Privacy policy (EN)

Introduction

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

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Status: 20 August 2020

Table of contents

Person responsible

E-Mail Address: info@infernalvoid.de

Overview of processing

The following table summarises the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing and refers to the data subjects.

Types of data processed
  • Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses).
  • Content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Contact details (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Location data (data indicating the location of an end user's terminal equipment).
  • Contract data (e.g. object of contract, duration, customer category).
Categories of data subjects
  • Employees (e.g. employees, applicants, former employees).
  • Interested parties.
  • Communication partner.
  • Customers.
  • Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Lottery and competition participants.
Purpose of the processing
  • Affiliate tracking.
  • Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Visit action evaluation.
  • Office and organisational procedures.
  • Content Delivery Network (CDN).
  • Cross-device tracking (cross-device processing of user data for marketing purposes).
  • Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post).
  • Conducting prize draws and competitions.
  • Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form).
  • Interest based and behaviour based marketing.
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Conversion measurement (measuring the effectiveness of marketing measures).
  • Profiling (creation of user profiles).
  • Remarketing.
  • Range measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • security measures.
  • Tracking (e.g. interest/behavioural profiling, use of cookies).
  • Contractual performance and service.
  • Management and response to requests.
  • Target group formation (determination of target groups relevant for marketing purposes or other output of content).
Relevant legal bases

In the following, we provide the legal basis for the Basic Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO), on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the regulations of the DSGVO, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence and domicile. Should more specific legal provisions apply in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

  • Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a DSGVO) - The data subject has given his or her consent to the processing of personal data concerning him or her for one or more specific purposes.
  • Contract performance and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. DSGVO) - Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to implement pre-contractual measures taken at the request of the data subject.
  • Protection of vital interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. d. DSGVO) - Processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. DSGVO) - The processing is necessary in order to protect the legitimate interests of the controller or of a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require the protection of personal data.

Security measures

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

These measures include in particular ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as access, input, disclosure, safeguarding of availability and separation of data. Procedures have also been put in place to ensure that data subjects' rights are respected, that data are deleted and that responses to data breaches are made. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection, by designing technology and by using data protection-friendly default settings.

Transmission and disclosure of personal data

In the course of our processing of personal data, it may happen that the data is transferred to or disclosed to other bodies, companies, legally independent organisational units or persons. The recipients of this data may include, for example, payment institutions in the context of payment transactions, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases we observe the legal requirements and in particular conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data which serve to protect your data.

Data processing in third countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if the processing takes place in the context of the use of services of third parties or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, bodies or companies, this is only done in accordance with the legal requirements.

Subject to express consent or transmission required by contract or by law, we only process or allow the data to be processed in third countries with a recognised level of data protection, a contractual obligation through so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, in the presence of certifications or binding internal data protection regulations (Art. 44 to 49 DSGVO, information page of the EU Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_de ).

Use of cookies

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

The following cookie types and functions are distinguished:

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

Notes on legal bases: The legal basis on which we process your personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask you for your consent. If this is the case and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for processing your data is the declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the aid of cookies will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the commercial operation of our online offer and its improvement) or, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations.

Storage duration: Unless we provide you with explicit information on the storage duration of permanent cookies (e.g. within the framework of a so-called cookie opt-in), please assume that the storage duration can be up to two years.

General information on withdrawal and opposition (opt-out): Depending on whether the processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the possibility at any time to revoke any consent given or to object to the processing of your data by cookie technologies (collectively referred to as "opt-out"). You can initially declare your objection by means of the settings of your browser, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also restrict the functionality of our online service). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared by means of a variety of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/. In addition, you can receive further notices of objection in the context of the information on the service providers and cookies used.

Processing of cookie data on the basis of consent: Before we process or allow data to be processed within the framework of the use of cookies, we ask users for their consent, which can be revoked at any time. Before consent has not been given, cookies are used if necessary, which are absolutely necessary for the operation of our online offer.

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter a DSGVO), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter f. DSGVO).

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

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

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

Collection of access data and log files: We ourselves (or our web hosting provider) collect data on every access to the server (so-called server log files). The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files called up, the date and time of the call-up, the amount of data transferred, notification of successful call-up, browser type and version, the user's operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider.

The server log files can be used on the one hand for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and on the other hand to ensure the capacity utilisation of the servers and their stability.

