Data Protection

Privacy Policy

Introduction

 

With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about the types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as “data”) that we process, for what purposes, and to what extent. The privacy policy applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of providing our services and in particular on our websites, in mobile applications, and in external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter referred to collectively as the “online offering”).

The terms used are not gender-specific.

As of: November 15, 2022

Table of contents

 

  • Introduction
  • Controller
  • Overview of processing activities
  • Legal bases for processing
  • Security measures
  • Transmission of personal data
  • Data processing in third countries
  • Deletion of data
  • Use of cookies
  • Business-related services
  • Provision of the online offering and web hosting
  • Blogs and publication media
  • Contact and request management
  • Communication via messenger
  • Newsletters and electronic notifications
  • Surveys and questionnaires
  • Web analysis, monitoring, and optimization
  • Online marketing
  • Customer reviews and rating systems
  • Presence on social networks (social media)
  • Plugins and embedded functions and content
  • Changes and updates to the privacy policy
  • Rights of data subjects

 

Responsible party

Carmen Marleen Schliesser

c/o Mühleck
Weserstraße 41
10247 Berlin
Germany

Email address: info@720impact.com

Overview of processing activities

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

  • Types of processed data
  • Inventory data.
  • Payment data.
  • Location data.
  • Contact data.
  • Content data.
  • Contract data.
  • Usage data.
  • Meta, communication, and process data.
  • Categories of data subjects
  • Customers.
  • Prospects.
  • Communication partners.
  • Users.
  • Business and contractual partners.
  • Participants.
  • Purposes of processing
  • Provision of contractual services and customer service.
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Security measures.
  • Direct marketing.
  • Reach measurement.
  • Tracking.
  • Office and organizational procedures.
  • Conversion measurement.
  • Administration and answering of inquiries.
  • Feedback.
  • Marketing.
  • Profiles with user-related information.
  • Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Information technology infrastructure.
 

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

Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) – The data subject has given consent to the processing of personal data relating to them for one or more specific purposes.

Contractual obligation and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6(1)(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(1)(c) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.

Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data.

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

 

Security measures

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

These 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, input, disclosure, availability, and separation. We have also established procedures to ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data, and responses to data threats. Furthermore, we consider the protection of personal data in the development or selection of hardware, software, and procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection, through design and data protection-friendly default settings.

 

Transfer of personal data

In the course of our processing of personal data, it may happen that the data is transferred to other entities, companies, legally independent organizational units, or persons or disclosed to them. These recipients of the data may include, for example, IT service providers or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we comply with 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) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or the processing takes place as part of the use of third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, entities, or companies, this only happens in accordance with legal requirements.

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

 

General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Users can revoke their consents given at any time and also object to processing in accordance with the legal requirements in Art. 21 GDPR. Users can also declare their objection through their browser settings, e.g., by deactivating the use of cookies (which may also limit the functionality of our online services). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/.

 

Further information on processing procedures, procedures and services:

Processing of cookie data based on consent: We use a cookie consent management procedure in which users’ consents to the use of cookies, as well as the processing and providers mentioned within the scope of the cookie consent management procedure, can be obtained, managed, and revoked by the users. The consent declaration is stored to avoid having to repeat the request for consent and to be able to provide evidence of the consent in accordance with legal obligations. The storage can be server-side and/or in a cookie (known as an opt-in cookie or using comparable technologies) in order to assign the consent to a user or their device. Unless individual information is provided on the providers of cookie management services, the following information applies: The duration of the storage of the consent can be up to two years. For this purpose, a pseudonymous user identifier is generated and the time of the consent, information on the scope of the consent (e.g., which categories of cookies and/or service providers), and the browser, system, and device used are stored.

Business services

 

We process data of our contractual and business partners, such as customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as “contractual partners”) in the context of contractual and similar legal relationships and related measures and in the context of communication with the contractual partners (or pre-contractually), e.g., to answer inquiries.

We process this data to fulfill our contractual obligations, including in particular the obligations to provide the agreed services, any obligation to update and remedy warranty and other performance disruptions. In addition, we process the data to protect our rights and for the purpose of the administrative tasks associated with these obligations as well as the organization of our company. Furthermore, we process the data on the basis of our legitimate interests in proper and economic management of our business and in security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from abuse, endangerment of their data, secrets, information, and rights (e.g., participation of telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). Insofar as required by law, we only pass on data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations. Contractual partners are informed about further forms of processing, such as for marketing purposes, within the scope of this data protection declaration.

