data protection declaration

1. Introduction

The following information is intended to provide you, as a “data subject,” with an overview of how we process your personal data and your rights under data protection laws. In general, you can use our website without providing any personal data. However, if you wish to use specific services offered by our company via our website, the processing of personal data may be necessary. If the processing of personal data is necessary and there is no legal basis for such processing, we will generally obtain your consent.

The processing of personal data, such as your name, address, or email address, is always carried out in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and in compliance with the state-specific data protection regulations applicable to “Gesellschaft für Technische Visualistik mbH.” Through this privacy policy, we would like to inform you about the scope and purpose of the personal data we collect, use, and process.

As the data controller, we have implemented numerous technical and organizational measures to ensure the most comprehensive protection possible for the personal data processed via this website. However, internet-based data transmissions may inherently involve security vulnerabilities, meaning that absolute protection cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, you are free to provide us with personal data through alternative channels, such as by phone or mail.

2. Controller

The controller within the meaning of the GDPR is:
GTV - Gesellschaft für Technische Visualistik mbH
Würzburger Str. 58, 01187 Dresden, Germany

Phone: 0351 275 0023 0
E-Mail: datenschutz@visualistik.de

3. Data Protection Officer

You can contact our Data Protection Officer using this FORM or by using the contact information provided above, addressed to the Data Protection Officer.

Data subjects may contact us or our Data Protection Officer at any time with questions or suggestions regarding data protection.

4. Legal basis for processing

Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR (in conjunction with Section 25(1) of the TTDSG) serves as the legal basis for our company’s processing operations in which we obtain consent for a specific processing purpose.

If the processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party—as is the case, for example, with processing operations required for the delivery of goods or the provision of other services or consideration—the processing is based on Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. The same applies to processing operations necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, such as in cases of inquiries regarding our products or services.

If our company is subject to a legal obligation that requires the processing of personal data — such as to fulfill tax obligations — the processing is based on Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR.

In rare cases, the processing of personal data may be necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person. This would be the case, for example, if a visitor were injured on our premises and their name, age, health insurance information, or other vital information had to be disclosed to a doctor, a hospital, or other third parties. In such cases, the processing would be based on Article 6(1)(d) of the GDPR.

Ultimately, processing operations may be based on Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. This legal basis applies to processing operations not covered by any of the aforementioned legal bases, provided that the processing is necessary to safeguard a legitimate interest of our company or a third party, unless the interests, fundamental rights, and freedoms of the data subject override those interests. We are permitted to carry out such processing operations in particular because they have been specifically mentioned by the European legislator. In this regard, the legislator took the view that a legitimate interest could be assumed if you are a customer of our company (Recital 47, Sentence 2 of the GDPR).

5. Disclosure of Data to Third Parties

Your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties for any purposes other than those listed below.

We will only disclose your personal data to third parties if:

You have given us your explicit consent to do so pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR,
The disclosure is permissible pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interests, and there is no reason to assume that you have an overriding legitimate interest in the non-disclosure of your data,
in the event that there is a legal obligation to disclose the data pursuant to Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR, and
this is legally permissible and necessary pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR for the performance of contractual relationships with you.

To protect your data and, where necessary, to enable the transfer of data to third countries (outside the EU/EEA), we have entered into data processing agreements based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. If the Standard Contractual Clauses are insufficient to ensure an adequate level of security, your consent pursuant to Article 49(1)(a) of the GDPR may serve as the legal basis for the transfer to third countries. This does not apply, however, to data transfers to third countries for which the European Commission has issued an adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of the GDPR.

As part of the processing operations described in this Privacy Policy, personal data may be transferred to the United States. The United States does not have an adequate level of data protection (ECJ: Schrems II ruling). In particular, U.S. law enforcement agencies may compel U.S. companies to hand over or disclose personal data without the data subjects having an effective legal remedy against such actions. Consequently, there is a possibility that your personal data may be processed by U.S. investigative authorities. We have no influence over these processing activities. To protect your data, we have entered into data processing agreements based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. If the Standard Contractual Clauses are insufficient to ensure an adequate level of security, your consent pursuant to Article 49(1)(a) of the GDPR may serve as the legal basis for the transfer to third countries. This does not apply, however, to data transfers to third countries for which the European Commission has issued an adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of the GDPR.

6. Technology

6.1 SSL/TLS encryption

This site uses SSL or TLS encryption to ensure the security of data processing and to protect the transmission of confidential information—such as orders, login credentials, or contact requests—that you send to us as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the browser’s address bar displays “https://” instead of “http://” and by the lock icon in your browser’s address bar.

We use this technology to protect the data you transmit.

6.2 Hosting provided by Host Europe

We host our website with Host Europe GmbH, Hansestraße 111, 51149 Cologne (referred to as Host Europe).

When you visit our website, your personal data (e.g., IP addresses in log files) is processed on Host Europe’s servers.

The use of Host Europe is based on Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in ensuring the most reliable possible presentation, provision, and security of our website.

