Imprint & Privacy Policy

IMPRINT & PRIVACY POLICY

Impressum

Information according to § 5 TMG
Vision Help International Care Foundation
Dorfweg 2
DE-27751 Delmenhorst

Represented by:
Trustee Mr. Uwe Carsten Aust

 

Contact
Phone: +49 (0) 162 395 79 51
Fax: +49 (0) 4221 298 20 04
E-Mail: e.abrahams@vhicf.org

Consumer dispute resolution/universal arbitration board
We are not willing or obligated to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.

Source:
e-recht24.de

Privacy Policy

Introduction

VHICF Foundation takes the protection of your personal data seriously and treats personal data confidentially. With the following data protection declaration, we would like to inform you about the types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as “data” for short) that we process, for what purposes and to what extent. The privacy policy applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of providing our services as a charitable foundation and, in particular, on our websites, in mobile applications, and within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Online Offer”).

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Status: August 4, 2022

 

Responsible Entity
Vision Help International Care Foundation
VHICF Stiftung
Dorfweg 2
DE-27751 Delmenhorst

Authorized representatives:
Uwe Carsten Aust

E-mail address:
e.abrahams@vhicf.org

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Responsible party
  • Overview of processing operations
  • Applicable legal basis
  • Security Measures
  • Transfer of personal data
  • Data processing in third countries
  • Deletion of data
  • Use of cookies
  • Performance of tasks according to articles of associatione
  • Payment procedures
  • Provision of the online offer and web hosting
  • Contact and inquiry management
  • Newsletter and electronic notifications
  • Communication via e-mail, mail, fax or telephone
  • Web analysis, monitoring and optimization
  • Presence in social networks (social media)
  • Plugins and embedded functions and content
  • Management, organization and support tools
  • Modification and updating of the privacy policy
  • Rights of data subjects
  • Definitions of terms

Overview of processing

The following overview summarizes the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing and refers to the data subjects.

Types of data processed

  • Inventory data.
  • Payment data.
  • Contact data.
  • Content data.
  • Contract data.
  • Usage data.
  • Meta/communication data.
  • Event data (Facebook).

Categories of data subjects

  • Sponsors.
  • Interested parties
  • Communication partners.
  • Users.
  • Volunteers.
  • Business and contractual partners.

Purposes of processing

  • Sending of donation receipts.
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Security measures.
  • Reach measurement.
  • Tracking
  • Office and organizational procedures.
  • Management and response to inquiries.
  • Feedback.
  • Fundraising und Marketing.
  • Profiles with user-related information.
  • Provision of our online services and user experience.
  • Information technology infrastructure.

Relevant legal bases

Below you will find an overview of the legal bases of the DSGVO, on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. Furthermore, should more specific legal bases be relevant in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

  • Consent (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO) – The data subject has given his/her consent to the processing of personal data relating to him/her for a specific purpose or purposes.
  • Performance of a contract and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or for the performance of pre-contractual measures carried out at the data subject’s request.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO) – Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests of the controller or a third party, unless such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require the protection of personal data.

In addition to the data protection regulations of the General Data Protection Regulation, national regulations on data protection apply in Germany. These include, in particular, the Act on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act – BDSG). In particular, the BDSG contains special regulations on the right to information, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission, as well as automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. Furthermore, it regulates data processing for employment purposes (Section 26 BDSG), in particular with regard to the establishment, implementation or termination of employment relationships as well as the consent of employees. Furthermore, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security Measures

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

The measures include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as access to, input of, disclosure of, assurance of availability of and segregation of the data. Furthermore, we have established procedures to ensure the exercise of data subjects’ rights, the deletion of data, and responses to data compromise. Furthermore, we already take the protection of personal data into account during the development or selection of hardware, software as well as procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.

SSL encryption (https): To protect your data transmitted via our online offer, we use SSL encryption. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address bar of your browser.

Transmission of personal data

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

Data transfer within the organization: We may transfer personal data to other entities within our organization or grant them access to such data. Where this transfer is for administrative purposes, the transfer of data is based on our legitimate business and managerial interests or is made where it is necessary to fulfill our contract-related obligations or where we have the consent of the data subjects or legal permission.

Data processing in third countries

Data is processed by our parent organization Vision Help International Care Foundation, Inc in the Philippines (for example, to manage sponsorships). Where we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or where processing takes place in the context of using third-party services or disclosing or transferring data to other persons, entities or companies, we do so only in accordance with the law.

