Privacy Policy

This is a non-binding translation of the German legal notice.
The German version is legally binding.

1. Overview about general privacy policy

General information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is any data that can be used to personally identify you. Detailed information on data protection can be found in our privacy policy listed below this text.

Data collection on this website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. Their contact details can be found in the section “Information on the Responsible Party” in this privacy policy.

How do we collect your data?

On the one hand, your data is collected when you provide it to us. This could include, for example, data that you enter into a contact form.

Other data is collected automatically or with your consent by our IT systems when you visit the website. This is primarily technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you access this website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected to ensure the website functions correctly. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior. If contracts can be concluded or initiated via the website, the transmitted data will also be processed for contract offers, orders, or other order inquiries.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right to obtain information free of charge at any time regarding the origin, recipients, and purpose of your
stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction or deletion of this data. If you have given your consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time for the future. Furthermore, you have the right, under certain circumstances, to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

For this and other questions regarding data protection, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Analysis tools and third-party tools

When you visit this website, your browsing behavior may be statistically analyzed. This is done
primarily using so-called analytics programs.

Detailed information about these analytics programs can be found in the following
privacy policy.

2. Hosting

We host the content of our website with the following provider:

IONOS

The provider is IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur (hereinafter referred to as IONOS). When you visit our website, IONOS collects various log files, including your IP address. For details, please see the IONOS privacy policy:

https://www.ionos.de/terms-gtc/terms-privacy.

The use of IONOS is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in ensuring the most reliable presentation of our website. If consent has been obtained, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

Order processing

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service.

This is a legally required contract under data protection law, which ensures that the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

3. General information and mandatory disclosures

Privacy policy

The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.

When you use this website, various personal data are collected.

Personal data is data that can be used to personally identify you. This privacy policy explains what data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.

Please note that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., when communicating by email) can have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Note regarding the responsible body

The data controller for this website is:

Kristian Thiele
Am Birkenwäldchen 09
99334 Amt Wachsenburg
GERMANY
mail: info@kristianthiele.com

The data controller is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.).

Storage duration of data

Unless a more specific retention period is stated within this privacy policy,
your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies. If you submit a
legitimate request for erasure or withdraw your consent to data processing,
your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible grounds for storing your
personal data (e.g., tax or commercial law retention periods); in the latter case, the data will be deleted once these grounds cease to apply.

General information on the legal basis for data processing on this website

If you have consented to data processing, we process your personal data on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) GDPR or Article 9(2)(a) GDPR, if special categories of data are processed in accordance with Article 9(1) GDPR. In the case of explicit consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, data processing also takes place on the basis of Article 49(1)(a) GDPR. If you have consented to the storage of cookies or to access to information on your device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), data processing also takes place on the basis of Section 25(1) TDDDG. You can withdraw your consent at any time. If your data is required for the performance of a contract or for taking steps prior to entering into a contract, we process your data on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data if it is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation on the basis of Article 6(1)(c) GDPR.
Data processing may also be based on our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f
GDPR. Information on the applicable legal bases in each individual case is provided in the following
paragraphs of this privacy policy.

Recipients of personal data

As part of our business activities, we collaborate with various external parties. In some cases, this requires the transfer of personal data to these external parties.

We only disclose personal data to external parties if this is necessary for the performance of a contract, if we are legally obligated to do so (e.g., disclosure of data to tax authorities), if we have a legitimate interest in the disclosure pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, or if another legal basis permits the data transfer. When using data processors, we only transfer our customers’ personal data on the basis of a valid data processing agreement. In the case of joint processing, a joint processing agreement is concluded.

Revocation of your consent to data processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke your consent at any time. The legality of data processing carried out before the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right to object to data processing in special cases and to direct marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

If data processing is based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR,
you have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. The respective legal basis on which processing is based can be found in this privacy policy. If you object,
we will no longer process your personal data unless
we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing serves the purpose of establishing, exercising or defending legal claims (objection pursuant to Article 21(1) GDPR).

If your personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes,

you have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. If you object, your personal data will no longer be processed for direct marketing purposes (objection pursuant to Article 21(2) GDPR).

Right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, their place of work, or the place of the alleged infringement. This right to lodge a complaint is without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy.

Right to data portability

You have the right to receive the data that we process automatically based on your consent or in fulfillment of a contract, either for yourself or for a third party, in a commonly used, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only be done if it is technically feasible.

Information, correction and deletion

Under applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to receive free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipients, and the purpose of data processing, as well as, where applicable, the right to rectification or erasure of this data. For this purpose, and for any further questions regarding personal data, you can contact us at any time.

Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

You can contact us at any time to do so. The right to restrict processing exists in the following cases:

If you contest the accuracy of your personal data stored with us, we generally need time to verify this. For the duration of the verification, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If the processing of your personal data was/is unlawful, you can request the restriction of data processing instead of erasure.

If we no longer need your personal data, but you require it for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of erasure.

If you have objected to processing pursuant to Article 21(1) GDPR, a balancing of interests between your interests and ours must be carried out. As long as it is not yet clear whose interests prevail, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, this data may – apart from its storage – only be processed with your consent or for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

SSL or TLS encryption

This site uses SSL/TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential information, such as

orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator.

You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the browser’s address bar changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar.

When SSL/TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

4. Data collection on this website

Cookies

Our websites use so-called “cookies.” Cookies are small data packets and do not harm your device. They are stored on your device either temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (persistent cookies). Session cookies are automatically deleted after you leave our website. Persistent cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them yourself or until they are automatically deleted by your web browser.

