1. Basic information on data processing and legal basis

1.1. This privacy policy explains the nature, scope, and purpose of the processing of personal data within our online offering and the associated websites, functions, and content (hereinafter collectively referred to as “online offering” or “website”). The privacy policy applies regardless of the domains, systems, platforms, and devices (e.g., desktop or mobile) used to access the online offering.

1.2. The terms used, such as “personal data” or “processing,” refer to the definitions in Art. 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

2. Types of data processed/categories of data subjects

2.1. The personal data of users processed within the scope of this online offering includes:

Inventory data (e.g., names and addresses of customers),
contact data (e.g., email, telephone numbers),
communication data,
contract data (e.g., services used, names of clerks, payment information),
usage data (e.g., the websites visited on our online offering, interest in our products)
meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses), and
content data (e.g., entries in the contact form).

2.2. The term “user” covers all categories of persons affected by data processing. These include our business partners, customers, interested parties, and other visitors to our online offering. The terms used are to be understood as gender-neutral.

2.3. We process users‘ personal data only in compliance with the relevant data protection regulations. This means that user data is only processed if there is legal permission to do so, in particular if data processing is necessary for the provision of our contractual services (e.g., processing of orders) and online services, or if it is required by law, if the user has given their consent, or on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation and security of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR, in particular for reach measurement, creation of profiles for advertising and marketing purposes, and collection of access data and use of third-party services.

2.4. We would like to point out that the legal basis for consent is Art. 6 (1) (a) and Art. 7 GDPR, the legal basis for processing for the performance of our services and the implementation of contractual measures is Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR, the legal basis for processing for the fulfillment of our legal obligations is Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR, and the legal basis for processing to safeguard our legitimate interests is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

2.5. The following persons are affected by data processing:

Contractual and business partners,
users of our online offering,
prospective customers who are interested in our online offering or who contact us for other reasons, and
customers.

3. Security measures

In accordance with Art. 32 GDPR, we take appropriate organizational, contractual, and technical security measures in line with the state of the art, taking into account the implementation costs and the nature, scope, circumstances, and purposes of data processing, as well as the varying likelihood and severity of the risk to rights and freedoms, in order to ensure an appropriate level of protection for your data. We hereby ensure compliance with the provisions of data protection laws and protect this data against accidental or intentional manipulation, loss, destruction, or access by unauthorized persons.

3.1. The security measures include, in particular, the encrypted transmission of data between your browser and our server. You can recognize such encrypted connections by the fact that the URL in the address bar of your browser begins with “https://”. This is a communication protocol that allows data to be transmitted in a tap-proof manner within the framework of transport encryption.

4. Disclosure of data to third parties and third-party providers

4.1. Data is only passed on to third parties within the framework of legal requirements. We only pass on user data to third parties if this is necessary for contractual purposes, for example, on the basis of Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR, or on the basis of legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR for the economic and effective operation of our business.

4.2. We only use subcontractors to provide our services if we have taken appropriate legal precautions and corresponding technical and organizational measures to ensure the protection of the personal data processed in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.

4.3. If content, tools, or other means described in this privacy policy are used by other providers (hereinafter collectively referred to as “third-party providers”), we comply with the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data to protect your data.

4.4. If we use a third-party provider whose registered office is located in a third country (outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area), it can be assumed that data will be transferred to the third-party provider’s country of residence. Data will only be transferred to third countries if an adequate level of data protection is in place, if the user has given their consent, or if there is other legal permission to do so.

5. Provision of contractual services

5.1. We process inventory data (e.g., names and addresses as well as contact details of users), contract data (e.g., services used, names of contact persons, payment information) for the purpose of fulfilling our contractual obligations and services in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR. We inform our contractual partners of the data required for the aforementioned purposes before or during data collection, e.g. in online forms, by means of special markings (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar), or in person. Within the framework of applicable law, we only pass on this data to third parties to the extent that this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations, or with your consent (e.g., to participating telecommunications, transport, and other auxiliary services, as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers, or tax authorities).

5.2. We delete the data after the expiry of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., generally after 4 years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., as long as it must be retained for archiving purposes for legal reasons (e.g., for tax purposes, usually 10 years). We delete data disclosed to us by the contractual partner within the framework of a contractual relationship in accordance with the provisions of the contract, generally after fulfillment of the contractual services.

