Datenschutzerklärung

With the following privacy policy, 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 in the context of providing our application.

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Date: November 6, 2025

• Preamble
• Controller
• Overview of Processing Operations
• Relevant Legal Bases
• Security Measures
• Transfer of Personal Data
• General Information on Data Storage and Deletion
• Rights of Data Subjects
• Business Services
• Provision of Online Services and Web Hosting
• Registration, Login and User Account
• Community Features
• Single Sign-On Login
• Contact and Inquiry Management
• Web Analysis, Monitoring and Optimization
• Definitions of Terms

Q-Network GmbH (in formation) Lange Straße 19 58636 Iserlohn Germany

Authorized representative: Lucca Ochsner

Email address: admin@q-network.org

Imprint: https://q-network.org/docs/company/legal/dsgvo

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

Relevant legal bases under the GDPR: Below you will find an overview of the legal bases of the GDPR on 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. Should more specific legal bases be applicable in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the privacy policy.

• Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR) - The data subject has given consent to the processing of personal data relating to them for one or more specific purposes.
• Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.
• Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
• Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR) - Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data.

National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national data protection regulations apply in Germany. This includes in particular the Act on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act - BDSG). The BDSG contains special regulations 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 individual decision-making including profiling. Furthermore, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Note on applicability of GDPR and Swiss DPA: These privacy notices serve to provide information under both the Swiss DPA and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). For this reason, we ask you to note that due to the broader spatial application and comprehensibility, the terms of the GDPR are used. In particular, instead of the terms used in the Swiss DPA "processing" of "personal data", "overriding interest" and "particularly sensitive personal data", the terms used in the GDPR "processing" of "personal data" as well as "legitimate interest" and "special categories of data" are used. However, the legal meaning of the terms will continue to be determined under the Swiss DPA within the scope of its applicability.

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

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 to, input of, disclosure of, ensuring availability of and segregation of the data. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subject rights, the deletion of data and responses to data compromise. Furthermore, we consider the protection of personal data already during the development or selection of hardware, software and procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.

Securing online connections through TLS/SSL encryption technology (HTTPS): To protect user data transmitted via our online services from unauthorized access, we rely on 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 more advanced and secure version of SSL, ensures that all data transmissions meet the highest security standards. When 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 to users that their data is being transmitted securely and encrypted.

In the context of our processing of personal data, it may happen that this data is transmitted to other entities, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons or disclosed to them. 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 observe the legal requirements and in particular conclude appropriate contracts or agreements that serve to protect your data with the recipients of your data.

Data transfer within the organization: We may transfer personal data to other departments or units within our organization or grant them access to it. If the data transfer is for administrative purposes, it is based on our legitimate business and economic interests or is carried out if it is necessary to fulfill our contract-related obligations or if consent of the data subjects or legal permission exists.

We delete personal data that we process in accordance with legal provisions as soon as the underlying consents are revoked or there are no other legal bases for processing. This concerns cases in which the original purpose of processing no longer applies or the data is no longer needed. Exceptions to this rule exist if legal obligations or special interests require longer retention or archiving of the data.

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

Our privacy notices contain additional information on the retention and deletion of data that applies specifically to certain processing processes.

If there are multiple indications of retention periods or deletion deadlines for data, the longest period always applies. Data that is no longer retained for the originally intended purpose but due to legal requirements or other reasons is processed exclusively for the reasons that justify its retention.

Retention and deletion of data: The following general periods apply to retention and archiving under German law:

• 10 years - Retention period for books and records, annual financial statements, inventories, management reports, opening balance sheet and the work instructions and other organizational documents required for their understanding (§ 147 para. 1 no. 1 in conjunction with para. 3 AO, § 14b para. 1 UStG, § 257 para. 1 no. 1 in conjunction with para. 4 HGB).
• 8 years - Accounting documents such as invoices and cost documents (§ 147 para. 1 no. 4 and 4a in conjunction with para. 3 sentence 1 AO and § 257 para. 1 no. 4 in conjunction with para. 4 HGB).
• 6 years - Other business documents: received commercial or business letters, reproductions of sent commercial or business letters, other documents to the extent they are relevant for taxation, e.g. hourly wage slips, operational accounting sheets, calculation documents, price markings, but also payroll documents to the extent they are not already accounting documents and cash register receipts (§ 147 para. 1 no. 2, 3, 5 in conjunction with para. 3 AO, § 257 para. 1 no. 2 and 3 in conjunction with para. 4 HGB).
• 3 years - Data 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 (§§ 195, 199 BGB).

