Privacy Policy - Interactive Experiences

Preamble

With the following privacy policy we would like to inform you about the types of personal data (hereinafter also referred to as „data“) we process, for which purposes and to what extent in the context of providing our application.

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Table of contents

Preamble
Controller
Overview of processing operations
Contact information of the data protection officer
Legal Bases for the Processing
Security Precautions
Erasure of data
Use of Cookies
Business services
Sales via online marketplaces and platforms
Providers and services used in the course of business
Payment Procedure
Provision of online services and web hosting
Special Notes on Applications (Apps)
Purchase of applications via Appstores
Registration, Login and User Account
Blogs and publication media
Contact and Inquiry Management
Communication via Messenger
Chatbots and chat functions
Push notifications
Video Conferences, Online Meetings, Webinars and Screen-Sharing
Musik & Podcats
Job Application Process
Cloud Services
Newsletter and Electronic Communications
Commercial communication by E-Mail, Postal Mail, Fax or Telephone
Sweepstakes and Contests
Surveys and Questionnaires
Web Analysis, Monitoring and Optimization
Online Marketing
Affiliate-Programms und Affiliate-Links
Rating Platforms
Profiles in Social Networks (Social Media)
Plugins and embedded functions and content
Management, Organization and Utilities
Changes and Updates to the Privacy Policy
Rights of Data Subjects
Terminology and Definitions

Controller

Contact information of the data protection officer

Overview of processing operations

The following table summarises the types of data processed, the purposes for which they are processed and the concerned data subjects.

Categories of Processed Data

Contact Information (Facebook) („Contact Information“ is data that (clearly) identifies data subjects, such as names, email addresses and phone numbers, that can be transmitted to Facebook, e.g. via Facebook pixels or uploads for matching purposes to form Custom Audiences; After the matching to create target groups, the Contact Information is deleted).
Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses).
Job applicant details (e.g. Personal data, postal and contact addresses and the documents pertaining to the application and the information contained therein, such as cover letter, curriculum vitae, certificates, etc., as well as other information on the person or qualifications of applicants provided with regard to a specific job or voluntarily by applicants).
Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
Images and/ or video recordings (e.g. photographs or video recordings of a person).
Contract data (e.g. contract object, duration, customer category).
Payment Data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history).

Special Categories of Data

Data revealing racial or ethnic origin.

Categories of Data Subjects

Employees (e.g. Employees, job applicants).
Job applicants.
Business and contractual partners.
Prospective customers.
Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
Customers.
Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Students/ Participants.
Participants in sweepstakes and competitions.

Purposes of Processing

A/B Tests.
Affiliate Tracking.
Provision of our online services and usability.
Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities).
Job Application Process (Establishment and possible later execution as well as possible later termination of the employment relationship).
Office and organisational procedures.
Clicktracking.
Content Delivery Network (CDN).
Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).
Conducting sweepstakes and contests.
Affiliate Tracking.
Heatmaps („Heatmaps“ are mouse movements of the users, which are combined to an overall picture.).
Marketing.
Contact requests and communication.
Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles).
Remarketing.
Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
Security measures.
Polls and Questionnaires (e.g. surveys with input options, multiple choice questions).
Provision of contractual services and customer support.
Managing and responding to inquiries.
Custom Audiences (Selection of relevant target groups for marketing purposes or other output of content).

Legal Bases for the Processing

In the following, you will find an overview of the legal basis of the GDPR on which we base the processing of personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection provisions of your or our country of residence or domicile may apply. If, in addition, more specific legal bases are applicable in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR) – The data subject has given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes.
Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR) – 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.
Compliance with a legal obligation (Article 6 (1) (c) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
Legitimate Interests (Article 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.
Job application process as a pre-contractual or contractual relationship (Article 9 (2)(b) GDPR) – If special categories of personal data within the meaning of Article 9 (1) GDPR (e.g. health data, such as severely handicapped status or ethnic origin) are requested from applicants within the framework of the application procedure, so that the responsible person or the person concerned can carry out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the controller or of the data subject in the field of employment and social security and social protection law, their processing shall be carried out in accordance with Article 9 (2)(b) GDPR , in the case of the protection of vital interests of applicants or other persons on the basis of Article 9 (2)(c) GDPR or for the purposes of preventive health care or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the employee’s ability to work, for medical diagnostics, care or treatment in the health or social sector or for the administration of systems and services in the health or social sector in accordance with Article 9 (2)(d) GDPR. In the case of a communication of special categories of data based on voluntary consent, their processing is carried out on the basis of Article 9 (2)(a) GDPR.
Performance of a contract and prior requests (EKD) (§ 6 No. 5 DSG-EKD) – 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.

National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the General Data Protection Regulation, national regulations apply to data protection in Germany. This includes in particular the Law on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act – BDSG). In particular, the BDSG contains special provisions on the right to access, the right to erase, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission as well as automated individual decision-making, including profiling. Furthermore, it regulates data processing for the purposes of the employment relationship (§ 26 BDSG), in particular with regard to the establishment, execution or termination of employment relationships as well as the consent of employees. Furthermore, data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security Precautions

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures in accordance with the legal requirements, 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 risk of varying likelihood and severity for the rights and freedoms of natural persons, in order to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk.

The measures include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as access to, input, transmission, securing and separation of the data. In addition, we have established procedures to ensure that data subjects‘ rights are respected, that data is erased, and that we are prepared to respond to data threats rapidly. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and service providers, in accordance with the principle of privacy by design and privacy by default.

Masking of the IP address: If IP addresses are processed by us or by the service providers and technologies used and the processing of a complete IP address is not necessary, the IP address is shortened (also referred to as „IP masking“). In this process, the last two digits or the last part of the IP address after a full stop are removed or replaced by wildcards. The masking of the IP address is intended to prevent the identification of a person by means of their IP address or to make such identification significantly more difficult.

SSL encryption (https): In order to protect your data transmitted via our online services in the best possible way, we use SSL encryption. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address bar of your browser.

Erasure of data

The data processed by us will be erased in accordance with the statutory provisions as soon as their processing is revoked or other permissions no longer apply (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data no longer applies or they are not required for the purpose).

If the data is not deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing is limited to these purposes. This means that the data will be restricted and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be stored for commercial or tax reasons or for which storage is necessary to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person.

In the context of our information on data processing, we may provide users with further information on the deletion and retention of data that is specific to the respective processing operation.

Use of Cookies

Cookies are text files that contain data from visited websites or domains and are stored by a browser on the user’s computer. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user during or after his visit within an online service. The information stored can include, for example, the language settings on a website, the login status, a shopping basket or the location where a video was viewed. The term „cookies“ also includes other technologies that fulfil the same functions as cookies (e.g. if user information is stored using pseudonymous online identifiers, also referred to as „user IDs“).

The following types and functions of cookies are distinguished:
Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online service and closed his browser.
Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after closing the browser. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. The interests of users who are used for range measurement or marketing purposes can also be stored in such a cookie.
First-Party-Cookies: First-Party-Cookies are set by ourselves.
Third party cookies: Third party cookies are mainly used by advertisers (so-called third parties) to process user information.
Necessary (also: essential) cookies: Cookies can be necessary for the operation of a website (e.g. to save logins or other user inputs or for security reasons).
Statistics, marketing and personalisation cookies: Cookies are also generally used to measure a website’s reach and when a user’s interests or behaviour (e.g. viewing certain content, using functions, etc.) are stored on individual websites in a user profile. Such profiles are used, for example, to display content to users that corresponds to their potential interests. This procedure is also referred to as „tracking“, i.e. tracking the potential interests of users. If we use cookies or „tracking“ technologies, we will inform you separately in our privacy policy or in the context of obtaining consent.

Information on legal basis: The legal basis on which we process your personal data with the help of cookies depends on whether we ask you for your consent. If this applies and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for processing your data is your declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in a business operation of our online service and its improvement) or, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations.

Retention period: Unless we provide you with explicit information on the retention period of permanent cookies (e.g. within the scope of a so-called cookie opt-in), please assume that the retention period can be as long as two years.

General information on Withdrawal of consent and objection (Opt-Out): Respective of whether processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the option at any time to object to the processing of your data using cookie technologies or to revoke consent (collectively referred to as „opt-out“). You can initially explain your objection using the settings of your browser, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (which may also restrict the functionality of our online services). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can be raised for a large number of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the websites https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ and https://www.youronlinechoices.com. In addition, you can receive further information on objections in the context of the information on the used service providers and cookies.

Processing Cookie Data on the Basis of Consent: We use a cookie management solution in which users‘ consent to the use of cookies, or the procedures and providers mentioned in the cookie management solution, can be obtained, managed and revoked by the users. The declaration of consent is stored so that it does not have to be retrieved again and the consent can be proven in accordance with the legal obligation. Storage can take place server-sided and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-out cookie or with the aid of comparable technologies) in order to be able to assign the consent to a user or and/or his/her device.Subject to individual details of the providers of cookie management services, the following information applies: The duration of the storage of the consent can be up to two years. In this case, a pseudonymous user identifier is formed and stored with the date/time of consent, information on the scope of the consent (e.g. which categories of cookies and/or service providers) as well as the browser, system and used end device.

Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
Cookiebot: Cookie-Consent Manager; Service provider: Cybot A/S, Havnegade 39, 1058 Copenhagen, Denmark; Website: https://www.cookiebot.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.cookiebot.com/en/privacy-policy/; Stored data (on the server of the service provider): The IP number of the user in anonymous form (the last three digits are set to 0), date and time of the consent, user agent of the user’s browser, the URL from which the consent was sent, An anonymous, random and encrypted key value; the consent status of the user.

Business services

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

We process this data in order to fulfil our contractual obligations, safeguard our rights and for the purposes of the administrative tasks associated with this data and the business-related organisation. We will only pass on the data of the contractual partners within the scope of the applicable law to third parties insofar as this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or for the fulfilment of legal obligations or with the consent of data subjects concerned (e.g. telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). The contractual partners will be informed about further processing, e.g. for marketing purposes, as part of this privacy policy.

Which data are necessary for the aforementioned purposes, we inform the contracting partners before or in the context of the data collection, e.g. in online forms by special marking (e.g. colors), and/or symbols (e.g. asterisks or the like), or personally.

We delete the data after expiry of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e. in principle after expiry of 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account or must be kept for legal reasons of archiving (e.g., as a rule 10 years for tax purposes). In the case of data disclosed to us by the contractual partner within the context of an assignment, we delete the data in accordance with the specifications of the assignment, in general after the end of the assignment.

If we use third-party providers or platforms to provide our services, the terms and conditions and privacy policies of the respective third-party providers or platforms shall apply in the relationship between the users and the providers.

Economic Analyses and Market Research: For economic reasons and in order to be able to recognise market trends, wishes of contractual partners and users, we analyse the data available to us on business transactions, contracts, enquiries, etc., whereby the persons concerned may include contractual partners, interested parties, customers, visitors and users of our online service.

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

Agency Services: We process the data of our customers within the scope of our contractual services, which may include e.g. 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.

Education and Training Services: We process the data of the participants of our education and training programmes (uniformly referred to as “ students“) in order to provide them with our educational and training services. The data processed, the type, scope and purpose of the processing and the necessity of its processing are determined by the underlying contractual and educational relationship. The processing also includes the performance evaluation and evaluation of our services and the teachers and instructors.

As part of our activities, we may also process special categories of data, in particular information on the health of persons undergoing training or further training and data revealing ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical convictions. To this end, we obtain, if necessary, the express consent of the students to be trained and further educated and process the special categories of data otherwise only if it is necessary for the provision of training services, for purposes of health care, social protection or protection of vital interests of the students to be trained and further educated.

