Terms Press Distribution List

riba:businesstalk GmbH
Klostergut Besselich
D-56182 Urbar/Koblenz

Tel.: +49 261-96 37 57 0
Fax: +49 261-96 37 57 11
Website: https://www.riba.eu/

Managing Director: Ralf Riba
Registry Court: District Court of Koblenz
Commercial Register Number: HRB 20679
VAT Identification Number: DE 814584763

Disclaimer

Although we have carefully checked the content of external links, we assume no liability for such content. The operators of the linked pages are solely responsible for their content.

Collection and processing of personal data

When you visit our website, our web servers will automatically save the name of your Internet service provider, the website from which you were redirected, the pages you access on our website, and the date and duration of your visit. Any other personal data will only be stored if you provide this data yourself (e.g. if you register with us, submit a survey, enter a competition or enter into a contract with us).

Use and disclosure of personal information and purpose limitation.

Riba:BusinessTalk will use your personal data for the purposes of technical website administration, customer management, product surveys and marketing only to the extent required in each case.

Privacy

Privacy Policy

The aim of this privacy policy is to inform you about the nature, scope and purpose of the processing of personal data (referred to simply as “data”) as part of our online services and the associated web pages, features, content and external online offers such as our social media profiles (hereinafter referred to collectively as our “online services”). The terms used in this privacy policy (e.g. “processing” or “controller”) are defined in Art. 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Data protection officer
eikenroth DATENSCHUTZ & WEB
Licher Pforte 10
D-35423 Lich
Tel.: +49 6404 20 80 100
www.eikenroth.eu

Types of data processed:

– Basic information (e.g. names, addresses)
– Contact details (e.g. email addresses, telephone numbers)
– Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos)
– Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times)
– Metadata / communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses)

Categories of data subjects

Anyone who visits and uses our online services (data subjects are also referred to collectively as “users”).

Purpose of processing

– To provide our online services and the associated features and content
– To respond to enquiries and messages from users
– To ensure security
– To measure reach / conduct marketing

Terms used

“Personal data” means any information related 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 (e.g. cookie), or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

“Processing” means any operation or set of operations performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means. This is a broad term that encompasses practically any use of data.

“Pseudonymisation” means the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data cannot be attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

“Profiling” means any form of automated data processing used to evaluate certain personal aspects related to a natural person, particularly to analyse or predict aspects concerning that natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements.

“Controller” means any 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.

“Processor” means any natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body that processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

Relevant legal basis

In accordance with Art. 13 GDPR, we will inform you about the relevant legal basis for our data processing in each case. If a legal basis is not specified in this privacy policy, the following applies: If we process your data after obtaining your consent, the legal basis will be point (a) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR and Art. 7 GDPR; if we process your data to provide our services and carry out contractual measures or to respond to enquiries, the legal basis will be point (b) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR; if we process your data to comply with our legal obligations, the legal basis will be point (c) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR; and if we process your data to pursue or safeguard our legitimate interests, the legal basis will be point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. If data processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of data subjects or any other natural persons, the legal basis will be point (d) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR.

Security measures

In accordance with Art. 32 GDPR, we take appropriate technical and organisational measures to guarantee an adequate level of protection against the risks posed to the rights and freedoms of natural persons during data processing, taking into account the probability and severity of such risks, the current state of technology, implementation costs and the type, scope, circumstances and purposes of our data processing.

In particular, these measures are intended to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data, including controlling physical and digital access to data, controlling data entries and disclosure, and ensuring the availability and separation of data. We have also established the necessary procedures to ensure that data subjects can exercise their rights, to ensure the deletion of data and to respond to data threats. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account when developing or selecting hardware and software according to the principle of data protection by design and by default (Art. 25 GDPR).

