Preamble

The following privacy policy is intended to explain to you which 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 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 offer”). The terms used are not gender-specific.
 

As of: April 1, 2025

Table of contents

• Preamble
• Controller
• Overview of processing operations
• Relevant legal bases
• Security measures
• Transfer of personal data
• Data processing in third countries
• Deletion of data
• Use of cookies
• Business services
• Provision of the online offer and web hosting
• Contact and inquiry management
   
• Video conferencing, online meetings, webinars and screen sharing
• Web analysis, monitoring and optimization
• Online marketing
• Presence on social networks (social media)
• Amendments and updates to the privacy policy
• Rights of the data subjects
• Definitions

Controller

HAGMAR GmbH & Co. KG

Gründer-u. Technologiezentrum
 

Grünewalder Str. 29-31

42657 Solingen

Overview of processing

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

Types of data processed
 

• Inventory data
• Payment data
• Contact data
• Content data
• Contract data
• Usage data
• Meta, communication and process data.
   
• Categories of data subjects
• Customers
• Prospects
• Communication partners
• Users
• Business and contractual partners
• Pupils/students/participants
• Depicted persons
   

Purposes of processing
 

• Provision of contractual services and customer support
• Contact requests and communication
• Security measures
• Reach measurement
• Tracking
• Office and organizational procedures
• Conversion measurement
• Target group formation
   
• Managing and responding to inquiries
• Feedback
• Marketing
• Profiles with user-related information
• Providing our online services and user-friendliness
   
• Information technology infrastructure

Relevant legal bases

The following is an overview of the legal bases of the GDPR on which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection requirements may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. Furthermore, should more specific legal bases apply in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

• Consent (Art. 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.
   
• Fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 (1) (1) (b) GDPR) – the 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 (1) (1) (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 to safeguard the legitimate interests of the controller or a third party, unless the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject, which require the protection of personal data, prevail.
   

In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national regulations for data protection in Germany apply. These include, in particular, the law for protection against misuse of personal data in data processing (Federal Data Protection Act – BDSG). The BDSG contains, in particular, special regulations on the right to information, the right to deletion, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and for transmission, as well as automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. It also regulates data processing for the purposes of the employment relationship (Section 26 BDSG), in particular with regard to the establishment, execution or termination of employment relationships and the consent of employees. Furthermore, the data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security measures
 

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures in accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the type, 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 the access, input, disclosure, safeguarding of availability and its separation. Furthermore, we have set up procedures to ensure that the rights of data subjects are exercised, that data is deleted and that we respond to data being compromised. 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.

TLS encryption (https): We use TLS encryption to protect your data transmitted via our online services. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address line of your browser.

Transfer of personal data

As part of our processing of personal data, it may be necessary to transfer the data to other departments, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons, or to disclose it to them. The recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers contracted to carry out 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 with the recipients of your data that serve to protect your data.

Data transfer within the group of companies
 

We may transfer personal data to other companies within our group of companies or grant them access to this data. If this transfer is carried out for administrative purposes, the transfer of the data is based on our legitimate business and commercial interests or is carried out if it is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations or if the consent of the data subjects or a legal permission is available.

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 transmission of data to other persons, bodies or companies, this will only take place in accordance with the legal requirements. 
 

Subject to express consent or contractually or legally required transfer, we process or allow the data to be processed only in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, contractual obligation through so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, if certifications or binding internal data protection regulations are in place (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).

Deletion of data

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as the permissions granted for processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g. if the purpose for processing this data no longer applies or if 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 is 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 that must be stored to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person. Our data protection notices may also contain further information on the retention and deletion of data that takes precedence over the respective processing.

Use of cookies
 

Cookies are small text files or other storage notes that store information on end devices and read information from end devices. For example, to store the login status in a user account, the contents of a shopping cart in an e-shop, the contents accessed or the functions used in an online offer. Furthermore, cookies can be used for different purposes, e.g. for the purposes of functionality, security and convenience of online offers, as well as for creating analyses of visitor flows. 
 