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR with Host Europe. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures Host Europe processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

For more information on Host Europe’s privacy policy, please visit: https://www.hosteurope.de/AGB/Datenschutzerklaerung/

7. Cookies

7.1 General Information About Cookies

Cookies are small files that your browser automatically creates and that are stored on your device (laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.) when you visit our website.

The cookie stores information related to the specific device you are using. However, this does not mean that we thereby gain direct knowledge of your identity.

We use cookies to make your experience on our website more enjoyable. For example, we use so-called session cookies to recognize that you have already visited certain pages on our website. These are automatically deleted when you leave our site.

In addition, to optimize user-friendliness, we also use temporary cookies that are stored on your device for a specific, predetermined period of time. If you visit our site again to use our services, the system automatically recognizes that you have previously visited us and recalls the entries and settings you made, so you do not have to re-enter them.

7.2 Microsoft Clarity
On our website, we use Microsoft Clarity (“Clarity”), a web analytics service provided by Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA.
Clarity uses cookies and other tracking technologies, among other things, to analyze user behavior on our website. In doing so, pseudonymized user profiles are created.

The following data, among others, is processed:

Browser type and version
Operating system used
Referrer URL
IP address (truncated or pseudonymized)
Mouse movements, clicks, and scrolling behavior
Screen size and language settings

This information is used to generate reports on website activity and to make our website more user-friendly.

Data processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR in conjunction with Section 25(1) of the TDDDG (consent for access to end devices).

Microsoft is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. An adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of the GDPR is in place.

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

7.3 Microsoft Bookings
We use Microsoft Bookings, a service provided by Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA, for online appointment booking.

When you click the booking button, an external service (Bookings) is integrated, allowing Microsoft to set cookies and access information on your device.

The following data may be processed:

Last name, first name
Email address
Phone number
Preferred method of communication (e.g., phone, video conference)
Content of your request
Date and time of request and appointment

Processing takes place only with your consent in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR in conjunction with § 25(1) TDDDG. Alternatively, appointments can be scheduled by phone or email.

8. Content on our website

8.1 Contact Us / Contact Form

When you contact us (e.g., via the contact form or email), personal data is collected. The specific data collected when using a contact form is indicated on the respective contact form. This data is stored and used exclusively for the purpose of responding to your inquiry or for establishing contact and the associated technical administration. The legal basis for processing the data is our legitimate interest in responding to your inquiry pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. If your contact is aimed at concluding a contract, the additional legal basis for processing is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. Your data will be deleted after your inquiry has been fully processed; this is the case when it can be inferred from the circumstances that the matter in question has been conclusively resolved and there are no legal retention obligations preventing deletion.

9. Newsletter distribution

9.1 Advertising Newsletter

Our website offers you the opportunity to subscribe to our company’s newsletter. The personal data provided to us when you subscribe to the newsletter is determined by the form used for this purpose.

We regularly inform our customers and business partners about our offers via a newsletter. You can generally only receive our company’s newsletter if

you have a valid email address and
you have registered to receive the newsletter.

For legal reasons, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you initially provided for the newsletter via a double opt-in procedure. This confirmation email serves to verify that you, as the owner of the email address, have authorized the receipt of the newsletter.

When you subscribe to the newsletter, we also store the IP address assigned by your Internet service provider (ISP) to the device you used at the time of registration, as well as the date and time of registration. The collection of this data is necessary to enable us to trace any (potential) misuse of your email address at a later date and therefore serves to protect us legally.

The personal data collected as part of a newsletter subscription is used exclusively for sending our newsletter. Furthermore, newsletter subscribers may be informed by email if this is necessary for the operation of the newsletter service or a related registration, as might be the case with changes to the newsletter offering or alterations to the technical conditions. The personal data collected in connection with the newsletter service will not be disclosed to third parties. You may cancel your subscription to our newsletter at any time. The consent you have given us to store personal data for the purpose of sending the newsletter may be revoked at any time. A link for revoking consent is included in every newsletter. Furthermore, you may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time directly on our website or notify us of your decision in another manner.

The legal basis for data processing for the purpose of sending the newsletter is Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.

9.2 Mailchimp

Our email newsletters are sent via the technical service provider Intuit Inc., The Rocket Science Group, LLC d/b/a MailChimp, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Suite 5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA, to whom we disclose the data you provided when you subscribed to the newsletter. This disclosure takes place within the framework of data processing on our behalf by MailChimp. Please note that your data is generally transferred to a MailChimp server in the United States and stored there.

MailChimp uses this information to send and statistically analyze the newsletters on our behalf. For the purpose of analysis, the emails sent contain so-called web beacons or tracking pixels, which are single-pixel image files stored on our website. This allows us to determine whether a newsletter message has been opened and which links, if any, have been clicked. In addition, technical information is collected (e.g., the time of access, the IP address, the browser type, and the operating system). This data is used exclusively for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. The results of these analyses may be used to better tailor future newsletters to the interests of the recipients.

The use of the mailing service provider is based on Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR and a data processing agreement pursuant to Article 28 of the GDPR. The legal basis for the processing of your personal data in connection with the newsletter is your consent given via the “double opt-in” procedure within the meaning of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR. You may revoke your consent at any time.

