Data protection

Introduction and Overview

We have prepared this privacy policy (version 26.02.2026-113107609) to inform you in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and applicable national laws explain which personal data (hereinafter referred to as "data") we, as data controllers – and the data processors we have engaged (e.g., providers) – process, will process in the future, and what legal options you have. The terms used are to be understood as gender-neutral.
In short: We will provide you with comprehensive information about the data we process about you.

Privacy policies usually sound very technical and use legal jargon. This privacy policy, however, aims to describe the most important things to you as simply and transparently as possible. Where it promotes transparency, technical details will be avoided. Terms explained in a reader-friendly way, links to further information are provided and Graphics We have implemented this policy. We are informing you in clear and simple language that we only process personal data in the course of our business activities when there is a corresponding legal basis. This is certainly not possible if one provides the briefest, vague, and overly technical legal explanations that are often standard practice on the internet when it comes to data protection. I hope you find the following explanations interesting and informative, and perhaps you will find some information here that you were not previously aware of.
If you still have questions, please contact the responsible party listed below or in the legal notice, follow the provided links, and consult further information on third-party websites. Our contact details can also be found in the legal notice.

scope

This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by us within our company and to all personal data processed by companies commissioned by us (data processors). Personal data, as defined in Article 4 No. 1 GDPR, refers to information such as a person's name, email address, and postal address. The processing of personal data enables us to offer and bill for our services and products, whether online or offline. The scope of this privacy policy includes:

• all online presences (websites, online shops) that we operate
• Social media presence and email communication
• mobile apps for smartphones and other devices

In short: This privacy policy applies to all areas where personal data is processed in a structured manner within the company via the aforementioned channels. Should we enter into a legal relationship with you outside of these channels, we will inform you separately if necessary.

Legal basis

In the following privacy policy, we provide you with transparent information on the legal principles and regulations, i.e., the legal bases of the General Data Protection Regulation, that allow us to process personal data.
Regarding EU law, we refer to REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 April 2016. You can, of course, access this EU General Data Protection Regulation online at EUR-Lex, your gateway to EU law. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32016R0679 read up.

We only process your data if at least one of the following conditions applies:

1. consent (Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. a GDPR): You have given us your consent to process data for a specific purpose. An example would be the storage of your entered data from a contact form.
2. Contract (Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. b GDPR): We process your data in order to fulfill a contract or pre-contractual obligations with you. For example, if we conclude a purchase agreement with you, we need personal information beforehand.
3. Legal obligation (Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. c GDPR): We process your data when we are subject to a legal obligation. For example, we are legally required to retain invoices for accounting purposes. These typically contain personal data.
4. Legitimate interests (Article 6 paragraph 1 lit. f GDPR): In the case of legitimate interests that do not infringe your fundamental rights, we reserve the right to process personal data. For example, we need to process certain data to operate our website securely and economically. This processing therefore constitutes a legitimate interest.

Other conditions, such as the recording of images in the public interest, the exercise of public authority, or the protection of vital interests, do not generally apply in our case. If such a legal basis should apply, it will be indicated at the relevant point.

In addition to the EU regulation, national laws also apply:

• In Austria This is the Federal Act on the Protection of Natural Persons with regard to the Processing of Personal Data (Data Protection Act), short DSG.
• In Germany Does this apply? Federal Data Protection Act, short BDSG.

If other regional or national laws apply, we will inform you about them in the following sections.

Contact details of the responsible party

Should you have any questions regarding data protection or the processing of personal data, you will find the contact details of the controller below in accordance with Article 4 Paragraph 7 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
maluk GmbH
Ing. Hornbogner Lukas
Rosenhain 24,
9125 Kühnsdorf,
Austria

E-mail: office@maluk.at

Imprint: https://hubtisch.gmbh/impressum/

Storage duration

We generally adhere to the principle that we only store personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for providing our services and products. This means that we delete personal data as soon as the reason for processing it no longer exists. In some cases, we are legally obligated to retain certain data even after the original purpose has ceased to exist, for example, for accounting purposes.

Should you wish to have your data deleted or revoke your consent to data processing, the data will be deleted as quickly as possible and provided there is no obligation to store it.

We will inform you about the specific duration of the respective data processing below, provided we have further information on this.

Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation

In accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of the GDPR, we inform you about the following rights to which you are entitled, in order to ensure fair and transparent data processing:

• According to Article 15 of the GDPR, you have the right to information about whether we process your data. If this is the case, you have the right to receive a copy of the data and the following information:
  • for what purpose we carry out the processing;
  • the categories, i.e. the types of data that are processed;
  • who receives this data and, if the data is transferred to third countries, how security can be guaranteed;
  • how long the data will be stored;
  • the existence of the right to rectification, erasure or restriction of processing and the right to object to processing;
  • that you can lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (links to these authorities can be found below);
  • the origin of the data if we did not collect it from you;
  • whether profiling is carried out, i.e., whether data is automatically evaluated to create a personal profile of you.
• According to Article 16 of the GDPR, you have a right to rectification of your data, which means that we must correct any data you find.
• According to Article 17 of the GDPR, you have the right to erasure („right to be forgotten“), which specifically means that you can request the deletion of your data.
• According to Article 18 GDPR, you have the right to restrict processing, which means that we may only store the data but not use it further.
• According to Article 20 of the GDPR, you have the right to data portability, which means that we will provide you with your data in a commonly used format upon request.
• According to Article 21 GDPR, you have the right to object, which, if exercised, will result in a change to the processing.
  • If the processing of your data is based on Article 6(1)(e) (public interest, exercise of official authority) or Article 6(1)(f) (legitimate interest), you can object to the processing. We will then examine as quickly as possible whether we can legally comply with this objection.
  • If your data is used for direct marketing purposes, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We will then no longer be permitted to use your data for direct marketing.
  • If data is used for profiling, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We will then no longer be permitted to use your data for profiling.
• According to Article 22 of the GDPR, you may have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (for example, profiling).
• According to Article 77 of the GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint. This means you can lodge a complaint with the data protection authority at any time if you believe that the processing of your personal data violates the GDPR.

In short: You have rights – do not hesitate to contact the responsible body listed above!

If you believe that the processing of your data violates data protection law or that your data protection rights have been infringed in any other way, you can lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority. In Austria, this is the Data Protection Authority, whose website you can find at [website address]. https://www.dsb.gv.at/ You can find them here. In Germany, each federal state has a data protection officer. For more information, you can contact the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI) Please contact us. The following local data protection authority is responsible for our company:

Austrian Data Protection Authority

Director: Dr. Matthias Schmidl
Address: Barichgasse 40-42, 1030 Vienna
Telephone number: +43 1 52 152-0
E-mail address: dsb@dsb.gv.at
Website: https://www.dsb.gv.at/

Data transfer to third countries

We only transfer or process data in countries outside the scope of the GDPR (third countries) if you consent to this processing or if there is another legal basis for doing so. This applies in particular if the processing is required by law or necessary for the performance of a contract, and in any case only to the extent that this is generally permitted. In most cases, your consent is the primary reason why we process data in third countries. Processing personal data in third countries such as the USA, where many software companies offer services and have their servers, can mean that personal data is processed and stored in unexpected ways.

We would like to expressly point out that, according to the European Court of Justice, an adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA currently only exists if a US company processing personal data of EU citizens in the USA is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. More information can be found here: https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en

Data processing by US services that are not active participants in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework may result in data not being processed and stored anonymously. Furthermore, US government authorities may potentially access individual data points. Additionally, collected data may be linked to data from other services offered by the same provider, provided you have a corresponding user account. Where possible, we strive to use server locations within the EU, if available.
We will inform you in more detail about data transfers to third countries at the relevant points in this privacy policy, if applicable.

Data processing security

To protect personal data, we have implemented both technical and organizational measures. Where possible, we encrypt or pseudonymize personal data. This makes it as difficult as possible, within our means, for third parties to infer personal information from our data.

Article 25 of the GDPR refers to "data protection by design and by default," meaning that security must always be considered and appropriate measures implemented for both software (e.g., forms) and hardware (e.g., access to the server room). We will discuss specific measures below, if necessary.

TLS encryption with https

TLS, encryption, and HTTPS sound very technical, and they are. We use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) to transmit data securely over the internet.
This means that the entire transmission of all data from your browser to our web server is secure – nobody can “listen in”.

This has introduced an additional layer of security and allows us to meet data protection requirements through technology design (Article 25 paragraph 1 GDPRBy using TLS (Transport Layer Security), an encryption protocol for secure data transmission on the Internet, we can ensure the protection of confidential data.
You can recognize the use of this data transmission protection by the small lock symbol. top left in the browser, to the left of the internet address (e.g. examplepage.de) and the use of the scheme https (instead of http) as part of our internet address.
If you would like to learn more about encryption, we recommend searching Google for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure wiki” to find good links to further information.

communication

Communication Summary 👥 Affected: Everyone who communicates with us by phone, email or online form 📓 Data processed: e.g., telephone number, name, email address, form data entered. More details can be found under the respective contact method used. 🤝 Purpose: Handling communication with customers, business partners, etc. 📅 Storage period: Duration of the business transaction and legal regulations ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

When you contact us and communicate via telephone, email or online form, personal data may be processed.

The data will be processed for the handling and processing of your inquiry and the associated business transaction. The data will be stored for as long as required by law.

Affected persons

The aforementioned processes affect everyone who contacts us via the communication channels we provide.

phone

When you call us, the call data is stored pseudonymously on your device and with your telecommunications provider. Additionally, data such as your name and phone number may be sent via email and stored for the purpose of responding to your inquiry. This data will be deleted as soon as the matter is resolved and legal requirements permit.

e-mail

When you communicate with us via email, data may be stored on your device (computer, laptop, smartphone, etc.) and on our email server. This data will be deleted once the business transaction is complete and legal requirements permit.

Online forms

When you communicate with us via online form, data is stored on our web server and may be forwarded to an email address provided by us. The data is deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements permit.

Legal basis

The processing of the data is based on the following legal grounds:

• Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent): You give us your consent to store your data and to use it further for purposes relating to the business transaction;
• Article 6 paragraph 1 letter b GDPR (contract): The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you or a data processor such as the telephone provider, or we need to process the data for pre-contractual activities, such as preparing an offer;
• Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate Interests): We want to handle customer inquiries and business communication in a professional manner. This requires certain technical equipment such as email programs, Exchange servers, and mobile network operators to ensure efficient communication.

Data Processing Agreement (DPA)

In this section, we would like to explain what a data processing agreement (DPA) is and why it is necessary. Because the term "data processing agreement" is quite a mouthful, we will often use the acronym DPA in this text. Like most companies, we don't work alone, but also utilize the services of other companies or individuals. By involving various companies or service providers, we may transfer personal data for processing. These partners then act as data processors, with whom we conclude a contract, the so-called data processing agreement (DPA). Most importantly for you to know is that the processing of your personal data must be carried out exclusively according to our instructions and must be regulated by the DPA.

Who are data processors?

As a company and website owner, we are responsible for all data we process from you. In addition to the data controller, there may also be so-called data processors. This includes any company or individual that processes personal data on our behalf. More precisely, and according to the GDPR definition: any natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body that processes personal data on our behalf is considered a data processor. Data processors can therefore be service providers such as hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers, or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.

To better understand the terminology, here is an overview of the three roles in the GDPR:

Affected (You as a customer or prospective customer) → Responsible (we as a company and client) → Data processors (Service providers such as web hosts or cloud providers)

Content of a data processing agreement

As mentioned above, we have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with our partners who act as data processors. This agreement stipulates, above all, that the data processor will process the data to be processed exclusively in accordance with the GDPR. The agreement must be in writing; however, in this context, an electronic agreement is also considered "in writing." Personal data will only be processed on the basis of this agreement. The agreement must contain the following:

• Loyalty to us as the responsible party
• Duties and rights of the controller
• Categories of affected persons
• Type of personal data
• Type and purpose of data processing
• Subject matter and duration of data processing
• Location of data processing

Furthermore, the contract contains all the obligations of the data processor. The most important obligations are:

• To ensure data security measures
• to take possible technical and organizational measures to protect the rights of the data subject
• to maintain a data processing directory
• to cooperate with the data protection supervisory authority upon request.
• to conduct a risk analysis regarding the personal data received
• Sub-processors may only be commissioned with the written consent of the data controller.

You can find examples of what such a data processing agreement (DPA) looks like at, for example, [link to relevant website]. https://www.wko.at/service/wirtschaftsrecht-gewerberecht/eu-dsgvo-mustervertrag-auftragsverarbeitung.html View. A sample contract is presented here.

Cookies

Cookies Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: depends on the specific cookie. More details can be found below or on the website of the software provider that sets the cookie. 📓 Data processed: Depends on the specific cookie used. More details can be found below or on the website of the software provider that sets the cookie. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the specific cookie and can vary from hours to years. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What are cookies?

Our website uses HTTP cookies to store user-specific data.
Below we explain what cookies are and why they are used so that you can better understand the following privacy policy.

Whenever you browse the internet, you use a browser. Well-known browsers include Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge. Most websites store small text files in your browser. These files are called cookies.

One thing is undeniable: cookies are truly useful tools. Almost all websites use cookies. More precisely, they are HTTP cookies, as there are other types of cookies for different applications. HTTP cookies are small files that our website stores on your computer. These cookie files are automatically placed in the cookie folder, essentially the "brain" of your browser. A cookie consists of a name and a value. When defining a cookie, one or more attributes must also be specified.

Cookies store certain user data, such as your language preferences or personal website settings. When you revisit our site, your browser sends this user-related information back to us. Thanks to cookies, our website recognizes you and provides your preferred settings. In some browsers, each cookie has its own file, while in others, such as Firefox, all cookies are stored in a single file.

The following graphic illustrates a possible interaction between a web browser, such as Chrome, and a web server. The web browser requests a website and receives a cookie from the server, which the browser then reuses whenever another page is requested.

There are both first-party and third-party cookies. First-party cookies are created directly by our website, while third-party cookies are created by partner websites (e.g., Google Analytics). Each cookie must be evaluated individually, as each cookie stores different data. The expiration time of a cookie also varies from a few minutes to several years. Cookies are not software programs and do not contain viruses, Trojans, or other malware. Cookies cannot access information on your computer.

For example, cookie data might look like this:

Surname: _ga
Value: GA1.2.1326744211.152113107609-9
Purpose of use: Differentiation of website visitors
Expiry Date: after 2 years

A browser should be able to support these minimum sizes:

• At least 4096 bytes per cookie
• At least 50 cookies per domain
• At least 3000 cookies in total

What types of cookies are there?

The question of which cookies we use in particular depends on the services used and is clarified in the following sections of the data protection declaration. At this point we would like to briefly discuss the different types of HTTP cookies.

There are 4 types of cookies:

Essential cookies
These cookies are necessary to ensure the basic functionality of the website. For example, these cookies are needed when a user adds a product to their shopping cart, then continues browsing other pages, and only later proceeds to checkout. These cookies prevent the shopping cart from being emptied, even if the user closes their browser window.

Purposeful cookies
These cookies collect information about user behavior and whether the user receives any error messages. They also measure loading times and the website's performance across different browsers.

Targeting cookies
These cookies ensure better user experience. For example, entered locations, font sizes or form data are saved.

Advertising cookies
These cookies are also called targeting cookies. They serve to provide the user with individually tailored advertising. This can be very practical, but also very annoying.

Typically, when you first visit a website, you will be asked which types of cookies you wish to allow. And of course, this decision is also stored in a cookie.

If you would like to know more about cookies and are not afraid of technical documentation, we recommend https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265, the Request for Comments from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) called “HTTP State Management Mechanism”.

Purpose of processing via cookies

The purpose ultimately depends on the specific cookie. More details can be found below or on the website of the software provider that sets the cookie.

What data is processed?

Cookies are small tools that help with many different tasks. Unfortunately, it's impossible to generalize about what data is stored in cookies, but we will inform you about the data processed and stored in the following privacy policy.

Storage duration of cookies

The storage duration depends on the specific cookie and is further specified below. Some cookies are deleted after less than an hour, while others can remain stored on a computer for several years.

You also have control over the storage duration. You can manually delete all cookies at any time via your browser (see also “Right to object” below). Furthermore, cookies based on consent will be deleted at the latest after you withdraw your consent, whereby the lawfulness of the storage remains unaffected until then.

