Privacy Policy

The protection and security of personal data have a high priority at Edufinder.com. Therefore, we strictly adhere to the rules of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and the Telemedia Act (TMG).

Status: June 2021

On May 25, 2018, the European General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter: GDPR) came into force, which is directly applicable law in the member states of the European Union and thus also in Germany.


With the following data protection declaration, we give you an overview of the type and scope of the processing of your personal data in our company according to the applicable data protection law.

We attach great importance to the protection and confidentiality of personal data. We collect and use personal data exclusively based on statutory provisions of the applicable German and European data protection law. This data protection declaration explains to you whether and, if so, which personal data is collected and for what purpose the data is used, as well as what options you have regarding the handling of your personal data.

1. Mandatory and general information

This data protection information applies to data processing by ("responsible person" within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 7 GDPR):

 

Gillner GmbH
Amselweg 20
53797 Lohmar
District Court Siegburg
HRB 4998
Responsible: Kevin Gillner (Managing Director)

Telephone: +49 (0) 2246 916 94 99
Email: info@edufinder.com

“Responsible” means the natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body that alone or jointly with others decides about the purposes and means of processing of personal data.

According to the requirements of the legislature, any data that enables a person to be identified are considered personal. This data is legally protected in a special way, for which we provide you with the following explanations. Regardless of the other information presented here, you will receive an overview of your so-called data subject rights below under Section 7.

We would like to point out that we are currently not obliged to appoint a company data protection officer. If you have any questions about data protection, you can still contact us at datenschutz@edufinder.com.

The supervisory authority responsible for us in data protection matters for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia is:

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information North Rhine-Westphalia, Kavalleriestr. 2-4, 40213 Duesseldorf, phone: 0211 / 38424-0, fax: 0211 / 38424-10.

Depending on your place of residence or work, there may also be another competent supervisory authority for you, to which you can address inquiries or complaints.

2. Information on the collection and storage of personal data when you visit our website and on the type and purpose of the use of this data

a) Calling up the website

When you visit our website www.edufinder.com, the browser used on your device automatically sends information to the server of our website. This information is temporarily stored in a so-called log file. The following information is recorded without any action on your part and stored until it is automatically deleted:

 

  • IP address of the requesting device,
  • date and time of access,
  • name and URL of the file accessed,
  • website from which the access was made (referrer URL),
  • used Browser and, if applicable, the operating system of your device as well as the name of your access provider.

 

The data mentioned are processed by us for the following purposes:

 

  • ensuring a smooth connection to the website,
  • ensuring comfortable use of our website,
  • evaluating system security and stability and
  • for other administrative purposes.

 

The legal basis for this data processing is Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f GDPR. The legitimate interest in this data processing is derived from the purposes of data collection listed above. In no case do we use the collected data to draw conclusions about you personally.

In addition, we use cookies and analysis services when you visit our website. You will find more detailed explanations under Sections 4 and 5 of this data protection declaration.


b) Contact via the website / contact form / registration form

Due to the legal requirement to enable quick electronic communication with us, our website offers the option of contacting us via so-called electronic mail (hereinafter: email), for which this data protection declaration and in the imprint of the website a general email address of our company is stored.

If you contact us by email, the transmitted personal data will be saved automatically. Such personal data voluntarily transmitted by you to us, as the person responsible for data processing, will only be stored for the purpose of processing or contacting you. Storage and processing are carried out in accordance with Art. 6 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 lit. a GDPR based on your voluntarily given consent. Your data will not be passed on to third parties.

In any case, we urgently recommend that you do not send any particularly sensitive data (in particular, for example, health data or photos or numbers of ID documents) by email, but rather to limit yourself to pure contact initiation when using the communication option via email.

In the case of inquiries via the by us also provided contact form, the details you provided in the form, including the contact details contained therein, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing your request and any follow-up questions you may have. This data will not be passed on by us without your consent.

The associated processing of the data from the contact form takes place exclusively on the basis of your consent in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR.