Insofar as it is necessary for the fulfilment of our contract, for the protection of vital interests or by law, or with the consent of the trainees, we disclose or transfer the data of the students to third parties or agents, e.g. public authorities or in the field of IT, office or comparable services, in compliance with the requirements of professional law.

Coaching: We process the data of our clients and interested parties and other clients or contractual partners (uniformly referred to as „clients“) in order to provide them with our services. The data processed, the type, scope and purpose of their processing and the necessity of their processing are determined by the underlying contractual and client relationship.

Within the scope of our services, we may also process special categories of data, here in particular information on the health of clients, possibly with reference to their sexual life or sexual orientation and data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs. To this end, we obtain the express consent of clients where necessary and process the special categories of data otherwise for the purposes of health care, if the data is public or wit an other legal persmission.

Insofar as it is necessary for the fulfilment of our contractual obligations, the protection of vital interests or by law, or with theclients’s consent, we disclose or transfer the clients’s data to third parties or agents, such as public authorities, accounting offices and in the field of IT, office or comparable services, in compliance with professional regulations.

Consulting: We process the data of our clients, clients as well as interested parties and other clients or contractual partners (uniformly referred to as „clients“) in order to provide them with our consulting services. The data processed, the type, scope and purpose of the processing and the necessity of its processing are determined by the underlying contractual and client relationship.

Insofar as it is necessary for the fulfilment of our contract, for the protection of vital interests or by law, or with the consent of the client, we disclose or transfer the client’s data to third parties or agents, such as authorities, courts, subcontractors or in the field of IT, office or comparable services, taking into account the professional requirements.

Artistic and Literary Services: We process the data of our clients in order to enable them to select, acquire or commission the selected services or works and related tasks, as well as their payment and delivery, or execution or provision.

The required details are identified as such within the framework of the conclusion of the order, order or comparable contract and include the details required for delivery and invoicing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations.

Publishing Activities: We process the data of our contact partners, interviewed persons and other persons who are the subject of our editorial, journalistic and related activities. Here we refer to the validity of protection regulations of freedom of opinion and freedom of the press according to Article 85 GDPR in connection with the respective national laws. The processing serves us the fulfilment of order activities and is otherwise based in particular on the interest of the general public in information and media products.

Technical and Engineering services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as „customers“) in order to enable them to select, acquire or commission the selected services or works as well as associated activities and to pay for and make available such services or works or to perform such services or works.

The required information is indicated as such within the framework of the conclusion of the agreement, order or equivalent contract and includes the information required for the provision of services and invoicing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations. Insofar as we gain access to the information of end customers, employees or other persons, we process it in accordance with the legal and contractual requirements.

Events: We process the data of the participants of the events, events and similar activities offered or organized by us (hereinafter uniformly referred to as „participants“ and „events“) in order to enable them to participate in the events and to make use of the services or actions associated with their participation.

Insofar as we process health-related data, religious, political or other special categories of data in this context, this is done within the framework of disclosure (e.g. for thematically oriented events or serves health care, security or is done with the consent of the data subjects).

The necessary information is identified as such in the context of the conclusion of the agreement, booking or comparable contract and includes the information required for the provision of services and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any enquiries. Insofar as we gain access to information of end customers, employees or other persons, we process this in accordance with the legal and contractual requirements.

Further information on commercial services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as „customers“) in order to enable them to select, acquire or commission the selected services or works and related tasks, as well as their payment and delivery, or execution or provision.

The required details are identified as such within the framework of the conclusion of the order, order or comparable contract and include the details required for service provision and invoicing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations.

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Payment Data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Contract data (e.g. contract object, duration, customer category), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Special categories of personal data: Health Data (Article 9 (1) GDPR), Data related to sexual preferences, sex life, and/or sexual orientation (Article 9 (1) GDPR), Rreligious or philosophical beliefs (Article 9 (1) GDPR), Data revealing racial or ethnic origin.
Data subjects: Prospective customers, Business and contractual partners, Customers, Students/ Participants.
Purposes of Processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support, Contact requests and communication, Office and organisational procedures, Managing and responding to inquiries, Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities), Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles).
Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Compliance with a legal obligation (Article 6 (1) (c) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Sales via online marketplaces and platforms

We offer our services on online platforms operated by other service providers. In addition to our privacy policy, the privacy policies of the respective platforms apply. This is particularly true with regard to the payment process and the methods used on the platforms for performance measuring and behaviour-related marketing.

Services and service providers being used:
Amazon: Online marketplace for e-commerce; Service provider: Amazon Europe Core S.à.r.l., Amazon EU S.à.r.l., Amazon Services Europe S.à.r.l. and Amazon Media EU S.à.r.l., all four located at 38, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, and Amazon Instant Video Germany GmbH, Domagkstr. 28, 80807 Munich (together „Amazon Europe“), parent company: Amazon.com, Inc., 2021 Seventh Ave, Seattle, Washington 98121, USA; Website: https://www.amazon.de/; Privacy Policy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010.
Digistore24: Online marketplace for e-commerce; Service provider: Digistore24 GmbH, St.-Godehard-Straße 32, 31139 Hildesheim, Germany; Website: https://www.digistore24.com/en/home/; Privacy Policy: https://www.digistore24.com/page/privacy.
eBay: Online marketplace for e-commerce; Service provider: eBay Marketplaces GmbH, Helvetiastrasse 15/17, 3005 Bern, Switzerland; Website: https://www.ebay.de/; Privacy Policy: https://www.ebay.de/help/policies/member-behavior-policies/datenschutzerklrung?id=4260.
Etsy: Online marketplace for e-commerce; Service provider: Etsy, Inc., 55 Washington Street, Suite 712, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA; Website: https://www.etsy.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.rakuten.co.jp/english/.
shopify: E-Commerce Platform and Cloud Services; Service provider: Shopify International Limited, Victoria Buildings, 2. Etage,1-2 Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 XN32, Ireland; Website: https://www.shopify.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy.

Providers and services used in the course of business

In the course of our business activities, we use additional services, platforms, interfaces or plug-ins from third-party providers (in short, „services“) that may process user data, in compliance with the legal requirements. In this context, the data protection notices of the respective services apply in addition to our data protection notices.

Information on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent to use the services, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, the users‘ data is processed to provide our business services or, if it is not necessary for the performance of the contract, on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services).

Data subjects: Customers, Prospective customers, Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), Business and contractual partners.
Purposes of Processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support.
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Payment Procedure

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

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 the contract, total and recipient-related information. The information is required to carry out the transactions. However, the data entered is only processed by the payment service providers and stored with them. I.e. we do not receive any account or credit card related information, but only information with confirmation or negative information of the payment. Under certain circumstances, the data may be transmitted by the payment service providers to credit agencies. The purpose of this transmission is to check identity and creditworthiness. Please refer to the terms and conditions and data protection information of the payment service providers.

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

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Payment Data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history), Contract data (e.g. contract object, duration, customer category), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
Data subjects: Customers, Prospective customers.
Purposes of Processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support.
Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
Amazon Payments: Payment service provider; Service provider: Amazon Payments Europe S.C.A. 38 avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg; Website: https://pay.amazon.com; Privacy Policy: https://pay.amazon.com/us/help/201212490.
Apple Pay: Payment services provider; Service provider: Apple Inc., Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA; Website: https://www.apple.com/apple-pay/; Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy/.
Google Pay: Payment services provider; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://pay.google.com/intl/en_uk/about/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Klarna / Sofortüberweisung: Payment service provider; Service provider: Klarna Bank AB (publ), Sveavägen 46, 111 34 Stockholm, Sweden; Website: https://www.klarna.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.klarna.com/de/datenschutz.
Mastercard: Payment service provider; Service provider: Mastercard Europe SA, Chaussée de Tervuren 198A, B-1410 Waterloo, Belgium; Website: https://www.mastercard.co.uk; Privacy Policy: https://www.mastercard.co.uk/en-gb/about-mastercard/what-we-do/privacy.html.
PayPal: Payment service provider (e.g. PayPal, PayPal Plus, Braintree, Braintree); Service provider: PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg; Website: https://www.paypal.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.
Shop Pay (Shopify): Payment service provider; Service provider: Shopify International Limited, Victoria Buildings, 2. Etage,1-2 Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 XN32, Ireland; Website: https://www.shopify.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy.
Visa: Payment service provider; Service provider: Visa Europe Services Inc., Zweigniederlassung London, 1 Sheldon Square, London W2 6TT, UK; Website: https://www.visa.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.visa.de/datenschutz.

Provision of online services and web hosting

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

The data processed within the framework of the provision of the hosting services may include all information relating to the users of our online services that is collected in the course of use and communication. This regularly includes the IP address, which is necessary to be able to deliver the contents of online services to browsers, and all entries made within our online services or from websites.

E-mail Sending and Hosting: The web hosting services we use also include sending, receiving and storing e-mails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders, as well as other information relating to the sending of e-mails (e.g. the providers involved) and the contents of the respective e-mails are processed. The above data may also be processed for SPAM detection purposes. Please note that e-mails on the Internet are generally not sent in encrypted form. As a rule, e-mails are encrypted during transport, but not on the servers from which they are sent and received (unless a so-called end-to-end encryption method is used). We can therefore accept no responsibility for the transmission path of e-mails between the sender and reception on our server.

Collection of Access Data and Log Files: We, ourselves or our web hosting provider, collect data on the basis of each access to the server (so-called server log files). Server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, the date and time of access, data volumes transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a general rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider.

The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure the stability and optimal load balancing of the servers .

Content-Delivery-Network: We use a so-called „Content Delivery Network“ (CDN). A CDN is a service with whose help contents of our online services, in particular large media files, such as graphics or scripts, can be delivered faster and more securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet.

Processed data types: Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Provision of our online services and usability, Content Delivery Network (CDN).
Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
ALL-INKL: Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities); Service provider: ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich, Inhaber: René Münnich, Hauptstraße 68, 02742 Friedersdorf, Germany; Website: https://all-inkl.com/; Privacy Policy: https://all-inkl.com/datenschutzinformationen/.
Amazon Web Services (AWS): Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities); Service provider: Amazon Web Services, Inc., 410 Terry Avenue North, Seattle WA 98109, USA; Website: https://aws.amazon.com/; Privacy Policy: https://aws.amazon.com/de/privacy/?nc1=f_pr.
Cloudflare: Content-Delivery-Network (CDN); Service provider: Cloudflare, Inc., 101 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA; Website: https://www.cloudflare.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/.
STRATO: Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities); Service provider: STRATO AG, Pascalstraße 10,10587 Berlin, Germany; Website: https://www.strato.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.strato.de/datenschutz.

Special Notes on Applications (Apps)

We process the data of the users of our application to the extent necessary to provide the users with the application and its functionalities, to monitor its security and to develop it further. Furthermore, we may contact users in compliance with the statutory provisions if communication is necessary for the purposes of administration or use of the application. In addition, we refer to the data protection information in this privacy policy with regard to the processing of user data.

Legal basis: The processing of data necessary for the provision of the functionalities of the application serves to fulfil contractual obligations. This also applies if the provision of the functions requires user authorisation (e.g. release of device functions). If the processing of data is not necessary for the provision of the functionalities of the application, but serves the security of the application or our business interests (e.g. collection of data for the purpose of optimising the application or security purposes), it is carried out on the basis of our legitimate interests. If users are expressly requested to give their consent to the processing of their data, the data covered by the consent is processed on the basis of the consent.

Device authorizations for access to functions and data: The use of certain functions of our application may require access to the camera and the stored recordings of the users. By default, these authorizations must be granted by the user and can be revoked at any time in the settings of the respective devices. The exact procedure for controlling app permissions may depend on the user’s device and software. Users can contact us if they require further explanation. We would like to point out that the refusal or revocation of the respective authorizations can affect the functionality of our application.

