Privacy policy

Introduction and overview

We have prepared this privacy policy (version 29/07/2024-112820537) in order to explain to you, in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and applicable national laws, which personal data (data for short) we as the controller – and the processors commissioned by us (e.g. providers) – process, will process in the future and what lawful options you have. The terms used are to be understood as gender-neutral.
In short, we provide you with comprehensive information about the data we process about you.

Data protection declarations usually sound very technical and use specialised legal terms. This privacy policy, on the other hand, is intended to describe the most important things to you as simply and transparently as possible. Where it is conducive to transparency, technical terms are explained in a reader-friendly way, links to further information are provided and graphics are used. We thus inform you in clear and simple language that we only process personal data as part of our business activities if there is a corresponding legal basis. This is certainly not possible by providing explanations that are as concise, unclear and legal-technical as possible, as is often standard on the Internet when it comes to data protection. I hope you find the following explanations interesting and informative and perhaps there is one or two pieces of information that you did not yet know.
If you still have questions, we would like to ask you to contact the responsible body named below or in the legal notice, to follow the links provided and to look at further information on third-party websites. Our contact details can of course also be found in the legal notice.

Scope of application

This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by our company and to all personal data processed by companies commissioned by us (processors). By personal data, we mean information within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 1 GDPR, such as a person’s name, email address and postal address. The processing of personal data ensures that we can offer and invoice 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 presences and email communication
mobile apps for smartphones and other devices

In short, the privacy policy applies to all areas in which personal data is processed in the company in a structured manner via the channels mentioned. If we enter into legal relationships 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, which enable us to process personal data.
As far as EU law is concerned, we refer to REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 April 2016, which you can of course read online at EUR-Lex, the gateway to EU law, at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32016R0679.

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

Consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR): You have given us your consent to process data for a specific purpose. An example would be the storage of your data entered in a contact form.
Contract (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR): In order to fulfil a contract or pre-contractual obligations with you, we process your data. For example, if we conclude a purchase contract with you, we need personal information in advance.
Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c) GDPR): If we are subject to a legal obligation, we process your data. For example, we are legally obliged to keep invoices for accounting purposes. These usually contain personal data.
Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR): In the case of legitimate interests that do not restrict your fundamental rights, we reserve the right to process personal data. For example, we need to process certain data in order to operate our website securely and efficiently. This processing is therefore a legitimate interest.

Other conditions such as the fulfilment of public interest missions and the exercise of official authority as well as the protection of vital interests do not generally apply to us. If such a legal basis is relevant, it will be indicated at the appropriate 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), or DSG for short.
In Germany, the Federal Data Protection Act( BDSG) applies.

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

Contact details of the controller

If you have any questions about data protection or the processing of personal data, you will find the contact details of the person or organisation responsible below:
ELIAS Heiztechnik GmbH
Horst Burgstaller
Unterbruckendorf 14, 9314 Launsdorf, Austria
Authorised to represent: Horst Burgstaller
E-mail:
Phone: +43 4212 46715
Legal notice: https://schimmel-dry.com/impressum/

Storage period

It is a general criterion for us that we only store personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. This means that we delete personal data as soon as the reason for the data processing no longer exists. In some cases, we are legally obliged to store certain data even after the original purpose has ceased to exist, for example for accounting purposes.

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

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

Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation

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

According to Article 15 GDPR, you have a right to information as to whether we process data about you. If this is the case, you have the right to receive a copy of the data and the following information
- the purpose for which we are processing the data
- the categories, i.e. the types of data being 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 have not collected it from you
- whether profiling is carried out, i.e. whether data is automatically analysed in order to create a personal profile of you.
According to Article 16 GDPR, you have a right to rectification of data, which means that we must correct data if you find errors.
According to Article 17 GDPR, you have the right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”), which specifically means that you may request the erasure of your data.
According to Article 18 GDPR, you have the right to restriction of processing, which means that we may only store the data but not use it any further.
According to Article 20 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 entails a change in processing after enforcement.
- 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 check as quickly as possible whether we can legally honour this objection.
- If data is used for direct marketing purposes, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We may then no longer 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 may then no longer use your data for profiling.
Under Article 22 GDPR, you may have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (e.g. profiling).
According to Article 77 GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint. This means that you can lodge a complaint with the data protection authority at any time if you believe that the processing of personal data violates the GDPR.

In short: you have rights – do not hesitate to contact the controller listed above!

If you believe that the processing of your data violates data protection law or your data protection rights have been violated in any other way, you can complain to the supervisory authority. For Austria, this is the data protection authority, whose website you can find at https://www.dsb.gv.at/. In Germany, there is a data protection officer for each federal state. For more information, you can contact the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI). The following local data protection authority is responsible for our company:

Austria Data Protection Authority

Head: Dr Matthias Schmidl
Address: Barichgasse 40-42, 1030 Vienna
Telephone number: +43 1 52 152-0
Email address:

Website:
https://www.dsb.gv.at/

Security of data processing

We have implemented both technical and organisational measures to protect personal data. Where possible, we encrypt or pseudonymise personal data. In this way, we make it as difficult as possible for third parties to infer personal information from our data.

Art. 25 GDPR refers to “data protection by design and by default”, meaning that we always think about security and take appropriate measures for both software (e.g. forms) and hardware (e.g. access to the server room). If necessary, we will go into more detail on specific measures below.

TLS encryption with https

TLS, encryption and https sound very technical, and they are. We use HTTPS (the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure stands for “secure hypertext transfer protocol”) to transmit data tap-proof on the Internet.
This means that the complete transmission of all data from your browser to our web server is secured – nobody can “eavesdrop”.

We have thus introduced an additional layer of security and fulfil data protection by design (Article 25(1) GDPR). By 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 recognise the use of this data transmission security by the small lock symbol at the top left of the browser, to the left of the Internet address (e.g. examplepage.com) and the use of the https scheme (instead of http) as part of our Internet address.
If you would like to know more about encryption, we recommend a Google search for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure wiki” to find good links to further information.

Communication

Communication summary
👥 Data subjects: Anyone who communicates with us by phone, email or online form
📓 Data processed: e.g. telephone number, name, email address, form data entered. You can find more details on this in the respective contact type used
🤝 Purpose: Processing communication with customers, business partners, etc.
📅 Storage period: Duration of the business case and the statutory provisions
⚖️ 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)

If you contact us and communicate by telephone, e-mail or online form, personal data may be processed.

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

Affected persons

All those who contact us via the communication channels provided by us are affected by the aforementioned processes.

Telephone

When you call us, the call data is stored pseudonymised on the respective end device and with the telecommunications provider used. In addition, data such as name and telephone number may subsequently be sent by e-mail and stored for the purpose of responding to enquiries. The data will be deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements permit.

E-mail

If you communicate with us by email, data may be stored on the respective end device (computer, laptop, smartphone, etc.) and data may be stored on the email server. The data will be deleted as soon as the business transaction has been completed and legal requirements permit.

Online forms

If you communicate with us using an online form, data is stored on our web server and may be forwarded to one of our e-mail addresses. The data will be 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 bases

Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent): You give us your consent to store your data and to continue to use it for purposes relating to the business case;
Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract): There is a need for the fulfilment of a contract with you or a processor such as the telephone provider or we need to process the data for pre-contractual activities, such as the preparation of an offer;
Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests): We want to handle customer enquiries and business communication in a professional manner. This requires certain technical facilities such as email programmes, exchange servers and mobile phone operators in order to be able to operate communication efficiently.

cookies

Cookies summary
Data subject: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: depending on the cookie. More details can be found below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie
📓 Processed data: Depending on the cookie used. You can find more details on this below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie.
📅 Storage period: depends on the cookie in question, 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 surf 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 cannot be denied: Cookies are really useful little helpers. Almost all websites use cookies. More precisely, they are HTTP cookies, as there are also other cookies for other areas of application. HTTP cookies are small files that are stored on your computer by our website. These cookie files are automatically stored in the cookie folder, the “brain” of your browser, so to speak. 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 about you, such as language or personal page settings. When you visit our site again, your browser transmits the “user-related” information back to our site. Thanks to cookies, our website knows who you are and offers you the settings you are used to. In some browsers, each cookie has its own file; in others, such as Firefox, all cookies are stored in a single file.

The following graphic shows a possible interaction between a web browser such as Chrome and the web server. The web browser requests a website and receives a cookie back from the server, which the browser uses again as soon as another page is requested.

HTTP Cookie Interaktion zwischen Browser und Webserver

There are both first-party cookies and third-party cookies. First-party cookies are created directly by our website, 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 expiry time of a cookie also varies from a few minutes to a few years. Cookies are not software programmes and do not contain viruses, Trojans or other “malware”. Cookies also cannot access information on your PC.

Cookie data can look like this, for example:

Name: _ga
Wert: GA1.2.1326744211.152112820537-9
Purpose: To differentiate between 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 privacy policy. At this point, we would like to briefly explain the different types of HTTP cookies.

There are 4 types of cookies:

Essential cookies
These cookies are necessary to ensure basic website functions. For example, these cookies are needed when a user places a product in the shopping basket, then continues surfing on other pages and later goes to the checkout. These cookies ensure that the shopping basket is not deleted even if the user closes their browser window.

Purposeful cookies
These cookies collect information about user behaviour and whether the user receives any error messages. These cookies are also used to measure the loading time and the behaviour of the website with different browsers.

Targeted cookies
These cookies ensure better user-friendliness. For example, entered locations, font sizes or form data are saved.

Advertising cookies
These cookies are also known as targeting cookies. They are used to deliver customised advertising to the user. This can be very practical, but also very annoying.

When you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked which of these types of cookie you would like to allow. And of course, this decision is also stored in a cookie.

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

Purpose of processing via cookies

The purpose ultimately depends on the cookie in question. You can find more details on this below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie.

What data is processed?

Cookies are little helpers for many different tasks. Unfortunately, it is not possible to generalise which data is stored in cookies, but we will inform you about the processed or stored data in the following privacy policy.

Storage duration of cookies

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

You can also influence the storage period yourself. You can delete all cookies manually at any time via your browser (see also “Right to object” below). Furthermore, cookies that are based on consent will be deleted at the latest after you withdraw your consent, whereby the legality 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 which service or website the cookies originate from, you always have the option of deleting, deactivating or only partially authorising cookies. For example, you can block third-party cookies but allow all other cookies.

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

Chrome: Delete, enable and manage cookies in Chrome

Safari: Manage cookies and website data with Safari

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

Internet Explorer: Delete and manage cookies

Microsoft Edge: Delete and manage cookies

If you do not want any cookies, you can set up your browser so that it always informs you when a cookie is to be set. You can then decide for each individual cookie whether or not to allow it. The procedure differs depending on the browser. It is best to search for the instructions in Google using the search term “delete cookies Chrome” or “deactivate cookies Chrome” in the case of a Chrome browser.

