Data protection declaration

Security Measures

In accordance with Article 32 of the GDPR, we implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk, taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation, and the nature, scope, context, and purposes of processing, as well as the varying likelihood and severity of the risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.

Measures include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data by controlling physical access to the data, as well as access, input, transmission, ensuring availability, and separation of data. We have also implemented procedures to ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data, and responses to data breaches. Furthermore, we consider the protection of personal data in the development, or selection of hardware, software, and procedures, according to the principle of data protection by design and by default (Article 25 GDPR).

Collaboration with Processors and Third Parties

If we disclose data to other persons and companies (processors or third parties) within the scope of our processing, transfer data to them, or otherwise grant them access to the data, this will only occur on the basis of a legal permission (e.g., if a transfer of data to third parties, such as payment service providers, is necessary for the performance of a contract as per Article 6(1)(b) GDPR), if you have given your consent, if a legal obligation provides for it, or on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g., when using agents, web hosts, etc.).

If we commission third parties to process data on the basis of a so-called “data processing agreement,” this is done on the basis of Article 28 GDPR.

Transfers to Third Countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if this occurs within the scope of the use of services by third parties or the disclosure or transfer of data to third parties, this will only happen if it is necessary for the fulfillment of our (pre)contractual obligations, on the basis of your consent, due to a legal obligation, or on the basis of our legitimate interests. Subject to legal or contractual permissions, we process or allow data to be processed in a third country only under the special conditions of Articles 44 ff. GDPR. This means the processing is carried out, for example, on the basis of specific guarantees, such as the officially recognized establishment of a level of data protection equivalent to that of the EU (e.g., for the USA through the “Privacy Shield”) or compliance with officially recognized specific contractual obligations (so-called “standard contractual clauses”).

Rights of Data Subjects

You have the right to request confirmation as to whether data concerning you is being processed, to information about these data, as well as to further information and a copy of the data in accordance with Article 15 GDPR.

In accordance with Article 16 GDPR, you have the right to request the completion or correction of incorrect data concerning you.

In accordance with Article 17 GDPR, you have the right to request the immediate deletion of data concerning you, or alternatively, in accordance with Article 18 GDPR, to request a restriction of the processing of the data.

You have the right to request that data concerning you, which you have provided to us, be received in accordance with Article 20 GDPR and to request its transmission to other controllers.

Furthermore, in accordance with Article 77 GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Right to Withdraw Consent

You have the right to withdraw consent granted in accordance with Article 7(3) GDPR with effect for the future.

Right to Object

You can object to the future processing of data concerning you at any time in accordance with Article 21 GDPR. The objection can particularly be made against processing for direct marketing purposes.

Cookies and Right to Object to Direct Marketing

“Cookies” are small files that are stored on users’ computers. Different information can be stored within the cookies. A cookie primarily serves to store information about a user (or the device on which the cookie is stored) during or after their visit to an online offer. Temporary cookies, or “session cookies” or “transient cookies,” are cookies that are deleted after a user leaves an online offer and closes their browser. For example, the contents of a shopping cart in an online store or a login status can be stored in such a cookie. “Permanent” or “persistent” cookies are cookies that remain stored even after the browser is closed. For example, the login status can be stored if users visit them after several days. Likewise, the interests of users used for reach measurement or marketing purposes can be stored in such a cookie. “Third-party cookies” are cookies offered by providers other than the controller who operates the online offer (otherwise, if it is only their cookies, they are referred to as “first-party cookies”).

We can use temporary and permanent cookies and clarify this within the scope of our privacy policy.

If users do not want cookies to be stored on their computer, they are asked to deactivate the corresponding option in the system settings of their browser. Stored cookies can be deleted in the system settings of the browser. The exclusion of cookies can lead to functional restrictions of this online offer.

A general objection to the use of cookies used for online marketing purposes can be declared for a large number of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the US site http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU site http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. Furthermore, the storage of cookies can be achieved by disabling them in the settings of the browser. Please note that not all functions of this online offer may then be available.

Deletion of Data

The data processed by us will be deleted or restricted in processing in accordance with Articles 17 and 18 of the GDPR. Unless expressly stated otherwise in this privacy policy, the data stored by us will be deleted as soon as they are no longer necessary for their intended purpose and there are no legal retention obligations preventing deletion. If the data is not deleted because it is required for other legally permissible purposes, its processing will be restricted. 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 reasons.