Right to object – how can I delete cookies?

You decide how and whether you want to use cookies. Regardless of the service or website the cookies originate from, you always have the option to delete, disable, or partially allow cookies. For example, you can block third-party cookies but allow all others.

If you would like to find out which cookies have been stored in your browser, if you want to change or delete cookie settings, you can do this in your browser settings:

Chrome: Delete, enable and manage cookies in Chrome

Safari: Manage cookies and site data with Safari

Firefox: Delete cookies to remove data that websites have placed on your computer

Internet Explorer: Deleting and managing cookies

Microsoft Edge: Deleting and managing cookies

If you generally don't want to allow cookies, you can configure your browser to always notify you when a cookie is about to be set. This allows you to decide whether to allow each individual cookie. The procedure varies depending on the browser. The best way to find instructions is to search on Google using the keywords "delete cookies Chrome" or "disable cookies Chrome" if you are using the Chrome browser.

Legal basis

The so-called "Cookie Directive" has been in effect since 2009. It stipulates that storing cookies is a consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR) requires your consent. However, reactions to these guidelines vary considerably across EU countries. In Austria, this directive was implemented in Section 165(3) of the Telecommunications Act (2021). In Germany, the cookie guidelines were not transposed into national law. Instead, they were largely implemented in Section 15(3) of the Telemedia Act (TMG), which was replaced by the Digital Services Act (DDG) in May 2024.

Strictly necessary cookies exist, even where no consent has been given. legitimate interests (Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR), which in most cases are of an economic nature. We want to provide visitors to the website with a pleasant user experience, and certain cookies are often absolutely necessary for this.

Unless strictly necessary, cookies are only used with your consent. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

The following sections will provide you with more detailed information about the use of cookies, if the software used employs cookies.

Web hosting introduction

Web hosting summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: professional website hosting and operational security 📓 Data processed: IP address, time of website visit, browser used, and other data. More details can be found below or on the website of your web hosting provider. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the respective provider, but usually 2 weeks ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (Legitimate interests)

What is web hosting?

When you visit websites these days, certain information – including personal data – is automatically generated and stored, and this website is no exception. This data should be processed as sparingly as possible and only with justification. By "website," we mean all web pages on a domain, i.e., everything from the homepage to the very last subpage (like this one). By "domain," we mean, for example, example.de or sample.com.

If you want to view a website on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, you use a program called a web browser. You're probably familiar with some web browsers by name: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari. We simply call them browsers or web browsers.

To display the website, the browser needs to connect to another computer where the website's code is stored: the web server. Operating a web server is a complex and resource-intensive task, which is why it's usually handled by professional providers. These providers offer web hosting and ensure the reliable and error-free storage of website data. A lot of technical terms, but please bear with us, it gets better!

When your browser connects to the web server (desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone) and during data transmission to and from the web server, personal data may be processed. On the one hand, your computer stores data; on the other hand, the web server also needs to store data for a certain period of time to ensure proper operation.

A picture is worth a thousand words, therefore the following graphic illustrates the interaction between browser, the internet and the hosting provider.

Why do we process personal data?

The purposes of data processing are:

1. Professional website hosting and operational security
2. to maintain operational and IT security
3. Anonymous analysis of access behavior to improve our services and, if necessary, for law enforcement or pursuit of claims.

What data is processed?

Even while you are currently visiting our website, our web server, that is the computer on which this website is stored, usually automatically saves data such as

• the complete internet address (URL) of the accessed website
• Browser and browser version (e.g. Chrome 87)
• the operating system used (e.g. Windows 10)
• the address (URL) of the previously visited page (referrer URL) (e.g. https://www.beispielquellsite.de/vondabinichgekommen/)
• the hostname and IP address of the device from which access is made (e.g. COMPUTERNAME and 194.23.43.121)
• Date and Time
• in files, the so-called web server log files

How long is data stored?

The data mentioned above is generally stored for two weeks and then automatically deleted. We do not share this data, but we cannot rule out the possibility that authorities may access it in the event of unlawful activity.

In short: Your visit is logged by our provider (the company that runs our website on special computers (servers)), but we will not share your data without your consent!

Legal basis

The lawfulness of processing personal data in the context of web hosting is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (safeguarding legitimate interests), because the use of professional hosting from a provider is necessary to present the company securely and user-friendly on the internet and to be able to pursue attacks and claims arising therefrom.

We and the hosting provider usually have a data processing agreement in accordance with Art. 28 f. GDPR, which ensures compliance with data protection and guarantees data security.

Website Building Blocks Introduction

Website Builder Systems Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as technical usage information like browser activity, clickstream activity, session heatmaps, as well as contact details, IP address, or your geographic location. More details can be found below in this privacy policy and in the providers' privacy policies. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the provider ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (Legitimate interests), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (Consent)

What are website builder systems?

We use a website builder for our website. Website builders are a specific type of content management system (CMS). With a website builder, website operators can easily create a website without any programming knowledge. In many cases, web hosting providers also offer website builders. Using a website builder may also result in the collection, storage, and processing of your personal data. This privacy policy provides you with general information about data processing by website builders. You can find more detailed information in the provider's privacy policy.

Why do we use website builder systems for our website?

The biggest advantage of a modular website system is its ease of use. We want to offer you a clear, simple, and user-friendly website that we can easily operate and maintain ourselves – without external support. Modular systems now offer many helpful features that we can use even without programming knowledge. This allows us to design our web presence according to our wishes and provide you with an informative and enjoyable experience on our website.

What data is stored by a modular system?

The exact data stored depends, of course, on the website builder system used. Each provider processes and collects different data from website visitors. However, technical usage information such as operating system, browser, screen resolution, language and keyboard settings, hosting provider, and the date of your website visit are typically collected. Tracking data (e.g., browser activity, clickstream activity, session heatmaps, etc.) may also be processed. Furthermore, personal data may be collected and stored. This usually includes contact information such as email address, telephone number (if you have provided it), IP address, and geographic location data. You can find out exactly which data is stored in the provider's privacy policy.

How long and where is the data stored?

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below in connection with the website builder system we use, provided we have further information on this. You can find detailed information about this in the provider's privacy policy. Generally, we only process personal data for as long as it is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. The provider may store your data according to their own policies, over which we have no control.

Right to object

You always have the right to access, correct, and delete your personal data. If you have any questions, you can also contact the responsible party for the website builder system at any time. Contact details can be found either in our privacy policy or on the website of the respective provider.

You can delete, disable, or manage cookies used by providers for their functions in your browser. The process varies depending on the browser you use. Please note, however, that some functions may no longer work as expected.

Legal basis

We have a legitimate interest in using a website builder to optimize our online service and present it to you efficiently and in a user-friendly manner. The corresponding legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use the website builder if you have given your consent.

Insofar as the processing of data is not strictly necessary for the operation of the website, data will only be processed based on your consent. This applies in particular to tracking activities. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

This privacy policy provides you with the most important general information about data processing. If you would like more detailed information, you can find further details – if available – in the following section or in the provider's privacy policy.

WordPress.com Privacy Policy

WordPress.com Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as technical usage information like browser activity, clickstream activity, session heatmaps, as well as contact details, IP address, or your geographic location. More details can be found below in this privacy policy. 📅 Storage duration: It depends primarily on the type of data being stored and the specific settings. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is WordPress?

We use the well-known content management system WordPress.com for our website. The service provider is the American company Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA.

Founded in 2003, the company quickly became one of the world's most renowned content management systems (CMS). A CMS is software that helps us design our website and present content attractively and in an organized manner. This content can include text, audio, and video.
Using WordPress may result in the collection, storage, and processing of your personal data. Typically, this primarily involves technical data such as operating system, browser, screen resolution, and hosting provider. However, personal data such as IP address, geographic location, and contact information may also be processed.

Why do we use WordPress on our website?

We have many strengths, but actual programming is simply not one of our core competencies.

Nevertheless, we want a high-performing and attractive website that we can manage and maintain ourselves. A website builder or content management system like WordPress makes this possible. With WordPress, we don't need to be programming experts to offer you a beautiful website. Thanks to WordPress, we can operate our website quickly and easily, even without prior technical knowledge. If technical problems arise or we have specific requirements for our website, we always have our specialists who are proficient in HTML, PHP, CSS, and other related technologies.

Thanks to WordPress's ease of use and comprehensive functions, we can design our website according to our wishes and offer you a good user experience.

What data does WordPress process?

Non-personal data includes technical usage information such as browser activity, clickstream activity, session heatmaps and data about your computer, operating system, browser, screen resolution, language and keyboard settings, internet provider and date of page visit.

In addition, personal data is also collected. This primarily includes contact information (email address or telephone number, if you provide it), IP address, or your geographical location.

WordPress can also use cookies to collect data. This often includes information about your behavior on our website. For example, it can track which subpages you particularly like to visit, how long you stay on individual pages, when you leave a page (bounce rate), and your preferences (e.g., language selection). Based on this data, WordPress can better tailor its marketing efforts to your interests and user behavior. Consequently, the next time you visit our website, it will be displayed according to your previous settings.

WordPress can also use technologies such as pixel tags (web beacons) to, for example, clearly identify you as a user and potentially offer interest-based advertising.

How long and where is the data stored?

How long data is stored depends on various factors. It primarily depends on the type of data stored and the specific website settings. Generally, WordPress deletes data when it is no longer needed for its own purposes. There are, of course, exceptions, especially when legal obligations require longer data retention. Web server logs, which contain your IP address and technical data, are deleted by WordPress and Automattic after 30 days. Automattic uses this data to analyze traffic on its own websites (for example, all WordPress pages) and to troubleshoot potential problems. Deleted content on WordPress websites is also kept in the trash for 30 days to allow for restoration; after that, it may remain in backups and caches until they are deleted. The data is stored on Automattic's servers in the USA.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right and the ability to access your personal data at any time and to object to its use and processing. You can also lodge a complaint with a government supervisory authority at any time.

Your browser also allows you to manage, delete, or disable cookies individually. However, please note that disabling or deleting cookies may negatively impact the functionality of our WordPress site. Managing cookies varies slightly depending on the browser you use. You'll find links to instructions for the most common browsers in the "Cookies" section.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of WordPress, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur during collection by WordPress.

We also have a legitimate interest in using WordPress to optimize our online service and present it attractively to you. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use WordPress if you have given your consent.

WordPress, or rather Automattic, processes your data in the USA, among other locations. Automattic is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to relevant information]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Automattic uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Automattic commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

More details about the privacy policy and what data is processed by WordPress and how can be found on [website address]. https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Data Processing Agreement (DPA) WordPress.com

In accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with WordPress.com. You can find out exactly what a DPA is and, above all, what it must contain in our general section "Data Processing Agreement (DPA).".

This agreement is legally required because WordPress.com processes personal data on our behalf. It stipulates that WordPress.com may only process data received from us according to our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. You can find the link to the data processing agreement (DPA) at [link to DPA]. https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/.

Web Analytics Introduction

Web Analytics Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimize the website. 📓 Data processed: Access statistics, including data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, click behavior, and IP addresses. More details can be found in the documentation for the respective web analytics tool used. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the web analytics tool used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is web analytics?

We use software on our website to analyze visitor behavior, commonly known as web analytics. This involves collecting data that is stored, managed, and processed by the respective analytics tool provider (also called a tracking tool). This data is used to create analyses of user behavior on our website and made available to us as the website operator. Most tools also offer various testing options. For example, we can test which offers or content resonate best with our visitors. To do this, we display two different offers for a limited time. After the test (known as an A/B test), we know which product or content our website visitors find more interesting. For such testing procedures, as well as other analytics methods, user profiles can be created and the data stored in cookies.

Why do we use web analytics?

With our website, we have a clear goal in mind: to deliver the best online offering on the market for our industry. To achieve this, we aim to provide the best and most engaging content while ensuring you feel completely comfortable on our website. Web analytics tools allow us to closely examine the behavior of our website visitors and then improve our online offerings accordingly, benefiting both you and ourselves. For example, we can determine the average age of our visitors, their geographical origin, peak traffic times, and which content or products are particularly popular. All this information helps us optimize the website and tailor it perfectly to your needs, interests, and preferences.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is stored depends, of course, on the analytics tools used. However, it typically includes information such as which content you view on our website, which buttons or links you click, when you access a page, which browser you use, which device (PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.) you use to visit the website, and which computer system you are using. If you have consented to the collection of location data, this may also be processed by the web analytics tool provider.

Your IP address will also be stored. According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), IP addresses are considered personal data. However, your IP address is generally stored in pseudonymized form (i.e., in an unidentifiable and shortened form). For the purposes of testing, web analytics, and web optimization, no direct data such as your name, age, address, or email address is stored. All such data, if collected, is stored pseudonymously. This ensures that you cannot be identified as an individual.

The following example schematically illustrates how Google Analytics works as an example of client-based web tracking using JavaScript code.

How long the respective data is stored always depends on the provider. Some cookies only store data for a few minutes or until you leave the website, while other cookies can store data for several years.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information on this. Generally, we process personal data only as long as it is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If legally required, as in the case of accounting, for example, this storage period may be exceeded.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser.

Legal basis

The use of web analytics requires your consent, which we obtained via our cookie popup. According to [source/regulation], this consent constitutes [legal basis/consent]. Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent) This represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing website visitor behavior to improve our services both technically and economically. Web analytics helps us identify website errors, detect attacks, and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate interests). However, we only use these tools if you have given your consent.

Since web analytics tools use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy regarding cookies. To learn exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Information on specific web analytics tools can be found – if available – in the following sections.

Google Analytics privacy policy

Google Analytics Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimize the website. 📓 Data processed: Access statistics, including data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, and click behavior. More details can be found below in this privacy policy. 📅 Storage duration: individually adjustable; by default, Google Analytics stores 4 data points for 14 months. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Google Analytics?

We use the Google Analytics tracking tool, version 4 (GA4), from the American company Google Inc. on our website. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services. Google Analytics collects data about your activity on our website. By combining various technologies such as cookies, device IDs, and login information, you as a user can be identified across different devices. This allows your activity to be analyzed across platforms.

For example, when you click a link, this event is stored in a cookie and sent to Google Analytics. The reports we receive from Google Analytics help us to better tailor our website and services to your needs. Below, we explain the tracking tool in more detail, focusing on what data is processed and how you can prevent this.

Google Analytics is a tracking tool used to analyze website traffic. These measurements and analyses are based on a pseudonymous user identification number. This number does not contain any personal data such as name or address, but rather serves to assign events to a specific device. GA4 uses an event-based model that captures detailed information about user interactions such as page views, clicks, scrolling, and conversion events. Furthermore, GA4 incorporates various machine learning functions to better understand user behavior and certain trends. GA4 uses machine learning to generate models. This means that, based on the collected data, missing data can be extrapolated to optimize the analysis and enable forecasting.

For Google Analytics to function correctly, a tracking code is embedded in our website's code. When you visit our website, this code records various actions you perform on our site. Using GA4's event-driven data model, we, as website operators, can define and track specific events to analyze user interactions. This allows us to track not only general information like clicks and page views, but also specific events that are important to our business. These specific events might include submitting a contact form or purchasing a product.

As soon as you leave our website, this data will be sent to and stored on Google Analytics servers.

Google processes the data and we receive reports about your user behavior. These may include, among other things, the following reports:

• Target group reports: Through target group reports, we get to know our users better and know more precisely who is interested in our service.
• Ad reports: Ad reports help us to analyze and improve our online advertising more easily.
• Acquisition reports: Acquisition reports give us helpful information about how we can attract more people to our service.
• Behavior reports: Here we learn how you interact with our website. We can track your path on our site and which links you click.
• Conversion reports: A conversion is a process where you perform a desired action as a result of a marketing message. For example, when you go from being a website visitor to a customer or newsletter subscriber. These reports help us understand how our marketing efforts are performing for you, which is how we aim to increase our conversion rate.
• Real-time reports: Here we always know immediately what is happening on our website. For example, we can see how many users are currently reading this text.

In addition to the above-mentioned analysis reports, Google Analytics 4 also offers the following features:

• Event-based data model: This model captures very specific events that can occur on our website. For example, playing a video, purchasing a product, or subscribing to our newsletter.
• Advanced analytics features: These features allow us to better understand your behavior on our website and certain general trends. For example, we can segment user groups, conduct comparative analyses of target groups, or track your journey through our website.
• Predictive modeling: Based on collected data, machine learning can extrapolate missing data to predict future events and trends. This can help us develop better marketing strategies.
• Cross-platform analysis: Data can be collected and analyzed from both websites and apps. This allows us to analyze user behavior across platforms, provided, of course, that you have consented to the data processing.