Legal basis

The so-called “cookie guidelines” have been in place since 2009. This states that the storage of cookies requires your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). However, there are still very different reactions to these directives within the EU countries. In Austria, however, this directive was implemented in Section 165 (3) of the Telecommunications Act (2021). In Germany, the cookie directives have not been implemented as national law. Instead, this directive was largely implemented in Section 15 (3) of the Telemedia Act (TMG), which has been replaced by the Digital Services Act (DDG) since May 2024.

For strictly necessary cookies, even if no consent has been given, there are legitimate interests (Article 6 para. 1 lit. 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.

If cookies that are not absolutely necessary are used, this is only done with your consent. The legal basis in this respect is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.

In the following sections, you will be informed in more detail about the use of cookies if the software used uses cookies.

Customer data

Customer data summary
👥 Data subjects: Customers or business and contractual partners
🤝 Purpose: Provision of the contractually or pre-contractually agreed services including associated communication
📓 Processed data: Name, address, contact details, email address, telephone number, payment information (such as invoices and bank details), contract data (such as term and subject matter of the contract), IP address, order data
📅 Storage period: the data is deleted as soon as it is no longer required to fulfil our business purposes and there is no legal obligation to retain it.
⚖️ Legal bases: Legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR), contract (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR)

What is customer data?

We also process the data of our customers and business partners so that we can offer our services and contractual services. This data always includes personal data. Customer data is all information that is processed on the basis of a contractual or pre-contractual collaboration in order to be able to provide the services offered. Customer data is therefore all the information we collect and process about our customers.

Why do we process customer data?

There are many reasons why we collect and process customer data. The most important is that we simply need various data to provide our services. Sometimes your e-mail address is enough, but if you purchase a product or service, for example, we also need data such as your name, address, bank details or contract data. We also use the data for marketing and sales optimisation so that we can improve our overall service for our customers. Another important point is our customer service, which is always very important to us. We want you to be able to contact us at any time with questions about our offers and for this we need at least your e-mail address.

What data is processed?

The exact data that is stored can only be described here in categories. This always depends on which services you receive from us. In some cases, you only give us your e-mail address so that we can contact you or answer your questions, for example. In other cases, you purchase a product or service from us and we need significantly more information, such as your contact details, payment details and contract details.

Here is a list of possible data that we receive and process from you:

Name
Contact address
e-mail address
Telephone number
Date of birth
Payment data (invoices, bank details, payment history, etc.)
Contract data (term, content)
Usage data (websites visited, access data, etc.)
Metadata (IP address, device information)

How long is the data stored?

As soon as we no longer need the customer data to fulfil our contractual obligations and our purposes and the data is also no longer required for possible warranty and liability obligations, we delete the corresponding customer data. This is the case, for example, when a business contract ends. After this, the limitation period is generally 3 years, although longer periods are possible in individual cases. Of course, we also comply with the statutory retention obligations. Your customer data will certainly not be passed on to third parties unless you have given your explicit consent.

Legal basis

The legal basis for the processing of your data is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract or pre-contractual measures), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests) and in special cases (e.g. for medical services) Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a. GDPR (processing of special categories).

In the case of the protection of vital interests, data processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. c. GDPR. For the purposes of health care, occupational medicine, medical diagnosis, health or social care or treatment or for the management of health or social care systems and services, the processing of personal data is carried out in accordance with Art. 9 para. 2 lit. h. GDPR. GDPR. If you voluntarily provide data of special categories, the processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a. GDPR.

Web hosting introduction

Web hosting summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: professional hosting of the website and securing its operation
📓 Processed data: IP address, time of website visit, browser used and other data. You can find more details on this below or from the web hosting provider used.
📅 Storage period: 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 created and stored, including on this website. This data should be processed as sparingly as possible and only with justification. By website, we mean the entirety of all web pages on a domain, i.e. everything from the start page (homepage) to the very last subpage (like this one). By domain we mean, for example, example.de or example.com.

If you want to view a website on a computer, tablet or smartphone, you use a programme called a web browser. You probably know some web browsers by name: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari. We call them browsers or web browsers for short.

To display the website, the browser must connect to another computer where the website’s code is stored: the web server. Operating a web server is a complicated and time-consuming task, which is why this is usually done by professional providers. These providers offer web hosting and thus ensure reliable and error-free storage of website data. A lot of technical terms, but please stay tuned, it will get even better!

When the browser on your computer (desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone) connects and during data transfer 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 must also store data for a period of time to ensure proper operation.

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

Browser und Webserver

Why do we process personal data?

The purposes of data processing are:

Professional hosting of the website and securing its operation
to maintain operational and IT security
Anonymous evaluation of access behaviour to improve our offer and, if necessary, for criminal prosecution or prosecution of claims

What data is processed?

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

the complete Internet address (URL) of the website accessed
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 host name 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?

As a rule, the above-mentioned data is stored for a fortnight and then automatically deleted. We do not pass this data on, but we cannot rule out the possibility of this data being viewed by the authorities in the event of unlawful behaviour.

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

Legal basis

The lawfulness of the processing of personal data in the context of web hosting results from Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (protection of legitimate interests), because the use of professional hosting with a provider is necessary in order to present the company securely and user-friendly on the Internet and to be able to pursue attacks and claims from this if necessary.

There is usually a contract between us and the hosting provider for order processing in accordance with Art. 28 f. GDPR, which ensures compliance with data protection and guarantees data security.

raidboxes privacy policy

We use the web hosting provider raidboxes for our website. The service provider is the German company Raidboxes GmbH, Hafenstraße 32, 48153 Münster, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of raidboxes in the privacy policy at https://raidboxes.io/legal/privacy/.

Web analytics introduction

Web Analytics privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimise the website.
📓 Processed data: Access statistics containing data such as access locations, device data, access duration and time, navigation behaviour, click behaviour and IP addresses. You can find more details on this in the web analytics tool used.
📅 Storage period: depending 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 evaluate the behaviour of website visitors, known as web analytics or web analysis for short. This involves collecting data that is stored, managed and processed by the respective analytics tool provider (also known as a tracking tool). The data is used to create analyses of user behaviour on our website and made available to us as the website operator. In addition, most tools offer various test options. For example, we can test which offers or content are best received by our visitors. To do this, we show you two different offers for a limited period of time. After the test (known as an A/B test), we know which product or content our website visitors find more interesting. For such test procedures, as well as for other analytics procedures, user profiles can also be created and the data stored in cookies.

Why do we use web analytics?

We have a clear goal for our website: we want to provide the best web offering on the market for our industry. In order to achieve this goal, we want to offer the best and most interesting services on the one hand and ensure that you feel completely at ease on our website on the other. With the help of web analysis tools, we can take a closer look at the behaviour of our website visitors and then improve our website accordingly for you and for us. For example, we can recognise the average age of our visitors, where they come from, when our website is visited the most or which content or products are particularly popular. All this information helps us to optimise the website and thus adapt it to your needs, interests and wishes.

What data is processed?

Exactly what data is stored depends, of course, on the analysis tools used. But as a rule, for example, the content you view on our website, which buttons or links you click on, when you access a page, which browser you use, which device (PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.) you use to visit the website or which computer system you use is stored. If you have agreed that location data may also be collected, this may also be processed by the web analysis tool provider.

Your IP address is also stored. According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), IP addresses are personal data. However, your IP address is usually stored pseudonymised (i.e. in an unrecognisable and shortened form). For the purposes of testing, web analysis and web optimisation, no direct data such as your name, age, address or email address is stored. All this data, if collected, is stored in pseudonymised form. This means that you cannot be identified as a person.

The following example schematically shows how Google Analytics works as an example of client-based web tracking with Java Script 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 if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If required by law, for example in the case of accounting, this storage period may be exceeded.

Right to object

Legal basis

The use of web analytics requires your consent, which we have obtained with our cookie pop-up. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analysing the behaviour of website visitors in order to improve our website technically and economically. With the help of web analytics, we recognise errors on the website, can identify attacks and improve efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

Since web analytics tools use cookies, we recommend that you also read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out 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, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Facebook pixel privacy policy

We use the Facebook pixel from Facebook on our website. We have implemented a code for this on our website. The Facebook pixel is a snippet of JavaScript code that loads a collection of functions with which Facebook can track your user actions if you have come to our website via Facebook ads. For example, if you purchase a product on our website, the Facebook pixel is triggered and saves your actions on our website in one or more cookies. These cookies enable Facebook to match your user data (customer data such as IP address, user ID) with the data of your Facebook account. Facebook then deletes this data again. The data collected is anonymous and cannot be viewed by us and can only be used in the context of adverts. If you are a Facebook user and are logged in, your visit to our website is automatically assigned to your Facebook user account.

We only want to show our services and products to people who are genuinely interested in them. With the help of Facebook pixels, our advertising measures can be better customised to your wishes and interests. This means that Facebook users (provided they have allowed personalised advertising) see suitable advertising. Facebook also uses the data collected for analysis purposes and its own adverts.

Below we show you the cookies that were set by integrating Facebook pixels on a test page. Please note that these are only sample cookies. Different cookies are set depending on the interaction on our website.

Name: _fbp
Wert: fb.1.1568287647279.257405483-6112820537-7
Purpose: This cookie is used by Facebook to display advertising products.
Expiry date: after 3 months

Name: fr
Value: 0aPf312HOS5Pboo2r..Bdeiuf…1.0.Bdeiuf.
Purpose: This cookie is used to ensure that Facebook Pixel works properly.
Expiry date: after 3 months

Name: comment_author_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062112820537-3
Value: Name of the author
Purpose: This cookie stores the text and name of a user who leaves a comment, for example.
Expiry date: after 12 months

Name: comment_author_url_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062
Value: https%3A%2F%2Fwww.testseite…%2F (URL of the author)
Purpose: This cookie stores the URL of the website that the user enters in a text field on our website.
Expiry date: after 12 months

Name: comment_author_email_50ae8267e2bdf1253ec1a5769f48e062
Value: Email address of the author
Purpose: This cookie stores the user’s email address if they have provided it on the website.
Expiry date: after 12 months

Note: The above cookies relate to individual user behaviour. Changes can never be ruled out, especially when using cookies on Facebook.

If you are logged in to Facebook, you can change your settings for adverts yourself at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/advertisers/. If you are not a Facebook user, you can manage your usage-based online advertising at https://www.youronlinechoices.com/de/praferenzmanagement/. There you have the option of deactivating or activating providers.

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

Facebook also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Facebook undertakes to comply with 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 here, among others: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

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

If you want to find out more about Facebook’s data protection, we recommend that you read the company’s own data policy at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy.