This consent may be revoked at any time. An informal message addressed to us, e.g., by email, is sufficient for this. The revocation does not affect the legality of the data processing operations carried out before the revocation.

The data you enter in the contact form will be stored by us until

 

  • you request us to delete it or
  • you revoke your consent to storage or
  • the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed).

 

Mandatory statutory provisions - namely retention periods to be observed - remain unaffected.

Even when using our contact form, we strongly recommend that you do not transmit any particularly sensitive data, but rather that you limit yourself to simple contact initiation, as is the case when using the communication option via simple email.

In the case of inquiries via the also by us provided registration form, the details you provide in the form, including the contact details contained therein, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing your request and any follow-up questions you may have. This data will not be passed on by us without your consent.

The associated processing of the data from the registration form takes place exclusively based on your consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR.

This consent may be revoked at any time. An informal message addressed to us, e.g., by email, is sufficient for this. The revocation does not affect the legality of the data processing operations carried out before the revocation.

The data you enter in the registration form will be stored by us until

 

  • you ask us to delete it or
  • you revoke your consent to storage or
  • the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed).

 

Mandatory statutory provisions - namely retention periods to be observed - remain unaffected.

Even when using our registration form, we urgently recommend that you do not transmit any sensitive data, but rather that you limit yourself to simple contact initiation, as is the case when using the communication option via simple email.

3. Transfer of data

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

a) General information on data transfer

We share your personal information about you to third parties

 

  • when in accordance with lit. Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 a GDPR you have given your expressed consent
  • disclosure pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 S. 1 lit. f GDPR is required to assert, exercise or defend legal claims and there is no reason to assume that you have an overriding legitimate interest in not disclosing your data,
  • for disclosure in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit c GDPR there is a legal obligation,
  • this is legally permissible and required according to Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b GDPR for the processing of contractual relationships with you.

 

The special character of our activity as the operator of an internet platform for the initiation of high school programs means that we provide third parties with the data you have entered for viewing and any contact with you.

The possibility of inspection exists in particular for

 

  • potential host schools,
  • student exchange organizations.

 

If inspection is carried out by third parties, this is always limited to the data required for the purpose to be guaranteed in each case within the framework of the statutory provisions.

b) Forwarding of data to cooperation partners in the event of separate inquiries on your part

If, in the context of a request that goes beyond the mere registration on our platform, we are commissioned to initiate a callback by one of our cooperation partners (e.g., to clarify possibilities in the context of scholarships, etc.), we will forward your registration and contact details to this cooperation partner.

This forwarding takes place based on the regulation of Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. b GDPR for the processing of the contractual relationship with you for the purpose of answering the request.

This forwarding of data to our cooperation partners as third parties is always limited to the data necessary for the respective purpose to be guaranteed within the framework of the legal provisions.

c) Order data processing

If required by law or necessary to fulfill our tasks, we conclude corresponding order data processing agreements with third parties who process personal data on our behalf.

4. Cookies

We use so-called cookies on our website.

These are small files that your browser automatically creates and that are stored on your device (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.) when you visit our site. Cookies do not cause any damage to your end device and do not contain any viruses, Trojans or other malware.

Information is stored in the cookie that results in connection with the end device used in the individual case. However, this does not mean that we are immediately aware of your identity.

The use of cookies serves on the one hand to make the use of our offer more pleasant for you. We use so-called session cookies to recognize that you have already visited individual pages on our website. These are automatically deleted after leaving the page.

In addition, we also use temporary cookies to optimize user-friendliness, which are stored on the device used when you visit our site for a specified period of time. If you visit our site again to use our services, it is automatically recognized that you have already visited us and what inputs and settings you have made so that you do not have to re-enter them.

On the other hand, we use cookies to statistically record the use of our website and to evaluate it for you in order to optimize our offer (see section 5). These cookies enable us to automatically recognize when you visit our site again that you have already visited us. These cookies are automatically deleted after a defined period of time.

The data processed by cookies are necessary for the purposes mentioned to safeguard our legitimate interests and the legitimate interests of third parties in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit. f GDPR.