Why do we use Google Analytics on our website?

Our goal with this website is clear: We want to offer you the best possible service. The statistics and data from Google Analytics help us achieve this goal.

The statistically analyzed data gives us a clear picture of our website's strengths and weaknesses. On the one hand, we can optimize our site so that it's easier for interested people to find it on Google. On the other hand, the data helps us understand you, our visitors, better. We therefore know exactly what we need to improve on our website to offer you the best possible service. The data also helps us to make our advertising and marketing efforts more targeted and cost-effective. After all, it only makes sense to show our products and services to people who are interested in them.

What data does Google Analytics store?

Google Analytics uses a tracking code to create a random, unique ID that is linked to your browser cookie. This allows Google Analytics to recognize you as a new user and assign you a user ID. The next time you visit our site, you will be recognized as a returning user. All collected data is stored along with this user ID. This is the only way to analyze pseudonymous user profiles.

To analyze our website with Google Analytics, a property ID must be inserted into the tracking code. The data is then stored in the corresponding property. The Google Analytics 4 property is the default for every newly created property. Data is stored for varying lengths of time depending on the property used.

Your interactions are measured across platforms using identifiers such as cookies, app instance IDs, user IDs, or custom event parameters, provided you have consented. Interactions are all types of actions you perform on our website. If you also use other Google systems (such as a Google account), data generated via Google Analytics may be linked to third-party cookies. Google does not share Google Analytics data unless we, as the website operator, authorize it. Exceptions may occur if required by law.

According to Google, Google Analytics 4 does not log or store IP addresses. However, Google uses IP address data to derive location data and deletes it immediately afterward. Therefore, all IP addresses collected from users in the EU are deleted before the data is stored in a data center or on a server.

Since Google Analytics 4 focuses on event-based data, the tool uses significantly fewer cookies compared to earlier versions (such as Google Universal Analytics). However, there are some specific cookies used by GA4. These include, for example:

Surname: _ga
Value: 2.1326744211.152113107609-5
Purpose of use: By default, analytics.js uses the _ga cookie to store the user ID. This is primarily used to distinguish between website visitors.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: _gid
Value: 2.1687193234.152113107609-1
Purpose of use: The cookie is also used to distinguish website visitors.
Expiry Date: after 24 hours

Surname: _gat_gtag_UA_
Value: 1
Purpose of use: Used to reduce the request rate. If Google Analytics is deployed via Google Tag Manager, this cookie is named _dc_gtm_. .
Expiry Date: after 1 minute

Annotation: This list is not exhaustive, as Google frequently changes its cookie selection. GA4 also aims to improve data privacy. Therefore, the tool offers several options for controlling data collection. For example, we can define the storage duration ourselves and also control the data collection process.

Here we show you an overview of the most important types of data collected with Google Analytics:

Heatmaps: Google creates so-called heatmaps. These heatmaps show exactly which areas you click on. This gives us information about where you are on our website.

Session duration: Google defines session duration as the time you spend on our site without leaving the page. If you are inactive for 20 minutes, the session ends automatically.

Bounce rate (English: Bounce rate): A bounce occurs when you view only one page on our website and then leave our website.

Account creation: When you create an account or place an order on our website, Google Analytics collects this data.

Location: IP addresses are not logged or stored in Google Analytics. However, inferences about location data are used shortly before the IP address is deleted.

Technical information: Technical information includes, among other things, your browser type, your internet service provider, and your screen resolution.

Source of origin: Google Analytics, or rather we, are of course also interested in which website or advertisement you came to our site via.

Other data collected includes contact information, any ratings, media playback (e.g., when you play a video on our site), sharing content via social media, or adding items to your favorites. This list is not exhaustive and serves only as a general guide to data storage by Google Analytics.

How long and where is the data stored?

Google has distributed its servers all over the world. Here you can find out exactly where Google's data centers are located: https://datacenters.google/

Your data is distributed across various physical storage devices. This has the advantage of faster data retrieval and better protection against manipulation. Each Google data center has corresponding emergency backup programs for your data. Even if, for example, Google's hardware fails or natural disasters disable servers, the risk of a service interruption at Google remains low.

The data retention period depends on the properties used. The storage duration is always set individually for each property. Google Analytics offers four options for controlling the storage duration:

• 2 months: that is the shortest storage period.
• 14 months: by default, data is stored for 14 months in GA4.
• 26 months: the data can also be stored for 26 months.
• Data is only deleted when we delete it manually.

Additionally, there is the option to have data deleted only if you do not visit our website within the period we have selected. In this case, the retention period will be reset each time you visit our website again within the specified period.

Once the specified period has expired, the data is deleted once a month. This retention period applies to your data that is linked to cookies, user recognition, and advertising IDs (e.g., cookies from the DoubleClick domain). Report results are based on aggregated data and are stored separately from user data. Aggregated data is a combination of individual data points into a larger unit.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

Under European Union data protection law, you have the right to access, update, delete, or restrict the processing of your data. Using the browser add-on to deactivate Google Analytics JavaScript (analytics.js, gtag.js), you can prevent Google Analytics 4 from using your data. You can find the browser add-on at [link to add-on]. https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de Download and install. Please note that this add-on only disables data collection by Google Analytics.

If you wish to disable, delete or manage cookies in general, you will find the corresponding links to the respective instructions for the most well-known browsers under the section "Cookies".

Legal basis

The use of Google Analytics requires your consent, which we obtained via our cookie popup. According to [the relevant legislation/regulation], this consent constitutes [the following]. Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent) This represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing website visitor behavior to improve our services both technically and economically. Google Analytics helps us identify website errors, detect attacks, and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate interests). We only use Google Analytics if you have given your consent.

Google processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

We hope we have provided you with the most important information regarding data processing by Google Analytics. If you would like to learn more about the tracking service, we recommend these two links: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/terms/de/ and https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de.

If you would like to learn more about data processing, please refer to the Google Privacy Policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Data Processing Agreement (DPA) Google Analytics

In accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with Google. You can find out exactly what a DPA is and, above all, what it must contain in our general section "Data Processing Agreement (DPA).".

This agreement is legally required because Google processes personal data on our behalf. It stipulates that Google may only process data received from us according to our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. You can find the link to the data processing agreement here. https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/

Google Analytics reports on demographics and interests

We have enabled advertising reporting features in Google Analytics. The demographic and interest reports provide information about age, gender, and interests. This allows us to gain a better understanding of our users without being able to attribute this data to individual persons. You can learn more about advertising features at [link to Google Analytics website]. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/3450482?hl=de_AT&utm_id=ad.

You can control the use of your Google Account activities and information under “Ad Settings”. https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated end with checkbox.

Google Analytics in consent mode

Depending on your consent, Google Analytics will process your personal data in so-called consent mode. You can choose whether or not to allow Google Analytics cookies. This also determines which of your data Google Analytics is permitted to process. This collected data is primarily used to measure user behavior on the website, display targeted advertising, and provide us with web analytics reports. You typically consent to data processing by Google via a cookie consent tool. If you do not consent to data processing, only aggregated data will be collected and processed. This means that data cannot be associated with individual users, and therefore no user profile is created. You can also choose to consent only to statistical measurement. In this case, no personal data is processed and consequently it is not used for advertising or advertising success measurement.

Google Analytics IP anonymization

We have implemented IP address anonymization from Google Analytics on this website. This function was developed by Google so that this website can comply with the applicable data protection regulations and recommendations of the local data protection authorities if they prohibit the storage of the full IP address. The anonymization or masking of the IP takes place as soon as the IP addresses arrive in the Google Analytics data collection network and before the data is stored or processed.

You can find more information about IP anonymization at https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2763052?hl=de.

Google Optimize Privacy Policy

We use Google Optimize, a website optimization tool, on our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google Optimize in the Privacy Policy at [link to Privacy Policy]. https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Data Processing Agreement (DPA) Google Optimize

In accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with Google. You can find out exactly what a DPA is and, above all, what it must contain in our general section "Data Processing Agreement (DPA).".

This agreement is legally required because Google processes personal data on our behalf. It stipulates that Google may only process data received from us according to our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. You can find the link to the data processing agreement here. https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/

Google Site Kit Privacy Policy

Google Site Kit Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimize the website. 📓 Data processed: Access statistics, including data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, click behavior, and IP addresses. More details can be found below and in the Google Analytics privacy policy. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the properties used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Google Site Kit?

We have integrated the WordPress plugin Google Site Kit from the American company Google Inc. into our website. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services. Google Site Kit allows us to quickly and easily view statistics from various Google products, such as Google Analytics, directly in our WordPress dashboard. This tool, or rather the tools integrated into Google Site Kit, also collect your personal data. In this privacy policy, we explain why we use Google Site Kit, how long and where data is stored, and what other data protection information is relevant to you in this context.

Google Site Kit is a plugin for the WordPress content management system. With this plugin, we can view important website analytics statistics directly in our dashboard. These statistics are collected by other Google products, primarily Google Analytics. In addition to Google Analytics, Google Site Kit can also be integrated with Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, Google AdSense, Google Optimize, and Google Tag Manager.

Why do we use Google Site Kit on our website?

As a service provider, our goal is to offer you the best possible experience on our website. We want you to feel comfortable and quickly and easily find exactly what you're looking for. Statistical analyses help us understand you better and tailor our offerings to your needs and interests. We use various Google tools for these analyses. Site Kit greatly simplifies our work in this regard because we can view and analyze the statistics from Google products directly in the dashboard. This eliminates the need to register separately for each tool. Site Kit thus always provides a clear overview of the most important analytical data.

What data does Google Site Kit store?

If you have actively consented to tracking tools in the cookie notice (also called script or banner), Google products such as Google Analytics will set cookies and send data about you, such as your user behavior, to Google, where it is stored and processed. This includes personal data such as your IP address.

For more detailed information about each service, we have dedicated sections within this privacy policy. For example, please see our privacy policy for Google Analytics. Here, we discuss the data collected in detail. You will learn how long Google Analytics stores, manages, and processes data, which cookies may be used, and how you can prevent data storage. We also have separate privacy policies with comprehensive information for other Google services, such as Google Tag Manager and Google AdSense.

Below, we show you examples of Google Analytics cookies that may be set in your browser, provided you have generally consented to data processing by Google. Please note that this is only a selection of cookies:

Surname: _ga
Value:2.1326744211.152113107609-2
Purpose of use: By default, analytics.js uses the _ga cookie to store the user ID. Essentially, it serves to distinguish between website visitors.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: _gid
Value:2.1687193234.152113107609-7
Purpose of use: This cookie also serves to distinguish between website visitors.
Expiry Date: after 24 hours

Surname: _gat_gtag_UA_
Value: 1
Purpose of use: This cookie is used to lower the request rate.
Expiry Date: after 1 minute

How long and where is the data stored?

Google stores collected data on its own Google servers, which are distributed worldwide. Most of these servers are located in the United States, so it's quite possible that your data is also stored there. https://datacenters.google/ See exactly where the company provides servers.

Data collected through Google Analytics is stored for a standard period of 26 months. After this time, your user data is deleted. This retention period applies to all data associated with cookies, user recognition, and advertising IDs.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You always have the right to access, delete, correct, or restrict your data. Furthermore, you can disable, delete, or manage cookies in your browser at any time.

If you wish to disable, delete or manage cookies in general, you will find the corresponding links to the respective instructions for the most well-known browsers under the section "Cookies".

Legal basis

The use of Google Site Kit requires your consent, which we obtained via our cookie popup. According to [source/method], this consent constitutes [something - likely a specific legal provision]. Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent) This represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analyzing website visitor behavior to improve our services both technically and economically. Using Google Site Kit, we can identify website errors, detect attacks, and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate interests). We only use Google Site Kit if you have given your consent.

Google processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

To learn more about data processing by Google, we recommend that you read Google's comprehensive privacy policy at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Social Media Introduction

Social Media Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To present and optimize our services, to contact visitors, potential customers, etc., and to advertise. 📓 Data processed: Data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, contact details, user behavior data, information about your device and your IP address. More details can be found in the respective social media tool used. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the social media platforms used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is social media?

In addition to our website, we are also active on various social media platforms. This may involve processing user data so that we can specifically target users who are interested in our content via social networks. Furthermore, elements of a social media platform may be directly embedded in our website. This is the case, for example, when you click a "social button" on our website and are redirected directly to our social media profile. Social media platforms are websites and apps through which registered members can create content, share content openly or within specific groups, and connect with other members.

Why do we use social media?

For years, social media platforms have been the place where people communicate and connect online. Our social media presence allows us to introduce our products and services to potential customers. The social media elements integrated into our website help you quickly and easily access our social media content.

The data collected and processed through your use of a social media channel primarily serves the purpose of web analytics. The goal of these analyses is to develop more precise and personalized marketing and advertising strategies. Depending on your behavior on a social media platform, the analyzed data can be used to draw conclusions about your interests and create user profiles. This allows the platforms to present you with tailored advertisements. Cookies are usually placed in your browser for this purpose, storing data about your browsing behavior.

We generally assume that we remain responsible under data protection law even when using the services of a social media platform. However, the European Court of Justice has ruled that in certain cases, the operator of the social media platform may be jointly responsible with us within the meaning of Article 26 GDPR. Where this is the case, we will indicate this separately and operate on the basis of a corresponding agreement. The key points of the agreement are then reproduced below under the relevant platform.

Please note that when using social media platforms or our embedded elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many social media channels, such as Facebook or Twitter, are American companies. This may make it more difficult for you to assert or enforce your rights regarding your personal data.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is stored and processed depends on the respective social media platform provider. However, it typically includes data such as phone numbers, email addresses, information you enter into a contact form, user data such as which buttons you click, whom you like or follow, when you visited which pages, information about your device, and your IP address. Most of this data is stored in cookies. Specifically, if you have a profile on the social media channel you are visiting and are logged in, data can be linked to your profile.

All data collected via a social media platform is also stored on the provider's servers. Therefore, only the providers have access to the data and can provide you with the relevant information or make changes.

If you want to know exactly what data is stored and processed by social media providers and how you can object to this data processing, you should carefully read the respective company's privacy policy. If you have any questions about data storage and processing or wish to exercise your rights, we also recommend contacting the provider directly.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information. For example, the social media platform Facebook stores data until it is no longer needed for its own purposes. However, customer data that is matched with our own user data is deleted within two days. Generally, we process personal data only as long as it is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If legally required, as in the case of accounting, this storage period may be exceeded.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party services such as embedded social media elements at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser.

Since social media tools may use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy about cookies. To find out exactly what data is stored and processed about you, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored through embedded social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest if you have given your consent. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) Your data is stored and processed to enable fast and effective communication with you, other customers, and business partners. However, we only use these tools if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also use cookies in your browser to store data. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our privacy policy regarding cookies and review the privacy statement or cookie policy of the respective service provider.

Information on specific social media platforms – if available – can be found in the following sections.

Facebook privacy policy

Facebook Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as customer data, user behavior data, information about your device and your IP address. You can find more details below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: until the data is no longer useful for Facebook's purposes ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What are Facebook tools?

We use selected tools from Facebook on our website. Facebook is a social media network operated by Meta Platforms Inc., or, for the European region, by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland. These tools allow us to offer you and people interested in our products and services the best possible experience.

If data about you is collected and forwarded via our embedded Facebook elements or our Facebook page (fan page), both we and Facebook Ireland Ltd. are responsible for this. Facebook is solely responsible for the further processing of this data. Our joint obligations are also set out in a publicly available agreement at [link to agreement]. https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum This is enshrined in our data protection policy. It stipulates, for example, that we must clearly inform you about the use of Facebook tools on our website. Furthermore, we are responsible for ensuring that these tools are integrated into our website in a data protection-compliant manner. Facebook, on the other hand, is responsible for the data security of its products. If you have any questions regarding data collection and processing by Facebook, you can contact the company directly. If you direct your question to us, we are obligated to forward it to Facebook.

Below we provide an overview of the various Facebook tools, what data is sent to Facebook, and how you can delete this data.

