Privacy Policy

Status: January 18, 2025

Person responsible

F r e d e r i k   T h e s i n g

A l t – Z e i l s h e i m   49 a

6 5 9 3 1   F r a n k f u r t   a m   M a i n

E-mail address: info(@)the-requirements-engineering(.)com

Imprint: the-requirements-engineering.com/imprint

Overview of processing

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

Types of data processed

• Inventory data.

• Contact data.

• Content data.

• Usage data.

• Meta, communication and process data.

• Protocol data.

Categories of persons affected

• Communication partners.

• Users.

Purposes of processing

• Communication.

• Security measures.

• Reach measurement.

• Organizational and administrative procedures.

• Feedback.

• Profiles with user-related information.

• Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.

• Information technology infrastructure.

Relevant legal bases

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

  • Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a) GDPR) – The data subject has given their consent to the processing of personal data concerning them for a specific purpose or several specific purposes.
  • Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b) GDPR) – The processing is necessary for the fulfillment of a contract to which the data subject is a party or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures that are carried out at the request of the data subject.
  • Legitimate interests (Article 6, paragraph 1, sentence 1, letter f) GDPR) – the processing is necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the controller or a third party, provided that the interests, fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require the protection of personal data do not prevail.

National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national regulations on data protection apply in Germany. This includes in particular the law on 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 erasure, the right of objection, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission and automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. Furthermore, the state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Note on the validity of the GDPR and the Swiss DSG: This data protection notice serves to provide information in accordance with the Swiss DSG as well as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). For this reason, we ask you to note that the terms of the GDPR are used due to the broader spatial application and comprehensibility. In particular, instead of the terms “processing” of “personal data”, “overriding interest” and “personal data requiring particular protection” used in the Swiss DSG, the terms “processing” of “personal data” as well as “legitimate interest” and “special categories of data” used in the GDPR are used. However, the legal meaning of the terms will continue to be determined according to the Swiss DSG within the scope of the Swiss DSG.

Security measures

In accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the nature, scope, circumstances and purposes of the processing as well as the different probabilities of occurrence and the extent of the threat to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, we take appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of protection appropriate to the risk.

The measures include in particular ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as access, input, transfer, securing availability and separation. Furthermore, we have set up procedures that ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data and reactions to threats to data. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account when developing or selecting hardware, software and processes in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.

Shortening the IP address: If IP addresses are processed by us or by the service providers and technologies used and the processing of a complete IP address is not necessary, the IP address is shortened (also known as “IP masking”). The last two digits or the last part of the IP address after a period are removed or replaced by placeholders. The shortening of the IP address is intended to prevent or significantly complicate the identification of a person based on their IP address.

Securing online connections using TLS/SSL encryption technology (HTTPS): In order to protect user data transmitted via our online services from unauthorized access, we use TLS/SSL encryption technology. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) are the cornerstones of secure data transmission on the Internet. These technologies encrypt the information transmitted between the website or app and the user’s browser (or between two servers), thereby protecting the data from unauthorized access. TLS, as the advanced and more secure version of SSL, ensures that all data transfers meet the highest security standards. If a website is secured by an SSL/TLS certificate, this is signaled by the display of HTTPS in the URL. This serves as an indicator for users that their data is being transmitted securely and encrypted.

Transmission of personal data

As part of our processing of personal data, it may happen that this is transmitted to or disclosed to other bodies, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons. The recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we comply with the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data that serve to protect your data.

International data transfers

Data processing in third countries: If we process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU), 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 be done in accordance with the legal requirements. If the level of data protection in the third country has been recognized by means of an adequacy decision (Art. 45 GDPR), this serves as the basis for the data transfer. Otherwise, data transfers only take place if the level of data protection is otherwise secured, in particular through standard contractual clauses (Art. 46 Para. 2 lit. c) GDPR), express consent or in the case of contractual or legally required transmission (Art. 49 Para. 1 GDPR). In addition, we will inform you of the basis for the third country transfer for the individual providers from the third country, with the adequacy decisions taking priority as the basis. Information on third country transfers and existing adequacy decisions can be found in the information provided by the EU Commission: https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_en?prefLang=de. As part of the so-called “Data Privacy Framework” (DPF), the EU Commission has also recognized the level of data protection as secure for certain companies from the USA as part of the adequacy decision of July 10, 2023. The list of certified companies and further information on the DPF can be found on the website of the US Department of Commerce at https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/ (in English). As part of the data protection information, we inform you which service providers we use are certified under the Data Privacy Framework.