Facebook Automatic Advanced Matching Privacy Policy

We have also activated Automatic Advanced Matching as part of the Facebook pixel function. This function of the pixel enables us to send hashed emails, names, gender, city, state, postcode and date of birth or telephone number as additional information to Facebook if you have provided us with this data. This activation enables us to customise advertising campaigns on Facebook even more precisely to people who are interested in our services or products.

Matomo Cloud privacy policy

Matomo Cloud privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimise the website.
📓 Processed data: Access statistics containing data such as locations of access, device data, access duration and time, navigation behaviour, click behaviour and IP addresses.
📅 Storage period: until the data is no longer required for the service.
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Matomo Cloud?

We use the web analysis software Matomo Cloud on our website. The service provider is the New Zealand company InnoCraft Ltd, 7 Waterloo Quay PO625, 6140 Wellington, New Zealand.

Matomo is a web analysis platform that takes data protection very seriously and yet provides us, as the website operator, with precise statistics about your behaviour on our website. We have access to a Matomo dashboard and can use various functions for web analyses. Matomo also offers various options for anonymising the IP addresses of our website visitors and deactivating cookies.

Why do we use Matomo Cloud?

Many of the usual analysis tools collect vast amounts of personal data and can also pass this on to third-party providers. This means that it is very difficult to maintain control over your data. Data protection is very important to us, which is why we have opted for Matomo and thus for a much more data protection-friendly alternative. However, we do not want to do without web analytics entirely. After all, we can use statistics on website behaviour to optimise our service and adapt it to your individual needs.

What data is stored by Matomo Cloud?

In addition to personal data such as your IP address or personal details (e.g. name, address, date of birth), which you actively transmit to us, information about your visitor behaviour is primarily stored. This is not usually personal data, but information such as the number of visitors to the website, page views, length of visit or search terms used. Furthermore, technical data such as browser type, your operating system and your screen resolution may also be stored. Matomo can also collect information about which website you came to us from. The data collected is never passed on or sold to third parties.

How long and where is the data stored?

Matomo offers a hosted version, “Matomo Cloud”, in which the data is stored on Matomo’s own servers. All data is stored in Europe, although the main company headquarters are in New Zealand.

In principle, Matomo Cloud stores the data for as long as required for business purposes. Unfortunately, we cannot specify exact retention periods at this point, as these depend very much on the individual configurations.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

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

In your browser, you also have the option of individually managing, deleting or deactivating cookies. However, please note that deactivating or deleting cookies may have a negative impact on the functions of our website. Depending on which browser you use, the management of cookies works slightly differently. In the “Cookies” section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers. If you would like to request data deletion, you can also contact us.

Legal basis

The use of Matomo Cloud requires your consent, which we have obtained using our consent management tool (pop-up). According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by web analytics tools.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analysing the behaviour of website visitors in order to improve our website technically and economically. With the help of Matomo Cloud, we can identify optimisation potential for our website and improve its efficiency. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Matomo Cloud if you have given your consent.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of Matomo Cloud in the privacy policy at https://matomo.org/matomo-cloud-privacy-policy/. Questions about data protection can be sent by email to

Chatbots Introduction

Chatbots privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Contact enquiries and general communication between us and you
📓 Processed data: Data such as name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, general content data, IP address if applicable
You can find more details on this in the respective tools used.
📅 Storage duration: depending on the chatbots & chat functions used
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests), Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR (contractual or pre-contractual obligations)

What are chatbots?

You can also communicate with us via chatbots or similar chat functions. A chat offers the possibility to write or speak to each other with very little delay. A chatbot is a piece of software that tries to answer your question and informs you of any news. By using these communication tools, your personal data may also be processed and stored.

Why do we use chatbots?

Communication options with you are important to us. After all, we want to talk to you and answer all possible questions about our service in the best possible way. Well-functioning communication is an important part of our service. Chatbots have the great advantage that we can answer frequently asked questions automatically with the help of this software. This saves us time and you still receive detailed and helpful answers. If the chatbot is unable to help, you can of course contact us in person at any time.

Please note that when using our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many providers are American companies. As a result, you may not be able to claim or enforce your rights in relation to your personal data as easily.

What data is processed?

You may also use the chat services on other websites/platforms. In this case, your user ID will also be stored on the servers of this website. We may also be informed about which user has used the chat and when. The content is also stored. Exactly which data is stored depends on the respective service. As a rule, however, it is contact data such as e-mail address or telephone number, IP address and various usage data.

If you have consented to the chat function being used, this consent and any registration will also be saved or logged. We do this so that we can prove registration or consent if this is required by law.

The provider of a chat platform can also find out when you chat and also receives technical information about the device you are using. Exactly what information is stored and processed also depends on your PC settings. In many cases, for example, data on your approximate location can be collected. This is done on the one hand to optimise the chat services and on the other hand to ensure greater security. Furthermore, the information can also be used to set personalised advertising and marketing measures.

If you have consented to a chatbot sending you messages, you can of course deactivate this activation at any time. The chatbot also serves as an aid here and shows you how to unsubscribe from this function. All your data in this regard will then be deleted from the recipient directory.

We use the above-mentioned data to be able to address you personally via the chat, for example, to answer your questions and enquiries or to send you possible content. It also enables us to fundamentally improve our chat services.

How long is data stored?

How long the data is processed and stored depends primarily on the tools we use. You can find out more about the data processing of the individual tools below. The providers’ privacy policies usually specify exactly which data is stored and processed and for how long. In principle, personal data is only processed for as long as is necessary for the provision of our services. If data is stored in cookies, the storage period varies greatly. The data can be deleted immediately after leaving a website, but it can also remain stored for several years. You should therefore look at each individual cookie in detail if you want to know more about data storage. In most cases, you will also find detailed information about the individual cookies in the data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right to object

As chat services may use cookies, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

We ask for your permission to process your data as part of the chat services via a pop-up window. If you consent, this consent also serves as the legal basis (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) for data processing. We also process your enquiries and manage your data in the context of contractual or pre-contractual relationships in order to fulfil our pre-contractual and contractual obligations or to respond to enquiries. The basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR. In principle, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

LiveChat privacy policy

We use the chat software LiveChat for our website. The service provider is the American company LiveChat Inc, 101 Arch Street, 8th Floor, Boston MA 02110, USA.

What is LiveChat?

This tool allows us to communicate with you via a chat interface. LiveChat can be used on both websites and mobile applications and offers you and us a user-friendly platform for marketing measures, customer support and sales. Many other platforms and tools, such as project management or CRM systems, can also be integrated. According to the company, great importance is also attached to security and data protection.

Why do we use LiveChat?

We chose LiveChat because we care about the protection of personal data. LiveChat allows you to ask us questions, solve problems or get general information about our services or products very quickly and easily. The user interface is easy to use and the support team is on hand to answer any questions quickly.

How secure is data transfer at LiveChat?

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

LiveChat also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 para. 2 and 3 GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, LiveChat undertakes to comply with 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 here, among others: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

Further information on the standard contractual clauses at LiveChat can be found at https://www.livechat.com/legal/gdpr-faq/.

You can find out more about the data that is processed through the use of LiveChat in the privacy policy at https://www.livechat.com/legal/privacy-policy/.

Social media introduction

Social media privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Presentation and optimisation of our services, contact with visitors, interested parties, etc., advertising
📓 Processed data: Data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, contact details, user behaviour data, information about your device and your IP address.
You can find more details on this in the respective social media tool used.
📅 Storage duration: depending 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. User data may be processed so that we can target users who are interested in us via the social networks. In addition, elements of a social media platform may also be embedded directly in our website. This is the case, for example, if you click on a social button on our website and are forwarded directly to our social media presence. Social media refers to websites and apps that registered members can use to produce content, share content openly or in specific groups and network with other members.

Why do we use social media?

For years, social media platforms have been the place where people communicate and socialise online. Our social media presence allows us to familiarise interested parties with our products and services. The social media elements integrated on our website help you to switch to our social media content quickly and without complications.

The data that is stored and processed through your use of a social media channel is primarily used to carry out web analyses. The aim of these analyses is to be able to develop more precise and personalised marketing and advertising strategies. Depending on your behaviour on a social media platform, the analysed data can be used to draw conclusions about your interests and create user profiles. This also enables the platforms to present you with customised advertisements. Cookies are usually set in your browser for this purpose, which store data on your usage behaviour.

As a rule, we assume that we remain responsible under data protection law, even if we use 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 Art. 26 GDPR. If this is the case, we will point this out separately and work on the basis of an agreement to this effect. The essence of the agreement is then reproduced below for the platform concerned.

Please note that when using the social media platforms or our built-in elements, your data may also be processed outside the European Union, as many social media channels, such as Facebook or Twitter, are American companies. As a result, you may no longer be able to claim or enforce your rights in relation to your personal data as easily.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is stored and processed depends on the provider of the social media platform in question. However, it is usually data such as telephone numbers, email addresses, data that you enter in a contact form, user data such as which buttons you click, who 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. Data can be linked to your profile, especially if you have a profile on the social media channel you are visiting and are logged in.

All data that is collected via a social media platform is also stored on the provider’s servers. This means that 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 the social media providers and how you can object to data processing, you should read the company’s privacy policy carefully. We also recommend that you contact the provider directly if you have any questions about data storage and data processing or wish to assert corresponding rights.

Duration of data processing

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

Right to object

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

As cookies may be used with social media tools, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated social media elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data will also be stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners if you have given your consent. Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines 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
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Optimisation of our service performance
📓 Processed data: Data such as customer data, user behaviour data, information about your device and your IP address.
You can find more details on this 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 of the company Meta Platforms Inc. or, for the European region, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland. With the help of these tools, we can offer you and people who are interested in our products and services the best possible offer.

If data is collected and forwarded from you via our embedded Facebook elements or via 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 accessible agreement at https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum. This states, for example, that we must clearly inform you about the use of Facebook tools on our site. Furthermore, we are also responsible for ensuring that the tools are securely integrated into our website in accordance with data protection law. Facebook, on the other hand, is responsible for the data security of Facebook products, for example. If you have any questions about data collection and data processing by Facebook, you can contact the company directly. If you address the question to us, we are obliged 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 the official term used by Facebook. However, as the term is hardly known, we have decided to simply call them Facebook tools. These include, among others:

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
Documentation
Technologies and services

Through these tools, Facebook extends services and has the ability to obtain information about user activity 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 adverts (Facebook Ads), we can reach precisely these people. However, Facebook needs information about people’s wishes and needs in order to show users suitable adverts. The company is therefore provided with information about user behaviour (and contact details) on our website. As a result, Facebook collects better user data and can show interested people suitable adverts about our products and services. The tools thus enable customised advertising campaigns on Facebook.

