Privacy Policy

4. Necessary Tools

We use certain tools to enable the basic functions of our website (“Necessary Tools”). These include, for example, tools to prepare and display website content, to manage and integrate tools, to detect and prevent fraud and to ensure the security of our website. Without these tools we could not provide our service. Therefore, Necessary Tools are used without consent.

The legal basis for Necessary Tools is the need for fulfilling our legitimate interests according to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR in the provision of the respective basic functions and the operation of our website. In cases where the provision of the respective website functions is necessary for the performance of a contract or for taking steps prior to entering into a contract, the legal basis for the data processing is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Access to and storage of information in the end-device is absolutely necessary in these cases and takes place on the basis of the implementation laws of the ePrivacy Directive of the EU member states, in Germany according to section 25, para. 2 TTDSG.

In the event that personal data is transferred to third countries (such as the USA), we refer to Clause 8 (“Data Transfer to Third Countries”) in addition to the information provided below.

4.1 Own tools

We use our own Necessary Tools that access information in the end-device or store information on the end-device, in particular

• for load distribution,
  
• to indicate that you have been shown information placed on our website - so that it is not shown again the next time you visit the website.
  

4.2 Google Tag Manager

Our website uses Google Tag Manager, a service offered to persons from the European Economic Area and Switzerland by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, and to all other users by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (together “Google”).

The Google Tag Manager is used exclusively to manage website tools by integrating so-called website tags. A tag is an element that is stored in the source code of our website in order to execute a tool, for example through scripts. If these are optional tools, they shall only be integrated by the Google Tag Manager with your consent. The Google Tag Manager uses JavaScript and does not require the use of cookies.

The legal basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, based on our legitimate interest in integrating and managing multiple tags on our website in a straightforward manner.

For the purposes of ensuring stability and functionality, Google collects information about which tags are integrated by our website within the framework of the use of Google Tag Manager. However, the Google Tag Manager does not store any personal data beyond the mere establishment of the connection, in particular no data on user behaviour or the pages visited.

In the event that personal data is transferred by Google Ireland Limited to the USA or other third countries, Google Ireland Limited and Google LLC shall have concluded standard contractual clauses (Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914, Module 3) pursuant to Article 46(2)(c) of GDPR.

For data transfers to the USA, Google has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework , which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision issued by the European Commission and, for Switzerland, refers to Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) standard contractual clauses, which are intended to ensure compliance with the Swiss data protection level.

Further information, are available in the Google’s Information on the Tag Manager: https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/6102821.

4.3 Functional tools

We also use optional tools to enhance your experience on our website and to provide you with more features (“Functional Tools”). While these are not strictly necessary for the basic functions of the website, they may bring significant benefits to visitors, particularly in terms of user-friendliness and the provision of additional communication, presentation or payment channels. This may include, in particular, the integration of external content such as maps and videos.

The legal basis for the Functional Tools is your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR, which you give via the consent banner or with the respective tool itself by individually allowing its use via a banner (overlay) placed above it. Access to and storage of information in the end-device then takes place on the basis of the implementation laws of the ePrivacy Directive of the EU member states, in Germany according to section 25, para. 1 TTDSG. To withdraw your consent, please see: 3.2.3 “Withdrawing your consent or changing your selection”.

In the event that personal data is transferred to third countries (such as the USA),your consent expressly extends to the data transfer (Article 49(1)(a) GDPR). For the associated risks, please refer to Clause 8 (“Data Transfer to Third Countries”).

4.4 YouTube-Videos

We have embedded videos in our website that are stored on YouTube and may be played from our websites. YouTube is a multimedia service provided by YouTube LLC, 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA (“YouTube”), which is offered to persons from the European Economic Area and Switzerland by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland and to all other persons by Google LLC 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (together “Google”). In the process, YouTube may store information such as cookies, local storage and session storage on your end-device and execute JavaScript, which accesses information on your end-device.

We have enabled YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode. According to YouTube’s own documentation, Google thus receives less usage information and also does not personalise the video recommendations and advertisements. Cookies are no longer stored. However, information shall still be stored in the local storage and session storage of your end-device, in particular your device ID and other information regarding the playback of the video, which may be retrieved by Google.

The following cookies may be set by YouTube:

• “PREF” (8 months): saving settings such as autoplay and video size.
  

