permitted for processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data has ceased to apply or it is not required for the purpose). Unless the data is deleted because it is required for other and legally permissible purposes, its processing will be limited to these purposes. I.e., the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for reasons of commercial or tax law or whose storage is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural person or legal entity.
As part of our privacy notices, we may provide users with additional information regarding the deletion as well as the retention of data that is specific to each processing operation.
Cookies use
Cookies are small text files, or other memory tags, that store information on end devices and read information from the end devices. For example, 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 the purposes of functionality, security and comfort of online offers as well as the creation of analyses of visitor flows.
Consent notices: We use cookies in accordance with the law. 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 the information, i.e. including cookies, are absolutely necessary in order to provide the user with a telemedia service expressly requested by the user (i.e. our online offering). The revocable consent is clearly communicated to the users and contains the information about the respective cookie usage.
Notes on legal bases under data protection law: The legal basis under data protection law on which we process users’ personal data with the aid of cookies depends on whether we ask users for consent. If the users consent, the legal basis of the processing of your data is the declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the business management 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. We explain the purposes for which we process cookies in the course of this privacy policy or as part of our consent and processing procedures.
Storage duration: In terms of storage duration, the following types of cookies are distinguished:
- Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed his end device (e.g. browser or mobile app).
- Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the terminal device is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. Likewise, user data collected with the help of cookies can be used 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 consents they have given at any time and also file an objection to processing in accordance with the legal requirements in Art. 21 DSGVO. Users can also declare their objection via their browser settings, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also limit the functionality of our online services). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/.
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Processing of cookie data on the basis of consent: We use a cookie consent management procedure under which users’ consents to the use of cookies, or to the processing operations and providers mentioned in the cookie consent management procedure, can be obtained and managed and revoked by users. The declaration of consent is stored so that it does not have to be repeated and the consent can be proven 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.
- BorlabsCookie: Cookie consent management; Service provider: Hosted locally on our server, no data sharing with third parties; Website: https://de.borlabs.io/borlabs-cookie/; Other information: An individual user ID, language, as well as types of consents and the time of their submission are stored on the server side and in the cookie on the users’ device.
Business services
We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g. customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as “contractual partners”) in the context of contractual and comparable legal relationships as well as related measures and in the context of communication with contractual partners (or pre-contractual), e.g. to answer inquiries.
We process this data to fulfill our contractual obligations. This includes, in particular, the obligations to provide the agreed services, any update obligations and remedies in the event of warranty and other service disruptions. In addition, we process the data to safeguard our rights and for the purposes of the administrative tasks associated with these duties and the company organization. In addition, we process the data on the basis of our legitimate interests in proper and business management as well as security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from misuse, endangerment of their data, secrets, information and rights (e.g. for the involvement of telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). Within the scope of applicable law, we only disclose the data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent that this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations. The contractual partners will be informed about further forms of processing, e.g. for marketing purposes, within the scope of this data protection declaration.
We inform the contractual partners which data are required for the aforementioned purposes before or in the course of data collection, e.g. in online forms, by means of special marking (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar), or in person.
We delete the data after the expiry of legal warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., basically after 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., as long as it must be kept for legal archiving reasons. The statutory retention period for documents relevant under tax law and for commercial books, inventories, opening balances, annual financial statements, the work instructions required to understand these documents and other organizational documents and accounting records is ten years and for received commercial and business letters and reproductions of sent commercial and business letters six years. The period begins at the end of the calendar year in which the last entry was made in the book, the inventory, the opening balance sheet, the annual financial statements or the management report was prepared, the commercial or business letter was received or sent, or the accounting voucher was created, furthermore the recording was made or the other documents were created.
Insofar as we use third-party providers or platforms to provide our services, the terms and conditions and data protection notices of the respective third-party providers or platforms shall apply in the relationship between the users and the providers.
- Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); contract data (e.g. subject matter of contract, term, customer category).
- Affected persons: Interested parties; business and contractual partners; customers.
- Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service; contact requests and communication; office and organizational procedures; management and response to requests.
- Legal basis: contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. c) DSGVO); Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Agency Services: We process our customers’ data as part of our contractual services, which may include, for example, conceptual and strategic consulting, campaign planning, software and design development/consulting or maintenance, implementation of campaigns and processes, handling, server administration, data analysis/consulting services and training services; Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO).
- Consulting: We process the data of our clients, customers as well as interested parties and other clients or contractual partners (uniformly referred to as “clients”) in order to be able to provide them with our consulting services. The data processed, the type, scope, purpose and necessity of their processing are determined by the underlying contractual and client relationship.
