Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This privacy policy is intended to inform users of this website about the nature, extent and purpose of the collection and use of personal data by the website operator.

The website operator takes your privacy very seriously and treats your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the law. As new technologies and the constant development of this website may result in changes to this privacy policy, we recommend that you read this privacy policy again at regular intervals.

2. General Information

2.1 Processing of Personal Data and Other Terms

The Privacy Policy applies to the processing of personal data. Personal data means any data by which you can be personally identified. This and other legal definitions can be found in Art. 4 GDPR.

2.2 Applicable Regulations/Laws

The scope of data protection is regulated by law. In this case, these are the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) as a European regulation and the BDSG (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz) as a German national law.

In addition, the TTDSG (Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act) supplements the provisions of the GDPR as far as the use of cookies is concerned.

2.3 Responsibility

The website operator is responsible for the data processing on this website within the meaning of the GDPR. This is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data. The responsible person can be contacted at:

Konstantin Starke
Sandweg
60316 Frankfurt am Main
GERMANY

E-mail: [email protected]

2.5 Hosting

This website is hosted externally. The personal data collected on this website are stored on the hoster’s servers. This includes automatically collected and stored log files (for more details, see 3.1 Data collection when accessing the website), as well as any other data provided by website visitors. The purpose of the external hosting is to provide a secure, fast and reliable service for our website.

The legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a, b, and f GDPR, as well as § 25 (1) TTDSG, insofar as consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information in the terminal device of the website visitor or user as defined by the TTDSG.

Our hoster only processes data that is necessary to fulfil its service obligations and acts as our data processor, i.e. it is subject to our instructions. We have concluded a corresponding data processing agreement with our hoster.

We use the following hoster:

Bluehost Inc., Newfold Digital
https://newfold.com/privacy-center

3. What Happens on Our Website

When you visit our website, we process personal information about you. To protect this information from unauthorised access by third parties, we use SSL or TLS encryption.

Below you will find out what data is collected when you visit our website, for what purpose and on what legal basis.

3.1 Data Collection when Accessing the Website

When you access the Website, information is automatically stored in so-called ‘server log files’. This includes the following information:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system used
• Referrer URL
• Hostname of the accessing computer
• Time of the server request
• IP address

This data is temporarily required to ensure that our website can be displayed without interruption. In particular, this information is used for the following purposes:

• System security of the website
• System stability of the website
• Website troubleshooting
• Connecting to the website
• Website presentation

Data processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR and is based on our legitimate interest in the processing of this data, in particular the interest in the functionality of the website and its security.

Wherever possible, this data is stored under a pseudonym and deleted after the purpose for which it was collected has been fulfilled.

Server log files are stored for a maximum of 14 days and then deleted. The data is stored for security reasons, e.g. to be able to clarify cases of misuse. If data must be retained for evidence purposes, it will not be deleted until the matter has been resolved.

3.2 Cookies

3.2.1 General

This website uses so-called cookies for pseudonymised audience measurement, which are sent to the user’s browser either by our server or by the server of a third party. Cookies are small files that are stored on your terminal. Your browser accesses these files. The use of cookies increases the user-friendliness and security of this website.

3.2.2 Reject Cookies

If you do not want cookies to be stored on your device, you can refuse the use of these files here:

• The Network Advertising Initiative’s cookie opt-out page: http://optout.networkadvertising.org/?c=1#!/
• US site’s cookie opt-out page: http://optout.aboutads.info/?c=2#!/
• European site’s cookie opt-out page: http://optout.networkadvertising.org/?c=1#!/

Most browsers allow you to disable cookies. However, we must inform you that the full blocking/deletion of cookies may result in a reduced ability to use the website.

It is also possible to use our website without cookies. Most browsers are set to accept cookies automatically. However, you can deactivate the storage of cookies or set your browser to notify you when cookies are sent.

3.3 Data Processing through User Input

3.3.1 Own Data Collection

The Website Operator collects, uses and discloses your personal data only to the extent permitted by law or with your consent. The legal basis for this data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR.

