Privacy policy

Introduction and overview

We have drafted this privacy policy (version 17.07.2025-113028207) to explain to you, in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and applicable national laws. The terms used are to be understood as gender-neutral.
In short: we provide you with comprehensive information about the data we process about you.

Privacy policies usually sound very technical and use legal jargon. This privacy policy, on the other hand, aims to describe the most important aspects as simply and transparently as possible. Where it promotes transparency, technical terms are explained in a reader-friendly manner, links to further information are provided and graphics are used. We therefore use clear and simple language to inform you that we only process personal data in the course of our business activities if there is a corresponding legal basis for doing so. This is certainly not possible if you provide explanations that are as concise, unclear and legally technical as possible, as is often the standard on the internet when it comes to data protection. I hope you find the following explanations interesting and informative, and perhaps there is some information here that you did not know before.
If you still have questions, please contact the responsible body listed below or in the imprint, follow the links provided, and view further information on third-party websites. You will also find our contact details in the imprint.

scope of application

This privacy policy applies to all personal data processed by us within the company and to all personal data processed by companies commissioned by us (processors). By personal data, we mean information within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 1 GDPR, such as a person’s name, email address and postal address. The processing of personal data ensures that we can offer and invoice our services and products, whether online or offline. The scope of this privacy policy covers:

  • all online presences (websites, online shops) that we operate
  • Social media presence and email communication
  • mobile applications for smartphones and other devices

In short: The privacy policy applies to all areas in which personal data is processed in a structured manner within the company via the channels mentioned. Should we enter into legal relationships with you outside of these channels, we will inform you separately if necessary.

legal bases

In the following privacy policy, we provide you with transparent information about the legal principles and regulations, i.e. the legal basis of the General Data Protection Regulation, which enable us to process personal data.
With regard to EU law, we refer to REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 April 2016. You can, of course, read this EU General Data Protection Regulation online at EUR-Lex, the gateway to EU law, at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32016R0679.

We only process your data if at least one of the following conditions applies:

  1. Consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR): You have given us your consent to process data for a specific purpose. An example would be the storage of the data you entered in a contact form.
  2. Contract (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR): We process your data in order to fulfil a contract or pre-contractual obligations with you. For example, if we conclude a purchase contract with you, we require personal information in advance.
  3. Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c) GDPR): We process your data if we are subject to a legal obligation. For example, we are legally obliged to retain invoices for accounting purposes. These usually contain personal data.
  4. Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR): In the case of legitimate interests that do not restrict your fundamental rights, we reserve the right to process personal data. For example, we need to process certain data in order to operate our website securely and economically. This processing is therefore a legitimate interest.

Other conditions, such as the perception of recordings in the public interest and the exercise of public authority, as well as the protection of vital interests, do not generally apply in our case. If such a legal basis should nevertheless be relevant, it will be indicated at the appropriate place.

In addition to the EU regulation, national laws also apply:

  • In Austria, this is the Federal Act on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data (Data Protection Act), or DSG for short.
  • In Germany, the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) applies.

If further regional or national laws apply, we will inform you about them in the following sections.

storage period

It is our general policy to store personal data only for as long as is absolutely necessary for the provision of our services and products. This means that we delete personal data as soon as the reason for data processing no longer exists. In some cases, we are legally obliged to store certain data even after the original purpose has ceased to exist, for example for accounting purposes.

If you wish to have your data deleted or revoke your consent to data processing, the data will be deleted as soon as possible and insofar as there is no obligation to store it.

We will inform you about the specific duration of the respective data processing below, provided we have further information on this.

Rights under the General Private Policy Regulation

In accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of the GDPR, we hereby inform you of the following rights to which you are entitled in order to ensure fair and transparent data processing:

