Introduction

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 data protection declaration applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both as part of the provision of our services and in particular on our websites, mobile, as well as 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: 01.05.2021

Table of contents

Introduction

Responsible

Overview of processing operations

Contact Data Protection Officer

Applicable legal basis

Security measures

Transfer and disclosure of personal data

Data processing in third countries

Use of cookies

Commercial and business services

Payment service provider

Credit assessment

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

Contacting

Newsletter and electronic notifications

Web analysis, monitoring and optimization

Online marketing

Presence in social networks (social media)

Plugins and embedded functions and content

Deletion of data

Modification and updating of the privacy policy

Rights of the data subjects

Definitions


Responsible
smart things solutions GmbH

Grubmühlerfeldstr. 54.
82131  Gauting
Deutschland

Authorized representatives:
Thomas Detemple / Geschäftsführer

E-Mail-Adress:  
info@smart-things.com

Impressum:
https://www.smart-things.com/de/impressum/

Processing overview
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 (e.g. names, addresses).
Content data (e.g. entries in online forms).
Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times).
Location data (information about the geographical position of a device or person).
Contract data (e.g. subject matter of contract, term, customer category).
Payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history). 

Categories of data subjects
Business and contractual partners.
Interested parties.
Communication partners.
Customers.
Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services). 

Purposes of processing
Assessment of creditworthiness and credit standing.
Provision of our online offer and user friendliness.
Visit action evaluation.
Office and organizational procedures.
Cross-device tracking (processing of user data across devices for marketing purposes).
Direct marketing (e.g., via email or postal mail).
Interest-based and behavioral marketing.
Contact requests and communication.
Conversion measurement (measuring the effectiveness of marketing activities).
Profiling (creation of user profiles).
Remarketing.
Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
Security measures.
Tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies).
Provision of contractual services and customer service.
Target group formation (determination of target groups relevant for marketing purposes or other output of content).
Automated decisions in individual cases
Credit information (decision based on a credit check).

Applicable legal bases
In the following, we share the legal bases of the General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the regulations of the DSGVO, the national data protection regulations in your or our country of residence and domicile may apply. 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 para. 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 para. 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.

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 take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and processes 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 and disclosure of personal data
In the course of our processing of personal data, it may happen that the data is transferred to or disclosed to other bodies, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons. Recipients of this data may include, for example, payment institutions in the context of payment transactions, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we 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 processing in third countries
If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or the processing takes place in the context of using third-party services or disclosing or transferring data to other persons, entities or companies, this will only be done in accordance with the legal requirements.

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

Use of cookies
Cookies are text files that contain data from visited websites or domains and are stored by a browser on the user’s computer. The primary purpose of a cookie is to store information about a user during or after his visit within an online offer. Stored information may include, for example, language settings on a website, login status, a shopping cart, or where a video was watched. The term cookies also includes other technologies that perform the same functions as cookies (e.g., when user information is stored using pseudonymous online identifiers, also referred to as “user IDs”).

The following cookie types and functions 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 browser.

Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the browser 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, the interests of users used for reach measurement or marketing purposes can be stored in such a cookie.

First-party cookies: First-party cookies are set by ourselves.

Third-party cookies (also: third-party cookies): Third-party cookies are mainly used by advertisers (so-called third parties) to process user information.

Necessary (also: essential or absolutely necessary) cookies: Cookies may be absolutely necessary for the operation of a website (e.g. to save logins or other user entries or for security reasons).

Statistical, marketing and personalization cookies: Furthermore, cookies are generally also used in the context of range measurement and when a user’s interests or behavior (e.g. viewing certain content, using functions, etc.) on individual websites are stored in a user profile. Such profiles are used, for example, to show users content that matches their potential interests. This process is also referred to as “tracking,” i.e., tracing the potential interests of users. . Insofar as we use cookies or “tracking” technologies, we will inform you separately in our privacy policy or in the context of obtaining consent.

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

Storage period: If we do not provide you with explicit information about the storage period of permanent cookies (e.g. in the context of a so-called cookie opt-in), please assume that the storage period can be up to two years.