We inform the contractual partners before or within the scope of data collection, e.g., in online forms, by special labeling (e.g., colors) or symbols (e.g., asterisks or similar), or personally, which data is required for the aforementioned purposes.

We delete the data after the expiration of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., in principle after 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., as long as it must be kept for legal reasons for archiving. The statutory retention period is six years for tax-relevant documents and ten years for accounting documents (e.g., invoices).

We process data of our contractual and business partners, such as customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as “contractual partners”), within the scope of contractual and comparable legal relationships as well as related measures and within the scope of communication with contractual partners (or pre-contractual), for example, to answer inquiries. We process this data in order to fulfill our contractual obligations. These include, in particular, the obligations to provide the agreed services, any obligation to update and remedy defects in warranty and other performance disruptions. In addition, we process the data to protect our rights and for the purpose of associated administrative tasks and corporate organization. We also process the data based on our legitimate interests in proper and efficient business management, as well as security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from misuse, jeopardizing their data, secrets, information, and rights (e.g., for participation of telecommunications, transport, and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers, or financial authorities). Under applicable law, we only disclose the data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations. The contractual partners will be informed about other forms of processing, e.g. for marketing purposes, as part of this privacy policy.

We inform the contractual partners before or as part of the data collection, for example, in online forms, by means of special markings (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar) or in person, which data is necessary for the aforementioned purposes. We delete the data after the expiry of legal warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., in principle after the expiry of 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, for example, as long as they must be kept for archiving purposes for legal reasons. The statutory retention period is ten years for tax-relevant documents as well as for commercial books, inventories, opening balance sheets, annual financial statements, the work instructions necessary for understanding these documents, and other organizational documents and booking vouchers, and six years for received commercial and business letters and reproductions of sent commercial and business letters. The period begins at the end of the calendar year in which the last entry was made in the book, the inventory, the opening balance sheet, the annual financial statement, or the management report was prepared, the commercial or business letter was received or sent, or the booking voucher was created, and the record was made or the other documents were created.

To the extent that we use third-party providers or platforms to provide our services, the business terms and privacy policies of the respective third-party providers or platforms apply to the relationship between users and providers.

Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history), contact data (e.g. email, phone numbers), contract data (e.g. contract object, term, customer category), usage data (e.g. visited websites, interest in content, access times), meta, communication, and process data (e.g. IP addresses, timestamps, identification numbers, consent status).

Data subjects: interested parties; business and contractual partners; customers.

Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service; contact inquiries and communication; office and organizational procedures; administration and response to inquiries; conversion measurement (measurement of the effectiveness of marketing measures); profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles).

Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:


Business analysis and market research:


For business reasons and to be able to recognize market trends, wishes of contractual partners and users, we analyze the data available to us on business transactions, contracts, inquiries, etc. The group of persons affected can include contractual partners, interested parties, customers, visitors, and users of our online offer. The analyses are carried out for the purpose of business evaluations, marketing, and market research (e.g., to determine customer groups with different characteristics). If available, we can take into account the profiles of registered users, including their information on services used. The analyses serve us alone and are not disclosed externally, unless it concerns anonymous analyses with summarized, i.e., anonymized values. Furthermore, we take into account the privacy of users and process the data for analysis purposes as pseudonymous as possible and, if possible, anonymously (e.g., as summarized data); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).


Agency services: 


We process the data of our customers within the scope of our contractual services, which can include conceptual and strategic consulting, campaign planning, software and design development/consulting or maintenance, implementation of campaigns and processes, handling, server administration, data analysis/consulting services, and training services; Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).


Project and development services: 


We process the data of our customers as well as clients (hereinafter collectively referred to as “customers”) in order to enable them to select, acquire or commission the selected services or works as well as associated activities, as well as their payment and provision or execution. The necessary information is identified as such within the framework of the contract, order or similar conclusion of the contract and includes the information required for the provision of the service and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any discussions. To the extent that we have access to information from end customers, employees, or other persons, we process this information in accordance with legal and contractual requirements; Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).


Provision of online services and web hosting:


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

Processed data types: usage data (e.g. visited web pages, interest in content, access times); meta, communication, and procedure data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status); content data (e.g. entries in online forms).

Affected persons: users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: provision of our online service and user-friendliness; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.)); security measures.

Legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, procedures, and services:

 

Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online service is logged in the form of so-called “server log files.” The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, date and time of access, data volumes transmitted, message about successful access, browser type and version, user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page), and usually IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files can be used, on the one hand, for security purposes, e.g., to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks), and on the other hand, to ensure the utilization and stability of the servers; Legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Data deletion: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data that needs to be stored further for evidence purposes is exempt from deletion until the respective incident is finally clarified.