If it is necessary for the fulfillment of our contract, for the protection of vital interests or required by law, or if we have the consent of the client, we disclose or transfer the client’s data to third parties or agents, such as authorities, subcontractors or in the field of IT, office or comparable services, in compliance with the requirements of professional law; Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO).
- Business consulting: We process the data of our customers, clients as well as interested parties and other clients or contractual partners (uniformly referred to as “customers”) in order to be able to provide them with our contractual or pre-contractual services, in particular consulting services. The data processed, the type, scope, purpose and necessity of their processing are determined by the underlying contractual and business relationship.
If it is necessary for the fulfillment of our contract or required by law, or if we have the customers’ consent, we disclose or transfer the customers’ data to third parties or agents, such as authorities, courts or in the field of IT, office or comparable services, in compliance with the requirements of professional law; Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO).
- Rental Services: We process the data of our tenants and of prospective tenants in accordance with the underlying rental agreement. We may also process the information on the characteristics and circumstances of persons or things belonging to them, if this is necessary in the context of the lease. This may include, for example, information on personal circumstances, movable or immovable tangible assets, and financial situation, as well as the use of ancillary services (such as water or energy supply).
Within the scope of our assignment, it may be necessary for us to process special categories of data within the meaning of Art. 9 para. 1 DSGVO, in particular information about the health of a person. The processing is done in order to be able to protect the health interests of the tenants and otherwise only with the consent of the tenants.
If required for the fulfillment of the contract or required by law or approved by the tenants or based on our legitimate interests, we disclose or transmit the data of the tenants in the context of coverage requests, conclusions and processing of contracts, e.g. to financial service providers, credit institutions, utilities (e.g. electricity) or authorities.
Furthermore, we process tenants’ data if this is necessary to fulfill legal obligations (e.g. in the case of information obligations in connection with ancillary services as well as the ancillary costs); legal basis: contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO).
Provision of the online offer and web hosting
We process users’ data in order to provide them with our online services. For this purpose, we process the user’s IP address, which is necessary to transmit the content and functions of our online services to the user’s browser or terminal device.
- Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses); content data (e.g. entries in online forms).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical equipment (computers, servers, etc.).); security measures.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Provision of online offer on rented storage space: For the provision of our online offer, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also called “web hoster”); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
- Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online offer is logged in the form of so-called “server log files”. The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, the date and time of access, the volume of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider.
The server log files may be used, on the one hand, for security purposes, e.g., to prevent server overload (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and, on the other hand, to ensure the utilization of the servers and their stability; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further retention is required for evidentiary purposes is exempt from deletion until final clarification of the respective incident.
- E-mail sending and hosting: The web hosting services we use also include the sending, receiving and storing of e-mails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders as well as further information concerning the e-mail dispatch (e.g. the providers involved) and the contents of the respective e-mails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for SPAM detection purposes. We ask you to note that e-mails are generally not sent encrypted on the Internet. As a rule, e-mails are encrypted in transit, but (unless a so-called end-to-end encryption method is used) not on the servers from which they are sent and received. We can therefore not assume any responsibility for the transmission path of the e-mails between the sender and the reception on our server; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
- ALL-INKL: Services in the field of provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacity); Service provider: ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich, Owner: René Münnich, Hauptstraße 68, 02742 Friedersdorf, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://all-inkl.com/; Privacy policy: https: //all-inkl.com/datenschutzinformationen/; Order processing contract: Provided by the service provider.
Contact and request management
When contacting us (e.g. by contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media) as well as in the context of existing user and business relationships, the information of the inquiring persons is processed to the extent necessary to respond to the contact requests and any requested measures.
- Types of data processed: contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
- Affected persons: Communication partners.
- Purposes of processing: contact requests and communication; managing and responding to requests; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); providing our online offer and user experience.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO).
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Contact form: If users contact us via our contact form, e-mail or other communication channels, we process the data communicated to us in this context to process the communicated request; Legal basis: Contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
Communication via messenger
We use messengers for communication purposes and therefore ask you to observe the following information on the functionality of the messengers, on encryption, on the use of the metadata of the communication and on your objection options.
You can also contact us by alternative means, e.g. via telephone or e-mail. Please use the contact options provided to you or the contact options specified within our online offer.
In the case of end-to-end encryption of content (i.e., the content of your message and attachments), please note that the communication content (i.e., the content of the message and attached images) is encrypted from end to end. This means that the content of the messages is not viewable, not even by the messenger providers themselves. You should always use an up-to-date version of messengers with encryption enabled to ensure that message content is encrypted.
However, we additionally point out to our communication partners that the providers of the messengers cannot view the content, but can learn that and when communication partners communicate with us as well as technical information about the device used by the communication partners and, depending on the settings of their device, also location information (so-called metadata) is processed.
