4 Collection of general data and information

For the website of the sk datenkultur GmbH, it is technically necessary that a series of general data and information is collected whenever a data subject or automated system calls up the website. This general data and information is stored in the log files of the server. The (1) browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the website from which an accessing system accesses our website (so-called referrers), (4) the subwebsites (5) the date and time of access to the website, (6) an Internet protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system and (8) the access status (file transferred, file not found, etc.)

When using these general data and information, the sk datenkultur GmbH does not draw any conclusions about the data subject. Rather, this information is needed (1) to deliver the content of our website correctly, (2) to optimize the content of our website and the advertising for it, (3) to ensure the long-term functionality of our information technology systems and the technology of our website, and (4) to provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for prosecution in the event of a cyber attack. Therefore, the sk datenkultur GmbH analyzes these data and information on one hand statistically and on the other hand with the aim of increasing the data protection and data security of our enterprise, and ultimately ensuring an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The data of the server log files are stored separately from any personal data provided by a data subject. The legal basis for the temporary storage of the data or the log files is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO.

5 Contact option via the website

Based on statutory provisions, the website of the sk datenkultur GmbH contains information that enables a quick electronic contact to our company, as well as direct communication with us, which also includes a general address of the so-called electronic mail (e-mail address). If a data subject contacts the controller by e-mail or by using a contact form, the personal data transmitted by the data subject will be stored automatically. Such personal data transmitted on a voluntary basis by a data subject to the controller will be stored for the purposes of processing or contacting the data subject. Under no circumstances do we pass on this data without your consent. The legal basis for processing the data is our legitimate interest in responding to your request pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f DSGVO and, if applicable, Art. 6 (1) lit. b DSGVO if your request is aimed at concluding a contract. Your data will be deleted after final processing of your request, provided that there are no legal obligations to retain data. In the case of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f DSGVO, you can object to the processing of your personal data at any time with effect for the future.

6 Newsletter and sending of test and download links

If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website with regular information about our offers and products, we require your e-mail address as mandatory information.

Additional data is provided on a voluntary basis in order to address you personally in the newsletter. The sending of links to test products or to receive downloads corresponds to the procedure after the sending of newsletters. In the following, this is also referred to as “newsletter”.

For sending the newsletter, we use the so-called double opt-in procedure. This means that we will only send you our newsletter by e-mail if you have expressly confirmed that you consent to the sending of newsletters. In the first step, you will receive an e-mail with a link that you can use to confirm that you want to receive future newsletters as the owner of the corresponding e-mail address. With the confirmation, you give us your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO that we may use your personal data for the purpose of the desired newsletter dispatch.

When registering for the newsletter, we store, in addition to the e-mail address required for sending, the IP address through which you registered for the newsletter, as well as the date and time of registration and confirmation, in order to be able to track possible misuse at a later date.

You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time via the link included in each newsletter or by sending an e-mail to the responsible person named above. After unsubscribing, your e-mail address will be deleted from our newsletter distribution list immediately, unless you have expressly consented to the continued use of the data collected or the continued processing is otherwise permitted by law.

Our e-mail newsletters are sent via a technical service provider to whom we pass on the data you provided when registering for the newsletter and with whom we have concluded an order processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 DSGVO to ensure that your data is processed in accordance with our instructions.

Service provider: Mailchimp

Address: Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.

Privacy Policy: https://mailchimp.com/legal/

Since there is a transfer of personal data to third countries (e.g., the USA), further protection mechanisms are required to ensure the data protection level of the GDPR. To ensure this, we have agreed standard data protection clauses with the provider in accordance with Art. 46 (2) lit. c DSGVO. These oblige the recipient of the data in the third country to process the data in accordance with the level of protection in Europe. In cases where this cannot be ensured even through this contractual extension, we endeavor to obtain additional regulations and commitments from the recipient in the third country.

The service provider uses the information from the newsletter registration on the basis of your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO to send and statistically evaluate the newsletter on our behalf.  For the evaluation, the sent emails contain so-called web beacons or tracking pixels, which are single-pixel image files stored on our website. This makes it possible to determine whether a newsletter message has been opened and which links, if any, have been clicked on. With the help of so-called conversion tracking, it can also be analyzed whether a predefined action (e.g. purchase of a product on our website) has taken place after clicking on the link in the newsletter. In addition, technical information is collected (e.g. time of retrieval, IP address, browser type and operating system). The data is collected exclusively pseudonymously and is not linked to your other personal data, a direct personal reference is excluded. This data is used exclusively for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. The results of these analyses can be used to better adapt future newsletters to the interests of the recipients. If you wish to object to the data analysis for statistical evaluation purposes, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter.