Content Delivery Network: We use a "Content Delivery Network" (CDN). A CDN is a service that enables the content of an online offer, especially large media files such as graphics or programme scripts, to be delivered more quickly and securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet.

Cloudflare:

  • Processed data types: Content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses)
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Content Delivery Network (CDN).
  • Legal bases: Justified interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Blogs and publication media

We use blogs or comparable means of online communication and publication (hereinafter "publication medium"). Readers' data are processed for the purposes of the publication medium only to the extent necessary for its presentation and communication between authors and readers or for security reasons. In addition, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium in the context of this data protection notice.

Comments and contributions: If users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored based on our legitimate interests. This is done for our security in case someone leaves illegal content in comments and contributions (insults, prohibited political propaganda etc.). In this case we can be prosecuted ourselves for the comment or contribution and are therefore interested in the identity of the author.

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

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

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

Retrieval of WordPress emojis and smilies: Within our WordPress blog, graphic emojis (or smilies), i.e. small graphic files expressing feelings, are used for the efficient integration of content elements, obtained from external servers. The providers of the servers collect the IP addresses of the users. This is necessary so that the emoji files can be transmitted to the users' browsers.

Profile pictures of Gravatar: We use the service Gravatar within our online offer and especially in our blog.

Gravatar is a service where users can register and store profile pictures and their email addresses. If users leave contributions or comments on other websites (especially blogs) using their e-mail address, their profile pictures can be displayed alongside the contributions or comments. For this purpose, the e-mail address provided by users is transmitted in encrypted form to Gravatar for the purpose of checking whether a profile is stored for it. This is the sole purpose of transmitting the e-mail address. It will not be used for other purposes, but will be deleted afterwards.

The use of Gravatar is based on our legitimate interests, as Gravatar enables authors of articles and comments to personalise their contributions with a profile picture.

By displaying the images, Gravatar obtains the IP address of users, as this is necessary for communication between a browser and an online service.

If users do not want a user picture linked to their email address at Gravatar to appear in their comments, they should use an email address that is not stored at Gravatar for commenting. We would also like to point out that it is also possible to use an anonymous e-mail address or no e-mail address at all if users do not want their own e-mail address to be sent to Gravatar. Users can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system.

  • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, duration, customer category).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Contractual performance and service, feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form), security measures, administration and answering of enquiries, provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Legal bases: Fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. DSGVO), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. DSGVO), consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a DSGVO), protection of vital interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. d. DSGVO)

Used services and service providers:

Cloud services

We use software services accessible via the Internet and running on the servers of their providers (so-called "cloud services", also referred to as "Software as a Service") for the following purposes: document storage and management, calendar management, sending e-mails, spreadsheets and presentations, exchanging documents, content and information with specific recipients or publishing web pages, forms or other content and information as well as chatting and participating in audio and video conferences.

In this context, personal data may be processed and stored on the servers of the providers, as far as they are part of communication processes with us or otherwise processed by us as described in this privacy policy. This data may include, in particular, master data and contact details of users, data on procedures, contracts, other processes and their contents. The providers of the cloud services also process usage data and metadata which they use for security purposes and for service optimisation.

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

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

  • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses)
  • Persons concerned: Customers, employees (e.g. employees, applicants, former employees), interested parties, communication partners.
  • Purposes of the processing: Office and organisational procedures.
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a DSGVO), Contract performance and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. DSGVO), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Used services and service providers:

Raffles and competitions

We process the personal data of participants in competitions and contests only in compliance with the relevant data protection regulations, insofar as the processing is contractually necessary for the provision, implementation and handling of the competition, the participants have consented to the processing or the processing serves our legitimate interests (e.g. in the security of the competition or the protection of our interests from misuse through the possible recording of IP addresses when submitting competition entries).

If contributions of the participants are published in the context of the competitions (e.g. in the context of a vote or presentation of the competition contributions or the winners or the reporting on the competition), we point out that the names of the participants can also be published in this context. The participants can object to this at any time.

If the competition takes place within an online platform or a social network (e.g. Facebook or Instagram, hereinafter referred to as "online platform"), the usage and data protection provisions of the respective platforms shall apply in addition. In these cases, we would like to point out that we are responsible for the information provided by the participants in the course of the competition and that enquiries regarding the competition should be addressed to us.

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

If data has also been collected for other purposes within the framework of the competition, its processing and the duration of storage are governed by the data protection information on this use (e.g. in the case of registration for the newsletter within the framework of a competition).

  • Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Persons concerned: Lottery and competition participants.
  • Purposes of the processing: Conducting prize draws and competitions.
  • Legal bases: Contract performance and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. DSGVO).

Web analysis, monitoring and optimisation

Web analysis (also known as "reach measurement") is used to evaluate the streams of visitors to our online offering and may include behaviour, interests or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of the range analysis we can, for example, identify at what time our online offer or its functions or contents are most frequently used or invite reuse. We can also understand which areas require optimisation.

In addition to web analysis we can also use test procedures, e.g. to test and optimise different versions of our online offer or its components.

For these purposes, so-called user profiles can be created and stored in a file (so-called "cookie") or similar procedures with the same purpose can be used. This information may include, for example, the content viewed, websites visited and elements used on them, and technical details such as the browser used, the computer system used and information on usage times. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this data may also be processed, depending on the provider.

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

Notes on legal bases: If we ask the users for their consent to the use of the third party providers, the legal basis for the processing of data is the consent. Otherwise, the users' data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this data protection declaration.

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), tracking (e.g. interest/behavioural profiling, use of cookies), visitor action evaluation, profiling (creation of user profiles), interest-based and behaviour-based marketing.
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymisation of the IP address).
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter a DSGVO), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter f. DSGVO).

Used services and service providers:

online marketing

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

For these purposes, so-called user profiles are created and stored in a file (so-called "cookie") or similar procedures are used, by means of which the user information relevant for the presentation of the aforementioned contents is stored. This information may include, for example, the content viewed, websites visited, online networks used, but also communication partners and technical details such as the browser used, the computer system used and information on usage times. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this data may also be processed.

The IP addresses of users are also stored. However, we use available IP masking procedures (i.e., pseudonymisation by shortening the IP address) to protect the users. In general, no clear user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) are stored within the framework of the online marketing procedure, but pseudonyms. This means that we as well as the providers of the online marketing procedures do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles.

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

As an exception, clear data can be assigned to the profiles. This is the case, for example, if the users are members of a social network whose online marketing methods we use and the network links the users' profiles with the aforementioned data. Please note that users can make additional agreements with the providers, e.g. by giving their consent during registration.

As a matter of principle, we only have access to summarised information about the success of our advertisements. However, in the course of so-called conversion measurements, we can check which of our online marketing procedures have led to a so-called conversion, i.e., for example, to the conclusion of a contract with us. The conversion measurement is used solely to analyse the success of our marketing measures.

Unless otherwise stated, we ask you to assume that cookies used are stored for a period of two years.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask the users for their consent to the use of the third party providers, the legal basis for the processing of data is the consent. Otherwise, the users' data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this data protection declaration.

Facebook-Pixel: On the one hand, the Facebook-Pixel enables Facebook to determine the visitors of our online offer as a target group for the presentation of ads (so-called "Facebook ads"). Accordingly, we use the Facebook-Pixel to display the Facebook Ads placed by us only to those users on Facebook and within the services of partners cooperating with Facebook (so-called "Audience Network" https://www.facebook.com/audiencenetwork/ ) who have also shown an interest in our online offer or who exhibit certain characteristics (e.g. interest in certain topics or products that can be seen from the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (so-called "Custom Audiences"). With the help of the Facebook-Pixel, we also want to ensure that our Facebook ads correspond to the potential interest of the users and do not appear annoying. The Facebook-Pixel also enables us to track the effectiveness of Facebook Ads for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users have been redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook Ad (so-called "conversion measurement").

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), location data (data indicating the location of an end user's end device).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), interested parties.
  • Purposes of the processing: Tracking (e.g. interest/behavioural profiling, use of cookies), remarketing, visitor action evaluation, interest-based and behaviour-based marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles), conversion measurement (measurement of the effectiveness of marketing measures), reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), target group formation (determination of target groups relevant for marketing purposes or other output of content), cross-device tracking (cross-device processing of user data for marketing purposes).
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymisation of the IP address).
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter a DSGVO), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter f. DSGVO).
  • Possibility of opposition (opt-out): We refer to the data protection notices of the respective providers and the possibilities of objection (so-called "opt-out") indicated for the providers. If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, it is possible to switch off cookies in the settings of your browser. However, this may restrict the functions of our online offer. We therefore recommend the following additional opt-out options, which are offered in summary form for the respective areas: (a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu. (b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices. (c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices. (d) Transnational: https://optout.aboutads.info.

