This privacy policy clarifies the nature, scope, and purpose of the processing of personal data (hereinafter referred to as “data”) within our online presence and its associated websites, functions, and content, as well as external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “online presence”). With regard to the terminology used, such as “processing” or “controller,” we refer to the definitions in Art. 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The controller within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation, other data protection laws applicable in the Member States of the European Union, and other provisions of a data protection nature is:
ICMS Global LLC
1209 MOUNTAIN ROAD PL NE, STE R,
ALBUQUERQUE, NM, 87110
USA
Data Protection Officer:
ICMS Global LLC
Robert Schelsky
1209 MOUNTAIN ROAD PL NE, STE R,
ALBUQUERQUE, NM, 87110
USA
Email (For official inquiries only!): info*[(at)]icms-global.com
IMPORTANT: For business inquiries, e.g. about our products and services, please contact us via our contact form. We will get back to you promptly. Email inquiries about our products or services will not be answered!!
Types of data processed:
– Master data (e.g., names, addresses).
– Contact data (e.g., email, phone 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).
Categories of data subjects
Visitors and users of the online presence (hereinafter, we also refer to the data subjects collectively as “users”).
Purpose of processing
– Provision of the online presence, its functions, and content.
– Responding to contact requests and communicating with users.
– Security measures.
– Reach measurement/Marketing
Terminology used
“Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (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 which is performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and covers practically any handling of data.
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.
Relevant legal bases
In accordance with Art. 13 GDPR, we inform you of the legal bases for our data processing. If the legal basis is not mentioned in the privacy policy, the following applies: The legal basis for obtaining consent is Art. 6(1)(a) and Art. 7 GDPR; the legal basis for processing to fulfill our services and carry out contractual measures as well as responding to inquiries is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR; the legal basis for processing to fulfill our legal obligations is Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR; and the legal basis for processing to protect our legitimate interests is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. In the event that vital interests of the data subject or another natural person make the processing of personal data necessary, Art. 6(1)(d) GDPR serves as the legal basis.
Cooperation with processors and third parties
If, in the context of our processing, we disclose data to other persons and companies (processors or third parties), transmit it to them, or otherwise grant them access to the data, this is only done on the basis of legal permission (e.g., if a transmission of the data to third parties, such as payment service providers, is required for the fulfillment of a contract pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR), if you have consented, if a legal obligation provides for this, or on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g., when using agents, web hosts, etc.).
If we commission third parties to process data on the basis of a so-called “data processing agreement,” this is done on the basis of Art. 28 GDPR.
Transfers to third countries
If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if this occurs in the context of using third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to third parties, this only happens if it is done to fulfill our (pre-)contractual obligations, on the basis of your consent, due to a legal obligation, or on the basis of our legitimate interests. Subject to legal or contractual permissions, we process or have the data processed in a third country only if the special requirements of Art. 44 et seq. GDPR are met. This means, for example, that processing is carried out on the basis of special guarantees, such as the officially recognized determination of a level of data protection corresponding to the EU (e.g., for the USA through the “Privacy Shield”) or compliance with officially recognized special contractual obligations (so-called “standard contractual clauses”).
Rights of data subjects
You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question is being processed and to information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with Art. 15 GDPR.
In accordance with Art. 16 GDPR, you have the right to request the completion of the data concerning you or the correction of incorrect data concerning you.
In accordance with Art. 17 GDPR, you have the right to demand that the data in question be deleted immediately, or alternatively, in accordance with Art. 18 GDPR, to demand a restriction of the processing of the data.
You have the right to request to receive the data concerning you that you have provided to us in accordance with Art. 20 GDPR and to demand its transmission to other controllers.
Furthermore, pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.
Right of withdrawal
You have the right to withdraw consents granted pursuant to Art. 7(3) GDPR with effect for the future.
Right to object
You can object to the future processing of data concerning you in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR at any time. The objection can be made in particular against processing for the purposes of direct marketing.