Personal data is any information that can be used to identify you personally and that can be traced back to you – for example, your name, e-mail address and telephone number.

You can visit this website without providing any personal information. However, in order to improve our online services, we store your access data to this website (without personal reference). This access data includes, for example, the file you requested or the name of your Internet provider. By anonymising the data, it is not possible to draw any conclusions about your person.

We delete your data when the purpose and the legal basis for processing no longer exist and the deletion does not conflict with any other legal obligation (see Article 17 GDPR for your reference).

3.3.2 Dealing with Contact Details

If you contact us as the website operator via the contact options provided, your details will be stored so that they can be used to process and respond to your request. This information will not be shared with third parties without your consent.

a. Email

If you contact us by email, we will process your email address and any other data contained in the email. This will be stored on the mail server and, in some cases, on the relevant terminal equipment. Depending on the request, the legal basis for this is usually Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR or Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. The data will be deleted as soon as the respective purpose no longer applies and this is possible according to the legal requirements.

b. Contact Form

We offer a contact form. You can use this to contact us.

In this form we usually process your name (e.g. first name and surname) and your email address as well as the content of the message. The data will be stored on our web servers.

The legal basis for data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b and f GDPR, as it serves the implementation of (pre-)contractual measures, which are carried out in response to your request, and we have a legitimate interest in carrying out our business activities.

We will delete this data no later than 3 months after receipt, unless it is required for a contractual relationship that has been entered into. We link to the WPForms LLC contact form on our website.

Details: https://wpforms.com/privacy-policy/

3.3.3 Dealing with Comments and Contributions

If you make a contribution or comment on this website, your IP address will be stored. This is done on the basis of our legitimate interests as defined in Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR and serves our security as a website operator: Because if your comment violates applicable law, we may be prosecuted for it, so we have an interest in knowing the identity of the author of the comment or post.

When you post a comment, it is stored indefinitely, including metadata. This allows us to automatically identify and approve subsequent comments, rather than holding them in a moderation queue.

For users who register on our site, we also store the personal information they provide in their user profiles. All users can view, change or delete their personal information at any time (the username cannot be changed). Site administrators can also view and edit this information.

If you are a registered user and upload photos to this site, you should avoid uploading photos with an EXIF GPS location. Visitors to this site could download photos stored on this site and extract their location information.

3.4 Newsletter

We use a newsletter plugin to deliver our newsletter. This service is used to organise and analyse the sending of newsletters. The data entered to receive the newsletter is stored on the servers of the service. The newsletter plugin can be used to analyse interactions with the newsletter.

It can also be used to measure conversion rates and categorise newsletter users in order to tailor the newsletter to different audiences. You may object to this analysis.

The legal basis for the processing is Art. 6 para 1 lit. a GDPR and §25 para 1 TTDSG. Consent may be revoked at any time by unsubscribing from the newsletter. The lawfulness of any processing already carried out shall remain unaffected by any revocation. The data will be deleted at the end of the contract between us and the newsletter plugin, unless the website visitor withdraws his or her consent beforehand. In this case, the data will be removed from the mailing list.

In addition, after unsubscribing from the newsletter, the email address will be kept on a blacklist for an indefinite period of time, separate from the other data.

The legal basis for this is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. It serves the interests of the website visitor as well as our interest in using/operating a newsletter in accordance with legal requirements.

More details: https://www.thenewsletterplugin.com/legal/privacy

3.5. Analysis and tracking tools

3.5.1 Google Analytics

Due to our legitimate interest in the optimization and analysis of our online offer within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. DSGVO. GDPR, we use the service “Google Analytics”, which is provided by Google Inc. (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA). The service (Google Analytics) uses “cookies” – text files that are stored on your device. The information collected by the cookie is generally sent to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.

Google LLC complies with the European Data Protection Act and is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement: https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active.

