Privacy Policy

Preamble

With the following privacy policy we would like to inform you which types of your personal data (hereinafter also abbreviated as "data") we process for which purposes and in which scope. The privacy statement applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of providing our services 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 services").

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Last Update: 19. February 2024

Table of contents

Controller

Robin Genz
Am Rehmenbach 19
78256 Steisslingen, Germany

E-mail address: support@ionstarter.dev

Overview of processing operations

The following table summarises the types of data processed, the purposes for which they are processed and the concerned data subjects.

Categories of Processed Data

  • Inventory data.
  • Payment Data.
  • Location data.
  • Contact data.
  • Content data.
  • Contract data.
  • Usage data.
  • Meta, communication and process data.

Categories of Data Subjects

  • Customers.
  • Communication partner.
  • Users.

Purposes of Processing

  • Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations.
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Security measures.
  • Direct marketing.
  • Web Analytics.
  • Targeting.
  • Conversion tracking.
  • A/B Tests.
  • Managing and responding to inquiries.
  • Feedback.
  • Marketing.
  • Profiles with user-related information.
  • Provision of our online services and usability.
  • Information technology infrastructure.

Relevant legal bases

Relevant legal bases according to the GDPR: In the following, you will find an overview of the legal basis of the GDPR on which we base the processing of personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection provisions of your or our country of residence or domicile may apply. If, in addition, more specific legal bases are applicable in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

  • Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR) - The data subject has given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes.
  • Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR) - Performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.
  • Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data.

National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national regulations apply to data protection in Germany. This includes in particular the Law on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act - BDSG). In particular, the BDSG contains special provisions on the right to access, the right to erase, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission as well as automated individual decision-making, including profiling. Furthermore, data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Relevant legal basis according to the Swiss Data Protection Act: If you are located in Switzerland, we process your data based on the Federal Data Protection Act (abbreviated as "Swiss DPA"). This also applies if our processing of your data otherwise affects you in Switzerland and you are affected by the processing. The Swiss DPA does not generally provide that a legal basis for the processing of personal data must be stated (unlike, for example, the GDPR). We process personal data only when the processing is lawful, is conducted in good faith, and is proportionate (Article 6 (1) and (2) of the Swiss DPA). Furthermore, we only collect personal data for a specific purpose that is recognisable to the person concerned and process it only in a manner that is compatible with these purposes (Article 6 (3) of the Swiss DPA).

Reference to the applicability of the GDPR and the Swiss DPA: These privacy notices serve both to provide information in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (Swiss DPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Security Precautions

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures in accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of processing as well as the risk of varying likelihood and severity for the rights and freedoms of natural persons, in order to ensure a level of security 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, transmission, securing and separation of the data. In addition, we have established procedures to ensure that data subjects' rights are respected, that data is erased, and that we are prepared to respond to data threats rapidly. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and service providers, in accordance with the principle of privacy by design and privacy by default.

TLS/SSL encryption (https): To protect the data of users transmitted via our online services, we use TLS/SSL encryption. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is the standard technology for securing internet connections by encrypting the data transmitted between a website or app and a browser (or between two servers). Transport Layer Security (TLS) is an updated and more secure version of SSL. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is displayed in the URL when a website is secured by an SSL/TLS certificate.

Transmission of Personal Data

In the context of our processing of personal data, it may happen that the data is transferred to other places, companies or persons or that it is disclosed to them. Recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are embedded in a website. In such cases, the legal requirements will be respected and in particular corresponding contracts or agreements, which serve the protection of your data, will be concluded with the recipients of your data.

International data transfers

Data Processing in Third Countries: If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)), or if the processing is done within the context of using third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other individuals, entities, or companies, this is only done in accordance with legal requirements. If the data protection level in the third country has been recognized by an adequacy decision (Article 45 GDPR), this serves as the basis for data transfer. Otherwise, data transfers only occur if the data protection level is otherwise ensured, especially through standard contractual clauses (Article 46 (2)(c) GDPR), explicit consent, or in cases of contractual or legally required transfers (Article 49 (1) GDPR). Furthermore, we provide you with the basis of third-country transfers from individual third-country providers, with adequacy decisions primarily serving as the foundation. "Information regarding third-country transfers and existing adequacy decisions can be obtained from the information provided by the EU Commission: https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_en.

EU-US Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework: Within the context of the so-called "Data Privacy Framework" (DPF), the EU Commission has also recognized the data protection level for certain companies from the USA as secure within the adequacy decision of 10th July 2023. The list of certified companies as well as additional information about the DPF can be found on the website of the US Department of Commerce at https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/. We will inform you which of our service providers are certified under the Data Privacy Framework as part of our data protection notices.