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

Processing of cookie data on the basis of consent: Before we process or have data processed within the scope of the use of cookies, we ask users for consent that can be revoked at any time. Before the consent has not been expressed, cookies are used at most, which are absolutely necessary for the operation of our online offer.

Cookie settings/opposition: If you use a cookie consent banner (which is recommended), you can enter the option to call it at this point (e.g. link or a so-called [shortcode], which is automatically converted into a button/link by your software).

Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. web pages 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).

Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a. DSGVO), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Notes on processing cookie data on the basis of consent: You should only leave this option (and otherwise delete it) if you obtain a “real” opt-in, i.e., user consent to the use of cookies (e.g., with so-called “cookie consent/consent/opt-in banners” or as part of a registration process).

Since a cookie opt-in is usually necessary according to the ECJ when using marketing tools frequently used in e-commerce (e.g. Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel), this option is preselected.

I.e., before users have given their consent, you do not use cookies (and do not use third-party services within your websites that themselves in turn use cookies). At most, the use of necessary cookies that users expect, such as a shopping cart function in the online store or local reach measurement with the Matomo tool, is permitted.

Commercial and business services
We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g. customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as “contractual partners”) in the context of contractual and comparable legal relationships as well as related measures and in the context of communication with contractual partners (or pre-contractual), e.g. to answer inquiries.

We process this data to fulfill our contractual obligations, to secure our rights and for the purposes of the administrative tasks associated with this information as well as for business organization. Within the framework of applicable law, we only disclose the data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent that this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or for the fulfillment of legal obligations or with the consent of the data subjects (e.g. to participating telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). Contractual partners will be informed about further forms of processing, e.g. for marketing purposes, within the scope of this data protection declaration.

We inform the contractual partners which data is required for the aforementioned purposes before or in the course of data collection, e.g. in online forms, by means of special marking (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar), or in person.

We delete the data after the expiry of legal warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., in principle after 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., as long as it must be kept for legal archiving reasons (e.g., for tax purposes usually 10 years). We delete data disclosed to us by the contractual partner as part of an order in accordance with the specifications of the order, generally after the end of the order.

Insofar as we use third-party providers or platforms to provide our services, the terms and conditions and data protection notices of the respective third-party providers or platforms shall apply in the relationship between the users and the providers.

Customer account: Contractual partners can create an account within our online offer (e.g. customer or user account, in short “customer account”). If registration of a customer account is required, contractual partners will be informed of this as well as of the information required for registration. Customer accounts are not public and cannot be indexed by search engines. In the course of registration and subsequent logins and use of the customer account, we store the IP addresses of the customers together with the access times in order to be able to prove registration and prevent any misuse of the customer account.

If customers have terminated their customer account, the data relating to the customer account will be deleted, unless their retention is required for legal reasons. It is the responsibility of the customer to back up their data upon termination of the customer account.

Economic analyses and market research: For business reasons and in order to be able to identify market trends, wishes of contractual partners and users, we analyze the data we have on business transactions, contracts, inquiries, etc., whereby the group of data subjects may include contractual partners, interested parties, customers, visitors and users of our online offering.

The analyses are carried out for the purpose of business evaluations, marketing and market research (e.g. to determine customer groups with different characteristics). In doing so, we may, if available, take into account the profiles of registered users together with their details, e.g. on services used. The analyses serve us alone and are not disclosed externally, unless they are anonymous analyses with summarized, i.e. anonymized values. Furthermore, we take the privacy of the users into consideration and process the data for the analysis purposes as pseudonymously as possible and, if feasible, anonymously (e.g. as summarized data).

Store and e-commerce: We process the data of our customers to enable them to select, purchase or order the selected products, goods and related services, as well as their payment and delivery or execution. If necessary for the execution of an order, we use service providers, in particular postal, forwarding and shipping companies, to carry out the delivery, or execution to our customers. For the processing of payment transactions, we use the services of banks and payment service providers. The required information is identified as such in the context of the order or comparable purchase process and includes the information needed for delivery, or provision and billing, as well as contact information, so that any consultation can be held. 