In addition to many other products, Facebook also offers the so-called "Facebook Business Tools." This is Facebook's official name. However, since the term is hardly known, we have decided to simply call them Facebook Tools. These include, among other things:

• Facebook pixel
• social plug-ins (such as the “Like” or “Share” button)
• Facebook login
• Account kit
• APIs (programming interface)
• SDKs (collection of programming tools)
• Platform integrations
• Plugins
• Codes
• Specifications
• Documentations
• Technologies and services

Through these tools, Facebook expands services and has the opportunity to obtain information about user activities outside of Facebook.

Why do we use Facebook tools on our website?

We only want to show our services and products to people who are really interested in them. With the help of advertisements (Facebook Ads) we can reach exactly these people. However, in order to show users appropriate advertising, Facebook needs information about people's wishes and needs. The company is provided with information about user behavior (and contact details) on our website. This means that Facebook collects better user data and can show interested people the appropriate advertising about our products or services. The tools thus enable tailor-made advertising campaigns on Facebook.

Facebook calls data about your behavior on our website “event data”. These are also used for measurement and analysis services. This allows Facebook to create “campaign reports” on our behalf about the impact of our advertising campaigns. We also use analyzes to gain a better insight into how you use our services, website or products. This allows us to use some of these tools to optimize your user experience on our website. For example, you can use the social plug-ins to share content on our site directly on Facebook.

What data are stored by Facebook tools?

By using individual Facebook tools, personal data (customer data) can be sent to Facebook. Depending on the tools used, customer data such as name, address, telephone number and IP address may be sent.

Facebook uses this information to match the data it already holds about you (if you are a Facebook member). Before customer data is transmitted to Facebook, it undergoes a process called "hashing." This means that any data set of any size is transformed into a string of characters. This also serves to encrypt the data.

In addition to the contact details, “event data” is also transmitted. “Event data” means the information that we receive about you on our website. For example, which subpages you visit or which products you buy from us. Facebook does not share the information it receives with third parties (such as advertisers) unless the company has explicit permission or is legally required to do so. “Event data” can also be linked to contact details. This allows Facebook to offer better personalized advertising. After the matching process already mentioned, Facebook deletes the contact data again.

To optimize ad delivery, Facebook uses event data only when it has been combined with other data (collected by Facebook through other means). Facebook also uses this event data for security, protection, development, and research purposes. Much of this data is transferred to Facebook via cookies. Cookies are small text files used to store data and information in browsers. Depending on the tools used and whether you are a Facebook member, a varying number of cookies will be placed in your browser. We provide more detailed information about individual Facebook cookies in the descriptions of the various Facebook tools. You can also find general information about the use of Facebook cookies on [link to Facebook's cookie policy]. https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies.

How long and where is the data stored?

Generally, Facebook stores data until it is no longer needed for its own services and products. Facebook has servers distributed around the world where its data is stored. However, customer data is deleted within 48 hours after it has been matched with the company's own user data.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to information, correction, portability and deletion of your data.

The data will only be completely deleted if you completely delete your Facebook account. Here's how deleting your Facebook account works:

1) On the right side of Facebook, click Settings.

2) Then click on “Your Facebook information” in the left column.

3) Now click “Deactivation and Deletion”.

4) Now select “Delete Account” and then click “Next and Delete Account”

5) Now enter your password, click “Continue” and then click “Delete Account”

The data that Facebook receives through our site is stored, among other things, via cookies (e.g., for social plugins). You can disable, delete, or manage individual or all cookies in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works differently. Under the "Cookies" section, you will find links to the instructions for the most common browsers.

If you generally do not want cookies, you can set your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. This means you can decide for each individual cookie whether you allow it or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated Facebook tools, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) The data is stored and processed to enable fast and effective communication with you, other customers, and business partners. However, we only use these tools if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also use cookies in your browser to store data. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our privacy policy regarding cookies and review Facebook's privacy statement or cookie policy.

Facebook processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Facebook, or rather Meta Platforms, is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to relevant page]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Facebook uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are model clauses provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Facebook commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

We hope we have provided you with the most important information about the use and processing of data by Facebook tools. If you would like to learn more about how Facebook uses your data, we recommend that you read the data policy on [link to Facebook's data policy]. https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/.

Facebook Login Privacy Policy

We've integrated the convenient Facebook Login into our website. This allows you to easily log in with your Facebook account without having to create a separate user account. If you choose to register via Facebook Login, you will be redirected to the Facebook social media network. There, you will be logged in using your Facebook user credentials. This login process involves the storage and transmission of data about you and your user behavior to Facebook.

To store data, Facebook uses various cookies. Below, we show you the most important cookies that are set in your browser or already exist when you log in to our site via Facebook:

Surname: fr
Value: 0jieyh4c2GnlufEJ9..Bde09j…1.0.Bde09j
Purpose of use: This cookie is used to ensure that the social plugin on our website works as well as possible.
Expiry Date: after 3 months

Surname: datr
Value: 4Jh7XUA2113107609SEmPsSfzCOO4JFFl
Purpose of use: Facebook sets the “datr” cookie when a web browser accesses facebook.com, and the cookie helps to identify login activity and protect users.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: _js_datr
Value: deleted
Purpose of use: This session cookie is set by Facebook for tracking purposes, even if you do not have a Facebook account or are logged out.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Annotation: The cookies listed are just a small selection of those available to Facebook. Other cookies include, for example, _fbp, sb, and wd. A complete list is not possible, as Facebook uses a large number of cookies and employs them variably.

Facebook Login offers you a quick and easy registration process, while also allowing us to share data with Facebook. This enables us to better tailor our offers and promotions to your interests and needs. The data we receive from Facebook in this way is public data such as...

• Your Facebook name
• Your profile picture
• a registered email address
• Friend lists
• Button information (e.g., "Like" button)
• Date of birth
• Language
• Place of residence

In return, we provide Facebook with information about your activity on our website. This includes information about your device, which subpages you visit, and which products you have purchased from us.

By using Facebook Login, you consent to data processing. You can revoke this consent at any time. If you would like more information about data processing by Facebook, we recommend that you read the Facebook Data Policy at [link to Facebook Data Policy]. https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/.

If you are logged into Facebook, you can adjust your ad settings at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/advertisers/?entry_product=ad_settings_screen change yourself.

Facebook Social Plugins Privacy Policy

Our website uses social plugins from Meta Platforms Inc. You can recognize these buttons by the classic Facebook logo, such as the "Like" button (the hand with a raised thumb), or by a clear "Facebook Plugin" label. A social plugin is a small part of Facebook that is integrated into our site. Each plugin has its own function. The most frequently used functions are the familiar "Like" and "Share" buttons.

The following social plugins are offered by Facebook:

• “Save” button
• “Like” button, share, send and quote
• Page plug-in
• Comments
• Messenger plug-in
• Embedded posts and video players
• Group plug-in

On https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins You will find more detailed information on how the individual plugins are used. We use social plugins both to offer you a better user experience on our site and because Facebook can use them to optimize our advertising.

If you have a Facebook account or https://www.facebook.com/ If you have visited our site before, Facebook has already placed at least one cookie in your browser. In this case, your browser sends information to Facebook via this cookie as soon as you visit our site or interact with social plugins (e.g., the "Like" button).

The information collected will be deleted or anonymized within 90 days. According to Facebook, this data includes your IP address, the website you visited, the date, the time, and other information relating to your browser.

To prevent Facebook from collecting and linking a lot of data during your visit to our website, you must log out of Facebook during your visit to the website.

If you are not logged into Facebook or do not have a Facebook account, your browser will send less information to Facebook because you have fewer Facebook cookies. However, data such as your IP address or which website you visit may still be transmitted to Facebook. We would like to explicitly point out that we do not have precise knowledge of the exact content of this data. However, we are trying to inform you about data processing to the best of our current knowledge. You can also find information on how Facebook uses data in the company's data policy at [link to Facebook's data policy]. https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/update read up.

The following cookies will be set in your browser at a minimum when you visit a website with social plugins from Facebook:

Surname: dpr
Value: not specified
Purpose of use: This cookie is used to make the social plugins on our website work.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: fr
Value: 0jieyh4113107609c2GnlufEJ9..Bde09j…1.0.Bde09j
Purpose of use: The cookie is also necessary for the plug-ins to function properly.
Expiry date: after 3 months

Annotation: These cookies were set after a test, even if you are not a Facebook member.

If you are logged into Facebook, you can adjust your ad settings at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/advertisers/ You can change it yourself. If you are not a Facebook user, you can go to https://www.youronlinechoices.com/de/praferenzmanagement/?tid=113107609 You can manage your usage-based online advertising here. You have the option to deactivate or activate providers.

If you would like to learn more about Facebook's data privacy practices, we recommend that you consult the company's own data policy at [link to Facebook's privacy policy]. https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/.

Instagram privacy policy

Instagram Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as user behavior data, information about your device and your IP address. You can find more details below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: until Instagram no longer needs the data for its purposes ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Instagram?

We have integrated Instagram features into our website. Instagram is a social media platform operated by Instagram LLC, 1601 Willow Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. Since 2012, Instagram has been a subsidiary of Meta Platforms Inc. and is part of the Facebook group. Embedding Instagram content on our website allows us to display content such as buttons, photos, or videos from Instagram directly on our site. When you visit pages on our website that have an integrated Instagram feature, data is transmitted to, stored by, and processed by Instagram. Instagram uses the same systems and technologies as Facebook. Therefore, your data is processed across all Facebook companies.

Below, we'll give you a more detailed look at why Instagram collects data, what data it collects, and how you can largely control its processing. Since Instagram belongs to Meta Platforms Inc., we draw our information from both Instagram's policies and Meta's own privacy policy.

Instagram is one of the most famous social media networks worldwide. Instagram combines the advantages of a blog with the advantages of audiovisual platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo. You can upload photos and short videos to “Insta” (as many users casually call the platform), edit them with various filters and also distribute them on other social networks. And if you don't want to be active yourself, you can just follow other interesting users.

Why do we use Instagram on our website?

Instagram is the social media platform that has really taken off in recent years. And of course we also reacted to this boom. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible on our website. That's why it's a matter of course for us to prepare our content in a varied manner. The embedded Instagram functions allow us to enrich our content with helpful, funny or exciting content from the Instagram world. Since Instagram is a subsidiary of Facebook, the data collected can also be useful to us for personalized advertising on Facebook. This means our advertisements only reach people who are really interested in our products or services.

Instagram also uses the collected data for measurement and analysis purposes. We get summarized statistics and thus more insight into your wishes and interests. It is important to note that these reports do not identify you personally.

What data does Instagram store?

If you come across one of our pages that has built-in Instagram functions (such as Instagram images or plug-ins), your browser will automatically contact Instagram's servers. Data is sent to Instagram, stored and processed. Regardless of whether you have an Instagram account or not. This includes information about our website, about your computer, about purchases you make, about advertisements you see and how you use our services. The date and time of your interaction with Instagram are also stored. If you have an Instagram account or are logged in, Instagram stores significantly more data about you.

Facebook differentiates between customer data and event data. We assume that this is exactly the case with Instagram. Customer data includes, for example, name, address, telephone number and IP address. This customer data will only be transmitted to Instagram once it has been “hashed”. Hashing means turning a data set into a string. This allows you to encrypt the contact details. In addition, the above-mentioned “event data” is also transmitted. By “event data” Facebook – and consequently also Instagram – means data about your user behavior. It can also happen that contact data is combined with event data. The contact details collected will be compared with the data Instagram already has about you.

The collected data is transmitted to Facebook via small text files (cookies), which are usually set in your browser. Depending on the Instagram functions used and whether you have an Instagram account, different amounts of data are stored.

We assume that data processing on Instagram works in the same way as on Facebook. This means: if you have an Instagram account or www.instagram.com Instagram has at least set a cookie. If this is the case, your browser will send information to Instagram via the cookie as soon as you come into contact with an Instagram function. This data will be deleted or anonymized after 90 days at the latest (after comparison). Although we have looked intensively into Instagram's data processing, we cannot say exactly what data Instagram collects and stores.

Below we will show you the minimum cookies that are set in your browser when you click on an Instagram function (such as a button or an Insta picture). In our test, we assume that you don't have an Instagram account. If you are logged in to Instagram, significantly more cookies will of course be set in your browser.

These cookies were used in our test:

Surname: csrftoken
Value: “”
Purpose of use: This cookie is most likely set for security reasons to prevent fraudulent requests. However, we were unable to find out more precisely.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: mid
Value: “”
Purpose of use: Instagram sets this cookie to optimize its own services and offers on and outside of Instagram. The cookie sets a unique user ID.
Expiry Date: after the end of the session

Surname: fbsr_113107609124024
Value: not specified
Purpose of use: This cookie stores the log-in request for users of the Instagram app.
Expiry Date: after the end of the session

Surname: rur
Value: ATN
Purpose of use: This is an Instagram cookie that ensures functionality on Instagram.
Expiry Date: after the end of the session

Surname: urlgen
Value: “{”194.96.75.33”: 1901}:1iEtYv:Y833k2_UjKvXgYe113107609”
Purpose of use: This cookie is used for Instagram’s marketing purposes.
Expiry Date: after the end of the session

Annotation: We cannot claim completeness here. Which cookies are set in each individual case depends on the embedded functions and your use of Instagram.

How long and where is the data stored?

Instagram shares the information it receives between Facebook companies, with external partners and with people you connect with around the world. Data processing takes place in compliance with our own data guidelines. Your data is distributed on Facebook servers around the world, among other things for security reasons. Most of these servers are located in the USA.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

Thanks to the General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to information, portability, correction and deletion of your data. You can manage your data in Instagram settings. If you want to completely delete your data on Instagram, you will need to permanently delete your Instagram account.

And this is how deleting your Instagram account works:

First open the Instagram app. On your profile page, go down and click on “Help Section.” Now you come to the company's website. On the website, click “Manage Account” and then click “Delete Your Account.”

If you delete your account entirely, Instagram will delete posts such as your photos and status updates. Information that other people have shared about you is not part of your account and will therefore not be deleted.

As mentioned above, Instagram primarily stores your data using cookies. You can manage, disable, or delete these cookies in your browser. The process varies slightly depending on your browser. In the "Cookies" section, you'll find links to instructions for the most popular browsers.

You can also generally set up your browser so that you are always informed when a cookie is to be set. Then you can always decide individually whether you want to allow the cookie or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored through embedded social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) Your data is stored and processed to ensure fast and effective communication with you, other customers, and business partners. However, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also use cookies in your browser to store data. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our privacy policy regarding cookies and review the privacy statement or cookie policy of the respective service provider.

Instagram processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Instagram, or rather Meta Platforms, is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to relevant page]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Instagram uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are model clauses provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Instagram commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Instagram. https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/ You can take a closer look at Instagram's data policies.

Instagram Lookalike Audience Privacy Policy

We also use the advertising tool Instagram Lookalike Audience. The service provider is the American company Meta Platforms Inc. For the European region, the company responsible is Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland).

Instagram and Meta process your data, among other things, in the USA. Facebook and Meta Platforms are active participants in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to relevant page]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Meta Platforms uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are model clauses provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Meta Platforms commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Instagram and Meta data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Instagram Lookalike Audience in the privacy policy on [website address]. https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/.

Pinterest Privacy Policy

Pinterest Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as user behavior data, information about your device, your IP address and search terms. You can find more details below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: until Pinterest no longer needs the data for its purposes ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Pinterest?

We use buttons and widgets from the social media network Pinterest, operated by Pinterest Inc., 808 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA, on our website. For the European region, the Irish company Pinterest Europe Ltd. (Palmerston House, 2nd Floor, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible for all data protection-related aspects.

Pinterest is a social network specializing in graphic representations and photographs. The name is a combination of the words "pin" and "interest." Users can connect on Pinterest to share information about various hobbies and interests and view profiles with images, either openly or within defined groups.

Why do we use Pinterest?

Pinterest has been around for several years now and remains one of the most visited and valued social media platforms. It's particularly well-suited to our industry because the platform is primarily known for its beautiful and engaging images. That's why we're also present on Pinterest and want to showcase our content effectively beyond our website. The data collected can also be used for advertising purposes, allowing us to target advertising messages precisely to those who are interested in our services and products.

What data does Pinterest process?