Most browsers accept cookies automatically. However, you can configure your browser so that no cookies are stored on your computer, or a message always appears before a new cookie is created. The complete deactivation of cookies may mean that you cannot use all functions of our website.

5. Analysis tools

The so-called tracking measures listed below and used by us are carried out on the basis of Art. 6 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 lit. f GDPR With these measures, we want to ensure a needs-based design and continuous optimization of our website. On the other hand, we use these tracking measures to statistically record the use of our website and to evaluate it for you in order to optimize our offer. These interests are to be regarded as legitimate within the meaning of the aforementioned regulation.

The respective data processing purposes and categories of data processed can be found in the following individual information, broken down according to tracking tools.

a) Google Analytics

This website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Google Analytics uses so-called “cookies”. These are text files that are saved on your computer and that enable your use of the website to be analyzed. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

The storage of Google Analytics cookies is based on Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising.

IP anonymization

We have activated the function on this website. As a result, your IP address will be shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area before it is transmitted to the USA. The full IP address will only be sent to a Google server in the USA and shortened there in exceptional cases. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide the website operator with other services relating to website activity and internet usage. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

Browser plug-in

You can prevent the storage of cookies by setting your browser software accordingly; however, we would like to point out that in this case you may not be able to use all functions of this website to their full extent. You can also prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to your use of the website (including your IP address) and from processing this data by Google by downloading the browser plug-in available under the following link and install: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.

Objection to data collection

You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting your data by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set which prevents the collection of your data on future visits to this website: Deactivate Google Analytics.

You can find more information on how user data is handled by Google Analytics in Google's data protection declaration: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=dedatadata

Order processing contract

We have concluded a contract with Google and set the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

b) Google Maps

This site uses the Google Maps service via an API. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

To use the functions of Google Maps, it is necessary to save your IP address. This information is usually transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. The provider of this site has no influence on this data transfer.

Google Maps is used in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offers and to make it easy to find the places we have indicated on the website. This represents a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 Paragraph 1 lit. f GDPR.

You can find more information on handling user data in Google's data protection declaration: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de

6. Social media plug-ins

We use so-called plug-ins from the social networks Facebook, Xing and LinkedIn on the basis of Art. 6 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 lit. The underlying advertising purpose is to be regarded as a legitimate interest within the meaning of the GDPR. Responsibility for the data protection-compliant operation of the social networks mentioned is to be guaranteed by their respective providers. We integrate these plug-ins using the so-called two-click method in order to protect visitors to our website in the best possible way.

a) Facebook

Plug-ins of the social network Facebook, provider Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA, are integrated on our website. You can recognize the Facebook plug-ins by the Facebook logo or the “Like” button on our website. You can find an overview of the Facebook plug-ins here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/.

When you visit our website, the plug-in establishes a direct connection between your browser and the Facebook server. Facebook receives the information that you have visited our site with your IP address. If you click the Facebook “Like” button while you are logged into your Facebook account, you can link the content of our website to your Facebook profile. This enables Facebook to assign your visit to our website to your user account. We would like to point out that, as the provider of the pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted or its use by Facebook. You can find more information on this in Facebook's data protection declaration at:
https://de-de.facebook.com/privacy/explanation

If you do not want Facebook to be able to assign your visit to our website to your Facebook user account, please log out from your Facebook user account.

b) Use of Google+ recommendation components

Edufinder.com uses the "+1" button provided by Google+ from Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA, hereinafter referred to as "Google".

When edufinder.com is called up, which is equipped with such a "+1" component, this causes the browser used by the user to download a corresponding representation of the component from Google. This process informs Google which specific page of edufinder.com is being visited. According to the information provided by Google, a further evaluation of the visit does not take place if the user is not logged into his Google account.

For users who use edufinder.com and are logged in to Google during the process, Google can collect information about your Google account, the recommended website, your IP address and other browser-related information when you confirm the "+1" button.