Accessing the camera and stored recordings: In the course of using our application, image and/or video recordings (whereby audio recordings are also included) of the users (and of other persons captured by the recordings) are processed by accessing the camera functions or stored recordings. Access to the camera functions or stored recordings requires an authorization by the user that can be withdrawn at any time. The processing of the image and/or video recordings serves only to provide the respective functionality of our application, according to its description to the users or the typical and expectable functionality of the application.

Processing of stored contacts: When using our application, the contact information of persons (e.g. name, e-mail address and telephone number) stored in the contact directory of the device is processed. The use of the contact information requires user authorization, which can be withdrawn at any time. The use of the contact information serves only to provide the respective functionality of our application, according to its description to the users, or its typical and expectable functionality. Users are advised that permission to process the contact information must be granted and, especially in the case of natural persons, their consent or a legal permission is required.

Use of contact data for contact matching purposes: The data of contacts stored in the contact directory of the device can be used to check whether these contacts also use our application. For this purpose, the contact data of the respective contacts (which includes the telephone number and e-mail address) are uploaded to our server and used only for the purpose of matching.

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), Images and/ or video recordings (e.g. photographs or video recordings of a person).
Purposes of Processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support.
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Purchase of applications via Appstores

The purchase of our apps is done via special online platforms operated by other service providers (so-called „appstores“). In this context, the data protection notices of the respective appstores apply in addition to our data protection notices. This applies in particular with regard to the methods used on the platforms for webanalytics and for interest-related marketing as well as possible costs.

Services and service providers being used:
Apple App Store: App and software distribution platform; Service provider: Apple Inc., Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA; Website: https://www.apple.com/ios/app-store/; Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy/.
Google Play: App and software distribution platform; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps?hl=en; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Registration, Login and User Account

Users can create a user account. Within the scope of registration, the required mandatory information is communicated to the users and processed for the purposes of providing the user account on the basis of contractual fulfilment of obligations. The processed data includes in particular the login information (name, password and an e-mail address).

Within the scope of using our registration and login functions as well as the use of the user account, we store the IP address and the time of the respective user action. The storage is based on our legitimate interests, as well as the user’s protection against misuse and other unauthorized use. This data will not be passed on to third parties unless it is necessary to pursue our claims or there is a legal obligation to do so.

Users may be informed by e-mail of information relevant to their user account, such as technical changes.

Registration with a real name: Due to the nature of our community, we ask users to use our services only with their real names. This means that the use of pseudonyms is not permitted.

Deletion of data after termination: If users have terminated their user account, their data relating to the user account will be deleted, subject to any legal permission, obligation or consent of the users.

It is the responsibility of the users to secure their data before the end of the contract in the event of termination. We are entitled to irretrievably delete all user data stored during the term of the contract.

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support, Security measures, Managing and responding to inquiries.
Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Blogs and publication media

We use blogs or comparable means of online communication and publication (hereinafter „publication medium“). Readers‘ data will only be processed for the purposes of the publication medium to the extent necessary for its presentation and communication between authors and readers or for security reasons. For the rest, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium within the scope of this privacy policy.

Comment subscriptions: When users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored based on our legitimate interests. This is done for our safety, if someone leaves illegal contents (insults, forbidden political propaganda, etc.) in comments and contributions. In this case, we ourselves can be prosecuted for the comment or contribution and are therefore interested in the author’s identity.

Furthermore, we reserve the right to process user data for the purpose of spam detection on the basis of our legitimate interests.

On the same legal basis, in the case of surveys, we reserve the right to store the IP addresses of users for the duration of the surveys and to use cookies in order to avoid multiple votes.

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

Services and service providers being used:
UpdraftPlus: Backup Software and Backup Storage; Service provider: Simba Hosting Ltd., 11, Barringer Way, St. Neots, Cambs., PE19 1LW, UK; Website: https://updraftplus.com/; Privacy Policy: https://updraftplus.com/data-protection-and-privacy-centre/.
Wordfence: Firewall and security as well as error detection functions ; Service provider: Defiant, Inc., 800 5th Ave Ste 4100, Seattle, WA 98104, USA; Website: https://www.wordfence.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.wordfence.com/privacy-policy/; Standard Contractual Clauses (Safeguarding the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://www.wordfence.com/gdpr/dpa.pdf.

Contact and Inquiry Management

When contacting us (e.g. via contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media) as well as in the context of existing user and business relationships, the information of the inquiring persons is processed to the extent necessary to respond to the contact requests and any requested measures.

The response to the contact inquiries as well as the management of contact and inquiry data in the context of contractual or pre-contractual relationships is carried out to fulfill our contractual obligations or to respond to (pre)contractual inquiries and otherwise on the basis of legitimate interests in responding to the inquiries and maintaining user or business relationships.

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
Purposes of Processing: Contact requests and communication.
Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
HubSpot: Software for customer relation management (CRM), process and sales support ( multi-channel communication, i.e. management of customer enquiries from different channels, sales, process management, analyses, feedback and survey functions; Service provider: HubSpot, Inc., 25 First St., 2nd floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA; Website: https://www.hubspot.de; Privacy Policy: https://legal.hubspot.com/privacy-policy.

Communication via Messenger

We use messenger services for communication purposes and therefore ask you to observe the following information regarding the functionality of the messenger services, encryption, use of the metadata of the communication and your objection options.

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

In the case of encryption of content (i.e. the content of your message and attachments), we point out that the communication content (i.e. the content of the message and attachments) is encrypted end-to-end. This means that the content of the messages is not visible, not even by the messenger service providers themselves. You should always use a current version of the messenger service with activated encryption, so that the encryption of the message contents is guaranteed.

However, we would like to point out to our communication partners that although messenger service providers do not see the content, they can find out that and when communication partners communicate with us and process technical information on the communication partner’s device used and, depending on the settings of their device, also location information (so-called metadata).

Information on Legal basis: If we ask communication partners for permission before communicating with them via messenger services, the legal basis of our processing of their data is their consent. Otherwise, if we do not request consent and you contact us, for example, voluntarily, we use messenger services in our dealings with our contractual partners and as part of the contract initiation process as a contractual measure and in the case of other interested parties and communication partners on the basis of our legitimate interests in fast and efficient communication and meeting the needs of our communication partners for communication via messenger services. We would also like to point out that we do not transmit the contact data provided to us to the messenger service providers for the first time without your consent.

Withdrawal, objection and deletion: You can withdraw your consent or object to communication with us via messenger services at any time.In the case of communication via messenger services, we delete the messages in accordance with our general data retention policy (i.e. as described above after the end of contractual relationships, archiving requirements, etc.) and otherwise as soon as we can assume that we have answered any information provided by the communication partners, if no reference to a previous conversation is to be expected and there are no legal obligations to store the messages to prevent their deletion.

Reservation of reference to other means of communication: Finally, we would like to point out that we reserve the right, for reasons of your safety, not to answer inquiries about messenger services. This is the case if, for example, internal contractual matters require special secrecy or if an answer via the messenger services does not meet the formal requirements. In such cases we refer you to more appropriate communication channels.

Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
Purposes of Processing: Contact requests and communication, Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
Apple iMessage: Service provider: Apple Inc., Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA; Website: https://www.apple.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy/.
Instagram: Messaging via the social network Instagram; Service provider: Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA, , Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.
Facebook-Messenger: Facebook-Messenger with end-to-end encryption (the end-to-end Facebook Messenger encryption requires activation, unless enabled by default); Service provider: https://www.facebook.com, Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Opt-Out: https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/ad_settings (login at Facebook is required).
MessengerPeople: WhatsBroadcast – Services in the field of Messenger Communication; Service provider: MessengerPeople GmbH, Herzog-Heinrich-Str. 9, 80336 Munich, Germany; Website: https://www.messengerpeople.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.messengerpeople.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung/.
Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams – Messenger; Service provider: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA; Website: https://products.office.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-GB/privacystatement, Security information: https://www.microsoft.com/en-GB/trust-center.
Signal: Signal Messenger with end-to-end encryption; Service provider: Privacy Signal Messenger, LLC 650 Castro Street, Suite 120-223 Mountain View, CA 94041, USA; Website: https://signal.org/; Privacy Policy: https://signal.org/legal/.
Snapchat: Snapchat Messenger with end-to-end encryption; Service provider: Snap Inc, 63 Market Street Venice, CA 90291 USA; Website: https://www.snapchat.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.snap.com/en-US/privacy/privacy-policy/.
Telegram Broadcasts: Telegram Broadcasts – Messenger with end-to-end encryption; Service provider: Telegram, Dubai; Website: https://telegram.org/; Privacy Policy: https://telegram.org/privacy.
WhatsApp: WhatsApp Messenger with end-to-end encryption; Service provider: WhatsApp Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2, D02 KH28, Ireland; Website: https://www.whatsapp.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal.

Chatbots and chat functions

We provide online chats and chatbot functions as a means of communication (together referred to as „Chat Services“). A chat is an online conversation that is conducted with a certain degree of immediacy. A chatbot is software that answers users‘ questions or informs them about messages. If you use our chat functions, we may process your personal data.

If you use our Chat Services within an online platform, your identification number is also stored within the respective platform. We may also collect information about which users interact with our Chat Services and when. Furthermore, we store the content of your conversations via the Chat Services and log registration and consent processes in order to be able to prove these in accordance with legal requirements.

We would like to inform users that the respective platform provider can find out that and when users communicate with our Chat Services and can collect technical information about the user’s device used and, depending on the settings of their device, also location information (so-called metadata) for the purpose of optimising the respective services and for security purposes. Likewise, the metadata of communication via Chat Services (i.e., information about who has communicated with whom) could be used by the respective platform providers for marketing purposes or to display advertising tailored to users in accordance with their regulations, to which we refer for further information.

If users agree to activate information with regular messages to a chatbot, they have the possibility to unsubscribe from the information for the future at any time. The chatbot points out to users how and with which terms they can unsubscribe the messages. By unsubscribing from the chatbot messages, Users‘ data is deleted from the directory of message recipients.

We use the aforementioned information to operate our Chat Services, e.g. to address users personally, to answer their inquiries, to transmit any requested content and also to improve our Chat Services (e.g. to „teach“ chatbots answers to frequently asked questions or to identify unanswered inquiries).

Information on Legal basis: We use the Chat Services on the basis of a consent if we first obtain the permission of the users to process their data by the Chat Services (this applies in cases where users are asked for consent, e.g. so that a chatbot regularly sends them messages). If we use Chat Services to answer user queries about our services or our company, this is done for contractual and pre-contractual communication. In addition, we use Chat Services based on our legitimate interests in optimizing the Chat Services, its operating efficiency and enhancing the positive user experience.

Withdrawal, objection and deletion: You can revoke a given consent at any time or contradict the processing of your data in the context of our hatbot use.

Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
Purposes of Processing: Contact requests and communication, Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Push notifications

With the consent of the users, we can send the users so-called „push notifications“. These are messages that are displayed on users‘ screens, devices or browsers, even if our online services are not being actively used.

In order to sign up for push messages, users must confirm that their browser or device has requested to receive push messages. This approval process is documented and stored. The storage is necessary to recognize whether users have consented to receive the push messages and to be able to prove their consent. For these purposes, a pseudonymous identifier of the browser (so-called „push token“) or the device ID of a terminal device is stored.

The push messages may be necessary for the fulfilment of contractual obligations (e.g. technical and organisational information relevant for the use of our online offer) and will otherwise be sent, unless specifically mentioned below, on the basis of user consent. Users can change the receipt of push messages at any time using the notification settings of their respective browsers or end devices.