WordPress.com: 

 

Hosting and software for the creation, provision, and operation of websites, blogs, and other online services; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://wordpress.com; Data protection declaration: https://automattic.com/de/privacy/; Data processing agreement: https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/

 

Blogs and publication media

 

We use blogs or similar means of online communication and publication (hereinafter “publication medium”). The data of the readers are processed for the purposes of the publication medium only to the extent necessary for its presentation and communication between authors and readers or for security reasons. Otherwise, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium within the scope of this data protection notice.

Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. email, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. visited web pages, interest in content, access times); meta, communication, and procedure data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status).

Affected persons: users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service; feedback (e.g. collection of feedback via online form); provision of our online service and user-friendliness; security measures; management and response to inquiries.

Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).


Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

Comments and posts: 

If users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored on the basis of our legitimate interests. This is done for our own security in case someone leaves unlawful content in comments or contributions (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we may 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 the users’ information for the purpose of spam detection on the basis of our legitimate interests. On the same legal basis, we reserve the right to store the users’ IP addresses for the duration of the survey and to use cookies to prevent multiple voting. The information provided by users in the context of comments and contributions, such as contact and website information, as well as the content information, will be permanently stored by us until users object; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Akismet Anti-Spam Check: 

We use the “Akismet” service on the basis of our legitimate interests. With the help of Akismet, comments from 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 and computer system used, and the time of entry. Users are welcome to use pseudonyms or to refrain from entering their name or email address. They can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system. That would be a shame, but unfortunately we see no alternatives that work just as effectively; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://automattic.com; Privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy.

Contact and Inquiry Management

 

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

Processed data types: contact data (e.g. email, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. visited web pages, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status).

Affected persons: communication partners.

Purposes of processing: contact inquiries and communication; administration and answering of inquiries; feedback (e.g. collection of feedback via online form); provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.

Legal bases: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, procedures and services:

Contact form: When users contact us via our contact form, email or other communication channels, we process the data provided to us in this context to process the matter communicated; legal bases: performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

 

Communication via messenger:


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

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

In the case of end-to-end encryption of content (i.e., the content of your message and attachments), we would like to point out that the communication contents (i.e., the content of the message and attached images) are encrypted 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 enabled to ensure that the encryption of message contents is guaranteed.

However, we would like to inform our communication partners that while the messenger providers may not be able to view the content, they may find out that and when communication partners are communicating with us, as well as technical information about the communication partners’ devices and, depending on their device settings, location information (so-called metadata) may be processed.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask communication partners for permission before communicating with them via messenger, the legal basis for our processing of their data is their consent. Otherwise, if we do not request consent and they contact us, for example, we use messengers with our contractual partners and within the framework of contract initiation as a contractual measure, and in the case of other interested parties and communication partners, based on our legitimate interests in fast and efficient communication and meeting the needs of our communication partners for communication via messenger. Furthermore, we would like to point out that we do not transmit the contact data provided to us to the messengers without your consent.


Revocation, objection, and deletion: 

You can revoke any given consent and have the following data modified at any time:

Processed data types: contact details (e.g. email, telephone numbers); usage data (e.g. visited web pages, interest in content)

Data subjects: communication partners.

Purposes of processing: contact requests and communication; direct marketing (e.g. via email or postal mail).

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


Newsletter and electronic notifications

We only send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications (hereinafter “newsletters”) with the consent of the recipients or a legal permission. If the contents of the newsletter are specifically described in the context of subscribing to the newsletter, they are decisive for the user’s consent. In all other cases, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

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

Double-opt-in procedure: Subscribing to our newsletter is generally done via a so-called double opt-in procedure. This means that after registering, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with someone else’s email address. The newsletter registrations are logged to be able to demonstrate 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 by the dispatch 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 deleting them in order to prove a previously given consent. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of possible defense against claims. An individual request for deletion is possible at any time, provided that the former 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 solely for this purpose in a block list.

The logging of the registration process is based on our legitimate interests for the purpose of demonstrating its proper procedure. If we commission a service provider to send emails, this is based on our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure dispatch system.


Contents:

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

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); Contact data (e.g. email, telephone numbers); Meta, communication, and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status); Usage data (e.g. visited websites, interest in content, access times).

Affected individuals: Communication partners; Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by email or postal mail); Provision of contractual services and customer service.