In accordance with legal requirements in Germany, storage takes place in particular for 10 years according to §§ 147 para. 1 AO, 257 para. 1 nos. 1 and 4, para. 4 HGB (books, records, management reports, accounting documents, commercial books, documents relevant for taxation, etc.) and 6 years according to § 257 para. 1 nos. 2 and 3, para. 4 HGB (commercial letters).

In accordance with legal requirements in Austria, storage is carried out in particular for 7 years according to § 132 para. 1 BAO (accounting documents, invoices/receipts, accounts, documents, business papers, statement of income and expenses, etc.), for 22 years in connection with real estate, and for 10 years for documents related to electronically provided services, telecommunications, broadcasting, and television services provided to non-entrepreneurs in EU member states for which the Mini-One-Stop-Shop (MOSS) is used.

Agency Services

We process the data of our customers within the framework of our contractual services, which include conceptual and strategic consulting, campaign planning, software and design development/consulting, maintenance, implementation of campaigns and processes/handling, server administration, data analysis/consulting services, and training services.

Here, we process inventory data (e.g., customer master data, such as names or addresses), contact data (e.g., email, telephone numbers), content data (e.g., text entries, photographs, videos), contract data (e.g., subject matter of the contract, term), payment data (e.g., bank details, payment history), usage and metadata (e.g., as part of the evaluation and measurement of marketing measures). We do not generally process special categories of personal data unless these are part of a commissioned processing. The data subjects include our customers, interested parties, as well as their customers, users, website visitors, or employees, as well as third parties. The purpose of processing is to provide contractual services, billing, and our customer service. The legal basis for processing arises from Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contractual services), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (analysis, statistics, optimization, security measures). We process data that are necessary for the establishment and fulfillment of contractual services and point out the necessity of their disclosure. Disclosure to external parties only takes place if it is necessary within the framework of an order. When processing the data provided to us as part of an order, we act in accordance with the instructions of the client and the legal requirements of order processing pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR and do not process the data for any purposes other than those specified in the order.

We delete the data after the expiration of statutory warranty and comparable obligations. The necessity of retaining the data is reviewed every three years; in the case of statutory archiving obligations, deletion takes place after their expiration (6 years, pursuant to § 257 para. 1 HGB, 10 years, pursuant to § 147 para. 1 AO). In the case of data that has been disclosed to us in the context of an order by the client, we delete the data in accordance with the requirements of the order, generally after the end of the order.

External Payment Service Providers

We use external payment service providers through whose platforms users and we can make payment transactions (e.g., each with a link to the privacy policy, PayPal, Klarna, Skrill, Giropay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express).

In the context of fulfilling contracts, we use payment service providers on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b. GDPR. Furthermore, we use external payment service providers on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b. GDPR in order to offer our users effective and secure payment options.

The data processed by the payment service providers includes inventory data, such as the name and address, bank data, such as account numbers or credit card numbers, passwords, TANs, and checksums, as well as contract, amount, and recipient-related information. This information is required to process the transactions. However, the data entered is only processed by the payment service providers and stored by them. That is, we do not receive any account- or credit card-related information, but only information with confirmation or negative disclosure of the payment. Under certain circumstances, the data may be transmitted to credit agencies by the payment service providers. The purpose of this transmission is to check identity and creditworthiness. For this, please refer to the terms and conditions and privacy policy of the payment service providers.

For payment transactions, the terms and conditions and the privacy policies of the respective payment service providers apply, which can be accessed within the respective websites or transaction applications. We also refer to these for further information and assertion of revocation, information, and other data subject rights.

Participation in Affiliate Partner Programs

Within our online offer, we use tracking measures on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online offer) pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, as far as these are necessary for the operation of the affiliate system. Below, we clarify the users about the technical background.

The services offered by our contractual partners can also be advertised and linked on other websites (so-called affiliate links or after-buy systems, if, for example, links or services of third parties are offered after conclusion of a contract). The operators of the respective websites receive a commission if users follow the affiliate links and then take advantage of the offers.

In summary, it is necessary for our online offer that we can track whether users who are interested in affiliate links and/or the available offers on our website subsequently perceive the offers at the instigation of the affiliate links or our online platform. For this purpose, the affiliate links and our offers are supplemented with certain values that can be part of the link or otherwise, e.g., in a cookie, can be set. The values include, in particular, the originating website (referrer), 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.