Cookies and right to object to direct marketing
“Cookies” are small files that are stored on users’ computers. Different information can be stored within the cookies. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user (or the device on which the cookie is stored) during or after their visit to an online presence. Temporary cookies, or “session cookies” or “transient cookies,” are cookies that are deleted after a user leaves an online presence and closes their browser. Such a cookie can, for example, store the contents of a shopping cart in an online shop or a login status. Cookies are referred to as “permanent” or “persistent” if they remain stored even after the browser is closed. For example, the login status can be saved if users visit after several days. Likewise, the interests of users can be stored in such a cookie, which are used for reach measurement or marketing purposes. “Third-party cookies” are cookies offered by providers other than the controller who operates the online presence (otherwise, if they are only its cookies, they are called “first-party cookies”).
We may use temporary and permanent cookies and clarify this in the context of our privacy policy.
If users do not want cookies to be stored on their computer, they are asked to deactivate the corresponding option in the system settings of their browser. Stored cookies can be deleted in the system settings of the browser. The exclusion of cookies can lead to functional restrictions of this online presence.
A general objection to the use of cookies used for online marketing purposes can be declared for a large number of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the US site http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU site http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. Furthermore, the storage of cookies can be achieved by switching them off in the browser settings. Please note that then not all functions of this online presence may be usable.
Erasure of data
The data processed by us will be deleted or restricted in its processing in accordance with Art. 17 and 18 GDPR. Unless expressly stated in this privacy policy, the data stored by us will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for its intended purpose and there are no legal retention obligations to prevent deletion. If the data is not deleted because it is required for other and legally permissible purposes, its processing will be restricted. This means the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be kept for commercial or tax reasons.
According to legal requirements in Germany, storage takes place in particular for 6 years pursuant to § 257(1) HGB (commercial books, inventories, opening balances, annual financial statements, commercial letters, accounting vouchers, etc.) and for 10 years pursuant to § 147(1) AO (books, records, management reports, accounting vouchers, commercial and business letters, documents relevant for taxation, etc.).
According to legal requirements in Austria, storage takes place in particular for 7 years pursuant to § 132(1) BAO (accounting documents, vouchers/invoices, accounts, business papers, statement of income and expenses, etc.), for 22 years in connection with real estate, and for 10 years for documents in connection with electronically provided services, telecommunications, broadcasting, and television services provided to non-entrepreneurs in EU Member States and for which the Mini-One-Stop-Shop (MOSS) is used.
Business-related processing
In addition, we process
– Contractual data (e.g., subject matter of the contract, term, customer category).
– Payment data (e.g., bank details, payment history)
from our customers, interested parties, and business partners for the purpose of providing contractual services, service and customer care, marketing, advertising, and market research.
Hosting
The hosting services we use serve to provide the following services: infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, security services, and technical maintenance services that we use for the purpose of operating this online presence.
In this context, we or our hosting provider process master data, contact data, content data, contractual data, usage data, meta and communication data of customers, interested parties, and visitors to this online presence on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure provision of this online presence pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) 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, collect data on every access to the server on which this service is located (so-called server log files) on the basis of our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The access data includes the name of the accessed website, file, date and time of access, amount of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page), IP address, and the requesting provider.
Log file information is stored for security reasons (e.g., to investigate abuse or fraud) for a maximum of 7 days and then deleted. Data whose further retention is required for evidentiary purposes is excluded from deletion until the final clarification of the respective incident.
Provision of contractual services
We process master data (e.g., names and addresses as well as contact data of users), contractual data (e.g., services used, names of contact persons, payment information) for the purpose of fulfilling our contractual obligations and services pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. The entries marked as mandatory in online forms are required for the conclusion of the contract.
The deletion of the data takes place after the expiry of legal warranty and comparable obligations; the necessity of storing the data is reviewed every three years; in the case of legal archiving obligations, the deletion takes place after their expiry. Information in any customer account remains until it is deleted.
Participation in affiliate partner programs
Within our online presence, we use industry-standard tracking measures on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online presence) pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, insofar as these are necessary for the operation of the affiliate system. Below we clarify the technical background for users.