Cooperation with processors and third parties

If we disclose or transmit your data to other persons or companies (processors or third parties) or otherwise grant them access to your data as part of our processing, this will only be done if we are legally permitted to do so (e.g. if your data has to be sent to third parties, such as payment service providers, to perform a contract in accordance with point (b) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR), or if you give your consent, if we are legally obliged to do so, or if we have a legitimate interest in doing so (e.g. when using agents, web hosts).

If we instruct third parties to process your data on the basis of a “data processing agreement”, this will be done on the basis of Art. 28 GDPR.

Transfers to third countries

If we process your data in a third country, i.e. outside of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), or if this happens when we use third-party services or disclose / transmit your data to third parties, this will only be done if you have given your consent or if it is necessary for us to perform our (pre-)contractual obligations, comply with a legal obligation or pursue our legitimate interests. Subject to legal or contractual permissions, we will only process or have your data processed in a third country if the special requirements of Art. 44 et seq. GDPR are met. This means that the processing will be performed, for example, on the basis of special safeguards such as the official recognition of a level of data protection corresponding to the level of protection ensured in the EU (e.g. “Privacy Shield” for the USA), or on the basis of special contractual obligations (“standard contractual clauses”).

Rights of data subjects

You have the right to request confirmation as to whether your personal data is being processed; this being the case, you have the right to access your data and further information and a copy of your data in accordance with Art. 15 GDPR.

In accordance with Art. 16 GDPR, you have the right to request the supplementation of any incomplete data and the rectification of any incorrect data concerning you.

You have the right to request the immediate deletion of your data in accordance with Art. 17 GDPR or, alternatively, to request the restriction of processing in accordance with Art. 18 GDPR.

In accordance with Art. 20 GDPR, you have the right to receive any personal data you have provided to us and to have your data transferred to other controllers.

In accordance with Art. 77 GDPR, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Withdrawal of consent

In accordance with Art. 7 (3) GDPR, you have the right to withdraw any consent you have given with future effect.

Right to object

In accordance with Art. 21 GDPR, you may object to the future processing of your personal data at any time. In particular, you may object to processing for direct marketing purposes.

Cookies and right to object to direct marketing

“Cookies” are small files that are saved on a user’s computer. They can be used to store various pieces of information. Cookies are mainly used to store information about a user (or the device on which the cookies are stored) during or after their visit to a website. “Temporary cookies” or “session cookies” are deleted after a user leaves a website and closes their browser. These cookies can be used, for example, to save the content of a shopping cart in an online store or to remember a user’s log-in status. “Permanent cookies” remain stored even after a user has closed their browser. For example, this allows a user’s log-in status to be saved if they return to a website after several days. These cookies can also be used to store a user’s interests for reach measurement and marketing purposes. “Third-party cookies” are those offered by providers other than the controller in charge of the online services (the controller’s own cookies are known as “first-party cookies”).

We may use temporary and permanent cookies, and we will provide more information in the following sections of our privacy policy.

If you do not want cookies to be saved on your computer, please disable the relevant option in your browser settings. You can also delete any saved cookies in your browser settings. If you disable or delete cookies, however, you might not be able to fully use all features of our online services.

You can generally object to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes for a large number of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the US website https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU website https://www.youronlinechoices.com/. You can also prevent cookies from being stored by switching them off in your browser settings. If you do this, however, please note that you might not be able to use all features of our online services.

Deletion of data

The data we process will be deleted – or data processing will be restricted – in accordance with Art. 17 and 18 GDPR. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in this privacy policy, the data we store will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for the intended purpose, provided that the deletion does not conflict with our statutory retention obligations. If data is not deleted because it is required for other legally permissible purposes, we will restrict our data processing. This means that the data will be blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to any data that has to be retained under commercial law or tax law.

According to the legal requirements applicable in Germany, data may be retained in particular for 10 years in accordance with Section 147 (1) of the German Fiscal Code (AO) and Sections 257 (1) No. 1 and 4 (4) of the German Commercial Code (HGB) (accounts, records, management reports, accounting documents, trading books, documents relevant to taxation, etc.) and for 6 years in accordance with Sections 257 (1) No. 2 and 3 (4) HGB (commercial letters).