Notes on consent: We use cookies in accordance with legal requirements. Therefore, we obtain prior consent from users, except where this is not required by law. In particular, consent is not required if the storage and reading of information, including cookies, is absolutely necessary to provide users with a telemedia service (i.e. our online service) that they have expressly requested. The strictly necessary cookies usually include cookies with features that serve to display and run the online offer, load balancing, security, store user preferences and choices, or similar purposes related to providing the main and secondary features of the online offer requested by users. The revocable consent is clearly communicated to users and contains information on the respective cookie use.

Notes on the legal basis under data protection law: The legal basis under data protection law on which we process users' personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask users for their consent. If users consent, the legal basis for processing your data is the consent given. Otherwise, the data processed using cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the commercial operation of our online services and improving their usability) or, if this is done in the course of fulfilling our contractual obligations, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations. We explain the purposes for which we process cookies in the course of this data protection declaration or as part of our consent and processing procedures.

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

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

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

• Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Further information on processing, procedures and services:
 

• Processing of cookie data on the basis of consent: We use a cookie consent management process in the course of which the consent of users to the use of cookies and/or the processing and providers mentioned in the cookie consent management process can be obtained and managed and withdrawn by users. The declaration of consent is stored so that it is not necessary to repeat the request and so that consent can be proven in accordance with the legal obligation. The storage can be done on the server side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie, or using comparable technologies) in order to be able to assign the consent to a user or their device. Subject to individual information about the providers of cookie management services, the following information applies: The duration of the storage of the consent can be up to two years. In this context, a pseudonymous user identifier is created and stored with the time of consent, information on the scope of consent (e.g. which categories of cookies and/or service providers) as well as the browser, system and end device used; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Business services
 

We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g. customers and prospects (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 the contractual partners (or pre-contractual), e.g. to answer inquiries.
 

We process this data in order to fulfil our contractual obligations. These include, in particular, the obligations to provide the agreed services, any updating obligations and remedies in the event of breaches of warranty and other service disruptions. In addition, we process the data to protect our rights and for the purpose of the administrative tasks associated with these obligations and for the organization of our company. Furthermore, we process the data on the basis of our legitimate interests in proper and business management and in security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from misuse, endangering their data, secrets, information and rights (e.g. for the involvement of telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services, as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). Within the scope of applicable law, we only pass on the data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent that this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations. Contractual partners will be informed about further forms of processing, e.g. for marketing purposes, within the scope of this data protection declaration.

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

We delete the data after the expiry of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., in principle after the expiry of 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., as long as it must be kept for legal archiving reasons. The statutory retention period for tax-related documents, as well as for account books, inventories, opening balance sheets, and annual financial statements, the work instructions and other organizational documents and accounting records required to understand these documents, is ten years, and for received commercial and business letters and reproductions of sent commercial and business letters, six years. The period begins at the end of the calendar year in which the last entry was made in the book, the inventory, the opening balance sheet, the annual financial statement or the management report was prepared, the commercial or business letter was received or sent or the accounting document was created, and the recording was carried out or the other documents were created.
 

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. 
 

• Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); contact data (e.g. email, phone 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 and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status).
   
• Data subjects: Customers; prospective customers; business and contractual partners; pupils/students/participants.
• Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support; security measures; contact requests and communication; office and organizational procedures; managing and responding to inquiries.
   
• Legal basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR); Compliance with a legal obligation (Article 6 (1) (c) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Further information on processing, procedures and services:
 

• Customer account: Contractual partners can create an account within our online offer (e.g. customer or user account, in short “customer account”). If the registration of a customer account is required, contractual partners will be notified of this as well as the information required for registration. The customer accounts are not public and cannot be indexed by search engines. As part of the registration process, as well as subsequent logins and use of the customer account, we store the customer's IP addresses along with the access times in order to be able to prove the 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 storage of the data is required for legal reasons. It is the responsibility of the customers to back up their data when they have terminated their customer account; Legal basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).
   
