Introduction

With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about which types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as "data") we process, for what purposes, and to what extent. This privacy policy applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both in the context of providing our services and in particular on our websites, in mobile applications, and within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "online offering").

The terms used are not gender-specific.

As of: March 3, 2025

Table of Contents

Person responsible

Stephen J. Bell
E-mail address: {at}.

Overview of processing

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

Relevant legal bases

Below you will find an overview of the GDPR legal bases on which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the GDPR regulations, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. Should more specific legal bases apply in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the privacy policy.

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

Security measures

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

These measures include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data, as well as the access, input, and transfer of data, ensuring its availability, and segregation. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subjects' rights, the deletion of data, and responses to data threats. Furthermore, we consider the protection of personal data right from the development and selection of hardware, software, and processes in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design, and through data protection-friendly default settings.

Transmission of personal data

As part of our processing of personal data, it may happen that the data is transmitted to or disclosed to other bodies, companies, legally independent organizational units, or individuals. Recipients of this data may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content integrated into a website. In such cases, we comply with legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data that serve to protect your data.

Data processing in third countries

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

Subject to express consent or contractually or legally required transmission, we process or have the data processed only in third countries with a recognized level of data protection, contractual obligation through so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, in the presence of certifications or binding internal data protection regulations (Art. 44 to 49 GDPR, information page of the EU Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_de).

Deletion of data

The data we process will be deleted in accordance with legal requirements as soon as the consent to processing is revoked or other permissions no longer apply (e.g. if the purpose of processing this data no longer applies or it is no longer required for the purpose).

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

Our privacy policy may also contain further information on the storage and deletion of data, which applies primarily to the respective processing operations.

Use of cookies

Cookies are small text files or other storage devices that store information on end devices and read information from end devices. For example, they can store the login status in a user account, the contents of a shopping cart in an e-shop, the content accessed, or the functions used in an online offering. Cookies can also be used for various purposes, such as improving the functionality, security, and convenience of online offerings, as well as creating analyses of visitor flows.

Notes on consent: We use cookies in accordance with legal regulations. Therefore, we obtain prior consent from users, unless this is not required by law. Consent is particularly unnecessary if the storage and retrieval of information, including cookies, is absolutely necessary to provide users with a telemedia service they have expressly requested (i.e., our online offering). The revocable consent will be clearly communicated to users and will contain information about the respective cookie usage.

Information on data protection legal bases: The legal basis under data protection law for processing users' personal data with the help of cookies depends on whether we ask users for their consent. If users consent, the legal basis for processing their data is their declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the commercial operation of our online offering and improving its usability) or, if this occurs as part of the fulfillment of our contractual obligations, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations. We explain the purposes for which we process cookies in the course of this data protection declaration or as part of our consent and processing procedures.

Storage period: With regard to the storage period, the following types of cookies are distinguished:

  • Temporary cookies (also: session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offering and closed his or her device (e.g. browser or mobile application).
  • Persistent cookies: Persistent cookies remain stored even after the device is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. Likewise, the user data collected through cookies can be used to measure reach. Unless we provide users with explicit information about the type and storage period of cookies (e.g., when obtaining consent), users should assume that cookies are permanent and can be stored for up to two years.

General information on revocation and objection (opt-out): Users can revoke their consent at any time and also object to processing in accordance with the legal requirements of Art. 21 GDPR (further information on objections can be found in this privacy policy). Users can also declare their objection using their browser settings.

Further information on processing procedures, methods and services:

  • Processing of cookie data based on consent: We use a cookie consent management process within which users' consent to the use of cookies, or to the processing operations and providers specified in the cookie consent management process, can be obtained, managed, and revoked by users. The declaration of consent is saved so that it does not have to be requested again and so that consent can be proven in accordance with legal requirements. Storage can take place on the server side and/or in a cookie (so-called opt-in cookie or with the help of comparable technologies) in order to be able to assign consent to a user or their device. Subject to individual information about the providers of cookie management services, the following information applies: Consent can be stored for up to two years. A pseudonymous user identifier is created and stored along with the time of consent, information on the scope of the consent (e.g., which categories of cookies and/or service providers), as well as the browser, system, and device used.

Changes and updates to the privacy policy

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

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

Rights of data subjects

As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Articles 15 to 21 GDPR:

  • Right of objection: You have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you based on Art. 6 (1) (e) or (f) GDPR, for reasons related to your particular situation; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. 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 the purposes of such advertising; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing.
  • Right of withdrawal for consents: You have the right to revoke your consent at any time.
  • Right to information: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question is being processed and to obtain information about this data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the statutory requirements.
  • Right to rectification: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to request that the data concerning you be completed or that inaccurate data concerning you be corrected.
  • Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to request that data concerning you be deleted immediately or, alternatively, to request that the processing of the data be restricted in accordance with the statutory provisions.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive the data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements or to request that it be transmitted to another controller.
  • Complaint to the 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.

Definitions of terms

This section provides an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are taken from the law and are defined primarily in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, however, are primarily intended to facilitate understanding. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

  • Personal data: “Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. a cookie) or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • Responsible: The “controller” is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.
  • Processing: "Processing" is any operation or set of operations performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and encompasses virtually any handling of data, whether it involves collecting, analyzing, storing, transmitting, or deleting.

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