The following information is stored in the local storage:

• “yt-remote-device-id”: storage of the device ID;
  
• “yt-player-headers-readable”: storage of the possibility of reading out the player header information;
  
• “yt.innertube::requests”: storage of the user’s requests;
  
• “yt.innertube::nextId”: saving the ID of the next video;
  
• “yt-remote-connected-devices”: storage of the connected end-devices;
  
• “yt-player-bandwidth”: storage of the connection bandwidth;
  
• “yt-player-volume”: saving the volume of the video;
  
• “yt-player-quality”: saving the resolution/quality of the video;
  
• “yt-player-performance-cap”: storage of a possible cap on resolution due to the connection bandwidth;
  
• “yt-html5-player-modules::subtitlesModuleData::module-enabled”: saving whether sub-titles are activated.
  

The following information is stored in the session storage:

• “yt-remote-session-app”: storage of the type of end-device;
  
• “yt-remote-cast-installed”: saving whether YouTube streaming is installed;
  
• “yt-remote-session-name”: storage of the type of end-device;
  
• “yt-remote-cast-available”: saving whether YouTube streaming is available;
  
• “yt-remote-fast-check-period”: storage of the check of the connection bandwidth;
  
• “yt-player-volume”: saving the volume of the video;
  
• “yt-player-caption-language-preferences”: saving the language of the sub-titles.
  

The legal basis for this data processing is your consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Access to and storage of information in the end-device then takes place on the basis of the implementation laws of the ePrivacy Directive of the EU member states, in Germany according to section 25, para. 1 TTDSG. The transfer of your data to the USA and other third countries takes place on the basis of your express consent in accordance with Article 49(1)(a) GDPR.

When you visit our website, YouTube and Google receive the information that you have viewed the relevant subpage of our website. This happens irrespective of whether you are logged in at YouTube or Google or not. YouTube and Google use this data also for the purposes of advertising, market research and the tailored design of their services. If you call YouTube on our website while you are logged in to your YouTube or Google profile, YouTube and Google may additionally link this event to the respective profiles. If you do not wish the allocation, it is necessary that you log out of Google before calling up our website.

In addition to withdrawing your consent, you also have the option of disabling personalised advertising in the Google’s advertising settings. In this case, Google shall only display non-individualised advertising: https://adssettings.google.com/notarget.

For further information, please refer to Google’s privacy policy, which also applies to YouTube: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

4.5 Analysis tools

In order to improve our website, we use optional tools for the recognition of visitors and for the statistical collection and analysis of general usage behaviour based on access data (“Analysis Tools”). We also use analysis services to evaluate the use of our various marketing channels. The usage information collected is aggregated and enables us to track the usage habits of our visitors. This serves to adapt and optimise the design of our website and to make the user experience more pleasant.

The legal basis for the Analysis Tools is your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Access to and storage of information in the end-device then takes place on the basis of the implementation laws of the ePrivacy Directive of the EU member states, in Germany according to section 25, para. 1 TTDSG. To withdraw your consent, please see: 3.2.3 “Withdrawing your consent or changing your selection”.

In the event that personal data is transferred to third countries (such as the USA),your consent expressly extends to the data transfer (Article 49(1)(a) GDPR). For the associated risks, please refer to Clause 8 (“Data Transfer to Third Countries”).

4.6 Google Analytics 4

Our website uses the Google Analytics 4 service (“Google Analytics”), which is provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland for persons from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (together “Google”) for all other persons.

Google Analytics uses JavaScript and pixels to read information on your end-device and cookies to store information on your end-device. This is used to analyse your usage behaviour and to improve our website. We shall process the information obtained to evaluate your use of the website and to compile reports on website activities for the website operators. The data arising in this context may be transferred by Google to a server in the USA for analysis and stored there.

As part of the evaluation, Google Analytics 4 also uses artificial intelligence such as machine learning for automated analysis and enrichment of the data. This is done in particular for forecast readings of future visitor behaviour based on structured event data, such as predicted turnover, likelihood of purchase and likelihood of churn. The forecast readings may also be used for forecasting target groups. You may find out more about this at: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9846734. In addition, Google Analytics 4 models conversions, insofar as not enough data is available to optimise the evaluation and reports. Information on this may be found at: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10710245. The data evaluations are carried out automatically with the help of artificial intelligence or on the basis of specific, individually defined criteria. You can find out more at: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9443595.