Period start at the end of the year: If a period does not expressly begin on a specific date and is at least one year, it automatically starts at the end of the calendar year in which the event triggering the period occurred. In the case of ongoing contractual relationships within which data is stored, the event triggering the period is the time when the termination or other termination of the legal relationship becomes effective.

Rights of data subjects under the GDPR: As a data subject, you have various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Articles 15 to 21 GDPR:

• Right to object: You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on those provisions. If the personal data concerning you is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing; this also applies to profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw consent at any time.
• Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether data concerning you is being processed and to obtain information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with legal requirements.
• Right to rectification: You have the right in accordance with legal requirements to request the completion of data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you.
• Right to erasure and restriction of processing: You have the right in accordance with legal requirements to request that data concerning you be erased immediately, or alternatively to request restriction of processing of the data in accordance with legal requirements.
• Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data concerning you which you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format in accordance with legal requirements, or to request its transmission to another controller.
• Complaint to 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 concerning you infringes the provisions of the GDPR.

We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g. customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as "contractual partners"), in the context of contractual and comparable legal relationships as well as related measures and with regard to communication with contractual partners (or pre-contractually), for example to answer inquiries.

We use this data to fulfill our contractual obligations. This includes in particular the obligations to provide the agreed services, any update obligations and remedies in the event of warranty and other service disruptions. In addition, we use the data to protect our rights and for the purpose of administrative tasks associated with these obligations and company organization. Furthermore, we process the data on the basis of our legitimate interests in proper and economical business management as well as security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from misuse, endangering their data, secrets, information and rights (e.g. for the involvement of telecommunications, transport and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers or tax authorities). Within the framework of applicable law, we only disclose the data of contractual partners to third parties to the extent necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations. Contractual partners will be informed about further forms of processing, for example for marketing purposes, within the framework of this privacy policy.

We inform contractual partners about which data is required for the aforementioned purposes before or during data collection, e.g. in online forms, through special marking (e.g. colors) or symbols (e.g. asterisks or similar), or personally.

We delete the data after expiry of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e. in principle after four years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g. as long as it must be retained for legal reasons of archiving (usually ten years for tax purposes). We delete data that was disclosed to us by the contractual partner as part of an order in accordance with the specifications and in principle after the end of the order.

• Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Payment data (e.g. bank details, invoices, payment history); Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Contract data (e.g. subject matter of contract, term, customer category).
• Data subjects: Service recipients and clients; Interested parties; Business and contractual partners.
• Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations; Communication; Office and organizational procedures; Organizational and administrative procedures; Business processes and business management procedures.
• Retention and deletion: Deletion in accordance with information in the section "General Information on Data Storage and Deletion".
• Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• Project and development services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as "customers") to enable them to select, acquire or commission the chosen services or works as well as related activities and their payment and provision or execution or provision. The required information is identified as such in the context of the order, purchase or comparable contract conclusion and includes the information required for service provision and billing as well as contact information to be able to hold any consultations; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• Provision of software and platform services: We process the data of our users, registered and any test users (hereinafter uniformly referred to as "users") to be able to provide them with our contractual services and on the basis of legitimate interests to ensure the security of our offer and to be able to develop it further. The required information is identified as such in the context of the order, purchase or comparable contract conclusion and includes the information required for service provision and billing as well as contact information to be able to hold any consultations; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• Technical services: We process the data of our customers and clients (hereinafter uniformly referred to as "customers") to enable them to select, acquire or commission the chosen services or works as well as related activities and their payment and provision or execution or provision. The required information is identified as such in the context of the order, purchase or comparable contract conclusion and includes the information required for service provision and billing as well as contact information to be able to hold any consultations. If we gain access to information of end customers, employees or other persons, we process it in accordance with legal and contractual requirements; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