Notes on legal bases: If we ask communication partners for permission before communicating with them via Messenger, the legal basis for our processing of their data is their consent. Otherwise, if we do not ask for consent and they contact us, for example, on their own initiative, we use Messenger in relation to our contractual partners and in the context of contract initiation as a contractual measure and, in the case of other interested parties and communication partners, on the basis of our legitimate interests in fast and efficient communication and meeting the needs of our communication partners in communication via Messenger. Furthermore, we would like to point out that we do not transmit the contact data provided to us to the messengers for the first time without your consent.
Revocation, objection and deletion: You can revoke a given consent at any time and object to communication with us via Messenger at any time. In the case of communication via Messenger, we delete the messages in accordance with our general deletion guidelines (i.e., e.g., as described above, after the end of contractual relationships, in the context of archiving requirements, etc.) and otherwise as soon as we can assume that we have answered any information provided by the communication partners, if no reference to a previous conversation is to be expected and the deletion does not conflict with any legal retention obligations.
Reservation of reference to other communication channels: Finally, we would like to point out that, for reasons of your security, we reserve the right not to answer requests via Messenger. This is the case if, for example, contractual internals require special secrecy or a reply via Messenger does not meet formal requirements. In such cases, we refer you to more adequate communication channels.
- Types of data processed: contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
- Affected persons: Communication partners.
- Purposes of processing: contact requests and communication; direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal mail).
- Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Apple iMessage: Service provider: Apple Inc, Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.apple.com/de/; Privacy policy: https: //www.apple.com/legal/privacy/de-ww/.
- WhatsApp: WhatsApp Messenger with end-to-end encryption; Service provider: WhatsApp Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2, D02 KH28, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.whatsapp.com/; Privacy policy: https: //www.whatsapp.com/legal.
Cloud services
We use software services accessible via the Internet and running on the servers of their providers (so-called “cloud services”, also referred to as “software as a service”) for the storage and management of content (e.g. document storage and management, exchange of documents, content and information with certain recipients or publication of content and information).
In this context, personal data may be processed and stored on the servers of the providers insofar as these are part of communication processes with us or are otherwise processed by us as set out in the context of this privacy policy. This data may include, in particular, master data and contact data of users, data on transactions, contracts, other processes and their contents. The cloud service providers also process usage data and metadata, which they use for security purposes and service optimization.
If we use cloud services to provide forms or other documents and content to other users or publicly accessible websites, the providers may store cookies on users’ devices for the purposes of web analytics or to remember users’ settings (e.g., in the case of media control).
- Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
- Data subjects: Customers; employees (e.g., employees, applicants, former employees); prospective customers; communication partners; users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: office and organizational procedures; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical equipment (computers, servers, etc.).).
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Dropbox: Cloud storage service; Service provider: Dropbox, Inc., 333 Brannan Street, San Francisco, California 94107, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https: //www.dropbox.com/de; Privacy policy: https: //www.dropbox.com/privacy; Order processing agreement: https: //assets.dropbox.com/documents/en/legal/dfb-data-processing-agreement.pdf; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection for processing in third countries): https://assets.dropbox.com/documents/en/legal/dfb-data-processing-agreement.pdf.
- Google Workspace: Cloud-based application software (e.g. word and spreadsheet editing, appointment and contact management), cloud storage and cloud infrastructure services; Service Provider: Google Cloud EMEA Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://workspace.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract: https://cloud.google.com/terms/data-processing-addendum; Standard contractual clauses (guaranteeing level of data protection for processing in third countries): https://cloud.google.com/terms/eu-model-contract-clause; Further information: https://cloud.google.com/privacy.
Promotional communication via e-mail, mail, fax or telephone
We process personal data for the purposes of promotional communication, which may take place via various channels, such as e-mail, telephone, mail or fax, in accordance with legal requirements.
Recipients have the right to revoke consent given at any time or to object to promotional communications at any time.
After revocation or objection, we store the data required to prove previous authorization for contacting or sending for up to three years after the end of the year of revocation or objection based on our legitimate interests. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. Based on the legitimate interest in permanently observing the user’s revocation or objection, we also store the data required to avoid contacting the user again (e.g., depending on the communication channel, the e-mail address, telephone number, name).
- Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
- Affected persons: Communication partners.
- Purposes of processing: direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal mail).
- Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
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, for example, identify 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, can be created for these purposes and information can be stored in a browser or in a terminal device and read from it. The information collected includes, in particular, websites visited and elements used there, as well as technical information such as the browser used, the computer system used, and information on usage times. If users have agreed to the collection of their location data from us or from the providers of the services we use, location data may also be processed.
