Datenschutzrichtlinie
The following Privacy Policy applies to the use of our online offering available at https://vmg-int.com/ (hereinafter referred to as the “Website”).
We attach great importance to the protection of your personal data. The collection and processing of your personal data are carried out in compliance with the applicable data protection laws, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
1. Controller
The controller responsible for the collection, processing, and use of your personal data within the meaning of Article 4(7) GDPR is:
Verbilogic mercatus GmbH (VMG)
An der Alster 6
20099 Hamburg
Germany
Phone: +49 151 501 718 00
Email: info@vmg-int.com
If you wish to object to the collection, processing, or use of your data by us in accordance with this Privacy Policy, either in whole or for specific measures, you may address your objection to the controller.
You may save and print this Privacy Policy at any time.
2. General Purposes of Processing
We use personal data for the operation of our Website. Our online panel is provided as a service of Verbilogic mercatus GmbH (VMG). Through this Website, interested individuals are invited to participate in market research and opinion research studies.
Through our platform, we organize in particular:
- The registration and administration of panel participants;
- Invitations to and participation in surveys and studies;
- The collection and analysis of responses within the scope of individual studies;
- The administration and payment of compensation and incentives; and
- Information about new studies, products, services, and ideas that you may help evaluate.
3. What Data We Use and Why
3.1 Hosting
The hosting services we use serve to provide the following services: infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, security services, and technical maintenance necessary for the operation of the Website.
In this context, we, or our hosting provider, process inventory data, contact data, content data, contract data, usage data, metadata, and communication data of customers, prospective customers, and website visitors on the basis of our legitimate interest in the efficient and secure provision of our Website pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR in conjunction with Article 28 GDPR.
3.2 Access Data
We collect information when you use this Website. We automatically collect information about your usage behavior and your interaction with us and record data relating to your computer or mobile device. We collect, store, and use data regarding every access to our Website (so-called server log files).
Access data includes:
- Name and URL of the accessed file
- Date and time of access
- Amount of data transferred
- Notification of successful retrieval (HTTP response code)
- Browser type and browser version
- Operating system
- Referrer URL (the previously visited page)
- Websites accessed by the user’s system through our Website
- User’s internet service provider
- IP address and the requesting provider
We use these log data without attribution to your person and without creating user profiles for statistical evaluations, the operation, security, and optimization of our Website, as well as for anonymously recording the number of visitors (traffic), the scope and nature of the use of our Website and services, and for billing purposes, such as measuring the number of clicks received from cooperation partners.
Based on this information, we can provide personalized and location-based content, analyze traffic, identify and correct errors, and improve our services.
This constitutes our legitimate interest pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
We reserve the right to review log data retrospectively if there is concrete evidence giving rise to a justified suspicion of unlawful use. We also store IP addresses if we have a concrete suspicion of a criminal offense related to the use of our Website.
3.3 Cookies
We use session cookies to optimize our Website. A session cookie is a small text file that is transmitted by servers when visiting a website and temporarily stored on your device. This file contains a session ID, which allows various requests from your browser to be assigned to a common session. This enables your device to be recognized when you return to our Website. These cookies are deleted when you close your browser. They are used, for example, to prevent the cookie banner from being displayed repeatedly.
We also use a limited number of persistent cookies. These are small text files stored on your device that remain there and allow us to recognize your browser during your next visit. These cookies are stored on your hard drive and delete themselves after the specified period. Their lifespan ranges from one month to ten years.
Our legitimate interest in the use of cookies pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR is to make our Website more user-friendly, effective, and secure.
The following information may be stored in cookies:
- Login information
- Language settings
- Entered search terms
- Information about the number of visits to our Website and the use of individual website functions
When a cookie is activated, it is assigned an identification number. Your personal data is not linked to this identification number. Your name, IP address, or similar data that would enable the cookie to be associated with you are not stored in the cookie.
You can configure your browser to inform you in advance about the setting of cookies and to decide individually whether to accept cookies in specific cases or generally, or to prevent cookies altogether. This may restrict the functionality of the Website.
3.4 Cookie Banner
The cookie banner used on our Website, which informs you about the use of cookies, also stores a cookie. This cookie contains only information regarding whether the banner has already been displayed to you. It does not contain any personal data.
3.5 Data Required for the Fulfilment of Contractual Obligations
We process personal data that we require to fulfil our contractual obligations, such as:
- Name
- Address
- E-Mail-Adresse
- Ordered products
- Billing and payment information
The collection of these data is necessary for concluding a contract.
The data will be deleted after the expiration of statutory warranty periods and legal retention periods. Data associated with a user account will remain stored for as long as the account exists.