This website uses IP anonymization. Within the member states of the EU, the European Economic Area and the other countries that are party to the agreement, the IP address of the user is shortened. Only in individual cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA, where it will be truncated. This truncation removes any personal reference to your IP address. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage.

The information collected by Google on our behalf is used to evaluate the use of our website by individual users, e.g. to compile reports on website activity in order to improve our website.

3.5.2 VG Wort

We use VG Wort tracking pixels on this website. VG Wort Zählpixel is a website analysis service. This service is offered by Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort – VG WORT (association with the legal virtues of conferral(, Untere Weidenstraße 5, 81543 Munich. With the help of the VG Wort tracking pixels, views of the texts are recorded and forwarded anonymously to VG Wort to determine the remuneration for the authors. VG Wort Zählpixel uses cookies to prevent incorrect measurements and fraud.

The legal basis for the processing is Art 6 para. 1 lit. (f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in collecting this analysis in order to ensutre remuneration for the texts published on its website.

3.5.3 Cookies

You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. If your browser does not accept cookies, we cannot guarantee that you will have full access to all the functions of this website.

You can also use a browser plugin to prevent the information collected by cookies (including your IP address) from being sent to and used by Google Inc. The following link will take you to the appropriate plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de

You can find more information about the use of data by Google Inc. here:

• https://policies.google.com/privacy/partners?hl=de (information collected by Google’s partners)
• https://adssettings.google.de/authenticated (preferences about the ads you see)
• https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads?hl=de (use of cookies in ads)

4. Your Rights

The GDPR provides you with comprehensive rights. These include, for example, free information about the origin, recipient, and purpose of your stored personal data. You can also request the rectification, blocking, or erasure of this data or lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority

4.1. Right to information according to Art. 15 GDPR

You can request information about whether your personal data is being processed. If this is the case, you can request further information about the type and manner of processing. A detailed list can be found in Art. 15 para. 1 lit. a to h GDPR.

4.2 Right to rectification according to Art. 16 GDPR

This right includes the correction of inaccurate data and the completion of incomplete personal data.

4.3 Right to deletion according to Art. 17 GDPR

This so-called ‘right to be forgotten’ gives you the right, under certain conditions, to demand the deletion of personal data by the controller. This is generally the case if the purpose of the data processing has ceased to exist, if consent has been revoked, or if the initial processing took place without legal basis.

You can find a detailed list of reasons in Art. 17 para. 1 lit. a to f GDPR. Furthermore, this “right to be forgotten” corresponds with the obligation of the controller under Art. 17 para. 29 GDPR to take appropriate measures to bring about a general erasure of the data.

4.4 Right to restriction of precessing according to Art. 18 GDPR

This right is subject to the conditions set out in Art. 18 para. 1 lit. a to d GDPR.

4.5. Right to data portability according to Art. 20 GDPR

Here, the basic right to receive one’s own data in a common form and to transfer it to another data controller is regulated. However, this only applies to data processed on the basis of consent or a contract pursuant to Art. 20 para. 1 lit. a and b GDPR and to the extent that this is technically feasible.

4.6 Right of objection according to Art. 21 GDPR

In principle, you can object to the processing of your personal data. This applies, in particular, if your interest in objecting outweighs the legitimate interest of the controller in the processing and if the processing relates to direct marketing and/or profiling.

4.7 Other rights

The GDPR includes comprehensive rights to inform third parties whether or how you have asserted rights under Art. 16, 17, 18 GDPR. This, however, only insofar as this is also possible or feasible with a reasonable effort.

At this point, we would like to inform you once again of your right to withdraw your consent in accordance with Art. 7 para. 3 of the GDPR. However, this does not affect the lawfulness of the processing carried out up to that point.

In addition, we would like to inform you about your right according to §§ 32 ff. BDSG, which, however, are largely congruent with the rights just described.

4.8 Right of appeal according to Art. 77 GDPR

You also have the right to complain to a data protection supervisory authority if you consider that a processing of personal data concerning you infringes this Regulation.