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

Deletion of data

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as their consents permitted for processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data has ceased to apply or it is not necessary for the purpose). If the data are not deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing will be limited to these purposes. That is, the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for reasons of tax law or whose storage is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person.

Our data protection notices may also contain further details on the retention and deletion of data, which take priority for the respective processing operations.

Use of cookies

Cookies are small text files, or other memory notes, which store information on end devices and read information from the end devices. For example, to store the login status in a user account, a shopping cart content in an e-shop, the content accessed or functions used of an online offer. Cookies can further be used for various purposes, e.g. for purposes of functionality, security and comfort of online offers as well as the creation of analyses of visitor flows.

Notes on consent: We use cookies in accordance with legal requirements. Therefore, we obtain prior consent from users except where it is not required by law. In particular, consent is not required if the storage and reading of information, including cookies, is absolutely necessary to provide the user with a telemedia service (i.e., our online offering) that they have expressly requested. The revocable consent is clearly communicated to the users and contains the information on the respective cookie use.

Notes on legal bases under data protection law: the legal basis under data protection law on which we process users’ personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask users for consent. If users consent, the legal basis for processing their data is their declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in a business operation of our online offer and improvement of its usability) or, if this is done in the context of the fulfillment of our contractual obligations, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations. For what purposes the cookies are processed by us, we clarify in the course of this privacy policy or in the context of our consent and processing procedures.

Storage duration: With regard to the storage duration, the following types of cookies are distinguished:

  • Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed his end device (e.g. browser or mobile application).
  • Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the end device is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. Likewise, user data collected with the help of cookies can be used for reach measurement. Unless we provide users with explicit information about the type and storage duration of cookies (e.g., as part of obtaining consent), users should assume that cookies are permanent and that the storage period can be up to two years.

General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Users can revoke the consent they have given at any time and also file an objection to processing in accordance with the legal requirements in Art. 21 DSGVO. Users can also declare their objection via their browser settings, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also limit the functionality of our online services). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/.

Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Processing of cookie data based on consent: We use a cookie consent management procedure, in the context of which the consent of users to the use of cookies, or the processing and providers mentioned in the cookie consent management procedure, can be obtained and managed and revoked by users. Here, the declaration of consent is stored in order not to have to repeat its query and to be able to prove the consent in accordance with the legal obligation. The storage can take place on the server side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie, or with the help of comparable technologies), in order to be able to assign the consent to a user or their device. Subject to individual information on the providers of cookie management services, the following information applies: The duration of the storage of consent can be up to two years. In this case, a pseudonymous user identifier is formed and stored with the time of consent, information on the scope of consent (e.g. which categories of cookies and/or service providers) as well as the browser, system and end device used.

Performance of tasks according to the articles of association

We process the data of our sponsors, supporters, interested parties, business partners or other persons (collectively, “data subjects”) if we have a contractual relationship with them and perform our tasks and are recipients of services and benefits. In addition, we process the data of data subjects on the basis of our legitimate interests, e.g. when administrative tasks or public relations work are involved.

The data processed in this context, the nature, scope and purpose of the data and the necessity of its processing, are determined by the underlying membership or contractual relationship, which also determines the necessity of any data disclosures (in other respects, we refer to required data).

We delete data that is no longer required to fulfill our statutory and business purposes. This is determined according to the respective tasks and contractual relationships. We retain the data for as long as they may be relevant for business processing, as well as with regard to any warranty or liability obligations based on our legitimate interests in their regulation. The necessity of retaining the data is reviewed regularly; in all other respects, the statutory retention obligations apply.

  • Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); contract data (e.g. subject matter of contract, term, customer category).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services); members; business and contractual partners.
  • Purposes of processing: sending donation receipts, service; contact requests and communication; managing and responding to requests.
  • Legal grounds: contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Payment procedure

In the context of contractual and other legal relationships, due to legal obligations or otherwise on the basis of our legitimate interests, we offer data subjects efficient and secure payment options and use other service providers for this purpose in addition to banks and credit institutions (collectively, “payment service providers”).

The data processed by the payment service providers includes inventory data, such as the name and address, bank data, such as account numbers or credit card numbers, passwords, TANs and checksums, as well as the contract, total and recipient-related information. The information is required in order to carry out the transactions. However, the data entered is only processed by the payment service providers and stored with them. I.e., we do not receive any account or credit card related information, but only information with confirmation or negative information of the payment. Under certain circumstances, the payment service providers transmit the data to credit agencies. The purpose of this transmission is to check identity and creditworthiness. In this regard, we refer to the terms and conditions and the privacy notices of the payment service providers.