Facebook calls data about your behaviour on our website “event data”. This is also used for measurement and analysis services. Facebook can thus create “campaign reports” on our behalf about the impact of our advertising campaigns. Furthermore, analyses give us a better insight into how you use our services, website or products. This allows us to optimise your user experience on our website with some of these tools. For example, you can use the social plug-ins to share content on our site directly on Facebook.

What data is stored by Facebook tools?

By using individual Facebook tools, personal data (customer data) may 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 with the data it has about you (if you are a Facebook member). Before customer data is transmitted to Facebook, it is hashed. This means that a data set of any size is transformed into a character string. This is also used to encrypt data.

In addition to the contact data, “event data” is also transmitted. “Event data” refers to the information 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 authorisation or is legally obliged to do so. “Event data” can also be linked to contact details. This allows Facebook to offer better personalised advertising. After the aforementioned matching process, Facebook deletes the contact data again.

In order to deliver optimised advertisements, Facebook only uses the event data if it has been combined with other data (collected by Facebook in other ways). 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 that are used to store data or information in browsers. Depending on the tools used and whether you are a Facebook member, different numbers of cookies are stored in your browser. We go into more detail about individual Facebook cookies in the descriptions of the individual Facebook tools. You can also find general information about the use of Facebook cookies at https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, Facebook stores data until it is no longer required for its own services and Facebook products. Facebook has servers all over the world where its data is stored. However, customer data is deleted within 48 hours after it has been compared with your 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 access, rectification, portability and erasure of your data.

Your data will only be completely deleted if you delete your Facebook account completely. Here’s how to delete your Facebook account:

1) Click on Settings on the right-hand side of Facebook.

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

3) Now click on “Deactivation and deletion”.

4) Now select “Delete account” and then click on “Continue and delete account”

5) Now enter your password, click on “Next” and then on “Delete account”

The data that Facebook receives via our site is stored using cookies (e.g. for social plugins). You can deactivate, delete or manage individual or all cookies in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. In the “Cookies” section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

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

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated Facebook tools, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent. Most social media platforms also set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our privacy policy about cookies carefully and take a look at Facebook’s privacy policy or cookie guidelines.

The Facebook data processing conditions, 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 data processing by the Facebook tools. If you would like to find out more about how Facebook uses your data, we recommend that you read the data policy at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/.

Facebook login privacy policy

We have integrated the practical Facebook login on our website. This allows you to easily log in with your Facebook account without having to create another user account. If you decide to register via the Facebook login, you will be redirected to the Facebook social media network. There you can log in using your Facebook user data. Through this login procedure, data about you and your user behaviour is stored and transmitted to Facebook.

Facebook uses various cookies to store the data. 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 the Facebook login:

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

Name: datr
Wert: 4Jh7XUA2112820537SEmPsSfzCOO4JFFl
Purpose: 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

Name: _js_datr
Value: deleted
Purpose: Facebook sets this session cookie for tracking purposes, even if you do not have a Facebook account or are logged out.
Expiry date: after the end of the session

Note: The cookies listed are only a small selection of the cookies available to Facebook. Other cookies include _ fbp, sb or wd. A complete list is not possible, as Facebook has a large number of cookies and uses them variably.

The Facebook login offers you a quick and easy registration process on the one hand, and on the other hand it gives us the opportunity to share data with Facebook. This allows us to better customise our offer and our advertising campaigns to your interests and needs. Data that we receive from Facebook in this way is public data such as

Your Facebook name
your profile picture
a stored e-mail address
friend lists
Button details (e.g. “Like” button)
birthday date
your language
Place of residence

In return, we provide Facebook with information about your activities on our website. This includes information about the device you are using, which subpages you visit on our website or which products you have purchased from us.

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

If you are logged in to Facebook, you can change your settings for adverts yourself at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/advertisers/?entry_product=ad_settings_screen.

Facebook social plug-ins privacy policy

Social plug-ins from Meta Platforms Inc. are integrated on our website. You can recognise these buttons by the classic Facebook logo, such as the “Like” button (the hand with a raised thumb) or by a clear “Facebook plug-in” label. A social plug-in is a small part of Facebook that is integrated into our site. Each plug-in has its own function. The most commonly used functions are the familiar “Like” and “Share” buttons.

The following social plug-ins are offered by Facebook:

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

You can find more information on how the individual plug-ins are used at https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins. We use the social plug-ins on the one hand to offer you a better user experience on our site, and on the other hand because Facebook can use them to optimise our advertisements.

If you have a Facebook account or have already visited https://www.facebook.com/, Facebook has already set 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 plug-ins (e.g. the “Like” button).

The information received is deleted or anonymised within 90 days. According to Facebook, this data includes your IP address, which website you visited, the date, time and other information relating to your browser.

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

If you are not logged in to Facebook or do not have a Facebook account, your browser will send less information to Facebook because you have fewer Facebook cookies. Nevertheless, data such as your IP address or which website you visit may be transmitted to Facebook. We would like to expressly point out that we do not know the exact content of the data. However, to the best of our current knowledge, we endeavour to provide you with as much information as possible about data processing. You can also read about how Facebook uses the data in the company’s data policy at https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/update.

The following cookies are set in your browser as a minimum when you visit a website with Facebook social plug-ins:

Name: dpr
Value: not specified
Purpose: This cookie is used to make the social plug-ins on our website work.
Expiry date: after the end of the session

Name: fr
Wert: 0jieyh4112820537c2GnlufEJ9..Bde09j…1.0.Bde09j
Purpose: The cookie is also necessary for the plug-ins to function properly.
Expiry date:: after 3 months

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

If you are logged in to Facebook, you can change your settings for adverts yourself at https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/advertisers/. If you are not a Facebook user, you can manage your usage-based online advertising at https://www.youronlinechoices.com/de/praferenzmanagement/?tid=112820537. There you have the option of deactivating or activating providers.

If you want to learn more about Facebook’s data protection, we recommend that you read the company’s own data policy at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/.

Facebook fan page privacy policy

We also have a Facebook fan page for our website. The service provider is the American company Meta Platforms Inc. Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible for the European region.

The Facebook data processing conditions, 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 that is processed through the use of Facebook in the privacy policy at https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy.

Blogs and publication media Introduction

Blogs and publication media Privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Presentation and optimisation of our services as well as communication between website visitors, security measures and administration
📓 Processed data: Data such as contact details, IP address and published content.
You can find more details on this in the tools used.
📅 Storage period: depending on the tools used
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests), Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR (contract)

What are blogs and publication media?

We use blogs or other means of communication on our website with which we can communicate with you on the one hand and you with us on the other. We may also store and process your data in the process. This may be necessary so that we can display content appropriately, communication works and security is increased. In our data protection text, we generally explain which of your data may be processed. Exact details on data processing always depend on the tools and functions used. You can find detailed information on data processing in the data protection notices of the individual providers.

Why do we use blogs and publication media?

Our main concern with our website is to offer you interesting and exciting content and at the same time your opinions and content are important to us. That’s why we want to create a good interactive exchange between us and you. With various blogs and publication options, we can achieve exactly that. For example, you can write comments on our content, comment on other comments or, in some cases, write articles yourself.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is processed always depends on the communication functions we use. Very often, the IP address, user name and the published content are stored. This is primarily done to ensure security protection, to prevent spam and to be able to take action against illegal content. Cookies can also be used for data storage. These are small text files that are stored with information in your browser. You can find more information on the data collected and stored in our individual sections and in the privacy policy of the respective provider.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. For example, contribution and comment functions store data until you revoke the data storage. In general, personal data is only stored for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services.

Right to object

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

As cookies may also be used for publication media, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, you should read the privacy policies of the respective tools.

Legal basis

We use the means of communication mainly on the basis of our legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in fast and good communication with you or other customers, business partners and visitors. Insofar as the use serves the processing of contractual relationships or their initiation, the legal basis is also Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR.

Certain processing operations, in particular the use of cookies and the use of comment or message functions, require your consent. If and insofar as you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated publication media, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). Most of the communication functions we use set cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

Information on special tools – if available – can be found in the following sections.

Blog posts and comment functions Privacy policy

There are various online communication tools that we may use on our website. For example, we use blog posts and comment functions. This gives you the opportunity to comment on content or write articles. If you use this function, your IP address may be stored for security reasons. In this way, we protect ourselves against illegal content such as insults, unauthorised advertising or prohibited political propaganda. In order to recognise whether comments are spam, we may also store and process user information on the basis of our legitimate interest. If we start a survey, we also store your IP address for the duration of the survey so that we can ensure that all participants only vote once. Cookies may also be used for the purpose of storage. All data that we store about you (such as content or personal information) will remain stored until you object.

Wordpress emojis privacy policy

We also use so-called emojis and smilies on our blog. We probably don’t need to explain exactly what emojis are here. You know those smiling, angry or sad faces. They are graphic elements or files that we make available and are loaded from another server. The service provider for retrieving WordPress emojis and smilies is Automattic Inc, 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. This third-party provider stores your IP address in order to be able to transmit the emoji files to your browser.

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

Automattic also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Automattic undertakes to comply with 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 here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

The data processing conditions (Data Processing Agreements), which correspond to the standard contractual clauses, can be found at https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of WordPress emojis in the privacy policy at https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Online Marketing Introduction

Online marketing privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Evaluation of visitor information to optimise the website.
📓 Processed data: Access statistics containing data such as locations of access, device data, access duration and time, navigation behaviour, click behaviour and IP addresses. Personal data such as name or email address may also be processed. You can find more details on this in the online marketing tool used.
📅 Storage period: depending 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 refers to all measures that are carried out online in order to achieve marketing goals such as increasing brand awareness or closing a deal. Our online marketing measures are also aimed at drawing people’s attention to our website. We therefore use online marketing to show our offer to many interested people. This usually involves online advertising, content marketing or search engine optimisation. Personal data is also stored and processed so that we can use online marketing efficiently and in a targeted manner. On the one hand, the data helps us to only show our content to those people who are actually interested in it and, on the other hand, we can measure the advertising success of our online marketing measures.

Why do we use online marketing tools?

We want to show our website to everyone who is interested in what we have to offer. We are aware that this is not possible without consciously implemented measures. That’s why we do online marketing. There are various tools that make it easier for us to work on our online marketing measures and also use data to constantly provide suggestions for improvement. This allows us to target our campaigns more precisely to our target group. The purpose of these online marketing tools is ultimately to optimise our offering.

What data is processed?

User profiles are created and data is stored in cookies (small text files), for example, so that our online marketing works and the success of the measures can be measured. With the help of this data, we can not only advertise in the traditional way, but also display our content directly on our website in the way you prefer. There are various third-party tools that offer these functions and collect and store your data accordingly. For example, the named cookies store which web pages you have visited on our website, how long you have viewed these pages, which links or buttons you click or which website you came to us from. Technical information may also be stored. For example, your IP address, which browser you are using, from which end device you are visiting our website or the time when you accessed our website and when you left it again. If you have agreed that we may also determine your location, we may also store and process this.