6. Contact

6.1. When contacting us (via contact form or email), the user’s details are processed for the purpose of handling the contact request and its processing in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR. In doing so, we only process the data that we need to process your request.

6.2. User information may be stored in our customer relationship management system (“CRM system”) or a comparable inquiry organization system.

7. Web hosting

7.1. In order to provide our online offering securely and efficiently, we use the services of one or more web hosting providers whose servers (or servers managed by them) can be used to access the online offering. 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.

7.2. Based on our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) lit. f. 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, the file, 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), IP address, and the requesting provider.

7.3. Log file information is stored for security reasons (e.g. to investigate misuse or fraud) for a maximum of seven days and then deleted. Data that must be retained for evidentiary purposes is excluded from deletion until the respective incident has been finally clarified.

7.4. Web hosting services also include the sending, receiving, and storage of emails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders, as well as other information relating to the sending of emails (e.g., the providers involved), including the content of the respective emails. Even though our email communication features transport encryption, it is not encrypted on the servers from which it is sent and received. The content of email communication is therefore generally susceptible to manipulation.

8. Cookies & reach measurement

8.1. When you visit our website, information may be stored on your computer in the form of a cookie. Cookies are pieces of information that are transferred from our web server or third-party web servers to users‘ web browsers and stored there for later retrieval. Most browsers are set to automatically accept cookies. We would like to point out that the use of our online services is only possible to a limited extent without cookies. In particular, it is generally not possible to use your customer account, as the use of cookies is technically necessary for this. However, you can also use your browser to prevent only certain cookies from being set (e.g., third-party cookies), for example, if you want to prevent web tracking. You can find more information on this in your browser’s help function. Further information on third-party cookies that are set or processed when you visit our website can be found in the following privacy policy, if we use them. We also include other technologies that perform the same functions as cookies (e.g., when user information is stored using pseudonymous online identifiers, also known as “user IDs”) under the term “cookies.”

A distinction must be made between cookies that are set by the website operator when you visit a website (also known as “first-party cookies”) and cookies that are set by third-party providers (also known as “third-party cookies”). We only have technical control over the former cookies. We further differentiate between the following cookies.
Temporary cookies (also known as session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed their browser.
Permanent cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the browser is closed. For example, the login status can be stored or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. The interests of users, which are used for reach measurement or marketing purposes, can also be stored in such a cookie.
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 entries or for security reasons).
Statistics, marketing, and personalization cookies: Cookies are also generally used for reach 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 display content to users that corresponds to their potential interests. This process is also referred to as “tracking,” i.e., tracking the potential interests of users. We will inform you separately about the use of “tracking” technologies in our privacy policy or when obtaining your consent.

8.2. We use “session cookies,” which are only stored for the duration of your current visit to our website (e.g., to store your login status or shopping cart function and thus enable you to use our online offering). A randomly generated unique identification number, known as a session ID, is stored in a session cookie. A cookie also contains information about its origin and storage period. These cookies cannot store any other data. Session cookies are deleted when you have finished using our online offering and, for example, log out or close your browser.

8.3. If users do not want cookies to be stored on their computer, they are asked to deactivate the corresponding option in their browser’s system settings. Stored cookies can be deleted in the browser’s system settings.

8.4. The legal basis on which we process your personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask for your consent. If this applies and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for the processing of your data is your declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed using cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g., in the economic operation of our online offering and its improvement) or, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations.

Depending on whether the processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the option at any time to revoke your consent or to object to the processing of your data by cookie technologies (“opt-out”). You can initially declare your opt-out by means of your browser settings by objecting to the setting of cookies in your browser’s system settings. An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared via 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 information on objections in the context of the information on the service providers and cookies used.

Before we process or have data processed in connection with the use of cookies, we ask users for their consent, which can be revoked at any time. Before consent has been given, only cookies that are necessary for the operation of our online offering are used. Their use is based on our interest and the interest of users in the expected functionality of our online offering. This includes usage data (e.g., websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g., device information, IP addresses). Users of our online offering are affected by this processing. The processing is carried out on the legal basis of consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR) or legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR.

