Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Introduction

With the following data protection declaration, we would like to inform you about which types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as "data") we process, for what purposes and to what extent. This 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 "online offering").

The terms used are not gender specific.

Status: 10 April 2020

Table of contents

Responsible

Mr Salem Boujezza
Lounitex
Koenigstrasse 5 
59909 Bestwig

E-mail address : info@lounitex.de

Imprint : http://www.lounitex.de/impressum

Overview of processing

The following overview summarises the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing and refers to the persons concerned.

Types of data processed

  • Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses).
  • Content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Contact details (e.g. email, telephone numbers).
  • Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Location data (data indicating the location of an end user’s device).
  • Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category).
  • Payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history).

Categories of data subjects

  • Business and contractual partners.
  • Interested parties.
  • communication partner.
  • Customers.
  • Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Contest and competition participants.

Purposes of processing

  • Affiliate tracking.
  • Registration procedure.
  • Provision of our online offering and user-friendliness.
  • Visit action evaluation.
  • Office and organizational procedures.
  • Cross-device tracking (cross-device processing of user data for marketing purposes).
  • Direct marketing (e.g. by email or post).
  • Conducting prize draws and competitions.
  • Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form).
  • Interest-based and behavioral marketing.
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Conversion measurement (measuring the effectiveness of marketing measures).
  • Profiling (creating user profiles).
  • Remarketing.
  • Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • Security measures.
  • Tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies).
  • Contractual services and service.
  • Managing and responding to inquiries.
  • Target group building (determination of target groups relevant for marketing purposes or other output of content).

Relevant legal bases

Below we share the legal basis of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, the national data protection regulations in your or our country of residence and domicile may apply. If more specific legal bases are relevant in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

  • Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR) - The data subject has given his or her consent to the processing of personal data concerning him or her for a specific purpose or for several specific purposes.
  • Contract fulfilment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. b. GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.
  • Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c. GDPR) - Processing is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
  • Protection of vital interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. d. GDPR) - Processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR) - Processing is necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the controller or of a third party, unless the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data prevail.

National data protection regulations in Germany : 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 law on protection against misuse of personal data in data processing (Federal Data Protection Act - BDSG). The BDSG contains special regulations on the right to information, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission and automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. It also regulates data processing for the purposes of the employment relationship (Section 26 BDSG), in particular with regard to the establishment, implementation or termination of employment relationships and the consent of employees. In addition, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security measures

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

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 it, input, transfer, ensuring availability and separation. Furthermore, we have set up procedures that ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data and reactions to data threats. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account when developing or selecting hardware, software and processes in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.

Shortening the IP address : If it is possible for us or if saving the IP address is not necessary, we will shorten your IP address or have it shortened. In the case of shortening the IP address, also known as "IP masking", the last octet, i.e. the last two numbers of an IP address, are deleted (in this context, the IP address is an identifier assigned individually to an Internet connection by the online access provider). The shortening of the IP address is intended to prevent or significantly complicate the identification of a person based on their IP address.

SSL encryption (https) : We use SSL encryption to protect the data you transmit via our website. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address line of your browser.

Transmission and disclosure of personal data

As part of our processing of personal data, it may happen that the data is transmitted to other bodies, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons or that it is disclosed to them. The recipients of this data may include, for example, payment institutions as part of payment transactions, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we observe the legal requirements and in particular conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data that serve to protect 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 if the processing takes place in the context of the use of third-party services or the disclosure or transmission of data to other persons, bodies or companies, this will only be done in accordance with the legal requirements.

Subject to express consent or contractually or legally required transmission, we only process or have the data processed in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, which include the US processors certified under the "Privacy Shield", or on the basis of special guarantees, such as contractual obligations through so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, the existence of certifications or binding internal data protection regulations (Art. 44 to 49 GDPR, information page of the EU Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_de ).

Use of cookies

Cookies are text files that contain data from visited websites or domains and are stored by a browser on the user's computer. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user during or after their visit to an online service. The information stored can include, for example, the language settings on a website, the login status, a shopping cart or the location where a video was watched. The term cookies also includes other technologies that perform the same functions as cookies (e.g. when user information is stored using pseudonymous online identifiers, also known as "user IDs").