• Education and Training Services: We process the data of participants in our education and training programs (uniformly referred to as “trainees”) in order to provide them with our training services. The data processed, the type, scope, purpose and necessity of their processing are determined by the underlying contractual and training relationship. The forms of processing also include performance reviews and the evaluation of our services and those of the teachers. In the course of our activities, we may also process special categories of data, in particular information on the health of the trainees and advanced trainees, as well as data revealing ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or ideological beliefs. Where necessary, we obtain the express consent of the trainees for this and otherwise process the special categories of data only if it is necessary to provide the training services, for health care purposes, for social protection or to protect the vital interests of the trainees; legal basis: fulfillment of the contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Provision of online services and web hosting
 

We process user data in order to provide our online services. For this purpose, we process the user's IP address, which is necessary to transmit the contents and functions of our online services to the user's browser or 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).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
   
• Purposes of Processing: Provision of our online services and usability; Technical infrastructure (operation and provision of information technology systems and technical equipment (computers, servers etc.).); Security measures.
• Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

Further information on processing, procedures and services:
 

• Provision of online services on rented storage space: To provide our online services, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also known as a “web host”); legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) DSGVO).
   
• Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online services is logged in the form of “server log files”. The server log files may include the address and name of the accessed websites and files, the date and time of access, the amount of data transferred, a notification of successful access, the browser type and version, the user's operating system, the 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; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 sec. 1 p. 1 lit. f) GDPR); deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further storage is required for evidence purposes are excluded from deletion until the respective incident has been finally clarified.

Contact and inquiry management
 

When you contact us (e.g. by post, contact form, email, telephone or via social media) and within the framework of existing user and business relationships, the information provided by the inquirer is processed insofar as this is necessary to answer the contact enquiries 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 stamps, identification numbers, consent status).
   
• Data subjects: Communication partners.
• 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 (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
• 
   

Video conferences, online meetings, webinars and screen sharing

We use platforms and applications from other providers (hereinafter referred to as “conference platforms”) for the purpose of conducting video and audio conferences, webinars and other types of video and audio meetings (hereinafter collectively referred to as “conferences”). When selecting the conference platforms and their services, we comply with the legal requirements.

Data processed by conference platforms: When participating in a conference, the conference platforms process the personal data of the participants listed below. The scope of the processing depends, on the one hand, on which data is required for a specific conference (e.g. entry of access data or real names) and which optional information is provided by the participants. In addition to processing for the purpose of conducting the conference, the participants' data may also be processed by the conference platforms for security purposes or to optimize the service. The processed data includes personal data (first name, last name), contact information (email address, telephone number), access data (access codes or passwords), profile pictures, information on professional position/function, the IP address of the Internet access, information about the participants' end devices, their operating system, the browser and its technical and language settings, information about the content of communication processes, i.e. entries in chats as well as audio and video data, and the use of other available functions (e.g. surveys). The content of communications is encrypted to the extent technically provided by the conference provider. If the participants are registered as users with the conference platforms, then further data may be processed in accordance with the agreement with the respective conference provider.

Logging and recording: If text entries, participation results (e.g. from surveys) and video or audio recordings are logged, the participants will be informed of this transparently in advance and, if necessary, asked for their consent.

Data protection measures of participants: Please refer to the data protection notices of the conference platforms for details of how your data is processed by them and select the security and data protection settings that are best for you when you configure the conference platforms. Furthermore, please ensure that data and privacy protection is in place in the background of your recording for the duration of a video conference (e.g. by notifying housemates, locking doors and, as far as technically possible, using the function to make the background unrecognizable). Links to the conference rooms and access data must not be passed on to unauthorized third parties.

Notes on the legal basis: Insofar as we also process user data in addition to the conference platforms and ask users for their consent to use the conference platforms or certain functions (e.g. consent to recording conferences), the legal basis for processing is this consent. Furthermore, our processing may be necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations (e.g. in lists of participants, in the case of processing the results of conversations, etc.). In addition, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests in efficient and secure communication with our communication partners.
 

• Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); contact details (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 stamps, identification numbers, consent status).
   
