Privacy policy

Responsible party pursuant to data protection laws, in particular the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is

Jorrit van der Heide

Your rights as the data subject

You can exercise the following rights at any time using the contact details of our data protection officer:

  • Information on your data stored by us and the processing thereof (Art. 15 GDPR),
  • Rectification of inaccurate personal data (Art. 16 GDPR),
  • Deletion of your data stored by us (Art. 17 GDPR),
  • Restriction of the data processing, provided that we may not delete your data due to legal obligations (Art. 18 GDPR),
  • Objection to the processing of your data with us (Art. 21 GDPR) and
  • Data portability, provide that you have consented to the data processing or have entered into a contract with us (Art. 20 GDPR).

If you have given us consent, you may withdraw it at any time, which will remain in effect in the future.

You can contact a supervisory authority with a complaint at any time, e.g. the supervisory authority of the state of your residence or the authority that oversees us as the responsible party.

You’ll find a list of supervisory authorities (for the non-public area) with their respective addresses at: https://www.bfdi.bund.de/DE/Infothek/Anschriften_Links/anschriften_links-node.html.

Collecting general information during a visit to our website

Type and purpose of the processing

When you access our website – i.e. if you do not register or submit information – information of a general nature will be collected automatically. This information (server log files) contains the type of web browser, the operating system used, the domain name of your Internet service provider, your IP address and the like.

It is processed in particular for the following purposes:

  • Ensuring an unproblematic website connection
  • Ensuring seamless use of our website
  • Analysis of system security and stability as well as
  • For additional administrative purposes.

We will not use your data to draw conclusions about your person. This type of information will be statistically analysed by us if necessary to optimise our website and its underlying technology.

Legal basis

The processing occurs according to Art. 6 Para. 1 (f) GDPR, based on our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website.

Recipients

Recipients of the data may be technical service providers, who work on the operation and maintenance of our website as the processor.

Retention period

The data will be deleted as soon as they are no longer required for the reason they were collected. This is generally the case, after the respective session has ended, for data that are used to make the website available.

Mandatory or required provision

The provision of the aforementioned personal data is neither legally nor contractually mandatory. Without the IP address however, the service and functionality of our website are not guaranteed. Furthermore, individual services can be unavailable or limited. For this reason, an objection is excluded.

Cookies

Type and purpose of the processing

Like many other websites, we use so-called ‘cookies’. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.) when you visit our website.

With cookies, we receive certain information such as IP address, type of browser and operating system used.

Cookies cannot be used to start programs or to transmit viruses to a computer. Based on the information contained in cookies, we can facilitate your navigation of our site and properly display our webpages for you.

The data collected by us will not be shared with third parties under any circumstances nor will a link to personal data be created without your consent.

Of course, you can view our website without cookies. Internet browser are regularly configured to accept cookies. In general, you can disable the use of cookies via your browser settings at any time. Please use your Internet browser’s help function to learn how to change these settings, and keep in mind that individual features of our website may not work if you have disabled the use of cookies.

Retention period and cookies used

If you allow us to use cookies, via your browser settings or consent, the following cookies may be utilised on our web pages:

Strictly Necessary: These cookies are essential for websites on our services to perform their basic functions. These include those required to allow registered users to authenticate and perform account related functions, as well as to save the contents of virtual “carts” on sites that have an ecommerce functionality.

Functionality: These cookies are used to store preferences set by users such as account name, language, and location.

Security: We use these cookies to help identify and prevent potential security risks.

Analytics and Performance: Performance cookies collect information on how users interact with our websites, including what pages are visited most, as well as other analytical data. We use these details to improve how our websites function and to understand how users interact with them.

Advertising: These cookies are used to display relevant advertising to visitors who use our services or visit websites we host or provide, as well as to understand and report on the efficacy of ads served on our websites. They track details such as the number of unique visitors, the number of times particular ads have been displayed, and the number of clicks the ads have received. They are also used to build user profiles, including showing you ads based on products you’ve viewed or acts you have taken on our (and other) websites. These are set by Automattic and trusted third party networks, and are generally persistent in nature.

Third Party / Embedded Content: Sites hosted on WordPress.com make use of different third party applications and services to enhance the experience of website visitors. These include social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter (through the use of sharing buttons), or embedded content from Youtube and Vimeo. As a result, cookies may be set by these third parties, and used by them to track your online activity. We have no direct control over the information that is collected by these cookies.

I participate in Amazon’s affiliate marketing program, and as such, cookies are used on our website to monitor the progress of the affiliate programs. Visit Amazon’s website to see their privacy policy.

I personally do not collect any information with these cookies. They are used by the corresponding companies (Amazon) for monitoring their affiliate programs and the associated websites in the affiliate program, such as this one.

In the following sections, we provide you with information concerning how these cookies can (also) pertain to personal data.

In your browser settings, you can delete individual cookies or the entire set of cookies. You will also find information and instructions on how to delete these cookies or prevent them from being saved in advance. The following links provide the information you’ll need for the respective browser providers:

Registration on our website

Type and purpose of the processing

With the registration to use our personalised services, some personal data such as name, address, contact and communication information (e.g. phone number and e-mail address) are collected. If you are registered with us, you can access content and services that we only offer to registered users. Registered users also have the ability to change or delete the data entered during registration at any time. At any time, we will also provide you with information on the personal data about you that we have saved.