Push messages with commercial information: The push notifications we send may contain commercial information. The commercial push messages are processed on the basis of user consent. If the contents of the push messages are described in detail in the context of the consent to receive the commercial push messages, the descriptions are decisive for the consent of the users. In addition, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

Analysis and performance measurement: We statistically evaluate push messages and can thus identify if and when push messages were displayed and clicked on. This information is used for the technical improvement of our push messages based on technical data or target groups and their retrieval behavior or retrieval times. This analysis also includes determining whether the push messages are opened, when they are opened and whether users interact with their content or buttons. For technical reasons, this information can be assigned to individual push message recipients. However, it is neither our intention nor, if used, that of the push message service provider to monitor individual users. Rather, the evaluations serve to identify the usage habits of our users and to adapt our push messages to them or to send different push messages according to the interests of our users.

The evaluation of the push messages and the measurement of performance are based on the consent of the users, which is given with their permission to receive the push messages. Users can object to the analysis and performance measurement by unsubscribing from the push messages. Unfortunately, it is not possible to cancel the analysis and performance measurement separately.

Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
Purposes of Processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support, Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal), Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR).

Video Conferences, Online Meetings, Webinars and Screen-Sharing

We use platforms and applications of other providers (hereinafter referred to as „Conference Platforms“) for the purpose of conducting video and audio conferences, webinars and other types of video and audio meetings (hereinafter collectively referred to as „Conference“). When using the Conference Platforms and their services, we comply with the legal requirements.

Data processed by Conference Platforms: In the course of participation in a Conference, the Data of the participants listed below are processed. The scope of the processing depends, on the one hand, on which data is requested in the context of a specific Conference (e.g., provision of access data or clear names) and which optional information is provided by the participants. In addition to processing for the purpose of conducting the conference, participants‘ Data may also be processed by the Conference Platforms for security purposes or service optimization. The processed Date includes personal information (first name, last name), contact information (e-mail address, telephone number), access data (access codes or passwords), profile pictures, information on professional position/function, the IP address of the internet access, information on the participants‘ end devices, their operating system, the browser and its technical and linguistic settings, information on the content-related communication processes, i.e. entries in chats and audio and video data, as well as the use of other available functions (e.g. surveys). The content of communications is encrypted to the extent technically provided by the conference providers. If participants are registered as users with the Conference Platforms, then further data may be processed in accordance with the agreement with the respective Conference Provider.

Logging and recording: If text entries, participation results (e.g. from surveys) as well as video or audio recordings are recorded, this will be transparently communicated to the participants in advance and they will be asked – if necessary – for their consent.

Data protection measures of the participants: Please refer to the data privacy information of the Conference Platforms for details on the processing of your data and select the optimum security and data privacy settings for you within the framework of the settings of the conference platforms. Furthermore, please ensure data and privacy protection in the background of your recording for the duration of a Conference (e.g., by notifying roommates, locking doors, and using the background masking function, if technically possible). Links to the conference rooms as well as access data, should not be passed on to unauthorized third parties.

Notes on legal bases: Insofar as, in addition to the Conference Platforms, we also process users‘ data and ask users for their consent to use contents from the Conferences or certain functions (e.g. consent to a recording of Conferences), the legal basis of the processing is this consent. Furthermore, our processing may be necessary for the fulfillment of our contractual obligations (e.g. in participant lists, in the case of reprocessing of Conference results, etc.).Otherwise, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests in efficient and secure communication with our communication partners.

Services and service providers being used:
Microsoft Teams: Messenger and conference software; Service provider: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA; Website: https://products.office.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement, Security information: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/trustcenter.
Skype: Messenger and conference software; Service provider: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA; Website: https://www.skype.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement, Security information: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/trustcenter.
Zoom: Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing and Webinars; Service provider: Zoom Video Communications, Inc., 55 Almaden Blvd., Suite 600, San Jose, CA 95113, USA; Website: https://zoom.us; Privacy Policy: https://zoom.us/docs/de-de/privacy-and-legal.html; Standard Contractual Clauses (Safeguarding the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://zoom.us/docs/de-de/privacy-and-legal.html (referred to as Global DPA).

Musik & Podcats

We use hosting and analysis services of service providers to offer our audio content for listening to or downloading and to obtain statistical information on the request of the audio content.

Services and service providers being used:
Spotify: Spotify – Music hosting and Widget; Service provider: Spotify AB, Regeringsgatan 19, SE-111 53 Stockholm, Sweden; Website: https://www.spotify.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.spotify.com/legal/privacy-policy/.

Job Application Process

The application process requires applicants to provide us with the data necessary for their assessment and selection. The information required can be found in the job description or, in the case of online forms, in the information contained therein.

In principle, the required information includes personal information such as name, address, a contact option and proof of the qualifications required for a particular employment. Upon request, we will be happy to provide you with additional information.

If made available, applicants can submit their applications via an online form. The data will be transmitted to us encrypted according to the state of the art. Applicants can also send us their applications by e-mail. Please note, however, that e-mails on the Internet are generally not sent in encrypted form. As a rule, e-mails are encrypted during transport, but not on the servers from which they are sent and received. We can therefore accept no responsibility for the transmission path of the application between the sender and the reception on our server. For the purposes of searching for applicants, submitting applications and selecting applicants, we may make use of the applicant management and recruitment software, platforms and services of third-party providers in compliance with legal requirements. Applicants are welcome to contact us about how to submit their application or send it to us by regular mail.

Processing of special categories of data: If special categories of personal data within the meaning of Article 9 (1) GDPR (e.g. health data, such as severely handicapped status or ethnic origin) are requested from applicants within the framework of the application procedure, so that the responsible person or the person concerned can exercise his/her rights arising from labour law and social security and social protection law and fulfil his/her duties in this regard, their processing shall be carried out in accordance with Article 9 (1)(b) GDPR, in the case of the protection of vital interests of applicants or other persons pursuant to Article 9 (1)(c) GDPR or for the purposes of preventive health care or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the employee’s ability to work, for medical diagnostics, care or treatment in the health or social sector or for the administration of systems and services in the health or social sector in accordance with Article 9 (1)(h) GDPR. In the case of a communication of special categories of data based on voluntary consent, their processing is carried out on the basis of Article 9 (1)(a) GDPR.

Ereasure of data: In the event of a successful application, the data provided by the applicants may be further processed by us for the purposes of the employment relationship. Otherwise, if the application for a job offer is not successful, the applicant’s data will be deleted. Applicants‘ data will also be deleted if an application is withdrawn, to which applicants are entitled at any time. Subject to a justified revocation by the applicant, the deletion will take place at the latest after the expiry of a period of six months, so that we can answer any follow-up questions regarding the application and comply with our duty of proof under the regulations on equal treatment of applicants. Invoices for any reimbursement of travel expenses are archived in accordance with tax regulations.

Admission to a talent pool – Admission to an talent pool, if offered, is based on consent. Applicants are informed that their consent to be included in the talent pool is voluntary, has no influence on the current application process and that they can revoke their consent at any time for the future.

Processed data types: Job applicant details (e.g. Personal data, postal and contact addresses and the documents pertaining to the application and the information contained therein, such as cover letter, curriculum vitae, certificates, etc., as well as other information on the person or qualifications of applicants provided with regard to a specific job or voluntarily by applicants).
Data subjects: Job applicants.
Purposes of Processing: Job Application Process (Establishment and possible later execution as well as possible later termination of the employment relationship).
Legal Basis: Job application process as a pre-contractual or contractual relationship (Article 9 (2)(b) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
Facebook-Jobs: Recruiting platform and services Facebook-Jobs; Service provider: Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, parent company: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy.
LinkedIn Recruiter: Recruiting platform and services; Service provider: https://www.linkedin.com, LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.
Stepstone: Recruiting platform and services; Service provider: StepStone Deutschland GmbH, Völklinger Straße 1, 40219 Düsseldorf, Germany; Website: https://www.stepstone.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.stepstone.com/privacy-statement/.

Cloud Services

We use Internet-accessible software services (so-called „cloud services“, also referred to as „Software as a Service“) provided on the servers of its providers for the following purposes: document storage and administration, calendar management, e-mail delivery, spreadsheets and presentations, exchange of documents, content and information with specific recipients or publication of websites, forms or other content and information, as well as chats and participation in audio and video conferences.

Within this framework, personal data may be processed and stored on the provider’s servers insofar as this data is part of communication processes with us or is otherwise processed by us in accordance with this privacy policy. This data may include in particular master data and contact data of data subjects, data on processes, contracts, other proceedings and their contents. Cloud service providers also process usage data and metadata that they use for security and service optimization purposes.

If we use cloud services to provide documents and content to other users or publicly accessible websites, forms, etc., providers may store cookies on users‘ devices for web analysis or to remember user settings (e.g. in the case of media control).

Information on legal basis – If we ask for permission to use cloud services, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Furthermore, their use can be a component of our (pre)contractual services, provided that the use of cloud services has been agreed in this context. Otherwise, user data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient and secure administrative and collaboration processes).

Services and service providers being used:
Amazon Drive: Cloud storage service; Service provider: Amazon Europe Core S.à.r.l., Amazon EU S.à.r.l., Amazon Services Europe S.à.r.l. and Amazon Media EU S.à.r.l., all four located at 38, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, and Amazon Instant Video Germany GmbH, Domagkstr. 28, 80807 Munich (together „Amazon Europe“), parent company: Amazon.com, Inc., 2021 Seventh Ave, Seattle, Washington 98121, USA; Website: https://www.amazon.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010.
Apple iCloud: Cloud storage service; Service provider: Apple Inc., Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA; Website: https://www.apple.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/.
Dropbox: Cloud storage service; Service provider: Dropbox, Inc., 333 Brannan Street, San Francisco, California 94107, USA; Website: https://www.dropbox.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.dropbox.com/privacy.
Google Cloud Services: Cloud storage, cloud infrastructure services and cloud-based application software; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://cloud.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy, Security information: https://cloud.google.com/security/privacy; Standard Contractual Clauses (Safeguarding the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://cloud.google.com/terms/data-processing-terms; Verzeichnis der Nutzungsbedingungen zu Google Cloud nebst Standardvertragsklauseln https://cloud.google.com/product-terms.
Microsoft Cloud Services: Cloud storage, cloud infrastructure services and cloud-based application software; Service provider: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA; Website: https://microsoft.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement, Security information: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/trustcenter.

Newsletter and Electronic Communications

We send newsletters, e-mails and other electronic communications (hereinafter referred to as „newsletters“) only with the consent of the recipient or a legal permission. Insofar as the contents of the newsletter are specifically described within the framework of registration, they are decisive for the consent of the user. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

In order to subscribe to our newsletters, it is generally sufficient to enter your e-mail address. We may, however, ask you to provide a name for the purpose of contacting you personally in the newsletter or to provide further information if this is required for the purposes of the newsletter.

Double opt-in procedure: The registration to our newsletter takes place in general in a so-called Double-Opt-In procedure. This means that you will receive an e-mail after registration asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with external e-mail addresses.

The registrations for the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process according to the legal requirements. This includes storing the login and confirmation times as well as the IP address. Likewise the changes of your data stored with the dispatch service provider are logged.

Deletion and restriction of processing: We may store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years based on our legitimate interests before deleting them to provide evidence of prior consent. The processing of these data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of a consent is confirmed at the same time. In the case of an obligation to permanently observe an objection, we reserve the right to store the e-mail address solely for this purpose in a blocklist.

Information on legal bases: The sending of the newsletter is based on the consent of the recipients or, if consent is not required, on the basis of our legitimate interests in direct marketing. Insofar as we engage a service provider for sending e-mails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests. The registration procedure is recorded on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purpose of demonstrating that it has been conducted in accordance with the law.

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

Measurement of opening rates and click rates: The newsletters contain a so-called „web-beacon“, i.e. a pixel-sized file, which is retrieved from our server when the newsletter is opened or, if we use a mailing service provider, from its server. Within the scope 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 first collected.

