Privacy

This is an English translation for your convenience. Only the German version of this privacy policy is legally binding.

This privacy policy informs you about the nature, scope and purpose of the processing of personal data (hereinafter referred to as “data”) within our online offering and the websites, functions and content connected with it, as well as external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “online offering”). With regard to the terms used, such as “processing” or “controller”, we refer to the definitions in Art. 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Controller

Christopher Piontek
Am Hersloh 31
33165 Lichtenau
Email address: cp@bitpage.de
Mobile: +49 (0) 151 22 69 82 62
Link to the legal notice (Impressum): https://bitpage.de/impressum

Types of data processed:

– Inventory data (e.g. names, addresses).
– Contact data (e.g. email, telephone numbers).
– Content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos).
– Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times).
– Meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).

Categories of data subjects

Visitors to and users of the online offering (hereinafter we also refer to the data subjects collectively as “users”).

Purpose of processing

– Provision of the online offering, its functions and content.
– Responding to contact requests and communicating with users.
– Security measures.
– Reach measurement/marketing

Terminology used

“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.

“Processing” means any operation or set of operations performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means. The term is broad and covers practically every handling of data.

“Pseudonymisation” means the processing of personal data in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject without the use of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

“Profiling” means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning that natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements.

“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.

“Processor” means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

Relevant legal bases

In accordance with Art. 13 GDPR, we inform you of the legal bases of our data processing. Where the legal basis is not stated in the privacy policy, the following applies: the legal basis for obtaining 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 as well as for responding to enquiries is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR; the legal basis for processing to comply with 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. In the event that vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person make the processing of personal data necessary, Art. 6(1)(d) GDPR serves as the legal basis.

Security measures

In accordance with Art. 32 GDPR, taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing as well as the risk of varying likelihood and severity for the rights and freedoms of natural persons, we implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of protection appropriate to the risk.

These measures include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical access to the data, as well as access to, input, disclosure of, securing the availability of and separation of the data concerned. Furthermore, we have established procedures that ensure the exercise of data subjects’ rights, the erasure of data and responses to threats to the data. In addition, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and procedures, in accordance with the principle of data protection by design and by default (Art. 25 GDPR).

Cooperation with processors and third parties

If, in the course of our processing, we disclose data to other persons and companies (processors or third parties), transfer it to them or otherwise grant them access to the data, this is done only on the basis of statutory permission (e.g. if a transfer of the data to third parties, such as payment service providers, is necessary for the performance of a contract pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR), if you have given your consent, if a legal obligation provides for this, or on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. when using agents, web hosts, etc.).

If we commission third parties to process data on the basis of a so-called “data processing agreement”, this is done on the basis of Art. 28 GDPR.

Transfers to third countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)), or if this occurs in the context of using third-party services or disclosing or transferring data to third parties, this only takes place if it is done to fulfil our (pre-)contractual obligations, on the basis of your consent, on the basis of a legal obligation or on the basis of our legitimate interests. Subject to statutory or contractual permissions, we process data in a third country, or have them processed there, only if the special requirements of Art. 44 et seq. GDPR are met. This means that the processing takes place, for example, on the basis of special guarantees, such as the officially recognised determination of a level of data protection corresponding to that of the EU (e.g. for the USA through the “Privacy Shield”) or compliance with officially recognised specific contractual obligations (so-called “standard contractual clauses”).

Rights of data subjects

You have the right to request confirmation as to whether data concerning you are being processed and to obtain access to these data as well as further information and a copy of the data in accordance with Art. 15 GDPR.

In accordance with Art. 16 GDPR, you have the right to request the completion of data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you.

In accordance with Art. 17 GDPR, you have the right to request that the data concerned be erased without undue delay or, alternatively, in accordance with Art. 18 GDPR, to request restriction of the processing of the data.

You have the right to receive the data concerning you that you have provided to us in accordance with Art. 20 GDPR and to request their transmission to other controllers.

You also have the right, pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR, to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Right of withdrawal

You have the right to withdraw consent given, pursuant to Art. 7(3) GDPR, with effect for the future

Right to object

You may object to the future processing of data concerning you at any time in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR. In particular, the objection may be made against processing for the purposes of direct marketing.