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), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).

Affected persons: Interested parties, business and contractual partners, customers.

Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service, contact requests and communication, office and organizational procedures, management and response to requests, security measures, visit action evaluation, interest-based and behavioral marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles).

Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b. DSGVO), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. c. DSGVO), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Note: Please remove the passage on customer account or analysis of customer data if you do not offer a customer account or do not analyze your customers’ data as described.

Payment service provider
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 payment service providers in addition to banks and credit institutions for this purpose (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 policy of the payment service providers.

The terms and conditions and the data protection notices of the respective payment service providers apply to the payment transactions, 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).

Data subjects: Customers, interested parties.

Purposes of processing: provision of contractual services and customer service.

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).

Services used and service providers:

PayPal: payment services and solutions (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; Website: : https://www.paypal.com/de;
Privacy Policy: https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.

Credit assessment

If we make advance payments or enter into comparable economic risks (e.g. when ordering on account), we reserve the right to obtain identity and credit information for the purpose of assessing the credit risk on the basis of mathematical-statistical procedures from specialized service providers (credit agencies) in order to protect our legitimate interests.

We process the information received from the credit agencies on the statistical probability of a payment default within the framework of an appropriate discretionary decision on the establishment, implementation and termination of the contractual relationship. We reserve the right to refuse payment on account or other advance performance in the event of a negative result of the credit check.

In accordance with Art. 22 DSGVO, the decision as to whether we provide advance performance is made solely on the basis of an automated decision in the individual case, which is made by our software on the basis of the information from the credit agency.

If we obtain explicit consent from contractual partners, the legal basis for the credit rating information and the transmission of the customer’s data to the credit agencies is the consent. If no consent is obtained, the credit information is provided on the basis of our legitimate interests in the default security of our payment claims.

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: Customers, prospective customers.

Purposes of processing: assessment of creditworthiness and credit standing.

Legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a. DSGVO), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Automated decisions in individual cases: credit information (decision based on a credit check).

Services used and service providers:
Verband der Vereine Creditreform e.V.: Credit reference agency; Service provider: Verband der Vereine Creditreform e.V., Hellersbergstraße 12, D-41460 Neuss, Germany; Website: https://www.creditreform.de/;
Privacy Policy: https://www.creditreform.de/datenschutz.

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

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

E-mail dispatch and hosting: The web hosting services we use also include the dispatch, receipt and storage of e-mails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders as well as further information regarding the e-mail dispatch (e.g. the providers involved) and the contents of the respective e-mails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for SPAM detection purposes. Please note that e-mails are generally not sent encrypted on the Internet. As a rule, e-mails are encrypted in transit, but (unless a so-called end-to-end encryption method is used) not on the servers from which they are sent and received. We can therefore not assume any responsibility for the transmission path of the e-mails between the sender and the reception on our server.

Collection of access data and log files: We ourselves (or our web hosting provider) collect data on each access to the server (so-called server log files). The server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, the date and time of access, the volume of data 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.

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: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).

Legal grounds: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Contact
When contacting us (e.g. via contact form, email, telephone or via social media), 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 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 the legitimate interests in responding to the inquiries.

Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), 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, interested parties.

Purposes of processing: contact requests and communication, management and response to requests.

Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b. DSGVO), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Services used and service providers:
RP System Wewclapp: Management of contact requests and communication; Service provider: weclapp SE, Neue Mainzer Str. 66-68 60311 Frankfurt am Main; Website: : https://www.weclapp.de;
Privacy Policy: https://www.weclapp.com/privacy/

Newsletter and electronic notifications

We send newsletters, e-mails and other electronic notifications (hereinafter referred to as “newsletters”) only with the consent of the recipients or a legal permission. If the contents of the Newsletter are specifically described in the course of registration, 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 a personal address in the newsletter, or further information, if this is necessary for the purposes of the newsletter.