According to the legal requirements applicable in Austria, data may be retained in particular for 7 years in accordance with Section 132 (1) of the Austrian Fiscal Code (BAO) (accounting documents, receipts / invoices, accounts, business papers, list of income and expenses, etc.), for 22 years in connection with real estate properties and for 10 years in the case of documents related to electronically supplied services, telecommunications and broadcasting services provided to non-entrepreneurs in EU Member States for which the Mini One-Stop Shop (MOSS) is used.

Business-related processing

In addition, we process
– contract data (e.g. subject matter, term, customer category); and
– payment data (e.g. bank details, payment history)
from our customers, prospective customers and business partners for the purpose of providing contractual services, customer service and care, marketing, advertising and market research.

Agency services

We process our customers’ data as part of our contractual services, which include conceptual and strategic advice, campaign planning, development work / consulting and maintenance for software and design elements, implementation and handling of campaigns / processes, server administration, data analysis / consulting and training services.

As part of these services, we process basic data (e.g. basic customer data such as names and addresses), contact details (e.g. email addresses, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), contract data (e.g. subject matter, term), payment data (e.g. bank details, payment history), usage data and metadata (e.g. when evaluating and measuring the success of marketing activities). We do not process special categories of personal data, unless these are processed by our commissioned processors. The data subjects include our customers, prospective customers and their customers, users, website visitors or employees and third parties. The purpose of processing is to provide contractual services, billing and customer service. The legal basis for processing can be found in point (b) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR (contractual services) and point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR (analysis, statistics, optimisation, security measures). We process the data required to establish and perform our contractually agreed services; we point out that the data has to be provided in each case. The data is only disclosed to third parties if this is required to perform the contract. When processing the data provided to us as part of a contract, we act according to the instructions of our customers and the legal requirements for processors, as specified in Art. 28 GDPR, and we do not process the data for any purposes other than those related to the contract.

We delete the data as soon as our statutory warranty obligations and similar obligations have expired. We check whether we have to continue storing data every three years; if we have to comply with statutory archiving obligations, the data is deleted as soon as our obligations no longer apply: 6 years under Section 257 (1) HGB and 10 years under Section 147 (1) AO. Any data disclosed to us by customers as part of an order is deleted according to the specifications of the order, generally once the order has been completed.

Administration, financial accounting, office organisation, contact management

We process data as part of our administrative tasks, the organisation of our operations, financial accounting and compliance with legal obligations (e.g. archiving). This involves the same data that we process when providing our contractual services. This data is processed on the basis of point (c) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR and point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. The data subjects are our customers, prospective customers, business partners and website visitors. The purpose and our legitimate interest in processing lies in administration, financial accounting, office organisation and data archiving (i.e. tasks that help us maintain our business activities, perform our tasks and provide our services). The information provided on the deletion of data related to contractual services and contractual communication also applies to these processing activities.

As part of these tasks, we disclose or transmit data to the tax authorities, consultants (e.g. tax consultants and auditors) and other offices responsible for fees and charges, as well as payment service providers.

We also store information on our suppliers, organisers and other business partners to pursue our business interests (e.g. for the purpose of contacting such business partners again in the future). This data, most of which relates to companies, is generally stored permanently.

Business analysis and market research

In order to run our business economically, identify market trends and respond to the needs of our contractual partners and users, we analyse data available on business transactions, contracts, enquiries, etc. We process basic data, communication data, contract data, payment data, usage data and metadata on the basis of point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. The data subjects are our contractual partners, customers, prospective customers, and visitors and users of our online services.

The data is analysed for the purpose of business evaluations, marketing and market research. As part of our analysis, we may take into account the profiles of registered users with certain information (e.g. on the services they have used). The analysis helps to increase user-friendliness, optimise our services and make our business more efficient. The analysis is only used by us; it is not disclosed to third parties, except for in the case of anonymous analysis containing summarised values.