Used services and service providers:

  • Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution with which we can manage so-called website tags via an interface and thus integrate other services into our online offer (for more information on this, please refer to this data protection declaration). With the Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags), no user profiles are created or cookies are stored. Google only learns the IP address of the user, which is necessary to run the Google Tag Manager. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
  • Google Analytics: Online marketing and web analytics; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-Out: Opt-Out Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertising: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
  • Google Ad Manager: We use the "Google Marketing Platform" (and services such as "Google Ad Manager") to place ads on the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on web pages, etc.). The Google Marketing Platform is characterised by the fact that ads are displayed in real time based on presumed interests of users. This allows us to display ads for and within our online offering in a more targeted manner in order to show users only ads that potentially match their interests. For example, if a user is shown ads for products that he or she has been interested in on other websites, this is called "remarketing". Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
  • Facebook-Pixel:Service provider: https://www.facebook.com, Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, parent company: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy;Possibility of opposition (opt-out): https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads.
  • Twitter: Twitter marketing and advertising; service provider: Twitter Inc, 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; website: https://twitter.com/de; privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Possibility of opposition (opt-out): https://twitter.com/personalization.

Affiliate programmes and affiliate links

We include so-called affiliate links or other references (which may include search masks, widgets or discount codes) to the offers and services of third parties in our online offer (collectively referred to as "affiliate links"). If users follow the affiliate links or subsequently take advantage of the offers, we may receive commission or other benefits from these third party providers (collectively referred to as "commission").

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

For the purposes of the above-mentioned allocation of affiliate links, the affiliate links may be supplemented by certain values which are a component of the link or may be stored elsewhere, e.g. in a cookie. These values may include in particular the initial website (referrer), the time, an online identification of the operator of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identification of the respective offer, the type of link used, the type of offer and an online identification of the user.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask the users for their consent to the use of the third party providers, the legal basis for the processing of data is the consent. Furthermore, their use can be a component of our (pre-)contractual services, provided that the use of the third party providers has been agreed in this context. Otherwise, the users' data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this data protection declaration.

  • Processed data types: Contract data (e.g. subject matter of contract, duration, customer category), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Affiliate tracking.
  • Legal bases:Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a DSGVO), Contract performance and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. DSGVO), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Used services and service providers:

  • Amazon Partner Program: Amazon - Affiliate Program - Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or one of its affiliates. service provider: Amazon Europe Core S.à.r.l., Amazon EU S.à.r.l., Amazon Services Europe S.à.r.l. and Amazon Media EU S.à.r.l., all four located at 38, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, and Amazon Instant Video Germany GmbH, Domagkstr. 28, 80807 Munich (together "Amazon Europe"), parent company: Amazon.com, Inc., 2021 Seventh Ave, Seattle, Washington 98121, USA; Website: https://www.amazon.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010.

Presence in social networks (social media)

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

Please note that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may entail risks for the users, as it could, for example, make it more difficult to enforce the rights of the users.

Furthermore, user data within social networks is usually processed for market research and advertising purposes. Thus, for example, user profiles can be created on the basis of user behaviour and the resulting interests of the users. The user profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place advertisements within and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the users' computers, in which the usage behaviour and interests of the users are stored. Furthermore, data may also be stored in the user profiles independently of the devices used by the users (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in to these).

For a detailed presentation of the respective forms of processing and the possibilities of objection (opt-out), we refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

Also in the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would like to point out that these can most effectively be asserted with the providers. Only the providers have access to the data of the users and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. Should you nevertheless require assistance, you can contact us.

  • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of the processing: Contact requests and communication, tracking (e.g. interest/behavioural profiling, use of cookies), remarketing, reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • Legal bases: Justified interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Used services and service providers:

Plugins and embedded functions and content

We integrate into our online offer functional and content elements that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as "third party providers"). These may, for example, be graphics, videos or social media buttons and contributions (hereinafter referred to uniformly as "content").

The integration always presupposes that the third party providers of this content process the IP address of the users, as without the IP address they would not be able to send the content to their browsers. The IP address is therefore necessary for the display of these contents or functions. We make every effort to use only such content whose respective providers use the IP address only to deliver the content. Third party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as "web beacons") for statistical or marketing purposes. Pixel tags" can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user's device and may contain technical information on the browser and operating system, websites to be referred to, the time of visit and other details on the use of our online offer, as well as being linked to such information from other sources.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask the users for their consent to the use of the third party providers, the legal basis for the processing of data is the consent. Otherwise, the users' data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this data protection declaration.

