Privacy Policy

1. Data Protection at a Glance

General notes

The following notes provide 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 identify you personally. For detailed information on data protection, please refer to 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. You can find their contact details in the “Notice on the Responsible Party” section of this privacy policy.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected in part by you providing it to us. This may include, for example, data that you enter into a contact form.

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

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected to ensure the error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right at any time to receive information free of charge about the origin, recipient, 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 consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time for the future. You also have the right, under certain circumstances, to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

You can contact us at any time regarding this and other questions about data protection.

2. Hosting

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

webgo

The provider is webgo GmbH, Heidenkampsweg 81, 20097 Hamburg (hereinafter “webgo”). When you visit our website, webgo collects various log files including your IP addresses.

Details can be found in webgo’s privacy policy: https://www.webgo.de/datenschutz/.

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

Data Processing Agreement

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with the above-mentioned provider. This is a contract required by data protection law that ensures they process the personal data of our website visitors only according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

3. General Information and Mandatory Information

Privacy

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

When you use this website, various personal data is collected. Personal data is data that can be used to identify you personally. 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.

We point out that data transmission over the internet (e.g., when communicating by email) may have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data from access by third parties is not possible.

Notice on the Responsible Party

The responsible party for data processing on this website is:

Thomas Gesang
Sprachtreff Frankfurt
Alte Gasse 27-29
60313 Frankfurt/M.

Phone: 069-773807
Email: info@sprachtreff.de

The responsible party 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

Unless a more specific storage period has been stated within this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for deletion or revoke consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., tax or commercial retention periods); in the latter case, deletion will occur after these reasons 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 Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR or Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR, if special categories of data according to Art. 9(1) GDPR are processed. In the case of explicit consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, data processing is also carried out on the basis of Art. 49(1)(a) GDPR. If you have consented to the storage of cookies or access to information on your device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), data processing is additionally carried out on the basis of Section 25(1) TTDSG. Consent can be revoked at any time. If your data is required for the performance of a contract or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, we process your data on the basis of Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data if it is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation on the basis of Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR. Data processing may also be carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest according to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Information on the relevant legal basis in each individual case is provided in the following paragraphs of this privacy policy.

Notice on Data Transfer to the USA and Other Third Countries

We use, among other things, tools from companies based in the USA or other third countries that are not secure under data protection law. When these tools are active, your personal data may be transferred to these third countries and processed there. We point out that no level of data protection comparable to that in the EU can be guaranteed in these countries. For example, US companies are required to disclose personal data to security authorities without you as the data subject being able to take legal action against this. It cannot therefore be ruled out that US authorities (e.g., intelligence services) may process, evaluate, and permanently store your data on US servers for monitoring purposes. We have no influence on these processing activities.

Revocation of Your Consent to Data Processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your explicit consent. You can revoke consent you have already given at any time. The lawfulness of data processing carried out until the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right to Object to Data Collection in Special Cases and to Direct Marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

IF DATA PROCESSING IS BASED ON ART. 6(1)(E) OR (F) GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME TO OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION; 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 THAT OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS, OR THE PROCESSING SERVES THE ASSERTION, EXERCISE, OR DEFENSE OF LEGAL CLAIMS (OBJECTION UNDER ART. 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 PERSONAL DATA CONCERNING YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MARKETING; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING INSOFAR AS IT IS RELATED TO SUCH DIRECT MARKETING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL SUBSEQUENTLY NO LONGER BE USED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES (OBJECTION UNDER ART. 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, particularly in the member state of their habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged violation. The right to lodge a complaint exists without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in fulfillment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a common, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of data to another controller, this will only be done to the extent that it is technically feasible.

Information, Deletion, and Correction

Within the framework of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipients, and the purpose of data processing and, if applicable, a right to correction or deletion of this data. You can contact us at any time regarding this and other questions about personal data.

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 for this purpose. The right to restriction of processing exists in the following cases:

If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored with us, we usually need time to verify this. For the duration of the review, 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 deletion.
If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it for the exercise, defense, or assertion of legal claims, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of deletion.
If you have lodged an objection under Art. 21(1) GDPR, a balance must be struck between your interests and ours. As long as it has not yet been determined 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 assertion, 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

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator, this site uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

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

Objection to Promotional Emails

We hereby object to the use of contact data published as part of the imprint obligation for sending unsolicited advertising and information materials. The operators of the pages expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of unsolicited sending of advertising information, such as spam emails.

4. Data Collection on This Website

Cookies

Our website uses so-called “cookies.” Cookies are small data packets and do not cause any damage to your device. They are stored either temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (permanent cookies) on your device. Session cookies are automatically deleted after your visit ends. Permanent cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them yourself or automatic deletion is performed by your web browser.

In some cases, cookies from third-party companies may also be stored on your device when you enter our site (third-party cookies). These enable us or you to use certain services of the third-party company (e.g., cookies for processing payment services).