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 dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and features); Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, persons involved); Log data (e.g. log files concerning logins or retrieval of data or access times); Content data (e.g. textual or pictorial messages and posts as well as information concerning them, such as information on authorship or time of creation).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Provision of our online services and user-friendliness; Information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.)); Security measures.
• Retention and deletion: Deletion in accordance with information in the section "General Information on Data Storage and Deletion".
• Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• Provision of online services on rented storage space: For the provision of our online services, we use storage space, computing capacity and software that we rent from or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also called "web hoster"); Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

• Provision of online services on own/dedicated server hardware: For the provision of our online services, we use server hardware operated by us as well as the associated storage space, computing capacity and software; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

• Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online services is logged in the form of so-called "server log files". Server log files may include the address and name of the web pages 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 server overload (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks), and on the other hand to ensure server utilization and stability; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further retention is necessary for evidence purposes is exempt from deletion until final clarification of the respective incident.

• Email dispatch and hosting: The web hosting services we use also include the dispatch, receipt and storage of emails. For these purposes, the addresses of recipients and senders as well as other information concerning email dispatch (e.g. the providers involved) and the contents of the respective emails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for the purpose of detecting SPAM. Please note that emails on the Internet are generally not sent encrypted. As a rule, emails are 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 can therefore assume no responsibility for the transmission path of emails between the sender and reception on our server; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

• Content Delivery Network: We use a "Content Delivery Network" (CDN). A CDN is a service with the help of which content of an online service, in particular large media files such as graphics or program scripts, can be delivered faster and more securely with the help of regionally distributed servers connected via the Internet; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

• Hetzner: Services in the field of providing information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g. storage space and/or computing capacity); Service provider: Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestr. 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen, Germany; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.hetzner.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.hetzner.com/de/rechtliches/datenschutz; Data Processing Agreement: https://docs.hetzner.com/de/general/general-terms-and-conditions/data-privacy-faq/.

Users can create a user account. As part of registration, users are informed of the required mandatory information and processed for the purpose of providing the user account on the basis of contractual performance. The data processed includes in particular the login information (username, password and an email address).

As part of the use of our registration and login functions and the use of the user account, we store the IP address and the time of the respective user action. The storage is based on our legitimate interests as well as those of the users in protection against misuse and other unauthorized use. This data is generally not disclosed to third parties unless it is necessary to pursue our claims or there is a legal obligation to do so.

Users can be informed about events relevant to their user account, such as technical changes, by email.

• Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. textual or pictorial messages and posts as well as information concerning them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and features); Log data (e.g. log files concerning logins or retrieval of data or access times).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations; Security measures; Organizational and administrative procedures; Provision of our online services and user-friendliness.
• Retention and deletion: Deletion in accordance with information in the section "General Information on Data Storage and Deletion"; Deletion after termination.
• Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• Registration with real names: Due to the nature of our community, we ask users to only use our service using real names. This means the use of pseudonyms is not permitted; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• User profiles are not public: User profiles are not publicly visible and accessible.

• Two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication provides an additional security layer for your user account and ensures that only you can access your account, even if someone else knows your password. For this purpose, you must perform an additional authentication measure in addition to your password (e.g. enter a code sent to a mobile device). We will inform you about the procedure we use; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• Deletion of data after termination: If users have terminated their user account, their data with regard to the user account will be deleted, subject to legal permission, obligation or consent of the users; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• No obligation to retain data: Users are obliged to back up their data before the end of the contract if they have terminated. We are entitled to irrevocably delete all data of the user stored during the contract period; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

The community features we provide allow users to enter into conversations with each other or otherwise engage in an exchange with each other. Please note that the use of community features is only permitted in compliance with applicable law, our terms and guidelines and the rights of other users and third parties.

• Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and features).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations; Security measures; Provision of our online services and user-friendliness.
• Retention and deletion: Deletion in accordance with information in the section "General Information on Data Storage and Deletion".
• Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• Storage of data for security purposes: User posts and other inputs are processed for the purpose of community and conversation functions and, subject to legal obligations or legal permission, are not disclosed to third parties. An obligation to disclose may arise in particular in the case of unlawful posts for the purpose of legal prosecution. We point out that in addition to the contents of the posts, their time and the IP address of the users are also stored. This is done to be able to take appropriate measures to protect other users and the community; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• Right to delete content and information: The deletion of posts, content or information of users is permissible after appropriate consideration to the necessary extent if there are concrete indications that they constitute a violation of legal rules, our specifications or rights of third parties; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• Limited deletion of conversation posts: Out of consideration for other users, conversation posts of users remain stored even after termination and account deletion, so that conversations, comments, advice or similar communication between and among users do not lose their meaning or reverse. Usernames are deleted or pseudonymized if they did not already represent pseudonyms. Users can request complete deletion of conversation posts from us at any time; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