The following cookie types and functions are distinguished:

  • Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offering and closed his browser.
  • Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the browser 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, the interests of users, which are used for reach measurement or marketing purposes, can be stored in such a cookie.
  • First-party cookies: First-party cookies are set by us ourselves.
  • Third-party cookies: Third-party cookies are mainly used by advertisers (so- called third parties) to process user information.
  • Necessary (also: essential or strictly necessary) cookies: Cookies may be absolutely necessary for the operation of a website (e.g. to store logins or other user inputs or for security reasons).
  • Statistics, marketing and personalization cookies : Cookies are also generally used to measure reach and when the interests of a user or their behavior (e.g. viewing certain content, using functions, etc.) on individual websites are stored in a user profile. Such profiles are used to show users content that corresponds to their potential interests, for example. This process is also known as "tracking," i.e. tracking the potential interests of users. If we use cookies or "tracking" technologies, we will inform you separately in our privacy policy or when obtaining consent.

Notes on legal basis: The legal basis on which we process your personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask you for consent. If this is the case and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for processing your data is your declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed using cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the commercial operation of our online offering and its improvement) or if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations.

General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Depending on whether the processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the option at any time to revoke your consent or to object to the processing of your data using cookie technologies (collectively referred to as "opt-out"). You can initially declare your objection using the settings in your browser, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also limit the functionality of our online offer). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be made using a variety of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/ You can also receive further information about your objection in the information on the service providers and cookies used.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Commercial and business services

We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g. customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as "contractual partners") within the framework of contractual and comparable legal relationships as well as related measures and within the framework of communication with the contractual partners (or pre-contractually), e.g. to answer inquiries.

We process this data to fulfill our contractual obligations, to protect our rights and for the purposes of the administrative tasks associated with this information and for business organization. Within the framework of applicable law, we only pass on the data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent that this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations or with the consent of the contractual partners (e.g. to participating telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). The contractual partners are informed about other forms of processing, e.g. for marketing purposes, within the framework of this data protection declaration.

We inform our contractual partners which data is required for the aforementioned purposes before or during data collection, e.g. in online forms, by special marking (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar), or in person.

We delete the data after the expiry of statutory warranty and similar obligations, i.e., generally after 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., for as long as it must be kept for legal archiving reasons (e.g., for tax purposes, usually 10 years). We delete data that was disclosed to us by the contractual partner as part of an order in accordance with the specifications of the order, generally after the end of the order.

To the extent that 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 apply to the relationship between the users and the providers.

Customer account : Contractual partners can create an account within our online offering (e.g. customer or user account, "customer account" for short). If the registration of a customer account is required, contractual partners will be informed of this and of the information required for registration. Customer accounts are not public and cannot be indexed by search engines. As part of the registration process and subsequent logins and use of the customer account, we save the customers' IP addresses along with the access times in order to be able to prove registration and prevent any misuse of the customer account.

If customers have terminated their customer account, the data relating to the customer account will be deleted, unless their retention is required for legal reasons. It is the customer's responsibility to back up their data when the customer account is terminated.

Economic analyses and market research : For business reasons and in order to be able to identify market trends and the wishes of contractual partners and users, we analyse the data available to us on business transactions, contracts, inquiries, etc., whereby the group of persons concerned may include contractual partners, interested parties, customers, visitors and users of our online offer.

The analyses are carried out for the purposes of business evaluations, marketing and market research (e.g. to determine customer groups with different characteristics). In doing so, we can take into account the profiles of registered users, if available, along with their information, e.g. on services used. The analyses serve us alone and are not disclosed externally, unless they are anonymous analyses with summarized, i.e. anonymized values. Furthermore, we take the privacy of the users into account and process the data for the analysis purposes as pseudonymously as possible and, if possible, anonymously (e.g. as summarized data).

Shop and e-commerce : We process our customers' data to enable them to select, purchase or order the selected products, goods and related services, as well as to pay for and deliver or execute them.

The required information is marked as such in the ordering or comparable purchasing process and includes the information required for delivery, provision and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultation.

  • 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 of the contract, term, customer category), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Interested parties, business and contractual partners, customers.
  • Purposes of processing: Contractual services and service, contact requests and communication, office and organizational procedures, administration and response to inquiries, security measures, visit action evaluation, interest-based and behavioral marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles).
  • Legal basis: Contractual performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legal obligation (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. c. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Use of online marketplaces for e-commerce

We offer our services on online platforms operated by other service providers. In this context, the data protection notices of the respective platforms apply in addition to our data protection notices. This applies in particular with regard to the methods used on the platforms for range measurement and interest-based marketing.

  • 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 of the contract, term, customer category), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Customers.
  • Purposes of processing: Contractual services and service.
  • Legal basis: Contractual performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Payment service providers

Within the framework of contractual and other legal relationships, due to legal obligations or otherwise on the basis of our legitimate interests, we offer the data subjects efficient and secure payment options and, in addition to banks and credit institutions, use other payment service providers (collectively "payment service providers").

