This privacy policy clarifies the nature, scope and purpose of the processing of personal data (hereinafter referred to as „data“) within our online offering and the associated websites, functions and content as well as external online presences, such as our social media profile (hereinafter collectively referred to as „online offering“). With regard to the terms used, such as „processing“ or „controller“, we refer to the definitions in Art. 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Types of data processed
– Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses).
– Contact data (e.g., e-mail, telephone numbers).
– Content data (e.g., text entries, photographs, videos).
– Usage data (e.g., websites visited, interest in content, access times).
– Meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses).
Categories of data subjects
Visitors and users of the online offer (hereinafter we also refer to the data subjects collectively as “users”).
Purpose of the processing
– Provision of the online offering, its functions and content.
– Responding to contact requests and communicating with users.
– Security measures.
– Reach measurement/marketing
Terminology used
“Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
“Processing” means 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 any handling of data.
“Pseudonymization” means the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organizational measures to ensure that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.
“Profiling” means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyze or predict aspects concerning that natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location or movements.
“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.
“Processor” means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.
Relevant legal bases
In accordance with Art. 13 GDPR, we inform you of the legal basis of our data processing. If the legal basis is not stated in the privacy policy, the following applies: The legal basis for obtaining consent is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a and Art. 7 GDPR, the legal basis for processing for the performance of our services and implementation of contractual measures as well as responding to inquiries is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, the legal basis for processing to fulfill our legal obligations is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR, and the legal basis for processing to protect our legitimate interests is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. In the event that vital interests of the data subject or another natural person require the processing of personal data, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. d GDPR serves as the legal basis.
The measures include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical access to the data, as well as the access, input, disclosure, safeguarding of availability and its separation. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data and the response to data threats. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development and selection of hardware, software and procedures, in accordance with the principle of data protection through technology design and data protection-friendly default settings (Art. 25 GDPR).
Cooperation with processors and third parties
If we disclose data to other persons and companies (processors or third parties) as part of our processing, transfer it to them or otherwise grant them access to the data, this will only be done on the basis of legal permission (e.g. if the transfer of data to third parties, such as payment service providers, is necessary for the performance of a contract pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR), you have given your consent, a legal obligation provides for this or on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. when using agents, web hosts, etc.).
If we commission third parties with the processing of data on the basis of a so-called “order processing contract”, this is done on the basis of Art. 28 GDPR.
Transfers to third countries
If we process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if this occurs in the context of the use of third-party services or disclosure or transfer of data to third parties, this will only take place if it is done to fulfill our (pre)contractual obligations, on the basis of your consent, on the basis of a legal obligation or on the basis of our legitimate interests. Subject to legal or contractual permissions, we only process or have the data processed in a third country if the special requirements of Art. 44 et seq. GDPR are met. This means, for example, that the processing takes place on the basis of special guarantees, such as the officially recognized determination of a level of data protection corresponding to the EU (e.g. for the USA through the “Privacy Shield”) or compliance with officially recognized special contractual obligations (so-called “standard contractual clauses”).
Rights of the data subjects
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 Art. 15 GDPR.
You have accordingly. Art. 16 GDPR, you have the right to request the completion of data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you.
In accordance with Art. 17 GDPR, you have the right to demand that the data in question be deleted immediately or, alternatively, to demand that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with Art. 18 GDPR.
You have the right to request to receive the data concerning you that you have provided to us in accordance with Art. 20 GDPR and to request its transfer to other controllers.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority in accordance with Art. 77 GDPR.
Right of revocation
You have the right to withdraw your consent in accordance with Art. 7 para. 3 GDPR with effect for the future.
Right of objection
You can object to the future processing of data concerning you at any time in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR. In particular, you may object to processing for direct marketing purposes.
Deletion of data
The data processed by us will be deleted or its processing restricted in accordance with Art. 17 and 18 GDPR. Unless expressly stated in this privacy policy, the data stored by us will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for its intended purpose and the deletion does not conflict with any statutory retention obligations. If the data is not deleted because it is required for other and legally permissible purposes, its processing is restricted. This means that the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be for reasons of commercial or tax law.
According to legal requirements in Germany, the retention period is 10 years in accordance with §§ 147 para. 1 AO, 257 para. 1 no. 1 and 4, para. 4 HGB (books, records, management reports, accounting vouchers, commercial books, documents relevant for taxation, etc.) and 6 years in accordance with § 257 para. 1 no. 2 and 3, para. 4 HGB (commercial letters).
