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").

    Last Update: 1. October 2019

    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    CONTROLLER

    Blanke Systems GmbH & Co. KG Stenglingser Weg 68-70 D-58642 Iserlohn / Germany

    Authorised Representatives: Peter W. Blanke

    E-mail addressinfo@blanke-systems.de

    Phone: +49 2374 / 507-0

    Legal Noticehttps://blanke-systems.de/impressum

      CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

      datenschutz@blanke-systems.de

      We have appointed a data protection official for our company. The data protection official can be contacted via e-mail (datenschutz@blanke-systems.de), or postally by sending a letter to:

      Blanke Systems GmbH & Co. KG

      Mr Schröder

      Dpt. Data Protection

      Stenglingser Weg 68-70

      D-58642 Iserlohn / Germany

      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 (e.g. names, addresses).

      • Job applicant details (e.g. Personal data, postal and contact addresses and the documents pertaining to the application and the information contained therein, such as cover letter, curriculum vitae, certificates, etc., as well as other information on the person or qualifications of applicants provided with regard to a specific job or voluntarily by applicants).

      • Content data (e.g. text input, 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).

      • Social data (Data subject to a special social confidentiality obligation and processed, for example, by social insurance institutions, social welfare institutions or pension authorities.).

      • Location data (Data that indicates the location of the end device of an end user).

      Categories of Data Subjects

      • Employees (e.g. Employees, job applicants).

      • Job applicants.

      • Prospective customers.

      • Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).

      • Customers.

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

      Purposes of Processing

      • Provision of our online services and usability.

      • Conversion Tracking.

      • Job Application Process (Establishment and possible later execution as well as possible later termination of the employment relationship.).

      • Cross-Device Tracking (Device-independent processing of user data for marketing purposes).

      • Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).

      • Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form).

      • Interest-based and behavioral marketing.

      • contact requests and communication.

      • Conversion tracking (Measurement of the effectiveness of marketing activities).

      • Profiling (Creating user profiles).

      • Remarketing.

      • Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).

      • Security measures.

      • Targeting (e.g. profiling based on interests and behaviour, use of cookies).

      • Contractual services and support.

      • Managing and responding to inquiries.

      • Custom Audiences (Selection of relevant target groups for marketing purposes or other output of content).

       

      Legal Bases for the Processing

      In the following we inform you about 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 regulations of the GDPR, the national data protection regulations may apply in your country or in our country of residence or domicile.

      • 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.

      • Pprotection of vital interests (Article 6 (1) (d) GDPR) - Processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.

      • 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.

      • Article 9 (1)(b) GDPR (job application process as a pre-contractual or contractual relationship) (If special categories of personal data within the meaning of Article 9 (1) GDPR (e.g. health data, such as severely handicapped status or ethnic origin) are requested from applicants within the framework of the application procedure, so that the responsible person or the person concerned can carry out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the controller or of the data subject in the field of employment and social security and social protection law, their processing shall be carried out in accordance with Article 9 (2)(b) GDPR , in the case of the protection of vital interests of applicants or other persons on the basis of Article 9 (1)(c) GDPR or for the purposes of preventive health care or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the employee's ability to work, for medical diagnostics, care or treatment in the health or social sector or for the administration of systems and services in the health or social sector in accordance with Article 9 (1)(d) GDPR. In the case of a communication of special categories of data based on voluntary consent, their processing is carried out on the basis of Article 9 (1)(a) 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.

      Masking of the IP address: If it is possible for us or the storage of the IP address is not necessary, we shorten or have your IP address shortened. When the IP address is shortened, also known as "IP masking", the last octet, i.e. the last two numbers of an IP address, is deleted (the IP address in this context is an identifier individually assigned to an Internet connection by the online access provider). With the shortening of the IP address, the identification of a person on the basis of their IP address is to be prevented or made considerably more difficult.

      SSL encryption (https): In order to protect your data transmitted via our online services in the best possible way, we use SSL encryption. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the prefix https:// in the address bar of your browser.

      TRANSMISSION AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL DATA

      In the 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, payment institutions within the context of payment transactions, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are embedded in a website. In such a case, 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.