The services offered by our contractual partners can also be advertised and linked on other websites (so-called affiliate links or after-buy systems, if, for example, links or services of third parties are offered after a contract has been concluded). The operators of the respective websites receive a commission if users follow the affiliate links and then take advantage of the offers.
In summary, it is necessary for our online presence that we can track whether users who are interested in affiliate links and/or the offers available from us subsequently take advantage of the offers at the instigation of the affiliate links or our online platform. For this purpose, the affiliate links and our offers are supplemented by certain values that can be part of the link or set elsewhere, e.g., in a cookie. The values include, in particular, the source website (referrer), time, an online identifier of the operator of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, an online identifier of the user, as well as tracking-specific values such as advertising medium ID, partner ID, and categorizations.
The online identifiers of the users we use are pseudonymous values. This means the online identifiers themselves contain no personal data such as names or email addresses. They only help us to determine whether the same user who clicked on an affiliate link or was interested in an offer via our online presence has taken advantage of the offer, i.e., for example, has concluded a contract with the provider. However, the online identifier is personal to the extent that the partner company and also we have the online identifier together with other user data. Only in this way can the partner company inform us whether that user has taken advantage of the offer and we can, for example, pay out the bonus.
Amazon Partner Program
On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the economic operation of our online presence within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), we are a participant in the Amazon EU Partner Program, which was designed to provide a medium for websites by means of which advertising cost reimbursement can be earned through the placement of advertisements and links to Amazon.de (so-called affiliate system). Amazon uses cookies to be able to trace the origin of orders. Among other things, Amazon can recognize that you have clicked the partner link on this website and subsequently purchased a product from Amazon.
Further information on data use by Amazon and objection options can be found in the company’s privacy policy: http://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=footer_privacy?ie=UTF8&nodeId=3312401.
Contacting us
When contacting us (e.g., via contact form, email, telephone, or via social media), the user’s details are processed for handling the contact request and its processing pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. The user’s details can be stored in a Customer Relationship Management system (“CRM system”) or comparable inquiry organization.
We delete the inquiries if they are no longer required. We review the necessity every two years; furthermore, legal archiving obligations apply.
Comments and posts
If users leave comments or other posts, their IP addresses are stored for 7 days on the basis of our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. This is done for our security in case someone leaves illegal content in comments and posts (insults, forbidden political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we ourselves can be prosecuted for the comment or post and are therefore interested in the identity of the author.
Akismet Anti-Spam Check
Our online presence uses the “Akismet” service offered by Automattic, Inc. 132 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. Use is based on our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. With the help of this service, comments from real people are distinguished from spam comments. For this purpose, all comment details are sent to a server in the USA, where they are analyzed and stored for comparison purposes for four days. If a comment has been classified as spam, the data is stored beyond this time. This information includes the name entered, the email address, the IP address, the comment content, the referrer, information about the browser used and the computer system, and the time of the entry.
Automattic is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thereby offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000CbqcAAC&status=Active).
More detailed information on the collection and use of data by Akismet can be found in Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/.
Users are welcome to use pseudonyms or to refrain from entering their name or email address. You can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system. That would be a pity, but unfortunately we see no other alternatives that work just as effectively.
Retrieval of profile pictures from Gravatar
We use the Gravatar service from Automattic, Inc. 132 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94107, USA, within our online presence and especially in the blog.
Gravatar is a service where users can register and store profile pictures and their email addresses. If users leave posts or comments on other online presences (especially in blogs) with the respective email address, their profile pictures can be displayed next to the posts or comments. For this purpose, the email address provided by the users is transmitted in encrypted form to Gravatar for the purpose of checking whether a profile is stored for it. This is the only purpose of transmitting the email address and it is not used for other purposes, but deleted afterwards.
The use of Gravatar is based on our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, as we use Gravatar to offer post and comment authors the opportunity to personalize their posts with a profile picture.
Automattic is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thereby offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000CbqcAAC&status=Active).