9. Google Analytics

9.1. Based on your consent, we use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited Gordon House, Barrow Street Dublin 4. Ireland (“Google”) to analyze, optimize, and economically operate our online offering. Google uses permanent third-party cookies. The information resulting from this is processed exclusively in our interest.

9.2. The information generated by the cookie about the use of the online offer by users is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

9.3. We have agreed on so-called standard contractual clauses with Google in order to ensure an adequate level of data protection. Google thus guarantees compliance with European data protection law.

9.4. Google will use this information on our behalf to evaluate the use of our online offering by users, to compile reports on the activities within this online offering, and to provide us with further services associated with the use of this online offering and the Internet. In doing so, pseudonymous user profiles of users can be created from the processed data.

9.5. We only use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled. This means that the IP address of users will be 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.

9.6. The IP address transmitted by the user’s browser is not merged with other Google data. Users can prevent the storage of cookies by adjusting their browser software settings accordingly; Users can also prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to their use of the online offer, as well as Google from processing this data, by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.

9.7. For more information on Google’s use of data, settings, and opt-out options, please visit Google’s websites: https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/partners (“How Google uses data when you use our partners‘ sites or apps”), http://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads (“Data use for advertising purposes”), http://www.google.de/settings/ads (“Manage information that Google uses to show you ads”).

10. Facebook social plugins

10.1. Based on your consent, we use social plugins (“plugins”) from the social network facebook.com, which is operated by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”). The plugins can represent interaction elements or content (e.g., videos, graphics, or text posts) and are recognizable by one of the Facebook logos or are marked with the addition “Facebook Social Plugin.”

10.2. When a user accesses a feature of this online offering that contains such a plugin, a direct connection to Facebook’s servers is only established when the user interacts with the plugins. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from Facebook to the user’s device and integrated into the online offering. The processed data can be used to create user usage profiles. We therefore have no influence on the scope of the data that Facebook collects with the help of this plugin and therefore inform users according to our state of knowledge.

10.3. By integrating the plugins, Facebook receives the information that a user has accessed the corresponding page of the online offer. If the user is logged in to Facebook, Facebook can assign the visit to their Facebook account. When users interact with the plugins, for example by clicking the Like button or posting a comment, the corresponding information is transmitted directly from your device to Facebook and stored there. If a user is not a member of Facebook, it is still possible for Facebook to find out and store their IP address. According to Facebook, only an anonymized IP address is stored in Germany.

10.4. The purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing and use of the data by Facebook, as well as the relevant rights and setting options for protecting the privacy of users, can be found in Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/.

10.5. If a user is a Facebook member and does not want Facebook to collect data about them via this online offer and link it to their membership data stored on Facebook, they must log out of Facebook and delete their cookies before using our online offer. Further settings and objections to the use of data for advertising purposes are possible within the Facebook profile settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads or via the US page http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU page http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. The settings are platform-independent, i.e., they are applied to all devices, such as desktop computers or mobile devices.

11. Reach analysis with Matomo

11.1. Based on your consent, we use Matomo, an open-source software for statistical analysis of user access, to analyze, optimize, and economically operate our online offering. The IP address of users is shortened before it is stored. However, Matomo uses first-party cookies that are stored on the user’s computer and enable an analysis of the use of this online offering by the user. Pseudonymous user profiles can be created from the processed data.

11.2. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this online offering is stored on our server and not passed on to third parties.

12. Newsletter

12.1. The following information explains the content of our newsletter, the registration, dispatch, and statistical evaluation procedures, and your rights of objection. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive it and to the procedures described.

12.2. We send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications with promotional information (hereinafter “newsletter”) only with the consent of the recipients or with legal permission. If the content of the newsletter is specifically described during the registration process, this description is decisive for the consent of the users. Our newsletters also contain information about our products, offers, promotions, and our company.

12.3. Registration for our newsletter is carried out using a double opt-in procedure. This means that after registering, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary to prevent anyone from registering with someone else’s email address. Newsletter registrations are logged in order to be able to verify the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes storing the time of registration and confirmation, as well as the IP address. Changes to your data stored by the mailing service provider are also logged.