We have made the following data protection settings for Google Analytics:

• IP anonymisation (shortening of the IP address before evaluation);
  
• automatic erasure of old visit logs by limiting the storage period to 2 months;
  
• no reset of the retention period for new activity;
  
• disabling the collection of accurate location and position data;
  
• disabling the collection of accurate device data;
  
• disabled advertising function (including target group remarketing through GA Audience);
  
• disabled remarketing;
  
• disabled cross-device and cross-page tracking (Google Signals);
  
• disabled data sharing to other Google products and services, benchmarking, technical support, account manager.
  

The following data is processed by Google Analytics:

• IP address;
  
• user ID, Google ID (Google Signals) and/or device ID;
  
• referrer URL (the previously visited page),
  
• pages accessed (date, time, URL, title, length of stay);
  
• downloaded files;
  
• clicked links to other websites;
  
• if applicable, achievement of specific goals (conversions);
  
• technical information: operating system; browser type, version, and language; device type, make, model, and resolution;
  
• approximate location (country and city, if applicable, based on anonymised IP address).
  

Google Analytics sets the following cookies for the specified purpose with the respective storage period:

• “_ga” (2 years), “_gid” (24 hours): recognition and differentiation of visitors by means of a user ID;
  
• “_ga_[GA-ID]” (2 years): retention of the information of the current session;
  
• “_gac_gb_[GA-ID]” (90 days): storage of campaign-related information and, if applicable, linking with Google Ads Conversion Tracking;
  
• if necessary, “IDE” (13 months): recognition and differentiation of visitors by means of a user ID, recording of interaction with advertising, playing out of personalised advertising.
  

For further information on Google Analytics 4 cookies, please visit: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11397207?hl=de.
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The legal basis for this data processing is your consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Access to and storage of information in the end-device then takes place on the basis of the implementation laws of the ePrivacy Directive of the EU member states, in Germany according to section 25, para. 1 TTDSG.

In the event that personal data is transferred by Google Ireland Limited to the USA, Google Ireland Limited and Google LLC shall have concluded standard contractual clauses (Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914, Module 3) pursuant to Article 46(2)(c) of GDPR. In addition, we shall also obtain your express consent for the transfer of your data to third countries in accordance with Article 49(1)(a) GDPR. For data transfers to the USA, Google has joined the EU-US Data Privacy Framework , which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision issued by the European Commission and, for Switzerland, refers to Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) standard contractual clauses, which are intended to ensure compliance with the Swiss data protection level.

For further information, please see Google’s privacy policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245.

4.7 Marketing tools

We also use optional tools for advertising purposes (“Marketing Tools”). Some of the access data generated when using our website is used to create user profiles, which store in particular your usage behaviour, the advertisements you have viewed or clicked on and, based on this, the classification into advertising categories, interests and preferences. By analysing and evaluating this access data, we are able to show you personalised advertising, i.e. advertising that corresponds to your actual interests and needs, on our website and on the websites and services of other providers.

The legal basis for the Marketing Tools is your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR, which you grant individually via the consent banner. Access to and storage of information in the end-device then takes place on the basis of the implementation laws of the ePrivacy Directive of the EU member states, in Germany according to section 25, para. 1 TTDSG. To withdraw your consent, please see: 3.2.3 “Withdrawing your consent or changing your selection”.

In the event that personal data is transferred to third countries (such as the USA), your consent expressly extends to the data transfer (Article 49(1)(a) GDPR). For the associated risks, please refer to Clause 8 (“Data Transfer to Third Countries”).

In the following section, we would like to explain the tools and the providers used for this purpose in more detail. The data collection may include in particular:

• IP address of the device;
  
• the information of a cookie and in the local or session storage;
  
• the device identifier of mobile devices (e.g. device ID, advertising ID);
  
• referrer URL (the previously visited page),
  
• pages accessed (date, time, URL, title, length of stay);
  
• downloaded files;
  
• clicked links to other websites;
  
• if applicable, achievement of specific goals (conversions);
  
• technical information: operating system; browser type, version, and language; device type, make, model, and resolution;
  
• approximate location (country and city, if applicable).
  

However, the collected data is only stored pseudonymously, so that no direct conclusions may be drawn about persons.