  • According to Article 15 of the GDPR, you have the right to know whether we process your data. If this is the case, you have the right to receive a copy of the data and to obtain the following information:
    • the purpose for which we carry out the processing;
    • the categories, i.e. the types of data that are processed;
    • who receives this data and, if the data is transferred to third countries, how security can be guaranteed;
    • how long the data will be stored;
    • the existence of the right to rectification, erasure or restriction of processing and the right to object to processing;
    • that you can lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (links to these authorities can be found below);
    • the origin of the data, if we did not collect it from you;
    • whether profiling is carried out, i.e. whether data is automatically evaluated in order to create a personal profile of you.
  • According to Article 16 of the GDPR, you have the right to have your data corrected, which means that we must correct any data if you find errors.
  • According to Article 17 of the GDPR, you have the right to erasure (‘right to be forgotten’), which specifically means that you may request the deletion of your data.
  • According to Article 18 of the GDPR, you have the right to restrict processing, which means that we may only store the data but may not use it further.
  • According to Article 20 of the GDPR, you have the right to data portability, which means that we will provide you with your data in a commonly used format upon request.
  • You have a right to object under Article 21 GDPR, which, when exercised, results in a change in processing.
    • If the processing of your data is based on Article 6 (1) (e) (public interest, exercise of official authority) or Article 6 (1) (f) (legitimate interest), you can object to the processing. We will then check as quickly as possible whether we can legally comply with this objection.
    • If data is used for direct marketing, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We may then no longer use your data for direct marketing.
    • If data is used for profiling, you can object to this type of data processing at any time. We may then no longer use your data for profiling.
  • Under Article 22 of the GDPR, you may have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (e.g. profiling).
  • You have the right to lodge a complaint under Article 77 of the GDPR. This means that you can lodge a complaint with the data protection authority at any time if you believe that the processing of personal data violates the GDPR.

In short: you have rights – do not hesitate to contact the responsible department listed above!

If you believe that the processing of your data violates data protection law or that your data protection rights have been violated in any other way, you can lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority. In Austria, this is the Data Protection Authority, whose website can be found at https://www.dsb.gv.at/. In Germany, there is a data protection officer for each federal state. For more information, please contact the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI). The following local data protection authority is responsible for our company:

Austrian Privacy Policy Authority

Head: Dr Matthias Schmidl
Address: Barichgasse 40-42, 1030 Vienna
Telephone number: +43 1 52 152-0
Email address: dsb@dsb.gv.at
Website: https://www.dsb.gv.at/

Order processing agreement (AVV)

In this section, we would like to explain what a data processing agreement is and why it is necessary. Because the term ‘data processing agreement’ is quite a tongue twister, we will often use the acronym DPA in this text. Like most companies, we do not work alone, but also use the services of other companies or individuals. By involving various companies or service providers, we may pass on personal data for processing. These partners then act as processors with whom we conclude a contract, known as a data processing agreement (DPA). The most important thing for you to know is that the processing of your personal data is carried out exclusively in accordance with our instructions and must be regulated by the DPA.

Who are processors?

As a company and website owner, we are responsible for all data that we process from you. In addition to the responsible parties, there may also be so-called processors. This includes any company or person who processes personal data on our behalf. More precisely, and according to the GDPR definition, any natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body that processes personal data on our behalf is considered a processor. Processors can therefore be service providers such as hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers, or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.

For a better understanding of the terminology, here is an overview of the three roles in the GDPR:

Data subject (you as a customer or prospective customer) → Controller (us as a company and client) → Processor (service providers such as web hosts or cloud providers)

Contents of a data processing agreement

As mentioned above, we have concluded a DPA with our partners who act as processors. First and foremost, this stipulates that the processor shall process the data to be processed exclusively in accordance with the GDPR. The contract must be concluded in writing, but in this context, electronic conclusion of the contract is also considered ‘in writing’. Personal data may only be processed on the basis of the contract. The contract must contain the following:

  • Commitment to us as the responsible party
  • Obligations and rights of the controller
  • Categories of data subjects
  • Type of personal data
  • Nature and purpose of data processing
  • Purpose and duration of data processing
  • Place of data processing

Furthermore, the contract contains all the obligations of the processor. The most important obligations are:

  • Measures to ensure data security
  • take all possible technical and organisational measures to protect the rights of the data subject
  • to maintain a data processing register
  • to cooperate with the data protection supervisory authority upon request
  • to carry out a risk assessment in relation to the personal data received
  • Sub-processors may only be engaged with the written authorisation of the controller.

You can see what such an AVV looks like in concrete terms at https://www.wko.at/service/wirtschaftsrecht-gewerberecht/eu-dsgvo-mustervertrag-auftragsverarbeitung.html, for example. A sample contract is presented here.

Cookies

Cookies Summary
👥 Affected persons: Visitors to the website
🤝 Purpose: Depends on the respective cookie. More details can be found below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie.
📓 Processed data: Depends on the respective cookie used. More details can be found below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie.
📅 Storage period: depends on the respective cookie, can vary from hours to years
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent), Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests)

What are cookies?