Cookies and right to object to direct marketing

“Cookies” are small files that are stored on users’ computers. Various pieces of information can be stored within cookies. A cookie serves primarily to store information about a user (or the device on which the cookie is stored) during or after their visit to an online offering. Temporary cookies, or “session cookies” or “transient cookies”, are cookies that are deleted after a user leaves an online offering and closes their browser. Such a cookie may store, for example, the contents of a shopping basket in an online shop or a login status. Cookies that remain stored even after the browser is closed are referred to as “permanent” or “persistent”. For example, the login status can be stored if users visit the site again after several days. Likewise, the interests of users that are used for reach measurement or marketing purposes can be stored in such a cookie. “Third-party cookies” are cookies that are offered by providers other than the controller operating the online offering (otherwise, if they are only the controller’s cookies, they are referred to as “first-party cookies”).

We may use temporary and permanent cookies and provide information about this in our privacy policy.

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. Excluding cookies may lead to functional limitations of this online offering.

A general objection to the use of cookies employed for online marketing purposes can be declared for a large number of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the US site http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU site http://www.youronlinechoices.com/. Furthermore, the storage of cookies can be prevented by deactivating them in the browser settings. Please note that in this case you may not be able to use all functions of this online offering.

Erasure of data

The data processed by us are erased or their processing is restricted in accordance with Art. 17 and 18 GDPR. Unless expressly stated in this privacy policy, the data stored by us are erased as soon as they are no longer required for their intended purpose and the erasure does not conflict with any statutory retention obligations. If the data are not erased because they are required for other, legally permissible purposes, their processing is restricted. This means that the data are blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax law reasons.

In accordance with statutory requirements in Germany, data are retained in particular for 10 years pursuant to §§ 147(1) AO (German Fiscal Code), 257(1) nos. 1 and 4, (4) HGB (German Commercial Code) (books, records, management reports, accounting vouchers, commercial books, documents relevant for taxation, etc.) and for 6 years pursuant to § 257(1) nos. 2 and 3, (4) HGB (commercial letters).

In accordance with statutory requirements in Austria, data are retained in particular for 7 years pursuant to § 132(1) BAO (Austrian Federal Fiscal Code) (accounting documents, vouchers/invoices, accounts, receipts, business papers, statements of income and expenditure, etc.), for 22 years in connection with real property and for 10 years for documents in connection with electronically supplied services, telecommunications, radio and television services that are provided to non-entrepreneurs in EU Member States and for which the Mini One-Stop Shop (MOSS) is used.

Participation in affiliate partner programmes

Within our online offering, on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offering) pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, we use industry-standard tracking measures insofar as these are necessary for the operation of the affiliate system. Below, we explain the technical background to users.

The services offered by our contractual partners may also be advertised and linked on other websites (so-called affiliate links or after-buy systems, e.g. when links or services of third parties are offered after a contract has been concluded). The operators of the respective websites receive a commission when users follow the affiliate links and subsequently take up the offers.

In summary, it is necessary for our online offering that we can track whether users who are interested in affiliate links and/or the offers available from us subsequently take up the offers at the instigation of the affiliate links or our online platform. For this purpose, the affiliate links and our offers are supplemented with certain values, which may be set as part of the link or otherwise, e.g. in a cookie. These values include in particular the originating website (referrer), the time, an online identifier of the operator of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, an online identifier of the user, as well as tracking-specific values such as advertising material ID, partner ID and categorisations.

The online identifiers of users used by us are pseudonymous values. This means that the online identifiers themselves do not contain any personal data such as names or email addresses. They only help us to determine whether the same user who clicked on an affiliate link or became interested in an offer via our online offering has taken up the offer, i.e. for example concluded a contract with the provider. However, the online identifier is personal insofar as the partner company and we ourselves hold the online identifier together with other user data. Only in this way can the partner company inform us whether that user has taken up the offer and can we, for example, pay out the bonus.

Amazon Associates Programme

On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), we are a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, which has been designed to provide a means for websites to earn advertising fees by placing advertisements and links to Amazon.de (so-called affiliate system). This means that, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Amazon uses cookies to be able to trace the origin of orders. Among other things, Amazon can recognise that you clicked the partner link on this website and subsequently purchased a product from Amazon.

Further information on Amazon’s use of data and on options to object can be found in the company’s privacy policy: https://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201909010.

Note: Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or one of its affiliates.

Comments and posts

If users leave comments or other posts, their IP addresses may be stored for 7 days on the basis of our legitimate interests within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. This is done for our security in case someone leaves unlawful content in comments and posts (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.). In this case, we ourselves may be held liable for the comment or post and are therefore interested in the identity of the author.