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), location data (data indicating the location of an end user's terminal device), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), communication partners.
  • Purposes of the processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness, contractual benefits and service, contact enquiries and communication, direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post), tracking (e.g. interest/behavioural profiling, use of cookies), interest-based and behavioural marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles).
  • Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter f. DSGVO), consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 letter a DSGVO).

Used services and service providers:

  • Facebook-Plugins and -Content: Facebook social plugins and content - This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Facebook. The list and appearance of Facebook Social Plugins can be viewed here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/; service provider: https://www.facebook.com, Facebook Ireland Ltd, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, parent company: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Opt-out: Advertising settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads.
  • Font Awesome: Display of fonts and symbols; service provider: Fonticons, Inc. .6 Porter Road Apartment 3R, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA; website: https://fontawesome.com/; Privacy Policy: https://fontawesome.com/privacy.
  • Google Fonts: We integrate the fonts ("Google Fonts") of the provider Google, whereby the data of the users are used solely for the purpose of displaying the fonts in the browser of the users. The integration is based on our legitimate interests in a technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts, their uniform presentation and taking into account possible restrictions under licensing law for their integration. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; website: https://fonts.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
  • Google Maps: We integrate the maps of the service "Google Maps" of the provider Google. The processed data may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of the users, which, however, cannot be collected without their consent (usually within the framework of the settings of their mobile devices); service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform; privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; opt-out: opt-out plug-in: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertising: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
  • Content from Getty Images: Integration of Getty Images - images; service provider: Getty Images, Inc., 605 5th Avenue South, Suite 400, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA; Website: https://www.gettyimages.de; Privacy policy: https://www.gettyimages.de/company/privacy-policy.
  • ReCaptcha: We integrate the function "ReCaptcha" for the recognition of bots, e.g. when entering data into online forms. The behaviour data of the users (e.g. mouse movements or queries) are evaluated in order to be able to distinguish people from bots. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://www.google.com/recaptcha/; privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; opt-out: opt-out plug-in: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertising: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
  • Twitter-Plugins und -Content: Twitter plug-ins and buttons - These can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Twitter. Service provider: Twitter Inc, 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; website: https://twitter.com/de; Privacy policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy.
  • Typekit-fonts from Adobe: We integrate the fonts ("Typekit fonts") of the provider Adobe, whereby the users' data is used solely for the purpose of displaying the fonts in the users' browser. The integration is based on our legitimate interests in a technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts, their uniform presentation and taking into account possible restrictions under licensing law for their integration. Service provider: Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited, 4-6 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Ireland; website: https://www.adobe.com/de; Privacy Policy: https://www.adobe.com/de/privacy.html.

Deletion of data

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as their consent permitted for processing is revoked or other authorisations cease to apply (e.g. if the purpose for processing these data ceases to apply or if they are not necessary for the purpose).

Unless the data are deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing is limited to these purposes. This means that the data will be blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for reasons of commercial or tax law or that must be stored for the assertion, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person.

Further information on the deletion of personal data can also be found in the individual data protection notes of this privacy policy.

Amendment and update of the privacy policy

We ask you to inform yourself regularly about the content of our data protection declaration. We will adapt the data protection declaration as soon as changes in the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes make it necessary for you to take action to cooperate (e.g. to give your consent) or to receive other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organisations in this privacy policy, please note that the addresses may change over time and please check the information before contacting us.

Rights of data subjects

As data subjects, they are entitled to various rights under the DSGVO, which result in particular from Art. 15 to 21 DSGVO:

  • Right of objection: You have the right to object at any time, for reasons arising from your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you that is carried out pursuant to Art. 6, paragraph 1, letter e or f of the DPA; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If personal data concerning you are processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing, including profiling, insofar as it is linked to such direct marketing.
  • Right of revocation for consents: You have the right to revoke any consent you have given at any time.
  • Right of access to information: You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether or not data in question is being processed and to obtain information about this data, as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Right of rectification: You have the right, in accordance with the law, to request the completion of data concerning you or the correction of incorrect data concerning you.
  • Right of cancellation and limitation of processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to demand that data concerning you be deleted immediately, or alternatively, in accordance with the statutory provisions, to demand that the processing of the data be restricted.
  • Right to data transferability: You have the right, in accordance with legal requirements, to receive data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format or to request that it be transferred to another responsible party.
  • Complaint to the supervisory authority: You also have the right, in accordance with the statutory provisions, to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of suspected infringement, if you believe that the processing of personal data relating to you is in breach of the DSGVO.