If the analysis or profiles contain personal data, they are deleted or anonymised when the relevant contract is terminated by users, or two years after the conclusion of the contract. However, we always conduct general business analysis and identify trends anonymously where possible.

Registration feature

You have the option of creating a user account. We will let you know which information we require during the registration process. This data will then be processed on the basis of point (b) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR for the purpose of providing your user account. The processed data will mainly include your log-in details (name, password and email address). The data entered during the registration process will be used for the purpose of enabling the use of your user account and its features.

You may receive information related to your user account (e.g. technical changes) by email. If you close your user account, the data relating to your user account will be deleted, subject to any statutory retention obligations. If you terminate the contract before the end of its term, you will be responsible for backing up your data. We will be entitled to irrevocably delete any data you may have stored during the term of the contract.

If you use our registration and log-in features and access your user account, we will save your IP address and the time of your activities. This data will be stored to pursue our legitimate interests and to safeguard your interest in the prevention of misuse and other forms of unauthorised use. We will not disclose your data to third parties, unless this is necessary for us to pursue our legal claims or if we are legally obliged to do so in accordance with point (c) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. Your IP address will be anonymised or deleted after 7 days at the latest.

Comments and posts

If you leave any comments or other posts, your IP address may be stored for 7 days on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. This will be done for our safety in case someone’s comments or posts contain unlawful content (e.g. abuse, forbidden political propaganda). As we may be prosecuted for such comments or posts, we have a legitimate interest in identifying the author.

We also reserve the right to process the information you provide for the purpose of detecting spam on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR.

On the same legal basis, we reserve the right to store your IP address for the duration of any surveys you choose to answer and to use cookies to avoid multiple voting.

Any data you provide in comments and posts will be stored permanently until you raise an objection.

Comment subscriptions

You can subscribe to any follow-up comments if you give your consent in accordance with point (a) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. You will then receive a confirmation email to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided. You can unsubscribe from follow-up comments at any time. The confirmation email will contain information as to how you can cancel your subscription. For the purpose of proving that you have given your consent, we will store the time of your subscription together with your IP address; this information will be deleted if you cancel your subscription.

You may cancel your subscription at any time by withdrawing your consent. Before deleting your unsubscribed email address, however, we may continue to store it for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests to prove that you have given your consent in the past. The processing of this data will be limited to the purpose of defending against claims. You may submit a specific request for deletion at any time, provided that you confirm that you have previously given your consent.

Contacting us

If you contact us (e.g. via our contact form, by email, by telephone or via social media), the information you provide will be processed for the purpose of handling your enquiry in accordance with point (b) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR (within the scope of (pre-)contractual relationships) or point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR (other enquiries). The information you provide may be stored in a customer relationship management system (CRM system) or a similar system used for organising enquiries.

We will delete your enquiries if they are no longer necessary. We will check whether we have to continue storing your information every two years; the statutory archiving obligations also apply.

Newsletter

The following section contains information on the content of our newsletter and the relevant subscription, delivery and statistical evaluation processes, as well as your right to object. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive it and consent to the processes described here.

Newsletter content: We will only send you newsletters, emails and other electronic notifications containing advertising information (hereinafter referred to collectively as “newsletters”) if you give your consent or if we are legally permitted to do so. If the content of the newsletter is specifically described when you subscribe to the newsletter, your consent will apply to that specific content. Our newsletter also contains information about our company and services.

Double opt-in and logging: We use the “double opt-in” process for subscriptions to our newsletter. In other words, once you have subscribed, you will receive an email for you to confirm whether you would like to receive the newsletter. This confirmation is necessary to prevent someone from subscribing with another person’s email address. Your newsletter subscription will be logged to prove that the subscription process has been carried out in accordance with the legal requirements. As part of this process, we will store the time you subscribe to our newsletter and confirm your subscription, as well as your IP address. Any changes to your data stored by the newsletter service provider will also be logged.