For payment transactions, the terms and conditions and data protection notices of the respective payment service providers apply, which can be accessed within the respective websites or transaction applications. We also refer to these for the purpose of further information and assertion of revocation, information and other data subject rights.

  • Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g., names, addresses); payment data (e.g., bank details, invoices, payment history); contract data (e.g., subject matter of contract, term, customer category); usage data (e.g., websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses); contact data (e.g., e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Data subjects: sponsors; prospective customers.
  • Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service.
  • Legal grounds: contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO).

Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Google Pay: payment services (technical connection of online payment methods); service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; legal basis: contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); website: https://pay.google.com/intl/de_de/about/; privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
  • Klarna / Sofortüberweisung: payment services (technical connection of online payment methods); service provider: Klarna Bank AB (publ), Sveavägen 46, 111 34 Stockholm, Sweden; Legal basis: contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); Website: https://www.klarna.com/de; Privacy policy: https://www.klarna.com/de/datenschutz.
  • Mastercard: payment services (technical connection of online payment methods); service provider: Mastercard Europe SA, Chaussée de Tervuren 198A, B-1410 Waterloo, Belgium; Legal basis: Contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); Website: https://www.mastercard.de/de-de.html; Privacy policy: https://www.mastercard.de/de-de/datenschutz.html.
  • PayPal: payment services (technical connection of online payment methods) (e.g. PayPal, PayPal Plus, Braintree); service provider: PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg; legal basis: contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); website: https://www.paypal.com/de; privacy policy: https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.
  • Stripe: payment services (technical connection of online payment methods); service provider: Stripe, Inc., 510 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Legal basis: Contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); Website: https://stripe.com; Privacy policy: https://stripe.com/de/privacy.
  • Visa: payment services (technical connection of online payment methods); service provider: Visa Europe Services Inc, London Branch, 1 Sheldon Square, London W2 6TT, GB; Legal basis: contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); Website: https://www.visa.de; Privacy policy: https://www.visa.de/nutzungsbedingungen/visa-privacy-center.html.
  • FundraisingBox: Payment services, CRM; Website: https://blog.fundraisingbox.com/datenschutzerklaerung

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

We process users’ data in order to provide them with our online services. For this purpose, we process the user’s IP address, which is necessary to transmit the content and functions of our online services to the user’s browser or terminal device.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses); content data (e.g. entries in online forms).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.).); security measures.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Provision of online offer on rented storage space: for the provision of our online offer, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also called “web hoster”); Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
  • Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online offer is logged in the form of so-called “server log files”. The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, the date and time of access, data volumes transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files may be used, on the one hand, for security purposes, e.g., to prevent server overload (especially in the event of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and, on the other hand, to ensure the utilization of the servers and their stability; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum period of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further retention is required for evidentiary purposes is exempt from deletion until final clarification of the respective incident.
  • com: Hosting and software for the creation, provision and operation of websites, blogs and other online offerings; service provider: Automattic Inc, 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://wordpress.com; Privacy policy: https://automattic.com/de/privacy/; Order processing agreement: https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/.

Contact and Inquiry Management

When contacting us (e.g. by contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media) and in the context of existing user and business relationships, the information of the inquiring persons is processed to the extent necessary to respond to the contact requests and any requested measures.

The response to the contact inquiries as well as the management of contact and inquiry data in the context of contractual or pre-contractual relationships is carried out to fulfill our contractual obligations or to respond to (pre)contractual inquiries and otherwise on the basis of legitimate interests in responding to the inquiries and maintaining user or business relationships.

  • Types of data processed: contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service; contact requests and communication; managing and responding to requests; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); providing our online offer and user experience.
  • Legal basis: contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b) DSGVO); legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further notes on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Contact form: If users contact us via our contact form, e-mail or other communication channels, we process the data communicated to us in this context for the purpose of processing the communicated request. For this purpose, we process personal data in the context of pre-contractual and contractual business relationships, insofar as this is necessary for their fulfillment and otherwise on the basis of our legitimate interests as well as the interests of the communication partners in responding to the requests and our legal retention obligations; Legal bases: contract performance and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) DSGVO), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Newsletter and electronic notifications

We send newsletters, e-mails and other electronic notifications (hereinafter “newsletter”) only with the consent of the recipients or a legal permission. If, in the context of a registration for the newsletter, its contents are specifically circumscribed, they are decisive for the consent of the users. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

In order to subscribe to our newsletters, it is generally sufficient to provide your e-mail address. However, we may ask you to provide a name, for the purpose of personal address in the newsletter, or further information, if this is necessary for the purposes of the newsletter.