• Protection of own data: Users decide for themselves what data they disclose about themselves within our online services. For example, when users provide information about themselves or participate in conversations. We ask users to protect their data and only publish personal data prudently and to the necessary extent. In particular, we ask users to note that they must protect access data especially and use secure passwords (i.e. especially long and random character combinations as possible); Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

"Single sign-on" or "single sign-on login or authentication" refers to procedures that allow users to log in to our online services using a user account with a provider of single sign-on procedures (e.g. a social network). The prerequisite for single sign-on authentication is that users are registered with the respective single sign-on provider and enter the required access data in the online form provided for this purpose, or are already logged in with the single sign-on provider and confirm the single sign-on login via button.

The authentication takes place directly with the respective single sign-on provider. As part of such authentication, we receive a user ID with the information that the user is logged in under this user ID with the respective single sign-on provider and an ID that is not usable for us for other purposes (so-called "user handle"). Whether additional data is transmitted to us depends solely on the single sign-on procedure used, on the data releases selected in the context of authentication and also on what data users have released in the privacy or other settings of the user account with the single sign-on provider. Depending on the single sign-on provider and the choice of users, different data may be involved, usually the email address and username. The password entered as part of the single sign-on procedure with the single sign-on provider is neither visible to us nor stored by us.

Users are asked to note that their information stored with us may be automatically synchronized with their user account with the single sign-on provider, but this is not always possible or actually occurs. For example, if users' email addresses change, they must manually change them in their user account with us.

We can use single sign-on login, if agreed with users, as part of or before contract fulfillment, insofar as users have been asked to do so, process it as part of consent and otherwise use it on the basis of legitimate interests on our part and the interests of users in an effective and secure login system.

Should users decide once not to want to use the link of their user account with the single sign-on provider for the single sign-on procedure, they must cancel this connection within their user account with the single sign-on provider. If users want to delete their data with us, they must terminate their registration with us.

• Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and features); Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations; Security measures; Registration procedures; Provision of our online services and user-friendliness.
• Retention and deletion: Deletion in accordance with information in the section "General Information on Data Storage and Deletion"; Deletion after termination.
• Legal bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

When contacting us (e.g. by post, contact form, email, telephone or via social media) and in the context of existing user and business relationships, the information of the inquiring persons is processed to the extent necessary to respond to contact requests and any requested measures.

• Types of data processed: Inventory data (e.g. full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Contact data (e.g. postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Content data (e.g. textual or pictorial messages and posts as well as information concerning them, such as information on authorship or time of creation); Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and features); Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, persons 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 services and user-friendliness.
• Retention and deletion: Deletion in accordance with information in the section "General Information on Data Storage and Deletion".
• Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Further information on processing operations, procedures and services:

• Contact form: When contacting us via our contact form, by email or other means of communication, we process the personal data transmitted 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 bases: Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Web analysis (also referred to as "reach measurement") is used to evaluate visitor flows to our online services and may include behavior, interests or demographic information about visitors, such as age or gender, as pseudonymous values. With the help of reach analysis, we can, for example, recognize at what time our online services or their functions or content are most frequently used, or invite reuse. Likewise, we can 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 services or their components, for example.

Unless otherwise stated below, profiles, i.e. data summarized for a usage process, may be created for these purposes and information may be stored in a browser or device and then read out. The information collected includes in particular visited websites 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 consented to the collection of their location data to us or to the providers of the services we use, location data may also be processed.

Furthermore, the IP addresses of users are stored. However, we use an IP masking procedure (i.e. pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) to protect users. In general, no clear data of users (such as email addresses or names) is stored as part of web analysis, A/B testing and optimization, but pseudonyms. This means that we as well as the providers of the software used do not know the actual identity of the users, but only the information stored in their profiles for the purpose of the respective procedures.