General information on data storage and deletion

We delete personal data that we process in accordance with the statutory provisions as soon as the underlying consent is revoked or there are no further legal bases for the processing. This applies to cases in which the original purpose of processing no longer applies or the data is no longer required. Exceptions to this rule exist if legal obligations or special interests require the data to be stored or archived for a longer period.

In particular, data that must be retained for commercial or tax reasons or whose storage is necessary for legal proceedings or to protect the rights of other natural or legal persons must be archived accordingly.

Our data protection notices contain additional information on the storage and deletion of data that applies specifically to certain processing procedures.

If there are several details on the retention period or deletion periods for a date, the longest period always applies.

If a period does not expressly begin on a specific date and is at least one year, it automatically begins at the end of the calendar year in which the event triggering the period occurred. In the case of ongoing contractual relationships in the context of which data is stored, the event triggering the period is the time at which the termination or other termination of the legal relationship takes effect.

We only process data that is no longer stored for the originally intended purpose but due to legal requirements or other reasons for the reasons that justify its storage.

Further information on processing procedures, methods and services:

  • Storage and deletion of data: The following general periods apply to storage and archiving under German law:
    • 10 years – retention period for books and records, annual financial statements, inventories, management reports, opening balance sheets and the work instructions and other organizational documents required to understand them (Section 147 Paragraph 1 No. 1 in conjunction with Paragraph 3 AO, Section 14b Paragraph 1 UStG, Section 257 Paragraph 1 No. 1 in conjunction with Paragraph 4 HGB).
    • 8 years – accounting documents, such as invoices and cost receipts (Section 147 Paragraph 1 No. 4 and 4a in conjunction with Paragraph 3 Sentence 1 AO and Section 257 Paragraph 1 No. 4 in conjunction with Paragraph 4 HGB).
    • 6 years – Other business documents: received commercial or business letters, reproductions of commercial or business letters sent, other documents, insofar as they are relevant for taxation, e.g. hourly wage slips, operating accounting sheets, calculation documents, price labels, but also payroll documents, insofar as they are not already accounting documents and cash register slips (Section 147 Paragraph 1 No. 2, 3, 5 in conjunction with Paragraph 3 AO, Section 257 Paragraph 1 No. 2 and 3 in conjunction with Paragraph 4 HGB).
    • 3 years – Data that is required to consider potential warranty and compensation claims or similar contractual claims and rights and to process related inquiries based on previous business experience and usual industry practices are stored for the duration of the regular statutory limitation period of three years (Sections 195, 199 BGB).

Rights of the data subjects

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

  • Right of objection: You have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you based on Art. 6 (1) (e) or (f) GDPR for reasons arising from your particular situation; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you is processed in order to conduct direct advertising, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such advertising; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct advertising.
  • Right of withdrawal in the case of consent: You have the right to withdraw consent given at any time.
  • Right to information: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question is being processed and to information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the statutory requirements.
  • Right to rectification: In accordance with the statutory requirements, you have the right to request the completion of the data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you.
  • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: You have the right to request that data concerning you be erased immediately in accordance with the statutory requirements, or alternatively to request that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with the statutory requirements.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data concerning you that you have made available to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the statutory requirements, or to request that it be transmitted to another responsible party.
  • Complaint to a 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 believe that the processing of personal data concerning you violates the provisions of the GDPR.