By displaying the images, Gravatar learns the IP address of the users, as this is necessary for communication between a browser and an online service. More detailed information on the collection and use of data by Gravatar can be found in Automattic’s privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/.
If users do not want a user image linked to your email address at Gravatar to appear in the comments, you should use an email address for commenting that is not stored at Gravatar. We also point out that it is possible to use an anonymous email address or none at all if users do not wish their own email address to be sent to Gravatar. Users can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system.
Information on the newsletter and consents
With the following information, we clarify the contents of our newsletter as well as the registration, dispatch, and statistical evaluation procedures and your rights of objection. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to the receipt and the procedures described.
Content of the newsletter
We send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications with promotional information (hereinafter “newsletter”) only with the consent of the recipients or legal permission. Insofar as the contents of the newsletter are specifically described in the context of a registration, they are decisive for the consent of the users. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about relevant topics, especially from the area of “emigration” and about the products plus examples from the operator (this can include in particular references to magazine articles, lectures or workshops, services of the operator in general or other online presences).
Double Opt-In and logging
Registration for our newsletter takes place in a so-called double opt-in procedure. This means you will receive an email after registration in which you will be asked to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with someone else’s email address.
Registrations for the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes storing the time of registration and confirmation, as well as the IP address. Likewise, changes to your data stored at GetResponse are logged.
Use of the shipping service provider “GetResponse”
The newsletter is sent via “GetResponse,” a newsletter sending platform of the US provider GetResponse, 1011 Centre Road, Suite 322, Wilmington, DE 19805, USA with registered office in Gdansk, Poland, ul. Arkonska 6, A3, 80-387 Gdansk, commercial register number (KRS): 0000187388.
The email addresses of our newsletter recipients, as well as their other data described in the context of this information, are stored on GetResponse’s servers in Poland. GetResponse uses this information to send and evaluate the newsletters on our behalf. Furthermore, according to its own information, GetResponse can use this data to optimize or improve its own services, e.g., for the technical optimization of the dispatch and presentation of the newsletters or for economic purposes to determine from which countries the recipients come. However, GetResponse does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to write to them itself or to pass it on to third parties.
We trust in the reliability and the IT and data security of GetResponse. You can view GetResponse’s privacy policy here.
Registration data
To register for the newsletter, it is sufficient if you provide your email address and your first name for better personalization (salutation).
Germany: The dispatch of the newsletter and the associated success measurement are based on the consent of the recipients pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a), Art. 7 GDPR in conjunction with § 7(2) No. 3 UWG or on the basis of legal permission pursuant to § 7(3) UWG.
The logging of the registration process is based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our interest is directed towards the use of a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves both our business interests and meets the expectations of users and furthermore allows us to prove consent.
Statistical collection and analysis
The newsletters contain a so-called “web beacon,” i.e., a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from GetResponse’s server when the newsletter is opened. In the context of this retrieval, technical information, such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and time of retrieval, are initially collected. This information is used for the technical improvement of the services based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading behavior based on their retrieval locations (which can be determined with the help of the IP address) or access times.
The statistical surveys also include determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened, and which links are clicked. For technical reasons, this information can be assigned to individual newsletter recipients. However, it is neither our endeavor nor that of GetResponse to observe individual users. Rather, the evaluations serve us to recognize the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to them or to send different content according to the interests of our users.
Online access and data management
There are cases in which we direct newsletter recipients to GetResponse’s websites. For example, our newsletters contain a link with which newsletter recipients can access the newsletters online (e.g., in case of display problems in the email program). Furthermore, newsletter recipients can subsequently correct their data, such as the email address. Likewise, GetResponse’s privacy policy is only available on their site.
In this context, we point out that cookies are used on GetResponse’s websites and thus personal data is processed by GetResponse, its partners, and used service providers (e.g., Google Analytics). We have no influence on this data collection. Further information can be found in GetResponse’s privacy policy. We additionally point out the objection options to data collection for advertising purposes on the websites http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ and http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ (for the European area).