Our website uses HTTP cookies to store user-specific data.
Below, we explain what cookies are and why they are used so that you can better understand the following privacy policy.

Whenever you surf the Internet, you use a browser. Well-known browsers include Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. Most websites store small text files in your browser. These files are called cookies.

One thing cannot be denied: cookies are really useful little helpers. Almost all websites use cookies. More specifically, they use HTTP cookies, as there are other types of cookies for other areas of application. HTTP cookies are small files that are stored on your computer by our website. These cookie files are automatically stored in the cookie folder, which is essentially the ‘brain’ of your browser. A cookie consists of a name and a value. When defining a cookie, one or more attributes must also be specified.

Cookies store certain user data about you, such as language or personal page settings. When you visit our site again, your browser transmits the ‘user-related’ information back to our site. Thanks to cookies, our website knows who you are and offers you the settings you are used to. In some browsers, each cookie has its own file, while in others, such as Firefox, all cookies are stored in a single file.

There are both first-party cookies and third-party cookies. First-party cookies are created directly by our site, while third-party cookies are created by partner websites (e.g. Google Analytics). Each cookie must be evaluated individually, as each cookie stores different data. The expiry time of a cookie also varies from a few minutes to a few years. Cookies are not software programmes and do not contain viruses, Trojans or other ‘malware’. Cookies cannot access information on your PC.

Cookie data may look like this, for example:

Name: _ga
Value: GA1.2.1326744211.152113028207-9
Purpose: Distinguishing website visitors
Expiry date: After 2 years

A browser should be able to support these minimum sizes:

  • At least 4096 bytes per cookie
  • At least 50 cookies per domain
  • At least 3,000 cookies in total

What types of cookies are there?

The question of which cookies we use specifically depends on the services used and is clarified in the following sections of the privacy policy. At this point, we would like to briefly discuss the different types of HTTP cookies.

There are four types of cookies:

Essential cookies
These cookies are necessary to ensure the basic functionality of the website. For example, these cookies are needed when a user adds a product to their shopping basket, then continues browsing other pages and only proceeds to checkout later. These cookies ensure that the shopping basket is not deleted, even if the user closes their browser window.

Functional cookies
These cookies collect information about user behaviour and whether the user receives any error messages. These cookies are also used to measure the loading time and behaviour of the website in different browsers.

Targeted cookies
These cookies improve user-friendliness. For example, they store locations, font sizes or form data that you have entered.

Advertising cookies
These cookies are also known as targeting cookies. They are used to deliver personalised advertising to the user. This can be very practical, but also very annoying.te

When you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked which types of cookies you would like to allow. And, of course, this decision is also stored in a cookie.

If you would like to learn more about cookies and are not afraid of technical documentation, we recommend https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265, the Request for Comments from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) entitled ‘HTTP State Management Mechanism’.

Cookie-Management

We use the consent tool ‘Real Cookie Banner’ to manage the cookies and similar technologies (tracking pixels, web beacons, etc.) we use and the related consents. Details on how ‘Real Cookie Banner’ works can be found at <a href=”https://devowl.io/de/rcb/datenverarbeitung/” rel=”noreferrer” target=”_blank”>https://devowl.io/de/rcb/datenverarbeitung</a< >.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data in this context is Article 6(1)(c) GDPR and Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest is the management of the cookies and similar technologies used and the related consents.

The provision of personal data is neither contractually required nor necessary for the conclusion of a contract. You are not obliged to provide personal data. If you do not provide personal data, we cannot manage your consents.

Purpose of processing via cookies

The purpose ultimately depends on the respective cookie. More details can be found below or from the manufacturer of the software that sets the cookie.

What data is processed?

Cookies are little helpers for many different tasks. Unfortunately, it is not possible to generalise about what data is stored in cookies, but we will inform you about the data processed or stored in the following privacy policy.

Cookie storage period

The storage period depends on the cookie in question and is specified below. Some cookies are deleted after less than an hour, while others can remain stored on a computer for several years.

You also have control over how long cookies are stored. You can manually delete all cookies at any time via your browser (see also ‘Right to object’ below). Furthermore, cookies based on consent will be deleted at the latest after you revoke your consent, whereby the legality of the storage remains unaffected until then.