Double opt-in procedure: 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 event of obligations to permanently observe objections, we reserve the right to store the e-mail address in a blacklist 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. If 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.

Notes on legal basis: The newsletter is sent on the basis of the recipients’ consent or, if consent is not required, on the basis of our legitimate interests in direct marketing, if and to the extent that this is permitted by law, e.g. in the case of existing customer advertising. Insofar as we commission a service provider to send e-mails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests. The registration process is recorded on the basis of our legitimate interests to prove that it was carried out in accordance with the law.

Content: Information about us, our services, promotions and offers.

Analysis and performance measurement: 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 their server when the newsletter is opened. Within the scope 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 to technically improve our newsletter based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading behavior based on their retrieval locations (which can be determined using the IP address) or access times. This analysis also includes determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened and which links are clicked. For technical reasons, this information can indeed be assigned to individual newsletter recipients. However, it is neither our intention nor, if used, that of the dispatch service provider 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.

The evaluation of the newsletter and the measurement of success are carried out, subject to the express consent of the users, on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purpose of using a user-friendly as well as secure newsletter system, which serves both our business interests and meets the expectations of the users.

A separate revocation of the performance measurement is unfortunately not possible, in which case the entire newsletter subscription must be cancelled, or it must be contradicted.

Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. email, phone numbers), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times).

Data subjects: Communication partners.

Purposes of processing: 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 above contact options, preferably e-mail, for this purpose.

Services used and service providers:

CleverReach: Email marketing platform; service provider: CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, Mühlenstr. 43, 26180 Rastede, Germany; Website: https://www.cleverreach.com/de;
Privacy Policy: https://www.cleverreach.com/de/datenschutz/.

Mailchimp: E-Mail-Marketing-Plattform; service provider: “Mailchimp” – Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA; Website: https://mailchimp.com;
Privacy Policy: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/.

Web analysis, monitoring and optimization

Web analytics (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 see, 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.

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

The IP addresses of users are also stored. However, we use an IP masking procedure (i.e., 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. This means that we, as well as the providers of the software used, do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purposes of the respective procedures.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to use third-party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, users’ data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economical and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this Privacy Policy.

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), tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies), visit action evaluation, profiling (creation of user profiles).

Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).

Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a. DSGVO), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Services used and service providers:

etracker: Web analytics/reach measurement; Service provider: etracker GmbH, Erste Brunnenstraße 1 20459 Hamburg, Deutschland; Website: https://www.etracker.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.etracker.com/datenschutz/; (Opt-Out): https://www.etracker.de/privacy?et=[INSERT-YOUR-Account-ID].

Matomo (without cookies): Matomo is a privacy-friendly web analytics software that is used without cookies and in which the recognition of returning users is carried out with the help of a so-called “digital fingerprint”, which is stored anonymously and changed every 24 hours; With the “digital fingerprint”, user movements within our online offering are recorded with the help of pseudonymized IP addresses in combination with user-side browser settings in such a way that conclusions about the identity of individual users are not possible; Service provider: Self-hosted web analytics/reach measurement; Website: https://matomo.org/.

Online marketing

We process personal data for online marketing purposes, which may include, in particular, the marketing of advertising space or presentation of promotional and other content (collectively, “content”) based on potential user interests and the measurement of its effectiveness.

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

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

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

Exceptionally, clear data can be assigned to the profiles. This is the case if, for example, the users are members of a social network whose online marketing procedure we use and the network links the users’ profiles with the aforementioned data. We ask to note that users may make additional arrangements with the providers, e.g., by giving consent as part of the registration process.

In principle, we only receive access to summarized information about the success of our advertisements. However, in the context of so-called conversion measurements, we can check which of our online marketing processes have led to a so-called conversion, i.e., for example, to a conclusion of a contract with us. The conversion measurement is used solely to analyze the success of our marketing measures.