So-called log data may be stored. This includes information about your browser, IP address, the address of our website and your activities on it (for example, when you click the Save or Pin button), search history, date and time of the request, and cookie and device data. If you interact with an embedded Pinterest feature, cookies that store various data may also be placed in your browser. The log data mentioned above, preset language settings, and clickstream data are usually stored in cookies. Pinterest defines clickstream data as information about your website behavior.

If you have a Pinterest account and are logged in, the data collected through our site can be added to your account and used for advertising purposes. When you interact with our integrated Pinterest features, you will generally be redirected to the Pinterest website. Here is a sample selection of cookies that will then be placed in your browser.

Surname: _auth
Value: 0
Purpose of use: The cookie is used for authentication. It can store a value such as your "username". 
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: _pinterest_referrer
Value: 1
Purpose of use: The cookie stores the fact that you accessed Pinterest via our website. Therefore, the URL of our website is saved.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: _pinterest_sess
Value: …9HRHZvVE0rQlUxdG89
Purpose of use: The cookie is used for logging into Pinterest and contains user IDs, authentication tokens, and timestamps.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: _routing_id
Value: “8d850ddd-4fb8-499c-961c-77efae9d4065113107609-8”
Purpose of use: The cookie contains an assigned value that is used to identify a specific routing destination.
Expiry Date: after one day

Surname: cm_sub
Value: denied
Purpose of use: This cookie stores a user ID and the timestamp.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: csrftoken
Value: 9e49145c82a93d34fd933b0fd8446165113107609-1
Purpose of use: This cookie is most likely set for security reasons to prevent fraudulent requests. However, we were unable to find out more precisely.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: sessionFunnelEventLogged
Value: 1
Purpose of use: We have not yet been able to find out any further information about this cookie.
Expiry Date: after one day

How long and where is the data stored?

Pinterest generally stores the collected data until it is no longer needed for the company's purposes. Once data retention is no longer necessary, for example, to comply with legal requirements, the data is either deleted or anonymized so that you can no longer be identified as an individual. The data may also be stored on American servers.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers like Pinterest at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser.

Since embedded Pinterest elements may use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy about cookies. To find out exactly what data is stored and processed about you, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored through embedded social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) The data is stored and processed to enable fast and effective communication with you or other customers and business partners. However, we only use this tool if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also use cookies in your browser to store data. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our privacy policy regarding cookies and review the privacy statement or cookie policy of the respective service provider.

Pinterest processes your data, among other places, in the USA. We would like to point out that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This can entail various risks to the lawfulness and security of data processing.

Pinterest uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR) as the basis for processing data with recipients located in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and especially the USA) or for transferring data to such countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). These clauses oblige Pinterest to maintain the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

More information about standard contractual clauses at Pinterest can be found at https://policy.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy#section-residents-of-the-eea.

We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Pinterest. https://policy.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy You can learn more about Pinterest's data policies.

X (formerly: Twitter) Privacy Policy

X (formerly: Twitter) Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as user behavior data, information about your device and your IP address. You can find more details below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: X deletes data collected from other websites after a maximum of 30 days. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is X?

We have integrated features from X into our website. These include, for example, embedded tweets, timelines, buttons, and hashtags. X is a microblogging service and social media platform operated by the American company X Corp., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. For users in Europe, Twitter International Unlimited Company (One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07, Ireland) is responsible for processing personal data.

To our knowledge, simply integrating X functions does not transfer any personal data or data about your web activity to X within the European Economic Area and Switzerland. Data is only sent to X, stored, and processed when you interact with the X functions, such as by clicking a button. We have no control over this data processing and bear no responsibility for it. This privacy policy aims to provide you with an overview of what data X stores, what X does with this data, and how you can protect yourself as much as possible from data transfer.

For some, X is a news service, for others a social media platform, and still others a microblogging service. All these terms are valid and mean more or less the same thing.

Both individuals and companies use X to communicate with interested parties via short messages. X allows only 280 characters per message. These messages are called "tweets." Unlike Facebook, for example, the service does not focus on building a network of "friends" but aims to be a global and open messaging platform. X also allows users to have an anonymous account, and tweets can be deleted by both the company and the users themselves.

Why do we use X on our website?

Like many other websites and companies, we try to offer our services and communicate with our customers through various channels. X (probably better known to many as Twitter) has become particularly dear to us as a useful "little" news service. We regularly tweet or retweet exciting, funny, or interesting content. We understand that you can't follow every channel individually. After all, you have other things to do. That's why we've integrated X features into our website. You can experience our X activity "on-site" or access our X page via a direct link. By integrating these features, we aim to enhance our service and the user-friendliness of our website.

What data is stored by X?

On some of our subpages, you'll find built-in X features. When you interact with X content, such as clicking a button, X can collect and store data, even if you don't have an X account. X calls this data "log data." This includes demographic information, browser cookie IDs, your smartphone's ID, hashed email addresses, and information about which pages you visited on X and what actions you performed. Of course, X stores more data if you have an X account and are logged in. Previously, this storage was done via cookies. Cookies are small text files, usually placed in your browser, that transmit various pieces of information to X.

We will now show you which cookies are set when you are not logged in to X but visit a website with built-in X features. Please consider this list as an example. We cannot guarantee its completeness, as the choice of cookies is constantly changing and depends on your individual interactions with the X content.

These cookies were used in our test:

Surname: personalization_id
Value: “v1_cSJIsogU51SeE113107609”
Purpose of use: This cookie stores information about how you use the website and which advertisements may have led you to X.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: long
Value: de
Purpose of use: This cookie stores your preset or preferred language.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: guest_id
Value: 113107609v1157132626
Purpose of use: This cookie is set to identify you as a guest. 
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: fm
Value: 0
Purpose of use: Unfortunately, we were unable to find out the purpose of this cookie.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: external_referer
Value: 1131076092beTA0sf5lkMrlGt
Purpose of use: This cookie collects anonymous data, such as how often you visit X and how long you stay at X.
Expiry Date: After 6 days

Surname: eu_cn
Value: 1
Purpose of use: This cookie stores user activity and serves various advertising purposes of X.
Expiry Date: After one year

Surname: ct0
Value: c1179f07163a365d2ed7aad84c99d966
Purpose of use: Unfortunately, we could not find any information about this cookie.
Expiry Date: after 6 hours

Surname: _twitter_sess
Value: 53D3D–dd0248113107609-
Purpose of use: This cookie allows you to use functions within the X website.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Annotation: X also works with third-party providers. That's why we also detected the three Google Analytics cookies _ga, _gat, _gid in our test.

X uses the collected data on the one hand to better understand user behavior and thus improve its own services and advertising offers, and on the other hand the data also serves internal security measures.

How long and where is the data stored?

When X collects data from other websites, this data is deleted, aggregated, or otherwise anonymized after a maximum of 30 days. X's servers are located in various data centers in the United States. Therefore, it can be assumed that the collected data is gathered and stored in America. Our research did not definitively determine whether X also has its own servers in Europe. In principle, X can store the collected data until it is no longer useful to the company, you delete the data, or a legal retention period applies.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

X repeatedly emphasizes in its privacy policy that it does not store any data from external website visits if you or your browser are located in the European Economic Area or Switzerland. However, if you interact directly with X, X will naturally also store your data.

If you have an X account, you can manage your data by clicking "More" under the "Profile" button. Then click "Settings and Privacy." Here you can manage data processing individually.

If you do not have an X account, you can access twitter.com Go to [link to relevant page] and then click on "Personalization". Under "Personalization and Data" you can manage your collected data.

As mentioned above, most data is stored via cookies, which you can manage, disable, or delete in your browser. Please note that you can only edit cookies in the browser you are currently using. This means that if you use a different browser in the future, you will need to manage your cookies again according to your preferences. In the "Cookies" section, you will find links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

You can also configure your browser to notify you about each individual cookie. This allows you to decide whether to allow a cookie or not.

X also uses the data for personalized advertising both on and off X. You can disable personalized advertising in the settings under "Personalization and Data". If you are using X in a browser, you can disable personalized advertising under https://optout.aboutads.info/?c=2&lang=EN deactivate.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored through embedded social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) Your data is stored and processed to ensure fast and effective communication with you, other customers, and business partners. However, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also use cookies in your browser to store data. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our privacy policy regarding cookies and review the privacy statement or cookie policy of the respective service provider.

X processes your data, among other things, in the USA. We would like to point out that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This can entail various risks to the lawfulness and security of data processing.

X uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing by recipients located in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e., in particular the USA) or for data transfers to such countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the EU Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through these clauses, X commits to maintaining the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the EU Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses, among other places, here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

More information about the standard contractual clauses at X can be found at https://gdpr.twitter.com/en/controller-to-controller-transfers.html.

We hope we have given you a basic overview of data processing by X. We do not receive any data from X and are not responsible for what X does with your data. If you have any further questions on this topic, we recommend that you consult the X privacy policy at [link to X privacy policy]. https://twitter.com/de/privacy.

XING privacy policy

Xing Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: This may include your IP address, browser data, date and time of your page visit. You can find more details below in the privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: Data from Xing users is stored until a deletion request is made. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Xing?

We use social plugins from the social media network Xing, operated by Xing SE, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, on our website. These plugins allow you, for example, to share content directly from our website on Xing, log in to Xing, or follow interesting content. You can recognize the plugins by the company name or the Xing logo. When you visit a website that uses a Xing plugin, data may be transmitted to, stored on, and analyzed by Xing's servers. This privacy policy explains what data is involved and how you can manage or prevent this data storage.

Xing is a social network headquartered in Hamburg. The company specializes in managing professional contacts. This means that, unlike other networks, Xing focuses primarily on professional networking. The platform is often used for job searches or to find employees for one's own company. In addition, Xing offers interesting content on various professional topics. Its global counterpart is the American company LinkedIn.

Why do we use Xing on our website?

There's a flood of social media channels these days, and we're well aware that your time is valuable. It's impossible to scrutinize every single company's social media channel. That's why we want to make things as easy as possible for you, so you can share or follow interesting content directly from our website on Xing. These "social plugins" expand the services we offer on our website. Furthermore, the data collected by Xing helps us to implement targeted advertising on the platform. This means our services are only shown to people who are genuinely interested in them.

What data does Xing store?

Xing offers the share button, the follow button, and the login button as plugins for websites. As soon as you open a page with a Xing social plugin, your browser connects to servers in a data center used by Xing. According to Xing, no data is stored in connection with the share button that could directly identify an individual. In particular, Xing does not store your IP address. Furthermore, no cookies are set in connection with the share button. Therefore, your user behavior is not analyzed. You can find more information on this topic at [link to Xing's privacy policy]. https://dev.xing.com/plugins/share_button/privacy_policy

With the other Xing plugins, cookies are only set in your browser when you interact with the plugin or click on it. In this case, personal data such as your IP address, browser data, and the date and time of your page visit to Xing may be stored. If you have a Xing account and are logged in, the collected data will be associated with your personal account and the data stored therein.

The following cookies will be set in your browser if you click the "Follow" or "Log in" button and are not yet logged in to Xing. Please note that this is an example list and we cannot claim it to be exhaustive:

Surname: AMCVS_0894FF2554F733210A4C98C6AdobeOrg
Value: 1
Purpose of use: This cookie is used to create and store identifications of website visitors.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: c_
Value: 157c609dc9fe7d7ff56064c6de87b019113107609-8
Purpose of use: We were unable to find any further information about this cookie.
Expiry Date: after one day

Surname: previousPage
Value: wbmWelcomelogin
Purpose of use: This cookie stores the URL of the previous website you visited.
Expiry Date: after 30 minutes

Surname: s_cc
Value: true
Purpose of use: This Adobe Site Catalyst cookie determines whether cookies are generally enabled in the browser.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: s_fid
Value: 6897CDCD1013221C-39DDACC982217CD1113107609-2
Purpose of use: This cookie is used to identify a unique visitor.
Expiry Date: after 5 years

Surname: visitor_id
Value: fe59fbe5-e9c6-4fca-8776-30d0c1a89c32
Purpose of use: The visitor cookie contains a unique visitor ID and the unique identifier for your account.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname:_session_id
Value: 533a0a6641df82b46383da06ea0e84e7113107609-2
Purpose of use: This cookie creates a temporary session ID, which is used as the in-session user ID. This cookie is absolutely necessary to provide Xing's functionality.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Once you are logged in to Xing or become a member, further personal data will definitely be collected, processed, and stored. Xing also shares personal data with third parties if this is necessary for fulfilling its own business purposes, if you have given your consent, or if there is a legal obligation to do so.

How long and where is the data stored?

Xing stores data on various servers in different data centers. The company retains this data until you delete it or until your user account is deleted. This only applies to users who are already Xing members.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to access and delete your personal data at any time. Even if you are not a Xing member, you can prevent potential data processing or manage it according to your preferences via your browser. Most data is stored using cookies. Depending on your browser, managing cookies varies slightly. In the "Cookies" section, you will find links to instructions for the most common browsers.

You can also configure your browser to always notify you when a cookie is about to be set. This allows you to decide individually whether or not to allow the cookie.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored through embedded social media elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) Your data is stored and processed to ensure fast and effective communication with you, other customers, and business partners. However, we only use the integrated social media elements if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also use cookies in your browser to store data. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our privacy policy regarding cookies and review the privacy statement or cookie policy of the respective service provider.

We have tried to provide you with the most important information about data processing by Xing. https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung Learn more about the data processing practices of the social media network Xing.

Online Marketing Introduction

Online Marketing Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimize the website. 📓 Data processed: Access statistics, including data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, click behavior, and IP addresses. Personal data such as name or email address may also be processed. Further details can be found in the documentation for the respective online marketing tool used. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the online marketing tools used. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is online marketing?

Online marketing encompasses all measures taken online to achieve marketing goals such as increasing brand awareness or closing a sale. Furthermore, our online marketing efforts aim to drive traffic to our website. We engage in online marketing to showcase our offerings to a wide audience of interested individuals. This typically involves online advertising, content marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). To ensure our online marketing is efficient and targeted, we also store and process personal data. This data helps us to show our content only to those who are genuinely interested in it, and it also allows us to measure the success of our online marketing campaigns.

Why do we use online marketing tools?

We want to show our website to everyone who is interested in our offerings. We understand that this isn't possible without deliberate measures. That's why we engage in online marketing. Various tools are available to simplify our online marketing efforts and provide us with ongoing data-driven suggestions for improvement. This allows us to target our campaigns more precisely to our audience. Ultimately, the purpose of these online marketing tools is to optimize our offerings.

What data is processed?

To ensure our online marketing works effectively and the success of our campaigns can be measured, user profiles are created and data is stored, for example, in cookies (small text files). This data allows us not only to display traditional advertising but also to personalize the content on our website to your liking. Various third-party tools offer these functions and, accordingly, collect and store your data. These cookies store information such as which pages you visited on our website, how long you viewed them, which links or buttons you clicked, and which website referred you to us. Technical information may also be stored, such as your IP address, the browser you are using, the device you are using to access our website, and the time you entered and left our site. If you have consented to us determining your location, we can also store and process this information.

Your IP address is stored in pseudonymized (i.e., shortened) form. Unique data that directly identifies you as an individual, such as your name, address, or email address, is also stored only in pseudonymized form for advertising and online marketing purposes. Therefore, we cannot identify you as an individual; we only store the pseudonymized information in the user profiles.

The cookies may also be used, analyzed, and used for advertising purposes on other websites that use the same advertising tools. The data may then also be stored on the servers of the advertising tool providers.

In exceptional cases, unique identifiers (names, email addresses, etc.) may also be stored in user profiles. This occurs, for example, if you are a member of a social media channel that we use for our online marketing activities and the network links previously received data to the user profile.

With all the advertising tools we use that store your data on their servers, we only ever receive aggregated information and never data that identifies you as an individual. The data simply shows how well our advertising campaigns performed. For example, we can see which measures motivated you or other users to visit our website and purchase a service or product. Based on these analyses, we can improve our advertising in the future and tailor it even more precisely to the needs and desires of interested individuals.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information. Generally, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for providing our services and products. Data stored in cookies is stored for varying lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others can remain stored in your browser for several years. You can usually find detailed information about the specific cookies used by each provider in their respective privacy policies.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser. The lawfulness of the processing up to the point of withdrawal remains unaffected.

Since online marketing tools typically use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy about cookies. To find out exactly what data is stored and processed about you, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to [relevant legal provision], this consent constitutes [relevant legal provision]. Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent) This represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when data is collected through online marketing tools.