Google's data protection information on the "+1" button with all further information on the collection, transfer and use of data by Google, the rights and profile setting options of the user can be called up here:

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

c) Google Web Fonts

We use Google Fonts on our website. These are fonts from Google, i.e., from Google Inc. (see section 6b or regarding the information on Google Inc.), with Google Ireland Limited based in Dublin, Ireland for the European Union is responsible.

You do not need to log in to use Google fonts, nor do you need to store passwords or the like. No cookies are stored in the user's browser either. The request is made via the corresponding Google domains. According to Google, this should be done independently of all other Google services, in particular also services connected to a Google account, so that the user's Google account data is not transmitted when using Google Fonts. The use of Google Fonts on our website serves to guarantee a high-quality website. The automatic retrieval from Google enables the fonts in question to be used on our website without an independent upload having to be made on our server. In particular, this results in greater user comfort when visiting our website with mobile devices.

We expressly point out that with every request, among other things, information is automatically transmitted to the Google server, which in addition to technical questions such as language settings, browser version and screen resolution also includes the IP address and thus personal data. If you want to avoid the storage of this data by Google, this can only be done by canceling your visit to our website, which takes place automatically unless you confirm the automatically opening data protection declaration by ticking the appropriate box and thus also informing us that you want to continue your visit to our website.

Continuing your visit to our website represents your consent to this data processing in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR and is the legal basis for the processing of personal data as described. Furthermore, there is a legitimate interest on our part in the use of Google Fonts (technical optimization of the online offer), for which the legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR.

Further information on data protection at Google Inc. can be found at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

d) Google AdWords

We use the services of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA, ("Google"), for our online offer in order to safeguard our legitimate interests in the analysis, optimization and economic structuring of our activities within the meaning of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. GDPR

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement and hereby guarantees compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active)

Our corresponding measures include the use of the online marketing process Google "AdWords" to place advertisements in the Google advertising network (e.g., in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.) so that these are in turn displayed to users who have a presumed interest in the advertisements. This allows us to post advertisements for and within our online offers in a more targeted manner and thus only provide users with advertisements that potentially correspond to their interests.

For example, if a user is shown advertisements for products that he was interested in on other online offers, this is referred to as "remarketing". For these purposes, when you visit our and other websites on which the Google advertising network is active, a code from Google can be executed by Google and so-called (re)marketing tags (invisible graphics or code, also known as "web beacons") are integrated into the website. With their help, an individual cookie, i.e., a small file, is saved on the user's device (comparable technologies can also be used instead of cookies). This file records which websites the user has visited, which content he is interested in, and which offers the user has clicked on, as well as technical information on the browser and operating system used, referring websites, visiting time and other information on the use of the online offer.

We also receive an individual "conversion cookie". The information obtained with the help of the cookie is used by Google to generate conversion statistics for us. However, we only find out the anonymous total number of users who clicked on our ad and were redirected to a page with a conversion tracking tag. However, we do not receive any information with which users can be personally identified.

The user data is processed pseudonymously within the Google advertising network. This means that Google does not store and process the name or email address of the user, for example, but processes the relevant data on a cookie-related basis within pseudonymous user profiles. In other words, from Google's point of view, the ads are not managed and displayed for a specifically identified person, but for the cookie owner, regardless of who this cookie owner is. This does not apply if a user has expressly allowed Google to process the data without this pseudonymization.

The aforementioned information collected about users is transmitted to Google and stored on Google's servers in the USA.

For more information on the use of data by Google, settings and objection options, see Google's data protection declaration at
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

e) Google reCAPTCHA

We use the Google reCAPTCHA service. This is used to determine whether a person or a computer makes certain entries on the platform provided by us and the forms provided in this respect.

For this purpose, Google checks the following data, which is collected when you enter it:

 

  • IP address of the device used;
  • the website that you visit with us and on which the captcha is integrated;
  • Date and duration of the visit;
  • the identification data of the browser and operating system type used;
  • Google account, provided you are logged into Google at the same time;
  • Mouse movements on the ReCAPTCHA surfaces;
  • Tasks you need to solve and your solutions.