Furthermore, we reserve the right, on the basis of our legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, to process users’ details for the purpose of spam detection.

The data provided in the context of comments and posts are stored by us permanently until the users object.

Comment subscriptions

Users can subscribe to follow-up comments with their consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. Users receive a confirmation email to verify whether they are the owner of the email address entered. Users can unsubscribe from ongoing comment subscriptions at any time. The confirmation email will contain information on the options for withdrawal. For the purpose of proving users’ consent, we store the time of registration together with the users’ IP address and delete this information when users unsubscribe from the subscription.

You can cancel the receipt of our subscription at any time, i.e. withdraw your consent. We may store unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before deleting them, in order to be able to prove consent previously given. The processing of these data is limited to the purpose of a possible defence against claims. An individual request for erasure is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of consent is confirmed at the same time.

Retrieval of emojis and smilies

Within our WordPress blog, graphical emojis (or smilies), i.e. small graphic files that express emotions, are used, which are obtained from external servers. In this process, the providers of the servers collect the users’ IP addresses. This is necessary so that the emoji files can be transmitted to the users’ browsers. The emoji service is offered by Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. Privacy information from Automattic: https://automattic.com/privacy/. The server domains used are s.w.org and twemoji.maxcdn.com, which, to our knowledge, are so-called content delivery networks, i.e. servers that serve only the fast and secure transmission of the files, and the users’ personal data are deleted after transmission.

The use of emojis is based on our legitimate interests, i.e. interest in an attractive design of our online offering pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Contacting us

When you contact us (e.g. via contact form, email, telephone or via social media), the user’s details are processed for the handling of the contact request and its processing pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. Users’ details may be stored in a customer relationship management system (“CRM system”) or a comparable enquiry management system.

We delete the enquiries if they are no longer required. We review the necessity every two years; furthermore, the statutory archiving obligations apply.

Reach measurement with Matomo

In the context of Matomo’s reach analysis, the following data are processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR): the browser type and browser version you use, the operating system you use, your country of origin, the date and time of the server request, the number of visits, the time you spend on the website and the external links you click. The users’ IP address is anonymised before it is stored.

Pseudonymous usage profiles of users can be created from the processed data. The information about your use of this website is stored only on our server and is not passed on to third parties.

Users can object to the anonymised data collection by the Matomo program at any time with effect for the future by clicking on the link below. In this case, a so-called opt-out cookie is stored in their browser, with the result that Matomo no longer collects any session data whatsoever. However, if users delete their cookies, the opt-out cookie is also deleted and must therefore be activated again by the users.

The logs containing users’ data are deleted after 6 months at the latest.

VG Wort / Scalable Central Measurement Method

We use the “Scalable Central Measurement Method” (Skalierbares Zentrales Messverfahren, SZM) of INFOnline GmbH (INFOnline GmbH, Brühler Str. 9, D-53119 Bonn. ) to determine statistical parameters for establishing the probability of texts being copied. In this process, anonymous measurement values are collected. To recognise computer systems, the access count measurement uses either a session cookie or a signature created from various pieces of information automatically transmitted by your browser. IP addresses are processed only in anonymised form. The method was developed with due regard to data protection. The sole aim of the method is to determine the probability of individual texts being copied. At no time are individual users identified. Your identity always remains protected. You do not receive any advertising via the system.

Many of our pages contain JavaScript calls through which we report page views to the collecting society Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort (VG Wort). In this way, we enable our authors to participate in the distributions of VG Wort, which ensure the statutory remuneration for the use of copyright-protected works pursuant to § 53 UrhG (German Copyright Act).

In this process, usage data and metadata of users are processed, whereby the IP addresses are shortened and the measurement methods are pseudonymous. The shortened IP address is stored for a maximum of 60 days. The usage data in connection with a pseudonymous assignment value (“identifier”) are stored for a maximum of 6 months.

Users also have an opt-out available to object to collection for the aforementioned purposes: https://optout.ioam.de. Further information can be found in INFOnline’s privacy policy https://www.infonline.de/datenschutz/benutzer.

Online presences on social media

We maintain online presences within social networks and platforms in order to communicate with the customers, prospective customers and users active there and to inform them about our services there. When accessing the respective networks and platforms, the terms and conditions and data processing policies of their respective operators apply.

Unless otherwise stated in our privacy policy, we process users’ data insofar as they communicate with us within the social networks and platforms, e.g. write posts on our online presences or send us messages.

