Cookies

Use of cookies

Cookies are text files that contain data from visited websites or domains and are stored by a browser on the user's computer. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user during or after their visit to an online service. The stored information can include, for example, the language settings on a website, the login status, a shopping cart, or the location at which a video was viewed.

Cookies also include other technologies that perform the same functions as cookies (e.g., when user information is stored using pseudonymous online identifiers, also known as "user IDs")

The following cookie types and functions are distinguished:

  • Temporary cookies (also: session cookies) : Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offering and closed his browser.
  • Persistent cookies : Persistent cookies remain stored even after the browser is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. Likewise, the interests of

Users who use this information for reach measurement or marketing purposes are stored in such a cookie.

  • First-party cookies : First-party cookies are set by us ourselves.
  • Third-party cookies (also: third-party cookies): Third-party cookies are mainly

used by advertisers (so-called third parties) to process user information.

  • Necessary (also: essential or absolutely necessary) Cookies : Cookies may be absolutely necessary for the operation of a website (e.g. to store logins or other user input or for security reasons).
  • Statistics, marketing and personalization cookies: Furthermore, cookies are generally also used for reach measurement purposes, as well as when a user's interests or behavior (e.g., viewing certain content, using functions, etc.) on individual websites are stored in a user profile. Such profiles serve to show users content that corresponds to their potential interests. This process is also referred to as "tracking," i.e., tracking the potential interests of users. If we use cookies or "tracking" technologies, we will inform you separately in our privacy policy or when obtaining consent.

Notes on legal bases

On what legal basis we process your personal data with

Whether we process your data with the help of cookies depends on whether we ask for your consent. If this applies and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for processing your data is your declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the help of cookies will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g., in the commercial operation of our online offering and its improvement) or, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations.

Storage period

Unless we provide you with explicit information about the storage period of permanent cookies

(e.g. as part of a so-called cookie opt-in), please assume that the storage period can be up to two years.

General information on revocation and objection (opt-out)

Depending on whether the processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the option at any time to revoke your consent or to object to the processing of your data using cookie technologies.

(collectively referred to as "opt-out"). You can initially declare your objection by means of your browser settings, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also limit the functionality of our online service). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be made by means of a

A variety of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info

and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/. You can also find further information about your objection in the information about the service providers and cookies used.

Processing of cookie data based on consent

Before we process data as part of the

If we process or have processed the use of cookies, we ask users for consent that can be revoked at any time. Until consent is given, only cookies that are absolutely necessary for the operation of our online offering will be used.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis : Consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6

Paragraph 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

In order to provide our online offering securely and efficiently, we utilize the services of one or more web hosting providers, from whose servers (or servers managed by them) the online offering can be accessed. For these purposes, we may use infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space, and database services, as well as security and technical maintenance services.

The data processed in the context of providing the hosting service may include all information concerning the users of our online offering that arises during use and communication. This usually includes the IP address, which is necessary to deliver the content of online offerings to browsers, and all entries made within our online offering or on websites.

Collection of access data and log files

We (or our web hosting provider) collect data on every access to the server (so-called server log files). These server log files may include the address and name of the accessed web pages and files, the date and time of access, the amount of data transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user's operating system,

Referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. Server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g., to prevent server overload (particularly in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure server utilization and stability.

  • Types of data processed : 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).

  • Data subjects : users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis : Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).