The online identifiers of the users we use are pseudonymous values. That is, the online identifiers do not themselves contain personal data such as names or email addresses. They only help us to determine whether the same user who clicked on an affiliate link or was interested in our online offer took advantage of the offer, i.e., for example, concluded a contract with the provider. However, the online identifier is personal insofar as the partner company and also we,

Comments and Posts

When users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored for 7 days on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR. This is done for our security in case someone leaves illegal content in comments and posts (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we could be held accountable for the comment or post 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 pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR.

The data provided in the context of comments and posts will be stored by us permanently until users object.

Akismet Anti-Spam Check

Our online offering uses the “Akismet” service provided by Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. The use is based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. With the help of this service, comments by real people are distinguished from spam comments. For this purpose, all comment information is sent to a server in the USA, where it is analyzed and stored for comparison purposes for four days. If a comment is classified as spam, the data will be stored beyond this period. This information includes the entered name, email address, IP address, comment content, referrer, information about the browser used, as well as the computer system and the time of entry.

For more information on the collection and use of data by Akismet, please refer to Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Users are welcome to use pseudonyms or refrain from entering their name or email address. You can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system. That would be a pity, but unfortunately, we see no alternatives that work as effectively.

Retrieval of Emojis and Smileys

Within our WordPress blog, graphical emojis (or smileys), i.e., small graphical files expressing emotions, are used, which are obtained from external servers. The providers of these servers collect the IP addresses of the users. This is necessary so that the emoji files can be transmitted to the users’ browsers. The emoji service is provided by Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/. The server domains used are s.w.org and twemoji.maxcdn.com, which, to our knowledge, are so-called Content Delivery Networks, i.e., servers that serve only to transmit files quickly and securely and delete the personal data of users after transmission.

Contact

When contacting us (e.g., via contact form, email, telephone, or social media), the user’s details are processed for the purpose of handling the contact request and its processing pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b) GDPR. User details can be stored in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system or similar request organization.

We delete requests if they are no longer necessary. We review the necessity every two years; Furthermore, the statutory archiving obligations apply.

Newsletter

With the following information, we inform you about the contents of our newsletter as well as the registration, dispatch, and statistical evaluation procedures as well as your right of objection. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive it and the described procedures.

Newsletter Content: We send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications containing promotional information (hereinafter “Newsletter”) only with the consent of the recipients or a legal permission. If the contents of the newsletter are specifically described as part of the registration for the newsletter, they are decisive for the consent of the users. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

Double Opt-In and Logging:

The registration for our newsletter takes place in a so-called double opt-in procedure. This means that after registration, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that nobody can register with other email addresses. Newsletter registrations are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes the storage of the registration and confirmation time as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored with the shipping service provider are also logged.

Registration Data: To subscribe to the newsletter, it is sufficient to provide your email address. Optionally, we ask you to provide a name for personal addressing in the newsletter.

The dispatch of the newsletter and the associated success measurement are based on the recipients’ consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a, Art. 7 GDPR in conjunction with § 7 para. 2 No. 3 UWG or, if consent is not required, on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The logging of the registration process is based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. Our interest is directed towards the use of a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves both our business interests and the expectations of users and also allows us to provide evidence of consent.

Cancellation/Revocation – You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e., revoke your consent. A link to unsubscribe from the newsletter can be found at the end of each newsletter. We can store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before deleting them to be able to prove a previously given consent. The processing of these data is limited to the purpose of possible defense against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of consent is confirmed at the same time.

Newsletter – Mailchimp

The newsletters are sent via the “MailChimp” service provider, a newsletter distribution platform of the US provider Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA. You can view the data protection provisions of the shipping service provider here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/. The Rocket Science Group LLC d/b/a MailChimp is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thus offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection standards (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TO6hAAG&status=Active). The shipping service provider is used on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR and a contract processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 para. 3 sentence 1 GDPR.

The shipping service provider may use the recipient’s data in pseudonymous form, i.e., without assignment to a user, to optimize or improve its own services, e.g., for technical optimization of shipping and the presentation of newsletters or for statistical purposes. However, the shipping service provider does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to address them itself or to pass the data on to third parties.

Newsletter – Success Measurement

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 time of retrieval, are

Hosting

The hosting services we use serve to provide the following services: infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, security services, and technical maintenance services that we use for the purpose of operating this online offering.