This information is used for the technical improvement of our newsletter on the basis of technical data or target groups and their reading behaviour on the basis of their retrieval points (which can be determined with the help of the IP address) or access times. This analysis also includes determining whether newsletters are opened, when they are opened and which links are clicked. This information is assigned to the individual newsletter recipients and stored in their profiles until the profiles are deleted. The evaluations serve us much more to recognize the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to them or to send different content according to the interests of our users.

The measurement of opening rates and click rates as well as the storage of the measurement results in the profiles of the users and their further processing are based on the consent of the users.

A separate objection to the performance measurement is unfortunately not possible, in this case the entire newsletter subscription must be cancelled or objected to. In this case, the stored profile information will be deleted.

Prerequisite for the use of free services: Consent to the sending of mailings can be made dependent on the use of free services (e.g. access to certain content or participation in certain campaigns) as a prerequisite. If the users would like to take advantage of the free service without registering for the newsletter, we offer them to contact us.

Sending via text messages: The electronic communications can also be sent via text messages (or are sent exclusively via text messages, if the sending authorization, e.g., consent, only includes sending via SMS).

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Event Data (Facebook) („Event Data“ is data that can be transmitted from us to Facebook, e.g. via Facebook pixels (via apps or other means) and relates to persons or their actions; the data includes, for example, information about visits to websites, interactions with content, functions, installations of apps, purchases of products, etc.; Event data is processed for the purpose of creating target groups for content and advertising information (Custom Audiences); Event Data does not include the actual content (such as written comments), login information, and Contact Information (such as names, email addresses, and phone numbers). Event Data is deleted by Facebook after a maximum of two years, the Custom Audiences created from them with the deletion of our Facebook account).
Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.), Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal), Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities), Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles), Provision of contractual services and customer support, Contact requests and communication.
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).
Opt-Out: You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent or object to further receipt. You will find a link to cancel the newsletter either at the end of each newsletter or you can otherwise use one of the contact options listed above, preferably e-mail.

Services and service providers being used:
Google Analytics: Measuring the success of email campaigns and building user profiles with a storage period of up to two years; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/en/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms.
Clickfunnels: Email marketing platform; Service provider: Etison LLC, 3443 W. Bavaria Street, Eagle, Idaho 83616, USA; Website: https://clickfunnels.com; Privacy Policy: https://clickfunnels.com/privacy, https://signup.clickfunnels.com/gdpr-policy.
Facebook-Messenger Broadcasts: Messenger with end-to-end encryption; Service provider: https://www.facebook.com, Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Opt-Out: https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/ad_settings (login at Facebook is required).
HubSpot: Email marketing platform; Service provider: HubSpot, Inc., 25 First St., 2nd floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA; Website: https://www.hubspot.com; Privacy Policy: https://legal.hubspot.com/privacy-policy.
Mailchimp: Email distribution and email marketing platform; Service provider: „Mailchimp“ – Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA; Website: https://mailchimp.com; Privacy Policy: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/.
Zapier: Email marketing platform; Service provider: Zapier, Inc., 548 Market St #62411, San Francisco, California 94104, USA; Website: https://zapier.com; Privacy Policy: https://zapier.com/privacy.

Commercial communication by E-Mail, Postal Mail, Fax or Telephone

We process personal data for the purposes of promotional communication, which may be carried out via various channels, such as e-mail, telephone, post or fax, in accordance with the legal requirements.

The recipients have the right to withdraw their consent at any time or to object to the advertising communication at any time.

After withdrawal or objection, we may store the data required to prove consent for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before we delete them. The processing of these data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of a consent is affirmed.

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
Purposes of Processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Sweepstakes and Contests

We process the personal data of participants in We process personal data of participants in competitions, contents, raffles, prize-draws or sweepstakes (hereinafter referred to as „competitions“) only in compliance with the relevant data protection regulations and if the processing is contractually necessary for the provision, execution and handling of the competition, the participants have consented to the processing or the processing serves our legitimate interests (e.g. in the security of the competition or the protection of our interests against misuse by possible recording of IP addresses when submitting entries to the competition.

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

If the competitions take place within an online platform or a social network (e.g. Facebook or Instagram, hereinafter referred to as „online platform“), the usage and data protection provisions of the respective online platforms also apply. In such cases, we would like to point out that we are responsible for the information provided by the participants as part of the competition and that we must be contacted with regard to the competitions.

The data of the participants will be deleted as soon as the competition has ended and the data is no longer required to inform the winners or because questions about the competition can be expected. In general, the data of the participants will be deleted at the latest 6 months after the end of the competition. Winners‘ data can be retained for a longer period of time, e.g. in order to answer questions about the prizes or to fulfil the prizes; in this case, the retention period depends on the type of prize and is up to three years for items or services, e.g. in order to be able to process warranty claims. Furthermore, the participants‘ data may be stored for longer, e.g. in the form of coverage of the competition in online and offline media.

Insofar as data was collected for other purposes as part of the competition, its processing and storage period shall be governed by the privacy information for this use (e.g. in the case of registration for a newsletter as part of a competition).

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
Data subjects: Participants in sweepstakes and competitions.
Purposes of Processing: Conducting sweepstakes and contests.
Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR).

Surveys and Questionnaires

The surveys and questionnaires („surveys“) carried out by us are evaluated anonymously. Personal data is only processed insofar as this is necessary for the provision and technical execution of the survey (e.g. processing the IP address to display the survey in the user’s browser or to enable a resumption of the survey with the aid of a temporary cookie (session cookie)) or participants have consented.

Information on legal basis: If we ask the participants for their consent to the processing of their data, this is the legal basis for the processing, otherwise the processing of the participants‘ data is based on our legitimate interests in conducting an objective survey.

Services and service providers being used:
Google Forms: Google-Cloud Forms; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://firebase.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
SurveyMonkey: SurveyMonkey Survey Services; Service provider: SurveyMonkey Inc., 1 Curiosity Way, San Mateo, California 94403, USA; Website: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk; Privacy Policy: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/mp/legal/privacy-policy/?ut_source=footer.
ZOHO Survey: Online surveys and questionnaires; Service provider: Zoho Corporation, 4141 Hacienda Drive, Pleasanton, California 94588 USA; Website: https://www.zoho.com/survey; Privacy Policy: https://www.zoho.com/privacy.html.

Web Analysis, Monitoring and Optimization

Web analysis is used to evaluate the visitor traffic on our website and may include the behaviour, interests or demographic information of users, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of web analysis we can e.g. recognize, at which time our online services or their functions or contents are most frequently used or requested for repeatedly, as well as which areas require optimization.

In addition to web analysis, we can also use test procedures, e.g. to test and optimize different versions of our online services or their components.

For these purposes, so-called user profiles can be created and stored in a file (so-called „cookie“) or similar procedures in which the relevant user information for the aforementioned analyses is stored. This information may include, for example, content viewed, web pages visited and elements and technical data used there, such as the browser used, computer system used and information on times of use. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, these may also be processed, depending on the provider.

The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use any existing IP masking procedure (i.e. pseudonymisation by shortening the IP address) to protect the user. In general, within the framework of web analysis, A/B testing and optimisation, no user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) is stored, but pseudonyms. This means that we, as well as the providers of the software used, do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purposes of the respective processes.

Information on legal basis: If we ask the users for their consent to the use of third party providers, the legal basis of the processing is consent. Furthermore, the processing can be a component of our (pre)contractual services, provided that the use of the third party was agreed within this context. Otherwise, user data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient friendly services). In this context, we would also like to refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

VG Word / Scalable Central measurement method: We use „session cookies“ from VG Wort, Munich, to measure access to texts in order to determine the probability of their being copied. Session cookies are small units of information that a provider stores in the main memory of the visitor’s computer. A randomly generated unique identification number, a so-called session ID, is stored in a session cookie. In addition, a cookie contains information about its origin and the period of storage. Session cookies cannot store other data. These measurements are carried out by Kantar Germany GmbH according to the Scalable Central Measuring Method (SZM). They help to determine the copy probability of individual texts for remuneration of legal claims of authors and publishers. We do not collect personal data via cookies.

With the Scalable Central Measurement Method, anonymous measurement values are collected. The access number measurement uses alternatively a session cookie or a signature, which is created from various automatically transmitted information of your browser, for the recognition of computer systems. IP addresses are only processed in anonymised form. The procedure was developed in compliance with data protection. The sole aim of the procedure is to determine the probability of individual texts being copied. At no time are individual users identified. Their identity always remains protected. USers will not receive any advertising via the system.

Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles), Clicktracking, A/B Tests, Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form), Heatmaps („Heatmaps“ are mouse movements of the users, which are combined to an overall picture.), Polls and Questionnaires (e.g. surveys with input options, multiple choice questions), Marketing, Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities), Provision of our online services and usability.
Security measures: IP Masking (Pseudonymization of the IP address).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
Google Analytics: Web analytics; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/en/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms.
Google Optimize: Use of Google Analytics data for the purpose of improving areas of our online services and improving the targeting of our marketing activities on potential user interests; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://optimize.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms.
Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution with which we can manage so-called website tags via an interface and thus integrate other services into our online services (please refer to further details in this privacy policy). With the Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags), for example, no user profiles are created or cookies are stored. Google only receives the IP address of the user, which is necessary to run the Google Tag Manager. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms .
Hotjar: Software for the analysis and optimisation of online services on the basis of feedback functions as well as pseudonymously conducted measurements and analyses of user behaviour, which may include in particular A/B tests (measurement of the preference and user-friendliness of different contents and functions), measurement of click paths and other interactions with contents and functions of the online services; Service provider: Hotjar Ltd., 3 Lyons Range, 20 Bisazza Street, Sliema SLM 1640, Malta ; Website: https://www.hotjar.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/policies/privacy. Cookie Policy: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/policies/cookie-information; Retention period: The cookies that Hotjar uses have a different „lifetime“; some last up to 365 days, some only last during the current visit; Opt-Out: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/compliance/opt-out.
Matomo: The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website will only be stored on our server and not disclosed to third parties; Service provider: Web analytics/ reach measurement in self-hosting; Website: https://matomo.org/; Retention period: The cookies have a maximum storage period of 13 months.
Microsoft Clarity: Software for the analysis and optimisation of online services on the basis of feedback functions as well as pseudonymously conducted measurements and analyses of user behaviour, which may include in particular A/B tests (measurement of the preference and user-friendliness of different contents and functions), measurement of click paths and other interactions with contents and functions of the online services; Service provider: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA; Website: https://clarity.microsoft.com/; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-GB/privacystatement, Security information: https://www.microsoft.com/en-GB/trust-center.
Piwik PRO: The data processed by Piwik Pro are processed only on our servers or on servers under our control; Service provider: Piwik PRO GmbH, Lina-Bommer-Weg 6, 51149 Köln, Germany (Only when using Pwiki hosting services); Website: https://piwik.pro; Privacy Policy: https://piwik.pro/privacy-policy; Opt-Out: Users may at any time object to the processing of their data by Piwik Pro with future effect. In this case, a so-called opt-out cookie is stored in your browser, which means that Piwik Pro no longer collects any session data. However, if users delete their cookies, the opt-out cookie is also deleted and must therefore be reactivated by the users..
Visual Website Optimizer: Visual Website Optimizer – Testing and optimization; Service provider: Wingify Software Private Limited, 404, Gopal Heights, Netaji Subhash Place, Pitam Pura, Delhi 110034, India; Website: https://vwo.com; Privacy Policy: https://vwo.com/privacy-policy/.
VG Word / Scalable Central measurement method: VG Word / Scalable Central measurement method; Service provider: Verwertungsgesellschaft WORT (VG WORT), Untere Weidenstraße 5, 81543 Munich, Germany; Website: https://www.vgwort.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.vgwort.de/hilfsseiten/datenschutz.html.

Online Marketing

We process personal data for the purposes of online marketing, which may include in particular the marketing of advertising space or the display of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as „Content“) based on the potential interests of users and the measurement of their effectiveness.

