Privacy policy

Introduction

With the following data protection declaration, we would like to inform you about the types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as “data”) that we process, for what purposes and to what extent. The data protection declaration applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of the provision of our services and in particular on our websites, in mobile applications and within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Online Offer”).

The terms used are not gender specific.

Status: 13 April 2020

Table of contents

Responsible

Anke Gauter
22765 Hamburg

E-Mail-Adresse: info@a-zum-quadrat.de

Impressum: www.a-zum-quadrat.de/impressum

Processing overview

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

Types of data processed

  • Inventory data (e.g., names, addresses).
  • Content data (e.g. text input, photographs, videos).
  • Contact information (e.g., email, phone numbers).
  • Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
  • Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category).

Categories of affected persons

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

Processing purposes

  • Affiliate tracking.
  • Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.
  • Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form).
  • Contact requests and communication.
  • Remarketing.
  • Safety measures.
  • Tracking (e.g., interest/behavioral profiling, use of cookies).
  • Contractual benefits and service.
  • Managing and responding to inquiries.

Relevant legal bases

In the following, we share the legal basis of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the provisions of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence and domicile. If, in addition, more specific legal bases are relevant in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

  • Consent (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a DSGVO) – The data subject has given his/her consent to the processing of personal data relating to him/her for a specific purpose or purposes.
  • Contract performance and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b. DSGVO) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or for the performance of pre-contractual measures taken at the data subject’s request.
  • Protection of vital interests (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. d. DSGVO)– Processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. f. DSGVO) – Processing is necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the controller or a third party, unless such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require the protection of personal data.

National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the General Data Protection Regulation, national regulations on data protection apply in Germany. This includes, in particular, the Act on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act – BDSG). In particular, the BDSG contains special provisions on the right to information, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transmission, as well as automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. Furthermore, it regulates data processing for purposes of the employment relationship (Section 26 BDSG), in particular with regard to the establishment, implementation or termination of employment relationships as well as the consent of employees. Furthermore, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Transfer and disclosure of personal data

In the course of our processing of personal data, the data may be transferred to or disclosed to other entities, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons. Recipients of this data may include, for example, payment institutions in the context of payment transactions, service providers commissioned with IT tasks, or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we comply with the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements that serve to protect your data with the recipients of your data.

Data processing in third countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e., outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or the processing takes place in the context of the use of third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, entities or companies, this will only be done in accordance with the legal requirements.

Subject to express consent or contractually or legally required transfer, we process or have the data processed only in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, which include the U.S. processors certified under the “Privacy Shield”, or on the basis of special guarantees, such as contractual obligation by so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, the existence of certifications or binding internal data protection rules (Art. 44 bis 49 DSGVO, Information of the EU-Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_de ).

Cookies use

Cookies are text files that contain data from visited websites or domains and are stored by a browser on the user’s computer. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user during or after his visit within an online offer. Stored information may include, for example, language settings on a website, login status, a shopping cart, or where a video was watched. The term cookies also includes other technologies that perform the same functions as cookies (e.g., when user information is stored on the basis of pseudonymous online identifiers, also referred to as “user IDs”).

The following cookie types and functions are distinguished:

  • Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed his browser.
  • Permanent cookies:Permanent cookies remain stored even after the browser is closed. For example, login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user revisits a website. Likewise, the interests of users used for reach measurement or marketing purposes may be stored in such a cookie.
  • First-party cookies: First-party cookies are set by us.
  • Third-party cookies (also: third-party cookies): Third-party cookies are mainly used by advertisers (so-called third parties) to process user information.
  • Necessary (also: essential or absolutely necessary) cookies: Cookies may be absolutely necessary for the operation of a website (e.g. to store logins or other user inputs or for security reasons).
  • Statistics, marketing and personalization cookies: Furthermore, cookies are generally also used in the context of range measurement and when a user’s interests or behavior (e.g. viewing certain content, using functions, etc.) on individual websites are stored in a user profile. Such profiles are used, for example, to show users content that matches their potential interests. This process is also called “tracking”, i.e., following the potential interests of users. . Insofar as we use cookies or “tracking” technologies, we will inform you separately in our data protection declaration or in the context of obtaining consent.

Notes on legal bases: The legal basis on which we process your personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask you for consent. If this is the case and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for processing your data is consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the business operation of our online offer and its improvement) or if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations.