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

Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, users’ data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

Facebook pixel: With the help of the Facebook pixel, it is possible for Facebook to determine the visitors of our online offer as a target group for the display of ads (so-called “Facebook ads”). Accordingly, we use the Facebook pixel in order to display the Facebook ads placed by us only to such users on Facebook and within the services of partners cooperating with Facebook (so-called “Audience Network” https://www.facebook.com/audiencenetwork/ who have also shown an interest in our online offer or who have certain characteristics (e.g. interest in certain topics or products that are evident from the web pages visited), which 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. Furthermore, with the help of the Facebook pixel, we can track the effectiveness of the Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users were redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (so-called “conversion measurement”).

Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. web pages visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), location data (information about the geographical position of a device or person).

Data Subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), prospective customers.

Purposes of processing: tracking (e.g. interest/behavior-based profiling, use of cookies), remarketing, visit action evaluation, interest-based and behavioral marketing, profiling (creation of user profiles), conversion measurement (measurement of the effectiveness of marketing measures), reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), targeting (determination of target groups relevant for marketing purposes or other output of content), cross-device tracking (cross-device processing of user data for marketing purposes).

Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).

Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. a. DSGVO), Legitimate Interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO).

Possibility of objection (opt-out): We refer to the data protection notices of the respective providers and the objection options (so-called “opt-out”) specified for the providers. If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, you have the option of switching off cookies in your browser settings. However, this may restrict functions of our online offer. We therefore recommend the following additional opt-out options, which are offered in summary for the respective areas:
a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu.

b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices.
c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices.
d) Inter-area: https://optout.aboutads.info.

Eingesetzte Dienste und Diensteanbieter:

Google Tag Manager:
Google Tag Manager is a solution with which we can manage so-called website tags via an interface and thus integrate other services into our online offer. The Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags) does not process any personal data of the users. With regard to the processing of users’ personal data, please refer to the following information on Google services. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Google Analytics:
Online marketing and web analytics; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Possibility of objection (Opt-Out): Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Ads and conversion measurement:
We use the “Google Ads” online marketing process to place ads on the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.) so that they are displayed to users who have a presumed interest in the ads. We also measure the conversion of the ads. However, we only find out the anonymous total number of users who clicked on our ad and were forwarded to a page with a so-called “conversion tracking tag”. However, we do not receive any information that could be used to identify users. service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

 

Google Ad Manager:
We use the “Google Marketing Platform” (and services such as “Google Ad Manager”) to place ads on the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.). The Google Marketing Platform is characterized by the fact that ads are displayed in real time based on users’ presumed interests. This allows us to display ads for and within our online offering in a more targeted manner in order to only present users with ads that potentially match their interests. If, for example, a user is shown ads for products that he was interested in on other online offers, this is referred to as “remarketing”. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Facebook-Pixel:
Service provider: https://www.facebook.com, Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; possibility of objection (Opt-Out): https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads.

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

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

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

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

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

Types of data processed:
Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), 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).

Affected people:
Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing:
Contact requests and communication, tracking (e.g. interest/behavioral profiling, use of cookies), remarketing, range measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).

Legal bases:
Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Instagram :
Social network; Service provider: Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA; Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.

Facebook:
Social network; Service provider: Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; possibility of objection (Opt-Out): Ads Settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads; Additional information on data protection: Agreement on joint processing of personal data on Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum, Privacy Policy for Facebook Pages: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data.

LinkedIn:
Social network; Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Irland; Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy:: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; possibility of objection (Opt-Out): https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.

Twitter:
Social network; Service provider: Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Privacy Policy:: https://twitter.com/de/privacy, (Einstellungen) https://twitter.com/personalization.

YouTube:
Social network; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Privacy Policy:: https://policies.google.com/privacy; possibility of objection (Opt-Out): https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Xing:
Social network; Service provider: XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Deutschland; Website: https://www.xing.de; Privacy Policy:: https://privacy.xing.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung.

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 social media buttons and articles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Content”).

The integration always presupposes 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 therefore required for the display of this content or functions. We endeavor to only use content whose respective providers only use the IP address to deliver the content. Third-party providers can 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 evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. 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 the operating system, websites to be referred to, the time of the visit and other information on the use of our online offer and can also be linked to such information from other sources.