The data processed by the payment service providers includes inventory data such as name and address, bank details such as account numbers or credit card numbers, passwords, TANs and checksums as well as contract, sum and recipient-related information. The information is required to carry out the transactions. However, the data entered is only processed and stored by the payment service providers. This means that we do not receive any account or credit card-related information, only information confirming or rejecting the payment. The payment service providers may transmit the data to credit agencies. This transmission is for the purpose of checking identity and creditworthiness. For this purpose, we refer to the terms and conditions and the data protection information of the payment service providers.

The terms and conditions and data protection notices of the respective payment service providers apply to payment transactions and can be accessed on the respective websites or transaction applications. We also refer to these for further information and to assert revocation, information and other rights of those affected.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history), contract data (e.g. subject of the contract, term, customer category), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Affected persons: Customers, interested parties.
  • undefined: Contractual services and service.
  • undefined: Contractual performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Registration, login and user account

Users can create a user account. During registration, users are provided with the required mandatory information and this information is processed for the purpose of providing the user account on the basis of contractual obligations. The data processed includes in particular the login information (name, password and an email address). The data entered during registration is used for the purposes of using the user account and its purpose.

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

When you use our registration and login functions and the user account, we save the IP address and the time of the respective user action. The data is saved on the basis of our legitimate interests and those of the users in protection against misuse and other unauthorized use. This data is generally not passed on to third parties unless it is necessary to pursue our claims or there is a legal obligation to do so.

Online forum : Participation in the forum requires registration, during which, unless otherwise stated in the registration form, you must provide your name, a password and the email address to which the access data will be sent. For security reasons, the password should be state-of-the-art, i.e. complicated (users will be informed of this during registration if necessary) and not used elsewhere. Posts in the forum are visible to the public unless their visibility is restricted to certain members or groups of members. Authors' posts are saved with their name, if registered or provided, the time and the content of the entry. When registering and writing entries, the users' IP addresses are also saved in case the entries contain inadmissible content and the IP addresses could be used for legal prosecution. The responsible party reserves the right to delete registrations and entries based on an appropriate assessment.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Contractual services and support, security measures, administration and response to inquiries.
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Single sign-on login

"Single sign-on" or "single sign-on registration or authentication" refers to procedures that allow users to log in to a provider of single sign-on procedures (e.g. a social network), including our online offering, using a user account. The prerequisite for single sign-on authentication is that users are registered with the respective single sign-on provider and enter the required access data in the online form provided for this purpose, or are already registered with the single sign-on provider and confirm the single sign-on registration via a button.

Authentication takes place directly with the respective single sign-on provider. As part of such authentication, we receive a user ID with the information that the user is logged in to the respective single sign-on provider under this user ID and an ID that we cannot use for other purposes (so-called "user handle"). Whether additional data is sent to us depends solely on the single sign-on process used, on the data releases selected as part of the authentication and also on which data users have released in the privacy or other settings of the user account with the single sign-on provider. Depending on the single sign-on provider and the user's choice, this can be different data; usually it is the email address and the user name. The password entered as part of the single sign-on process with the single sign-on provider is neither visible to us nor is it stored by us.

Users are asked to note that the information we store about them can be automatically compared with their user account with the single sign-on provider, but this is not always possible or actually happens. If, for example, users' email addresses change, they must change them manually in their user account with us.

We can use single sign-on registration, if agreed with the users, as part of or before the fulfillment of the contract, if the users have been asked to do so, process it within the scope of consent and otherwise use it on the basis of our legitimate interests and the interests of the users in an effective and secure registration system.

If users decide that they no longer want to use the link between their user account and the single sign-on provider for the single sign-on process, they must cancel this connection within their user account with the single sign-on provider. If users want to delete their data from us, they must cancel their registration with us.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Contractual services and service, registration procedures.
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Blogs and publication media

We use blogs or similar means of online communication and publication (hereinafter "publication medium"). Readers' data is only processed for the purposes of the publication medium to the extent that it is necessary for its presentation and communication between authors and readers or for security reasons. For the rest, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium in the context of this data protection notice.

Comments and contributions : When users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored based on our legitimate interests. This is done for our security in case someone leaves illegal content in comments and contributions (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we ourselves can 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 user information for the purpose of spam detection based on 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 avoid multiple voting.