      Data Transmission within the Group of Companies: We may transfer personal data to other companies within our group of companies or otherwise grant them access to this data. Insofar as this disclosure is for administrative purposes, the disclosure of the data is based on our legitimate business and economic interests or otherwise, if it is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations or if the consent of the data subjects or otherwise a legal permission is present.

      DATA PROCESSING IN THIRD COUNTRIES

      If we process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or the processing takes place in the context of the use of third party services or 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 process or have processed the data only in third countries with a recognised level of data protection, which includes US processors certified under the "Privacy Shield" or on the basis of special guarantees, such as a contractual obligation through so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, the existence of certifications or binding internal data protection regulations (Article 44 to 49 GDPR, information page of the EU Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_en).

      USE OF COOKIES

      "Cookies" are small files that are stored on the user's devices. Different data can be stored within the cookies. The information can include, for example, the language settings on a website, the login status, a shopping cart or the point to which a video was viewed.

      In general, cookies are also used when the interests of users or their behaviour (e.g. viewing certain content, use of functions, etc.) are secured via individual websites in a user profile. These profiles are used, for example, to display ads to users that correspond to their potential interests. This procedure is also referred to as "tracking", meaning tracking the potential interests of users. The term "cookies" also includes other technologies that perform the same functions as cookies (e.g. when user information is stored using pseudonymous online identifiers, also referred to as "user IDs").

      If we use cookies or "tracking" technologies, we will inform you about this in our privacy policy.

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

      Withdrawal of consent and objection (Opt-Out): Irrespective of whether processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the option at any time to object to the processing of your data using cookie technologies or to revoke consent (collectively referred to as "opt-out").

      You can initially explain your objection using the settings of your browser, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (which may also restrict the functionality of our online services).

      An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can be raised for a large number of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the US website http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU website http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ or generally on http://optout.aboutads.info.

      Further information on the possibility of opposition is also given to Se in the context of the information on the respective processing operations in this privacy policy.

      Processing Cookie Data on the Basis of Consent: Before we process or have processed data within the context of the usage of cookies, we ask the users for their consent, which can be revoked at any time. Before the consent has not been given, we may use cookies that are necessary for the operation of our online services. Their use is based on our interest and the user's interest in the expected functionality of our online services.

      • 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 (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

      BLOGS AND PUBLICATION MEDIA

      We use blogos or comparable means of online communication and publication (hereinafter "publication medium"). Readers' data will only be processed for the purposes of the publication medium to the extent necessary for its presentation and communication between authors and readers or for security reasons. For the rest, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium within the scope of this privacy policy.

      • 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: Contractual services and support, Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form).

      • Legal Basis: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

      PROVISION OF ONLINE SERVICES AND WEB HOSTING

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

      The data processed within the framework of the provision of the hosting services may include all information relating to the users of our online services that is collected in the course of use and communication. This regularly includes the IP address, which is necessary to be able to deliver the contents of online services to browsers, and all entries made within our online services or from websites.

      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.

      Collection of Access Data and Log Files: We, ourselves or our web hosting provider, collect data on the basis of each access to the server (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 .

      • 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 (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

      JOB APPLICATION PROCESS

      Our application process is handled by Prescreen International GmbH, Mariahilfer Straße 17, 1060 Wien. Please refer to their privacy policy, found in the application process.

      NEWSLETTER AND BROADCAST COMMUNICATION

      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 blacklist.

      Information on legal bases: The sending of the newsletter is based on the consent of the recipients or, if consent is not required, on the basis of our legitimate interests in direct marketing. Insofar as we engage a service provider for sending e-mails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests. The registration procedure is recorded on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purpose of demonstrating that it has been conducted in accordance with the law.

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

      Performance measurement: 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. For technical reasons, this information can be assigned to the individual newsletter recipients. It is, however, neither our endeavour nor, if used, that of the shipping service provider to observe individual users. 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 evaluation of the newsletter and the measurement of success is carried out, subject to the express consent of the user, on the basis of our legitimate interests for the purposes of using a user-friendly and secure newsletter system which serves both our business interests and the expectations of the user.

      A separate objection to the performance measurement is unfortunately not possible, in this case the entire newsletter subscription must be cancelled or objected to.

      • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).

      • Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).

      • Purposes of Processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).