We also have a legitimate interest in measuring online marketing activities in anonymized form in order to optimize our offerings and measures using the data obtained. The corresponding legal basis for this is... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate interests). However, we only use these tools if you have given your consent.

Information on specific online marketing tools can be found – if available – in the following sections.

Facebook Custom Audiences Privacy Policy

We use Facebook Custom Audiences, a server-side event tracking tool, on our website. The service provider is the American company Meta Platforms Inc. For the European region, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible.

Facebook processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Facebook, or rather Meta Platforms, is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to relevant page]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Facebook uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are model clauses provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Facebook commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Facebook data processing terms, which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Facebook Custom Audiences in the Privacy Policy on [link to Privacy Policy]. https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy . 

Google Marketing Platform (formerly: DoubleClick) Privacy Policy

We use Google Marketing Platform products on our website. These include various marketing tools such as Data Studio, Surveys, Campaign Manager 360, Display & Video 360, and Search Ads 360. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google Marketing Platform products in the Privacy Policy at [link to Privacy Policy]. https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

LinkedIn Insight Tag Privacy Policy

LinkedIn Insight Tag Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimize the website. 📓 Data processed: Access statistics, including data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, click behavior, and IP addresses. More details can be found below and in LinkedIn's privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: Direct identifiers via LinkedIn Insight Tag are removed within seven days. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is LinkedIn Insight Tag?

We use the LinkedIn Insight Tag conversion tracking tool on our website. The service provider is the American company LinkedIn Corporation, 2029 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited (Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible for data protection aspects within the European Economic Area (EEA), the EU, and Switzerland.

By embedding the tracking tool, data can be sent to, stored by, and processed by LinkedIn. In this privacy policy, we want to inform you about the data involved, how the network uses this data, and how you can manage or prevent data storage.

LinkedIn is the largest social network for business contacts. Unlike Facebook, for example, the company focuses exclusively on building professional connections. Businesses can present their services and products on the platform and establish business relationships. Many people also use LinkedIn for job searches or to find suitable employees for their own companies. In Germany alone, the network has over 11 million members. In Austria, there are approximately 1.3 million.

LinkedIn's conversion tracking tool is a small piece of JavaScript code that we've integrated into our website. This feature helps us better tailor our advertising to your interests and needs. In the following article, we'll explain in more detail why we use the LinkedIn Insight Tag, what data is stored, and how you can prevent this data storage.

Why do we use the LinkedIn Insight Tag on our website?

We use the LinkedIn Insight Tag to promote our offerings. Our goal is to ensure that our advertising campaigns only reach people who are genuinely interested in what we offer. The LinkedIn Insight Tag allows us to collect detailed information about your website behavior, provided you are also a LinkedIn member. This enables us to see which keywords, ads, ad groups, and campaigns on LinkedIn lead to the desired customer actions. We can see how many customers interact with our ads on a single device and then complete a conversion. This data allows us to calculate our cost-benefit ratio, measure the success of individual advertising campaigns, and consequently optimize our online marketing efforts. Furthermore, we can use the data we gather to make our website more engaging for you and tailor our advertising even more precisely to your needs.

What data is stored by the LinkedIn Insight Tag?

As mentioned above, we have integrated a conversion tracking tag or code snippet into our website to better analyze certain user actions. When you click on one of our LinkedIn ads, a cookie may be stored on your computer (usually in your browser) or mobile device. LinkedIn generally processes data using a combination of cookies and server-side functions.

As soon as you complete an action on the website, LinkedIn recognizes the cookie and saves your action as a so-called conversion. While you are browsing our website, we and LinkedIn recognize that you found us via our LinkedIn ad. The cookie is read and sent back to LinkedIn along with the conversion data. It is also possible that other cookies are used to measure conversions.

In addition to your IP address, the URL, referrer URL, device and browser properties, and the timestamp are also stored. The IP address is considered personal data and is shortened or hashed by LinkedIn.

You might be wondering what conversions actually are. A conversion occurs when you go from being a purely interested website visitor to taking action. This happens whenever you click on our ad and then perform another action, such as visiting our website or purchasing a product. With LinkedIn's conversion tracking tool, we record what happens after a user clicks on our LinkedIn ad. For example, we can see whether products are purchased, services are used, or whether you subscribe to our newsletter.

Furthermore, demographic data that you have provided in your LinkedIn profile may also be processed. This could include information about your profession, geographic location, industry, or company.

We receive a report from LinkedIn with statistical analyses. This tells us, for example, the total number of users who clicked on our ad and we can see which advertising measures were successful.

How long and where is the data stored?

Generally, LinkedIn retains your personal data for as long as the company deems necessary to provide its services. However, LinkedIn deletes your personal data when you delete your account. In some exceptional cases, LinkedIn may retain some data in aggregated and anonymized form even after your account has been deleted.

Direct identifiers from the LinkedIn Insight Tag are removed within seven days to pseudonymize the data. The resulting pseudonymized data is deleted within 180 days.

The data is stored on various servers in America and presumably also in Europe.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to access and delete your personal data at any time.

You have the option to opt out of LinkedIn's conversion tracking. If you disable the Google conversion tracking cookie in your browser or do not consent to data processing via the consent manager (pop-up), you will block conversion tracking. In this case, you will not be included in the tracking tool's statistics. You can change your browser's cookie settings at any time. The process varies slightly depending on the browser. Under the "Cookies" section, you will find links to instructions for the most common browsers.

In your LinkedIn account, you can also manage, change, and delete your data. You can also request a copy of your personal data from LinkedIn.

Here's how to access the account details in your LinkedIn profile:

In LinkedIn, click your profile icon and select "Settings and privacy." Then click "Privacy" and, in the "How LinkedIn uses your data" section, click "Change." You can then download selected data about your web activity and account history.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of the LinkedIn Insight Tag, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur during data collection by the LinkedIn Insight Tag.

We also have a legitimate interest in using the LinkedIn Insight Tag to optimize our online services and marketing activities. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use the LinkedIn Insight Tag if you have given your consent.

LinkedIn also processes your data in the USA. We would like to point out that, according to the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfers to the USA. This can entail various risks to the lawfulness and security of data processing.

LinkedIn uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR) as the basis for processing data with recipients located in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and especially the USA) or for transferring data to such countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). These clauses oblige LinkedIn to maintain the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

More information about LinkedIn's standard contractual clauses can be found at https://de.linkedin.com/legal/l/dpa or https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/eu-sccs

Learn more about LinkedIn Insight Tag at https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a427660. You can find out more about the data processed through the use of the LinkedIn Insight Tag in the privacy policy on [website address]. https://de.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.

Microsoft Advertising Privacy Statement

Microsoft Advertising Privacy Statement Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: economic success and the optimization of our service performance. 📓 Data processed: Access statistics, which include data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behavior, click behavior, and IP addresses. Personal data such as name or email address may also be processed. 📅 Storage period: Microsoft stores the data until it is no longer needed to fulfill its purposes. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Microsoft Advertising?

For our online marketing efforts, we also use the Microsoft Advertising program from Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA. With the help of Microsoft Advertising, we aim to raise awareness among many people about the high quality of our products and/or services. For this purpose, we use a Microsoft technology (conversion tracking tool) on our website, which also stores your data. This privacy policy explains this service in more detail, showing you which data is stored, managed, and processed, and how you can prevent this data storage.

You might know Microsoft Advertising by its former name, "Bing Ads." It's a Microsoft advertising program based on a pay-per-click system. This means advertisers can place ads on the Bing and Yahoo! search engines and only pay when a user clicks on the ad.

Why do we use Microsoft Advertising?

We are confident in our products and services and naturally want to present them to a wide audience. Microsoft Advertising allows us to reach precisely those people who are genuinely interested in them. We want to showcase our products not only on the renowned search engine Google, but also on Bing and Yahoo! Microsoft Advertising also gives us the opportunity to place ads within the Microsoft Audience Network. This allows us, for example, to advertise on LinkedIn. Conversion tracking tells us, for instance, which ad led you to us, which subpages you particularly like, and what actions you take on our website. This data enables us to tailor our website, our ads, and our offers much more effectively to your needs.

What data does Microsoft Advertising store?

We have integrated a conversion tracking tag (a small code snippet) from Microsoft Advertising into our website. This is the so-called Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag. If you arrive at our website via a Microsoft ad, this tracking tool allows us to learn more about your user behavior on our site. For example, we learn which keyword or ad led you to us, what you click on, how many people visit our website via Microsoft Ads, and how long you stay on our site. All this data relates to user behavior and not to personally identifiable information. We only receive data and analyses about your web behavior, but no personally identifiable information. Microsoft uses the data to optimize its own advertising and other services. If you have a Microsoft account, the collected data can be linked to your account. This means that Microsoft may also recognize and store your IP address. To store all this data about your user behavior, the following cookie is set in your browser after you arrive at our website via a Microsoft ad:

Surname: MUIDB
Value: 08A53CA3313F6255044C307E353F61CD
Purpose of use: This cookie is set by our embedded Microsoft tag (UET tag) and is used for synchronization across different Microsoft websites. This allows users to be recognized across different domains.
Expiry Date: after a year

If you access our website via a Bing ad, for example, other cookies may be set in your browser. Here is a selection of other cookies:

Surname: ABDEF
Value: V=0&ABDV=0&MRNB=1594294373452&MRB=0113107609-7
Purpose of use: We were unable to find any more detailed information about this cookie.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: SRCHD
Value: AF=NOFORM
Purpose of use: This cookie is responsible for the functionality of the tracking and/or the website.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: SRCHHPGUSR
Value: WTS=63729889193&HV=1594294374&CW=1920&CH=937&DPR=1&UTC=120&DM=0
Purpose of use: This cookie tracks and stores your user behavior on our website and your interaction with the Bing Maps interface.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: SRCHUID
Value: V=2&GUID=157B20CCF36A43F3A4AE9790346EB7A7&dmnchg=1
Purpose of use: This cookie tracks and stores your user behavior on our website and your interaction with the Bing Map API.
Expiry Date: after a year

Surname: _EDGE_S
Value: mkt=de-at&SID=2EE7002D956A61511D280F2F9474607113107609-2
Purpose of use: This cookie collects and stores your user behavior across multiple websites. The goal of targeting is to better tailor advertising measures to the interests of our target group.
Expiry Date: after the end of the browser session

Surname: _SS
Value: SID=2EE7002D956A61511D280F2F94746077113107609-9
Purpose of useThis cookie is used, among other things, to recognize how you, as a user, accessed our website. Specifically, which advertisement led you to our website.
Expiry Date: after a year

How long and where is the data stored?

We have no control over how Microsoft uses the collected user data. Microsoft operates its own servers worldwide. Most are located in the United States, and therefore your data may also be stored, managed, and processed on American servers. Microsoft stores data (especially personal data) for as long as necessary to provide its own services or products, or for legal purposes. Microsoft also states that the actual retention period varies considerably and depends on the specific product.

When you search using Bing, Microsoft deletes your saved search queries after 6 months by deleting your IP address. Cookie IDs, such as those generated via the MUID cookie, are anonymized after 18 months.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You can opt out of Microsoft Ads conversion tracking at any time. If you do not want to see interest-based ads from Microsoft Advertising, you can do so via https://account.microsoft.com/privacy/ad-settings/signedout You can disable this function. You can also disable, manage, or delete all cookies in your browser. The process varies slightly depending on the browser. Under the "Cookies" section, you will find links to instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Microsoft Advertising, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to [source/regulation], this consent constitutes [legal basis/regulation]. Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent) This represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when collected by Microsoft Advertising.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Microsoft Advertising to optimize our online service and marketing activities. The corresponding legal basis for this is... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate interests). However, we only use Microsoft Advertising if you have given your consent.

Microsoft processes your data in the USA, among other locations. Microsoft is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to relevant page]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Microsoft uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Microsoft commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

More information about Microsoft's standard contractual clauses can be found at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/compliance/regulatory/offering-eu-model-clauses

We hope we have given you an overview of data processing through conversion tracking in Microsoft Ads. Of course, it's always possible that Microsoft's privacy policy may change. For more information and to stay up to date, we recommend that you also review Microsoft's privacy policy at [link to Microsoft's privacy policy]. https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

Microsoft Advertising Similar Audiences Privacy Policy

We also use the advertising tool Microsoft Advertising Similar Audiences. The service provider is the American company Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA. For the European region, the responsible company is Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, South County Business Park, Dublin D18 P521, Ireland.

Microsoft processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Microsoft is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information here: commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en

Furthermore, Microsoft uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). These templates, provided by the European Commission, ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Microsoft commits to maintaining the European level of data protection when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. The corresponding implementing decision and the Standard Contractual Clauses can be found, among other places, at: eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

Learn more about the data processed through the use of Microsoft Advertising at: privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

Cookie Consent Management Platform Introduction

Cookie Consent Management Platform Summary 👥 Affected: Website visitors 🤝 Purpose: Obtaining and managing consent for certain cookies and thus the use of certain tools 📓 Data processed: Data for managing cookie settings, such as IP address, time of consent, type of consent, and individual consents. More details can be found in the documentation for each tool used. 📅 Storage duration: Depends on the tool used; expect periods of several years. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is a Cookie Consent Management Platform?

We use a Consent Management Platform (CMP) software on our website to facilitate the correct and secure handling of scripts and cookies for both you and us. The software automatically generates a cookie popup, scans and controls all scripts and cookies, provides you with the legally required cookie consent, and helps us and you maintain an overview of all cookies. Most cookie consent management tools identify and categorize all existing cookies. As a website visitor, you then decide which scripts and cookies you allow or block. The following graphic illustrates the relationship between browser, web server, and CMP.

Why do we use a cookie management tool?

Our goal is to offer you the greatest possible transparency regarding data protection. We are also legally obligated to do so. We want to inform you as thoroughly as possible about all tools and cookies that can store and process your data. It is also your right to decide which cookies you accept and which you do not. To grant you this right, we first need to know exactly which cookies have landed on our website. Thanks to a cookie management tool that regularly scans the website for all existing cookies, we are aware of all cookies and can provide you with GDPR-compliant information about them. You can then accept or reject cookies via the consent system.

What data is processed?

Our cookie management tool allows you to manage each individual cookie yourself and gives you complete control over the storage and processing of your data. Your consent is stored so that we don't have to ask you every time you visit our website and so that we can prove your consent if legally required. This is stored either in an opt-in cookie or on a server. The storage period for your cookie consent varies depending on the provider of the cookie management tool. This data (such as pseudonymous user ID, time of consent, details about the cookie categories or tools, browser, and device information) is usually stored for up to two years.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below, provided we have further information. Generally, we process personal data only as long as it is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. Data stored in cookies is stored for varying lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others can remain stored in your browser for several years. The exact duration of data processing depends on the tool used; you should usually expect a storage period of several years. You can generally find detailed information about the duration of data processing in the respective privacy policies of the individual providers.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser.

Information on specific cookie management tools can be found – if available – in the following sections.

Legal basis

If you consent to cookies, your personal data will be processed and stored via these cookies. consent (Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR) If you consent to the use of cookies, this consent also forms the legal basis for the use of cookies and the processing of your data. To manage cookie consent and enable you to grant it, we use cookie consent management platform software. This software allows us to operate the website efficiently and in compliance with the law, which is a legitimate interest (Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR).

BorlabsCookie Privacy Policy

We use BorlabsCookie on our website, which, among other things, is a tool for storing your cookie consent. The service provider is the German company Borlabs – Benjamin A. Bornschein, Rübenkamp 32, 22305 Hamburg, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of BorlabsCookie in the Privacy Policy at [link to Privacy Policy]. https://de.borlabs.io/datenschutz/.

Audio & Video Introduction

Audio & Video Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as contact details, user behavior data, information about your device and your IP address may be stored. You can find more details below in the corresponding privacy policy texts. 📅 Storage period: Data is generally stored as long as it is needed for the service purpose. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What are audio and video elements?

We have integrated audio and video elements into our website so that you can watch videos or listen to music/podcasts directly through our site. The content is provided by service providers. Therefore, all content is retrieved from the respective servers of these providers.

These are embedded features from platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, or Spotify. Using these platforms is generally free, but they may also offer paid content. These embedded features allow you to listen to or watch the respective content directly on our website.

