Privacy policy

INTRODUCTION

With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about what types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as “data”) we process, for what purposes and to what extent. The privacy policy applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of the provision of 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 offer”).
The terms used are not gender-specific.
Status: November 9, 2019

OVERVIEW OF CONTENT

DATA CONTROLLER

OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESSING OPERATIONS

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. text entries, photographs, videos).
  • Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).
  • Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Location data (data indicating the location of an end user's device).
  • Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the 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 the processing

  • Visitor action evaluation.
  • Office and organizational procedures.
  • Cross-device tracking (cross-device processing of user data for marketing purposes).
  • Direct marketing (e.g. by email or post).
  • Interest-based and behavioral marketing.
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Conversion measurement (measuring the effectiveness of marketing measures).
  • Profiling (creation of user profiles).
  • Remarketing.
  • Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • Security measures.
  • Tracking (e.g. interest/behavioral profiling, use of cookies).
  • Contractual services and service.
  • Managing and responding to inquiries.
  • Target group formation (determination of target groups relevant for marketing purposes or other output of content).

Relevant legal bases

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

  • Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR) - The data subject has given their consent to the processing of their personal data for a specific purpose or several specific purposes.
  • Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the 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.
  • Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c. GDPR) - Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. 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.

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, input, disclosure, safeguarding availability and separation of the data. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data and responses to data threats. 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 data protection-friendly default settings.

TRANSMISSION AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL DATA

As part of our processing of personal data, the data may be transferred to other bodies, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons or disclosed to them. The 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 observe the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude corresponding contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data that serve to protect 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 if the processing takes place in the context of the use of third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, bodies or companies, this will only take place in accordance with the legal requirements.
Subject to express consent or transfer required by contract or law, we only process or have the data processed in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, including US processors certified under the “Privacy Shield”, or on the basis of special guarantees, such as contractual obligations through so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, the existence of certifications or binding internal data protection regulations (Art. 44 to 49 GDPR, 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 websites or domains visited and are stored by a browser on the user's computer. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user during or after their visit to an online service. The information stored may include, for example, the language settings on a website, the login status, a shopping cart or the location 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 known as “user IDs”)
A distinction is made between the following cookie types and functions

  • Temporary cookies (also: session or session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed their 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. The interests of users that are used to measure reach or for marketing purposes can also be stored in such a cookie.
  • First-party cookies: First-party cookies are set by us.
  • 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 input or for security reasons).
  • Statistical, marketing and personalization cookies: Cookies are also generally used to measure reach and when a user's interests or behaviour (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. . If we use cookies or “tracking” technologies, we will inform you separately in our privacy policy or when obtaining consent.

Information on legal bases: The legal basis on which we process your personal data with the help of cookies depends on whether we ask for your consent. If this is the case and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for processing your data is the declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed using cookies will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the business operation of our online offering and its improvement) or, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations.
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 using your browser settings, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also restrict the functionality of our online offering). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared using a variety of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the websites http://optout.aboutads.info and http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. In addition, you can obtain further objection notices as part 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 in the context of the use of cookies, we ask users for their consent, which can be revoked at any time. Before consent has not been given, cookies that are necessary for the operation of our online offering are used at most. Their use is based on our interest and the interest of users in the expected functionality of our online offering.

  • Processed data types: 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 basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

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 and associated measures and in the context of communication with the contractual partners (or pre-contractual), e.g. to answer inquiries.
We process this data to fulfil our contractual obligations, to safeguard our rights and for the purposes of the administrative tasks associated with this information as well as for business organization. We only pass on the data of the contractual partners to third parties within the framework of the applicable law insofar as this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations or with the consent of the contractual partners (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). The contractual partners will be informed about other forms of processing, e.g. for marketing purposes, as part of this privacy policy.
We inform the contractual partners which data is required for the aforementioned purposes before or during data collection, e.g. in online forms, by means of special marking (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar), or personally.
We delete the data after the expiry of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e. generally after 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g. as long as it must be retained for legal archiving reasons (e.g. for tax purposes, generally 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 apply in the relationship between the users and the providers.
Store and e-commerce: We process the data of our customers to enable them to select, purchase or order the selected products, goods and associated services, as well as their payment and delivery or execution.
The required information is marked as such as part of the order or comparable purchase process and includes the information required for delivery or provision and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to consult with you if necessary.
Craft services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “customers”) in order to enable them to select, purchase or commission the selected services or works and associated activities as well as their payment and delivery or execution or provision.
The required information is marked as such in the context of the conclusion of the order, purchase order or comparable contract and includes the information required for delivery and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations.
Further information on commercial services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “customers”) in order to enable them to select, purchase or commission the selected services or works and associated activities as well as their payment and delivery or execution or provision.
The required information is marked as such in the context of the conclusion of the order, purchase order or comparable contract and includes the information required for the provision of services and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations.