Double opt-in procedure: The registration for our newsletter is always carried out in a so-called double opt-in process. This means that after registration you will receive an e-mail in which you are asked to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with other e-mail addresses. The registrations for the newsletter are logged in order to be able to prove the registration process according to the legal requirements. This includes the storage of the registration and confirmation time as well as the IP address. Likewise, changes to your data stored with the dispatch service provider are logged.

Deletion and restriction of processing: We may store unsubscribed e-mail addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before deleting them in order to be able to prove consent previously given. The processing of this data will be limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual request for deletion is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of consent is confirmed at the same time. In the case of obligations to permanently observe objections, we reserve the right to store the e-mail address in a block list (so-called “block list”) for this purpose alone.

The logging of the registration process takes place on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purpose of proving its proper course. Insofar as we commission a service provider to send e-mails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure sending system.

Contents:

Information about us, our aid projects and social institutions.

  • Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Data subjects: Communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: information and direct marketing (e.g., by e-mail or postal mail).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
  • Option to object (Opt-Out): You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent, or object to further receipt. You will find a link to cancel the newsletter either at the end of each newsletter or you can otherwise use one of the contact options given above, preferably e-mail, for this purpose.

Further information on processing, procedures and services:

  • Measurement of opening and click-through rates: The newsletters contain a so-called “web beacon”, i.e., a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from our server or, if we use a shipping service provider, from its server when the newsletter is opened. In the course of this retrieval, technical information, such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and the time of the retrieval, are initially collected. This information is used for the technical improvement of our newsletter 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 the access times. This analysis also includes determining whether the newsletters are opened and when they are opened.
  • Legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO).
  • CleverReach: Email marketing platform; Service provider: CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, //CRASH Building, Schafjückenweg 2, 26180 Rastede, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.cleverreach.com/de; Privacy policy: https://www.cleverreach.com/de/datenschutz/; Order processing agreement: Provided by the service provider.
  • Mailchimp: Email sending and email marketing platform; Service provider: Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA; Legal Grounds: Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://mailchimp.com; Privacy Policy: https://mailchimp.com/legal/; Order Processing Contract: https://mailchimp.com/legal/; Standard Contractual Clauses (ensuring level of data protection for processing in third countries): Inclusion in the order processing contract; Further information: Special security measures: https://mailchimp.com/help/Mailchimp-european-data-transfers/.

Promotional communication via e-mail, mail, fax or telephone.

We process personal data for the purposes of promotional communication, which may take place via various channels, such as e-mail, telephone, post or fax, in accordance with the legal requirements.

Recipients have the right to revoke consent given at any time or to object to promotional communication at any time.

After revocation or objection, we store the data required to prove the previous authorization to contact or send for up to three years after the end of the year of revocation or objection based on our legitimate interests. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. Based on the legitimate interest of permanently observing the user’s revocation or objection, we also store the data required to avoid contacting the user again (e.g., depending on the communication channel, the e-mail address, telephone number, name).

  • Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Data subjects: Communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: communication and direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or post).
  • Legal grounds: consent (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Web analysis, monitoring and optimization

Web analysis (also referred to as “reach measurement”) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to our online offering and may include behavior, interests or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of reach analysis, we can recognize, for example, at what time our online offer or its functions or content are most frequently used or invite re-use. Likewise, we can understand which areas need optimization.

In addition to web analytics, we may also use testing procedures, for example, to test and optimize different versions of our online offering or its components.

Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, i.e. data summarized for a usage process, may be created for these purposes and information may be stored in a browser, or in a terminal device, and read from it. The information collected includes, in particular, websites visited and elements used there as well as technical information such as the browser used, the computer system used and information on usage times. If users have agreed to the collection of their location data from us or from the providers of the services we use, location data may also be processed.

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

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); profiling with user-related information (creation of user profiles); tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies); provision of our online offer and user experience.
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO).

Further notes on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Google Analytics: web analysis, reach measurement as well as measurement of user flows; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection for processing in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Opt-out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (Types of processing as well as data processed).

Presence in social networks (social media).