Your IP address is stored in pseudonymised form (i.e. shortened). Unique data that directly identifies you as a person, such as your name, address or email address, is also only stored in pseudonymised form as part of the advertising and online marketing process. This means that we cannot identify you as a person, but we have only stored the pseudonymised, saved information in the user profiles.

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

In exceptional cases, unique data (name, e-mail address, etc.) may also be stored in the user profiles. This storage occurs, for example, if you are a member of a social media channel that we use for our online marketing measures 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 summarised information and never data that makes you recognisable as an individual. The data only shows how well advertising measures worked. For example, we can see which measures led you or other users to come to our website and purchase a service or product there. Based on the analyses, we can improve our advertising offer in the future and adapt it even more precisely to the needs and wishes of interested persons.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. Data stored in cookies is stored for different lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others may be stored in your browser for several years. You can usually find detailed information about the individual cookies used by the provider in the respective data protection declarations of the individual providers.

Right to object

You also have the right and the option to revoke your consent to the use of cookies or third-party providers at any time. This works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing up to the point of cancellation.

As cookies can generally be used with online marketing tools, we also recommend that you read our general privacy policy on cookies. To find out exactly which of your data is stored and processed, 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 Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by online marketing tools.

We also have a legitimate interest in measuring online marketing measures in anonymised form in order to optimise our offer and our measures with the help of the data obtained. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

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

ADCELL privacy policy

We use the online marketing platform ADCELL for our website. The service provider is the German company Firstlead GmbH, Rosenfelder Str. 15-16, 10315 Berlin, Germany.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of ADCELL in the privacy policy at https://www.adcell.de/datenschutz.

Cookie Consent Management Platform Introduction

Cookie Consent Management Platform Summary
👥 Data subjects: Website visitors
🤝 Purpose: Obtaining and managing consent for certain cookies and thus the use of certain tools
📓 Processed data: Data for managing the cookie settings set, such as IP address, time of consent, type of consent, individual consents. You can find more details on this in the respective tool used.
📅 Storage period: Depends on the tool used, you must be prepared for 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 that makes it easier for us and you to handle scripts and cookies correctly and securely. The software automatically creates a cookie pop-up, scans and checks all scripts and cookies, provides you with the cookie consent required under data protection law and helps us and you to keep track of all cookies. Most cookie consent management tools identify and categorise all existing cookies. As a website visitor, you then decide for yourself whether and which scripts and cookies you allow or disallow. The following graphic illustrates the relationship between browser, web server and CMP.

Why do we use a cookie management tool?

Our aim is to offer you the best possible transparency in the area of data protection. We are also legally obliged to do so. We want to inform you as much as possible about all tools and all cookies that can store and process your data. It is also your right to decide for yourself which cookies you accept and which you do not. In order to grant you this right, we first need to know exactly which cookies have landed on our website in the first place. Thanks to a cookie management tool that regularly scans the website for all existing cookies, we know about 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?

As part of our cookie management tool, you can manage each individual cookie yourself and have complete control over the storage and processing of your data. The declaration of your consent is stored so that we do not have to ask you every time you visit our website and we can also prove your consent if required by law. This is stored either in an opt-in cookie or on a server. The storage period of your cookie consent varies depending on the provider of the cookie management tool. In most cases, this data (e.g. pseudonymous user ID, time of consent, details of cookie categories or tools, browser, device information) is stored for up to two years.

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. Data stored in cookies is stored for different lengths of time. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others may be stored in your browser for several years. The exact duration of data processing depends on the tool used, but in most cases you should be prepared for a storage period of several years. You can usually find precise information about the duration of data processing in the respective data protection declarations 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 works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. For example, you can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser.

Information on special cookie management tools, if available, can be found in the following sections.

Legal basis

If you consent to cookies, your personal data will be processed and stored via these cookies. If we are authorised to use cookies on the basis of your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), this consent is also the legal basis for the use of cookies and the processing of your data. Cookie consent management platform software is used to manage your consent to cookies and to enable you to give your consent. The use of this software enables us to operate the website in an efficient and legally compliant manner, which constitutes a legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).

BorlabsCookie privacy policy

We use BorlabsCookie on our website, which is, among other things, 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
https://de.borlabs.io/datenschutz/.

Payment provider introduction

Payment provider privacy policy summary
👥 Data subject: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: To enable and optimise the payment process on our website
📓 Processed data: Data such as name, address, bank details (account number, credit card number, passwords, TANs, etc.), IP address and contract data
You can find more details on this in the respective payment provider tool used.
📅 Storage period: depending on the payment provider used
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (fulfilment of a contract)

What is a payment provider?

We use online payment systems on our website that enable us and you to make secure and smooth payments. Among other things, personal data may be sent to the respective payment provider, stored and processed there. Payment providers are online payment systems that enable you to place an order via online banking. Payment processing is carried out by the payment provider you have selected. We then receive information about the payment made. This method can be used by any user who has an active online banking account with PIN and TAN. There are hardly any banks that do not offer or accept such payment methods.

Why do we use payment providers on our website?

We naturally want to offer the best possible service with our website and our integrated online shop so that you feel comfortable on our site and make use of our offers. We know that your time is precious and that payment transactions in particular need to work quickly and smoothly. For these reasons, we offer you various payment providers. You can choose your preferred payment provider and pay in the usual way.

What data is processed?

Exactly which data is processed naturally depends on the payment provider in question. However, data such as name, address, bank details (account number, credit card number, passwords, TANs, etc.) are generally stored. This is necessary data in order to be able to carry out a transaction at all. In addition, any contract data and user data, such as when you visit our website, what content you are interested in or which subpages you click on, may also be stored. Your IP address and information about the computer you are using are also stored by most payment providers.

The data is usually stored and processed on the payment provider’s servers. We as the website operator do not receive this data. We are only informed whether the payment has worked or not. For identity and credit checks, payment providers may forward data to the relevant organisation. The business and data protection principles of the respective provider always apply to all payment transactions. Therefore, please always check the payment provider’s general terms and conditions and privacy policy. You also have the right to have data deleted or corrected at any time. Please contact the respective service provider regarding your rights (right of cancellation, right to information and right to be affected).

Duration of data processing

We will inform you about the duration of data processing below if we have further information on this. In general, we only process personal data for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. If it is required by law, for example in the case of accounting, this storage period may also be exceeded. For example, we store accounting documents relating to a contract (invoices, contract documents, account statements, etc.) for 10 years (§ 147 AO) and other relevant business documents for 6 years (§ 247 HGB) after they are created.

Right of objection

You always have the right to information, correction and deletion of your personal data. If you have any questions, you can also contact the person responsible for the payment provider used at any time. Contact details can be found either in our specific privacy policy or on the website of the relevant payment provider.

You can delete, deactivate or manage cookies that payment providers use for their functions in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. Please note, however, that the payment process may then no longer work.

Legal basis

We therefore offer for the processing of contractual or legal relationships (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR)
in addition to conventional banking/credit institutions, we also offer other payment service providers. The privacy policies of the individual payment providers (such as Amazon Payments, Apple Pay or Discover) provide you with a detailed overview of data processing and data storage. In addition, you can always contact the person responsible if you have any questions about data protection issues.

Information on the specific payment providers – if available – can be found in the following sections.

PayPal Check-Out Privacy Policy

We also use the payment services of PayPal Check-Out for our business. The service provider is the American company PayPal Inc. The Luxembourg company PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, 2449 Luxembourg, is responsible for the European region.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of PayPal Check-Out in the privacy policy at https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.

PayPal privacy policy

PayPal privacy policy summary
👥 Data subject: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Optimisation of the payment process on our website
📓 Processed data: Data such as name, address, bank details (account number, credit card number, passwords, TANs, etc.), IP address and contract data may be processed.
You can find more details on this in this privacy policy.
📅 Storage period: Data is generally stored until the cooperation with PayPal is terminated
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract processing), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent)

What is PayPal?

We use the online payment service PayPal on our website. The service provider is the American company PayPal Inc. The company PayPal Europe (S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg) is responsible for the European area.

PayPal allows all users to send and receive money electronically. The company was founded in 1998 and is now one of the best-known and largest online payment service providers in the world with over 325 million active customers.

Why do we use PayPal for our website?

There are several reasons why we use PayPal and offer it on our website. As PayPal is one of the best-known online payment providers, many of our website visitors use and trust this service. PayPal also offers high security standards for digital money transfers. The service uses various encryption methods to protect your personal data in the best possible way. We also appreciate the ease of use of PayPal and the possibility of international payments in different currencies. As a rule, transactions are processed very quickly, which is a further advantage for both us and you as a customer.

What data is processed by PayPal?

In its privacy policy, PayPal distinguishes between different categories of personal data that can be processed through the use of the service. These include login and contact data, identification and signature data, payment information, information on imported contacts, data from your account profile, device data such as your IP address, location data and so-called derived data. This is information that can be derived from transactions or other data. This can include purchasing habits, behavioural patterns, creditworthiness or personal preferences.

Then there is also personal data that is collected by third parties (such as identity checkers, fraud detection providers or your bank). This data includes information from credit reference agencies, transaction data, information on legal requirements, technical usage data, location data and also derived data.

PayPal and its partners also use tracking technologies such as cookies, pixel tags, web beacons and widgets to recognise you as a user, to customise content and to carry out analyses for interest-based advertising.

How long and where is the data stored?

In principle, PayPal stores the data for as long as is necessary to fulfil its obligations and within the scope of the purpose. Personal data that is necessary for the customer relationship is stored for 10 years after the end of the relationship. If PayPal is subject to a legal obligation, the retention period of the personal data is in accordance with the applicable law (e.g. insolvency law). PayPal also stores personal data for as long as necessary if retention is advisable with regard to legal disputes.

As PayPal is a global company, the service also has data centres worldwide where your data can be stored. This means that your data may also be stored on PayPal servers outside your country and also outside the scope of the GDPR.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

You have the right to information, correction or deletion and restriction of the processing of your personal data at any time. You can also revoke your consent to the processing of data at any time.

If you generally want to deactivate, delete or manage cookies, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers in the “Cookies” section.

Legal basis

We have a legitimate interest in integrating an external payment service with PayPal in order to make our offer more attractive and to improve it technically and economically. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). We would like to point out that you can only use PayPal if you enter into a contractual relationship with PayPal. In this case, it may be necessary to provide further data protection and contractual declarations (e.g. consent).

