Privacy Guidelines

Data privacy statement regarding the use of websites and internet services provided by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen)

Your data privacy is very important to ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen). ifa collects, uses and stores your personal data strictly in accordance with the applicable data protection laws. Please read the following information to make sure that you are fully informed as to how personal data is collected, processed and used on our websites.

1. Data controller (party responsible for processing personal data)

Your data will be processed in the name of and on behalf of:
ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen)
Charlottenplatz 17, 70173 Stuttgart
Controller and Secretary General: Gitte Zschoch

You can write to our data controller at the above address or send an e-mail to: datenschutz@ifa.de.

2. Data collection for intrasystem and statistical purposes

Your browser automatically transmits data to our web server for technical reasons when you access the ifa website. This data includes the date and time you accessed our site, the URL of the referring website, any retrieved files, the volume of data sent, the browser type and version, the operating system and your IP address. This data is stored separately from any other data you enter while using our website. It does not make or contain reference to your identity as a person. This data is logged in order to ensure system integrity, analyzed anonymously for statistical purposes and then erased.

3. Personal data collection and processing

Your personal data is only collected and processed if you voluntarily make it available to us. You may provide us with your data in the following ways:

• When ordering a subscription or individual issues
• When using our forms (e.g. when contacting us)

The personal data that you provide depends on which contact form you fill out.

The personal data you enter is collected and stored for the following internal purposes:

• Handling queries (if necessary)
• Processing your order
• Processing your enquiries, comments, requests etc.

We have the right to transfer your data to one or more processors, (such as service providers), who also use the personal data exclusively for the internal purposes necessary to provide us with services.

3.1 Automated decision-making or profiling

We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling.

4. Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis according to which your data is processed stems from your consent (pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1(a) GDPR), for the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures (pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 (b) GDPR), for the fulfilment of legal obligations (pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1(c) GDPR), and to safeguard the legitimate interests of ifa (pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1(f) GDPR).

We store your data for as long as your consent remains valid or until the purpose of such data storage has been fulfilled. This data is then erased unless subject to other legal obligations requiring continued storage of such data.

5. Data transmission

Any data you provide when using our forms is always transferred in encrypted form. We only pass on your personal data to third parties if this is necessary for the purpose of processing the transaction – in particular for delivering the magazine to service providers or for billing your order (payment processing).  Other than this, we will only pass on your personal data to third parties after first obtaining your consent unless we are under legal obligation to do so or in order to protect the rights, property and security of ifa. In cases where external service providers come into contact with personal data, we enforce mandatory legal, technical and organizational measures to guarantee compliance with data protection regulations.

6. Cookies

Our website uses cookies, which make our website more user-friendly, effective and secure. Cookies also enable us to gauge how often our website is accessed and assess general navigation practices.  Cookies are small text files that are stored in your computer. Please also note that some of the cookies that are transferred from our server to your computer are session cookies, which are necessary for the operation and provision of website functions.

Session cookies are automatically deleted from your hard disk at the end of the browser session.

6.1 Matomo/Piwik Pro

Our website uses the open-source web analysis service Matomo.

Matomo helps us to collect and analyze data about the use of our website by website visitors. Among other things, this allows us to ascertain when and which pages were accessed and from which region. We also record various log files (e.g. IP address, referrer, browser and operating system used) and can ascertain whether our website visitors perform certain actions (e.g. clicks, purchases, etc.).

The use of these analysis tools is based on Art. 6 para. 1(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in analyzing user behaviour in order to optimize both our website and our advertising. Your IP address is anonymized in the Matomo analysis. This involves abbreviating your IP address before the analysis so that it can no longer be clearly assigned to you.

We have configured Matomo so that it does not store any cookies in your browser. We host Matomo exclusively on our own servers so that all analysis data remains with us and is not passed on. Nevertheless, we will respect your wishes if you do not want us to record your anonymized data. You have the right to opt out of this tracking.

Please note: If you object to anonymous collection, for technical reasons it will be necessary to store a cookie in your system. This prevents Matomo from recording your usage data. If you delete your cookies, the Matomo opt-out cookie will also be deleted. You will then have to reactivate the opt-out the next time you visit our website.

7. Links to other websites

Our website contains links to other websites. We have no influence over whether the operators of other websites comply with data protection regulations.

As a provider, we are responsible for our own content according to general law. Our content is not to be mistaken with linked content of other providers. We assume no responsibility for third-party content, which is provided via links for use, and do not adopt their content as our own.

Liability for illegal, inaccurate or incomplete content and, in particular, for damages resulting from the use or non-use of such information is the sole responsibility of the provider of the site to which links are provided.

8. Your rights to your personal data

According to the General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to obtain information about your stored personal data free of charge and, if necessary, the right to rectify, restrict or erase such data at any time.

To the extent that we are required to comply with legal storage obligations, if you request erasure, we will restrict your data from further processing so that it can no longer be used for the purposes mentioned above.

You also have the right to request that we send you any of your personal data stored by us in electronic form.

You may withdraw your consent to the storage or processing of your data at any time.  Should you choose to exercise this right, we will immediately erase your stored data and restrict processing of any data that cannot be erased due to legal requirements.

Please send us your request using the contact details below. If you believe that ifa is not processing your data in accordance with the applicable data protection laws, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority of your choice.

8.1 Right to object on a case-by-case basis

At any time, and on grounds relating to your particular situation, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1(f) GDPR (data processing on the basis of legitimate interests); this also applies to profiling based on this provision within the meaning of Art. 4 para. 4 GDPR. If you file an objection, 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 for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

9. Data security

Your personal data is transmitted in encrypted form over the internet. We use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption technology.  Please note that any data that is transmitted via the internet (such as by email) can never be totally secure. It is not possible to completely protect data from being accessed by third parties. To protect our website and other systems, we have put in place technical and organizational measures to prevent the loss, destruction, access, modification or distribution of your data by unauthorized persons. These security measures are continuously updated to reflect the latest developments in technology.

10. Further information and contacts

Please contact us if you have further questions about data privacy. If you have any queries about the collection, processing or use of your personal data; if you wish to rectify, restrict or erase your data; or if you want to withdraw your consent to its use, please contact us at:

KULTURAUSTAUSCH – Magazine for international perspectives

Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa)
Linienstr. 139/140 10115 Berlin
+49 30 28 44 91-16
kulturaustausch@ifa.de

Data controller
datenschutz@ifa.de