Legal basis

The data entered during registration are processed on the basis of the user’s consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 (a) GDPR).

If the registration fulfils the obligations of a contract, whose contractual party is the data subject, or serves to implement pre-contractual measures, the additional legal basis for the data processing is Art. 6 Para. 1 (b) GDPR.

Recipients

Recipients of the data may be technical service providers, who work on the operation and maintenance of our website as the processor.

Retention period

Data are only processed in this context provided that the corresponding consent has been given. The data will be deleted thereafter, provided that no statutory retention obligations prohibit the deletion. To contact us in this regard, please use the contact information provided at the end of this privacy policy.

Mandatory or required provision

The provision of your personal data is voluntary, based solely on your consent. Without the provision of your personal data, we cannot give you access to our content and services.

Commentary function

Type and purpose of the processing

When users leave comments on our website, the time of their creation and the username selected by the website visitor are saved. This is for our security, as we may be prosecuted for any illegal content on our website, even if it was created by users.

Legal basis

The processing of the data entered as a comment occurs on the basis of a legitimate interest (Art. 6 Para. 1 (a) GDPR).

With the commentary feature, our aim is to provide you with an uncomplicated way to interact. The information you enter will be stored for the purpose of processing the request as well as possible follow-up inquiries.

Recipients

Recipients of the data may be processors.

Retention period

The data will be deleted as soon as they are no longer required for the reason they were collected. This is generally the case, when the communication with the user has ended and the company can see from the circumstances that the respective issue has been clarified.

Mandatory or required provision

The provision of your personal data is voluntary. Without the provision of your personal data, we cannot guarantee you access to our commentary function.

Contact form

Type and purpose of the processing

The data you enter are used for individual communication with you. A valid e-mail address and your name are required for this communication, which serves to organize your inquiry and the respective subsequent reply. Providing additional information is optional.

Legal basis

The processing of the data entered in the contact form occurs on the basis of a legitimate interest (Art. 6 Para. 1 (f) GDPR).

By providing the contact form, our aim is to facilitate an uncomplicated means for you to contact us. The information you enter will be used to process the inquiry and saved for possible follow-up questions.

If you contact us to request an offer, the processing of the information provided in the contact form will occur in order to implement pre-contractual measures (Art. 6 Para. 1 (b) GDPR).

Recipients

Recipients of the data may be processors.

Retention period

The data will be deleted no later than 6 months after processing the inquiry.

Provided that we enter into a contract together, we will use the statutory retention periods in the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch) and delete your data according to the respective stipulated deadlines.

Mandatory or required provision

The provision of your personal data is voluntary. However, we can only process your inquiry if you provide us with your name, e-mail address and the reason for your inquiry.

Embedded YouTube videos

Type and purpose of the processing

We embed YouTube videos on several of our websites. The operator of the respective plugins is YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA (hereinafter ‘YouTube’). YouTube, LLC is a subsidiary of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheater Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (hereinafter ‘Google’). When you visit a page with the YouTube plug-in, a connection to YouTube’s servers will be created, which tells YouTube which pages you visit. When you are logged into your YouTube account, YouTube can associate your browsing behaviour with you personally. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account beforehand.

If a YouTube video is started, the provider uses cookies that collect information about user behaviour.

You will find additional information on the purpose and scope of the data collection and its processing by YouTube in the provider’s privacy policy, as well as additional information on your rights and setting options for protecting your privacy (https://policies.google.com/privacy). Google processes your data in the United States of America and is subject to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield: https://www.privacyshield.gov/EU-US-Framework.

Legal basis

Your consent is the legal basis for the integration of YouTube and the associated data transfer to Google (Art. 6 Para. 1 (a GDPR).

Recipients

Visiting YouTube automatically triggers a connection to Google. .

Retention period and revocation of consent

Everyone who has disabled the storage of cookies for the Google ad programme will not have to expect any cookies when watching YouTube videos. However, YouTube also stores non-personal usage information in other cookies. If you would like to prevent this, you must block the storage of cookies in the browser.

You’ll find additional information on data protection at ‘YouTube’ in the provider’s privacy policy at: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Third country transfers

Google processes your data in the United States of America and is subject to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield: https://www.privacyshield.gov/EU-US-Framework.

Mandatory or required provision

The provision of your personal data is voluntary, based solely on your consent. If you prevent access, this can lead to functional limitations on the website.

Revision of our privacy policy

We reserve the right to amend this privacy policy so that it always complies with current legal requirements or to implement changes to our services in the privacy policy, e.g. when introducing new services. Your next visit will be subject to the new privacy policy.

Questions for the data protection officer

If you have any questions pertaining to data protection, please send us an e-mail or contact the person responsible for data protection in our organization:

jvanderheide7(at)gmail.com

The privacy policy was created via the activeMind AG privacy policy generator (Version: #2018-09-24).