Right to object – how can I delete cookies?

You decide for yourself how and whether you want to use cookies. Regardless of which service or website the cookies come from, you always have the option to delete, deactivate or only partially allow cookies. For example, you can block third-party cookies but allow all other cookies.

If you want to find out which cookies have been stored in your browser, or if you want to change or delete cookie settings, you can find this in your browser settings:

Chrome: Delete, enable, and manage cookies in Chrome

Safari: Manage cookies and website data with Safari

Firefox: Delete cookies to remove data that websites have stored on your computer

Internet Explorer: Delete and manage cookies

Microsoft Edge: Delete and manage cookies

If you do not want cookies at all, you can set your browser to always inform you when a cookie is about to be set. This allows you to decide whether to accept or reject each individual cookie. The procedure varies depending on the browser. The best way to find the instructions is to search Google using the search term ‘delete cookies Chrome’ or ‘disable cookies Chrome’ if you are using the Chrome browser.

legal basis

The so-called ‘cookie guidelines’ have been in place since 2009. These stipulate that the storage of cookies requires your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). However, there are still very different responses to these guidelines within EU countries. In Austria, however, this directive was implemented in Section 165(3) of the Telecommunications Act (2021). In Germany, the cookie guidelines have not been implemented as national law. Instead, this directive has been largely implemented in Section 15(3) of the Telemedia Act (TMG), which was replaced by the Digital Services Act (DDG) in May 2024.

There are legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) for strictly necessary cookies, even if no consent has been given, which are mostly of an economic nature. We want to provide visitors to the website with a pleasant user experience, and certain cookies are often absolutely necessary for this.

If cookies that are not absolutely necessary are used, this will only happen with your consent. The legal basis for this is Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

The following sections provide more detailed information about the use of cookies, provided that the software used employs cookies.

Web hosting introduction

Web hosting summary
👥 Affected persons: Website visitors
🤝 Purpose: Professional hosting of the website and securing its operation
📓 Processed data: IP address, time of website visit, browser used and other data. More details can be found below or from the respective web hosting provider.
📅 Storage period: depends on the respective provider, but usually 2 weeks
⚖️ Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interests)

What is web hosting?

When you visit websites today, certain information – including personal data – is automatically generated and stored, and this website is no exception. This data should be processed as sparingly as possible and only when justified. By website, we mean all web pages on a domain, i.e. everything from the home page to the very last subpage (such as this one). By domain, we mean, for example, example.co.uk or sampleexample.com.

If you want to view a website on a computer, tablet or smartphone, you use a programme called a web browser. You probably know some web browsers by name: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari. We refer to them simply as browsers or web browsers.

To display the website, the browser must connect to another computer where the website code is stored: the web server. Operating a web server is a complicated and time-consuming task, which is why it is usually handled by professional providers. These providers offer web hosting and thus ensure reliable and error-free storage of website data. That’s a lot of technical terms, but please stay with us, it gets even better!

When the browser on your computer (desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone) establishes a connection and during data transmission to and from the web server, personal data may be processed. On the one hand, your computer stores data, and on the other hand, the web server must also store data for a period of time to ensure proper operation.

Why do we process personal data?

The purposes of data processing are:

  1. Professional website hosting and operational security
  2. to maintain operational and IT security
  3. Anonymous evaluation of access behaviour to improve our offering and, if necessary, for criminal prosecution or the pursuit of claims.

What data is processed?

Even as you are currently visiting our website, our web server, which is the computer where this website is stored, usually automatically saves data such as

  • the complete Internet address (URL) of the website accessed
  • Browser and browser version (e.g. Chrome 87)
  • the operating system used (e.g. Windows 10)
  • the address (URL) of the previously visited page (referrer URL) (e.g. https://www.beispielquellsite.de/vondabinichgekommen/)
  • the host name and IP address of the device from which access is being made (e.g. COMPUTERNAME and 194.23.43.121)
  • Date and time
  • in files, known as web server log files

How long is data stored?

As a rule, the above data is stored for two weeks and then automatically deleted. We do not pass on this data, but cannot rule out the possibility that it may be accessed by authorities in the event of unlawful behaviour.