Furthermore, MailChimp may use this data itself pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR based on its own legitimate interest in the needs-based design and optimization of the service, as well as for market research purposes, such as to determine which countries the recipients come from. However, MailChimp does not use the data of our newsletter recipients to contact them directly or to pass it on to third parties.

If you wish to object to the aforementioned data processing, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter.

This U.S. company is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. An adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of the GDPR is in place, meaning that personal data may be transferred without the need for further safeguards or additional measures.

You can view MailChimp’s privacy policy here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/

10. Our social media activities

To enable us to communicate with you on social media and keep you informed about our services, we maintain our own pages on these platforms. When you visit one of our social media pages, we are jointly responsible with the provider of the respective social media platform for the processing operations triggered thereby, in accordance with Article 26 of the GDPR.

We are not the original provider of these pages, but merely use them within the scope of the options offered to us by the respective providers.

Therefore, as a precaution, we would like to point out that your data may also be processed outside the European Union or the European Economic Area. Using these platforms may therefore involve data protection risks for you, as it may be difficult to exercise your rights—such as the right to access, erasure, or objection—and processing on social networks is often carried out directly by the providers for advertising purposes or to analyze user behavior, without us being able to influence this. If the provider creates usage profiles, cookies are often used, or your usage behavior is linked to the social media profile you have created.

The processing of personal data described above is carried out in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest and the legitimate interest of the respective provider in communicating with you in a timely manner and informing you about our services. If you are required to provide consent to data processing as a user with the respective providers, the legal basis is Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR in conjunction with Article 7 of the GDPR.

Since we do not have access to the providers’ data, we would like to point out that it is best to exercise your rights (e.g., to access, rectification, erasure, etc.) directly with the respective provider. We have listed further information regarding the processing of your data on social networks below for each social network provider we use:

10.1 LinkedIn

(Joint) Data Controller in Europe:
LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland

10.2 XING (New Work SE)

(Joint) Data Controller in Germany:
New Work SE, Am Strandkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany

Information requests for XING members:
https://www.xing.com/settings/privacy/data/disclosure

11. Your rights as a data subject

11.1 Right to Confirmation

You have the right to request confirmation from us as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed.

11.2 Right of access, Art. 15 GDPR

You have the right to request, at any time and free of charge, information from us regarding the personal data we have stored about you, as well as a copy of this data, in accordance with applicable legal provisions.

11.3 Right to rectification, Art. 16 GDPR

You have the right to request the correction of inaccurate personal data concerning you. You also have the right to request that incomplete personal data be completed, taking into account the purposes of the processing.

11.4 Erasure (Article 17 of the GDPR)

You have the right to request that we delete your personal data without delay, provided that one of the grounds specified by law applies and the processing or storage is not necessary.

11.5 Restriction of processing (Article 18 of the GDPR)

You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data if any of the legal requirements are met.

11.6 Data Portability, Article 20 of the GDPR

You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. You also have the right to transmit this data to another controller to whom the personal data has been provided, without hindrance from us, provided that the processing is based on consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR or Article 9(2)(a) of the GDPR or on a contract pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, and the processing is carried out by automated means, provided that the processing is not necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in us.

Furthermore, when exercising your right to data portability pursuant to Article 20(1) of the GDPR, you have the right to have the personal data transmitted directly from one controller to another controller, provided this is technically feasible and does not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

11.7 Right to object under Article 21 of the GDPR

You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you that is carried out pursuant to Article 6(1)(e) (data processing in the public interest) or (f) (data processing based on a balancing of interests) of the GDPR.

This also applies to profiling based on these provisions within the meaning of Article 4(4) of the GDPR.

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 if the processing serves to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims.

In certain cases, we process personal data for direct marketing purposes. You may object at any time to the processing of your personal data for such marketing purposes. This also applies to profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. If you object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes, we will no longer process your personal data for these purposes.

In addition, you have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you that we carry out for scientific or historical research purposes or for statistical purposes pursuant to Article 89(1) of the GDPR, unless such processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

You are free to exercise your right to object in connection with the use of information society services, notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, by means of automated procedures that use technical specifications.

11.8 Withdrawal of consent under data protection law

You have the right to withdraw your consent to the processing of personal data at any time, with effect for the future.

11.9 Complaint to a regulatory authority

You have the right to file a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority regarding our processing of personal data.

12. Routine storage, deletion, and blocking of personal data

We process and store your personal data only for the period necessary to fulfill the purpose of storage or as required by the laws to which our company is subject.

If the purpose of storage no longer applies or a statutory retention period expires, the personal data will be routinely blocked or deleted in accordance with legal requirements.

13. Retention period for personal data

The criterion for the duration of the storage of personal data is the applicable statutory retention period. Once this period has expired, the relevant data is routinely deleted, provided it is no longer necessary for the performance or initiation of a contract.

14. Current Status and Changes to the Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is currently in effect and is dated January 2024.

Due to the ongoing development of our website and services, or as a result of changes in legal or regulatory requirements, it may become necessary to amend this Privacy Policy. You can view and print the most current version of the Privacy Policy at any time on our website under “https://visualistik.de/datenschutz/ ”.