• Data subjects: Communication partners; Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services); Depicted persons.
• Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and customer support; Contact requests and communication; Office and organizational procedures.
• Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).
   

Further information on processing, procedures and services:
 

• Big Blue Button: Video service provider; Service provider: Blindside Networks, 388 Elgin Street, Suite 200, Ottawa, ON, K2P 1A9, Canada; Parent company: Blindside Networks, 388 Elgin Street, Suite 200, Ottawa, ON, K2P 1A9, Canada; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) DSGVO); Website: https://bigbluebutton.org/; Privacy Policy: https://bigbluebutton.org/privacy/.

Web analysis, monitoring and optimization

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

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

Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, i.e. data combined into a usage process, can be created and information can be stored in a browser or in a terminal device and read out of it for these purposes. 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 given their consent to the collection of their location data to us or to the providers of the services we use, location data may also be processed.

Users' IP addresses are also stored. However, we use an IP masking procedure (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear user data (such as email addresses or names) is stored in the context of web analysis, A/B testing and optimization, 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.
 

• 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: Measuring reach (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles); Targeting (e.g. profiling based on interests and behavior, use of cookies); Provision of our online services and usability.
• Security Measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address). 
   
• Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).
   
• Further information on processing, procedures and services:
• Google Analytics: web analysis, reach measurement and measurement of user flows; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data processing agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Standard Contractual Clauses (Safeguarding the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; Opt-out: Opt-Out-Plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, Settings for the display of advertisements: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated; Further information: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices (types of processing and processed data). 
   
• Google Tag Manager: Google Tag Manager is a solution that allows us to manage website tags through a single interface and thus integrate other services into our online offering (please refer to further information in this data protection declaration). The Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags) is therefore not used to create user profiles or store cookies, for example. Google only sees the user's IP address, which is necessary to execute the Google Tag Manager; service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; data processing agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms; standard contractual clauses (ensuring the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms. 
   

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 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 relevant to the user 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 and computer system used, as well as information on times of use and functions used. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this may also be processed.
 

Users' IP addresses are also stored. However, we use the available IP masking procedures (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear user data (such as email addresses or names) is stored as part of the online marketing process, but pseudonyms are. This means that we, as well as the providers of the online marketing process, 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 cookies or by similar means. These cookies can later generally be read on other websites that use the same online marketing process, analyzed for content display purposes, supplemented with additional 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 users are members of a social network that uses our online marketing process and the network links the user profiles with the aforementioned information. Please note that users can make additional agreements with the providers, e.g. by giving their consent during registration.

We only have access to summarized information about the success of our advertisements. However, we can use so-called conversion measurements to check which of our online marketing methods have led to a so-called conversion, i.e. to the 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 are stored for a period of two years. 
 

• Processed data types: usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, consent status).
• Data subjects: users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
   
• Purposes of Processing: Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); Targeting (e.g. profiling based on interests and behaviour, use of cookies); Marketing; Profiles with user-related information (Creating user profiles); Conversion measurement (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities); Custom Audiences; Provision of our online services and usability. 
   
• 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). 
   
• Right to object (opt-out): Please refer to the data protection notices of the respective providers and the options for objecting (so-called “opt-out”) provided by the providers. If no explicit opt-out option has been provided, you have the option, on the one hand, of disabling cookies in your browser settings. However, this may restrict the functions of our online services. We therefore recommend the following additional opt-out options, which are offered collectively for each respective area: 
   
• a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu.
• b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices.
• c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices.
• d) Cross-regional: https://optout.aboutads.info.

Further information on processing, procedures and services:
 

• Google Ads and conversion tracking: Online marketing procedures for the purpose of placing content and ads within the service provider's 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. In addition, we measure the conversion of the ads, i.e. whether users have taken them as an opportunity to interact with the ads and use the offers advertised (so-called conversion). However, we only receive anonymous information and no personal information about individual users; Service provider:
•  
• Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Further information: types of processing and processed data: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/adsservices; data processing conditions between controllers and standard contractual clauses for third country data transfers: https://business.safety.google/adscontrollerterms.
   