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

Cookies that are necessary to carry out the electronic communication process, to provide certain functions you have requested (e.g., for the shopping cart function), or to optimize the website (e.g., cookies for measuring web audiences) (necessary cookies) are stored on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing necessary cookies for the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. If consent to the storage of cookies and comparable recognition technologies has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of this consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and Section 25(1) TTDSG); consent can be revoked at any time.

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies on a case-by-case basis, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general, and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If cookies are deactivated, the functionality of this website may be limited.

Insofar as cookies from third-party companies or for analysis purposes are used, we will inform you of this separately within the framework of this privacy policy and, if applicable, request consent.

Consent with Usercentrics

This website uses consent technology from Usercentrics to obtain your consent to the storage of certain cookies on your device or to the use of certain technologies and to document this in a data protection-compliant manner. The provider of this technology is Usercentrics GmbH, Sendlinger Straße 7, 80331 Munich, website: https://usercentrics.com/de/ (hereinafter “Usercentrics”).

When you enter our website, the following personal data is transferred to Usercentrics:

Your consent(s) or the revocation of your consent(s)
Your IP address
Information about your browser
Information about your device
Time of your visit to the website

Furthermore, Usercentrics stores a cookie in your browser to be able to assign the consents you have given or their revocation to you. The data collected in this way is stored until you request us to delete it, delete the Usercentrics cookie yourself, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies. Mandatory legal retention obligations remain unaffected.

Usercentrics is used to obtain the legally required consents for the use of certain technologies. The legal basis for this is Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR.

Data Processing Agreement

Contact Form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the inquiry form, including the contact data you provided there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We do not pass on this data without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR, if your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) if this has been requested; consent can be revoked at any time.

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

Inquiry by Email, Phone, or Fax

If you contact us by email, phone, 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 do not pass on this data without your consent.

The data you send to us via contact inquiries will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—particularly statutory retention periods—remain unaffected.

5. Newsletter

Newsletter Data

If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require an email address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided and that you agree to receive the newsletter. No further data is collected, or only on a voluntary basis. For the handling of newsletters, we use newsletter service providers, which are described below.

Sendinblue

This website uses Sendinblue for sending newsletters. The provider is Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Straße 126, 10179 Berlin, Germany.

Sendinblue is a service with which, among other things, the sending of newsletters can be organized and analyzed. The data you enter for the purpose of receiving newsletters is stored on Sendinblue’s servers in Germany.

Data Analysis by Sendinblue

With the help of Sendinblue, we can analyze our newsletter campaigns. For example, we can see whether a newsletter message has been opened and which links may have been clicked. In this way, we can determine, among other things, which links were clicked particularly often.

We can also see whether certain previously defined actions were performed after opening/clicking (conversion rate). For example, we can see whether you made a purchase after clicking on the newsletter.

Sendinblue also allows us to divide newsletter recipients into different categories (“clustering”). For example, newsletter recipients can be divided by age, gender, or place of residence. In this way, newsletters can be better adapted to the respective target groups.

If you do not want analysis by Sendinblue, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter. For this purpose, we provide a corresponding link in every newsletter message.

Detailed information on the functions of Sendinblue can be found at the following link: https://de.sendinblue.com/newsletter-software/.

Legal Basis

Data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time. The lawfulness of data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

Storage Duration

The data you have deposited with us for the purpose of receiving the newsletter will be stored by us or the newsletter service provider until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and deleted from the newsletter distribution list after you unsubscribe from the newsletter. Data stored by us for other purposes remains unaffected by this.

After you unsubscribe from the newsletter distribution list, your email address may be stored by us or the newsletter service provider in a blacklist, if necessary, to prevent future mailings. The data from the blacklist is used only for this purpose and is not merged with other data. This serves both your interest and our interest in complying with legal requirements when sending newsletters (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Storage in the blacklist is not time-limited. You can object to the storage if your interests outweigh our legitimate interest.

For more details, please refer to Sendinblue’s privacy policy at: https://de.sendinblue.com/datenschutz-uebersicht/.

Data Processing Agreement

6. Plugins and Tools

YouTube with Enhanced Privacy Protection

This website embeds videos from the YouTube website. The operator of the pages is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

We use YouTube in enhanced privacy mode. According to YouTube, this mode means that YouTube does not store information about visitors to this website before they watch the video. However, the sharing of data with YouTube partners is not necessarily excluded by enhanced privacy mode. For example, YouTube establishes a connection to the Google DoubleClick network regardless of whether you watch a video.

As soon as you start a YouTube video on this website, a connection to YouTube’s servers is established. This tells the YouTube server which of our pages you have visited. If you are logged into your YouTube account, you enable YouTube to assign your browsing behavior directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

Furthermore, after starting a video, YouTube may store various cookies on your device or use comparable recognition technologies (e.g., device fingerprinting). In this way, YouTube can obtain information about visitors to this website. This information is used, among other things, to collect video statistics, improve user-friendliness, and prevent fraud attempts.

After starting a YouTube video, further data processing operations may be triggered over which we have no control.

The use of YouTube is in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offerings. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. If appropriate consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and Section 25(1) TTDSG, 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 TTDSG. Consent can be revoked at any time.