General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Depending on whether the processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the option at any time to withdraw any consent you have given or to object to the processing of your data by cookie technologies (collectively referred to as “opt-out”). You can first declare your objection by means of the settings of your browser, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (whereby this may also limit the functionality of our online offer). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared by means of a variety of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/ . In addition, you can obtain further objection notices as part of the information on the service providers used and cookies.

Processing of cookie data on the basis of consent: Before we process or have processed data in the context of the use of cookies, we ask users for consent, which can be revoked at any time. Until consent has been given, cookies will be used that are necessary for the operation of our online offer. They are used on the basis of our interest and the interest of the users in the expected functionality of our online offer.

Cookie settings/objection option:

  • Types of data processed: 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 bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Blogs and publication media

We use blogs or comparable means of online communication and publication (hereinafter referred to as “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. In addition, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium within the framework of this data protection notice.

Comments and posts: If users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored on the basis of our legitimate interests. This is done for our safety 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 information of the users for the purpose of spam detection on the basis of our legitimate interests.

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

The personal information provided in the context of the comments and posts, any contact and website information as well as the content information will be permanently stored by us until the user objects.

Comment subscriptions: The follow-up comments can be subscribed to by users with their consent. Users will receive a confirmation email to verify that they are the owner of the email address entered. Users can unsubscribe from ongoing comment subscriptions at any time. The confirmation email will contain information on the cancellation options. For the purposes of proving users’ consent, we store the time of registration along with the IP address of the users and delete this information when users unsubscribe from the subscription.

You can cancel receipt of our subscription at any time, i.e. withdraw your consent. We may retain the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before deleting them in order to be able to prove a previously given consent. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defence against claims. An individual request for deletion is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of consent is confirmed at the same time.

  • 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).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Contractual benefits and services, feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form), security measures, administration and response to inquiries, contact requests and communication.
  • Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 (b) GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 (f) GDPR), consent (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 (a) GDPR), protection of vital interests (Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 (d) GDPR).

Contact

When contacting us (e.g. via contact form, e-mail, telephone or via social media), the details of the enquiring persons will be processed insofar as this is necessary to answer the contact enquiries and any measures requested.

The response to contact enquiries within the framework of contractual or pre-contractual relationships is carried out in order to fulfil our contractual obligations or to answer (pre-)contractual enquiries and otherwise on the basis of the legitimate interests in answering the enquiries.

  • 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).
  • Data subjects: Communication.
  • Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication.
  • Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

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

The data processed in the context of the provision of the hosting offer may include all information concerning the users of our online offer that is generated in the course of use and communication. This usually includes the IP address, which is necessary to be able to deliver the content of online offers to browsers, and all entries made within our online offer or from websites.

Collection of access data and log files: We ourselves (or our web hosting provider) collect data on every access to the server (so-called server log files). The server log files can include the address and name of the websites and files accessed, date and time of access, data volumes transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider.

The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure the load on the servers and their stability.

  • Types of data processed: Content data (e.g. text inputs, 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 bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Affiliate-Program and Affiliate-Links

In our online offer, we integrate so-called affiliate links or other references (which may include, for example, discount codes) to the offers and services of third-party providers (collectively referred to as “affiliate links”). If users follow the Affiliate Links or subsequently take advantage of the Offers, we may receive a commission or other benefits from these third parties (collectively, “Commission”).

In order to be able to track whether users have taken advantage of the offers of an affiliate link used by us, it is necessary for the respective third-party providers to know that the users have followed an affiliate link used within our online offer. The assignment of the affiliate links to the respective business transactions or to other actions (e.g. purchases) serves the sole purpose of commission settlement and will be cancelled as soon as it is no longer necessary for the purpose.

For the purposes of the aforementioned assignment of the Affiliate Links, the Affiliate Links may be supplemented by certain values that are part of the Link or may be stored otherwise, e.g. in a cookie. The values may include, in particular, the source website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operators of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, the type of link used, the type of offer and an online identifier of the user.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of the third-party service providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Furthermore, their use may be part of our (pre-)contractual services, provided that the use of the third-party providers has been agreed in this context. Otherwise, the users’ data will be 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: Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category), 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: Affiliate Tracking.
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), performance of contract and pre-contractual requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Rating platforms

We participate in evaluation procedures to evaluate, optimize and promote our services. If users rate us or otherwise provide feedback via the review platforms or procedures involved, the general terms and conditions of use and the data protection notices of the providers also apply. As a rule, the evaluation also requires registration with the respective providers.

In order to ensure that the reviewers have actually used our services, we transmit the necessary data with regard to the customer and the service used to the respective review platform (including name, e-mail address and order number or article number) with the consent of the customers. This data is used solely to verify the authenticity of the user.