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

Comment subscriptions : Users can subscribe to follow-up comments with their consent. Users will receive a confirmation email to verify that they are the owner of the email address they entered. Users can cancel ongoing comment subscriptions at any time. The confirmation email will contain information about the cancellation options. For the purposes of proving the user's consent, we store the time of registration and the user's IP address and delete this information when users unsubscribe from the subscription.

You can cancel your subscription to our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent. We can store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before we delete them in order to be able to prove that consent was previously given. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual request for deletion is possible at any time, provided that the previous existence of consent is confirmed at the same time.

Access to WordPress emojis and smileys : Within our WordPress blog, graphic emojis (or smileys), i.e. small graphic files that express emotions, are used for the purpose of efficiently integrating content elements. These files are obtained from external servers. The server providers collect the IP addresses of the users. This is necessary so that the emoji files can be transmitted to the users' browsers.

Akismet anti-spam check : We use the service "Akismet" on the basis of our legitimate interests. Akismet is used to distinguish between real people's comments and spam comments. All comment details are sent to a server in the USA, where they are analyzed and stored for four days for comparison purposes. If a comment is classified as spam, the data is stored beyond this time. This information includes the name entered, the email address, the IP address, the comment content, the referrer, information on the browser used, the computer system and the time of entry.

Users are welcome to use pseudonyms or not enter their name or email address. They can prevent the transmission of data completely by not using our comment system. That would be a shame, but unfortunately we don't see any alternatives that work just as effectively.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), contract data (e.g. subject of the contract, term, customer category).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Contractual services and support, feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online forms), security measures, managing and responding to inquiries, contact requests and communication.
  • Legal basis: Contractual performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR), consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), protection of vital interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. d. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Contact us

When you contact us (e.g. via contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media), the information provided by the person making the inquiry will be processed to the extent necessary to answer the contact requests and any requested measures.

Contact requests within the framework of contractual or pre-contractual relationships are answered to fulfill our contractual obligations or to answer (pre)contractual requests and otherwise on the basis of legitimate interests in answering the requests.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Affected persons: communication partner.
  • Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication.
  • Legal basis: Contractual performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Communication via Messenger

We use messengers for communication purposes and therefore ask you to note the following information on the functionality of the messengers, encryption, the use of communication metadata and your options for objection.

You can also contact us in alternative ways, e.g. by telephone or email. Please use the contact options provided to you or the contact options provided within our online offering.

In the case of end-to-end encryption of content (ie, the content of your message and attachments), we would like to point out that the communication content (ie, the content of the message and attached images) is encrypted from end to end. This means that the content of the messages cannot be viewed, not even by the messenger providers themselves. You should always use a current version of the messenger with encryption activated to ensure that the message content is encrypted.

However, we would also like to point out to our communication partners that although the providers of the messengers cannot see the content, they can find out 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, location information (so-called metadata) are also processed.

Notes on legal basis: 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 on their own initiative, for example, 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 communicating via messenger. We would also like to point out that we will not transmit the contact details provided to us to the messenger for the first time without your consent.

Revocation, objection and deletion: You can revoke your 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 (ie, for example, 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 from the communication partners, if no reference to a previous conversation is to be expected and there are no statutory retention periods that prevent deletion.

Subject to 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 inquiries via messenger. This is the case, for example, if internal contractual details require special confidentiality or if an answer via messenger does not meet the formal requirements. In such cases, we will refer you to more appropriate communication channels.

Skype : Skype's end-to-end encryption requires it to be enabled (if it is not enabled by default).

WhatsApp :

  • 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), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Affected persons: communication partner.
  • Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication, direct marketing (e.g. by email or post).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

In order to provide our online offering securely and efficiently, we use the services of one or more web hosting providers from whose servers (or servers managed by them) the online offering can be accessed. For these purposes, we can use infrastructure and platform services , computing capacity, storage space and database services as well as security and technical maintenance services.

The data processed in the context of providing the hosting service may include all information concerning the users of our online service that arises in the context of use and communication. This usually includes the IP address, which is necessary in order to be able to deliver the content of online services to browsers, and all entries made within our online service or on websites.

Collection of access data and log files : We ourselves (or our web hosting provider) collect data on every access to the server (so-called server log files). The server log files can include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, the date and time of access, the amount 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 can be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (particularly in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure the utilization of the servers and their stability.

  • Types of data processed: Content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Newsletter and broad communication

We only send newsletters, emails and other electronic notifications (hereinafter "newsletters") with the consent of the recipient or with legal permission. If the contents of the newsletter are specifically described when registering for the newsletter, they are decisive for the user's consent. In addition, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

To subscribe to our newsletter, it is generally sufficient to provide your email address. However, we may ask you to provide a name for the purpose of addressing you personally in the newsletter or other information if this is necessary for the purposes of the newsletter.