Subscription data: In order to subscribe to our newsletter, you only have to provide your email address. You will also be prompted to enter your name (optional), so that we can address you personally in our newsletters.

If you give your consent, we will send you our newsletter on the basis of point (a) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR and Art. 7 GDPR in conjunction with Section 7 (2) No. 3 of the German Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG); if we do not have to obtain your consent, the legal basis will be our legitimate interests in direct marketing in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR in conjunction with Section 7 (3) UWG.

The subscription process will be logged on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in using a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves our business needs while meeting users’ expectations and allowing us to prove that consent has been given.

Cancellation: You may cancel your newsletter subscription at any time by withdrawing your consent. You will find a link to unsubscribe from the newsletter at the bottom of each newsletter. Before deleting your unsubscribed email address, however, we may continue to store it for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests to prove that you have given your consent in the past. The processing of this data will be limited to the purpose of defending against claims. You may submit a specific request for deletion at any time, provided that you confirm that you have previously given your consent.

Newsletter service provider

We use Evalanche to send our newsletter. Evalanche will not pass on the data described here to third parties. Evalanche is an analysis service provided by SC-Networks GmbH (Enzianstr. 2, D-82319 Starnberg). Evalanche uses “cookies”; these are text files that will be saved on your computer, enabling us to analyse your use of the newsletter. The information generated by the cookies on your use of the newsletter (including your IP address) will be read and sent to a server in Germany.

– Each of our newsletters contains a “tracking pixel”. This is a mini graphic that will allow us to see whether you have opened a newsletter or not. The tracking pixels, as well as the links contained in our newsletters, will be linked to the ID assigned to you by the cookie described above, which will also be assigned to your email address. We will use this data to create a user profile, so that we can provide you with newsletters that are tailored to your interests.

– You can withdraw your consent to receiving our newsletters at any time. You can unsubscribe from our newsletters by sending a message to datenschutz@xy.de or by clicking on the link provided for this purpose in each newsletter.

Newsletter web beacons

Each of our newsletters contains a “web beacon”; this is a pixel-sized file that will be retrieved from our server when you open a newsletter. If we use a service provider to send our newsletters, the file will be retrieved from the service provider’s server. When the web beacon is retrieved from the server, technical information will first be collected, such as information on your browser and system, as well as your IP address and the time of retrieval.

This information will be used to technically improve our services based on technical data or based on the target groups and their reading habits according to where our newsletter is accessed (based on IP address) or when it is accessed. Some of the statistical data collected will also include information as to whether you open our newsletters, when you open them and which links you click on. This information can be matched to individual recipients for technical reasons, but we do not intend to monitor individual users, nor does any service provider we may use to send our newsletter. By evaluating this data, we can identify your reading habits, tailor our content to you or send you different content according to your interests.

Unfortunately, you cannot withdraw your consent specifically relating to the use of web beacons; in this case, you will have to unsubscribe from our newsletters entirely.

Hosting and email delivery

We use hosting services to provide the following services: infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, email delivery, security services and technical maintenance services that we use for the purpose of providing our online services.

We, or our hosting provider, process basic data, contact details, content data, contract data, usage data, metadata and communication data from our customers, prospective customers and visitors to our online services on the basis of our legitimate interests in providing our online services in an efficient and secure manner in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR in conjunction with Art. 28 GDPR (conclusion of a data processing agreement).

Collection of access data and log files

We, or our hosting provider, will collect data whenever you access the server on which our online services are hosted (server log files) on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. This access data will include the name of the requested website, the file, the date and time of your request, the volume of data transmitted, the notification of the successful request, your browser type and version, your operating system, the referrer URL (the page you visited previously), your IP address and the requesting provider.