12.4. The newsletter is sent by CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, Mühlenstr. 43, 26180 Rastede, hereinafter referred to as the “mailing service provider.” You can view the mailing service provider’s privacy policy here: https://www.cleverreach.com/de/datenschutz/.

12.5. The newsletter is sent using “MailChimp,” a newsletter distribution platform provided by the US company Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA. You can view the shipping service provider’s privacy policy here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/. Standard contractual clauses have been agreed to ensure an adequate level of data protection.

12.6. Furthermore, according to its own information, the mailing service provider may use this data in pseudonymous form, i.e., without assigning it to a user, to optimize or improve its own services, e.g., for technical optimization of the mailing and presentation of the newsletter or for statistical purposes to determine the countries from which the recipients come. However, the shipping service provider does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to write to them itself or pass it on to third parties.

12.7. Registration data: To register for the newsletter, it is sufficient to provide your email address. Optionally, we ask you to provide a name for personal address in the newsletter.

12.8. The newsletters contain a so-called “web beacon,” i.e., a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from the mailing service provider’s server when the newsletter is opened. As part of this retrieval, technical information such as information about your browser and your system, as well as your IP address and the time of retrieval, is initially collected. This information is used to improve the services based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading behavior based on their retrieval locations (which can be determined using the IP address) or access times. The statistical surveys also include determining whether the newsletters are opened, when they are opened, and which links are clicked. For technical reasons, this information can be assigned to individual newsletter recipients. However, it is neither our intention nor that of the mailing service provider to observe individual users. Rather, the evaluations serve to identify 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.

12.9. The use of the mailing service provider, the performance of statistical surveys and analyses, and the logging of the registration process are based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. Our interest is in using a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves both our business interests and meets the expectations of our users.

12.10. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, i.e. revoke your consent. This will simultaneously revoke your consent to its dispatch by the dispatch service provider and to statistical analysis. Unfortunately, it is not possible to revoke the dispatch by the dispatch service provider or the statistical analysis separately. You will find a link to unsubscribe from the newsletter at the end of each newsletter. If users have only subscribed to the newsletter and have unsubscribed, their personal data will be deleted. will be deleted.

13. Integration of videos

13.1. We use videos to display the submitted entries. Since local hosting of videos is not powerful enough, we use external video providers. We use the services of Vimeo, Inc., West 18th Street, New York 10011, USA (“Vimeo”).

13.2. The integration of the videos results in the provider’s servers being accessed. For information on the associated use of data, please refer to the provider’s privacy policy. Vimeo’s privacy policy is available at the following link: https://vimeo.com/privacy.

13.3. The legal basis for the integration of the videos and the associated transfer of personal data for registered users of our website is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR. The integration is necessary because there is currently no comparable video solution available for providing protected videos.

13.4. For non-registered users, the legal basis for the transfer of personal data is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR.

13.5. In order to ensure an adequate level of data protection when transferring data to the USA, we have concluded the so-called standard contractual clauses with the provider of Vimeo. As a further protective measure, we always embed videos in the “Do Not Track” version, so that the amount of personal data transferred is reduced to a minimum.

13.6. Alternatively, we can also use the service provider YouTube. Videos from the “YouTube” platform of the third-party provider Google. In this case, the video is embedded in our website but continues to be hosted on the YouTube platform. When the video is played, a connection is established with YouTube. The privacy policy is available here: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/ and an opt-out can be found here: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/. We have concluded a data processing agreement with Google.

14. Integration of third-party services and content

14.1. We use third-party content and services within our online offering on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the analysis, optimization, and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f. GDPR) or on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) content or service offerings from third-party providers in order to integrate their content and services, such as videos or fonts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”). This is done to provide our online offering and to make our online offering user-friendly. This always requires that the third-party providers of this content perceive the IP address of the users, as they would not be able to send the content to their browsers without the IP address. The IP address is therefore necessary for the display of this content. We endeavor to use only content whose respective providers use the IP address solely for the delivery of the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. Pixel tags can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information can also be stored in third-party cookies on the user’s device and may contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visit time, and other information about the use of our online offering, and may also be linked to such information from other sources.