The legal basis for processing is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, as this data is required to fulfil our contractual obligations toward you.
3.6 Newsletter
To subscribe to the newsletter, the data requested during registration is required. Newsletter registration is logged. After registration, you will receive an email requesting confirmation of your subscription (double opt-in procedure).
You may revoke your consent to receive the newsletter at any time and unsubscribe.
We store subscription data for as long as it is required for sending the newsletter. Registration logs and mailing addresses are stored for as long as necessary to demonstrate valid consent, generally up to three years in accordance with statutory limitation periods.
The legal basis for sending the newsletter is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR in conjunction with Article 7 GDPR and Section 7(2)(3) UWG.
You can unsubscribe at any time free of charge by contacting us using the details provided in Section 1 or by using the unsubscribe link contained in every newsletter.
3.7 Contacting Us
When you contact us, for example via contact form or email, we process your information in order to handle your enquiry and any follow-up questions.
Where processing is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures or the performance of a contract, the legal basis is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR.
Further personal data will only be processed with your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR) or where we have a legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR), for example when responding to your email.
Any consent granted may be revoked at any time with future effect.
4. Social Media
4.1 Facebook
We process your data for the purpose of effectively informing and supporting our customers and prospective customers. This constitutes our legitimate interest pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
The processing is carried out on the basis of the Joint Controller Addendum: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum
Further information regarding data protection:
Service Provider: Meta Platforms Inc.
For Europe: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland
Website: https://facebook.com
Plugins: https://developers.facebook.com/plugins
Data Scope: https://facebook.com/help/
Privacy Policy: https://facebook.com/policy.php
Facebook Blocker: https://webgraph.com/resources/facebookblocker
4.2 XING
Provider: New Work SE, Am Strandkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://xing.com
Privacy Policy: https://privacy.xing.com/de
4.3 LinkedIn
Provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland
Website: https://linkedin.com
Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy
4.4 X
Provider: X Internet Unlimited Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07, Ireland
Website: https://www.x.com
Privacy Policy: https://help.x.com/en/privacy
4.5 Instagram
Provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland
Website: https://www.instagram.com/
Privacy Policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/
5. Information About Service Providers Used
To operate this Website, we integrate external services in order to make our Website more user-friendly, effective, and secure. This constitutes our legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Some of the service providers we use may be located in, or transfer data to, third countries that do not provide an adequate level of data protection according to the European Court of Justice. Transfers to such countries only take place where appropriate consent has been obtained.
5.1 Hosting
5.1.1 Neue Medien Münnich
We use hosting services provided by Neue Medien Münnich GmbH (ALL-INKL.COM).
Provider:
Neue Medien Münnich GmbH
Hauptstraße 68
02742 Friedersdorf
Germany
The Website is operated within the provider’s network, and the server location is Germany.
As part of providing the Website, the hosting provider processes data on our behalf, particularly inventory and contact data, content data, contractual data, usage data, metadata, and communication data (e.g., IP address, accessed content, access times, browser type, operating system, and referrer URL) within server log files to ensure the secure and stable operation of the Website.
The use of the hosting provider is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the reliable, secure, and efficient provision of our online services.
We have concluded a Data Processing Agreement with Neue Medien Münnich GmbH in accordance with Article 28 GDPR.
5.2 Tools
6.1 Privacy Notice for Our Facebook Company Page and Facebook Groups
We operate this Facebook page to provide information about our company, services, and offerings and to communicate with visitors and users of this page.
For the processing of personal data on our Facebook page, we are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland, pursuant to Article 26 GDPR.
The agreement on joint responsibility can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum
We process your data on the basis of our legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) in communicating with you, responding to your inquiries, and providing information about our company.
When you visit our Facebook page, Meta Platforms collects, among other things, your IP address and other information stored on your device in the form of cookies. This information is used to provide us, as the operator of the Facebook page, with statistical information regarding the use of the page (“Facebook Insights”).
For more information on how Facebook/Meta processes data, please refer to Meta’s Privacy Policy:
https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy
7.1 Google reCAPTCHA
Our Website uses the Google reCAPTCHA service to verify whether entries are made by a human being.
This service is provided by:
Google Ireland Limited
Gordon House
Barrow Street
Dublin 4
Ireland
We use Google reCAPTCHA on the basis of your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Consent granted may be revoked at any time with future effect.
We use reCAPTCHA to improve the security of our Website and to prevent potentially harmful access by automated systems such as bots.
Whenever this service is accessed on our Website, a connection to Google is established, resulting in the transmission of your IP address to Google.
Google has certified itself under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and thereby commits to complying with European data protection standards and regulations.