Further information on data protection at YouTube can be found in their privacy policy at: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google Fonts (Local Hosting)

This site uses so-called Google Fonts, provided by Google, for the uniform display of fonts. The Google Fonts are installed locally. No connection to Google’s servers takes place.

Further information on Google Fonts can be found at https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq and in Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google Maps

This site uses the map service Google Maps. The provider is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

To use the functions of Google Maps, it is necessary to store your IP address. This information is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. The provider of this site has no influence on this data transmission. When Google Maps is activated, Google may use Google Fonts for the purpose of uniform display of fonts. When you access Google Maps, your browser loads the required web fonts into your browser cache to display texts and fonts correctly.

The use of Google Maps is in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offerings and easy location of the places we indicate on the website. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. If appropriate consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and Section 25(1) TTDSG, 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 TTDSG. Consent can be revoked at any time.

Data transfer to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/gdprcontrollerterms/ and https://privacy.google.com/businesses/gdprcontrollerterms/sccs/.

More information on the handling of user data can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Google reCAPTCHA

We use “Google reCAPTCHA” (hereinafter “reCAPTCHA”) on this website. The provider is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

reCAPTCHA is intended to verify whether data entry on this website (e.g., in a contact form) is performed by a human or by an automated program. To do this, reCAPTCHA analyzes the behavior of the website visitor based on various characteristics. This analysis begins automatically as soon as the website visitor enters the website. For the analysis, reCAPTCHA evaluates various information (e.g., IP address, length of time the website visitor spends on the website, or mouse movements made by the user). The data collected during the analysis is forwarded to Google.

reCAPTCHA analyses run entirely in the background. Website visitors are not informed that an analysis is taking place.

Data storage and analysis is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in protecting its web offerings from abusive automated spying and spam. If appropriate consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and Section 25(1) TTDSG, 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 TTDSG. Consent can be revoked at any time.

Further information on Google reCAPTCHA can be found in Google’s privacy policy and terms of use at the following links: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de and https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=de.

ManageWP

We manage this website using the ManageWP tool. The provider is GoDaddy.com WP Europe, Trg republike 5, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (hereinafter ManageWP).

With ManageWP, we can, among other things, monitor the security and performance of our website and create automatic backups. ManageWP therefore has access to all content of the website, including our databases. ManageWP is hosted on the provider’s servers.

The use of ManageWP is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the most effective and secure operation of its website(s). If appropriate consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and Section 25(1) TTDSG, 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 TTDSG. Consent can be revoked at any time.

Data Processing Agreement

7. eCommerce and Payment Providers

Processing of Customer and Contract Data

We collect, process, and use personal customer and contract data to establish, structure, and modify our contractual relationships. We collect, process, and use personal data on the use of this website (usage data) only to the extent necessary to enable the user to use the service or to bill for it. The legal basis for this is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR.

The collected customer data will be deleted after completion of the order or termination of the business relationship and expiration of any existing statutory retention periods. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

8. Audio and Video Conferences

Data Processing

For communication with our customers, we use, among other things, online conference tools. The tools we use in detail are listed below. If you communicate with us via video or audio conference over the internet, your personal data will be collected and processed by us and the provider of the respective conference tool.

The conference tools collect all data that you provide/use to use the tools (email address and/or your phone number). Furthermore, the conference tools process the duration of the conference, start and end (time) of participation in the conference, number of participants, and other “context information” related to the communication process (metadata).

Furthermore, the provider of the tool processes all technical data necessary to conduct the online communication. This includes, in particular, IP addresses, MAC addresses, device IDs, device type, operating system type and version, client version, camera type, microphone or speaker, and the type of connection.

If content is exchanged, uploaded, or otherwise made available within the tool, it is also stored on the servers of the tool providers. Such content includes, in particular, cloud recordings, chat/instant messages, voicemails, uploaded photos and videos, files, whiteboards, and other information shared while using the service.

Please note that we do not have full control over the data processing operations of the tools used. Our options are largely determined by the corporate policy of the respective provider. Further information on data processing by the conference tools can be found in the privacy policies of the respective tools used, which we have listed below this text.

Purpose and Legal Basis

The conference tools are used to communicate with prospective or existing contractual partners or to provide certain services to our customers (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR). In addition, using these tools serves to generally simplify and speed up communication with us and our company (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Where consent has been requested, the relevant tools are used on the basis of that consent; consent can be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future.

Storage Duration

The data we collect directly via the video and conference tools is deleted from our systems as soon as you ask us to delete it, withdraw your consent to storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Stored cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

We have no influence on how long your data is stored when it is stored by the operators of the conference tools for their own purposes. For details, please contact the operators of the conference tools directly.

Conference tools used

We use the following conference tools:

Skype for Business

We use Skype for Business. The provider is Skype Communications SARL, 23-29 Rives de Clausen, L-2165 Luxembourg. For details on data processing, please refer to Skype’s privacy policy: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement/.

Data processing agreement

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with the provider named above. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only on our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.