Privacy policy for social media

Our social media presence

This privacy policy applies to the following social media platforms

Data processing by social networks

We maintain publicly accessible profiles on social media platforms. You can find a list of the specific social media platforms we use below.

Social networks such as Facebook, X, etc. are generally able to analyse your user behaviour in detail when you visit their website or a website featuring integrated social media content (e.g. ‘Like’ buttons or advertising banners). Visiting our social media pages triggers numerous data-processing operations relevant to data protection. Specifically:

If you are logged into your social media account and visit our social media page, the operator of the social media platform may link this visit to your user account. However, your personal data may also be collected in certain circumstances even if you are not logged in or do not have an account with the relevant social media platform. In such cases, this data is collected, for example, via cookies stored on your device or by recording your IP address.

Using the data collected in this way, the operators of social media platforms can create user profiles that record your preferences and interests. In this way, interest-based adverts may be displayed to you both on and off the respective social media platform. Provided you have an account with the relevant social network, interest-based adverts may be displayed on all devices on which you are currently logged in or have previously been logged in.

Please also note that we are unable to track all data processing activities on social media platforms. Depending on the provider, further data processing operations may therefore be carried out by the operators of the social media platforms. For further details, please refer to the terms of use and privacy policies of the respective social media platforms.

Legal basis

Our social media accounts are intended to ensure the most comprehensive online presence possible. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. The analytical processes initiated by the social networks may be based on different legal grounds, which must be specified by the operators of the social networks (e.g. consent within the meaning of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR).

Data controller and exercising your rights

When you visit one of our social media pages (e.g. Facebook), we are jointly responsible with the operator of the social media platform for the data processing operations triggered by that visit. In principle, you may exercise your rights (right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability and the right to lodge a complaint) both against us and against the operator of the relevant social media portal (e.g. against Facebook).

Please note that, despite our joint responsibility with the social media platform operators, we do not have full control over the data processing activities carried out by these platforms. Our options depend largely on the corporate policy of the respective provider.

Retention period

Data collected directly by us via our social media presence will be deleted from our systems as soon as you request its deletion, withdraw your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Stored cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory legal provisions – in particular retention periods – remain unaffected.

We have no control over how long your data is stored by the operators of social networks for their own purposes. For further details, please contact the operators of the social networks directly (e.g. by consulting their privacy policies, see below).

Your rights

You have the right, at any time and free of charge, to obtain information about the source, recipients and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to object, the right to data portability and the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority. Furthermore, you may request the rectification, blocking, erasure and, under certain circumstances, the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

Social networks in detail

Facebook

We have a profile on Facebook. The provider of this service is Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland (hereinafter ‘Meta’). According to Meta, the data collected is also transferred to the USA and other third countries.

We have entered into a joint processing agreement (Controller Addendum) with Meta. This agreement sets out which data processing operations we and Meta are responsible for when you visit our Facebook page. You can view this agreement via the following link: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum.

You can adjust your advertising settings yourself in your user account. To do so, click on the following link and log in: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads.

Data transfers to the USA are based on the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses. Further details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum and https://de-de.facebook.com/help/566994660333381.

For further details, please refer to Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/.

The company is certified under the „EU-US Data Privacy Framework“ (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the US designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when data is processed in the US. Every company certified under the DPF undertakes to comply with these data protection standards. Further information on this is available from the provider via the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/4452

Instagram

We have an Instagram profile. This service is provided by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland.

Data transfers to the USA are based on the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses. Further details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum and https://de-de.facebook.com/help/566994660333381.

For details on how Instagram handles your personal data, please refer to Instagram’s privacy policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/.

The company is certified under the „EU-US Data Privacy Framework“ (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the US designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when data is processed in the US. Every company certified under the DPF undertakes to comply with these data protection standards. Further information on this is available from the provider via the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/4452

LinkedIn

We have a profile on LinkedIn. The provider is LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. LinkedIn uses advertising cookies.

If you wish to disable LinkedIn advertising cookies, please use the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.

Data transfers to the USA are based on the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses. Further details can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/dpa and https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/eu-sccs.

For details on how LinkedIn handles your personal data, please refer to LinkedIn’s privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.

The company is certified under the „EU-US Data Privacy Framework“ (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the US designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when data is processed in the US. Every company certified under the DPF undertakes to comply with these data protection standards. Further information on this is available from the provider via the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5448