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

Objection option (Opt-Out): You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent or object to further receipt. You can find a link to cancel the newsletter at the end of each newsletter or use one of the contact options provided above, preferably by email.

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

Measurement of opening and click rates: The newsletters contain a so-called “web beacon”, i.e. a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from our server, or, if we use a shipping service provider, from their server when the newsletter is opened. 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, is initially collected. This information is used to improve the technical aspects of our newsletter based on technical data or the characteristics of the target audience and their reading behavior based on their retrieval locations (which can be determined using the IP address) or access times. This analysis also includes determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened, and which links are clicked. This information is assigned to individual newsletter recipients and stored in their profiles until they are deleted. The evaluations are used by 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.

Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Prerequisite for the use of free services: The consent to receive mailings may be made a prerequisite for the use of free services (e.g. access to certain content or participation in certain promotions). If users want to use the free service without registering for the newsletter, we ask you to contact us.

Mailchimp: Email delivery and email marketing platform; Service provider: Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://mailchimp.com; Privacy policy: https://mailchimp.com/legal/; Data processing agreement: https://mailchimp.com/legal/; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring the level of data protection when processing in third countries): included in the data processing agreement; Further information: Special security measures: https://mailchimp.com/help/Mailchimp-european-data-transfers/.



Surveys and Questionnaires

We conduct surveys and questionnaires to gather information for the respective survey or questionnaire purpose communicated. The surveys and questionnaires we conduct (hereinafter “surveys”) are evaluated anonymously. Personal data is only processed to the extent necessary for the provision and technical implementation of the surveys (e.g. processing of the IP address to display the survey in the user’s browser or enabling the resumption of the survey using a cookie).

Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. email, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. visited web pages, interest in content, access times); meta, communication, and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status).

Affected persons: Communication partners; participants.

Purposes of processing: Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form).

Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).


Web Analysis, Monitoring, and Optimization

Web analysis (also known as “reach measurement”) is used to evaluate the visitor traffic to our online offerings and may include behavioral, interest, or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of reach analysis, we can, for example, recognize when our online offering or its functions or content are used most frequently or invite reuse. We can also track which areas need optimization.

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

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

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

Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. visited web pages, interest in content, access times); meta, communication, and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status).

Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purpose of Processing: Measuring reach (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); user profiling with personalized information (creating user profiles); tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies); providing our online services and user-friendliness.

Security Measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).

Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).


Further information on processing procedures, procedures and services:


Google Analytics: 


Web analysis, measuring reach as well as measuring user flows; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; data protection declaration: https://policies.google.com/privacy; contract data processing agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; standard contractual clauses (ensuring a level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; objection option (opt-out): opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, settings for displaying advertising: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (types of processing and processed data).


Jetpack (WordPress Stats): 


Jetpack provides analysis functions for WordPress software; service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); website: https://automattic.com; data protection declaration: https://automattic.com/privacy.


Online Marketing

 

We process personal data for the purposes of online marketing, which can include the marketing of advertising space or the display of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as “content”) based on potential user interests 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 relevant to the user for the display of the aforementioned content is stored. This information may include, for example, viewed content, visited websites, used online networks, but also communication partners and technical information, such as the browser used, the computer system used, as well as information on usage times and used functions. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this data may also be processed.

The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use IP masking procedures that are available (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect the users. Generally, no clear data of the users (such as email addresses or names) are stored as part of the online marketing process, but rather pseudonyms. That is, we and the providers of the online marketing processes do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles.

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

Exceptionally, personal data can be associated with profiles. This is the case, for example, when users are members of a social network whose online marketing procedures we use, and the network links the users’ profiles with the aforementioned information. Please note that users may have additional agreements with the providers, for example, through consent given during registration.

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

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

Processed data types: usage data (e.g. visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status).

Affected individuals: users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of recurring visitors); tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-related profiling, use of cookies); marketing; profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles); conversion measurement (measurement of the effectiveness of marketing measures).

Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).

Legal bases: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Possibility of objection (opt-out): We refer to the data protection information of the respective providers and the opt-out options (so-called “opt-out”) indicated for the providers. If no explicit opt-out option has been indicated, there is the possibility that you can deactivate cookies in the settings of your browser. However, this may limit the functionality of our online offering. Therefore, we additionally recommend the following opt-out options, which are offered summarily for respective areas: a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu. b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices. c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices. d) Cross-regionally: https://optout.aboutads.info.