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

The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use provided IP masking procedures (i.e. pseudonymisation by shortening the IP address) to ensure the protection of the user’s by using a pseudonym. In general, within the framework of the online marketing process, no clear user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) is secured, but pseudonyms. This means that we, as well as the providers of online marketing procedures, 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 similar memorizing procedures. These cookies can later, generally also on other websites that use the same online marketing technology, be read and analyzed for purposes of content display, as well as supplemented with other data and stored on the server of the online marketing technology provider.

Exceptionally, clear data can be assigned to the profiles. This is the case, for example, if the users are members of a social network whose online marketing technology we use and the network links the profiles of the users in the aforementioned data. Please note that users may enter into additional agreements with the social network providers or other service providers, e.g. by consenting as part of a registration process.

As a matter of principle, we only gain access to summarised information about the performance of our advertisements. However, within the framework of so-called conversion measurement, we can check which of our online marketing processes have led to a so-called conversion, i.e. to the conclusion of a contract with us. The conversion measurement is used alone for the performance analysis of our marketing activities.

Unless otherwise stated, we kindly ask you to consider that cookies used will be stored for a period of two years.

Information on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent (e.g. in the context of a so-called „cookie banner consent“), the legal basis for processing data for online marketing purposes is this consent. Otherwise, user data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online services. In this context, we would also like to refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

We use the „Google Marketing Platform“ (and services like „Google Ad Manager“) to place ads in the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.). The Google Marketing Platform“ is characterised by the fact that ads are displayed in real time according to the presumed interests of the users. This allows us to display ads for and within our online services in a more targeted manner in order to present users only with ads that potentially match their interests. If, for example, a user is shown ads for products in which he is interested on other online offers, this is referred to as „remarketing“.

With the help of the Facebook pixel (or equivalent functions, to transfer Event-Data or Contact Information via interfaces or other software in apps), Facebook is on the one hand able to determine the visitors of our online services as a target group for the presentation of ads (so-called „Facebook ads“). Accordingly, we use Facebook pixels to display Facebook ads placed by us only to Facebook users and within the services of partners cooperating with Facebook (so-called „audience network“ https://www.facebook.com/audiencenetwork/ ) who have shown an interest in our online services or who have certain characteristics (e.g. interests in certain topics or products that are determined on the basis of the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (so-called „custom audiences“). With the help of Facebook pixels, we also want to ensure that our Facebook ads correspond to the potential interest of users and do not appear annoying. The Facebook pixel also enables us to track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by showing whether users were referred to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (known as „conversion tracking“).

We are jointly responsible (so-called „joint-controllership“) with Facebook Ireland Ltd. for the collection or transmission (but not the further processing) of „event data“ that Facebook collects or receives as part of a transmission for the following purposes using the Facebook pixel and comparable functions (e.g. APIs) that are implemented in our online services: a) displaying content advertising information that matches users‘ presumed interests; b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g. b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g., addressing users via Facebook Messenger); c) improving ad delivery and personalizing features and content (e.g., improving recognition of which content or advertising information is believed to be of interest to users). We have entered into a special agreement with Facebook („Controller Addendum“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which specifically addresses the security measures that Facebook must take (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to comply with the rights of data subjects (i.e., users can, for example, submit information access or deletion requests directly to Facebook). Note: If Facebook provides us with measurements, analyses and reports (which are aggregated, i.e. do not contain information on individual users and are anonymous to us), then this processing is not carried out within the scope of joint responsibility, but on the basis of a DPA („Data Processing Terms“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing), the „Data Security Conditions“ (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and, with regard to processing in the USA, on the basis of Standard Contractual Clauses („Facebook EU Data Transfer Addendum, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). The rights of users (in particular to access to information, erasure, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook.

In addition to the processing of Event Data in the context of the use of the Facebook Pixel (or equivalent functions, e.g. in apps), Contact Information (data identifying individual persons, names, email addresses and telephone numbers) is also collected by Facebook within our online offer or transmitted to Facebook. The processing of contact information serves to form target groups (so-called “ Custom Audiences“) for the display of content and advertising information based on the presumed interests of users. The collection, or transmission and matching with data available on Facebook is not in plain text, but as so-called „hash values“, i.e. mathematical representations of the data (this method is used, for example, in the storage of passwords). After the matching to create target groups, the Contact Information is deleted. The Contact Information is processed on the basis of a DPA with Facebook Ireland Ltd. („Data Processing Terms“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing), the „Data Security Terms“ (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and, with regard to processing in the USA, on the basis of Standard Contractual Clauses („Facebook-EU Data Transfer Addendum“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). For more information on the processing of contact information, please refer to the „Facebook Business Tools Terms“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/technology_terms.

We submit Contact Information (names, email addresses and phone numbers) to Facebook in list form for the purpose of creating Custom Audiences for content and advertising information based on the presumed interests of users. The transmission and matching with data available on Facebook is not in plain text, but as so-called „hash values“, i.e. mathematical representations of the data (this method is used, for example, in the storage of passwords). After the matching to create target groups, the Contact Information is deleted. The Contact Information is processed on the basis of a DPA with Facebook Ireland Ltd. („Data Processing Terms“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing), the „Data Security Terms“ (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and, with regard to processing in the USA, on the basis of Standard Contractual Clauses („Facebook-EU Data Transfer Addendum“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). Further information on the processing of contact information can be found in the „Facebook Business Tools Terms“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/customaudience

Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), Event Data (Facebook) („Event Data“ is data that can be transmitted from us to Facebook, e.g. via Facebook pixels (via apps or other means) and relates to persons or their actions; the data includes, for example, information about visits to websites, interactions with content, functions, installations of apps, purchases of products, etc.; Event data is processed for the purpose of creating target groups for content and advertising information (Custom Audiences); Event Data does not include the actual content (such as written comments), login information, and Contact Information (such as names, email addresses, and phone numbers). Event Data is deleted by Facebook after a maximum of two years, the Custom Audiences created from them with the deletion of our Facebook account), Contact Information (Facebook) („Contact Information“ is data that (clearly) identifies data subjects, such as names, email addresses and phone numbers, that can be transmitted to Facebook, e.g. via Facebook pixels or uploads for matching purposes to form Custom Audiences; After the matching to create target groups, the Contact Information is deleted).
Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Marketing, Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles), Remarketing, Custom Audiences (Selection of relevant target groups for marketing purposes or other output of content), Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities), Affiliate Tracking.
Security measures: IP Masking (Pseudonymization of the IP address).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).
Opt-Out: We refer to the privacy policies of the respective service providers and the possibilities for objection (so-called „opt-out“). If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, it is possible to deactivate cookies in the settings of your browser. However, this may restrict the functions of our online offer. We therefore recommend the following additional opt-out options, which are offered collectively for each area:

a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu.
b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices.
c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices.
d) Cross-regional: https://optout.aboutads.info.

Services and service providers being used:
Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution with which we can manage so-called website tags via an interface and thus integrate other services into our online services (please refer to further details in this privacy policy). With the Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags), for example, no user profiles are created or cookies are stored. Google only receives the IP address of the user, which is necessary to run the Google Tag Manager. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms .
Google Analytics: Online marketing and web analytics; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/en/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms.
Google Analytics Audiences: We use Google Analytics to display ads placed by Google and its partnersonly to users who have shown an interest in our online services or who have specific characteristics (e.g. interests in specific topics or products determined on the basis of the websites visited) that we transmit to Google (so-called „Remarketing Audiences“ or „Google Analytics Audiences“). With the help of remarketing audiences, we also want to ensure that our ads match the potential interest of users; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms .
Google Ads and Conversion Tracking: We use the Google „Ads“ online marketing method to place ads on the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, videos, websites, etc.) so that they are displayed to users who have an alleged interest in the ads. We also measure the conversion of the ads. However, we only know the anonymous total number of users who clicked on our ad and were redirected to a page tagged with a conversion tracking tag. However, we ourselves do not receive any information that can be used to identify users; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Google Ads Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.
Google Ad Manager: Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Google Ads Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms; where Google acts as processor, Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms apply.
Google Signals: Additional marketing options that apply only to users who have enabled personalized ads on Google (https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662856) and include device-based and cross-device data processing; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7532985?hl=en; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Data Processing Conditions for Google Advertising Products and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms.
Google Adsense with personalized ads: We use the Google Adsense service with personalized ads, which helps us to display ads within our online services and we receive a remuneration for their display or other use; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Types of processing and data processed: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Google Ads Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms and standard contractual clauses for data transfers to third countries: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.
Google Adsense with non-personalized ads: We use the Google Adsense service with non-personalized ads, which helps us to display ads within our online services and we receive a remuneration for their display or other use; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Standard Contractual Clauses (Safeguarding the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): Arten der Verarbeitung sowie der verarbeiteten Daten: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; Datenverarbeitungsbedingungen für Google Werbeprodukte: Informationen zu den Diensten Datenverarbeitungsbedingungen zwischen Verantwortlichen und Standardvertragsklauseln für Drittlandtransfers von Daten: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.
Facebook Pixel and Custom Audiences (Custom Audiences): Service provider: Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Opt-Out: https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/ad_settings (login at Facebook is required).
adNET.de: Online marketing service; Service provider: HQ GmbH, Triptiser Str. 20, 07955 Auma-Weidatal, Germany; Website: https://www.adnet.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.adnet.de/index-6_datenschutz.html.
ADYOULIKE: Online marketing service for a real-time display of ads; Service provider: ADYOULIKE, 37- 39 rue Boissière, Paris (75116), France; Website: https://www.adyoulike.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.adyoulike.com/privacy_policy.php. .
Amazon: Marketing of advertising media and advertising spaces; Service provider: Amazon Europe Core S.à.r.l., Amazon EU S.à.r.l., Amazon Services Europe S.à.r.l. and Amazon Media EU S.à.r.l., all four located at 38, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, and Amazon Instant Video Germany GmbH, Domagkstr. 28, 80807 Munich (together „Amazon Europe“), parent company: Amazon.com, Inc., 2021 Seventh Ave, Seattle, Washington 98121, USA; Website: https://www.amazon.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010.
PayPal Marketing Solutions: Analysis of PayPal customers who visit our online services or make payments to us. Among others, cookies are used and information such as browser and device, IP address, page views and clicks as well as the address of visited websites and payment transactions are processed. Service provider: PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg; Website: https://www.paypal.com; AGB: https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.
Pinterest Web Analytics: Online marketing and web analytics; Service provider: Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA,; Website: https://analytics.pinterest.com/; Privacy Policy: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.
Supermetrics: Service to produce marketing reports and statistics for the purpose of monitoring, evaluating and planning marketing campaigns (including by incorporating and processing data provided or uploaded by other services). Service provider: Supermetrics Oy, Company ID: 2552282-5, Mikonkatu 700100 Helsinki, Finland; Website: https://supermetrics.com/; Privacy Policy: https://supermetrics.com/privacy-policy.
TikTok Pixel: A TikTok pixel is a snippet of HTML code that is loaded when a user visits a Web site. When a user comes to our website, the pixel is triggered and tracks the user’s behavior and conversions (possible uses: measuring campaign performance, optimizing ad delivery, building custom and lookalike audiences); Service provider: musical.ly Inc., 10351 Santa Monica Blvd #310, Los Angeles, CA 90025 USA; Website: https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article?aid=6669727593823993861; Privacy Policy: https://www.tiktok.com/de/privacy-policy.
Twitter: Twitter Marketing und Anzeigen; Service provider: Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland, parent company: Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Website: https://twitter.com; Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/en/privacy; Opt-Out: https://twitter.com/personalization.