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

PayPal uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46. para. 2 and 3 GDPR) as the basis for data processing with recipients based in third countries (outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, i.e. in particular in the USA) or data transfer to these countries. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through these clauses, PayPal undertakes to comply with 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 here, among others: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de

For more information on the standard contractual clauses and the data processed through the use of PayPal, please refer to the privacy policy at https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.

PayPal Express privacy policy

We also use the payment services of PayPal Express for our business. The service provider is the American company PayPal, Inc. The Luxembourg company PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, 2449 Luxembourg, is responsible for the European region.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of PayPal Express in the privacy policy at https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full

PayPal Plus privacy policy

We also use the payment services of PayPal Plus for our business. The service provider is the American company PayPal, Inc. The Luxembourg company PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, 2449 Luxembourg, is responsible for the European region.

You can find out more about the data processed through the use of PayPal Plus in the privacy policy at https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full

Stripe privacy policy

Stripe privacy policy summary
👥 Data subject: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Optimisation of the payment process on our website
📓 Processed data: Data such as name, address, bank details (account number, credit card number, passwords, TANs, etc.), IP address and contract data
More details can be found further below in this privacy policy
📅 Storage period: Data is stored until the cooperation with Stripe is terminated
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (contract processing), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent)

What is Stripe?

We use a payment tool from the American technology company and online payment service Stripe on our website. For customers within the EU, Stripe Payments Europe (Europe Ltd., 1 Grand Canal Street Lower, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin, Ireland) is responsible. This means that if you choose Stripe as your payment method, your payment will be processed via Stripe Payments. The data required for the payment process will be forwarded to Stripe and stored. In this privacy policy, we provide you with an overview of this data processing and storage by Stripe and explain why we use Stripe on our website.

The technology company Stripe offers payment solutions for online payments. With Stripe it is possible to accept credit and debit card payments in our webshop. Stripe takes care of the entire payment process. A major advantage of Stripe is that you never have to leave our website or shop during the payment process and the payment is processed very quickly.

Why do we use Stripe for our website?

We naturally want to offer the best possible service with our website and our integrated online shop so that you feel comfortable on our site and make use of our offers. We know that your time is precious and that payment processes in particular need to work quickly and smoothly. In addition to our other payment providers, we have found a partner in Stripe that guarantees secure and fast payment processing.

What data is stored by Stripe?

If you choose Stripe as your payment method, your personal data will also be transmitted to Stripe and stored there. This is transaction data. This data includes the payment method (i.e. credit card, debit card or account number), bank sort code, currency, amount and date of payment. During a transaction, your name, e-mail address, billing or shipping address and sometimes your transaction history may also be transmitted. This data is required for authentication. Furthermore, Stripe may also collect your name, address, telephone number and country in addition to technical data about your device (such as IP address) for fraud prevention, financial reporting and to be able to offer its own services in full.

Stripe does not sell any of your data to independent third parties, such as marketing agencies or other companies that have nothing to do with the Stripe company. However, the data may be passed on to internal departments, a limited number of external Stripe partners or to comply with legal regulations. Stripe also uses cookies to collect data. Here is a selection of cookies that Stripe may set during the payment process:

Name: m
Wert: edd716e9-d28b-46f7-8a55-e05f1779e84e040456112820537-5
Purpose: This cookie appears when you select the payment method. It stores and recognises whether you are accessing our website via a PC, tablet or smartphone.
Expiry date: after 2 years

Name: __stripe_mid
Wert: fc30f52c-b006-4722-af61-a7419a5b8819875de9112820537-1
Purpose: This cookie is required to carry out a credit card transaction. The cookie stores your session ID for this purpose.
Expiry date: after one year

Name: __stripe_sid
Wert: 6fee719a-c67c-4ed2-b583-6a9a50895b122753fe
Purpose: This cookie also stores your ID and is used by Stripe for the payment process on our website.
Expiry date: after the session has expired

How long and where is the data stored?

Personal data is generally stored for the duration of the service provision. This means that the data is stored until we terminate our cooperation with Stripe. However, in order to fulfil legal and regulatory obligations, Stripe may also store personal data beyond the duration of the service provision. As Stripe is a global company, data may also be stored in any country where Stripe provides services. This means that data may also be stored outside your country, for example in the USA.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

Please note that when using this tool, your data may also be stored and processed outside the EU. Most third countries (including the USA) are not considered secure under current European data protection law. Data may therefore not simply be transferred to insecure third countries, stored and processed there, unless there are suitable guarantees (such as EU standard contractual clauses) between us and the non-European service provider.

You always have the right to information, correction and deletion of your personal data. If you have any questions, you can also contact the Stripe team at https://support.stripe.com/contact/email at any time.

You can delete, deactivate or manage cookies that Stripe uses for its functions in your browser. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. Under the section “Cookies” you will find the corresponding links to the respective instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

We therefore offer the payment service provider Stripe for the processing of contractual or legal relationships (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR) in addition to the conventional banking/credit institutions. The successful use of the service also requires your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR), insofar as the authorisation of cookies is necessary for its use.

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

In addition, Stripe uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 para. 2 and 3 GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the Standard Contractual Clauses, Stripe undertakes to comply with 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 here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj?locale=de.

You can find more information about the standard contractual clauses and the data that is processed through the use of Stripe in the privacy policy at https://stripe.com/at/privacy.

Audio & Video Introduction

Audio & Video Privacy Policy Summary
👥 Data subject: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Optimisation of our service performance
📓 Processed data: Data such as contact details, user behaviour data, information about your device and your IP address may be stored.
You can find more details on this below in the corresponding data protection texts.
📅 Storage duration: Data is generally stored for as long as it is required for the purpose of the service
⚖️ 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 on our website so that you can watch videos or listen to music/podcasts directly via our website. The content is provided by service providers. All content is therefore also obtained from the corresponding servers of the providers.

These are integrated functional elements from platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo or Spotify. The use of these portals is usually free of charge, but paid content can also be published. With the help of these integrated elements, you can listen to or watch the respective content via our website.

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

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

Of course we want to provide you with the best offer on our website. And we realise that content is no longer conveyed in text and static images alone. Instead of simply giving you a link to a video, we offer you audio and video formats directly on our website that are entertaining or informative and ideally even both. This expands our service and makes it easier for you to access interesting content. We therefore offer video and/or audio content in addition to our texts and images.

What data is stored by audio & video elements?

When you access a page on our website that has an embedded video, for example, your server connects to the service provider’s server. Your data is also transmitted to the third-party provider and stored there. 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 end device. In addition, most providers also collect information about your web activity. This includes, for example, session duration, bounce rate, which button you clicked on or which website you used to access the service. All this information is usually stored via cookies or pixel tags (also known as web beacons). Pseudonymised data is usually stored in cookies in your browser. You can always find out exactly which data is stored and processed in the privacy policy of the respective provider.

Duration of data processing

You can find out exactly how long the data is stored on the servers of the third-party providers either below in the data protection text of the respective tool or in the provider’s privacy policy. In principle, personal data is only ever processed for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services or products. This generally also applies to third-party providers. In most cases, you can assume that certain data will be stored on the servers of third-party providers for several years. Data can be stored for different lengths of time, especially in cookies. Some cookies are deleted as soon as you leave the website, while others may be stored in your browser for several years.

Right to object

As the integrated audio and video functions on our website usually also use cookies, you should also read our general privacy policy on cookies. You can find out more about the handling and storage of your data in the privacy policies of the respective third-party providers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated audio and video elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated audio and video elements if you have given your consent.

YouTube privacy policy

YouTube privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Optimisation of our service performance
📓 Processed data: Data such as contact details, user behaviour data, information about your device and your IP address may be stored.
You can find more details below in this privacy policy.
📅 Storage duration: Data is generally stored for as long as it is required for the purpose of the service
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is YouTube?

We have integrated 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 access a page on our website that has an embedded YouTube video, your browser automatically connects to the YouTube or Google servers. Various data is transmitted (depending on the settings). Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all data processing in Europe.

In the following, 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.

YouTube allows users to watch, rate, comment on and upload videos free of charge. In recent years, YouTube has become one of the most important social media channels worldwide. To enable us to 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 endeavour to offer you the best possible user experience on our website. And of course, interesting videos are a must. With the help of our embedded videos, we provide you with further helpful content in addition to our texts and images. The embedded videos also make our website easier to find on the Google search engine. Even if we place adverts via Google Ads, Google can – thanks to the data collected – only show these adverts to people who are interested in our offers.

What data is stored by YouTube?

As soon as you visit one of our pages that has a YouTube video embedded, YouTube sets at least one cookie that stores your IP address and our URL. If you are logged into 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 ratings, the sharing of content via social media or adding to your favourites on YouTube.

If you are not logged into a Google account or a YouTube account, Google stores data with a unique identifier that is linked to your device, browser or app. For example, your preferred language setting is retained. But a lot of interaction data cannot be saved because fewer cookies are set.

In the following list, we show cookies that were set in a test in the browser. On the one hand, we show cookies that are set without a logged-in YouTube account. On the other hand, we show cookies that are set with a logged-in account. The list cannot claim to be complete because the user data always depends on the interactions on YouTube.

Name: YSC
Value: b9-CV6ojI5Y112820537-1
Purpose: This cookie registers a unique ID to store statistics of the video viewed.
Expiry date: after the end of the session

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

Name: GPS
Value: 1
Purpose: This cookie registers your unique ID on mobile devices to track the GPS location.
Expiry date: after 30 minutes

Name: VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Value: 95Chz8bagyU
Purpose: This cookie attempts to estimate the user’s bandwidth on our websites (with integrated YouTube video).
Expiry date: after 8 months

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

Name: APISID
Wert: zILlvClZSkqGsSwI/AU1aZI6HY7112820537-
Purpose: This cookie is used to create a profile of your interests. The data is used for personalised advertisements.
Expiry date: after 2 years

Name: CONSENT
Value: YES+AT.de+20150628-20-0
Purpose: The cookie stores the status of a user’s consent to the use of various Google services. CONSENT is also used for security purposes to check users and protect user data from unauthorised attacks.
Expiry date: after 19 years

Name: HSID
Value: AcRwpgUik9Dveht0I
Purpose: This cookie is used to create a profile of your interests. This data helps to display personalised advertising.
Expiry date: after 2 years

Name: LOGIN_INFO
Value: AFmmF2swRQIhALl6aL…
Purpose: This cookie stores information about your login data.
Expiry date: after 2 years

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

Name: SID
Value: oQfNKjAsI112820537-
Purpose: This cookie stores your Google Account ID and your last login time in digitally signed and encrypted form.
Expiry date: after 2 years

Name: SIDCC
Value: AN0-TYuqub2JOcDTyL
Purpose: This cookie stores information on how you use the website and which adverts 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. At https://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/?hl=de you can see exactly where the Google data centres 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 collected data for different lengths of time. You can delete some data at any time, others are automatically deleted after a limited time and others are stored by Google for a longer period of time. Some data (such as elements from “My activity”, photos or documents, products) that are stored in your Google account remain stored until you delete them. Even if you are 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?