      • 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.

      COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATION BY POSTAL MAIL, FAX OR TELEPHONE

      We process personal data for the purposes of commercial communication, which can take place via various channels such as e-mail, telephone, post or fax. In doing so, we observe the legal requirements and obtain the necessary consents, unless the communication is legally permitted.

      The recipients have the right to withdraw their consent at any time or to object to the advertising communication at any time.

      After withdrawal or objection, we may store the data required to prove consent for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before we delete them. 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 affirmed.

      • Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers).

      • Data subjects: Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).

      • Purposes of Processing: Direct marketing (e.g. by e-mail or postal).

      • Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

      ONLINEMARKETING

      We process personal data for the purposes of online marketing, which includes in particular the display of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as "content") based on the potential interests of users.

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

      The IP addresses of the users are also stored. However, we use provided IP masking procedures (i.e. pseudonymisation by shortening the IP address) to ensure the protection of the user's by using a pseudonym. In general, within the framework of the online marketing process, no clear user data (such as e-mail addresses or names) is secured, but pseudonyms. This means that we, as well as the providers of online marketing procedures, do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles.

      The information in the profiles is usually stored in the cookies or similar memorizing procedures. These cookies can later, generally also on other websites that use the same online marketing technology, be read and analyzed for purposes of content display, as well as supplemented with other data and stored on the server of the online marketing technology provider.

      Exceptionally, 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 technology we use and the network links the profiles of the users in the aforementioned data. Please note that users may enter into additional agreements with the social network providers or other service providers, e.g. by consenting as part of a registration process.

      As a matter of principle, we only gain access to summarised information about the performance of our advertisements. However, within the framework of so-called conversion measurement, we can check which of our online marketing processes have led to a so-called conversion, i.e. to the conclusion of a contract with us. The conversion measurement is used alone for the performance analysis of our marketing activities.

      Information on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent (e.g. in the context of a so-called "cookie banner consent"), the legal basis for processing data for online marketing purposes is this consent. Otherwise, user data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online services. In this context, we would also like to refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

      Facebook Pixel: With the help of the Facebook pixel, Facebook is on the one hand able to determine the visitors of our online services as a target group for the presentation of ads (so-called "Facebook ads"). Accordingly, we use Facebook pixels to display Facebook ads placed by us only to Facebook users who have shown an interest in our online services or who have certain characteristics (e.g. interests in certain topics or products that are determined on the basis of the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (so-called "custom audiences"). With the help of Facebook pixels, we also want to ensure that our Facebook ads correspond to the potential interest of users and do not appear annoying. The Facebook pixel also enables us to track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by showing whether users were referred to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (known as "conversion tracking").

      • 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 that indicates the location of the end device of an end user), Social data (Data subject to a special social confidentiality obligation and processed, for example, by social insurance institutions, social welfare institutions or pension authorities.).

      • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services), Prospective customers, Customers, Employees (e.g. Employees, job applicants), Communication partner (Recipients of e-mails, letters, etc.).

      • Purposes of Processing: Targeting (e.g. profiling based on interests and behaviour, 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 (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

      • Opt-Out: We refer to the privacy policies of the respective service providers and the possibilities for objection (so-called "opt-out"). If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, it is possible to deactivate cookies in the settings of your browser. However, this may restrict the functions of our online offer. We therefore recommend the following additional opt-out options, which are offered collectively for each area: a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu. b) Canada: https://www.youradchoices.ca/choices. c) USA: https://www.aboutads.info/choices. d) Cross-regional: http://optout.aboutads.info.

      Services and service providers being used:

      PROFILES IN SOCIAL NETWORKS

      We maintain online presences within social networks in order to communicate with the users active there or to offer ind information about us there.

      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. With regard to US providers certified under the Privacy Shield or offering comparable guarantees of a secure level of data protection, we would like to point out that they thereby commit themselves to comply with EU data protection standards.

      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 networs 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: 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, Targeting (e.g. profiling based on interests and behaviour, use of cookies), Remarketing, Web Analytics (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).

      • Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

      Services and service providers being used:

      PLUGINS AND EMBEDDED FUNCTIONS AND CONTENT

      Within our online services, we integrate functional and content elements that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as "third-party providers"). These may, for example, be graphics, videos or social media buttons as well as contributions (hereinafter uniformly referred to as "Content").