The information contained in log files will be stored for no more than 7 days for security reasons (e.g. to investigate misuse or fraud) and then deleted. Any data that has to be retained as evidence will only be deleted when the incident in question has been fully clarified.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google LLC (“Google”), on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analysing, optimising and providing our online services in an economical manner. Google uses cookies. The information generated by cookies on your use of our online services will generally be transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

Google will use this information on our behalf to analyse the way in which you use our online services, to compile reports on your activities relating to our online services and to provide us with other services related to the use of our online services and the Internet. The data can be processed to create pseudonymous user profiles.

We always enable IP anonymisation when using Google Analytics. This means that Google will truncate your IP address before transferring data within member states of the European Union or the European Economic Area. Your full IP address will only be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and truncated there in exceptional cases.

The IP address transmitted by your browser will not be merged with any other Google data. You can adjust your browser settings to prevent the storage of cookies; you can also stop the data generated by cookies on your use of our online services (incl. your IP address) from being transferred to Google for processing by downloading and installing the following browser plug-in: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.

For more information on how Google will use your data, how to change your settings and how to object to data processing, please refer to Google’s privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and Google’s ad settings (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

Your personal data will be deleted or anonymised after 14 months.

Google Universal Analytics

We use a generation of Google Analytics known as “Universal Analytics”. “Universal Analytics” refers to a Google Analytics process in which user analysis is based on a pseudonymous user ID and pseudonymous user profiles are created with information obtained from the use of different devices (“cross-device tracking”).

Google AdWords and conversion tracking

We use services provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (“Google”) on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analysing, optimising and providing our online services in an economical manner.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

We use an online marketing tool known as “Google AdWords” to place ads within the Google Display Network (e.g. in search results, in videos, on websites). This means that our ads are displayed to users who are more likely to be interested in them. This allows us to display ads for and within our online services in a more targeted manner, as users are only shown ads that could match their interests. If, for example, you are ever shown ads for products that have interested you on other websites, this is known as “remarketing”. If you access our website and other websites within the Google Display Network, a Google code will be executed directly by Google and “(re-)marketing tags” (invisible graphics or code, also known as “web beacons”) will be embedded in the website. These web beacons will be used to save a unique cookie (i.e. a small file) on your device (similar technologies may also be used instead of cookies). This file will contain a record of the websites you have visited, the content you are interested in and the offers you have clicked on, as well as technical information about your browser and operating system, referrer URLs, visiting times and other information about your use of our online services.

We will also receive a unique “conversion cookie”. Google will use the information obtained by this cookie to create conversion statistics for us. However, we will only find out the anonymous total number of users who have been redirected to a page containing a conversion tracking tag after clicking on one of our ads. However, we will not receive any information that might be used to personally identify you.

Your data will be processed pseudonymously within the Google Display Network. This means that Google will not store and process your name or email address, for example, but will process your data related to cookies within a pseudonymous user profile. In other words, Google does not manage and display ads for a specifically identified person, but for the cookie owner, regardless of who the cookie owner is. This does not apply if you have explicitly allowed Google to process your data without this pseudonymisation. The information collected on you will be transmitted to Google and stored on its servers in the USA.

For more information on how Google will use your data, how to change your settings and how to object to data processing, please refer to Google’s privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and Google’s ad settings (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

Google DoubleClick

We use services provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (“Google”) on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analysing, optimising and providing our online services in an economical manner.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).

We use an online marketing tool known as “Google DoubleClick” to place ads within the Google Display Network (e.g. in search results, in videos, on websites). DoubleClick is characterised by the fact that ads are displayed in real time based on users’ presumed interests. This allows us to display ads for and within our online services in a more targeted manner, as users are only shown ads that could match their interests. If, for example, you are ever shown ads for products that have interested you on other websites, this is known as “remarketing”. If you access our website and other websites within the Google Display Network, a Google code will be executed directly by Google and “(re-)marketing tags” (invisible graphics or code, also known as “web beacons”) will be embedded in the website. These web beacons will be used to save a unique cookie (i.e. a small file) on your device (similar technologies may also be used instead of cookies). This file will contain a record of the websites you have visited, the content you are interested in and the offers you have clicked on, as well as technical information about your browser and operating system, referrer URLs, visiting times and other information about your use of our online services.