When you use audio or video elements on our website, your personal data may also be transmitted to, processed and stored by the service providers.

Why do we use audio and video elements on our website?

Of course, we want to offer you the best possible experience on our website. And we understand that content is no longer conveyed solely through text and static images. Instead of simply providing a link to a video, we offer audio and video formats directly on our website that are entertaining, informative, or ideally, both. This expands our service and makes it easier for you to access interesting content. Therefore, in addition to our text and images, we also offer video and/or audio content.

What data is stored through audio and video elements?

When you visit a page on our website that contains, for example, an embedded video, your device connects to the service provider's server. In doing so, your data is also transmitted to and stored by the third-party provider. Some data is collected and stored regardless of whether you have an account with the third-party provider or not. This usually includes your IP address, browser type, operating system, and other general information about your device. Furthermore, most providers also collect information about your web activity. This includes, for example, session duration, bounce rate, which buttons you clicked, and which website you used to access the service. All this information is usually stored via cookies or pixel tags (also called web beacons). Pseudonymized data is usually stored in cookies in your browser. You can always find out exactly which data is stored and processed in the respective provider's privacy policy.

Duration of data processing

You can find out exactly how long data is stored on third-party servers either further down in the privacy policy of the respective tool or in the provider's privacy statement. Generally, personal data is only processed for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services or products. This usually also applies to third-party providers. You can generally assume that certain data will be stored on third-party servers for several years. Data can be stored for varying lengths of time, especially in cookies. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others can remain stored in your browser for several years.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser. The lawfulness of the processing up to the point of withdrawal remains unaffected.

Since the integrated audio and video functions on our site usually also use cookies, you should also read our general privacy policy about cookies. The privacy policies of the respective third-party providers provide more detailed information about how they handle and store your data.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the processing and storage of your data through embedded audio and video elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) Your data is stored and processed for the purpose of fast and effective communication with you or other customers and business partners. However, we only use the embedded audio and video elements if you have given your consent.

Spotify Privacy Policy

We use Spotify, a tool for music and podcasts, on our website. The service provider is the Swedish company Spotify AB, Regeringsgatan 19, SE-111 53 Stockholm, Sweden.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Spotify in the Privacy Policy at [link to Privacy Policy]. https://www.spotify.com/de/legal/privacy-policy/.

YouTube privacy policy

YouTube Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as contact details, user behavior data, information about your device and your IP address may be stored. You can find more details below in this privacy policy. 📅 Storage period: Data is generally stored as long as it is needed for the service purpose. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is YouTube?

We have embedded YouTube videos on our website. This allows us to present interesting videos directly on our site. YouTube is a video portal that has been a subsidiary of Google since 2006. The video portal is operated by YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA. When you visit a page on our website that has an embedded YouTube video, your browser automatically connects to the servers of YouTube or Google. Depending on your settings, various data is transmitted during this process. Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all data processing within the European Economic Area.

Below we would like to explain to you in more detail what data is processed, why we have integrated YouTube videos and how you can manage or delete your data.

On YouTube, users can watch, rate, comment and upload videos for free. Over the last few years, YouTube has become one of the most important social media channels worldwide. So that we can display videos on our website, YouTube provides a code snippet that we have integrated into our site.

Why do we use YouTube videos on our website?

YouTube is the video platform with the most visitors and the best content. We strive to offer you the best possible user experience on our website. And of course interesting videos shouldn't be missing. With the help of our embedded videos, we provide you with other helpful content in addition to our texts and images. In addition, our website is easier to find on the Google search engine thanks to the embedded videos. Even if we place advertisements via Google Ads, thanks to the data collected, Google can only show these advertisements to people who are interested in our offers.

What data does YouTube store?

As soon as you visit one of our pages that has a YouTube video installed, YouTube sets at least one cookie that stores your IP address and our URL. If you are logged in to your YouTube account, YouTube can usually assign your interactions on our website to your profile using cookies. This includes data such as session duration, bounce rate, approximate location, technical information such as browser type, screen resolution or your internet provider. Other data may include contact details, any reviews, sharing content on social media or adding it to your favorites on YouTube.

If you are not signed in to a Google account or a YouTube account, Google stores data with a unique identifier associated with your device, browser or app. For example, your preferred language setting is retained. But much interaction data cannot be stored because fewer cookies are set.

The following list shows cookies that were set in a browser test. We show cookies that were set both when no user was logged into a YouTube account and when a user was logged in. This list is not exhaustive, as user data always depends on interactions on YouTube.

Surname: YSC
Value: b9-CV6ojI5Y113107609-1
Purpose of use: This cookie registers a unique ID to store statistics of the video viewed.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: PREF
Value: f1=50000000
Purpose of use: This cookie also registers your unique ID. Google receives statistics about how you use YouTube videos on our website via PREF.
Expiry Date: after 8 months

Surname: GPS
Value: 1
Purpose of use: This cookie registers your unique ID on mobile devices to track GPS location.
Expiry Date: after 30 minutes

Surname: VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Value: 95Chz8bagyU
Purpose of use: This cookie tries to estimate the user's bandwidth on our websites (with built-in YouTube videos).
Expiry Date: after 8 months

Other cookies that are set when you are logged in to your YouTube account:

Surname: APISID
Value: zILLlvClZSkqGsSwI/AU1aZI6HY7113107609-
Purpose of use: This cookie is used to create a profile about your interests. The data is used for personalized advertisements.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: CONSENT
Value: YES+AT.de+20150628-20-0
Purpose of use: The cookie stores the status of a user's consent to the use of various Google services. CONSENT also serves security purposes to check users and protect user data from unauthorized attacks.
Expiry Date: after 19 years

Surname: HSID
Value: AcRwpgUik9Dveht0I
Purpose of use: This cookie is used to create a profile about your interests. This data helps to display personalized advertising.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: LOGIN_INFO
Value: AFmmF2swRQIhALLl6aL…
Purpose of use: This cookie stores information about your login data.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: SAPISID
Value: 7oaPxoG-pZsJuuF5/AnUdDUIsJ9iJz2vdM
Purpose of use: This cookie works by uniquely identifying your browser and device. It is used to create a profile about your interests.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: SID
Value: oQfNKjAsI113107609-
Purpose of use: This cookie stores your Google account ID and your last login time in a digitally signed and encrypted form.
Expiry Date: after 2 years

Surname: SIDCC
Value: AN0-TYuqub2JOcDTyL
Purpose of use: This cookie stores information about how you use the website and what advertising you may have seen before visiting our site.
Expiry Date: after 3 months

How long and where is the data stored?

The data that YouTube receives and processes from you is stored on Google servers. Most of these servers are located in America. Under https://datacenters.google/ see exactly where the Google data centers are located. Your data is distributed across the servers. This means that the data can be accessed more quickly and is better protected against manipulation.

Google stores the data collected for different lengths of time. You can delete some data at any time, others are automatically deleted after a limited period of time, and others are stored by Google for a longer period of time. Some data (such as My Activity items, photos or documents, products) stored in your Google Account remains stored until you delete it. Even if you're not signed in to a Google Account, you can delete some data associated with your device, browser, or app.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You can manually delete data from your Google account. However, with the automatic deletion feature for location and activity data introduced in 2019, information is stored for either 3 or 18 months, depending on your choice, and then deleted.

Whether or not you have a Google account, you can configure your browser to delete or disable cookies from Google. The process varies depending on the browser you use. Under the "Cookies" section, you will find links to instructions for the most popular browsers.

If you generally do not want cookies, you can set your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. This means you can decide for each individual cookie whether you allow it or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored through embedded YouTube elements, this consent serves as the legal basis for data processing. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be processed on the basis of our legitimate interest. (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) Your data is stored and processed to ensure fast and effective communication with you, other customers, and business partners. However, we only use the embedded YouTube elements if you have given your consent. YouTube also uses cookies in your browser to store data. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully read our privacy policy regarding cookies and review the privacy statement or cookie policy of the respective service provider.

YouTube processes your data, among other places, in the USA. YouTube, or rather Google, is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to relevant page]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

Since YouTube is a subsidiary of Google, they share a privacy policy. If you would like to learn more about how your data is handled, we recommend reading the privacy policy at [link to privacy policy]. https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

YouTube Subscribe Button Privacy Policy

We have installed the YouTube subscribe button on our website. You can usually recognize the button by the classic YouTube logo. The logo shows the words “Subscribe” or “YouTube” in white letters against a red background and the white “Play symbol” to the left of it. The button can also be shown in a different design.

Our YouTube channel always offers you funny, interesting or exciting videos. With the built-in “Subscribe button” you can subscribe to our channel directly from our website and do not have to go to the YouTube website specifically. We want to make access to our comprehensive content as easy as possible for you. Please note that this allows YouTube to store and process your data.

If you see a built-in subscribe button on our site, YouTube – according to Google – sets at least one cookie. This cookie stores your IP address and our URL. YouTube can also learn information about your browser, your approximate location, and your preferred language. In our test, the following four cookies were set without us being logged into YouTube:

Surname: YSC
Value: b9-CV6ojI5113107609Y
Purpose of use: This cookie registers a unique ID to store statistics of the video viewed.
Expiry Date: after the end of the meeting

Surname: PREF
Value: f1=50000000
Purpose of use: This cookie also registers your unique ID. Google receives statistics about how you use YouTube videos on our website via PREF.
Expiry Date: after 8 months

Surname: GPS
Value: 1
Purpose of use: This cookie registers your unique ID on mobile devices to track GPS location.
Expiry Date: after 30 minutes

Surname: VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Value: 11310760995Chz8bagyU
Purpose of use: This cookie tries to estimate the user's bandwidth on our websites (with built-in YouTube videos).
Expiry Date: after 8 months

Annotation: These cookies were set after a test and cannot claim to be complete.

If you are logged into your YouTube account, YouTube can store many of your actions/interactions on our website using cookies and assign them to your YouTube account. For example, YouTube receives information about how long you surf our site, what browser type you use, what screen resolution you prefer or what actions you take.

YouTube uses this data on the one hand to improve its own services and offers and on the other hand to provide analyzes and statistics for advertisers (who use Google Ads).

YouTube Similar Audiences Privacy Policy

We also use the advertising tool YouTube Similar Audiences. The service provider is the American company Google LLC. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible.

YouTube processes your data, among other places, in the USA. YouTube is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information here:
https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en

Furthermore, YouTube – like Google – uses Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). These templates, provided by the European Commission, ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (e.g., the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, YouTube commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. The corresponding implementing decision and the Standard Contractual Clauses can be found, among other places, here:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of YouTube Similar Audiences in the privacy policy at [link to privacy policy]. https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Review Platforms Introduction

Review Platforms Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website or a review platform 🤝 Purpose: Feedback on our products and/or services 📓 Data processed: Including IP address, email address, name. More details can be found below or on the respective rating platforms used. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the respective platform ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests),

What are rating platforms?

You can rate our products or services on various review platforms. We participate in some of these platforms so that we can receive your feedback and thus improve our offerings. When you rate us via a review platform, the privacy policy and terms and conditions of the respective review service apply. Very often, you will also need to register to submit a review. Review technologies (widgets) may also be integrated into our website. By using such an integrated tool, data is also transferred to, processed by, and stored by the respective provider.

Many of these integrated programs work on a similar principle. After you have ordered a product or used a service from us, you will be asked to submit a review, either via email or on the website. You will usually be redirected to a review page via a link, where you can easily and quickly create a review. Some review systems also offer an interface to various social media channels to make the feedback accessible to more people.

Why do we use rating platforms?

Review platforms collect feedback and ratings about our offerings. Your reviews provide us with quick and valuable feedback, allowing us to improve our products and/or services much more efficiently. Consequently, these ratings help us optimize our offerings and also give you and all our future customers a good overview of the quality of our products and services.

What data is processed?

With your consent, we transmit information about you and the services you have used to the relevant review platform. We do this to ensure that you have actually used one of our services, as this is the only way you can provide genuine feedback. The transmitted data is used solely for user identification. The specific data stored and processed depends, of course, on the providers used. In most cases, review platforms also receive personal data such as your IP address, email address, or name. Even after you submit your review, order information, such as the order number of a purchased item, is forwarded to the platform. If your email address is transmitted, this is so that the review platform can send you an email after your purchase. To enable us to integrate your review into our website, we also inform the providers that you have visited our site. The review platform used is responsible for the collected personal data.

How long and where is the data stored?

You can find more detailed information about the duration of data processing in the provider's privacy policy below, provided we have further information on this. Generally, we only process personal data for as long as it is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. Personal data mentioned in a review is usually anonymized by employees of the platform used and is therefore only visible to the company's administrators. The collected data is stored on the providers' servers and, in most cases, deleted after the order is completed.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of a review platform, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by a review portal.

We also have a legitimate interest in using a rating platform to optimize our online service. The corresponding legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use a rating platform if you have given your consent.

We hope we have provided you with the most important general information regarding data processing by review platforms. Further details can be found below in the data protection texts or in the linked privacy policies of the companies.

Google Customer Reviews Privacy Policy

We also use the Google Customer Reviews platform for our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The data processing terms for Google advertising products (Google Ads Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms), which refer to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Google in the privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Web Design Introduction

Web design privacy policy summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To improve the user experience 📓 Data processed: The specific data processed depends heavily on the services used. This typically includes IP address, technical data, language settings, browser version, screen resolution, and browser name. More details can be found in the documentation for each web design tool used. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the tools used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is web design?

We use various tools on our website to enhance our web design. Contrary to popular belief, web design isn't just about making our website look good; it's also about functionality and performance. Of course, a visually appealing website is also a key objective of professional web design. Web design is a subfield of media design and deals with the visual, structural, and functional aspects of a website. The goal of web design is to improve your experience on our website. In web design terminology, this is referred to as user experience (UX) and usability. User experience encompasses all the impressions and experiences a website visitor has on a website. Usability is a subset of user experience, focusing on the user-friendliness of a website. The emphasis here is on ensuring that content, subpages, and products are clearly structured, allowing you to easily and quickly find what you're looking for. To provide you with the best possible experience on our website, we also use third-party web design tools. Therefore, in this privacy policy, the category "web design" includes all services that improve the design of our website. This could include, for example, fonts, various plugins, or other integrated web design functions.

Why do we use web design tools?

How you absorb information from a website depends heavily on its structure, functionality, and visual appeal. Therefore, good and professional web design has become increasingly important to us. We are constantly working to improve our website and see this as an added service for you as a website visitor. Furthermore, a beautiful and functional website also offers us economic advantages. Ultimately, you will only visit us and take advantage of our services if you feel completely comfortable.

What data is stored by web design tools?

When you visit our website, web design elements may be integrated into our pages that can also process data. The exact data processed depends heavily on the tools used. Below you can see exactly which tools we use for our website. For more detailed information about data processing, we recommend that you also read the respective privacy policies of the tools used. These policies usually explain which data is processed, whether cookies are used, and how long the data is stored. For example, fonts such as Google Fonts automatically transmit information like language settings, IP address, browser version, browser screen resolution, and browser name to Google servers.

Duration of data processing

How long data is processed varies greatly and depends on the web design elements used. For example, if cookies are used, the storage period can be as short as a minute or as long as a few years. Please familiarize yourself with this. We recommend reading our general section on cookies as well as the privacy policies of the tools used. There you will usually find information about which cookies are used and what information they store. Google Fonts, for example, are stored for one year. This is intended to improve website loading times. Generally, data is only stored for as long as necessary to provide the service. Data may be stored for longer periods if required by law.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to withdraw your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This can be done either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. You can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, disabling, or deleting cookies in your browser. However, some web design elements (mostly fonts) contain data that cannot be deleted quite so easily. This is the case when data is automatically collected and transmitted to a third-party provider (such as Google) directly upon page request. In this case, please contact the support of the respective provider. For Google, you can reach their support at [phone number/email address - please insert here]. https://support.google.com/?hl=de.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of web design tools, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by web design tools. We also have a legitimate interest in improving the web design on our website. After all, this is the only way we can provide you with an attractive and professional website. The corresponding legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use web design tools if you have given your consent. We want to emphasize this point again.

Information on specific web design tools can be found – if available – in the following sections.

Google Fonts privacy policy

Google Fonts Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as IP address and CSS and font requests You can find more details below in this privacy policy. 📅 Storage duration: Font files are stored at Google for one year. ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What are Google Fonts?