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

We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for the users because, for example, it could make it more difficult to enforce the rights of the users.

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

For a detailed presentation of the respective forms of processing and the options to object (opt-out), we refer to the privacy statements and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

In the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would also like to point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the providers have access to the users’ data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. If you still need assistance, you can contact us.

  • Types of data processed: contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); content data (e.g. entries in online forms); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: contact requests and communication; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); marketing.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO).

Further notes on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Instagram: social network; service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.
  • Facebook pages: Profiles within the social network Facebook – We are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for the collection (but not the further processing) of data of visitors to our Facebook page (so-called “fan page”). This data includes information about the types of content users view or interact with, or the actions they take (see under “Things You and Others Do and Provide” in the Facebook Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy), as well as information about the devices users use (e.g., IP addresses, operating system, browser type, language settings, cookie data; see under “Device Information” in the Facebook Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy). As explained in the Facebook Data Policy under “How do we use this information?”, Facebook also collects and uses information to provide analytics services, called “Page Insights,” to Page operators to provide them with insights into how people interact with their Pages and with content associated with them. We have entered into a special agreement with Facebook (“Page Insights Information,” https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum), which regulates in particular which security measures Facebook must observe and in which Facebook has agreed to fulfill the data subject rights (i.e., users can, for example, direct information or deletion requests to Facebook). The rights of users (in particular to information, deletion, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority), are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook. Further information can be found in the “Information on Page Insights” (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data); service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection for processing in third countries): https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum; Further information: Shared Responsibility Agreement: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data. Joint accountability is limited to the collection by and transfer of data to Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, a company based in the EU. Further processing of the data is the sole responsibility of Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, which concerns in particular the transfer of the data to the parent company Meta Platforms, Inc. in the USA (based on the standard contractual clauses concluded between Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and Meta Platforms, Inc.).
  • LinkedIn: social network; service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Order processing agreement: https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; Standard contractual clauses (ensuring level of data protection for processing in third countries): https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; Opt-out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.
  • YouTube: Social network and video platform; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Plugins and embedded functions and content

We integrate functional and content elements into our online offer that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”). These can be, for example, graphics, videos or city maps (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).

The integration always requires that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the user, since without the IP address they could not send the content to their browser. The IP address is thus required for the presentation of these contents or functions. We strive to use only such content whose respective providers use the IP address only for the delivery of the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. The “pixel tags” can be used to analyze information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may further be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, time of visit and other information about the use of our online offer as well as be linked to such information from other sources.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses); Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); Contact data (e.g. email, phone numbers); Content data (e.g. entries in online forms); Event data (Facebook) (“Event data” is data that may be transmitted, e.g. via Facebook Pixel (via apps or other means) by us to Facebook and relates to individuals or their actions; The data includes, e.g.. For example, information about visits to websites, interactions with content, functions, installations of apps, purchases of products, etc.; Event data is processed for the purpose of forming target groups for content and advertising information (Custom Audiences); Event data does not include the actual content (such as comments written), no login information and no contact information (i.e. no names, email addresses and phone numbers). Event data is deleted by Facebook after a maximum of two years, and the target groups formed from it are deleted when our Facebook account is deleted).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; provision of contractual services and customer service; profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles).
  • Legal grounds: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO).

Further notes on processing operations, procedures and services:

  • Facebook plugins and content: Facebook social plugins and content – This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content of this online offer within Facebook. The list and appearance of Facebook social plugins can be viewed here: https://developers.facebook. com/docs/plugins/ – We are jointly responsible withMeta Platforms Ireland Limited for the collection or receipt in the course of any transmission (but not the further processing) of “Event Data” that Facebook collects or receives in the course of any transmission by means of the Facebook Social Plugins (and content embedding features) running on our Online Offer for the purposes of: a) displaying content as well as promotional information that is relevant to users’ presumed interests; b) delivering commercial and transactional messaging (e. e.g., targeting users via Facebook Messenger); c) improving ad delivery and personalization of features and content (e.g., improving the detection of which content or advertising information presumably matches users’ interests). We have entered into a special agreement with Facebook (“Addendum for Responsible Parties”, https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum), which regulates in particular which security measures Facebook must observe (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and in which Facebook has agreed to fulfill data subject rights (i.e., users can, for example, provide information or make deletion requests directly to Facebook). Note: When Facebook provides us with metrics, analytics, and reports (which are aggregated, i.e., do not receive information about individual users and are anonymous to us), this processing is not done under shared responsibility, but rather under a data processing contract (“Data Processing Terms “, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/dataprocessing) , the “Data Security Terms and Conditions” (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/data_security_terms) and, with regard to processing in the USA, on the basis of standard contractual clauses (“Facebook EU Data Transfer Addendum, https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum). The rights of users (in particular to information, deletion, objection and complaint to the competent supervisory authority), are not restricted by the agreements with Facebook; service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a) DSGVO); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy.
  • Google Maps: We integrate the maps of the service “Google Maps” of the provider Google. The data processed may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of the users, which, however, are not collected without their consent (usually executed as part of the settings of their mobile devices); service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-out: Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de; Ad display settings: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
  • YouTube videos: Video content; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Opt-out: Opt-Out Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de; Ad Display Settings: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.
  • Vimeo: video content; service provider: Vimeo Inc, Attention: Legal Department, 555 West 18th Street New York, New York 10011, USA; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://vimeo.com; Privacy policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy; Opt-out: We point out that Vimeo may use Google Analytics and refer to the privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy) as well as the opt-out options for Google Analytics (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de) or Google’s settings for data use for marketing purposes (https://adssettings.google.com/).