In this process, we, or our hosting provider, process inventory data, contact data, content data, contract data, usage data, meta, and communication data from customers, interested parties, and visitors to this online offering on the basis of our legitimate interests in the efficient and secure provision of this online offering pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR in conjunction with Art. 28 GDPR (conclusion of a data processing agreement).

Collection of Access Data and Log Files

We, or our hosting provider, collect data on every access to the server on which this service is located (so-called server log files) on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR. Access data includes the name of the accessed website, file, date and time of access, amount of data transferred, message about successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (previously visited page), IP address, and the requesting provider.

For security reasons (e.g., to clarify misuse or fraud), log file information is stored for a maximum of 7 days and then deleted. Data whose further storage is necessary for evidence purposes is exempted from deletion until the final clarification of the respective incident.

Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager is a solution that allows us to manage so-called website tags via an interface (and thus integrate, for example, Google Analytics and other Google marketing services into our online offering). The Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags) does not process any personal data of the users. With regard to the processing of users’ personal data, reference is made to the following information on Google services. Terms of Use: https://www.google.com/intl/en/tagmanager/use-policy.html.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC (“Google”), based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR). Google uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie about the use of the online offering by users is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thus offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

Google will use this information on our behalf to evaluate the use of our online offering by users, to compile reports on the activities within this online offering, and to provide us with further services related to the use of this online offering and the Internet usage. Pseudonymous user profiles can be created from the processed data.

We only use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled. This means that the IP address of users will be shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there.

The IP address transmitted by the user’s browser is not merged with other Google data. Users can prevent the storage of cookies by setting their browser software accordingly; users can also prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to their use of the online offering and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available under the following link: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.

Further information on data use by Google, setting and objection options, can be found in Google’s privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and in the settings for the display of advertisements by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

The personal data of users will be deleted or anonymized after 14 months.

Google Universal Analytics

We use Google Analytics in the form of “Universal Analytics.” “Universal Analytics” refers to a procedure by Google Analytics in which user analysis is carried out on the basis of a pseudonymous user ID, thus creating a pseudonymous profile of the user with information from the use of various devices (so-called “cross-device tracking”).

Audience targeting with Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to only display advertisements to users who have shown an interest in our online offering or who have certain characteristics (e.g., interests in certain topics or products determined by the websites visited) within advertising services of Google and its partners (so-called “remarketing” or “Google Analytics audiences”). With the help of the remarketing audiences, we also want to ensure that our ads correspond to the potential interests of users.

Jetpack (WordPress Stats)

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR), we use the Jetpack plugin (here the sub-function “WordPress Stats”), which integrates a tool for statistical analysis of visitor access and is provided by Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. Jetpack uses so-called “cookies,” text files that are stored on your computer and that allow an analysis of the use of the website by you.

The information generated by the cookie about your use of this online offering is stored on a server in the USA. The processed data can be used to create user profiles, but these are only used for analysis purposes and not for advertising purposes. For more information, see Automatt

ic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/ and information about Jetpack cookies: https://jetpack.com/support/cookies/.

Visual Website Optimizer

Within our online offering, based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR), we use the Visual Website Optimizer service (offered by Wingify Software Private Limited, 404, Gopal Heights, Netaji Subhash Place, Pitam Pura, Delhi 110034, India).

Visual Website Optimizer allows for so-called “A/B testing,” “click tracking,” and “heatmaps” to track how various changes to a website affect its performance (e.g., changes to input fields, design, etc.). A/B tests are used to improve the usability and performance of online offerings. Users are shown different versions of a website or its elements, such as input forms, on which the placement of content or labels of navigation elements may differ. Subsequently, based on user behavior, such as longer stays on the website or more frequent interaction with the elements, it can be determined which of these websites or elements better meet the needs of the users. “Click tracking” allows tracking the movements of users within an entire online offering. Since the results of these tests are more accurate when user interaction can be tracked over a certain period (e.g., being able to see if a user returns), cookies are typically stored on users’ computers for these testing purposes. “Heatmaps” are mouse movements of users summarized into an overall image, which can be used, for example, to determine which website elements are preferred and which website elements users prefer less.

Cookies are only stored on users’ devices for these testing purposes. Only pseudonymous data of users is processed. For further information, please refer to the Visual Website Optimizer privacy policy: https://vwo.com/privacy-policy/.