Provision of the online service and web hosting

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

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions); meta, communication and process data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, people involved); protocol data (e.g. log files relating to logins or the retrieval of data or access times). Content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and contributions as well as information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; IT infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.)). Security measures.
  • Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, methods and services:

  • Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online offering is logged in the form of so-called “server log files”. The server log files can include the address and name of the websites and files accessed, the date and time of access, the amount of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (particularly 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 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR). Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data that needs to be retained for evidentiary purposes will not be deleted until the relevant incident has been finally resolved.
  • 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 e-mail sending (e.g. the providers involved) and the contents of the respective e-mails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for the purposes of detecting SPAM. Please note that e-mails are generally not sent encrypted on the Internet. E-mails are usually encrypted during transport, but (unless a so-called end-to-end encryption method is used) not on the servers from which they are sent and received. We cannot therefore accept any responsibility for the transmission path of the e-mails between the sender and the reception on our server; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR).
  • ALL-INKL: Services in the field of the provision of information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacity); Service provider: ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich, owner: René Münnich, Hauptstraße 68, 02742 Friedersdorf, Germany; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://all-inkl.com/; Privacy policy: https://all-inkl.com/datenschutzinformationen/. Contract processing agreement: Provided by the service provider.
  • WordPress.com: Hosting and software for the creation, provision and operation of websites, blogs and other online offerings; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR); Website: https://wordpress.com; Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/de/privacy/; Data processing agreement: https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Use of cookies

The term “cookies” refers to functions that store information on users’ end devices and read it from them. Cookies can also be used for various purposes, such as for the purposes of the functionality, security and convenience of online services and the creation of analyses of visitor flows. We use cookies in accordance with legal regulations. To do so, we obtain the consent of users in advance if necessary. If consent is not necessary, we rely on our legitimate interests. This applies if the storage and reading of information is essential in order to be able to provide expressly requested content and functions. This includes, for example, the storage of settings and ensuring the functionality and security of our online service. Consent can be revoked at any time. We provide clear information about the scope of this and which cookies are used.

Notes on legal bases under data protection law: Whether we process personal data using cookies depends on consent. If consent is given, it serves as the legal basis. Without consent, we rely on our legitimate interests, which are explained above in this section and in the context of the respective services and procedures.

Storage period: With regard to the storage period, 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 device (e.g. browser or mobile application).
  • Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the device is closed. For example, the log-in status can be saved and preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. The user data collected using cookies can also be used to measure reach. If we do not provide users with explicit information about the type and storage period of cookies (e.g. when obtaining consent), they should assume that these 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 declare an objection to processing in accordance with the legal requirements, including by means of the privacy settings of their browser.

Real Cookie Banner

To manage the cookies and similar technologies used (tracking pixels, web beacons, etc.) and related consents, we use the consent tool “Real Cookie Banner”. Details on how “Real Cookie Banner” works can be found at https://devowl.io/rcb/data-processing/.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data in this context are Art. 6 (1) lit. c GDPR and Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest is the management of the cookies and similar technologies used and the related consents. The provision of personal data is neither contractually required nor necessary for the conclusion of a contract. You are not obliged to provide the personal data. If you do not provide the personal data, we will not be able to manage your consents.

Cookie settings/opt-out option:

Types of data processed: Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, people involved).

  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR). Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter a) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, methods and services:

  • Processing of cookie data based on consent: We use a consent management solution that obtains users’ consent to the use of cookies or to the procedures and providers named in the consent management solution. This procedure is used to obtain, log, manage and revoke consent, in particular with regard to the use of cookies and comparable technologies that are used to store, read and process information on users’ end devices. As part of this procedure, users’ consent is obtained for the use of cookies and the associated processing of information, including the specific processing and providers named in the consent management procedure. Users also have the option of managing and revoking their consent. The consent declarations are stored in order to avoid further queries and to be able to provide evidence of consent in accordance with legal requirements. The data is stored 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 specific user or their device. If no specific information is available about the providers of consent management services, the following general information applies: The consent is stored for up to two years. A pseudonymous user identifier is created, which is stored together with the time of consent, information on the scope of consent (e.g. relevant categories of cookies and/or service providers) and information about the browser, the system and the end device used; legal basis: consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Blogs and publication media

We use blogs or comparable means of online communication and publication (hereinafter “publication medium”). Readers’ data is only processed for the purposes of the publication medium to the extent that it is 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 in the context of this data protection notice.

  • Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. full name, home address, contact information, customer number, etc.); contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, people involved).
  • Affected persons: users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; security measures. Organizational and administrative procedures.
  • Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
  • Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Comments and contributions: When users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses can be stored on the basis of our legitimate interests. This is done for our security in case someone leaves illegal content in comments and contributions (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we ourselves can be prosecuted for the comment or contribution and are therefore interested in the identity of the author.