Management, organization and support tools

We use services, platforms and software from other providers (hereinafter referred to as “Third Party Providers”) for the purposes of organizing, managing, planning as well as providing our services. When selecting third-party providers and their services, we observe the legal requirements.

In this context, personal data may be processed and stored on the servers of the third-party providers. This may involve various data that we process in accordance with this privacy policy. This data may include, in particular, master data and contact data of users, data on transactions, contracts, other processes and their contents.

If users are referred to the third-party providers or their software or platforms in the course of communication, business or other relationships with us, the third-party providers may process usage data and metadata for security purposes, service optimization or marketing purposes. We therefore ask that you read the privacy notices of the respective third-party providers.

  • Types of data processed: Content data (e.g. entries in online forms); Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Communication partners; users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service; office and organizational procedures.

Modification and updating of the privacy policy

We ask you to regularly check the content of our Privacy Policy. We will adapt the Privacy Policy as soon as the changes in the data processing carried out by us make it necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require an act of cooperation on your part (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

Insofar as we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organizations in this data protection declaration, we ask you to note that the addresses may change over time and ask you to check the information before contacting us.

Rights of the data subjects

As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Articles 15 to 21 of the GDPR:

  • Right to object: you have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data relating to you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(e) or (f) DSGVO; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you is processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing.
  • Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to revoke any consent given at any time.
  • Right to information: you have the right to request confirmation as to whether 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 the legal requirements.
  • Right to rectification: you have the right, in accordance with the law, to request that data concerning you be completed or that inaccurate data concerning you be rectified.
  • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to demand that data concerning you be deleted without delay, or alternatively, in accordance with the legal requirements, to demand restriction of the processing of the data.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements, or to demand its transfer to another responsible party.
  • Complaint to supervisory authority: without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you infringes the requirements of the GDPR.

Supervisory authority responsible for the entity:
The State Commissioner for Data Protection of Lower Saxony.
Barbara Thiel
Prinzenstrasse 5
30159 Hanover
Telephone: 05 11/120-45 00
E-mail: poststelle@lfd.niedersachsen.de
Homepage: https://www.lfd.niedersachsen.de

Definitions of terms

This section provides you with an overview of the terms used in this privacy statement. Many of the terms are taken from the law and defined primarily in Art. 4 DSGVO. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to aid understanding. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

  • Personal data: “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.
  • Profiles with user-related information: The processing of “profiles with user-related information”, or “profiles” for short, includes any type of automated processing of personal data that consists of using such personal data to analyze, evaluate or to predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information concerning demographics, behavior and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.) (e.g., interests in certain content or products, click behavior on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
  • Reach measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offering and can include visitors’ behavior or interests in certain information, such as website content. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can see, for example, at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This enables them, for example, to better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors. For reach analysis purposes, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offer.
  • Tracking: We speak of “tracking” when the behavior of users can be traced across several online offerings. As a rule, behavioral and interest information is stored in cookies or on servers of the providers of the tracking technologies with regard to the online offers used (so-called profiling). This information can subsequently be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to correspond to their interests.
  • Controller: “Controller” is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
  • Processing: “Processing” means any operation or set of operations which is performed upon personal data, whether or not by automatic means. The term is broad and includes virtually any handling of data, be it collection, analysis, storage, transmission or deletion.
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