Double opt-in procedure: Registration for our newsletter is always carried out using a so-called double opt-in process. This means that after registration you will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register using someone else's email address. Registrations for the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes storing the time of registration and confirmation as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored by the shipping service provider are also logged.

Deletion and restriction of processing: We can store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years based on our legitimate interests before we delete them in order to be able to prove that consent was previously given. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual request for deletion is possible at any time, provided that the previous existence of consent is confirmed at the same time. In the case of obligations to permanently observe objections, we reserve the right to store the email address in a blocking list (so-called "blacklist") for this purpose alone.

The registration process is logged on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purpose of proving that it was carried out correctly. If we commission a service provider to send emails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure delivery system.

Notes on legal basis: The newsletter is sent based on the consent of the recipient or, if consent is not required, on the basis of our legitimate interests in direct marketing, if and to the extent that this is permitted by law, e.g. in the case of advertising to existing customers. If we commission a service provider to send emails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests. The registration process is recorded on the basis of our legitimate interests in order to prove that it was carried out in accordance with the law.

Contents : Information about us, our services, promotions and offers.

Measuring success : The newsletters contain a so-called "web beacon", i.e. a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from our server when the newsletter is opened or, if we use a shipping service provider, from its server. As part of this retrieval, technical information, such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and the time of retrieval, are initially collected.

This information is used to technically improve our newsletter based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading behavior based on their access locations (which can be determined using the IP address) or the access times. This analysis also includes determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened and which links are clicked. For technical reasons, this information can be assigned to individual newsletter recipients. However, it is neither our aim nor that of the shipping service provider, if used, to observe individual users. Rather, the evaluations help us to recognize the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to them or to send different content according to the interests of our users.

The evaluation of the newsletter and the measurement of success are carried out, subject to the express consent of the users, on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purposes of using a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves both our business interests and meets the expectations of the users.

Unfortunately, a separate revocation of the performance measurement is not possible; in this case, the entire newsletter subscription must be canceled or revoked.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Affected persons: communication partner.
  • Purposes of processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by email or post).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).
  • Opt-out option: You can cancel your subscription to our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent or object to further receipt. You will find a link to cancel the newsletter either at the end of each newsletter or you can use one of the contact options listed above, preferably email.

Services and service providers used:

Advertising communication via email, post, fax or telephone

We process personal data for the purposes of advertising communication, which can take place via various channels, such as e-mail, telephone, post or fax, in accordance with legal requirements.

The recipients have the right to revoke their consent at any time or to object to promotional communications at any time.

After revocation or objection, we can store the data required to prove consent for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before we delete it. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual request for deletion is possible at any time, provided that the previous existence of consent is confirmed at the same time.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Affected persons: communication partner.
  • Purposes of processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by email or post).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Prize draws and competitions

We only process personal data of participants in prize draws and competitions in compliance with the relevant data protection regulations, insofar as the processing is contractually necessary for the provision, implementation and processing of the prize draw, the participants have consented to the processing or the processing serves our legitimate interests (e.g. the security of the prize draw or the protection of our interests against misuse through possible collection of IP addresses when submitting prize draw entries).

If entries from participants are published as part of the competition (e.g. as part of a vote or presentation of the competition entries or the winners or reporting on the competition), we would like to point out that the names of the participants may also be published in this context. Participants can object to this at any time.

If the competition takes place within an online platform or a social network (e.g. Facebook or Instagram, hereinafter referred to as the "online platform"), the terms of use and data protection provisions of the respective platforms also apply. In these cases, we would like to point out that we are responsible for the information provided by participants as part of the competition and that inquiries regarding the competition should be directed to us.

Participants' data will be deleted as soon as the prize draw or competition has ended and the data is no longer required to inform the winners or because queries about the prize draw are expected. Participants' data will generally be deleted no later than 6 months after the end of the prize draw. Winners' data may be retained for longer, for example to answer queries about the prizes or to fulfill the prize-winning services; in this case, the retention period depends on the type of prize and is up to three years for items or services, for example in order to process warranty claims. Participants' data may also be stored for longer, for example in the form of reports on the prize draw in online and offline media.

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

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Affected persons: Contest and competition participants.
  • Purposes of processing: Conducting prize draws and competitions.
  • Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR).

Web analysis and optimization

Web analysis (also known as "reach measurement") is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to our online offering and can 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 offering or its functions or content are most frequently used or invite reuse. We can also understand which areas require optimization.