Affiliate-Programms und Affiliate-Links

Within our online services, we include so-called affiliate links or other references (which for example may include search forms, widgets or discount codes) to the offers and services of third parties (collectively referred to as „affiliate links“). When users follow affiliate links or subsequently take advantage of offers, we may receive commission or other benefits (collectively referred to as „commission“) from these third parties.

In order to be able to track whether the users have followed the offers of an affiliate link used by us, it is necessary for the respective third party to know that the users have followed an affiliate link used within our online services. The assignment of affiliate links to the respective business transactions or other actions (e.g., purchases) serves the sole purpose of commission settlement and is removed as soon as it is no longer required for this purpose.

For the purposes of the aforementioned affiliate link assignment, the affiliate links may be supplemented by certain values that may be a component of the link or otherwise stored, for example, in a cookie. The values may include in particular the source 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, the type of link used, the type of offer and an online identifier of the user.

Processed data types: Contract data (e.g. contract object, duration, customer category), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Affiliate Tracking.
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
Amazon Affiliate Program: Amazon Affiliate Program – Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or one of its affiliates. Service provider: Amazon Europe Core S.à.r.l., Amazon EU S.à.r.l., Amazon Services Europe S.à.r.l. and Amazon Media EU S.à.r.l., all four located at 38, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, and Amazon Instant Video Germany GmbH, Domagkstr. 28, 80807 Munich (together „Amazon Europe“), parent company: Amazon.com, Inc., 2021 Seventh Ave, Seattle, Washington 98121, USA.; Website: https://www.amazon.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010.
Digistore24 Affiliate Program: Service provider: Digistore24 GmbH, St.-Godehard-Straße 32, 31139 Hildesheim, Germany; Website: https://www.digistore24.com/en; Privacy Policy: https://www.digistore24.com/en/home/extern/cms/page/frontend/legal/privacy.

Rating Platforms

We participate in rating procedures to evaluate, optimise and advertise our performance. If users rate us via the participating rating platforms or methods or otherwise provide feedback, the General Terms and Conditions of Business or Use and the data protection information of the providers also apply. As a rule, the rating also requires registration with the respective provider.

In order to ensure that the evaluators have actually made use of our services, we transmit, with the consent of the customer, the necessary data relating to the customer and the service or products used to the respective rating platform (this includes the name, e-mail address, order number or article number). This data is used solely to verify the authenticity of the user.

Rating Widget: We include so-called “ rating widgets “ in our online services. A widget is a functional and content element integrated within our online services that displays variable information (e.g. a widget can be displayed in the form of a seal or a badge). Although the corresponding content of the widget is displayed within our online services, it is retrieved from the servers of the respective widget provider at this moment. 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 website accessed within our online service to the widget provider’s server and the widget provider receives certain technical data (access data, including the IP address) that is necessary for the content of the widget to be delivered to the user’s browser.

In addition, the widget provider receives information that users have visited our online services. This information may be stored in a cookie and used by the widget provider to identify which online offerings participating in the rating process have been visited by the user. The information can be stored in a user profile and used for advertising or market research purposes.

Processed data types: Contract data (e.g. contract object, duration, customer category), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Customers, Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form), Marketing.
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
kununu: Review and rating platform; Service provider: XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany; Website: https://www.kununu.com/de; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.xing.com/en/privacy-policy.
Yelp: Review and rating platform; Service provider: Yelp Inc., 140 New Montgomery Street, 9th Floor, San Francisco, Ca 94105, USA; Website: https://www.yelp.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.yelp.com/tos/privacy_en_us_20190329; Opt-Out: https://www.yelp.de/tos/privacy_de_de_20190329#third-parties.

Profiles in Social Networks (Social Media)

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

We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may entail risks for users, e.g. by making it more difficult to enforce users‘ rights.

In addition, user data is usually processed within social networks for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created on the basis of user behaviour and the associated interests of users. The user profiles can then be used, for example, to place advertisements within and outside the networks which are presumed to correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the user’s computer, in which the user’s usage behaviour and interests are stored. Furthermore, data can be stored in the user profiles independently of the devices used by the users (especially if the users are members of the respective networs or will become members later on).

For a detailed description of the respective processing operations and the opt-out options, please refer to the respective data protection declarations and information provided by the providers of the respective networks.

Also in the case of requests for information and the exercise of rights of data subjects, we point out that these can be most effectively pursued with the providers. Only the providers have access to the data of the users and can directly take appropriate measures and provide information. If you still need help, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Facebook: We are jointly responsible (so called „joint controller“) with Facebook Ireland Ltd. for the collection (but not the further processing) of data of visitors to our Facebook page. This data includes information about the types of content users view or interact with, or the actions they take (see „Things that you and others do and provide“ in the Facebook Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy), and information about the devices used by users (e.g., IP addresses, operating system, browser type, language settings, cookie information; see „Device Information“ in the Facebook Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy). As explained in the Facebook Data Policy under „How we use this information?“ Facebook also collects and uses information to provide analytics services, known as „page insights,“ to site operators to help them understand how people interact with their pages and with content associated with them. We have concluded a special agreement with Facebook („Information about Page-Insights“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum), which regulates in particular the security measures that Facebook must observe and in which Facebook has agreed to fulfill the rights of the persons concerned (i.e. users can send information access or deletion requests directly to Facebook). The rights of users (in particular to access to information, erasure, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook. Further information can be found in the „Information about Page Insights“ (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data).

Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
Purposes of Processing: Contact requests and communication, Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form), Marketing.
Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Services and service providers being used:
Instagram: Social network; Service provider: Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA, , Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.
Facebook: Social network; Service provider: Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, parent company: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Opt-Out: Settings for advertisements: https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/ad_settings (login at Facebook is required).
Flickr: Social network; Service provider: Flickr Inc., 475 Sansome St San Francisco, California 94111, USA; Privacy Policy: https://www.flickr.com/help/privacy.
LinkedIn: Social network; Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Opt-Out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.
Pinterest: Social network; Service provider: Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA,; Website: https://www.pinterest.com; Privacy Policy: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy; Opt-Out: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.
SlideShare: Platform for presentations; Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.
Snapchat: Social network; Service provider: Snap Inc., 3000 31st Street, Santa Monica, California 90405, USA; Website: https://www.snapchat.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.snap.com/en-US/privacy/privacy-policy, Cookie-Richtlinie: Cookie-Policy: https://www.snap.com/en-US/cookie-policy; Standard Contractual Clauses (Safeguarding the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://www.snap.com/en-US/terms/standard-contractual-clauses.
TikTok: Social network / video plattform; Service provider: musical.ly Inc., 10351 Santa Monica Blvd #310, Los Angeles, CA 90025 USA; Website: https://www.tiktok.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.tiktok.com/de/privacy-policy.
Twitter: Social network; Service provider: Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland, parent company: Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy, (Settings) https://twitter.com/personalization.
Vimeo: Social network and video platform; Service provider: Vimeo Inc., Attention: Legal Department, 555 West 18th Street New York, New York 10011, USA; Website: https://vimeo.com; Privacy Policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy.
YouTube: Social network and video platform; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
Xing: Social network; Service provider: XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany; Website: https://www.xing.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.xing.com/en.

Plugins and embedded functions and content

Within our online services, we integrate functional and content elements that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as „third-party providers“). These may, for example, be graphics, videos or city maps (hereinafter uniformly referred to as „Content“).

The integration always presupposes that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the user, since they could not send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore required for the presentation of these contents or functions. We strive to use only those contents, whose respective offerers use the IP address only for the distribution of the contents. Third parties may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as „web beacons“) for statistical or marketing purposes. The „pixel tags“ can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may include technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visit times and other information about the use of our website, as well as may be linked to such information from other sources.

Information on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent (e.g. in the context of a so-called „cookie banner consent“), the legal basis for processing is this consent. Otherwise, user data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online services. We refer you to the note on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

Integration of third-party software, scripts or frameworks: We incorporate into our online services software which we retrieve from servers of other providers (e.g. function libraries which we use for the purpose of displaying or user-friendliness of our online services). The respective providers collect the user’s IP address and can process it for the purposes of transferring the software to the user’s browser as well as for security purposes and for the evaluation and optimisation of their services.

Facebook plugins and contents: We are jointly responsible (so-called „joint-controllership“) with Facebook Ireland Ltd. for the collection or transmission (but not further processing) of „Event Data“ that Facebook collects or receives as part of a transmission using the Facebook Social Plugins that run on our website for the following purposes: a) displaying content advertising information that matches users‘ presumed interests; b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g. b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g., addressing users via Facebook Messenger); c) improving ad delivery and personalizing features and content (e.g., improving recognition of which content or advertising information is believed to be of interest to users). We have entered into a special agreement with Facebook („Controller Addendum“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which specifically addresses the security measures that Facebook must take (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to comply with the rights of data subjects (i.e., users can, for example, submit information access or deletion requests directly to Facebook). Note: If Facebook provides us with measurements, analyses and reports (which are aggregated, i.e. do not contain information on individual users and are anonymous to us), then this processing is not carried out within the scope of joint responsibility, but on the basis of a DPA („Data Processing Terms“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing/update), the „Data Security Conditions“ (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and, with regard to processing in the USA, on the basis of Standard Contractual Clauses („Facebook EU Data Transfer Addendum, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). The rights of users (in particular to access to information, erasure, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook.

Instagram plugins and contents: We are jointly responsible (so-called „joint-controllership“) with Facebook Ireland Ltd. for the collection or transmission (but not further processing) of „Event Data“ that Facebook collects or receives as part of a transmission using Instagram functions that run on our website for the following purposes: a) displaying content advertising information that matches users‘ presumed interests; b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g. b) delivering commercial and transactional messages (e.g., addressing users via Facebook Messenger); c) improving ad delivery and personalizing features and content (e.g., improving recognition of which content or advertising information is believed to be of interest to users). We have entered into a special agreement with Facebook („Controller Addendum“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which specifically addresses the security measures that Facebook must take (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to comply with the rights of data subjects (i.e., users can, for example, submit information access or deletion requests directly to Facebook). Note: If Facebook provides us with measurements, analyses and reports (which are aggregated, i.e. do not contain information on individual users and are anonymous to us), then this processing is not carried out within the scope of joint responsibility, but on the basis of a DPA („Data Processing Terms“, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing/update), the „Data Security Conditions“ (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and, with regard to processing in the USA, on the basis of Standard Contractual Clauses („Facebook EU Data Transfer Addendum, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). The rights of users (in particular to access to information, erasure, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority) are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook.