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

Types of data processed:
Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), location data (information on the geographical position of a device or a person), content data (e.g. entries in online forms), inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact details (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).

Affected people:
Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), communication partners.

Purposes of processing:
Provision of our online offer and user friendliness, provision of contractual services and customer service, contact requests and communication, tracking (e.g. interest/behavioral profiling, use of cookies), interest-based and behavioral marketing, profiling (creating user profiles), security measures, administration and answering of inquiries.

Legal bases:
Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR), consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a. GDPR), fulfillment of contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Facebook plugins and content:
Facebook social plugins and content – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online offer within Facebook. The list and appearance of the Facebook Social Plugins can be viewed here:

https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/; Service provider: https://www.facebook.com, Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy; Possibility of objection (opt-out): Settings for advertisements: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads.

Google Fonts:
We integrate fonts (“Google Fonts”) from the provider Google, whereby the user data is used solely for the purpose of displaying the fonts in the user’s browser. The integration takes place on the basis of our legitimate interests in a technically secure, maintenance-free and efficient use of fonts, their uniform representation and taking into account possible licensing restrictions for their integration. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://fonts.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Google Maps:
We integrate the maps of the service “Google Maps” from the provider Google. The processed data may include, in particular, IP addresses and location data of the users, which, however, are not collected without their consent (usually as part of the settings on their mobile devices); Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Possibility of objection (Opt-Out): Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

ReCaptcha:
We integrate the “ReCaptcha” function to recognize bots, e.g. when making entries in online forms. The user’s behavioral information (e.g. mouse movements or queries) is evaluated in order to be able to distinguish people from bots. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://www.google.com/recaptcha/; Datenschutzerklärung: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Widerspruchsmöglichkeit (Opt-Out): Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Einstellungen für die Darstellung von Werbeeinblendungen: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Twitter-Plugins und -Inhalte:
Twitter plugins and buttons – This can include content such as images, videos or text and buttons with which users can share content from this online offer within Twitter. Service provider: Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA; Website: https://twitter.com/de; Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy.

YouTube-Videos:
Video content; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland, Mutterunternehmen: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Possibility of objection (Opt-Out): Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Deletion of data
The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as your consent to processing is revoked or other permissions are no longer applicable (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data no longer applies or it is not required for the purpose).

If the data is not deleted because it is required for other, legally permissible purposes, its processing will be limited to these purposes. This means that the data will be blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be stored for commercial or tax reasons or whose storage is necessary to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person.

Further information on the deletion of personal data can also be provided in the context of the individual data protection information in this data protection declaration.

Change and update of the privacy policy
We ask you to inform yourself regularly about the content of our data protection declaration. We will adapt the data protection declaration as soon as the changes in the data processing we carry out make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require your participation (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

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

Rights of data subjects
As a data subject, you have various rights under the GDPR, which result in particular from Art. 15 to 21 GDPR:

Right of objection: You have the right, for reasons arising from your particular situation, to object at any time to the processing of your personal data, which is based on Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. e or f GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you is processed in order to operate direct advertising, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data for the purpose of such advertising; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is associated with such direct advertising.

Right of withdrawal for consent:
You have the right to revoke your consent at any time.

Right of providing information:
You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question is being processed and to request information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with legal requirements.

Right to rectification:
In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to request the completion of the data concerning you or the correction of incorrect data concerning you.

Right to erasure and restriction of processing:
In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to request that data concerning you be deleted immediately, or alternatively to request a restriction of the processing of the data in accordance with the legal requirements.

Right to data portability:
You have the right to receive the data that you have provided to us in accordance with the legal requirements in a structured, common and machine-readable format or to request its transmission to another person responsible.

Complaint to supervisory authority:
You also have the right, in accordance with the statutory provisions, to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the member state of your usual place of residence, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you believe that the processing of your personal data violates the GDPR violates.