Definitions of terms

This section provides an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are taken from the law and defined above all in Art. 4 DSGVO. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to help you understand them. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

  • Affiliate tracking: As part of affiliate tracking, links are logged with the help of which the linking websites refer users to websites with product or other offers. The operators of the respective linking websites can receive a commission if users follow these so-called affiliate links and then take advantage of the offers (e.g. purchase goods or services). To this end, it is necessary for the providers to be able to track whether users who are interested in certain offers subsequently take notice of them at the instigation of the affiliate links. It is therefore necessary for the functionality of affiliate links that they are supplemented by certain values which become part of the link or are stored in some other way, e.g. in a cookie. These values include in particular the initial website (referrer), the time, an online identification of the operator of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identification of the respective offer, an online identification of the user as well as tracking specific values, such as advertising material ID, partner ID and categorisations.
  • Visit action evaluation: "Conversion tracking" is a method of determining the effectiveness of marketing activities. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the user's devices within the websites on which the marketing measures take place and then retrieved again on the target website. For example, we can then track whether the ads we have placed on other websites have been successful).
  • Content Delivery Network (CDN): A "Content Delivery Network" (CDN) is a service by means of which the content of an online offer, in particular large media files such as graphics or programme scripts, can be delivered faster and more securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet.
  • Cross-Device Tracking: Cross-device tracking is a form of tracking in which the behaviour and interest information of users is recorded in so-called profiles across devices by assigning users an online identifier. In this way, the user information can be analysed for marketing purposes, independent of the browsers or devices used (e.g. mobile phones or desktop computers). With most providers, the online identification is not linked to clear data, such as names, postal or e-mail addresses.
  • IP-Masking: IP masking is a method of deleting the last octet, i.e. the last two digits of an IP address, so that the IP address can no longer be used to uniquely identify a person. IP masking is therefore a means of pseudonymising processing methods, particularly in online marketing
  • Interest based and behaviour based marketing: One speaks of interest-based and/or behavioural marketing when the potential interests of users in advertisements and other content are predetermined as precisely as possible. This is done on the basis of information on their previous behaviour (e.g. visiting and staying on certain websites, purchasing behaviour or interaction with other users), which is stored in a so-called profile. As a rule, cookies are used for these purposes.
  • Conversion measurement: Conversion measurement is a method to determine the effectiveness of marketing activities. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the user's devices within the websites on which the marketing measures take place and then retrieved again on the target website. For example, we are able to track whether the ads we have placed on other websites have been successful.
  • Personal data: "Personal data" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as "data subject"); an identifiable 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 (e.g. a cookie) or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person
  • Profiling: Profiling" is any automated processing of personal data which consists of using personal data to analyse, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include information on age, gender, location and movement data, interaction with websites and their content, shopping behaviour, social interactions with other people) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behaviour on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
  • Range measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offering and can include the behaviour or interests of visitors in certain information, such as the content of websites. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can, for example, identify at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This enables them to better adapt the contents of the website to the needs of their visitors. Pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used for the purpose of range analysis in order to recognise returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offer.
  • Remarketing: One speaks of "remarketing" or "retargeting", for example, when it is noted for advertising purposes which products a user has been interested in on a website in order to remind the user of these products on other websites, e.g. in advertisements.
  • Tracking: One speaks of "tracking" when the behaviour of users can be traced across several online offers. As a rule, behavioural and interest information regarding the online offers used is stored in cookies or on servers of the providers of the tracking technologies (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to correspond to their interests.
  • Responsible person: The "controller" is 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.
  • Processing: "Processing" means any operation or set of operations which is performed upon personal data, whether or not by automatic means. The term is broad and covers virtually all handling of data, whether it be collection, analysis, storage, communication or deletion.
  • Target group formation: One speaks of target group formation (or "custom audiences") when target groups are determined for advertising purposes, e.g. insertion of advertisements. For example, based on a user's interest in certain products or topics on the internet, it can be concluded that this user is interested in advertisements for similar products or the online shop where he/she viewed the products. Lookalike Audiences" (or similar target groups) is again referred to when the content deemed suitable is displayed to users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were created. Cookies and web beacons are generally used to create custom audiences and lookalike audiences.