Cookies can originate from us (first-party cookies) or from third-party companies (so-called third-party cookies). Third-party cookies enable the integration of certain services from third-party companies within websites (e.g., cookies for processing payment services).

Cookies have various functions. Many cookies are technically necessary because certain website functions would not work without them (e.g., the shopping cart function or the display of videos). Other cookies can be used to analyze user behavior or for advertising purposes.

Cookies that are necessary for carrying out electronic communication, for providing
certain functions you have requested (e.g., for the shopping cart function), or for optimizing the
website (e.g., cookies for measuring website traffic) (necessary cookies) are stored on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified.

The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing necessary cookies for the technically flawless and optimized provision of its services. If consent for the storage of cookies and similar recognition technologies has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of this consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 TDDDG); this consent can be revoked at any time.

You can configure your browser to inform you about the setting of cookies and to allow cookies only in individual cases, to exclude the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or in general, and to activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. Disabling cookies may limit the functionality of this website.

You can find information about which cookies and services are used on this website in this privacy policy.

Contact form

When you submit inquiries to us via our contact form, the information you provide in the inquiry form, including your contact details, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing your inquiry and for any follow-up questions. We will not share this data without your consent.

This data is processed on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) GDPR if your inquiry relates to the performance of a contract or is necessary for taking steps prior to entering into a contract. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of inquiries addressed to us (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) or on your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), if such consent has been requested; you may withdraw your consent at any time.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request its deletion, withdraw your consent to its storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your inquiry has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions –
in particular retention periods – remain unaffected.

Additional Metadata (Time Zone and Technical Information)

When using the contact form, in addition to the data you actively enter (e.g., name, email address, and message), technical metadata is automatically processed.

This includes, in particular, the time zone transmitted by the device used, which is used to correctly assign the request to the correct time (e.g., to display and sort incoming messages).

This processing is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest), as it serves the secure, reliable, and traceable handling of communication.

The collected metadata is not used for profiling or advertising purposes and is not shared with third parties.

Inquiries via email, telephone or fax

When you contact us by email, telephone, or fax, your inquiry, including all resulting personal data (name, inquiry), will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of handling your request. We will not share this data without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR if your inquiry relates to the performance of a contract or is necessary for taking steps prior to entering into a contract. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of inquiries addressed to us (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) or on your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), if such consent has been obtained; you may withdraw your consent at any time.

The data you send us via contact requests will remain with us until you request its deletion, withdraw your consent to its storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions –
in particular statutory retention periods – remain unaffected.

5. Plugins and tools

YouTube

This website embeds videos from YouTube. The website is operated by Google Ireland Limited
(“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

When you visit one of our web pages that includes embedded YouTube videos, a connection to YouTube’s servers is established. This informs the YouTube server which of our pages you have visited.

Furthermore, YouTube may store various cookies on your device or use similar technologies for recognition (e.g., device fingerprinting). In this way, YouTube can obtain information about visitors to this website. This information is used, among other things, to compile video statistics, improve user-friendliness, and prevent fraud. The collected data is also processed within the Google advertising network.

If you are logged into your YouTube account, you allow YouTube to directly associate your browsing behavior with your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

The use of YouTube is in our legitimate interest in presenting our online content in an appealing way.

This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. If corresponding
consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a
GDPR and Section 25 para. 1 TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to
information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

Further information on the handling of user data can be found in YouTube’s privacy policy
at:

https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

The company is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF).
The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA that aims to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Every company certified under the DPF commits to complying with these data protection standards. Further information can be obtained from the provider at the following link:

https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780.

Cookiebot

This website uses the Cookiebot cookie consent service from Cybot A/S, Havnegade 39,
1058 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Cookiebot is used to obtain consent from website visitors for the storage of certain cookies and to document this consent in accordance with data protection regulations.

The following data is processed in particular: IP address (anonymized), date and time of consent, browser information, and consent status.

This processing is based on Article 6(1)(c) GDPR (legal obligation) and Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in the legally compliant management of consents).

Further information: https://www.cookiebot.com/de/privacy-policy/

Zoom

For online meetings and video conferences, we use Zoom, a service provided by Zoom
Video Communications Inc., 55 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, CA 95113, USA.

When using Zoom, personal data is processed, in particular:
Name, email address, IP address, meeting metadata, audio, video, and chat content.

This processing is carried out for the purpose of facilitating communication in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) GDPR or based on your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

Data may be transferred to the USA. This transfer is based on
appropriate safeguards in accordance with Article 46 GDPR (e.g., standard contractual clauses).

Further information: https://explore.zoom.us/de/privacy/

Microsoft Teams

For online meetings and digital communication, we use Microsoft Teams, a service provided by Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA.

The following data is processed in particular: name, contact details, IP address, device information, and meeting content (audio, video, chat).

This processing is carried out for the purpose of facilitating communication in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) GDPR or based on your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

Microsoft also processes data in the USA based on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

Further information: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement

Discord

We use the Discord service for communication with prospective and existing customers,
provided by Discord Inc., 444 De Haro Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94107,
USA.

When using Discord, the following personal data is processed: username and profile information, IP address, device and connection data, as well as the content of messages, voice and video transmissions.

The use of Discord is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a
GDPR or – if the communication serves the purpose of initiating or executing a contract – pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR.

Data may be transferred to the USA. Discord uses appropriate safeguards for this purpose pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR (e.g., standard contractual clauses).

More information: https://discord.com/privacy