Your IP address will also be recorded; in member states of the European Union or the European Economic Area, however, it will first be truncated. Only in exceptional cases will your entire IP address be transferred to a Google server in the USA and truncated there. Google may also combine the above data with information from other sources. When you visit other websites, you will then be shown ads tailored to your presumed interests based on your user profile.

Your data will be processed pseudonymously within the Google Display Network. This means that Google will not store and process your name or email address, for example, but will process your data related to cookies within a pseudonymous user profile. In other words, Google does not manage and display ads for a specifically identified person, but for the cookie owner, regardless of who the cookie owner is. This does not apply if you have explicitly allowed Google to process your data without this pseudonymisation. The information collected on you by Google Marketing Services will be transmitted to Google and stored on its servers in the USA.

For more information on how Google will use your data, how to change your settings and how to object to data processing, please refer to Google’s privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and Google’s ad settings (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).

Jetpack (WordPress Stats)

We use the Jetpack plug-in (“WordPress Stats”), which includes a tool for statistically evaluating user access and which is provided by Automattic Inc. (60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA). This is done on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analysing, optimising and providing our online services in an economical manner. Jetpack uses “cookies”; these are text files that will be saved on your computer, enabling us to analyse your use of the website.

The information generated by cookies on your use of our online services will be stored on a server in the USA. The data may be processed to create user profiles, which will only be used to conduct analysis and not for advertising purposes. You can find out more in Automattic’s privacy policy (https://automattic.com/privacy/) and in the information about Jetpack cookies (https://jetpack.com/support/cookies/.

Social media pages

We are active on social media and other platforms to communicate with our current and future customers and other active users and to inform them about our services. If you access those social networks and platforms, the terms and conditions and data processing policies of the respective operators will apply.

Unless otherwise stated in our privacy policy, we will process your data if you interact with us on those social networks and platforms (e.g. if you post something on our pages or send us a message).

Integration of third-party content and services

Our online services feature content and services provided by third parties, such as videos and fonts (hereinafter referred to collectively as “content”), on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analysing, optimising and providing our online services in an economical manner.

These features can only be enabled if the relevant third-party providers obtain your IP address, as it would otherwise be impossible to send the content to your browser. Your IP address is therefore required to display such content. We endeavour to only use content whose respective providers use IP addresses exclusively for the purpose of providing the content. In addition, third-party providers may use “pixel tags” (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. The pixel tags may be used to evaluate certain information (e.g. visitor traffic on the pages of this website). The pseudonymous information may also be saved as cookies on your device; these cookies may contain technical information about your browser and operating system, referrer URLs, visiting times and other details about your use of our online services. This data may also be combined with information from other sources.

YouTube

We embed videos from “YouTube”, a platform provided by Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA). Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/; opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google reCAPTCHA

Our website features the “reCAPTCHA” tool for detecting bots (e.g. when data is entered in online forms); this service is provided by Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA). Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/; opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Maps

Our website features “Google Maps”, a service provided by Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA). The processed data may include, in particular, your IP address and location data; however, this data will not be collected without your consent, which will usually be based on the settings on your mobile device. Your data may be processed in the USA. Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/; opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Adobe fonts

We use external “Typekit” fonts provided by Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited (4-6 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Republic of Ireland) on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analysing, optimising and providing our online services in an economical manner. Adobe is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TNo9AAG&status=Active).

Use of Facebook Social Plugins

We use Social Plugins (“plug-ins”) provided by the facebook.com social network, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”). This is done on the basis of our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Art. 6 (1) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analysing, optimising and providing our online services in an economical manner. The plug-ins can be used to display interactive elements or content (e.g. videos, graphics or posts). They can be recognised by one of the Facebook logos (a white “f” on a blue tile, the word “Like” or a “thumbs up” sign) or the words “Facebook Social Plugin”. You can find a list of Facebook Social Plugins and see what they look like here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/.

Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).

If you access a feature of our online services containing such a plug-in, your device will establish a direct connection to the Facebook servers. Facebook will send the content of the plug-in straight to your device and embed the content within our online services. The data may be processed to create user profiles. As we have no control over the scope of the data collected by Facebook using the plug-in, we can only inform you to the best of our knowledge.

When the plug-in is embedded in our website, Facebook will be informed that you have accessed the relevant page of our online services. If you are logged in to Facebook, the social media provider will be able to draw a link between your visit to our online services and your Facebook profile. If you interact with the plug-ins, such as by pressing the “Like” button or by leaving a comment, this information will be transferred straight from your device to a Facebook server and stored there. Even if you are not a member of Facebook, there is still the possibility that Facebook will ascertain and store your IP address. According to Facebook, IP addresses in Germany are only ever stored anonymously.

For more information as to why and to what extent Facebook collects, processes and uses data, as well as more information on your rights and settings to safeguard your privacy, please refer to Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/.

If you are a member of Facebook and do not want Facebook to collect data about you via our online services and link this data to your Facebook member data, you will have to log out of your Facebook account and delete your cookies before using our online services. You can change your settings and object to the use of data for advertising purposes within your Facebook profile settings (https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads). You can also do this via the US website https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU website https://www.youronlinechoices.com/. As these settings are platform-independent, they will be applied to all devices such as desktop computers or mobile devices.

Twitter

Our online services may contain features and content from Twitter, a service provided by Twitter, Inc. (1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA). This may include content such as pictures, videos or text, as well as buttons that you can use to share content from our online services on Twitter.

If you are a member of the Twitter platform, the social media provider will be able to match your use of the above features and content to your Twitter user profile. Twitter is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active). Privacy policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy; opt-out: https://twitter.com/personalization.

Instagram

Our online services may contain features and content from Instagram, a service provided by Instagram, Inc. (1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA). This may include content such as pictures, videos or text, as well as buttons that you can use to share content from our online services on Instagram. If you are a member of the Instagram platform, the social media provider will be able to match your use of the above features and content to your Instagram user profile. Instagram’s privacy policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/.

Pinterest

Our online services may contain features and content from Pinterest, a service provided by Pinterest, Inc. (635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA). This may include content such as pictures, videos or text, as well as buttons that you can use to share content from our online services on Pinterest. If you are a member of the Pinterest platform, the social media provider will be able to match your use of the above features and content to your Pinterest user profile. Pinterest’s privacy policy: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.

Xing

Our online services may contain features and content from Xing, a service provided by XING AG (Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany). This may include content such as pictures, videos or text, as well as buttons that you can use to share content from our online services on Xing. If you are a member of the Xing platform, the service provider will be able to match your use of the above features and content to your Xing user profile. Xing’s privacy policy: https://www.xing.com/app/share?op=data_protection..

LinkedIn

Our online services may contain features and content from LinkedIn, a service provided by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company (Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland). This may include content such as pictures, videos or text, as well as buttons that you can use to share content from our online services on LinkedIn. If you are a member of the LinkedIn platform, the social media provider will be able to match your use of the above features and content to your LinkedIn user profile. LinkedIn’s privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.. LinkedIn is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000L0UZAA0&status=Active). Privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; opt-out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.

Google+

Our online services may contain features and content from Google+, a platform provided by Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA). This may include content such as pictures, videos or text, as well as buttons that you can use to share content from our online services on Google. If you are a member of the Google+ platform, the social media provider will be able to match your use of the above features and content to your Google+ user profile.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield, which means that it guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active). For more information on how Google will use your data, how to change your settings and how to object to data processing, please refer to Google’s privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and Google’s ad settings (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).