Disclosure of Personal Data Abroad: In accordance with the Swiss Data Protection Act (DSG), we only disclose personal data abroad when an appropriate level of protection for the affected persons is ensured (Art. 16 Swiss DSG). If the Federal Council does not determine that there is an adequate level of protection (list of states: https://www.bj.admin.ch/bj/de/home/staat/datenschutz/internationales/anerkennung-staaten.html), we implement alternative security measures. These measures may include international agreements, specific guarantees, data protection clauses in contracts, standard data protection clauses approved by the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), or internal company data protection regulations previously recognised by the FDPIC or a competent data protection authority of another country.

Under Art. 16 of the Swiss DSG, exceptions can be made for the disclosure of data abroad if certain conditions are met, including the consent of the affected person, contract execution, public interest, protection of life or physical integrity, publicly made data or data from a legally provided register. Such disclosures always comply with the legal requirements.

Erasure of data

The data processed by us will be erased in accordance with the statutory provisions as soon as their processing is revoked or other permissions no longer apply (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data no longer applies or they are not required for the purpose). If the data is not deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing is limited to these purposes. This means that the data will be restricted and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be stored for commercial or tax reasons or for which storage is necessary to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person. In the context of our information on data processing, we may provide users with further information on the deletion and retention of data that is specific to the respective processing operation.

Rights of Data Subjects

Rights of the Data Subjects under the GDPR: As 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, on grounds arising from your particular situation, to object at any time to the processing of your personal data which is based on letter (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. Where personal data are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of the personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.
  • Right of withdrawal for consents: You have the right to revoke consents at any time.
  • Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question will be processed and to be informed of this data and to receive further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the provisions of the law.
  • Right to rectification: You have the right, in accordance with the law, to request the completion of the data concerning you or the rectification of the incorrect data concerning you.
  • Right to Erasure and Right to Restriction of Processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to demand that the relevant data be erased immediately or, alternatively, to demand that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with the statutory provisions.
  • 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 request its transmission to another controller.
  • Complaint to the supervisory authority: In accordance with the law and without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, in particular a supervisory authority in the Member State where you habitually reside, the supervisory authority of your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you infringes the GDPR.

Rights of the data subjects under the Swiss DPA:

As the data subject, you have the following rights in accordance with the provisions of the Swiss DPA:

  • Right to information: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether personal data concerning you are being processed, and to receive the information necessary for you to assert your rights under the Swiss DPA and to ensure transparent data processing.
  • Right to data release or transfer: You have the right to request the release of your personal data, which you have provided to us, in a common electronic format, as well as its transfer to another data controller, provided this does not require disproportionate effort.
  • Right to rectification: You have the right to request the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning you.
  • Right to object, deletion, and destruction: You have the right to object to the processing of your data, as well as to request that personal data concerning you be deleted or destroyed.

Business Transfers

If we or our assets are acquired, or in the unlikely event that we go out of business or enter bankruptcy, we would include data, including your personal information, among the assets transferred to any parties who acquire us. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur, and that any parties who acquire us may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, continue to use your personal information according to this policy, which they will be required to assume as it is the basis for any ownership or use rights we have over such information.

Use of online platforms for listing and sales purposes

We offer our services on online platforms operated by other service providers. In addition to our privacy policy, the privacy policies of the respective platforms apply. This is particularly true with regard to the payment process and the methods used on the platforms for performance measuring and behaviour-related marketing.

  • Processed data types: 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. contract object, duration, customer category); Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Data subjects: Customers.
  • Purposes of Processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations. Marketing.
  • Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR).

Further information on processing methods, procedures and services used:

  • Lemon Squeezy: Payments are handled by Lemon Squeezy. We do not store or collect your payment card details; Service provider: Lemon Squeezy, 222 Main Street Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; Website:https://www.lemonsqueezy.com/; Privacy Policy:https://www.lemonsqueezy.com/privacy. Basis for third-country transfers: EEA - Adequacy decision (Großbritannien), Switzerland - Adequacy decision (Uruguay).