Furthermore, we reserve the right to process the user’s information for the purpose of spam detection on the basis of our legitimate interests.

On the same legal basis, in the case of surveys, we reserve the right to store the IP addresses of users for the duration of their survey and to use cookies to avoid multiple voting.

The personal information provided in the context of the comments and contributions, any contact and website information as well as the content information will be stored by us permanently until the user objects; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR).

  • Access to WordPress emojis and smileys: Access to WordPress emojis and smileys – Within our WordPress blog, graphic emojis (or smileys), i.e. small graphic files that express feelings, are used for the purposes of efficiently integrating content elements, obtained from external servers. The server providers collect the IP addresses of the users. This is necessary so that the emoji files can be transmitted to the users’ browsers; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://automattic.com; Data protection declaration: https://automattic.com/privacy. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
  • Akismet anti-spam check: Akismet anti-spam check – We use the “Akismet” service based on our legitimate interests. Akismet is used to distinguish between real people’s comments and spam comments. All comment details are sent to a server in the USA, where they are analyzed and stored for four days for comparison purposes. If a comment is classified as spam, the data is stored beyond this time. This information includes the name entered, the email address, the IP address, the comment content, the referrer, information on the browser used, the computer system and the time of entry.

Users are welcome to use pseudonyms or refrain from entering their name or email address. You can prevent the transmission of data completely by not using our comment system. That would be a shame, but unfortunately we don’t see any alternatives that work just as effectively; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR); Website: https://automattic.com; Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

  • Profile pictures from Gravatar: Profile pictures – We use the Gravatar service within our online offering and in particular in the blog.

Gravatar is a service where users can register and store profile pictures and their email addresses. If users leave posts or comments on other online presences (especially in blogs) using the respective email address, their profile pictures can be displayed next to the posts or comments. For this purpose, the email address provided by the user is sent to Gravatar in encrypted form to check whether a profile has been saved for it. This is the sole purpose of transmitting the email address. It is not used for any other purpose and is deleted afterwards.

The use of Gravatar is based on our legitimate interests, as with the help of Gravatar we offer the authors of posts and comments the opportunity to personalize their posts with a profile picture.

By displaying the images, Gravatar finds out the IP address of the user, as this is necessary for communication between a browser and an online service.

If users do not want a user image linked to their email address at Gravatar to appear in the comments, they should use an email address that is not stored with Gravatar to comment. We would also like to point out that it is also possible to use an anonymous email address or no email address at all if users do not want their own email address to be sent to Gravatar. Users can completely prevent the transmission of data by not using our comment system; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal basis: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR); Website: https://automattic.com; Privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Contact and request 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 details of the inquiring persons are processed to the extent that this is necessary to answer the contact inquiries and any requested measures.

  • Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. full name, home address, contact information, customer number, etc.); contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); content data (e.g. textual or visual messages and contributions as well as the information relating to them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, people involved).
  • Data subjects: communication partners.
  • Purposes of processing: communication; organizational and administrative procedures; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form). Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Storage and deletion: deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.
  • Legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR). Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Contact form: When you contact us via our contact form, by email or other means of communication, we process the personal data sent to us to answer and process the respective request. This usually includes information such as name, contact information and, if applicable, other information that is communicated to us and is necessary for appropriate processing. We use this data exclusively for the stated purpose of contact and communication; legal basis: contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Web analysis, monitoring and optimization

The web analysis (also known as “reach measurement”) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to our online offering and can 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 offering or its functions or content are used most frequently, or invite reuse. It is also possible for us to understand which areas require optimization.

In addition to web analysis, we can also use test procedures to test and optimize different versions of our online offering or its components.

Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, i.e. data summarized for a usage process, can be created for these purposes and information can be stored in a browser or in a device and then read out. 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 us or the providers of the services we use collecting their location data, the processing of location data is also possible.

In addition, the IP addresses of users are stored. However, we use an IP masking process (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 web analysis, A/B testing and optimization, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the software used know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purpose of the respective processes.