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

For these purposes, so-called user profiles can be created and saved in a file (so-called "cookie") or similar procedures can be used for the same purpose. This information can include, for example, content viewed, websites visited and elements used there and technical information such as the browser used, the computer system used and information on usage times. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this can also be processed depending on the provider.

The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use an IP masking process (i.e. pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear user data (such as email addresses or names) is stored as part of web analysis, A/B testing and optimization, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the software used know the actual identity of the users, only the information stored in their profiles for the purposes of the respective processes.

Notes on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent to use third-party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical 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 declaration.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: 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-related profiling, use of cookies), visit action evaluation, profiling (creation of user profiles), remarketing, interest-based and behavior-related marketing.
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Online marketing

We process personal data for the purposes of online marketing, which may include in particular the marketing of advertising space or the presentation of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as "content") based on the potential interests of users and the measurement of their 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 information about the user relevant to the display 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. 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 procedures (ie pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect the users. In general, no clear data of the users (such as email addresses or names) is stored as part of the online marketing process, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the online marketing process know the actual identity of the users, only the information stored in their profiles.

The information in the profiles is usually stored in cookies or using similar processes. These cookies can generally also be read later on other websites that use the same online marketing process and analyzed for the purposes of displaying content, as well as supplemented with further data and stored on the server of the online marketing process provider.

In exceptional cases, 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 processes we use and the network links the users' profiles with the aforementioned information. Please note that users can make additional agreements with the providers, e.g. by giving their consent during registration.

In principle, we only receive access to summarized information about the success of our advertisements. However, as part of so-called conversion measurements, we can check which of our online marketing processes have led to a so-called conversion, ie, for example, to the conclusion of a contract with us. The conversion measurement is used solely to analyze the success of our marketing measures.

Unless otherwise stated, please assume that cookies used will be stored for a period of two years.

Notes on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent to use third-party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical 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 declaration.

Facebook Pixel : With the help of the Facebook Pixel, Facebook is able to determine the visitors to our online offering as a target group for the display of advertisements (so-called "Facebook Ads"). Accordingly, we use the Facebook Pixel to only show the Facebook ads placed by us to those users on Facebook and within the services of partners cooperating with Facebook (so-called "Audience Network"). https://www.facebook.com/audiencenetwork/ ) who have also shown an interest in our online offering or who have certain characteristics (e.g. interest in certain topics or products that can be seen from the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (so-called "Custom Audiences"). With the help of the Facebook pixel, we also want to ensure that our Facebook ads correspond to the potential interests of users and do not appear annoying. With the help of the Facebook pixel, we can also track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users were redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (so-called "conversion measurement").

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), location data (data indicating the location of an end user’s device).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), interested parties.
  • Purposes of processing: Tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-related profiling, use of cookies), remarketing, visit action analysis, interest-based and behavior-related marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles), conversion measurement (measurement of the effectiveness of marketing measures), reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), target group formation (determination of target groups relevant for marketing purposes or other output of content), cross-device tracking (cross-device processing of user data for marketing purposes).
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).
  • Opt-out option: We refer to the data protection information of the respective providers and the objection options specified for the providers (so-called "opt-out"). If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, you can deactivate cookies in your browser settings. However, this may restrict the functions of our online offer. We therefore also recommend the following opt-out options, which are offered in summary for the respective regions: a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu . b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices . c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices . d) Cross-territory: https://optout.aboutads.info .

Services and service providers used:

Affiliate programs and affiliate links

In our online offering, we include so-called affiliate links or other references (which may include discount codes, for example) to the offers and services of third-party providers (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 be able to track whether users have taken advantage of the offers of an affiliate link used by us, it is necessary for the respective third-party providers to know that users have followed an affiliate link used within our online offer. The assignment of the affiliate links to the respective business transactions or other actions (e.g. purchases) serves solely the purpose of commission accounting and is canceled as soon as it is no longer required for this purpose.

For the purposes of the aforementioned assignment of affiliate links, the affiliate links can be supplemented with certain values ​​that are part of the link or can be stored elsewhere, e.g. in a cookie. The values ​​can include in particular the source website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operator 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 legal basis: If we ask users for their consent to use third-party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Furthermore, their use can be a component of our (pre)contractual services, provided that the use of third-party providers was agreed within this framework. Otherwise, users' data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical 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 declaration.