• Microsoft Advertising: Online marketing process for the purpose of placing content and ads within the service provider's 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.
• In addition, we measure the conversion of the ads, i.e. whether users have interacted with the ads and used the advertised offers (so-called conversion). However, we only receive anonymous information and no personal information about individual users; service provider:
• Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, One Microsoft Place, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, D18 P521, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 (1) 1 (a) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) 1 (f) GDPR); Website: https://about.ads. microsoft.com/; Privacy Policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement; Opt-Out: https://account.microsoft.com/privacy/ad-settings/; Further information: https://about.ads.microsoft.com/de-de/policies/legal-privacy-and-security.

Social media sites

We maintain an online presence within social networks and, in this context, process user data in order to communicate with active users or to provide information about us.

We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for users because, for example, it could make it more difficult to enforce users' 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 user behavior and the resulting interests of users. The user profiles can in turn be used 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 user profiles independently of the devices used by the users (in particular 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 options for objection (opt-out), we refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

We would also like to point out that requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights can be most effectively asserted with the providers. Only the providers have access to the user data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. However, if you require assistance, 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 stamps, 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).

Additional Information on Processing, Procedures, and Services:
 

• LinkedIn: social network; service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) 1 (f) GDPR); website: https://www.linkedin.com; privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; data processing agreement: https://legal.
• linkedin.com/dpa; Standard Contractual Clauses (Safeguarding the level of data protection when processing data in third countries): https://legal.linkedin.com/dpa; Right to object (Opt-Out). 
   

Amendments and updates to the data protection declaration

We ask you to regularly review the content of our data protection declaration. We will amend the data protection declaration as soon as changes to the data processing we carry out make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require an act of cooperation on your part (e.g. consent) or any other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information for companies and organizations in this data protection declaration, please note that the addresses may change over time and please check the information before contacting us.

Rights of the data subjects

As data subjects, you have various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Articles 15 to 21 of the GDPR: 
 

• Right to object: You have the right to object, 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.
• Where personal data concerning you are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to 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 consent at any time. 
   
• Right of access: 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: You have the right, in accordance with legal requirements, to request the completion of data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you.
   
• Right to erasure and restriction of processing: You have the right, in accordance with the law, 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 law. 
   
• Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from us, where the processing is based on consent or on a contract.
   
• Complaint to the supervisory authority: Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement if you consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the provisions of the GDPR.
   

Definitions
 

This section provides an overview of the terms used in this data protection declaration. 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 intended primarily to aid understanding. The terms are listed in alphabetical order.
 

• Conversion tracking: Conversion tracking (also known as “visitor action evaluation”) is a procedure used to determine the effectiveness of marketing measures. To do this, 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 enables 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 referred to as “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.
   
• Profiles with user-related information: The processing of “profiles with user-related information”, or “profiles” for short, includes any type of automated processing of personal data that consists of using this personal data to analyze, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information regarding demographics, behavior and interests, such as
• interaction with websites and their content, etc.) to analyze, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (e.g. interests in certain content or products, click behavior on a website or location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
   
• Reach measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offering and may include the behavior or interests of visitors in certain information, such as the content of websites. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can, for example, see at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in.
• This enables them, for example, to better adapt the content of the website to the needs of their visitors. Pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used for reach analysis in order to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offer. 
   
• Tracking: We speak of “tracking” when the behavior of users can be traced across several online offers. As a rule, information on behavior and interests with regard to the online offers 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 that are likely to correspond to their interests. 
   
• Responsible party: The “responsible party” is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body that alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data.
   
• Processing: “Processing” is any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and covers practically every handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or deletion. 
   
• Target group formation: We speak of target group formation (or “custom audiences”) when target groups are defined for advertising purposes, e.g. the insertion 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 shop in which he viewed the products. The term “lookalike audiences” (or similar target groups) is used when the content deemed suitable is displayed to users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were formed. As a rule, cookies and web beacons are used to create custom audiences and lookalike audiences.
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