Further information on processing procedures, procedures and services:

Google Ads and conversion measurement: Online marketing procedures for the purpose of placing content and advertisements within the advertising network of the service provider (e.g. in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.) so that they are displayed to users who have a presumed interest in the ads. In addition, we measure the conversion of the ads, i.e. whether users have used them to interact with the ads and use the advertised offers (so-called conversion). However, we only receive anonymous information and no personal information about individual users; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; data protection declaration: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Further information: types of processing and processed data: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; data processing terms between controllers and standard contractual clauses for third-country transfers of data: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.

 

Customer reviews and rating procedures

We participate in review and rating procedures to evaluate, optimize, and promote our services. If users rate us or provide feedback through the participating rating platforms or procedures, the general terms and conditions as well as the privacy policies of the providers also apply. In general, rating also requires registration with the respective providers.

To ensure that the reviewing individuals have actually used our services, with the customer’s consent, we transmit the necessary data regarding the customer and the service used to the respective rating platform (including name, email address, and order or article number). This data is used solely to verify the authenticity of the user.

Processed data types: Contract data (e.g., contract object, term, customer category); Usage data (e.g., visited web pages, interest in content, access times); Meta, communication, and process data (e.g., IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status).

Affected individuals: Customers; Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: Feedback (e.g., collecting feedback via online form); Marketing.

Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, procedures, and services:

Rating widget:


We integrate so-called “rating widgets” into our online offering. A widget is a functional and content element embedded in our online offering that displays variable information. It can be displayed in the form of a seal or a comparable element, sometimes called a “badge”. The corresponding content of the widget is displayed within our online offering, but at that moment it is retrieved from the servers of the respective widget provider. This is the only way to always show the current content, especially the current rating. For this purpose, a data connection must be established from the web page accessed within our online offering to the widget provider’s server, and the widget provider receives certain technical data (access data, including IP address) that are necessary for delivering the widget’s content to the user’s browser. Furthermore, the widget provider receives information about users who have visited our online offering. This information can be stored in a cookie and used by the widget provider to recognize which online offerings participating in the rating procedure have been visited by the user. The information can be stored in a user profile and used for advertising or market research purposes; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).


Presence on social networks (social media)

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

Please note that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may pose risks for users, as enforcement of their rights could be more difficult, for example.

Furthermore, user data within social networks is typically processed for market research and advertising purposes. Usage profiles can be created based on user behavior and resulting interests, which can then be used to display ads inside and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the users’ interests. Cookies are typically stored on users’ computers for these purposes, in which usage behavior and interests are stored. In addition, data can be stored in usage profiles independent of the devices used by users (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in).

For a detailed description of the respective processing methods and opt-out options, we refer to the privacy policies and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

We also point out that in the case of requests for information and the exercise of data subject rights, these can be most effectively asserted with the providers. Only the providers have access to the users’ data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. If you still need help, you can contact us.

Processed data types: contact data (e.g. email, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. visited websites, interest in content, access times); meta, communication, and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status).

Data subjects: users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: contact requests and communication; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); marketing.

Legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, procedures, and services:

Instagram: social network; service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); website: https://www.instagram.com; privacy policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.

LinkedIn: social network; service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); website: https://www.linkedin.com; privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; data processing agreement: https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; standard contract clauses (ensuring the level of data protection when processing in third countries): https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; opt-out option: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.


Plugins and embedded functions as well as content

We integrate 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”). This may include graphics, videos, or maps (hereinafter collectively referred to as “content”).

The integration always requires that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the users, as they could not send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore necessary for the display of this content or functions. We endeavor to use only such 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. The “pixel tags” can be used to evaluate information, such as visitor traffic to the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the users’ 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 linked with such information from other sources.

Processed data types: Usage data (e.g., websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication, and process data (e.g., IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status); master data (e.g., names, addresses); contact data (e.g., email, telephone numbers); content data (e.g., entries in online forms); location data (information about the geographical position of a device or person).

Affected persons: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offering and user-friendliness; marketing; profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles).

Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, procedures, and services:

Google Fonts (access from Google server): 


Obtaining fonts (and symbols) for the purpose of technically secure, maintenance-free, and efficient use of fonts and symbols with regard to up-to-dateness and loading times, their uniform display, and consideration of possible licensing restrictions. The provider of the fonts is notified of the user’s IP address so that the fonts can be made available in the user’s browser. In addition, technical data (language settings, screen resolution, operating system, hardware used) are transmitted, which are necessary for the provision of fonts depending on the devices used and the technical environment. This data may be processed on a server of the font provider in the USA – When users visit our online offering, their browser sends their browser HTTP requests to the Google Fonts Web API (i.e. software interface for accessing the fonts). The Google Fonts Web API provides users with Google Fonts cascading style sheets (CSS) and then the fonts specified in the CSS. These HTTP requests include (1) the IP address used by the respective user to access the internet, (2) the requested URL on the Google server, and (3) the HTTP headers, including the user agent that describes the browser and operating system versions of the website visitors, as well as the referral URL (i.e., the website where the Google font is to be displayed).

IP addresses are neither logged nor stored on Google servers and they are not analyzed. The Google Fonts Web API logs details of HTTP requests (requested URL, user agent, and referrer URL). Access to this data is restricted and strictly controlled. The requested URL identifies the font families for which the user wants to load fonts. This data is logged so that Google can determine how often a particular font family is requested. With the Google Fonts Web API, the user agent must adjust the font that is generated for the respective browser type. The user agent is primarily logged for debugging and used to generate aggregated usage statistics to measure the popularity of font families. These aggregated usage statistics are published on the “Analytics” page of Google Fonts. Finally, the referrer URL is logged so that the data can be used for production maintenance and an aggregated report on top integrations based on the number of font requests can be generated. According to their own information, Google does not use any of the information collected by Google Fonts to create profiles of end-users or to display targeted ads; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR); website: https://fonts.google.com/; privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; further information: https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq/privacy?hl=en.

Font Awesome (provision on own server): 

display of fonts and symbols; service provider: The Font Awesome Icons are hosted on our server, no data is transmitted to the Font Awesome provider; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Google Maps: 

We integrate the maps of the “Google Maps” service from the provider Google. The processed data may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of the users; service provider: Google Cloud EMEA Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR); website: https://mapsplatform.google.com/; privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Instagram plugins and content: 


Instagram plugins and content – this may include content such as images, videos or texts, and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Instagram. – We are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for the collection or receipt, within the scope of a transmission (but not the further processing), of “event data” that Facebook collects or receives for the following purposes using functions of Instagram (e.g. embedding functions for content) that are executed on our online offering: a) Display of content as well as advertising information that corresponds to the presumed interests of the users; b) Delivery of commercial and transaction-related messages (e.g. addressing users via Facebook Messenger); c) Improvement of ad delivery and personalization of functions and content (e.g. improvement of recognition of which content or advertising information presumably corresponds to the interests of the users). We have concluded a special agreement with Facebook (“Addendum for Controllers,” https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which regulates in particular the security measures that Facebook must observe (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to fulfill the rights of data subjects (i.e. users can directly address requests for information or deletion to Facebook). Note: If Facebook provides us with measurement, analysis, and reports (which are aggregated, i.e. do not contain information about individual users and are anonymous to us), this processing does not take place within the framework of joint responsibility, but based on an order processing agreement (“Data Processing Terms”, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). 

The rights of users (especially regarding information, deletion, objection, and complaints to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.


LinkedIn plugins and content: 


LinkedIn plugins and content – this may include content such as images, videos, or texts, as well as buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within LinkedIn; Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Data processing agreement: https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring data protection level when processing in third countries): https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; Opt-out option: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.


YouTube videos: 


Video content; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-out option: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, settings for displaying advertising: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

YouTube videos: Video content; YouTube videos are embedded using a special domain (recognizable by the “youtube-nocookie” component) in the so-called “extended data protection mode”, which means that no cookies are used to personalize video playback. However, information about user interaction with the video (e.g. remembering the last playback position) may be stored; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.


Modification and updating of the privacy policy

 

We ask you to regularly inform yourself about the content of our privacy policy. We adjust the privacy policy as soon as the changes in the data processing we carry out require it. We will inform you as soon as the changes require your action (e.g. consent) or any 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 we ask you to verify the information before contacting them.


Rights of data subjects

 

As a data subject under the GDPR, you have various rights which arise in particular from Articles 15 to 21 of the GDPR:

Right to object: You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) of the GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. Where personal data concerning you is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.

Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

Right of access: You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning you is being processed, and, where that is the case, access to the personal data and certain information in accordance with legal requirements.

Right to rectification: You have the right to obtain without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning you, or the completion of incomplete personal data.

Right to erasure and restriction of processing: You have the right to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning you without undue delay, or alternatively, to obtain the restriction of processing in accordance with legal requirements.

Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit that data to another controller.

Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority: Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement if you consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the GDPR.