In short: your visit is logged by our provider (the company that runs our website on special computers (servers)), but we do not pass on your data without your consent!

legal basis

The lawfulness of the processing of personal data in the context of web hosting is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (protection of legitimate interests), as the use of professional hosting by a provider is necessary in order to present the company on the internet in a secure and user-friendly manner and to be able to pursue any attacks and claims arising from this.

We generally have a contract with the hosting provider for order processing in accordance with Art. 28 f. GDPR, which ensures compliance with data protection and guarantees data security.

HostEurope Privacy Policy

We use HostEurope, a web hosting provider, for our website. The service provider is the German company Host Europe GmbH, Hansestrasse 111, 51149 Cologne, Germany.

For more information about the data processed through the use of HostEurope, please refer to the privacy policy at https://www.hosteurope.de/AGB/Datenschutzerklaerung/.

Order Processing Agreement (OPA) HostEurope

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with HostEurope in accordance with Article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can read about what exactly a DPA is and, above all, what must be included in a DPA in our general section ‘Data Processing Agreement (DPA)’.

This contract is required by law because HostEurope processes personal data on our behalf. It clarifies that HostEurope may only process data received from us in accordance with our instructions and must comply with the GDPR. The link to the data processing agreement (DPA) can be found at https://www.hosteurope.de/Dokumente/.

Explanation of terms used

We always strive to make our privacy policy as clear and understandable as possible. However, this is not always easy, especially when it comes to technical and legal issues. It often makes sense to use legal terms (such as personal data) or certain technical terms (such as cookies, IP address). However, we do not want to use them without explanation. Below you will find an alphabetical list of important terms used that we may not have covered sufficiently in the previous privacy policy. If these terms are taken from the GDPR and are definitions, we will also cite the GDPR texts here and add our own explanations where necessary.

processor

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

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

Explanation: As a company and website owner, we are responsible for all data that we process from you. In addition to the controllers, there may also be so-called processors. This includes any company or person who processes personal data on our behalf. Processors can therefore be service providers such as tax advisors, but also hosting or cloud providers, payment or newsletter providers, or large companies such as Google or Microsoft.

consent

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

‘Consent’ of the data subject means any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject’s wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her;

Explanation: On websites, such consent is usually given via a cookie consent tool. You are probably familiar with this. Whenever you visit a website for the first time, you are usually asked via a banner whether you agree to or consent to data processing. In most cases, you can also configure individual settings and thus decide for yourself which data processing you allow and which you do not. If you do not give your consent, no personal data relating to you may be processed. In principle, consent can of course also be given in writing, i.e. not via a tool.

Personal data

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

‘Personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as ‘data subject’); A natural person is considered identifiable if they can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by association with an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

Explanation: Personal data is therefore any data that can be used to identify you as a person. This usually includes data such as:

  • name
  • adress
  • e-mail address
  • postal address
  • telephone number
  • date of birth
  • Identification numbers such as social security number, tax identification number, identity card number or matriculation number
  • Bank details such as account number, credit information, account balances and much more.

According to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), your IP address is also considered personal data. IT experts can use your IP address to determine at least the approximate location of your device and subsequently identify you as the connection owner. Therefore, storing an IP address also requires a legal basis within the meaning of the GDPR. There are also so-called ‘special categories’ of personal data that are particularly worthy of protection. These include:

  • racial and ethnic origin
  • political opinions
  • religious or ideological beliefs
  • trade union membership
  • genetic data, such as data obtained from blood or saliva samples
  • biometric data (information about psychological, physical or behavioural characteristics that can identify a person).
    health information
  • Data on sexual orientation or sex life

profiling

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

‘Profiling’ means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of such 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;

Explanation: Profiling involves gathering various pieces of information about a person in order to learn more about them. In the web sector, profiling is often used for advertising purposes or for credit checks. Web and advertising analytics programs, for example, collect data about your behavior and interests on a website. This results in a special user profile that can be used to target advertising to a specific audience.

Controller

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

‘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; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law;

Explanation: In our case, we are responsible for processing your personal data and are therefore the ‘controller’. When we pass on collected data to other service providers for processing, these are ‘processors’. For this, a “Data Processing Agreement (DPA)” must be signed.

Processing

Definition according to Article 4 of the GDPR

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

‘Processing’ means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, distribution or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction;

Note: When we refer to processing in our privacy policy, we mean any type of data processing. As mentioned above in the original GDPR declaration, this includes not only the collection but also the storage and processing of data.

All texts are protected by copyright.