Services and service providers being used:
Facebook plugins and contents: Facebook Social Plugins and contents – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online service within Facebook. The list and appearance of the Facebook Social Plugins can be viewed here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/; Service provider: Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Opt-Out: Settings for advertisements: https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/ad_settings (login at Facebook is required).
Font Awesome: Display of fonts and symbols; Service provider: Fonticons, Inc. ,6 Porter Road Apartment 3R, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA; Website: https://fontawesome.com/; Privacy Policy: https://fontawesome.com/privacy.
Giphy: Embedded plugins and content – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons; Service provider: Giphy, Inc., 416 West 13th Street, Suite 207 New York, NY 10014, USA; Website: https://giphy.com; Privacy Policy: https://support.giphy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032872931.
Google Fonts: We integrate the fonts („Google Fonts“) of the provider Google, whereby the data of the users are used solely for purposes of the representation of the fonts in the browser of the users. The integration takes place on the basis of our legitimate interests in a technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts, their uniform presentation and consideration of possible licensing restrictions for their integration. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://fonts.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Google Custom Search: Use of Google’s search engine technology within our online services; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, , parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://developers.google.com/custom-search; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Google Maps: We integrate the maps of the service „Google Maps“ from the provider Google. The data processed may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of users, which are not collected without their consent (usually within the framework of the settings of their mobile devices); Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
Google Maps APIs and SDKs: Interfaces to the map and location services provided by Google, which, for example, allow the addition of address entries, location determinations, distance calculations or the provision of supplementary information on locations and other places; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Content from Getty Images: Embedding Getty Images content; Service provider: Getty Images, Inc., 605 5th Avenue South, Suite 400, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA; Website: https://www.gettyimages.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.gettyimages.com/company/privacy-policy.
Instagram plugins and contents: Instagram plugins and contents – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online service within Instagram . Service provider: https://www.instagram.com, Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA; Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.
LinkedIn plugins and contents: LinkedIn plugins and contents – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online service within LinkedIn. Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Opt-Out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.
Pinterest plugins and contents: Pinterest plugins and contents- This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online service within Pinterest. Service provider: Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA,; Website: https://www.pinterest.com; Privacy Policy: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.
reCAPTCHA: We integrate the „reCAPTCHA“ function to be able to recognise whether entries (e.g. in online forms) are made by humans and not by automatically operating machines (so-called „bots“). The data processed may include IP addresses, information on operating systems, devices or browsers used, language settings, location, mouse movements, keystrokes, time spent on websites, previously visited websites, interactions with ReCaptcha on other websites, possibly cookies and results of manual recognition processes (e.g. answering questions asked or selecting objects in images). Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, , parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://www.google.com/recaptcha/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
Reddit: Embedded plugins and content – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons; Service provider: Reddit, Inc., 548 Market Street #16093, San Francisco, California 94104, USA; Website: https://www.redditinc.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.redditinc.com/policies/privacy-policy-january-10-2020.
SlideShare presentations: Embedding SlideShare presentations; Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.
Soundcloud Music Player Widget: Soundcloud Music Player Widget; Service provider: SoundCloud Limited, Rheinsberger Str. 76/77, 10115 Berlin, Germany; Website: https://soundcloud.com; Privacy Policy: https://soundcloud.com/pages/privacy.
Spotify Music Player Widget: Spotify Music Player Widget; Service provider: Spotify AB, Regeringsgatan 19, SE-111 53 Stockholm, Sweden; Website: https://www.spotify.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.spotify.com/legal/privacy-policy/.
TikTok plugins and contents: TikTok plugins and contents – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons. Service provider: musical.ly Inc., 10351 Santa Monica Blvd #310, Los Angeles, CA 90025 USA; Website: https://www.tiktok.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.tiktok.com/de/privacy-policy.
Twitter plugins and contents: Twitter plugins and buttons – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online service within Twitter. Service provider: Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland, parent company: Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Website: https://twitter.com; Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/en/privacy.
Adobe Typekit fonts: We integrate the fonts („Typekit fonts“) of the provider Adobe, whereby the data of the users are used solely for purposes of the representation of the fonts in the browser of the users. The integration takes place on the basis of our legitimate interests in a technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts, their uniform presentation and consideration of possible licensing restrictions for their integration. Service provider: Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited, 4-6 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Ireland; Website: https://www.adobe.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.adobe.com/de/privacy.html.
YouTube videos: Video contents; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, , parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en, Settings for the Display of Advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
YouTube-Videos: Video content; ouTube videos are integrated via a special domain (recognizable by the component „youtube-nocookie“) in the so-called “ enhanced data protection mode“, whereby no cookies on user activities are collected in order to personalise the video playback. Nevertheless, information on the user’s interaction with the video (e.g. remembering the last playback point) may be stored. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, , parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Xing plugins and buttons: Xing plugins and buttons – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online service within Xing. Service provider: XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany; Website: https://www.xing.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.xing.com/en.
Vimeo: video contents; Service provider: Vimeo Inc., Attention: Legal Department, 555 West 18th Street New York, New York 10011, USA; Website: https://vimeo.com; Privacy Policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy; Opt-Out: We point out that Vimeo may use Google Analytics and refer to the privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy) as well as opt-out options for Google Analytics (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en) or the settings of Google for data use for marketing purposes (https://adssettings.google.com/).

Management, Organization and Utilities

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

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

If users are referred to the third-party providers or their software or platforms in the context of communication, business or other relationships with us, the third-party provider processing may process usage data and metadata that can be processed by them for security purposes, service optimisation or marketing purposes. We therefore ask you to read the data protection notices of the respective third party providers.

Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.), Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), Business and contractual partners, Employees (e.g. Employees, job applicants).
Purposes of Processing: Office and organisational procedures, Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles), Provision of contractual services and customer support, Contact requests and communication, Managing and responding to inquiries, Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form), Polls and Questionnaires (e.g. surveys with input options, multiple choice questions).
Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (EKD) (§ 6 No. 5 DSG-EKD).

Services and service providers being used:
Asana: Project management – organization and administration of teams, groups, workflows, projects and processes; Service provider: Asana, Inc, 1550 Bryant Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Website: https://asana.com/de; Privacy Policy: https://asana.com/terms#privacy-policy.
Bitly: URL shortening service and link management platform; Service provider: Bitly, Inc., 139 Fifth Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA; Website: https://bitly.com; Privacy Policy: https://bitly.com/pages/privacy.
DocuSign: DocuSign provides a digital transaction management platform to facilitate digital transactions that include the signing process of contractual documents and other documents; Service provider: DocuSign, Inc., 221 Main Street Suite 1000 San Francisco, CA 94105, USA; Website: https://www.docusign.com/; Privacy Policy: https://www.docusign.com/company/privacy-policy; The processing as processor and controller is carried out on the basis of approved Binding Corporate Rules, which ensure a level of data protection in accordance with the requirements of the GDPR (Article 47 GDPR): https://www.docusign.com/trust/privacy/binding-corporate-rules.
Hootsuite: Social media management platform that provides a set of integrated solutions for measurement & benchmarking, performance optimization, visualization & analysis, content creation & publishing and community maintenance; Service provider: HootSuite Media Inc., 5 East 8th Avenue. Vancouver, V5T 1R6, Canada; Website: https://hootsuite.com; Privacy Policy: https://hootsuite.com/legal/privacy.
HubSpot: Social media publishing, reporting (e.g. traffic sources, access figures, web analysis), contact management (e.g. contact forms, direct communication and user segmentation), landing pages; Service provider: HubSpot, Inc., 25 First St., 2nd floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA; Website: https://www.hubspot.de; Privacy Policy: https://legal.hubspot.com/de/privacy-policy.
Mentimeter: Erstellung von Präsentationen und Besprechungen mit Echtzeit-Feedback; Service provider: Mentimeter AB, Alströmergatan 22 SE-112 47 Stockholm, Sweden; Website: https://www.mentimeter.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.mentimeter.com/policies.
Trello: Project management tool; Service provider: Trello Inc., 55 Broadway New York, NY 10006, USA, parent company: Atlassian Inc. (San Francisco, Harrison Street Location), 1098 Harrison Street, San Francisco, California 94103, USA; Website: https://trello.com/; Privacy Policy: https://trello.com/privacy.
WeTransfer: Transferring files over the Internet; Service provider: WeTransfer BV, Oostelijke Handelskade 751, Amsterdam, 1019 BW, Netherlands; Website: https://wetransfer.com; Privacy Policy: https://wetransfer.com/legal/privacy.
ZOHO Analytics: Business intelligence and analysis software (procedures and processes for systematic analysis of a business); Service provider: Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd., Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India; Website: https://www.zoho.com/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://www.zoho.com/privacy.html.

Changes and Updates to the Privacy Policy

We kindly ask you to inform yourself regularly about the contents of our data protection declaration. We will adjust the privacy policy as changes in our data processing practices make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require your cooperation (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organizations in this privacy policy, we ask you to note that addresses may change over time and to verify the information before contacting us.

Rights of Data Subjects

As data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Articles 15 to 21 of the GDPR:
Right to Object: You have the right, on grounds arising from your particular situation, to object at any time to the processing of your personal data which is based on letter (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR , including profiling based on those provisions.Where personal data are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of the personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.

Right of withdrawal for consents: You have the right to revoke consents at any time.
Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question will be processed and to be informed of this data and to receive further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Right to rectification: You have the right, in accordance with the law, to request the completion of the data concerning you or the rectification of the incorrect data concerning you.
Right to Erasure and Right to Restriction of Processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to demand that the relevant data be erased immediately or, alternatively, to demand that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with the statutory provisions.
Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data concerning you which you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements, or to request its transmission to another controller.
Complaint to the supervisory authority: In accordance with the law and without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, in particular a supervisory authority in the Member State where you habitually reside, the supervisory authority of your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you infringes the GDPR.

Terminology and Definitions

This section provides an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are drawn from the law and defined mainly in Article 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are intended above all for the purpose of comprehension. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

A/B Tests: A/B tests are designed to improve the usability and performance of online services. For example, users are presented with different versions of a website or its elements, such as input forms, on which the placement of the contents or labels of the navigation elements can differ. The behaviour of users, e.g. prolonged visits to the site or more frequent interaction with the elements, can then be used to determine which of these sites or elements are more responsive to users‘ needs.
Affiliate Tracking: Custom Audiences refers to the process of determining target groups for advertising purposes, e.g. the display of advertisements. For example, a user’s interest in certain products or topics on the Internet may be used to conclude that the user is interested in advertisements for similar products or the online store in which the user viewed the products. „Lookalike Audiences“ is the term used to describe content that is viewed as suitable by users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were created. For the purposes of creating custom audiences and lookalike audiences, cookies and web beacons are typically used.
Clicktracking: Clicktracking allows users to keep track of their movements within an entire website. Since the results of these tests are more accurate if the interaction of the users can be followed over a certain period of time (e.g. if a user likes to return), cookies are usually stored on the computers of the users for these test purposes.
Content Delivery Network (CDN): A „Content Delivery Network“ (CDN) is a service with whose help contents of our online services, in particular large media files, such as graphics or scripts, can be delivered faster and more securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet.
Controller: „Controller“ means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
Conversion tracking: Conversion tracking is a method used to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing measures. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the devices of the users within the websites on which the marketing measures take place and then called up again on the target website (e.g. we can thus trace whether the advertisements placed by us on other websites were successful).
Custom Audiences: Target group formation (or „custom audiences“) is the term used when target groups are determined for advertising purposes, e.g. display of advertisements. For example, a user’s interest in certain products or topics on the Internet may be used to infer that that user is interested in advertisements for similar products or the online store in which they viewed the products. Lookalike Audiences“ (or similar target groups) is the term used to describe content that is viewed as suitable by users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were created. Cookies are generally used for the purposes of creating custom audiences and lookalike audiences. Target groups can be created by processing visitors of an online service or can be uploaded to the provider of an online marketing technology by means of uploading (which is usually done pseudonymised).
Heatmaps: „Heatmaps“ are mouse movements of the users, which are combined to an overall picture, with the help of which it can be recognized, for example, which web page elements are preferred and which web page elements users prefer less.
IP Masking: IP masking is a method by which the last octet, i.e. the last two numbers of an IP address, are deleted so that the IP address alone can no longer be used to uniquely identify a person. IP masking is therefore a means of pseudonymising processing methods, particularly in online marketing.
Personal Data: „personal data“ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person („data subject“); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
Processing: The term „processing“ covers a wide range and practically every handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or erasure.
Profiles with user-related information: The processing of „profiles with user-related information“, or „profiles“ for short, includes any kind of automated processing of personal data that consists of using these personal data to analyse, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information concerning demographics, behaviour and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behaviour on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
Remarketing: Remarketing“ or „retargeting“ is the term used, for example, to indicate for advertising purposes which products a user is interested in on a website in order to remind the user of these products on other websites, e.g. in advertisements.
Web Analytics: Web Analytics serves the evaluation of visitor traffic of online services and can determine their behavior or interests in certain information, such as content of websites. With the help of web analytics, website owners, for example, can recognize at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This allows them, for example, to optimize the content of the website to better meet the needs of their visitors. For purposes of web analytics, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are frequently used in order to recognise returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online service.