Cancellation/Withdrawal
You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e., withdraw your consent. This simultaneously expires your consent to its dispatch via GetResponse and the statistical analysis. A separate withdrawal of the dispatch via GetResponse or the statistical evaluation is unfortunately not possible.
A link to cancel the newsletter can be found at the end of each newsletter.
Google Analytics
On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online presence within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), we use Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google LLC (“Google”). Google uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie about the use of the online presence by users is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.
Google is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thereby offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).
Google will use this information on our behalf to evaluate the use of our online presence by users, to compile reports on activities within this online presence, and to provide us with further services associated with the use of this online presence and internet use. In doing so, pseudonymous usage profiles of the users can be created from the processed data.
We only use Google Analytics with activated IP anonymization. This means that the IP address of users is shortened by Google within Member States of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there.
The IP address transmitted by the user’s browser will not be merged with other Google data. Users can prevent the storage of cookies by setting their browser software accordingly; users can also prevent the collection of data generated by the cookie and related to their use of the online presence to Google as well as the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available under the following link: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.
Further information on data use by Google, setting and objection options can be found on Google’s websites: https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/partners (“How Google uses data when you use our partners’ sites or apps”), http://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads (“Advertising”), http://www.google.de/settings/ads (“Control the information Google uses to show you ads”).
Facebook Pixel, Custom Audiences and Facebook Conversion
Within our online presence, due to our legitimate interests in analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online presence and for these purposes, the so-called “Facebook Pixel” of the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA, or if you are resident in the EU, Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”), is used.
Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thereby offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).
With the help of the Facebook Pixel, it is possible for Facebook, on the one hand, to determine the visitors to our online presence as a target group for the display of advertisements (so-called “Facebook Ads”). Accordingly, we use the Facebook Pixel to display the Facebook Ads placed by us only to those Facebook users who have also shown an interest in our online presence or who have certain characteristics (e.g., interests in certain topics or products determined on the basis of 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 users and do not have a harassing effect. With the help of the Facebook Pixel, we can further track the effectiveness of Facebook advertisements for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users were redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook advertisement (so-called “conversion”).
The processing of data by Facebook takes place within the framework of Facebook’s Data Use Policy. Accordingly, general information on the display of Facebook Ads can be found in Facebook’s Data Use Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php. Special information and details about the Facebook Pixel and how it works can be found in Facebook’s help section: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/651294705016616.
You can object to the collection by the Facebook Pixel and use of your data to display Facebook Ads. To set which types of advertisements are displayed to you within Facebook, you can call up the page set up by Facebook and follow the instructions on the settings for usage-based advertising: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads. The settings are platform-independent, i.e., they are adopted for all devices, such as desktop computers or mobile devices.
You can further object to the use of cookies that serve reach measurement and advertising purposes via the deactivation page of the Network Advertising Initiative (http://optout.networkadvertising.org/) and additionally the US website (http://www.aboutads.info/choices) or the European website (http://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices/).
Online presence in social media
We maintain online presences within social networks and platforms in order to be able to communicate with the customers, interested parties, and users active there and to inform them about our services. When calling up the respective networks and platforms, the terms and conditions and the data processing guidelines of their respective operators apply.
Unless otherwise stated in our privacy policy, we process the data of users if they communicate with us within the social networks and platforms, e.g., write posts on our online presences or send us messages.
Integration of third-party services and content
On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online presence within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), we use content or service offers from third-party providers within our online presence in order to integrate their content and services, such as videos or fonts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).
This always presupposes that the third-party providers of this content perceive the IP address of the users, as they could not send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore required for the display of this content. We endeavor to use only such content whose respective providers use the IP address only for the delivery of the content. Third-party providers can also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also referred to as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. Through the “pixel tags,” information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website can be evaluated. The pseudonymous information can also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visiting time, and other information about the use of our online presence, as well as be combined with such information from other sources.