Provision of online services and web hosting

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

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status). Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of Processing: Provision of our online services and usability; Information technology infrastructure (Operation and provision of information systems and technical devices, such as computers, servers, etc.).). Security measures.
  • Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Further information on processing methods, procedures and services used:

  • Provision of online offer on rented hosting space: For the provision of our online services, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also referred to as a "web hoster"); Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).
  • Collection of Access Data and Log Files: The access to our online services is logged in the form of so-called "server log files". 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 general rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure the stability and optimal load balancing of the servers; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR). Retention period: Log file information is stored for a maximum period of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data, the further storage of which is necessary for evidence purposes, are excluded from deletion until the respective incident has been finally clarified.
  • E-mail Sending and Hosting: The web hosting services we use also include sending, receiving and storing e-mails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders, as well as other information relating to the sending of e-mails (e.g. the providers involved) and the contents of the respective e-mails are processed. The above data may also be processed for SPAM detection purposes. Please note that e-mails on the Internet are generally not sent in encrypted form. As a rule, e-mails are encrypted during transport, but not on the servers from which they are sent and received (unless a so-called end-to-end encryption method is used). We can therefore accept no responsibility for the transmission path of e-mails between the sender and reception on our server; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).
  • Content-Delivery-Network: We use a so-called "Content Delivery Network" (CDN). A CDN is a service with whose help contents of our online services, in particular large media files, such as graphics or scripts, can be delivered faster and more securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).
  • netcup: Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities); Service provider: netcup GmbH, Daimlerstraße 25, D-76185 Karlsruhe, Germany; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR); Website:https://www.netcup.de/; Privacy Policy:https://www.netcup.de/kontakt/datenschutzerklaerung.php; Data Processing Agreement:https://www.netcup-wiki.de/wiki/Zusatzvereinbarung_zur_Auftragsverarbeitung. Basis for third-country transfers: Switzerland - Adequacy decision (Germany).
  • Vercel: Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacities) as well as development environment; Service provider: Vercel Inc., 340 S Lemon Ave #4133, Walnut, CA 91789, USA; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR); Website:https://vercel.com; Privacy Policy:https://vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy; Data Processing Agreement:https://vercel.com/legal/dpa. Basis for third-country transfers: EEA - Standard Contractual Clauses (https://vercel.com/legal/dpa), Switzerland - Standard Contractual Clauses (https://vercel.com/legal/dpa).

Contact and Inquiry Management

When contacting us (e.g. via mail, contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media) as well as 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.

  • Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos); Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
  • Purposes of Processing: Contact requests and communication; Managing and responding to inquiries; Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form). Provision of our online services and usability.
  • Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Chatbots and chat functions

We provide online chats and chatbot functions as a means of communication (together referred to as "Chat Services"). A chat is an online conversation that is conducted with a certain degree of immediacy. A chatbot is software that answers users' questions or informs them about messages. If you use our chat functions, we may process your personal data.

If you use our Chat Services within an online platform, your identification number is also stored within the respective platform. We may also collect information about which users interact with our Chat Services and when. Furthermore, we store the content of your conversations via the Chat Services and log registration and consent processes in order to be able to prove these in accordance with legal requirements.

We would like to inform users that the respective platform provider can find out that and when users communicate with our Chat Services and can collect technical information about the user's device used and, depending on the settings of their device, also location information (so-called metadata) for the purpose of optimising the respective services and for security purposes. Likewise, the metadata of communication via Chat Services (i.e., information about who has communicated with whom) could be used by the respective platform providers for marketing purposes or to display advertising tailored to users in accordance with their regulations, to which we refer for further information.

If users agree to activate information with regular messages to a chatbot, they have the possibility to unsubscribe from the information for the future at any time. The chatbot points out to users how and with which terms they can unsubscribe the messages. By unsubscribing from the chatbot messages, Users' data is deleted from the directory of message recipients.

We use the aforementioned information to operate our Chat Services, e.g. to address users personally, to answer their inquiries, to transmit any requested content and also to improve our Chat Services (e.g. to "teach" chatbots answers to frequently asked questions or to identify unanswered inquiries).

Information on Legal basis: We use the Chat Services on the basis of a consent if we first obtain the permission of the users to process their data by the Chat Services (this applies in cases where users are asked for consent, e.g. so that a chatbot regularly sends them messages). If we use Chat Services to answer user queries about our services or our company, this is done for contractual and pre-contractual communication. In addition, we use Chat Services based on our legitimate interests in optimizing the Chat Services, its operating efficiency and enhancing the positive user experience.

Withdrawal, objection and deletion: You can revoke a given consent at any time or contradict the processing of your data in the context of our chatbot use.

  • Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos); Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
  • Purposes of Processing: Contact requests and communication. Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).
  • Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR); Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR). Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Further information on processing methods, procedures and services used:

  • Crisp: Chatbot and assistance software and related services; Service provider: Crisp IM SARL, 2 boulevard de Launay, 44100 Nantes, France; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR); Website:https://crisp.chat/en/; Privacy Policy:https://crisp.chat/en/privacy/. Basis for third-country transfers: Switzerland - Adequacy decision (France).