      The integration always presupposes that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the user, since they could not send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore required for the presentation of these contents or functions. We strive to use only those contents, whose respective offerers use the IP address only for the distribution of the contents. Third parties may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as "web beacons") for statistical or marketing purposes. The "pixel tags" can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user's device and may include technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visit times and other information about the use of our website, as well as may be linked to such information from other sources.

      Information on legal basis: If we ask users for their consent (e.g. in the context of a so-called "cookie banner consent"), the legal basis for processing is this consent. Otherwise, user data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online services. We refer you to the note on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

      • Processed data types: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses), Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), Contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), 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, Contractual services and support, Security measures, Managing and responding to inquiries.

      • Legal Basis: Legitimate Interests (Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR), Consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Performance of a contract and prior requests (Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR).

      Services and service providers being used:

      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.

      Further information on the erasure of personal data can also be found in the individual data protection notices of this privacy policy.

        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.

        RIGHTS OF DATA SUBJECTS

        As data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Articles 15 to 18 and 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 acces: 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 of acces: 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: You also have the right, under the conditions laid down by law, 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.

        Supervisory authority competent for us:

        Helga Block Kavalleriestraße 2-4 40213 Düsseldorf/Germany Telefon: +49 211/384 24-0 Telefax: +49 211/384 24-10 E-Mail: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de Homepage: http://www.ldi.nrw.de

        TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS

        This section provides an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are drawn from the law and defined mainly in Article 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are intended above all for the purpose of comprehension. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

        • 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" refers to a procedure by which the effectiveness of marketing measures can be determined. As a rule, a cookie is stored on the devices of the users within the websites on which the marketing measures are carried out and then called up again on the target website (e.g. this enables us to track whether the ads we placed on other websites were successful).
        • 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).
        • Cross-Device Tracking: Cross-Device Tracking is a form of tracking in which behavior and interest information of the user is recorded across all devices in so-called profiles by assigning an online identifier to the user. This means that user information can usually be analysed for marketing purposes, regardless of the browser or device used (e.g. mobile phone or desktop computer). With most Cross-Device Tracking providers, the online identifier is not linked to plain data such as names, postal addresses or e-mail addresses.
        • Custom Audiences: Target group formation (or "custom audiences") is the term used when target groups are determined for advertising purposes, e.g. display of advertisements. For example, a user's interest in certain products or topics on the Internet may be used to infer that that user is interested in advertisements for similar products or the online store in which they viewed the products. Lookalike Audiences" (or similar target groups) is the term used to describe content that is viewed as suitable by users whose profiles or interests presumably correspond to the users for whom the profiles were created. Cookies are generally used for the purposes of creating custom audiences and lookalike audiences. Target groups can be created by processing visitors of an online service or can be uploaded to the provider of an online marketing technology by means of uploading (which is usually done pseudonymised).
        • IP Masking: IP masking is a method by which the last octet, i.e. the last two numbers of an IP address, are deleted so that the IP address alone can no longer be used to uniquely identify a person. IP masking is therefore a means of pseudonymising processing methods, particularly in online marketing.
        • Interest-based and behavioral marketing: Interest-related and/or behaviour-related marketing is the term used when potential user interest in advertisements and other content is predicted if possible. This is done on the basis of information on the previous behaviour of users (e.g. visiting and staying on certain websites, purchasing behaviour or interaction with other users), which is stored in a so-called profile. For these purposes cookies are usually used.
        • 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.
        • Profiling: "Profiling" means any automated processing of personal data consisting in the use of such personal data to analyse, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this includes information regarding age, gender, location and movement data, interaction with websites and their contents, shopping behaviour, social interactions with other people) (e.g. interests in certain contents or products, click behaviour on a website or the location). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.
        • Remarketing: Remarketing" or "retargeting" is the term used, for example, to indicate for advertising purposes which products a user is interested in on a website in order to remind the user of these products on other websites, e.g. in advertisements.
        • 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 allows them, for example, to optimize the content of the website to better meet the needs of their visitors. For purposes of web analytics, pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are frequently used in order to recognise returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online service.