YouTube
We integrate the videos of the platform “YouTube” of the provider 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
We integrate the maps of the service “Google Maps” of the provider 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 Fonts
We integrate the fonts (“Google Fonts”) of the provider 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
We integrate the bot detection function, e.g., for inputs in online forms (“ReCaptcha”) from the provider 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.
Use of Facebook Social Plugins
Based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online services within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. DSGVO), we use social plugins (“Plugins”) of the social network facebook.com, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”). The plugins can display interactive elements or content (e.g., videos, graphics, or text posts) and are recognizable by one of the Facebook logos (white “f” on a blue tile, the terms “Like” or a “thumbs up” sign) or are marked with the addition “Facebook Social Plugin.” The list and appearance of Facebook Social Plugins can be viewed here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/.
Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thereby provides a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).
When a user accesses a function of this online service that contains such a plugin, their device establishes a direct connection with Facebook’s servers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly by Facebook to the user’s device and integrated into the online service. User profiles can be created from the processed data. We therefore have no influence over the scope of data that Facebook collects with the help of this plugin and inform users accordingly based on our knowledge.
By integrating the plugins, Facebook receives the information that a user has accessed the corresponding page of the online service. If the user is logged into Facebook, Facebook can associate the visit with their Facebook account. If users interact with the plugins, for example by clicking the Like button or posting a comment, the corresponding information is transmitted directly from their device to Facebook and stored there. If a user is not a member of Facebook, there is still the possibility that Facebook obtains and stores their IP address. According to Facebook, only an anonymized IP address is stored in Germany.
Users can find information about the purpose and scope of data collection and the further processing and use of data by Facebook, as well as their related rights and settings options to protect their privacy, in Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/.
If a user is a Facebook member and does not want Facebook to collect data about them through this online service and link it with their member data stored on Facebook, they must log out of Facebook before using our online service and delete their cookies. Further settings and objections to the use of data for advertising purposes are possible within the Facebook profile settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads or via the US site http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU site http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. The settings are platform-independent, meaning they are applied to all devices, such as desktop computers or mobile devices.
Functions and content of the Twitter service, offered by Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA, may be integrated within our online service. This may include content such as images, videos, or texts and buttons with which users can express their appreciation for the content, subscribe to the authors of the content, or subscribe to our posts. If users are members of the Twitter platform, Twitter can associate the access to the aforementioned content and functions with their profiles on that platform. Instagram privacy policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy. Twitter is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thereby provides a guarantee to comply 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.
Functions and content of the Instagram service, offered by Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA, may be integrated within our online service. This may include content such as images, videos, or texts and buttons with which users can express their appreciation for the content, subscribe to the authors of the content, or subscribe to our posts. If users are members of the Instagram platform, Instagram can associate the access to the aforementioned content and functions with their profiles on that platform. Instagram privacy policy: http://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/.
Functions and content of the Pinterest service, offered by Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA, may be integrated within our online service. This may include content such as images, videos, or texts and buttons with which users can express their appreciation for the content, subscribe to the authors of the content, or subscribe to our posts. If users are members of the Pinterest platform, Pinterest can associate the access to the aforementioned content and functions with their profiles on that platform. Pinterest privacy policy: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.
Functions and content of the Xing service, offered by XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, may be integrated within our online service. This may include content such as images, videos, or texts and buttons with which users can express their appreciation for the content, subscribe to the authors of the content, or subscribe to our posts. If users are members of the Xing platform, Xing can associate the access to the aforementioned content and functions with their profiles on that platform. Xing privacy policy: https://www.xing.com/app/share?op=data_protection..
Functions and content of the LinkedIn service, offered by LinkedIn AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, may be integrated within our online service. This may include content such as images, videos, or texts and buttons with which users can express their appreciation for the content, subscribe to the authors of the content, or subscribe to our posts. If users are members of the LinkedIn platform, LinkedIn can associate the access to the aforementioned content and functions with their profiles on that platform. LinkedIn privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.. LinkedIn is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thereby provides a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000L0UZAA0&status=Active). Privacy policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy, Opt-Out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.