Push notifications

With the consent of the users, we can send the users so-called "push notifications". These are messages that are displayed on users' screens, devices or browsers, even if our online services are not being actively used.

In order to sign up for push messages, users must confirm that their browser or device has requested to receive push messages. This approval process is documented and stored. The storage is necessary to recognize whether users have consented to receive the push messages and to be able to prove their consent. For these purposes, a pseudonymous identifier of the browser (so-called "push token") or the device ID of a terminal device is stored.

The push messages may be necessary for the fulfilment of contractual obligations (e.g. technical and organisational information relevant for the use of our online offer) and will otherwise be sent, unless specifically mentioned below, on the basis of user consent. Users can change the receipt of push messages at any time using the notification settings of their respective browsers or end devices.

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status); Location data (Information on the geographical position of a device or person). Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
  • Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.). Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of Processing: Provision of our online services and usability; Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); Targeting (e.g. profiling based on interests and behaviour, use of cookies); Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities); A/B Tests; Marketing. Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles).
  • Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR); Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR). Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Further information on processing methods, procedures and services used:

  • Firebase: Firebase is a development platform for mobile and web applications. It provides tools and infrastructure via a software development kit that are intended to enable a developer to provide simpler and more efficient functions using programming interfaces on different platforms; Service provider: Google Cloud EMEA Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR); Website:https://firebase.google.com; Privacy Policy:https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data Processing Agreement:https://firebase.google.com/terms/data-processing-terms. Basis for third-country transfers: EEA - Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Switzerland - Adequacy decision (Ireland).

Newsletter and Electronic Communications

We send newsletters, e-mails and other electronic communications (hereinafter referred to as "newsletters") only with the consent of the recipient or a legal permission. Insofar as the contents of the newsletter are specifically described within the framework of registration, they are decisive for the consent of the user. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.

In order to subscribe to our newsletters, it is generally sufficient to enter your e-mail address. We may, however, ask you to provide a name for the purpose of contacting you personally in the newsletter or to provide further information if this is required for the purposes of the newsletter.

Double opt-in procedure: The registration to our newsletter takes place in general in a so-called Double-Opt-In procedure. This means that you will receive an e-mail after registration asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary so that no one can register with external 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 storing the login and confirmation times as well as the IP address. Likewise the changes of your data stored with the dispatch service provider are logged.

Deletion and restriction of processing: We may store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years based on our legitimate interests before deleting them to provide evidence of prior consent. The processing of these data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of a consent is confirmed at the same time. In the case of an obligation to permanently observe an objection, we reserve the right to store the e-mail address solely for this purpose in a blocklist.

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.

Contents:

Information about us, our services, promotions and offers.

  • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status). Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).
  • Purposes of Processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal). Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR). Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).
  • 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 listed above, preferably e-mail.

Further information on processing methods, procedures and services used:

  • Measurement of opening rates and click rates: The newsletters contain a so-called "web-beacon", i.e. a pixel-sized file, which is retrieved from our server when the newsletter is opened or, if we use a mailing service provider, from its server. Within the scope of this retrieval, technical information such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and time of retrieval are first collected.

    This information is used for the technical improvement of our newsletter on the basis of technical data or target groups and their reading behaviour on the basis of their retrieval points (which can be determined with the help of the IP address) or access times. This analysis also includes determining whether newsletters are opened, when they are opened and which links are clicked. This information is assigned to the individual newsletter recipients and stored in their profiles until the profiles are deleted. The evaluations serve us much more 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 measurement of opening rates and click rates as well as the storage of the measurement results in the profiles of the users and their further processing are based on the consent of the users.

    A separate objection to the performance measurement is unfortunately not possible, in this case the entire newsletter subscription must be cancelled or objected to. In this case, the stored profile information will be deleted; Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR).
  • Brevo: E-mail dispatch and automation services; Service provider: Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 126, 10179 Berlin, Germany; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR); Website:https://www.brevo.com/; Privacy Policy:https://www.brevo.com/de/legal/privacypolicy/; Data Processing Agreement: Provided by the service provider. Basis for third-country transfers: Switzerland - Adequacy decision (Germany).

Web Analysis, Monitoring and Optimization

Web analysis is used to evaluate the visitor traffic on our website and may include the behaviour, interests or demographic information of users, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of web analysis we can e.g. recognize, at which time our online services or their functions or contents are most frequently used or requested for repeatedly, as well as which areas require optimization.

In addition to web analysis, we can also use test procedures, e.g. to test and optimize different versions of our online services or their components.

Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, i.e. data aggregated for a usage process, can be created for these purposes and information can 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.

Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, that is data summarized for a usage process or user, may be created for these purposes and stored in a browser or terminal device (so-called "cookies") or similar processes may be used for the same purpose. 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 consented to the collection of their location data or profiles to us or to the providers of the services we use, these may also be processed, depending on the provider.

The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use any existing IP masking procedure (i.e. pseudonymisation by shortening the IP address) to protect the user. In general, within the framework of web analysis, A/B testing and optimisation, no user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) is 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 processes.

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of Processing: Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors). Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles).
  • Security measures: IP Masking (Pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR).

Further information on processing methods, procedures and services used:

  • Firebase: Google Firebase is a platform for developers of apps for mobile devices and websites. Google Firebase offers a variety of features for testing apps, monitoring their functionality and optimizing them (shown on the following overview page: https://firebase.google.com/products).The functions include the storage of apps including personal data of the application users, such as content created by them or information regarding their interaction with the apps (so-called "cloud computing"). Google Firebase also offers interfaces that allow interaction between the users of the app and other services, e.g. authentication using services such as Facebook, Twitter or an e-mail password combination; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR); Website:https://firebase.google.com; Privacy Policy:https://policies.google.com/privacy. Basis for third-country transfers: EEA - Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Switzerland - Adequacy decision (Ireland).

Profiles 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 may be processed outside the European Union. This may entail risks for users, e.g. by making it more difficult to enforce users' rights.

In addition, user data is usually processed within social networks for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created on the basis of user behaviour and the associated interests of users. The user profiles can then be used, for example, to place advertisements within and outside the networks which are presumed to correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the user's computer, in which the user's usage behaviour and interests are stored. Furthermore, data can be stored in the user profiles independently of the devices used by the users (especially if the users are members of the respective networks or will become members later on).

For a detailed description of the respective processing operations and the opt-out options, please refer to the respective data protection declarations and information provided by the providers of the respective networks.

Also in the case of requests for information and the exercise of rights of data subjects, we point out that these can be most effectively pursued with the providers. Only the providers have access to the data of the users and can directly take appropriate measures and provide information. If you still need help, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  • Processed data types: Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos); Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times). Meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, consent status).
  • 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 (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Further information on processing methods, procedures and services used:

  • X: Social network; Service provider: Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2 D02 AX07, Ireland; Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR); Privacy Policy:https://twitter.com/privacy, (Settings: https://twitter.com/personalization). Basis for third-country transfers: Switzerland - Adequacy decision (Ireland).

Changes and Updates to the Privacy Policy

We kindly ask you to inform yourself regularly about the contents of our data protection declaration. We will adjust the privacy policy as changes in our data processing practices make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require your cooperation (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organizations in this privacy policy, we ask you to note that addresses may change over time and to verify the information before contacting us.

Terminology and Definitions

In this section, you will find an overview of the terminology used in this privacy policy. Where the terminology is legally defined, their legal definitions apply. The following explanations, however, are primarily intended to aid understanding.

  • A/B Tests: A/B tests are designed to improve the usability and performance of online services. For example, users are presented with different versions of a website or its elements, such as input forms, on which the placement of the contents or labels of the navigation elements can differ. The behaviour of users, e.g. prolonged visits to the site or more frequent interaction with the elements, can then be used to determine which of these sites or elements are more responsive to users' needs.
  • Controller: "Controller" means 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.
  • Conversion tracking: Conversion tracking is a method used to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing measures. For this purpose, a cookie is usually stored on the devices of the users within the websites on which the marketing measures take place and then called up again on the target website (e.g. we can thus trace whether the advertisements placed by us on other websites were successful).
  • Location data: Location data is created when a mobile device (or another device with the technical requirements for a location determination) connects to a radio cell, a WLAN or similar technical means and functions of location determination. Location data serve to indicate the geographically determinable position of the earth at which the respective device is located. Location data can be used, for example, to display map functions or other information dependent on a location.
  • Personal Data: "personal data" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person ("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 or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • Processing: The term "processing" covers a wide range and practically every handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or erasure.
  • Profiles with user-related information: The processing of "profiles with user-related information", or "profiles" for short, includes any kind of automated processing of personal data that consists of using these personal data to analyse, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information concerning demographics, behaviour and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behaviour on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
  • Targeting: "Tracking" is the term used when the behaviour of users can be traced across several websites. As a rule, behavior and interest information with regard to the websites used is stored in cookies or on the servers of the tracking technology providers (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to display advertisements to users presumably corresponding to their interests.
  • Web Analytics: Web Analytics serves the evaluation of visitor traffic of online services and can determine their behavior or interests in certain information, such as content of websites. With the help of web analytics, website owners, for example, can recognize 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 their websites to the needs of their visitors. For the purposes of web analytics , pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online service.