  • 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. subject matter of the contract, duration, customer category), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Interested parties, business and contractual partners, customers.
  • Purposes of Processing: Contractual services and support, contact requests and communication, Office and organizational procedures, Managing and responding to inquiries, Security measures.
  • Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR), Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c. GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

MAKING CONTACT

When contacting us (e.g. by contact form, email, telephone or via social media), the information of the inquiring persons is processed insofar as this is necessary to answer the contact inquiries and any requested measures.
Contact inquiries are answered in the context of contractual or pre-contractual relationships in order to fulfil our contractual obligations or to respond to (pre)contractual inquiries and otherwise on the basis of legitimate interests in responding to the inquiries.

  • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
  • Data subjects: Communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication.
  • Legal bases: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b. GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f. GDPR).

PROVISION OF THE ONLINE OFFER AND WEB HOSTING

In order to provide our online offering securely and efficiently, we use the services of one or more web hosting providers from whose servers (or servers managed by them) the online offering 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 in the context of providing the hosting service may include all information relating to the users of our online service that is generated in the context of use and communication. This regularly includes the IP address, which is necessary in order to be able to deliver the content of online offers to browsers, and all entries made within our online offer or from websites.
Collection of access data and log files: We ourselves (or our web hosting provider) collect data on every 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, date and time of access, data volumes transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user's operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider.
The server log files 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 utilization of the servers and their stability.

  • Processed data types: Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), 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 basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

ONLINE MARKETING

We process personal data for online marketing purposes, which may include in particular the marketing of advertising space or the presentation of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as “content”) based on the potential interests of users and the measurement of their 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 user data relevant for 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 can 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 user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) is stored as part of the online marketing process, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the online marketing procedures know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles.
The information in the profiles is usually stored in cookies or by means of similar procedures. These cookies can generally also be read later on other websites that use the same online marketing process and analyzed for the purpose of displaying content as well as supplemented with further data and stored on the server of the online marketing process provider.
In exceptional cases, clear data can be assigned to the profiles. This is the case, for example, if the users are members of a social network whose online marketing process we use and the network links the user profiles to the aforementioned data. Please note that users can make additional agreements with the providers, e.g. by giving their consent during registration.
In principle, we only receive access to summarized information about the success of our advertisements. However, as part of so-called conversion measurements, we can check which of our online marketing procedures have led to a so-called conversion, i.e., for example, to the conclusion of a contract with us. The conversion measurement is used solely to analyze the success of our marketing measures.
Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for the processing of 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 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 to display the Facebook ads placed by us only to those users on Facebook and within the services of the 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 can be seen from the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (so-called “Custom Audiences”). With the help of the Facebook pixel, we also want to ensure that our Facebook ads correspond to the potential interest of users and are not annoying. With the help of the Facebook pixel, we can also track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users have been redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (so-called “conversion measurement”).

  • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), location data (data indicating the location of an end user's device).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), interested parties.
  • Purposes of Processing: Tracking (e.g. profiling based on interests and behavior, use of cookies), Remarketing, Conversion Tracking, Interest-based and behavioral marketing, Profiling (Creating user profiles), Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities), Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors), Custom Audiences (Selection of relevant target groups for marketing purposes or other output of content), Cross-Device Tracking (Device-independent processing of user data for marketing purposes).
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).
  • Possibility of objection (opt-out): We refer to the data protection notices of the respective providers and the objection options specified for the providers (so-called “opt-out”). If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, you have the option of deactivating cookies in your browser settings. However, this may restrict the 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) Cross-territory: http://optout.aboutads.info.

Services used and service providers:

PRESENCE IN SOCIAL NETWORKS

We maintain online presences within social networks in order to communicate with the users active there or to offer information about us there.
We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for users because, for example, it could make it more difficult to enforce users' rights. With regard to US providers that are certified under the Privacy Shield or offer comparable guarantees of a secure level of data protection, we would like to point out that they thereby undertake to comply with the data protection standards of the EU.
Furthermore, user data is generally processed within social networks for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created based on user behavior and the resulting interests of users. The user profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place advertisements within and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are generally stored on the user's computer, in which the user's usage behavior and interests are stored. Furthermore, data can also be stored in the user 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 opt-out options, please refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.
In the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would also like to point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the providers have access to the users' data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. If you still need help, you can contact us.

  • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), 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 data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of Processing: Contact requests and communication, Tracking (e.g. profiling based on interests and behavior, use of cookies), Remarketing, Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services used and service providers:

PLANNING, ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT TOOLS

We use services, platforms and software from other providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”) for the purposes of organizing, managing, planning and providing our services. When selecting third-party providers and their services, we observe the legal requirements.
In this context, personal data may be processed and stored on the servers of the third-party providers. This may affect various data that we process in accordance with this privacy policy. This data may include, in particular, master data and contact data of users, data on transactions, contracts, other processes and their content.
If users are referred to third-party providers or their software or platforms in the context of communication, business or other relationships with us, the third-party providers may process usage data and metadata for security purposes, service optimization or marketing purposes. We therefore ask you to observe the data protection notices of the respective third-party providers.
Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for the processing of data is consent. Furthermore, their use may be part of our (pre-)contractual services, provided that the use of third-party providers has been agreed in this context. 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 privacy policy.

  • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. email, telephone numbers), Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Communication partners, users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

DELETION OF DATA

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as the consents permitted for processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (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 and legally permissible purposes, its processing will be restricted to these purposes. This means that the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax law reasons or whose storage is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person.
Further information on the deletion of personal data can also be found in the individual data protection notices of this privacy policy.

AMENDMENT AND UPDATING OF THE PRIVACY POLICY

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

RIGHTS OF THE DATA SUBJECTS

As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Art. 15 to 18 and 21 GDPR:

  • Right to object: you have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on point (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. If the personal data concerning you are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.
  • Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw any consent you have given at any time.
  • Right to information: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question is being processed and to information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the 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 rectification of incorrect data concerning you.
  • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to demand that data concerning you be erased immediately or, alternatively, to demand that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with the legal requirements.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements or to request its transmission to another controller.
  • Complaint to a supervisory authority: You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement if you consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the GDPR.

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

This section provides you with an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are taken from the law and are defined above all in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to aid understanding. The terms are listed in alphabetical order.

  • Conversion tracking: “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 websites on which the marketing measures take place and then retrieved again on the target website. For example, we can track whether the ads we placed on other websites were successful).
  • 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 users an online identifier. This allows user information to be analyzed for marketing purposes, regardless of the browser or device used (e.g. cell phones or desktop computers). For most providers, the online identifier is not linked to clear data such as names, postal addresses or email addresses.
  • IP masking: “IP masking” refers to a method in which the last octet, i.e. the last two numbers of an IP address, is deleted so that the IP address can no longer be used to uniquely identify a person. IP masking is therefore a means of pseudonymizing processing procedures, particularly in online marketing
  • Interest-based and behavioral marketing: Interest-based and/or behavioral marketing is when the potential interests of users in advertisements and other content are predetermined as precisely as possible. This is done on the basis of information about their previous behavior (e.g. visiting certain websites and spending time on them, purchasing behavior or interaction with other users), which is stored in a so-called profile. Cookies are generally 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 websites on which the marketing measures take place and then retrieved again on the target website. For example, this allows us to track whether the ads we have placed on other websites have been 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 reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. a cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • Profiling: “Profiling” means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to analyze, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this includes information relating to age, gender, location data and movement data, interaction with websites and their content, shopping behavior, social interactions with other people) (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behavior on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
  • Reachmeasurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offering and can include the behavior or interests of visitors in certain information, such as website content. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can, for example, recognize at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This allows them to better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors, for example. For the purposes of reach analysis, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offer.
  • Remarketing: The term “remarketing” or “retargeting” is used 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.
  • Tracking: The term “tracking” is used when the behavior of users can be tracked across several online offers. As a rule, behavioral and interest information is stored in cookies or on the servers of the providers of the tracking technologies with regard to the online offers used (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to correspond to their interests.
  • 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.
  • Processing: “Processing” means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and encompasses practically every handling of data, whether it is collection, analysis, storage, transmission or deletion.
  • Target group formation: Target group formation (or “custom audiences”) is when target groups are determined for advertising purposes, e.g. the display of advertisements. For example, based on a user's interest 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 store in which they viewed the products. In turn, we speak of “lookalike audiences” (or similar target groups) if the content deemed suitable is displayed to users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were created. Cookies and web beacons are generally used for the purpose of creating custom audiences and lookalike audiences.