Integration of third-party services and content

Within our online offering, on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimisation and economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), we use content or service offerings of third-party providers in order to integrate their content and services, such as videos or fonts (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).

This always presupposes that the third-party providers of this content perceive the users’ IP address, since without the IP address they could not send the content to their browsers. The IP address is therefore required for the display of this content. We endeavour 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. The “pixel tags” can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the users’ device and may contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, time of visit and other information about the use of our online offering, and may also be linked with such information from other sources.

Vimeo

We may integrate the videos of the platform “Vimeo” of the provider Vimeo Inc., Attention: Legal Department, 555 West 18th Street New York, New York 10011, USA. Privacy policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy. We would point out that Vimeo may use Google Analytics and in this regard refer to the privacy policy (https://www.google.com/policies/privacy) as well as the opt-out options for Google Analytics (http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de) or Google’s settings for the use of data for marketing purposes (https://adssettings.google.com/.).

Youtube

We integrate the videos of the platform “YouTube” of the provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Google Maps

We integrate the maps of the service “Google Maps” of the provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. The data processed may include, in particular, users’ IP addresses and location data, which, however, are not collected without their consent (usually given in the settings of their mobile devices). The data may be processed in the USA. Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/, Opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

OpenStreetMap

We integrate the maps of the service “OpenStreetMap” (https://www.openstreetmap.de), which are offered by the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) on the basis of the Open Data Commons Open Database Licence (ODbL). Privacy policy: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy.

To our knowledge, users’ data are used by OpenStreetMap exclusively for the purposes of displaying the map functions and temporarily storing the selected settings. These data may include, in particular, users’ IP addresses and location data, which, however, are not collected without their consent (usually given in the settings of their mobile devices).

The data may be processed in the USA. Further information can be found in OpenStreetMap’s privacy policy: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy.

Twitter

Functions and content of the Twitter service, offered by Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA, may be integrated within our online offering. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content from this online offering within Twitter.
If users are members of the Twitter platform, Twitter can associate the access to the above-mentioned content and functions with the users’ profiles there. Twitter is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thereby offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active). Privacy policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy, Opt-out: https://twitter.com/personalization.

Instagram

Functions and content of the Instagram service, offered by Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA, may be integrated within our online offering. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content from this online offering within Instagram. If users are members of the Instagram platform, Instagram can associate the access to the above-mentioned content and functions with the users’ profiles there. Instagram’s privacy policy: http://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/.

Pinterest

Functions and content of the Pinterest service, offered by Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA, may be integrated within our online offering. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content from this online offering within Pinterest. If users are members of the Pinterest platform, Pinterest can associate the access to the above-mentioned content and functions with the users’ profiles there. Pinterest’s privacy policy: https://about.pinterest.com/de/privacy-policy.

Xing

Functions and content of the Xing service, offered by XING AG, Dammtorstraße 29-32, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, may be integrated within our online offering. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content from this online offering within Xing. If users are members of the Xing platform, Xing can associate the access to the above-mentioned content and functions with the users’ profiles there. Xing’s privacy policy: https://www.xing.com/app/share?op=data_protection..

LinkedIn

Functions and content of the LinkedIn service, offered by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, may be integrated within our online offering. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos or texts and buttons with which users can share content from this online offering within LinkedIn. If users are members of the LinkedIn platform, LinkedIn can associate the access to the above-mentioned content and functions with the users’ profiles there. LinkedIn’s privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.. LinkedIn is certified under the Privacy Shield agreement and thereby offers a guarantee to comply with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000L0UZAA0&status=Active). Privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy, Opt-out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.

Security software to defend against brute force attacks

This blog uses the WordPress plugin and security software “Wordfence” from the company Defiant Inc., 800 5th Ave Ste 4100, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA, which can be contacted at the email address privacy@defiant.com. The company’s privacy policy can be found here. The security software prevents so-called botnets from trying out usernames and passwords in the administration area and detects other malicious attacks on this blog. Technically, this is done by means of data comparisons, for example the analysis of the IP address or its provider or, where possible, of the location based on these two pieces of data. Wordfence stores the associated data such as IP addresses, location information, device data and other data on the basis of legitimate interest.

Notice page for links that are no longer available

We redirect external links that are no longer available via a notice page to the archived version in the Internet Archive (web.archive.org, USA). The Internet Archive’s privacy information applies only once this version is accessed.

Adapted by the website owner
Created with Datenschutz-Generator.de by attorney Dr. Thomas Schwenke

This post is also available in: Deutsch