In principle, you can delete data in your Google account manually. With the automatic deletion function for location and activity data introduced in 2019, information is stored for either 3 or 18 months, depending on your decision, and then deleted.

Regardless of whether you have a Google account or not, you can configure your browser so that cookies are deleted or deactivated by Google. Depending on which browser you use, this works in different ways. In the “Cookies” section, you will find the relevant links to the instructions for the most popular browsers.

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

Legal basis

If you have consented to your data being processed and stored by integrated YouTube elements, this consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In principle, your data is also stored and processed on the basis of our legitimate interest (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) in fast and good communication with you or other customers and business partners. Nevertheless, we only use the integrated YouTube elements if you have given your consent. YouTube also sets cookies in your browser to store data. We therefore recommend that you read our data protection text on cookies carefully and consult the privacy policy or cookie guidelines of the respective service provider.

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

Google also uses so-called standard contractual clauses (= Art. 46 (2) and (3) GDPR). Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are templates provided by the EU Commission and are intended to ensure that your data complies with European data protection standards even if it is transferred to third countries (such as the USA) and stored there. Through the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the standard contractual clauses, Google undertakes to comply with 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 here, among others: 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/.

As YouTube is a subsidiary of Google, there is a joint privacy policy. If you want to find out more about how your data is handled, we recommend the privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

YouTube Subscribe Button Privacy Policy

We have integrated the YouTube subscribe button on our website. You can usually recognise 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. However, the button can also be displayed 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 without having to go to the YouTube website. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to access our extensive content. Please note that YouTube may store and process your data as a result.

If you see a built-in subscription 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 find out information about your browser, your approximate location and your default language. In our test, the following four cookies were set without being logged in to YouTube:

Name: YSC
Value: b9-CV6ojI5112820537Y
Purpose: This cookie registers a unique ID to store statistics of the video viewed.
Expiry date: after the end of the session

Name: GPS
Value: 1
Purpose: This cookie registers your unique ID on mobile devices to track the GPS location.
Expiry date: after 30 minutes

Name: VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Value: 11282053795Chz8bagyU
Purpose: This cookie attempts to estimate the user’s bandwidth on our websites (with integrated YouTube video).
Expiry date: after 8 months

Note: These cookies were set after a test and cannot claim to be exhaustive.

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

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

YouTube IFrame Player privacy policy

We also use the YouTube IFrame Player to embed videos on our website. The service provider is the American company Google Inc. For the European area, the company Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4, Ireland) is responsible for all Google services.

Google also processes your data in the USA, among other places. YouTube and Google are active participants in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which regulates the correct and secure transfer of personal data from EU citizens to the USA. You can find more information on this at https://commission.europa.eu/document/fa09cbad-dd7d-4684-ae60-be03fcb0fddf_en.

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 the YouTube IFrame Player in the privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Single sign-on logins Introduction

Single sign-on logins Privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Simplification of the authentication process
📓 Processed data: Strongly depends on the respective provider, usually e-mail address and user name can be stored.
You can find more details on this in the tool used.
📅 Storage duration: depends on the tools used
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR (fulfilment of contract), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What are single sign-on registrations?

On our website, you have the option of logging in to our online service quickly and easily using a user account from another provider (e.g. via Facebook). This authentication procedure is known as “single sign-on registration”. Of course, this login procedure only works if you are registered with the other provider or have a user account and enter the relevant access data in the online form. In many cases, you are already registered, the access data is automatically entered into the form and you only have to confirm the single sign-on registration by clicking a button. In the course of this registration, your personal data may also be processed and stored. In this data protection text, we provide a general description of data processing through single sign-on logins. You can find more detailed information in the privacy policies of the respective providers.

Why do we use single sign-on logins?

We want to make your life on our website as easy and pleasant as possible. That is why we also offer single sign-on logins. This saves you valuable time because you only need one authentication. As you only have to remember one password and it is only transmitted once, security is also increased. In many cases, you have already saved your password automatically using cookies and the login process on our website therefore only takes a few seconds.

What data is stored by single sign-on logins?

Although you log in to our website using this special login procedure, the actual authentication takes place with the relevant single sign-on provider. As the website operator, we receive a user ID as part of the authentication process. This states that you are registered with the relevant provider under this ID. This ID cannot be used for any other purpose. Other data may also be transmitted to us, but this depends on the single sign-on providers used. It also depends on which data you voluntarily provide during the authentication process and which data you generally release in your settings with the provider. In most cases, this is data such as your e-mail address and your user name. We do not know your password, which is required for logging in, and we do not store it. It is also important for you to know that data stored by us can be automatically compared with the data of the respective user account through the registration process.

Duration of data processing

Right to object

You also have the right and opportunity to withdraw your consent to the use of single sign-on logins at any time. This usually works via the provider’s opt-out functions. If available, you will also find links to the corresponding opt-out functions in our data protection texts for the individual tools.

Legal basis

If it has been agreed with you and this is done in the context of contract fulfilment (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR) and consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), we can use the single sign-on procedure on their legal bases.

In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in offering you a quick and easy registration process. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use single sign-on registration if you have given your consent.

If you no longer wish to have this link to the provider with the single sign-on login, please delete it in your user account with the respective provider. If you also wish to delete data with us, you will need to cancel your registration.

Stripe OAuth privacy policy

We also use the authentication tool Stripe OAuth. The service provider is the American company Stripe Inc, 510 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA.

You can find more information on the standard contractual clauses and the data processed through the use of Stripe OAuth in the privacy policy at https://stripe.com/at/privacy.

Web Design Introduction

Webdesign Privacy Policy Summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Improvement of the user experience
📓 Processed data: Which data is processed depends heavily on the services used. This usually involves the IP address, technical data, language settings, browser version, screen resolution and browser name. You can find more details on this in the respective web design tools used.
📅 Storage period: depending 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 that serve our web design. Web design is not, as is often assumed, just about making our website look pretty, but also about functionality and performance. But of course the right look of a website is also one of the major goals of professional web design. Web design is a branch of media design and deals with the visual as well as the structural and functional design of a website. The aim of web design is to improve your experience on our website. In web design jargon, this is referred to as user experience (UX) and usability. User experience refers to all the impressions and experiences that website visitors have on a website. Usability is a sub-item of user experience. This refers to the user-friendliness of a website. The main focus here is on ensuring that content, subpages or products are clearly structured and that you can find what you are looking for quickly and easily. In order to offer you the best possible experience on our website, we also use third-party web design tools. In this privacy policy, the category “web design” therefore includes all services that improve the design of our website. These can be, for example, fonts, various plugins or other integrated web design functions.

Why do we use web design tools?

How you absorb information on a website depends very much on the structure, functionality and visual perception of the website. This is why good and professional web design has become increasingly important for us. We are constantly working on improving our website and also see this as an extended service for you as a website visitor. Furthermore, a beautiful and functioning website also has economic advantages for us. After all, you will only visit us and make use of our services if you feel completely at ease.

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. Exactly what data is involved naturally 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 data privacy statements of the tools used. In most cases, this will tell you what data is processed, whether cookies are used and how long the data is stored. Fonts such as Google Fonts also automatically transmit information such as language settings, IP address, browser version, browser screen resolution and browser name to the Google servers.

Duration of data processing

How long data is processed is very individual and depends on the web design elements used. If cookies are used, for example, the storage period can be as short as one minute or as long as a few years. Please find out more about this. We recommend that you read our general text section on cookies as well as the privacy policies of the tools used. There you can usually find out exactly which cookies are used and what information is stored in them. Google font files, for example, are stored for one year. This is to improve the loading time of a website. In principle, data is only stored for as long as is necessary to provide the service. Data may be stored for longer 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 works either via our cookie management tool or via other opt-out functions. You can also prevent data collection by cookies by managing, deactivating or deleting cookies in your browser. Under web design elements (mostly fonts), however, there is also data that cannot be deleted quite so easily. This is the case when data is automatically collected directly when a page is accessed and transmitted to a third-party provider (such as Google). In this case, please contact the support of the relevant provider. In the case of Google, you can reach support at 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 Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by web design tools. We also have a legitimate interest in improving the web design on our website. After all, only then can we provide you with an attractive and professional website. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use web design tools if you have given your consent. We would like to emphasise this again here in any case.

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

Font Awesome privacy policy

Font Awesome privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Optimisation of our service performance
📓 Processed data: such as IP address and which icon files are loaded
You can find more details below in this privacy policy
📅 Storage duration: Files in identifiable form are stored for a few weeks
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is Font Awesome?

We use Font Awesome from the American company Fonticons (307 S. Main St., Suite 202, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA) on our website. When you access one of our websites, the Font Awesome web font (in particular icons) is loaded via the Font Awesome Content Delivery Network (CDN). This ensures that the texts, fonts and icons are displayed appropriately on every end device. In this privacy policy, we go into more detail about data storage and data processing by this service.

Icons are playing an increasingly important role for websites. Font Awesome is a web font that has been specially developed for web designers and web developers. With Font Awesome, icons can be scaled and coloured as desired using the CSS style sheet language. They thus replace old image icons. Font Awesome CDN is the easiest way to load icons or fonts onto your website. All we had to do was add a small line of code to our website.

Why do we use Font Awesome on our website?

Font Awesome makes it easier to display content on our website. This makes it easier for you to find your way around our website and grasp the content more easily. The icons can sometimes even be used to replace entire words and save space. This is particularly practical when we optimise content specifically for smartphones. These icons are inserted as HMTL code instead of images. This allows us to edit the icons with CSS exactly as we want. At the same time, we also improve our loading speed with Font Awesome because these are only HTML elements and not icon images. All these advantages help us to make the website even clearer, fresher and faster for you.

What data is stored by Font Awesome?

The Font Awesome Content Delivery Network (CDN) is used to load icons and symbols. CDNs are networks of servers that are distributed worldwide and make it possible to quickly load files from nearby. This means that as soon as you call up one of our pages, the corresponding icons are provided by Font Awesome.

In order for the web fonts to be loaded, your browser must establish a connection to the servers of Fonticons, Inc. Your IP address is recognised in the process. Font Awesome also collects data about which icon files are downloaded and when. Furthermore, technical data such as your browser version, screen resolution or the time the page was called up is also transmitted.

This data is collected and stored for the following reasons:

to optimise content delivery networks
to recognise and rectify technical errors
to protect CDNs from misuse and attacks
to be able to calculate fees from Font Awesome Pro customers
to find out the popularity of icons
to know which computer and software you are using

If your browser does not allow web fonts, a standard font from your PC will be used automatically. As far as we are currently aware, no cookies are set. We are in contact with Font Awesome’s data protection department and will let you know as soon as we find out more.