  • Types of data processed: Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Affiliate tracking.
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Rating platforms

We participate in evaluation processes to evaluate, optimize and promote our services. If users rate us via the evaluation platforms or processes involved or otherwise provide feedback, the general terms and conditions or terms of use and the data protection notices of the providers also apply. As a rule, the evaluation also requires registration with the respective providers.

In order to ensure that the people providing the reviews have actually used our services, we transmit the necessary data regarding the customer and the service used to the respective review platform (including name, email address and order number or item number) with the customer's consent. This data is used solely to verify the authenticity of the user.

Rating widget : We integrate so-called "rating widgets" into our online offering. A widget is a functional and content element integrated into our online offering that displays variable information. It can be displayed in the form of a seal or similar element, sometimes also called a "badge". The corresponding content of the widget is displayed within our online offering, but it is retrieved at that moment from the servers of the respective widget provider. This is the only way to always display the current content, especially the current rating. For this, a data connection must be established from the website accessed within our online offering to the server of the widget provider and the widget provider receives certain technical data (access data, including IP address) that are necessary so that the content of the widget can be delivered to the user's browser.

Furthermore, the widget provider receives information that users have visited our online offering. This information can be stored in a cookie and used by the widget provider to identify which online offerings that participate in the evaluation process have been visited by the user. The information can be stored in a user profile and used for advertising or market research purposes.

  • Types of data processed: Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Customers, users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form), reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), visit action evaluation, interest-based and behavioral marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Presences in social networks

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

We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for users, for example because it could make it more difficult to enforce users' rights. With regard to US providers who are certified under the Privacy Shield or offer comparable guarantees of a secure level of data protection, we would like to point out that they are thereby obliged to comply with EU data protection standards.

Furthermore, the data of users within social networks is usually processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created based on the user's usage behavior and the resulting interests. The user profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place advertisements within and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the user's interests. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the user's computers in which the user's usage behavior and interests are stored. Furthermore, data can also be stored in the user profiles regardless of the devices used by the user (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in to them).

For a detailed description of the respective processing methods and the options for objection (opt-out), please refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

In the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would like to point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the providers have access to the user data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. If you still need help, you can contact us.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication, tracking (e.g. interest-/behavior-related profiling, use of cookies), remarketing, reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Plugins and embedded functions and content

We incorporate functional and content elements into our online offering that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as "third-party providers"). These may include, for example, graphics, videos or social media buttons as well as posts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as "content").

The integration always requires that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the users, since without the IP address they would not be able to send the content to their browser. The IP address is therefore required to display this content or functions. We endeavor to only use content whose respective providers only use the IP address to deliver the content. Third-party providers can 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 can also be stored in cookies on the user's device and contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, the time of visit and other information about the use of our online offer, as well as be linked to such information from other sources.

Notes on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent to use third-party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, users' data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical 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 declaration.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), location data (data indicating the location of an end user’s device), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), inventory data (e.g. names, addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness, contractual services and service, contact requests and communication, direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post), tracking (e.g. interest-/behavior-related profiling, use of cookies), interest-based and behavior-related marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles), security measures, administration and response to inquiries.
  • undefined: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR), consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Planning, organization and tools

We use services, platforms and software from other providers (hereinafter referred to as "third-party providers") for the purposes of organizing, managing, planning and providing our services. When selecting third-party providers and their services, we observe the legal requirements.

In this context, personal data may be processed and stored on the servers of third-party providers. This may affect various data that we process in accordance with this data protection declaration. This data may include, in particular, master data and contact details of users, data on transactions, contracts, other processes and their contents.

If users are referred to third-party providers or their software or platforms as part of communication, business or other relationships with us, the third-party providers may process usage data and metadata for security purposes, to optimize the service or for marketing purposes. We therefore ask that you observe the data protection notices of the respective third-party providers.

Notes on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent to use third-party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Furthermore, their use can be a component of our (pre)contractual services, provided that the use of third-party providers was agreed within this framework. Otherwise, users' data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical 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 declaration.

  • Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Communication partners, users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a GDPR), performance of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Deletion of data

The data we process will be deleted in accordance with legal requirements as soon as the consents permitted for processing are revoked or other permissions no longer apply (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data no longer applies or it is no longer required for the purpose).

If the data is not deleted because it is required for other legally permissible purposes, its processing will be restricted to these purposes. This means that the data will be blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax law reasons or whose storage is necessary to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person.

Further information on the deletion of personal data can also be found in the individual data protection notices of this data protection declaration.