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

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, people involved).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Range measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); Profiles with user-related information (creation of user profiles). Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”. Storage of cookies for up to 2 years (Unless otherwise stated, cookies and similar storage methods can be stored on users’ devices for a period of two years.).
  • Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter a) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 Letter f) GDPR).

Further information on processing procedures, methods and services:

  • Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to measure and analyze the use of our online offering on the basis of a pseudonymous user identification number. This identification number does not contain any unique data such as names or email addresses. It is used to assign analysis information to a device in order to recognize which content users have accessed within one or more usage processes, which search terms they have used, accessed them again or interacted with our online offering. The time of use and its duration are also stored, as are the sources of users who refer to our online offering and technical aspects of their devices and browsers.

Pseudonymous profiles of users are created with information from the use of various devices, and cookies may be used. Google Analytics does not log or store individual IP addresses for EU users. However, Analytics provides rough geographic location data by deriving the following metadata from IP addresses: city (and the derived latitude and longitude of the city), continent, country, region, subcontinent (and ID-based counterparts). For EU traffic, IP address data is used exclusively for this derivation of geolocation data before being immediately deleted. It is not logged, is not accessible, and is not used for any further purposes. When Google Analytics collects measurement data, all IP queries are performed on EU-based servers before the traffic is forwarded to Analytics servers for processing; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/de/about/analytics/; Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of the IP address); Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Order processing agreement: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/; basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF); possibility of objection (opt-out): opt-out plug-in: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de, settings for the display of advertisements: https://myadcenter.google.com/personalizationoff. Further information: https://business.safety.google/adsservices/ (types of processing and data processed).

  • Google Tag Manager: We use the Google Tag Manager, a software from Google that enables us to manage so-called website tags centrally via a user interface. Tags are small code elements on our website that are used to record and analyze visitor activities. This technology helps us to improve our website and the content offered on it. The Google Tag Manager itself does not create user profiles, does not store cookies with user profiles and does not carry out independent analyses. Its function is limited to simplifying and making the integration and management of tools and services that we use on our website more efficient. Nevertheless, when using the Google Tag Manager, the user’s IP address is transmitted to Google, which is necessary for technical reasons in order to implement the services we use. Cookies can also be set. However, this data processing only takes place if services are integrated via the Tag Manager. For more detailed information on these services and their data processing, please refer to the further sections of this data protection declaration; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Data protection declaration: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Data processing agreement:

https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Plug-ins and embedded functions and content

We integrate functional and content elements into our online offering that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”). These can be, for example, graphics, videos or city maps (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).

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

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. page views and length of stay, click paths, intensity and frequency of use, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions). Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time information, identification numbers, people involved).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Storage and deletion: Deletion in accordance with the information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”. Storage of cookies for up to 2 years (Unless otherwise stated, cookies and similar storage methods can be stored on users’ devices for a period of two years).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. a) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures and services:

  • Integration of third-party software, scripts or frameworks (e.g. jQuery): We integrate software into our online offering that we retrieve from servers of other providers (e.g. function libraries that we use to display or make our online offering user-friendly). The respective providers collect the IP address of the users and can process this for the purposes of transmitting the software to the user’s browser and for security purposes, as well as for evaluating and optimizing their offering. – We integrate software into our online offering that we retrieve from servers of other providers (e.g. function libraries that we use to display or make our online offering user-friendly). The respective providers collect the IP address of the users and can process this for the purposes of transmitting the software to the user’s browser and for security purposes, as well as for evaluating and optimizing their offering; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR).
  • Google Fonts (provision on own server): provision of font files for the purpose of a user-friendly presentation of our online offering; service provider: The Google Fonts are hosted on our server, no data is transmitted to Google; legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Clause 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Supervisory authority responsible for us:

The Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information

represented by

Prof. Dr. Alexander Roßnagel

Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 1

65189 Wiesbaden

Created with free Datenschutz-Generator.de by Dr. Thomas Schwenke

Für uns zuständige Aufsichtsbehörde:

Der Hessische Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit

vertreten durch
Prof. Dr. Alexander Roßnagel

Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 1
65189 Wiesbaden

Erstellt mit kostenlosem Datenschutz-Generator.de von Dr. Thomas Schwenke

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