The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use an IP masking method (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, the data stored in the context of web analytics, A/B testing and optimization is not clear user data (such as e-mail addresses or names), but pseudonyms. This means that we, as well as the providers of the software used, do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purposes of the respective procedures.
- Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: remarketing; reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); profiling with user-related information (creation of user profiles); tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-related profiling, use of cookies); 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) DSGVO).
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Google Analytics: web analytics, reach measurement and measurement of user flows; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection in case of processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Opt-out option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (types of processing as well as data processed).
- Google Universal Analytics: Reach Measurement and Web Analytics – We use Universal Analytics, a version of Google Analytics, to perform user analysis based on a pseudonymous user identification number. This identification number does not contain any clear data, such as names or e-mail addresses. It is used to assign analysis information to a user, e.g. to identify which content users have accessed within a usage session or whether they visit our online offering again. This involves creating pseudonymous profiles of users with information from the use of various devices; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; T&C: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection in case of processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Opt-out option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (types of processing as well as data processed).
- Google Analytics 4: We use Google Analytics to perform user analysis based on a pseudonymous user identification number. This identification number does not contain any unique data, such as names or e-mail addresses. It is used to assign analysis information to a terminal device in order to recognize which content users have called up within one or various usage processes, which search terms they have used, have called up 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 who refer to our online offer and technical aspects of their end devices and browsers. This involves creating pseudonymous profiles of users with information from the use of various devices, which may involve the use of cookies. In Analytics, higher level geographic location data is provided by capturing 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. The user’s IP address is not logged and is shortened by the last two digits by default. IP address shortening 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 through EU domains and servers; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection in case of processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Opt-out option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (types of processing as well as data processed).
- Google Signals (Google Analytics feature): Google Signals is session data from websites and apps that Google associates with users who have logged into their Google accounts and enabled ad personalization. This association of data with these logged-in users is used to enable cross-device reporting, cross-device remarketing, and cross-device conversion measurement. These include: Cross-platform reporting – linking device and activity data from multiple sessions using your User ID or Google Signals data to understand user behavior at each step of the conversion process, from initial contact to conversion and beyond; Remarketing with Google Analytics – creating remarketing audiences from Google Analytics data and sharing those audiences with linked advertising accounts; Demographics and interests – Google Analytics collects additional information about demographics and interests from users who are logged into their Google accounts and have ad personalization enabled; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7532985?hl=de; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing contract: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection in case of processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; 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 details in this privacy policy). The Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags) therefore does not yet create user profiles or store cookies, for example. Google only learns the user’s IP address, 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 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy policy: https: //policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing agreement:
https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection in case of processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (types of processing as well as data processed).
Online marketing
We process personal data for online marketing purposes, which may include, in particular, marketing advertising space or displaying promotional and other content (collectively, “Content”) based on users’ potential interests and measuring its effectiveness.
For these purposes, so-called user profiles are created and stored in a file (so-called “cookie”) or similar procedures are used, by means of which the user data relevant to the presentation of the aforementioned content is stored. This information may include, for example, content viewed, websites visited, online networks used, but also communication partners and technical information, such as the browser used, the computer system used, and information on usage times and functions used. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this can also be processed.
The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use available IP masking methods (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear data of the users (such as e-mail addresses or names) are stored in the online marketing process, but pseudonyms. This means that we, as well as the providers of the online marketing methods, do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles.
The information in the profiles is usually stored in the cookies or by means of similar procedures. These cookies can later generally be read on other websites that use the same online marketing method and analyzed for the purpose of displaying content as well as supplemented with further data and stored on the server of the online marketing method provider.
Exceptionally, clear data can be assigned to profiles. This is the case if, for example, the users are members of a social network whose online marketing methods we use and the network links the users’ profiles with the aforementioned information. We ask you to note that users can make additional agreements with the providers, e.g. by giving their consent as part of the registration process.
We generally only receive access to aggregate information about the success of our advertisements. However, in the context of so-called conversion measurements, we can check which of our online marketing processes have led to a so-called conversion, i.e., for example, to a contract being concluded with us. Conversion measurement is used solely to analyze the success of our marketing efforts.
Unless otherwise stated, we ask you to assume that cookies used will be stored for a period of two years.
- Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies); marketing; profiling with user-related information (creation of user profiles); conversion measurement (measurement of the effectiveness of marketing measures).
- Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
- Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO).