Further information is available at:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/
For information about how Google complies with data protection requirements, including data transfers to the United States, please see:
https://policies.google.com/privacy
8. Data Retention Period
Unless specifically stated otherwise, we store personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes pursued.
In some cases, legislators require the retention of personal data, for example under tax or commercial law. In such cases, the data will only be retained for these statutory purposes and will not otherwise be processed. The data will be deleted once the applicable retention periods have expired.
9. Your Rights as a Data Subject
Under applicable law, you have various rights concerning your personal data.
To exercise these rights, please submit your request by email or post, clearly identifying yourself, to the address specified in Section 1.
The following is an overview of your rights.
9.1 Right to Confirmation and Access
You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether personal data concerning you is being processed.
If this is the case, you are entitled to receive free access to your stored personal data and a copy thereof, as well as information regarding:
- The purposes of processing;
- The categories of personal data processed;
- The recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data has been disclosed or will be disclosed;
- The planned storage period or the criteria used to determine that period;
- The existence of rights to rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, or objection;
- The existence of a right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority;
- The source of the data where it was not collected directly from you;
- The existence of automated decision-making, including profiling pursuant to Article 22 GDPR.
Where personal data is transferred to a third country or an international organization, you have the right to be informed of the appropriate safeguards pursuant to Article 46 GDPR.
10. Right to Rectification
You have the right to request the correction of inaccurate personal data concerning you without undue delay.
Taking into account the purposes of processing, you also have the right to have incomplete personal data completed, including by means of a supplementary statement.
10.1 Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”)
You have the right to request the deletion of personal data concerning you without undue delay where one of the following grounds applies:
- The data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.
- You withdraw consent and no other legal basis for processing exists.
- You object to processing and there are no overriding legitimate grounds.
- The data has been unlawfully processed.
- Deletion is required to comply with a legal obligation.
- The data was collected in relation to information society services pursuant to Article 8 GDPR.
Where we have made the personal data public, we shall take reasonable steps to inform other controllers processing the data that you have requested deletion of any links, copies, or replications of that data.
10.2 Right to Restriction of Processing
You have the right to request restriction of processing where:
- You contest the accuracy of the personal data;
- The processing is unlawful and you oppose erasure;
- We no longer need the data, but you require it for legal claims;
- You have objected to processing and verification of overriding legitimate grounds is pending.
11. Right to Data Portability
You have the right to receive the personal data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit it to another controller where:
- Processing is based on consent or a contract; and
- The processing is carried out by automated means.
Where technically feasible, you also have the right to have the data transmitted directly from us to another controller.
11.1 Right to Object
You have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data based on your particular situation where processing is carried out pursuant to Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR.
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 unless the processing serves the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.
If personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to such processing, including profiling related to direct marketing.
11.2 Automated Decision-Making Including Profiling
You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you.
We do not carry out automated decision-making based on collected personal data.
11.3 Right to Withdraw Consent
You have the right to withdraw your consent to the processing of personal data at any time.
11.4 Right to Lodge a Complaint
You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, particularly in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged infringement if you believe that the processing of your personal data is unlawful.
12. Data Security
We make every effort to protect your data within the framework of applicable data protection laws and available technical possibilities.
Your personal data is transmitted in encrypted form. This applies to all forms provided on our Website.
We use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. However, we point out that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., communication by email) may have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by third parties cannot be guaranteed.
To protect your data, we maintain technical and organizational security measures in accordance with Article 32 GDPR and continuously adapt them to technological developments.
We also cannot guarantee that our services will always be available at specific times. Disruptions, interruptions, or failures cannot be excluded. The servers we use are regularly and carefully secured.
13. Disclosure of Data to Third Parties and No Data Transfers Outside the EU
As a matter of principle, we use your personal data only within our company.
If we engage third parties in the fulfilment of contracts (e.g., logistics service providers), they receive personal data only to the extent necessary for the provision of the relevant service.
Where we outsource parts of data processing (“data processing on behalf”), we contractually oblige processors to process personal data only in accordance with applicable data protection laws and to safeguard the rights of data subjects.
No transfer of personal data to bodies or persons outside the European Union takes place or is planned, except as described in Sections 5 and 6 of this Privacy Policy.
14. Data Protection Officer
If you have any questions or concerns regarding data protection, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Iqanta GmbH
Sven Wescher
Email: kontakt@iqanta.com
15. Amendments to This Privacy Policy
Should new services or providers be introduced for the operation of this Website, we reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy in order to comply with legal requirements and reflect changes in our services.
The amended Privacy Policy shall apply upon your next visit to this Website.