Changes and updates to 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 changes to the data processing we carry out make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require your cooperation (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organizations in this privacy policy, 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 Articles 15 to 18 and 21 GDPR:

  • Right to object: You have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (e) or (f) GDPR, for reasons related to your particular situation; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you are processed in order to conduct direct advertising, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purposes of such advertising; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct advertising.
  • Right of revocation for consent: You have the right to revoke your consent at any time.
  • Right to information: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether or not data concerning you is being processed and to obtain information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Right to rectification: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to request that the data concerning you be completed or that inaccurate data concerning you be corrected.
  • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to request that data concerning you be deleted immediately or, alternatively, to request that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with the statutory provisions.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the data concerning you that you have made available to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements or to request that it be transmitted to another responsible party.
  • Complaint to the supervisory authority: You also have the right, in accordance with the statutory provisions, to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you infringes the GDPR.

The supervisory authority responsible for us :

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information North Rhine-Westphalia
PO Box 20 04 44
40102 Dusseldorf

Cavalry Street 2-4
40213 Dusseldorf


Telephone: 02 11/384 24-0
Fax: 02 11/384 24-10


E-mail: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de

Definitions

This section provides you with an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are taken from the law and are defined primarily in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, however, are intended primarily to aid understanding. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

  • Affiliate Tracking: As part of affiliate tracking, links that the linking websites use to refer users to websites with product or other offers are logged. The operators of the respective linking websites can receive a commission if users follow these so-called affiliate links and then take advantage of the offers (e.g. buy goods or use services). To do this, it is necessary for the providers to be able to track whether users who are interested in certain offers then take advantage of them at the instigation of the affiliate links. Therefore, in order for affiliate links to function, they must be supplemented with certain values ​​that become part of the link or are stored elsewhere, e.g. in a cookie. The values ​​include in particular the source website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operator 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.
  • Visit action evaluation: "Conversion tracking" is a process that can be used to determine the effectiveness of marketing measures. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the user's device within the websites on which the marketing measures are carried out and then retrieved again on the target website. For example, we can use this to see whether the ads we have placed on other websites were successful).
  • Cross device tracking: Cross-device tracking is a form of tracking in which user behavior and interest information is recorded across devices in so-called profiles by assigning users an online identifier. This means that user information can usually be analyzed for marketing purposes regardless of the browser or device used (e.g. mobile phones or desktop computers). For most providers, the online identifier is not linked to clear data such as names, postal addresses or email addresses.
  • IP masking: “IP masking” is a method in which the last octet, i.e. the last two numbers of an IP address, is deleted so that the IP address can no longer be used to uniquely identify a person. IP masking is therefore a means of pseudonymizing processing procedures, especially in online marketing.
  • Interest-based and behavioral marketing: Interest- and/or behavior-based marketing is when the potential interests of users in advertisements and other content are predetermined as precisely as possible. This is done using information about their previous behavior (e.g. visiting certain websites and staying on them, purchasing behavior or interaction with other users), which is stored in a so-called profile. Cookies are usually used for these purposes.
  • Conversion measurement: Conversion measurement is a method that can be used to determine the effectiveness of marketing measures. This usually involves storing a cookie on the user's device within the websites on which the marketing measures are carried out and then retrieving it on the target website. For example, this allows us to see whether the ads we have placed on other websites were successful.
  • Personal data: "Personal data" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as the "data subject"); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. a cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • Profiling: "Profiling" refers to any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to analyse, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this includes information concerning age, gender, location data and movement data, interaction with websites and their content, shopping behaviour, social interactions with other people) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behaviour 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 can include the behavior or interests of visitors in certain information, such as the content of websites. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can, for example, recognize at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This enables them to, for example, better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors. Pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used for the purposes of reach analysis in order to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offering.
  • Remarketing: We speak of "remarketing" or "retargeting" when, for example, for advertising purposes, it is noted 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: "Tracking" is when the behavior of users can be tracked across multiple online offerings. As a rule, behavior and interest information with regard to the online offerings used is stored in cookies or on servers of the providers of the tracking technologies (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to show users advertisements that are likely to correspond to their interests.
  • Responsible: The “controller” is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data.
  • Processing: "Processing" is any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and covers practically any handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or deletion.
  • Target group formation: Target group formation (or "custom audiences") is when target groups are determined for advertising purposes, e.g. displaying advertisements. For example, based on a user's interest in certain products or topics on the Internet, it can be concluded that this user is interested in advertisements for similar products or the online shop in which he viewed the products. "Lookalike audiences" (or similar target groups) are, in turn, when content deemed suitable is displayed to users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were created. Cookies and web beacons are generally used to create custom audiences and lookalike audiences.
  • Terminology: Personal data, controller, processing.

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