7 Rights of the data subject

In the following, you will find information on which data subject rights the applicable data protection law grants you vis-à-vis the controller regarding the processing of your personal data:

The right to request information about your personal data processed by us in accordance with Art. 15 DSGVO. In particular, you can request information about the processing purposes, the category of personal data, the categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the planned storage period, the existence of a right to rectification, erasure, restriction of processing or objection, the existence of a right of complaint, the origin of your data if it was not collected by us, as well as the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, and, if applicable, meaningful information about its details.

The right to request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data stored by us without undue delay in accordance with Art. 16 DSGVO.

The right to request the erasure of your personal data stored by us in accordance with Art. 17 DSGVO, unless the processing is necessary for the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and information, for compliance with a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims.

The right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data in accordance with Art. 18 DSGVO, insofar as the accuracy of the data is disputed by you, the processing is unlawful, but you object to its erasure and we no longer need the data, but you need it for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims or you have objected to the processing in accordance with Art. 21 DSGVO.

The right, pursuant to Art. 20 DSGVO, to receive your personal data that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or to request that it be transferred to another controller.

Right to revoke consent given in accordance with Art. 7 (3) DSGVO. You have the right to revoke consent to the processing of data once given at any time with effect for the future. In the event of revocation, we will immediately delete the data concerned, unless further processing can be based on a legal basis for processing without consent. The revocation of consent does not affect the lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until the revocation.

The right to complain to a supervisory authority in accordance with Art. 77 DSGVO. As a rule, you can contact the supervisory authority of the federal state of our registered office stated above or, if applicable, that of your usual place of residence or workplace.

Right of objection

Insofar as your personal data is processed by us on the basis of legitimate interests pursuant to Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. f DSGVO, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data pursuant to Art. 21 DSGVO, insofar as this is done for reasons arising from your particular situation. Insofar as the objection is directed against the processing of personal data for the purpose of direct marketing, you have a general right of objection without the requirement to specify a particular situation.

If you wish to exercise your right of revocation or objection, simply send an e-mail to info@dataculture.com.

8 External links

Social networks (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Xing) are only integrated on our website as links to the corresponding services. After clicking on the embedded text/image link, you will be redirected to the page of the respective provider. User information is only transferred to the respective provider after the forwarding. For information on the handling of your personal data when using these websites, please refer to the respective data protection provisions of the providers you use.

9 Privacy policy on the use and application of Google Fonts

We use “Google Fonts” on our website, a service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (hereinafter referred to as: “Google”). Google Fonts enables us to use external fonts. For this purpose, the required Google Fonts are loaded from our web server into your browser cache when you access our website. This is necessary so that your browser can also display a visually improved representation of our texts. If your browser does not support this function, a standard font will be used by your computer for display.

The fonts are hosted by us and are therefore not loaded by an external provider. This requires the processing of your IP address.  

We use Google Fonts for optimisation purposes, in particular to improve the use of our website for you and to make its design more user-friendly. The legal basis for data processing is our legitimate interest in this regard pursuant to Art. 6 (1) lit. f DSGVO.

10 Privacy policy on the use and application of Google Analytics (with anonymization function)

The controller has integrated the Google Analytics component (with anonymization function) on this website. Google Analytics is a web analysis service, which collects, collates and analyzes data about the behavior of visitors to websites. Google Analytics uses so-called cookies. These are text files that are stored on your computer and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by cookies about your use of this website is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

The operating company of the Google Analytics component is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”).

We only use Google Analytics with IP anonymization activated. In this case, the IP address of the user is shortened by Google within the Member States of the European Union or in other contracting states to the Agreement V1.3-321091 Page 14 of 23 on the European Economic Area, whereby a personal reference can be excluded. Google is certified for the US-European data protection agreement “Privacy Shield”, which ensures compliance with the level of data protection applicable in the EU. The processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO on the basis of our legitimate interest in the statistical analysis of user behavior for optimization and marketing purposes. On behalf of the operator of the website, Google will use the data and information obtained, among other things, to evaluate the use of our website, to compile online reports for us showing the activities on our websites, and to provide other services related to the use of our website.

Google may share this personal data collected through the technical process with third parties.