How long and where is the data stored?

Font Awesome stores data about the use of the Content Delivery Network on servers in the United States of America. However, the CDN servers are located worldwide and store user data wherever you are. The data is usually only stored in identifiable form for a few weeks. Aggregated statistics on the use of the CDNs can also be stored for longer. Personal data is not included here.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

To the best of our knowledge, Font Awesome does not store any personal data about the content delivery networks. If you do not want data about the icons used to be saved, you will unfortunately not be able to visit our website. If your browser does not allow web fonts, no data will be transmitted or stored. In this case, your computer’s default font will simply be used.

Legal basis

If you have consented to Font Awesome being used, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when Font Awesome collects it.

We also have a legitimate interest in using Font Awesome to optimise our online service. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use Font Awesome if you have given your consent.

We would like to point out that, in the opinion of the European Court of Justice, there is currently no adequate level of protection for data transfer to the USA. Data processing is essentially carried out by Font Awesome. This may result in data not being processed and stored in anonymised form. Furthermore, US government authorities may be able to access individual data. It is also possible that this data may be linked to data from other Font Awesome services with which you have a user account.

If you would like to learn more about Font Awesome and how it handles data, we recommend that you read the privacy policy at https://fontawesome.com/privacy and the help page at https://fontawesome.com/support.

Miscellaneous Introduction

Miscellaneous Privacy policy summary
👥 Data subjects: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Improvement of the user experience
📓 Processed data: Which data is processed depends heavily on the services used. It is usually IP address and/or technical data. You can find more details on this in the respective tools used.
📅 Storage period: 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 falls under “Other”?

The “Other” category includes services that do not fit into one of the above categories. These are usually various plugins and integrated elements that improve our website. As a rule, these functions are obtained from third-party providers and integrated into our website. For example, these are web search services such as Algolia Place, Giphy, Programmable Search Engine or online services for weather data such as OpenWeather.

Why do we use other third-party providers?

We want our website to offer you the best web experience in our industry. A website has long been more than just a business card for companies. Rather, it is a place to help you find what you are looking for. To make our website even more interesting and helpful for you, we use various third-party services.

What data is processed?

Whenever elements are integrated into our website, your IP address is transmitted to the respective provider, stored and processed there. This is necessary because otherwise the content will not be sent to your browser and will therefore not be displayed accordingly. Service providers may also use pixel tags or web beacons. These are small graphics on websites that record a log file and can also create analyses of this file. Providers can use the information obtained to improve their own marketing measures. In addition to pixel tags, such information (such as which button you click or when you visit which page) can also be stored in cookies. In addition to analysis data on your web behaviour, technical information such as your browser type or operating system can also be stored in cookies. Some providers can also link the data obtained with other internal services or with third-party providers. Each provider handles your data differently. We therefore recommend that you carefully read the data protection declarations of the respective services. We always endeavour to only use services that handle the issue of data protection very carefully.

Duration of data processing

Legal basis

If we ask for your consent and you also agree that we may use the service, this is the legal basis for processing your data (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). In addition to consent, we have a legitimate interest in analysing the behaviour of website visitors in order to improve our website technically and economically. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use the tools if you have given your consent.

Information on the specific tools, if available, can be found in the following sections.

WooCommerce privacy policy

WooCommerce privacy policy summary
👥 Data subject: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Optimisation of our service performance
📓 Processed data: Data such as IP address, browser information, default language settings, date and time of web access
You can find more details below in this privacy policy.
📅 Storage duration: Server log files, technical data and your IP address are deleted after approximately 30 days
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is WooCommerce?

We have integrated the WooCommerce open source shop system as a plugin on our website. This WooCommerce plugin is based on the WordPress content management system, which is a subsidiary of Automattic Inc (60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA). The implemented functions send, store and process data to Automattic Inc. In this privacy policy, we inform you what data is involved, how the network uses this data and how you can manage or prevent data storage.

WooCommerce is an online shop system that has been part of the WordPress directory since 2011 and was developed specifically for WordPress websites. It is a customisable, open-source eCommerce platform that is based on WordPress and has also been integrated into our website as a WordPress plugin.

Why do we use WooCommerce on our website?

We use this practical online shop solution to offer you our physical or digital products or services on our website in the best possible way. The aim is to provide you with simple and easy access to our range so that you can find the products you want quickly and easily. With WooCommerce, we have found a good plugin that fulfils our requirements for an online shop.

What data is stored by WooCommerce?

Information that you actively enter in a text field in our online shop can be collected and stored by WooCommerce or Automattic. So when you register with us or order a product, Automattic can collect, process and store this data. In addition to your email address, name or address, this may also include credit card or billing information. Automattic may subsequently use this information for its own marketing campaigns.

In addition, there is also information that Automattic automatically collects from you in so-called server log files:

IP address
Browser information
Default language setting
Date and time of web access

WooCommerce also sets cookies in your browser and uses technologies such as pixel tags (web beacons), for example to clearly identify you as a user and possibly offer interest-based advertising. WooCommerce uses a number of different cookies that are set depending on the user action. This means, for example, that when you place a product in the shopping basket, a cookie is set so that the product remains in the shopping basket when you leave our website and return at a later date.

Here we show you an exemplary list of possible cookies that can be set by WooCommerce:

Name: woocommerce_items_in_cart
Value: 1
Purpose: The cookie helps WooCommerce to determine when the content in the shopping basket changes.
Expiry date: after the end of the session

Name: woocommerce_cart_hash
Wert: 447c84f810834056ab37cfe5ed27f204112820537-7
Purpose: This cookie is also used to recognise and save the changes in your shopping cart.
Expiry date: after the end of the session

Name: wp_woocommerce_session_d9e29d251cf8a108a6482d9fe2ef34b6
Wert: 1146%7C%7C1589034207%7C%7C95f8053ce0cea135bbce671043e740112820537-4aa
Purpose: This cookie contains a unique identifier for you so that the shopping basket data can also be found in the database.
Expiry date: after 2 days

How long and where is the data stored?

Unless there is a legal obligation to store data for a longer period of time, WooCommerce deletes the data when it is no longer required for the purposes for which it was stored. For example, server log files containing technical data about your browser and your IP address are deleted after 30 days. Until then, Automattic uses the data to analyse the traffic on its own websites (e.g. all WordPress pages) and to resolve potential problems. The data is stored on Automattic’s American servers.

How can I delete my data or prevent data storage?

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

In your browser, you also have the option of individually managing, deleting or deactivating cookies. Please note, however, that deactivated or deleted cookies may have a negative impact on the functions of our WooCommerce online shop. Depending on which browser you use, the management of cookies works slightly differently. Under the section “Cookies” you will find the corresponding links to the respective instructions for the most popular browsers.

Legal basis

If you have consented to the use of WooCommerce, the legal basis for the corresponding data processing is this consent. According to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent), this consent constitutes the legal basis for the processing of personal data, as may occur when it is collected by WooCommerce.

We also have a legitimate interest in using WooCommerce to optimise our online service and present it to you in an attractive manner. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interests). Nevertheless, we only use WooCommerce if you have given your consent.

You can find more details about the privacy policy and what data is collected by WooCommerce and how at https://automattic.com/privacy/ and general information about WooCommerce at https://woocommerce.com/.

Explanation of terms used

We always endeavour to write our privacy policy as clearly and comprehensibly as possible. However, this is not always easy, especially when it comes to technical and legal topics. It often makes sense to use legal terms (such as personal data) or certain technical terms (such as cookies, IP address). However, we do not want to use these without explanation. Below you will find an alphabetical list of important terms used, which we may not have sufficiently addressed in the previous privacy policy. If these terms have been taken from the GDPR and are definitions, we will also quote the GDPR texts here and add our own explanations if necessary.

Processor

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term:

“processor” means 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 that we process from you. In addition to the controller, there may also be so-called processors. This includes any company or person that processes personal data on our behalf. In addition to service providers such as tax consultants, processors can therefore also be hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.

Consent

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term

“consent” of the data subject means 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: Such consent is usually given via a cookie consent tool on websites. You probably know this. Whenever you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked via a banner whether you agree or consent to data processing. In most cases, you can also make individual settings and thus decide for yourself which data processing you allow and which you do not. If you do not give your consent, your personal data may not be processed. In principle, consent can of course also be given in writing, i.e. not via a tool.

Health data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term

“health data” means personal data relating to the physical or mental health of a natural person, including the provision of healthcare services, and from which information about their health status is derived;

Explanation: Health data therefore includes all stored information relating to your own health. This is often data that is also recorded in a patient file. This includes, for example, which medication you use, X-ray images, your entire medical history or, as a rule, your immunisation status.

Personal data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this regulation, the term

“personal data”

any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “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 all data that can identify you as a person. This is usually data such as

Name
address
e-mail address
Postal address
Telephone number
Date of birth
Identification numbers such as national insurance number, tax identification number, identity card number or matriculation number
Bank data such as account number, credit information, account balances and much more.

According to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), your IP address also counts as personal data. IT experts can use your IP address to determine at least the approximate location of your device and subsequently identify you as the owner of the connection. Therefore, the storage of an IP address also requires a legal basis within the meaning of the GDPR. There are also so-called “special categories” of personal data, which are also particularly worthy of protection. These include

racial and ethnic origin
political opinions
religious or philosophical beliefs
trade union membership
genetic data, such as data taken from blood or saliva samples
biometric data (i.e. information on mental, physical or behavioural characteristics that can identify a person).
health data
Data on sexual orientation or sex life

profiling

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term

“profiling” means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning that natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements;

Explanation: Profiling involves collecting various information about a person in order to learn more about that person. In the web sector, profiling is often used for advertising purposes or for credit checks. Web and advertising analysis programs collect data about your behaviour and interests on a website, for example. This results in a special user profile that can be used to target advertising to a specific target group.

Controller

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term

“controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law;

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

Processing

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the term

“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;

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

Closing words

Congratulations! If you are reading these lines, you have really “fought” your way through our entire privacy policy, or at least scrolled this far. As you can see from the scope of our privacy policy, we do not take the protection of your personal data lightly.
It is important to us to inform you about the processing of personal data to the best of our knowledge and belief. However, we don’t just want to tell you what data is processed, but also explain the reasons for using various software programmes. As a rule, privacy policies sound very technical and legal. However, as most of you are not web developers or lawyers, we wanted to take a different approach and explain the facts in simple and clear language. Of course, this is not always possible due to the subject matter. The most important terms are therefore explained in more detail at the end of the privacy policy.
If you have any questions about data protection on our website, please do not hesitate to contact us or the responsible organisation. We wish you a pleasant time and hope to welcome you back to our website soon.