Definitions of terms
This section provides you with an overview of the terms used in this data protection declaration. Many of the terms are taken from the law and defined above all in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are intended primarily for understanding. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

Visit action evaluation:
“Conversion tracking” refers to a process that can be used to determine the effectiveness of marketing measures. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the user’s device within the website on which the marketing measures take place and then called up again on the target website. For example, we can use this to understand whether the ads we placed on other websites were successful).

Credit Report:
Automated decisions are based on automatic data processing without human intervention (e.g. in the case of an automatic rejection of a purchase on account, an online loan application or an online application process without any human intervention. Such automated decisions are only permissible under Art. 22 GDPR if those affected consent if they are necessary for the fulfillment of a contract or if national laws allow these decisions.

Cross device tracking:
Cross-device tracking is a form of tracking in which user behavior and interest information is recorded across devices in so-called profiles by assigning an online identifier to the user. This allows user information to be analyzed for marketing purposes, regardless of the browser or device used (e.g. mobile phones or desktop computers). With most providers, the online identifier is not linked to clear data such as names, postal addresses or e-mail addresses.

IP masking:
“IP masking” is a method in which the last octet, i.e. the last two digits of an IP address, is deleted so that the IP address can no longer be used to uniquely identify a person. Therefore, the IP -Masking is a means of pseudonymizing processing methods, especially in online marketing

Interest-based and behavioral marketing:
One speaks of interest and/or behavioral marketing when potential interests of users in advertisements and other content are predetermined as precisely as possible. This is done using information about their previous behavior (e.g. visiting certain websites and staying on them, purchasing behavior or interaction with other users), which is stored in a so-called profile. Cookies are usually used for these purposes.

Conversion measurement:
Conversion measurement is a process that can be used to determine the effectiveness of marketing measures. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the user’s device within the website on which the marketing measures take place and then called up again on the target website. For example, this allows us to understand whether the ads we placed on other websites were successful.

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 means of assignment to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. cookie) or one or more special features, are an expression of the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

Profiling:
“Profiling” means any type of automated processing of personal data, which consists in using this personal data to identify certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this includes information regarding age, gender, location data and movement data, interaction with websites and their content, shopping behavior, social interactions with other people) to analyze, evaluate or predict them (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behavior on a website or location Cookies and web beacons are commonly used for profiling purposes.

Range measurement:
The range measurement (also referred to as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offer and can include the behavior or interests of visitors in certain information, such as website content. With the help of the range analysis, website owners can, for example, see at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This allows them, for example, to better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors. Pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used for range analysis purposes in order to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyzes of the use of an online offer.

Remarketing:
One speaks of “remarketing” or “retargeting” when, for example, it is noted for advertising purposes which products a user was interested in on a website in order to remind the user of these products on other websites, e.g. in advertisements.

Location data:
Location data is created when a mobile device (or another device with the technical requirements for location determination) connects to a radio cell, a WLAN or similar technical mediators and location determination functions. Location data is used to indicate at which geographically determinable position on earth the respective device is located. Location data can e.g. B. be used to display map features or other information dependent on a location.

Tracking:
One speaks of “tracking” when the behavior of users can be traced across several online offers. As a rule, behavior and interest information with regard to the online offers used is stored in cookies or on servers of the providers of the tracking technologies (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to show users advertisements that are likely to match their interests.

Responsible:

The “person responsible” is the natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body that alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data.

Processing:
“Processing” is any process or series of processes carried out with or without the aid of automated processes in connection with personal data. The term goes far and covers practically every handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or deletion.

Target group formation:
One speaks of target group formation (or “custom audiences”) when target groups are determined for advertising purposes, e.g. the display of advertisements. For example, based on the interest of a user in certain products or topics on the Internet, it can be concluded that this user is interested in advertisements for similar products or the online shop in which he viewed the products. In turn, one speaks of “lookalike audiences” (or similar target groups) if the content assessed as suitable is displayed to users whose profiles or interests presumably belong to the users , to which the profiles were formed, correspond. Cookies and web beacons are usually used for the purpose of creating custom audiences and lookalike audiences.