Administration, financial accounting, office organisation, contact management
We process data as part of administrative tasks and the organisation of our business, financial accounting and compliance with legal obligations, such as archiving. In doing so, we process the same data that we process as part of the provision of our contractual services. The processing bases are Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c. GDPR, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR. Customers, interested parties, business partners and website visitors are affected by the processing. The purpose and our interest in the processing lies in the administration, financial accounting, office organisation, archiving of data, i.e. tasks that serve to maintain our business activities, perform our tasks and provide our services. The deletion of data with regard to contractual services and contractual communication corresponds to the information specified in these processing activities.
We disclose or transmit data to the tax authorities, consultants, such as tax advisors or auditors, as well as other fee centres and payment service providers.
We also store information on suppliers, event organisers and other business partners on the basis of our business interests, e.g. for the purpose of contacting them at a later date. We generally store this data, most of which is company-related, permanently.
Contact us
When contacting us (e.g. by contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media), the user’s details are processed to process the contact enquiry and its handling in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b) GDPR. The user’s details may be stored in a customer relationship management system („CRM system“) or comparable enquiry organisation.
We delete the enquiries if they are no longer required. We review the necessity every two years; furthermore, the statutory archiving obligations apply.
Enquiries with MEETOVO
We use the software solution of the provider MEETOVO, Lukas & Christof Bludau GbR, Kasernenstraße 12, 21073 Hamburg, Germany, to process enquiries. The provider works in accordance with the legal requirements of Art. 28 GDPR. The strictest confidentiality of your data is therefore maintained at all times.
When you submit an enquiry to us, a direct connection is established between your browser and the provider’s server when the enquiry page is called up. The provider then receives the information that you have visited our site with your IP address. The IP address is anonymised and deleted after 7 days. If you send an enquiry via the integrated form, the personal data you enter for the enquiry (email address, first and last name, mobile phone number or telephone number) will be transmitted to the provider and stored on their servers and sent to us by email. All other form entries are already transmitted for analysis purposes during their input if you consent to this. The collection of this data is necessary for the processing of the enquiry. Without this processing, you will not be able to submit an enquiry.
This processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit b. GDPR for the fulfilment of our contractual obligations and services as well as on the basis of our legitimate interests in carrying out a quick and effective request within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit f. GDPR.
The provider deletes your data if it is no longer required. The provider reviews the necessity every two years. Otherwise, however, the deletion will take place no later than 5 years after the last enquiry. Further information on this can be found in the provider’s privacy policy at:
https://meetovo.de/datenschutz
Hosting and e-mail dispatch
The hosting services we use serve to provide the following services: Infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, e-mail dispatch, security services and technical maintenance services that we use for the purpose of operating this online offering.
In doing so, we or our hosting provider process inventory data, contact data, content data, contract data, usage data, meta and communication data of customers, interested parties and visitors to this online offer on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure provision of this online offer in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR in conjunction with Art. 28 GDPR (conclusion of order processing contract). Art. 28 GDPR (conclusion of order processing contract).
Collection of access data and log files
We, or our hosting provider, collect data on the basis of our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR. GDPR, we collect data about every access to the server on which this service is located (so-called server log files). The access data includes the name of the website accessed, file, date and time of access, amount of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page), IP address and the requesting provider.
Google Analytics
On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offer within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR), we use Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google LLC („Google“). GDPR) Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC („Google“). Google uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie about the use of the online offer by the user is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.
Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and thus offers a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/ participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).
Google will use this information on our behalf to analyse the use of our online offer by users, to compile reports on the activities within this online offer and to provide us with further services associated with the use of this online offer and the use of the Internet. Pseudonymised user profiles can be created from the processed data.
We only use Google Analytics with activated IP anonymisation. This means that the IP address of users is truncated by Google within member states of the European Union or in other signatory states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and truncated there.
The IP address transmitted by the user’s browser will not be merged with other Google data. Users can prevent the storage of cookies by setting their browser software accordingly; users can also prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to their use of the online offer and from processing this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.
Further information on the use of data by Google, setting and objection options, can be found in Google’s privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads) and in the settings for the display of adverts by Google (https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated).
Users‘ personal data is deleted or anonymised after 14 months.
Note on the gender issue
For the sake of readability and as a contribution to a better understanding of the texts, we have decided to use the masculine form in the texts available here. We would like to point out that this does not imply any attitude on our part to the detriment of female or diverse persons.