  • Types of data processed: Contract data (e.g. subject matter of the contract, term, customer category), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Data subjects: Customers, users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form).
  • Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Presence in social networks

We maintain online presences within social networks and process user data in this context in order to communicate with the users active there or to offer information about us.

We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the area of the European Union. This can result in risks for users, for example, because it could make it more difficult to enforce the rights of users. With regard to US providers who are certified under the Privacy Shield or offer comparable guarantees of a secure level of data protection, we would like to point out that they are committing themselves to complying with EU data protection standards.

Furthermore, user data within social networks is usually processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, usage profiles can be created based on the user behavior and the resulting interests of the users. The usage profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place advertisements inside and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the users’ computers, in which the user’s usage behaviour and interests are stored. Furthermore, data may also be stored in the user profiles regardless of the devices used by the users (in particular if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in to them).

For a detailed description of the respective forms of processing and the options for objection (opt-out), we refer to the privacy policies and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

In the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would also like to point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the providers have access to the data of the users and can directly take appropriate measures and provide information. If you still need help, you can contact us.

  • 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).
  • Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: Contact requests and communication, tracking (e.g. interest/behavioural profiling, use of cookies), remarketing.
  • Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services and service providers used:

Plugins and embedded functions and content

We integrate functional and content elements into our online offer that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”). This can be, for example, graphics, videos or social media buttons as well as posts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “Content”).

The integration always requires that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the users, since without the IP address they would not be able to send the content to their browser. The IP address is therefore required for the display of these contents or functions. We make every effort to only use content whose respective providers use the IP address only for the delivery of the content. Third-party vendors may also use 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 contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and the operating system, referring websites, the time of visit and other information about the use of our online offer, as well as be linked to such information from other sources.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of the third-party service providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, the users’ data will be 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. 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: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.

Data deletion

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as their consents to processing are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g. if the purpose of the processing of this data has ceased to apply or if it is not necessary for the purpose).

Unless the data is deleted because it is necessary for other and legally permissible purposes, its processing will be limited to these purposes. This means that the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax law reasons or the storage of which is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person.

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

Modification and update of the privacy policy

We ask you to regularly inform yourself about the content of our privacy policy. We will adapt the privacy policy as soon as the changes in the data processing we carry out make it necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require you to cooperate (e.g. consent) or other individual notification.

If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organizations in this privacy policy, please note that the addresses may change over time and please check the information before contacting us.

Rights of the data subjects

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

  • Right to object: You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you that is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (e) or (f) GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you is processed for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of the 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 revocation in the case of consent: You have the right to revoke any consent you have given at any time.
  • Right: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question is being processed and to obtain information about this data, as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the legal requirements.
  • Right to rectification: In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to request the completion of the data concerning you or the correction of the incorrect data concerning you.
  • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to demand that data concerning you be deleted immediately, or alternatively to demand a restriction of the processing of the data in accordance with the legal requirements.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements or to request its transmission to another controller.
  • Complaint to supervisory authority: You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, in accordance with the legal requirements, if you believe that the processing of personal data concerning you violates the GDPR.

Definitions

This section provides an overview of the terminology used in this Privacy Policy. Many of the terms are taken from the law and defined primarily in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to serve understanding. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

  • Affiliate Tracking: As part of affiliate tracking, links with the help of which the linking websites refer users to websites with product or other offers are logged. The operators of the respective linking websites can receive a commission if users follow these so-called affiliate links and then take advantage of the offers (e.g. goods or services). For this purpose, it is necessary that the providers can track whether users who are interested in certain offers subsequently take advantage of them at the instigation of the affiliate links. Therefore, for affiliate links to work, it is necessary for them to be supplemented with certain values that become part of the link or are stored in some other way, e.g. in a cookie. The values include, in particular, the source website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operators of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, an online identifier of the user as well as tracking-specific values, such as advertising material ID, partner ID and categorizations.
  • Personal data: “Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. a cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • Remarketing: “Remarketing” or “retargeting” is used when, for example, for advertising purposes, it is noted which products a user was interested in on a website in order to remind the user of these products on other websites, e.g. in advertisements.
  • Tracking: “Tracking” is when the behavior of users can be tracked across several online offerings. As a rule, behavioral and interest information is stored in cookies or on servers of the providers of the tracking technologies with regard to the online offers used (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to show users advertisements that are likely to match their interests.
  • Person in charge: “Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
  • Processing: “Processing” means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is far-reaching and encompasses practically any handling of data, be it collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or deletion.

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