14.2. The following overview provides a list of third-party providers and their content, along with links to their privacy policies, which contain further information on data processing and, in some cases, options for opting out:

If our customers use third-party payment services (e.g., PayPal or Sofortüberweisung), the terms and conditions and privacy policies of the respective third-party providers apply, which can be accessed within the respective websites or transaction applications.
External fonts from Google Ireland, https://www.google.com/fonts (“Google Fonts”). Google Fonts are integrated by calling up a server at Google (usually in the USA). Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/. An opt-out option can be found here: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/.
Maps from the “Google Maps” service provided by the third-party provider Google. The privacy policy is available here: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/. An opt-out option can be found here: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/
Our online offerings use functions of the LinkedIn network. The provider is LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. Each time you visit one of our pages that contains LinkedIn functions, a connection to LinkedIn servers is established. LinkedIn is informed that you have visited our website with your IP address. If you click on the LinkedIn “Recommend” button and are logged into your LinkedIn account, LinkedIn can associate your visit to our website with you and your user account. We would like to point out that, as the provider of the pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted or its use by LinkedIn. The privacy policy is available here: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy and an opt-out option is available here: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.
Functions of the Twitter service may be integrated into our online offering. These functions are offered by Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07, Ireland. By using Twitter and the “Re-Tweet” function, the websites you visit are linked to your Twitter account and made known to other users. Data is also transferred to Twitter in the process. We would like to point out that, as the provider of the pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted or its use by Twitter. Twitter’s privacy policy can be found at http://twitter.com/privacy. You can change your privacy settings on Twitter in your account settings at http://twitter.com/account/settins.
We use functions of the XING network. The provider is XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany. Each time you visit one of our pages that contains Xing functions, a connection to Xing servers is established. To our knowledge, no personal data is stored in the process. In particular, no IP addresses are stored or usage behavior evaluated. Privacy policy: https://www.xing.com/app/share?op=data_protection.

15. Rights of the data subject

If your personal data is processed, you are a data subject within the meaning of the GDPR and you have the following rights vis-à-vis the controller:

15.1. Right of access
You can request confirmation from the controller as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed by us.

If such processing is taking place, you can request the following information from the controller:

the purposes for which the personal data is being processed;
the categories of personal data that are being processed;
the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data concerning you has been or will be disclosed;
the planned duration of storage of the personal data concerning you or, if specific information on this is not possible, criteria for determining the storage period;
the existence of a right to rectification or erasure of the personal data concerning you, a right to restriction of processing by the controller or a right to object to such processing;
the existence of a right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority;
any available information on the origin of the data, if the personal data is not collected from the data subject;
the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, pursuant to Art. 22 (1) and (4) GDPR and, at least in these cases, meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject.

You have the right to request information about whether the personal data concerning you is transferred to a third country or to an international organization. In this context, you may request to be informed about the appropriate safeguards pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR in connection with the transfer.

15.2. Right to rectification
You have the right to obtain from the controller the rectification and/or completion of your personal data if the personal data processed concerning you is inaccurate or incomplete. The controller shall carry out the rectification without delay.

15.3. Right to restriction of processing
You may request the restriction of the processing of personal data concerning you under the following conditions:

if you contest the accuracy of the personal data concerning you for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data;
if the processing is unlawful and you oppose the erasure of the personal data and request the restriction of their use instead;
the controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but you require it for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims; or
you have objected to processing pursuant to Article 21(1) of the GDPR and it is not yet clear whether the legitimate grounds of the controller override your grounds.

If the processing of personal data concerning you has been restricted, such data may, with the exception of storage, only be processed with your consent or for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the Union or of a Member State.

If the restriction of processing has been restricted in accordance with the above conditions, you will be informed by the controller before the restriction is lifted.

15.4. Right to erasure
a) Obligation to erase
You may request that the controller erase personal data concerning you without undue delay, and the controller is obliged to erase such data without undue delay if one of the following reasons applies:

The personal data concerning you is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or otherwise processed.
You withdraw your consent on which the processing was based in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (a) or Art. 9 (2) (a) GDPR, and there is no other legal basis for the processing.
You object to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing, or you object to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 (2) GDPR.
The personal data concerning you has been processed unlawfully.
The erasure of the personal data concerning you is necessary to comply with a legal obligation under Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject.
The personal data concerning you has been collected in relation to the services offered by information society services pursuant to Art. 8 (1) GDPR.