You can prevent the setting of cookies by our website, as already described above, at any time by means of an appropriate setting of the Internet browser used and thus permanently object to the setting of cookies. Such a setting of the Internet browser used would also prevent Google from setting a cookie on the information technology system. In addition, a cookie already set by Google Analytics can be deleted at any time via the Internet browser or other software programs.

Furthermore, you have the option to object to the collection of data generated by Google Analytics and related to the use of this website as well as the processing of this data by Google and to prevent such processing by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

The terms of use and the applicable privacy policy of Google can be found at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/ and at http://www.google.com/analytics/terms/de.html. Google Analytics is explained in more detail under this link https://www.google.com/intl/de_de/analytics/.

11 Privacy policy on the use and application of Google Ads Remarketing

Our website uses the functions of Google Ads Remarketing. Provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland

If you have given us your consent to do so, this function makes it possible to link the advertising target groups created with Google Ads Remarketing with the cross-device functions of Google Ads and Google Marketing Platform. The legal basis is your consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) p. 1 lit. a DSGVO. In this way, interest-related, personalized advertising messages that have been adapted to you depending on your previous usage and surfing behavior on one end device (e.g. cell phone) can also be displayed on another of your end devices (e.g. tablet or PC).

If you have given your consent, Google will link your web and app browsing history with your Google Account for this purpose. In this way, the same personalized advertising messages can be served on every end device on which you log in with your Google account.

To support this feature, Google Analytics collects user authenticated IDs that are temporarily linked to our Google Analytics data to define and create target groups for cross-device ad advertising.

You can permanently object to cross-device remarketing/targeting by deactivating personalized advertising in your Google account; follow this link: https://adssettings.google.com/

Since a transfer of personal data to the USA takes place, further protection mechanisms are required to ensure the level of data protection of the GDPR. To ensure this, we have agreed standard data protection clauses with the provider in accordance with Art. 46 (2) lit. c DSGVO. These oblige the recipient of the data in the USA to process the data in accordance with the level of protection in Europe. In cases where this cannot be ensured even through this contractual extension, we endeavor to obtain additional regulations and commitments from the recipient in the USA.

For more information and the privacy policy, please see Google’s privacy policy at: https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/

12 Privacy policy on the use and application of Google Ads Conversion

The controller has integrated Google Ads on this website. Google Ads is an Internet advertising service that allows advertisers to place ads in Google’s search engine results as well as in the Google advertising network. Google Ads allows an advertiser to specify certain keywords in advance, by means of which an ad is displayed in Google’s search engine results exclusively when the user retrieves a keyword-relevant search result using the search engine. In the Google advertising network, the ads are distributed to topic-relevant websites by means of an automatic algorithm and in compliance with the previously defined keywords.

The operating company of the Google Ads services is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

The purpose of Google Ads is to advertise our website by displaying interest-relevant advertisements on the websites of third-party companies and in the search engine results of the Google search engine and to display third-party advertisements on our website.

If a data subject accesses our website via a Google ad, a so-called conversion cookie is stored by Google on the data subject’s information technology system. A conversion cookie loses its validity after thirty days and is not used to identify the data subject. Via the conversion cookie, if the cookie has not yet expired, it is tracked whether certain subpages, for example the shopping cart from an online store system, have been called up on our website. Through the conversion cookie, both we and Google can track whether a data subject who has reached our website via an ads display has generated a turnover, i.e. has completed or cancelled a purchase of goods.

The data and information collected through the use of the conversion cookie are used by Google to create visit statistics for our website. These visit statistics are in turn used by us to determine the total number of users who were referred to us via Ads ads, i.e. to determine the success or failure of the respective Ads ad and to optimize our Ads ads for the future. Neither our company nor other advertisers of Google Ads receive information from Google by means of which the data subject could be identified.

The processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. f DSGVO on the basis of our legitimate interest in the statistical analysis of user behavior for optimization and marketing purposes.

By means of the conversion cookie, personal information, for example the internet pages visited by the data subject, is stored. Each time the data subject visits our website, personal data, including the IP address of the internet connection used by the data subject, is transmitted to Google. This personal data may be stored by Google in the USA.

The data subject can prevent the setting of cookies by our website, as already described above, at any time by means of an appropriate setting of the Internet browser used and thus permanently object to the setting of cookies. Such a setting of the Internet browser used would also prevent Google from setting a conversion cookie on the information technology system of the data subject. In addition, a cookie already set by Google Ads can be deleted at any time via the internet browser or other software programs.

Furthermore, the data subject has the option to object to interest-based advertising by Google. To do this, the data subject must call up the link www.google.de/settings/ads from any of the internet browsers he or she uses and make the desired settings there.