- Possibility of objection (opt-out): We refer to the data protection notices of the respective providers and the objection options (so-called “opt-out”) given to the providers. If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, you have the option of disabling cookies in your browser settings. However, this may restrict functions of our online offer. We therefore additionally recommend the following opt-out options, which are offered in summary form directed at respective areas:
a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu.
(b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices.
c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices.
d) Inter-area: https://optout.aboutads.info.
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Google Ads and conversion measurement: We use the online marketing method “Google Ads” to place ads in the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on web pages, etc.) so that they are displayed to users who have a presumed interest in the ads (so-called “conversion”). Furthermore, we measure the conversion of the ads. However, we only learn the anonymous total number of users who clicked on our ad and were redirected to a page tagged with a so-called “conversion tracking tag”. However, we ourselves do not receive any information with which users can be identified; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Further information: Types of processing as well as data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data processing conditions between controllers and standard contractual clauses for third country transfers of data: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.
- Enhanced conversions for Google Ads: When customers click on our Google ads and subsequently use the advertised service (so-called “conversion”), the data entered by the user, such as the e-mail address, name, home address or telephone number, may be transmitted to Google. The hash values are then matched with existing Google accounts of the users in order to better evaluate and improve the interaction of the users with the ads (e.g. clicks or views) and thus their performance; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9888656.
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”). This may include, 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 these contents or functions. We endeavor 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 evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, time of visit, and other information about the use of our online offering, as well as being linked to such information from other sources.
- Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
- Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
- Purposes of processing: provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; provision of contractual services and customer service.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
Further guidance on processing operations, procedures and services:
- Google Fonts (provision on own server): Fonts (“Google Fonts”) for the purpose of a user-friendly presentation of our online offer; Service provider: The Google Fonts are hosted on our server, no data is transmitted to Google; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
- reCAPTCHA: We integrate the “reCAPTCHA” function to be able to recognize whether entries (e.g. in online forms) are made by humans and not by automatically acting machines (so-called “bots”). Processed data may include IP addresses, information about operating systems, devices or browsers used, language settings, location, mouse movements, keyboard strokes, time spent on web pages, previously visited web pages, interactions with ReCaptcha on other web pages, possibly cookies, and results of manual recognition processes (e.g. answering questions asked or selecting objects in images). The data processing is based on our legitimate interest to protect our online offer from abusive automated crawling and spam; Service Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.google.com/recaptcha/; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
Modification and update of the privacy policy
We ask you to regularly inform yourself about the content of our privacy policy. We will adapt the privacy policy as soon as the changes in the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require an act of cooperation on your part (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.
Where we provide addresses and contact information for 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: You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e or f DSGVO; 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 of revocation for consents: You have the right to revoke any consent you have given at any time.
- Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether data in question is being processed and to obtain information about this data, as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the legal requirements.
- Right to rectification: In accordance with the law, you have the right to request that data concerning you be completed or that inaccurate data concerning you be rectified.
- Right to erasure and restriction of processing: You have the right, in accordance with the law, to request that data relating to you be erased immediately or, alternatively, to request restriction of the processing of the data in accordance with the law.
- Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data relating to you that you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format, or to request that it be transferred to another controller, in accordance with the law.
- Complaint to supervisory authority: In accordance with the law and without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, in particular a supervisory authority in the Member State where you usually reside, the supervisory authority of your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you infringes the GDPR.
Definitions
This section provides you with an overview of the terms used in this privacy statement. Many of the terms are taken from the law and defined especially in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are intended primarily to aid understanding. The terms are sorted alphabetically.
- Conversion measurement: Conversion measurement (also known as “visit action evaluation”) is a method used to determine the effectiveness of marketing measures. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the users’ devices within the websites on which the marketing activities take place and then retrieved again on the target website. For example, we can track whether the ads we have placed on other websites have been successful.
- Personal data: “Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
- Profiles with user-related information: The processing of “profiles with user-related information”, or “profiles” for short, includes any type of automated processing of personal data that consists in 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 concerning demographics, behavior and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behavior on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
- Reach measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offering and may include visitors’ behavior or interests in certain information, such as web page content. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can see, for example, at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This allows them, for example, to better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors. For reach analysis purposes, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offer.
- Remarketing: “Remarketing” or “retargeting” is when, for example, for advertising purposes, a note is made of which products a user was interested in on a website in order to remind the user of these products on other websites, e.g. in advertisements.
- Tracking: We speak of “tracking” when the behavior of users can be traced across several online offerings. As a rule, with regard to the online offers used, behavioral and interest information is stored in cookies or on servers of the providers of the tracking technologies (so-called profiling). This information may subsequently be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to match their interests.
- Controller: a “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 upon personal data, whether or not by automatic means. The term is wide-ranging and encompasses practically every handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or deletion.