If you do not want Visual Website Optimizer to track your usage behavior, you can object to data collection using this link: https://[PLEASE-INSERT-YOUR-DOMAIN]/?vwo_opt_out=1.

Social Media Presence

We maintain online presences within social networks and platforms to communicate with the customers, interested parties, and users active there and to inform them about our services. When accessing the respective networks and platforms, the terms and conditions and the data processing guidelines of their respective operators apply.

Unless otherwise stated in our privacy policy, we process the data of users if they communicate with us within the social networks and platforms, e.g., by writing posts on our online presences or sending us messages.

Integration of Third-Party Services and Content

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR), we use content or service offers from third-party providers to integrate their content and services, such as videos or fonts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).

This always presupposes that the third-party providers of this content perceive 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 thus required for the display of this content. We endeavor to only use content whose respective providers use the IP address solely for the delivery of the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. Through the “pixel tags,” information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website can be evaluated. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may include technical information about the browser and operating system, referring web pages, visit time, and other information about the use of our online offering, as well as be linked to such information from other sources.

YouTube

We embed videos from the “YouTube” platform provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Fonts

We embed fonts (“Google Fonts”) from the provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google ReCaptcha

We embed the function for detecting bots, e.g., in online forms (“ReCaptcha”) provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Maps

We embed maps from the “Google Maps” service provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. The processed data may include IP addresses and location data of users, which, however, are not collected without their consent (usually within the settings of their mobile devices). The data can be processed in the USA. Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Use of Facebook Social Plugins

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR), we use social plugins (“plugins”) from the social network facebook.com, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”). The plugins can display interaction elements or content (e.g., videos, graphics, or text posts) and can be recognized by one of the Facebook logos (white “f” on a blue tile, the terms “Like,” “Like,” or a “thumbs up” sign) or are marked with the addition “Facebook Social Plugin.” The list and appearance of Facebook Social Plugins can be viewed here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/.

Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thus offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).

When a user accesses a function of this online offering that contains such a plugin, their device establishes a direct connection to Facebook’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from Facebook to the user’s device and integrated into the online offering. User profiles can be created from the processed data. Therefore, we have no influence on the scope of data that Facebook collects using this plugin and inform users to the best of our knowledge.

By integrating the plugins, Facebook receives the information that a user has accessed the corresponding page of the online offering. If the user is logged into Facebook, Facebook can assign the visit to their Facebook account. If users interact with the plugins, for example, by pressing the Like button or leaving a comment, the corresponding information is transmitted directly from their device to Facebook and stored there. Even if a user is not a member of Facebook, there is still the possibility that Facebook will find out and store their IP address. According to Facebook, only an anonymized IP address is stored in Germany.

The purpose and scope of data collection and the further processing and use of the data by Facebook, as well as the rights and setting options for protecting the privacy of users, can be found in Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/.

If a user is a Facebook member and does not want Facebook to collect data about them via this online offering and link it to their member data stored on Facebook, they must log out of Facebook before using our online offering and delete their cookies. Further settings and objections to the use of data for advertising purposes can be made within the Facebook profile settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads or via the US-American site http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU site http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. The settings are platform-independent, i.e., they are adopted for all devices, such as desktop computers or mobile devices.

Twitter

Within our online offering, functions and content of the Twitter service, offered by Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA, may be integrated. This may include content such as images, videos, or texts and buttons with which users can express their liking regarding the content, subscribe to the authors of the content, or our contributions. If the users are members of the Twitter platform, Twitter can assign the call of the above content and functions to the users’ profiles there. Twitter is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thus offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active). Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy, Opt-Out: https://twitter.com/personalization.

Sharing Functions of AddThis

Within our online offering, the service “AddThis” (1595 Spring Hill Rd Suite 300 Vienna, VA 22182, USA) is used to share content of this online offering within social networks (so-called sharing). AddThis uses users’ personal information to provide and perform the sharing functions. In addition, AddThis may use pseudonymous information from users for marketing purposes. This data is stored on users’ computers using so-called “cookie” text files. Privacy Policy: http://www.addthis.com/privacy, Opt-Out: http://www.addthis.com/privacy/opt-out.

Generated with the Privacy Policy Generator from RA Dr. Thomas Schwenke, translated with ChatGPT