b) Information to third parties
If the controller has made the personal data concerning you public and is obliged to erase it pursuant to Art. 17 (1) GDPR, the controller shall, taking into account the available technology and the implementation costs, take appropriate measures, including technical measures, to inform data controllers who process the personal data that you, as the data subject, have requested them to erase all links to this personal data or copies or replications of this personal data.

c) Exceptions
The right to erasure does not apply if the processing is necessary

for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information;
to comply with a legal obligation which requires processing under Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject, or for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller;
for reasons of public interest in the area of public health pursuant to Art. 9 (2) (h) and (i) and Art. 9 (3) GDPR;
for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes pursuant to Art. 89(1) GDPR, insofar as the right referred to in section a) is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of the objectives of that processing, or
for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims.

15.5. Right to be informed
If you have exercised your right to rectification, erasure, or restriction of processing against the controller, the controller is obliged to notify all recipients to whom your personal data has been disclosed of this rectification, erasure, or restriction of processing, unless this proves impossible or involves disproportionate effort. You have the right to be informed by the controller about these recipients.

15.6. Right to data portability
You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you that you have provided to the controller in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. You also have the right to transmit these data to another controller without hindrance from the controller to which the personal data have been provided, provided that

the processing is based on consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR or Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR or on a contract pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR and
the processing is carried out using automated procedures.

In exercising this right, you also have the right to have the personal data concerning you transferred directly from one controller to another, where technically feasible. The freedoms and rights of other persons must not be affected by this.

The right to data portability does not apply to the processing of personal data necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

15.7. Right to object
You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you which is based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions.

The controller shall no longer process the personal data concerning you unless the controller can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or the processing serves to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims.

If the personal data concerning you is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing purposes; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing.

If you object to processing for direct marketing purposes, the personal data concerning you will no longer be processed for these purposes.

In connection with the use of information society services, you have the option of exercising your right to object by means of automated procedures using technical specifications, notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC.

15.8. Right to revoke the data protection consent declaration
You have the right to revoke your data protection consent declaration at any time. The revocation of consent does not affect the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until revocation.

15.9. Automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling
You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you. This does not apply if the decision

is necessary for entering into, or performance of, a contract between you and the controller,
is authorized by Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject and which also lays down suitable measures to safeguard your rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, or
is based on your explicit consent.

However, these decisions may not be based on special categories of personal data pursuant to Art. 9 (1) GDPR, unless Art. 9 (2) (a) or (g) applies and appropriate measures to safeguard your rights and freedoms and legitimate interests have been taken.

With regard to the cases referred to in (1) and (3), the controller shall take appropriate measures to safeguard your rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, including at least the right to obtain human intervention on the part of the controller, to express your point of view and to contest the decision.

15.10. Right to lodge a complaint with 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 consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the GDPR.

The supervisory authority with which the complaint has been lodged shall inform the complainant of the status and outcome of the complaint, including the possibility of a judicial remedy pursuant to Art. 78 GDPR.

16. Deletion of data

16.1. The data stored by us will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for its intended purpose and there are no legal retention obligations preventing deletion. In particular, deletion will also take place if other grounds for permission no longer apply. If the user’s data is not deleted because it is required for other and legally permissible purposes, its processing will be restricted, i.e., the data will be blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to user data that must be retained for commercial or tax reasons.

16.2. In accordance with legal requirements, data is stored for 6 years in accordance with Section 257 (1) of the German Commercial Code (HGB) (trading books, inventories, opening balance sheets, annual financial statements, commercial letters, accounting documents, etc.) and for 10 years in accordance with § 147 (1) AO (books, records, management reports, accounting documents, commercial and business letters, documents relevant for taxation, etc.).

17. Right to object

Users may object to the future processing of their personal data at any time in accordance with the legal requirements. The objection may be made in particular against processing for direct marketing purposes.

18. Changes to the privacy policy

18.1. We reserve the right to change the privacy policy in order to adapt it to changed legal situations or in the event of changes to the service or data processing. However, this only applies to statements regarding data processing. If the consent of users is required or if parts of the privacy policy contain provisions of the contractual relationship with users, the changes will only be made with the consent of the users.

18.2. Users are requested to regularly inform themselves about the content of the privacy policy.