We use Google Fonts on our website. These are the “Google fonts” from Google Inc. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

You do not need to register or provide a password to use Google fonts. Furthermore, no cookies are stored in your browser. The files (CSS, fonts/fonts) are requested via the Google domains fonts.googleapis.com and fonts.gstatic.com. According to Google, requests for CSS and fonts are completely separate from all other Google services. If you have a Google Account, you do not need to worry that your Google Account information will be transmitted to Google while using Google Fonts. Google records the use of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and the fonts used and stores this data securely. We will take a closer look at what data storage looks like.

Google Fonts (formerly Google Web Fonts) is a directory with over 800 fonts that Google Make it available to your users free of charge.

Many of these fonts are released under the SIL Open Font License, while others are released under the Apache License. Both are free software licenses.

Why do we use Google Fonts on our website?

With Google Fonts we can use fonts on our own website and do not have to upload them to our own server. Google Fonts is an important component in keeping the quality of our website high. All Google fonts are automatically optimized for the web and this saves data volume and is a big advantage, especially for use on mobile devices. When you visit our site, the low file size ensures a fast loading time. Furthermore, Google Fonts are secure web fonts. Different image synthesis systems (rendering) in different browsers, operating systems and mobile devices can lead to errors. Such errors can visually distort some texts or entire websites. Thanks to the fast Content Delivery Network (CDN), there are no cross-platform issues with Google Fonts. Google Fonts supports all major browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera) and works reliably on most modern mobile operating systems, including Android 2.2+ and iOS 4.2+ (iPhone, iPad, iPod). We use Google Fonts so that we can display our entire online service as beautifully and consistently as possible.

What data does Google store?

When you visit our website, the fonts are downloaded via a Google server. Through this external call, data is transmitted to the Google servers. This is how Google also recognizes that you or your IP address visits our website. The Google Fonts API is designed to reduce the use, storage, and collection of end-user data to what is necessary for proper font delivery. By the way, API stands for “Application Programming Interface” and serves, among other things, as a data transmitter in the software sector.

Google Fonts stores CSS and font requests securely on Google and is therefore protected. By collecting usage figures, Google can determine how well the individual fonts are received. Google publishes the results on internal analysis sites, such as Google Analytics. Google also uses data from its own web crawler to determine which websites use Google fonts. This data is published in the Google Fonts BigQuery database. Entrepreneurs and developers use the Google web service BigQuery to examine and move large amounts of data.

However, it should also be remembered that with every Google Font request, information such as language settings, IP address, browser version, browser screen resolution and browser name are automatically transmitted to the Google servers. Whether this data is also stored cannot be clearly determined or is not clearly communicated by Google.

How long and where is the data stored?

Google stores requests for CSS assets on its servers, which are primarily located outside the EU, for one day. This allows us to use the fonts with a Google stylesheet. A stylesheet is a formatting template that allows you to easily and quickly change, for example, the design or font of a website.

The font files are stored by Google for one year. Google's goal is to fundamentally improve the loading time of websites. When millions of websites reference the same fonts, they are cached after the first visit and immediately appear on all other websites visited later. Sometimes Google updates font files to reduce file size, increase language coverage, and improve design.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

The data that Google stores for a day or a year cannot simply be deleted. The data is automatically transmitted to Google when the page is accessed. In order to delete this data early, you must contact Google Support https://support.google.com/?hl=de&tid=113107609 to contact. In this case, you can only prevent data storage if you do not visit our site.

Unlike other web fonts, Google allows us unlimited access to all fonts. So we have unlimited access to a sea of fonts and get the best for our website. You can find out more about Google Fonts and other questions at https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq?tid=113107609. Although Google addresses data protection-related matters there, it does not contain any really detailed information about data storage. It is relatively difficult to get really precise information about stored data from Google.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Google Fonts, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to [source/regulation], this consent constitutes [legal basis/regulation]. Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent) This represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by Google Fonts.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Google Fonts to optimize our online service. The corresponding legal basis for this is... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate interests). We only use Google Fonts if you have given your consent.

Google processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

You can also see which data is generally collected by Google and what this data is used for https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/ read up.

Google Fonts Local Privacy Policy

Our website uses Google Fonts from Google Inc. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible. We have integrated the Google fonts locally, i.e., on our web server – not on Google's servers. Therefore, there is no connection to Google servers and consequently no data transfer or storage.

What are Google Fonts?

Google Fonts was formerly known as Google Web Fonts. It is an interactive directory with over 800 fonts that Google Google Fonts is provided free of charge. With Google Fonts, you could use fonts without uploading them to your own server. However, to prevent any data transfer to Google servers, we have downloaded the fonts to our own server. This way, we comply with data protection regulations and do not send any data to Google Fonts.

Online Map Services Introduction

Online map services privacy policy summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To improve the user experience 📓 Data processed: The specific data processed depends heavily on the services used. This typically includes IP address, location data, search terms, and/or technical data. Further details can be found in the descriptions of the respective tools used. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the tools used ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What are online map services?

We also use online map services as an enhanced service on our website. Google Maps is probably the service you're most familiar with, but there are other providers that specialize in creating digital maps. These services allow you to display locations, route plans, or other geographical information directly on our website. With an integrated map service, you no longer need to leave our website to, for example, view directions to a location. Map sections are embedded using HTML code to enable the online map to function on our website. These services can then display road maps, the Earth's surface, or aerial and satellite images. When you use the embedded map service, data is also transmitted to and stored by the tool used. This data may include personal data.

Why do we use online map services on our website?

Generally speaking, our goal is to provide you with a pleasant experience on our website. And your time is only truly enjoyable if you can easily navigate our site and find all the information you need quickly and easily. Therefore, we thought an online map system could significantly improve our website service. Without leaving our website, you can easily view directions, locations, or points of interest using the map system. It's also incredibly convenient that you can see at a glance where our company headquarters are located, ensuring you can find us quickly and easily. As you can see, there are many advantages, and we clearly consider online map services on our website to be part of our customer service.

What data do online map services store?

When you open a page on our website that includes an online map function, personal data may be transmitted to and stored by the respective service. This usually includes your IP address, which can also be used to determine your approximate location. In addition to the IP address, data such as entered search terms and latitude and longitude coordinates are also stored. If you enter an address for route planning, this data will also be saved. The data is not stored on our servers, but on the servers of the integrated tools. You can think of it like this: you are on our website, but when you interact with a map service, this interaction actually takes place on their website. For the service to function correctly, at least one cookie is usually placed in your browser. Google Maps, for example, also uses cookies to record user behavior in order to optimize its own service and display personalized advertising. You can learn more about cookies in our "Cookies" section.

How long and where is the data stored?

Each online map service processes different user data. If we have further information, we will inform you about the duration of data processing in the relevant sections for each tool below. Generally, personal data is only stored for as long as necessary to provide the service. Google Maps, for example, stores certain data for a specific period, while you must delete other data yourself. Mapbox, for instance, stores the IP address for 30 days and then deletes it. As you can see, each tool stores data for a different length of time. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully review the privacy policies of the tools used.

The providers also use cookies to store data about your user behavior with the map service. You can find more general information about cookies in our "Cookies" section, and you can also find out which cookies may be used in the privacy policies of the individual providers. However, these are usually only exemplary lists and are not exhaustive.

Right to object

You always have the option and the right to access your personal data and to object to its use and processing. You can also revoke your consent at any time. This is usually easiest via the cookie consent tool. However, there are other opt-out tools you can use. You can also manage, delete, or disable cookies set by the providers you use with just a few clicks. However, this may result in some service functions no longer working as expected. How you manage cookies in your browser depends on the browser you are using. In the "Cookies" section, you will also find links to instructions for the most common browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of an online map service, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by an online map service.

We also have a legitimate interest in using an online map service to optimize our website. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests). However, we only use an online map service if you have given your consent. We want to emphasize this point again here.

Information on specific online map services can be found – if available – in the following sections.

Google Maps privacy policy

Google Maps Privacy Policy Summary 👥 Affected: Visitors to the website 🤝 Purpose: To optimize our service performance 📓 Data processed: Data such as entered search terms, your IP address and also the latitude and longitude coordinates. You can find more details below in this privacy policy. 📅 Storage duration: depends on the data stored ⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Google Maps?

We use Google Maps from Google Inc. on our website. For the European region, Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services. Google Maps allows us to show you locations more effectively and thus better tailor our service to your needs. By using Google Maps, data is transferred to Google and stored on Google's servers. Here we would like to explain in more detail what Google Maps is, why we use this Google service, what data is stored, and how you can prevent this.

Google Maps is an online mapping service from Google. With Google Maps, you can search for the exact locations of cities, landmarks, accommodations, or businesses online using a PC, tablet, or app. If businesses are listed on Google My Business, additional information about the company is displayed alongside the location. To show directions, map snippets of a location can be embedded into a website using HTML code. Google Maps displays the Earth's surface as a road map or as aerial/satellite imagery. Thanks to Street View and high-quality satellite imagery, very detailed representations are possible.

Why do we use Google Maps on our website?

All our efforts on this site aim to offer you a useful and meaningful time on our website. By integrating Google Maps, we can provide you with the most important information about various locations. You can see at a glance where our headquarters are. The directions always show you the best or fastest way to get to us. You can get directions for routes by car, public transport, walking or cycling. For us, providing Google Maps is part of our customer service.

What data does Google Maps store?

In order for Google Maps to fully offer its service, the company must record and store data from you. This includes, among other things, the search terms entered, your IP address and also the latitude and longitude coordinates. If you use the route planner function, the start address entered is also saved. However, this data storage happens on the Google Maps websites. We can only inform you about this, but have no influence. Since we have integrated Google Maps into our website, Google sets at least one cookie (name: NID) in your browser. This cookie stores data about your user behavior. Google primarily uses this data to optimize its services and to provide you with individual, personalized advertising.

The following cookie is set in your browser due to the integration of Google Maps:

Surname: NID
Value: 188=h26c1Ktha7fCQTx8rXgLyATyITJ113107609-5
Purpose of use: NID is used by Google to tailor advertisements to your Google searches. With the help of the cookie, Google “remembers” your most frequently entered search queries or your previous interaction with ads. This means you always get tailor-made advertisements. The cookie contains a unique ID that Google uses to collect your personal preferences for advertising purposes.
Expiry Date: after 6 months

Annotation: We cannot guarantee the completeness of the stored data. Changes can never be ruled out, especially when using cookies. In order to identify the cookie NID, a separate test page was created where only Google Maps was integrated.

How long and where is the data stored?

Google servers are located in data centers around the world. However, most of the servers are located in America. For this reason, your data is increasingly stored in the USA. Here you can read exactly where the Google data centers are located: https://datacenters.google/

Google distributes the data on various storage media. This means that the data can be accessed more quickly and is better protected against any attempts at manipulation. Each data center also has specific emergency programs. For example, if there are problems with Google's hardware or a natural disaster shuts down the servers, the data will almost certainly remain protected.

Google stores some data for a set period of time. For other data, Google only offers the option of deleting it manually. The company also anonymizes information (such as advertising data) in server logs by deleting part of the IP address and cookie information after 9 or 18 months.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

With the automatic deletion feature for location and activity data introduced in 2019, information about your location and web/app activity is stored for either 3 or 18 months, depending on your choice, and then deleted. You can also manually delete this data from your history at any time via your Google account. If you want to completely prevent location tracking, you need to pause the "Web & App Activity" section in your Google account. Click on "Data & Personalization" and then on the "Activity controls" option. Here you can turn activity tracking on or off.

In your browser, you can also disable, delete, or manage individual cookies. The process varies slightly depending on the browser you use. Under the "Cookies" section, you will find links to instructions for the most common browsers.

If you generally do not want cookies, you can set your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. This means you can decide for each individual cookie whether you allow it or not.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of Google Maps, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a GDPR (consent) This represents the legal basis for the processing of personal data, such as that which may occur when collected by Google Maps.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Google Maps to optimize our online service. The corresponding legal basis for this is... Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR (Legitimate interests). We only use Google Maps if you have given your consent.

Google processes your data, among other places, in the USA. Google is an active participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data of EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information about this at [link to Google's privacy policy]. https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

Furthermore, Google uses so-called Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are template agreements provided by the European Commission and are designed to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even when it is transferred to and stored in third countries (such as the USA). Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Google commits to maintaining European data protection standards when processing your relevant data, even if the data is stored, processed, and managed in the USA. These clauses are based on an implementing decision of the European Commission. You can find the decision and the corresponding Standard Contractual Clauses here, among other places: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

The Google Ads Data Processing Terms, which refer to the Standard Contractual Clauses, can be found at https://business.safety.google/intl/de/adsprocessorterms/.

If you would like to learn more about Google's data processing, we recommend that you consult the company's own privacy policy at [link to privacy policy]. https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Explanation of terms used

We always strive to make our privacy policy as clear and understandable as possible. However, this isn't always easy, especially when dealing with technical and legal topics. It often makes sense to use legal terms (such as personal data) or certain technical expressions (such as cookies, IP address). However, we don't want to use these without explanation. Below you will find an alphabetical list of important terms used that we may not have adequately addressed in the previous privacy policy. If these terms are taken from the GDPR and are definitions, we will also include the GDPR texts here and, where necessary, add our own explanations.

Supervisory authority

Definition of terms according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:

„Supervisory authority“ an independent public authority established by a Member State in accordance with Article 51;

Explanation: “Supervisory authorities” are always independent state institutions that also have the power to issue directives in certain cases. They serve to carry out so-called state supervision and are located within ministries, special departments, or other authorities. For data protection in Austria, there is an Austrian [regulatory authority/body]. Data Protection Authority, In Germany, each federal state has its own data protection authority.

Data processors

Definition of terms according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:

„Data processor“ a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller;

Explanation: As a company and website owner, we are responsible for all data we process from you. In addition to the data controller, there may also be so-called data processors. This includes any company or individual who processes personal data on our behalf. Data processors can therefore include, besides service providers such as tax advisors, hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers, or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.

consent

Definition of terms according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:

„"Consent"“ any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her;

Explanation: Websites typically obtain such consent via a cookie consent tool. You're probably familiar with this. Whenever you visit a website for the first time, you're usually asked via a banner whether you agree to or consent to data processing. In most cases, you can also adjust your settings and thus decide for yourself which data processing you allow and which you don't. If you don't consent, no personal data may be processed. Of course, consent can also be given in writing, i.e., not via a tool.

Personal data

Definition of terms according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:

„personal data“ all information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as "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;

Explanation: Personal data is therefore any data that can identify you as an individual. This typically includes data such as:

• Surname
• address
• E-mail address
• Postal address
• Telephone number
• birth date
• Identification numbers such as social security number, tax identification number, identity card number or matriculation number
• Bank details such as account number, credit information, account balances, etc.

According to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), yours also counts. IP address in relation to personal data. IT experts can use your IP address to determine at least the approximate location of your device and, consequently, you as the internet connection owner. Therefore, storing an IP address also requires a legal basis under the GDPR. There are also so-called... „"special categories"“ personal data, which is also particularly worthy of protection. This includes:

• racial and ethnic origin
• political opinions
• religious or philosophical beliefs
• union membership
• genetic data, such as data obtained from blood or saliva samples
• biometric data (that is, information about psychological, physical, or behavioral characteristics that can identify a person).
  Health data
• Data on sexual orientation or sex life

Profiling

Definition of terms according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:

„Profiling“ any type of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of such personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyze or predict aspects concerning that natural person's performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location or movements;

Explanation: Profiling involves gathering various pieces of information about a person to learn more about them. In the online world, profiling is frequently used for advertising purposes or credit checks. Web analytics programs, for example, collect data about your behavior and interests on a website. This results in a specific user profile, which can then be used to target advertising to a specific audience.

 

Responsible

Definition of terms according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:

„"Person in charge"“ 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; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its designation may be provided for by Union or Member State law;

Explanation: In our case, we are responsible for processing your personal data and are therefore the “controller”. If we transfer collected data to other service providers for processing, these are “processors”. A “data processing agreement (DPA)” must be signed for this.

 

processing

Definition of terms according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term means:

„"Processing"“ any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction;

Annotation: When we refer to processing in our privacy policy, we mean any type of data processing. As mentioned above in the original GDPR statement, this includes not only the collection but also the storage and processing of data.

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Source: Data protection Created with the privacy policy generator for Austria by AdSimple