 

The legal basis for the data processing described is Article 6 (1) (f) of the General Data Protection Regulation. There is a legitimate interest on our part in this data processing, to ensure the security of our website and to protect us from automated entries (attacks). We integrate the function for recognizing bots, for example when entering online forms ("ReCAPTCHA") provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

You can find more information on the handling of user data in Google's data protection declaration: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de

7. Rights subjects person affected

As the person affected by data processing within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 1 GDPR, you have various so-called rights of data subjects. These include in particular the right

• to request information about your personal data processed by us in accordance with Art. 15 GDPR. In particular, you can obtain information about the processing purposes, the category of personal data, the categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the planned storage period, the existence of a right to correction, deletion, restriction of processing or objection, the existence of a right to lodge a complaint, the origin of your data, if we have not collected it, as well as the existence of automated decision-making including profiling and, if applicable, meaningful information on their details; [Right to information request]

 

• to request the immediate correction of incorrect personal data or the completion of your personal data stored by us in accordance with Art. 16 GDPR; [Right to rectification]

 

• to request the deletion of your personal data stored by us in accordance with Art. 17 GDPR, unless processing to exercise the right to freedom of expression and information, to fulfill a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or to assert it, exercise or defense of legal claims is necessary; [Right to erasure]

 

• to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data in accordance with Art. 18 GDPR if you dispute the accuracy of the data, the processing is unlawful, but you refuse to delete it and we no longer need the data, however, you need them to assert, exercise or defend legal claims or you have objected to processing in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR; [Right to restriction of processing]

 

• in accordance with Art. 20 GDPR, to receive your personal data that you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format or to request that it be transmitted to another person responsible; [Right to data portability]

 

• to revoke your consent given to us at any time in accordance with Art. 7 Para. 3 GDPR. As a result, we are no longer allowed to continue the data processing based on this consent in the future; [Right to withdraw consent]

 

• If your personal data are processed based on legitimate interests in accordance with Art. 6 Para. 1 S. 1 lit., you have the right to object the processing of your personal data in accordance with Art. 21 GDPR. If there are reasons for this that arise from your particular situation, or the objection is directed against direct mail. In the latter case, you have a general right of objection, which we must and will implement without giving any particular reasons. [Right of objection]

 

• to complain to a supervisory authority in accordance with Art. 77 GDPR. As a rule, you can contact the supervisory authority of your usual place of residence or work or our headquarters. [Right of appeal]

 

If you would like to exercise your right of revocation or objection to us, an email to datenschutz@edufinder.com is sufficient.

8. Use of services by minors

According to the provisions of the GDPR, minors enjoy special protection regarding their personal data.

People who have reached the age of 16 (16 years old or older) can use the service provided on this portal independently and - where necessary - also effectively give their consent, e.g., for data transfer.

Minors under the age of 16 require the prior consent or subsequent consent of the legal guardian in any case. If you are younger than 16 years, we will only activate your data for the platform services and thus for our cooperation partners to view it if we receive a separate declaration from a parent or legal guardian (email or letter sent by post). If this does not happen, your data will be deleted as soon as possible.

In the event of improper use of our platform by specifying an incorrect date of birth, we expressly reserve the right to exclude ourselves from all offers, regardless of any subsequent approval from the legal guardian.

9. Data security

For security reasons, this site uses an SSL or. TLS encryption. You can recognize a connection encrypted in this way by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from “http: //” to “https: //” and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

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

On our part, regardless of this, we have taken organizational, contractual and technically appropriate measures for our entire area of activity (including offline) to ensure that the data protection regulations are complied with and that manipulations, regardless of whether they are unintentional or intentional, loss, destruction and, in particular, access by unauthorized persons be prevented. Nevertheless, the security of data transmissions on the Internet can never be one hundred percent guaranteed.

10. Updates and changes to this data protection declaration

This data protection declaration is dated 9.6.2021.

Due to changes in legal or official requirements, it may be necessary to change this data protection declaration. The current data protection declaration can be requested from our office at any time using the contact details given above and can also be viewed and printed out on our website www.edufinder.com.

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