Further information and the applicable Google privacy policy can be found at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/.

13 Privacy policy on the use and application of Google Maps

Our homepage uses the online map service provider Google Maps via an interface. This allows us to display interactive maps directly on the website and enables you to use the map function conveniently. The provider of the map service is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. To use the functionalities of Google Maps, it is necessary to store your IP address.

Google uses cookies to collect information about user behavior. The legal basis for the processing of your personal data is your consent granted for this purpose in accordance with Art. 6 (1) lit. a DSGVO.

Since a transfer of personal data to the USA takes place, further protection mechanisms are required to ensure the level of data protection of the GDPR. To ensure this, Google uses standard data protection clauses in accordance with Art. 46 (2) lit. c DSGVO. These oblige the recipient of the data in the USA to process the data in accordance with the level of protection in Europe. In cases where this cannot be ensured by this contractual extension, we endeavor to obtain additional regulations and commitments from the recipient in the USA.

For more information on the handling of user data, please refer to Google’s privacy policy:

https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/

Opt-out: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/

14 Privacy policy on the use and application of Slimstat Analytics

In order to improve the user experience and the quality of this website, Slimstat Analytics collects and processes data to create statistics. Slimstat Analytics is an open source software based on WordPress. The provider of the analytics plugin is Jason Crouse, New York, USA. Slimstat does not store your IP address, as it is anonymized at the moment of collection. The collected data can therefore not be assigned to any person. There is also no transfer of data to third countries, as it is stored and processed exclusively on an ISO 27001 certified server in Germany. There is no consolidation with other data sources.

The following data is processed:

– Domain name of the server

– Address of the pages requested (URL)

– Name and version of the browser

– Date and time of the web page visit

– Operating system of the requesting device

– Essential information about the web page display (screen resolution, language, etc.)

– Name of the website that links and refers to this page

You can prevent the collection and use of your data by clicking on this link to set an opt-out cookie in your browser: https://www.quantcast.com/opt-out/.

15 Duration for which the personal data are stored

The criterion for the duration of storage of personal data is the respective statutory retention period. After expiry of the period, the corresponding data is routinely deleted. If data is required for the fulfillment or initiation of a contract or if we have a legitimate interest in continuing to store it, the data will be deleted when it is no longer required for these purposes or you have exercised your right of revocation or objection.

16 Data transfer and recipients

A transfer of your personal data to third parties does not take place unless

• if we have explicitly referred to this in the description of the respective data processing.
• if you have given your express consent to this in accordance with Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. a DSGVO,
• the disclosure according to Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. f DSGVO is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims or is in our legitimate interest for other reasons and there is no reason to assume that you have an overriding interest worthy of protection in the non-disclosure of your data,
• if a legal obligation exists for the disclosure pursuant to Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. c DSGVO, and
• insofar as this is necessary for the processing of contractual relationships with you according to Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 lit. b DSGVO.

We also use external service providers for the processing of our services, which we have carefully selected and commissioned in writing. They are bound by our instructions and are regularly monitored by us. Necessary order processing contracts according to Art. 28 DSGVO are concluded before commissioning. These are service providers for web hosting, sending emails and maintenance and care of our IT systems, etc. The service providers will not share this data with third parties.

17 Legal or contractual requirements to provide the personal data; necessity for the conclusion of the contract; obligation of the data subject to provide the personal data; possible consequences of non-provision

We would like to inform you that the provision of personal data is partly required by law (e.g. tax regulations) or may also result from contractual regulations (e.g. information on the contractual partner). Sometimes, in order to conclude a contract, it may be necessary for a data subject to provide us with personal data that must subsequently be processed by us. For example, the data subject is obliged to provide us with personal data if our company concludes a contract with him or her. Failure to provide the personal data would mean that the contract with the data subject could not be concluded. Before providing personal data by the data subject, the data subject must contact one of our employees. Our employee will explain to the data subject on a case-by-case basis whether the provision of the personal data is required by law or contract or is necessary for the conclusion of the contract, whether there is an obligation to provide the personal data, and what the consequences of not providing the personal data would be.

18 Existence of automated decision making

As a responsible company, we do not use automatic decision-making or profiling.

19 Changes to our privacy policy

We reserve the right to adapt or update this data protection declaration if necessary in compliance with the applicable data protection regulations. In this way, we can adapt it to the current legal requirements and take into account changes to our services, e.g. when introducing new services. The most current version applies to your visit.

Status of this data protection declaration: 01.04.2023