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 refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

• Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and features); Meta, communication and procedural data (e.g. IP addresses, time stamps, identification numbers, persons involved).
• Data subjects: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
• Purposes of processing: Reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, detection of returning visitors); Profiles with user-related information (creating user profiles).
• Retention and deletion: Deletion in accordance with 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 may be stored on users' devices for a period of two years).
• Security measures: IP masking (pseudonymization of IP address).
• Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

In this section, you will receive an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. To the extent that the terms are legally defined, their legal definitions apply. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to aid understanding.

• Inventory data: Inventory data includes essential information necessary for the identification and management of contractual partners, user accounts, profiles and similar assignments. This data may include personal and demographic information such as names, contact information (addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses), dates of birth and specific identifiers (user IDs). Inventory data forms the basis for any formal interaction between persons and services, institutions or systems by enabling clear assignment and communication.

• Content data: Content data includes information generated in the course of creating, editing and publishing content of all kinds. This category of data may include texts, images, videos, audio files and other multimedia content published on various platforms and media. Content data is not only limited to the actual content, but also includes metadata that provides information about the content itself, such as tags, descriptions, author information and publication dates.

• Contact data: Contact data is essential information that enables communication with persons or organizations. It includes telephone numbers, postal addresses and email addresses, as well as means of communication such as social media handles and instant messaging identifiers.

• Meta, communication and procedural data: Meta, communication and procedural data are categories that contain information about the way data is processed, transmitted and managed. Metadata, also known as data about data, includes information that describes the context, origin and structure of other data. It may include information on file size, creation date, author of a document and change histories. Communication data captures the exchange of information between users via various channels, such as email traffic, call logs, messages on social networks and chat histories, including the persons involved, timestamps and transmission paths. Procedural data describes the processes and procedures within systems or organizations, including workflow documentation, logs of transactions and activities, as well as audit logs used to track and review operations.

• Usage data: Usage data refers to information that captures how users interact with digital products, services or platforms. This data includes a wide range of information that shows how users use applications, which functions they prefer, how long they stay on certain pages and via which paths they navigate through an application. Usage data may also include frequency of use, timestamps of activities, IP addresses, device information and location data. They are particularly valuable for analyzing user behavior, optimizing user experiences, personalizing content and improving products or services. Furthermore, usage data plays a crucial role in recognizing trends, preferences and possible problem areas within digital offerings.

• 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. cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

• Profiles with user-related information: The processing of "profiles with user-related information", or "profiles" for short, includes any type of automated processing of personal data that consists of using this personal data to analyze, evaluate or predict certain personal aspects relating to a natural person (depending on the type of profiling, this may include different information concerning demographics, behavior and interests, such as interaction with websites and their content, etc.). Cookies and web beacons are often used for profiling purposes.

• Log data: Log data is information about events or activities that have been logged in a system or network. This data typically contains information such as timestamps, IP addresses, user actions, error messages and other details about the use or operation of a system. Log data is often used to analyze system problems, monitor security or create performance reports.

• Reach measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate visitor flows to an online service and may include behavior or interests of visitors in certain information, such as content of websites. With the help of reach analysis, operators of online services can, for example, recognize at what time users visit their websites and what content they are interested in. This enables them, for example, to better adapt the content of the websites to the needs of their visitors. Pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used for reach analysis purposes to recognize returning visitors and thus obtain more accurate analyses of the use of an online service.

• Controller: "Controller" means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

• Processing: "Processing" means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and covers practically any handling of data, whether it be collection, evaluation, storage, transmission or deletion.

• Contract data: Contract data is specific information relating to the formalization of an agreement between two or more parties. It documents the conditions under which services or products are provided, exchanged or sold. This category of data is essential for managing and fulfilling contractual obligations and includes both the identification of the contracting parties and the specific conditions and terms of the agreement. Contract data may include start and end dates of the contract, the type of services or products agreed upon, price agreements, payment terms, termination rights, renewal options and special conditions or clauses. It serves as the legal basis for the relationship between the parties and is crucial for clarifying rights and obligations, enforcing claims and resolving disputes.

• Payment data: Payment data includes all information needed to process payment transactions between buyers and sellers. This data is of crucial importance for electronic commerce, online banking and any other form of financial transaction. It includes details such as credit card numbers, bank details, payment amounts, transaction data, verification numbers and invoice information. Payment data may also contain information about payment status, chargebacks, authorizations and fees.

Created with free Privacy Policy Generator by Dr. Thomas Schwenke