Privacy policy

The responsible party (controller) within the meaning of the data protection laws, in particular the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is:

Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften e.V. (National Academy of Science and Engineering)
Karolinenplatz 4
80333 Munich
Germany

Collection of general information during a visit to our website
Type and purpose of the processing
When you access our website, i.e. even if you do not register or otherwise submit any information, information of a general nature are automatically collected. These information (server log files) include, for example, the type of web browser and the operating system used, the domain name of your Internet service provider, your IP address and the like.

In particular, these data are processed for the following purposes:

•    ensuring a problem-free website connection,
•    ensuring seamless use of our website,
•    evaluation of system security and stability, and
•    optimisation of our website.

We do not use these data to draw conclusions about your person. We might statistically analyse them in an anonymised form in order to optimise our website and its underlying technology.

Legal basis and legitimate interest
The processing is carried out pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GRPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in improving the stability and functionality of our website.

Data recipients
Recipients of the data may be our technical service providers acting as data processors in the area of operation and maintenance of our website.

Retention period
The data will be deleted as soon as they are no longer required for the purpose for which they were collected. With regard to data processed with the aim of website provision, this is generally the case after the respective session has ended.

Data stored in log files will be deleted after 14 days at the latest. Storage beyond this period is possible, in which case the IP addresses of the users will be anonymised so that an assignment of the calling client is no longer possible.

Mandatory or required provision
The provision of the aforementioned personal data is neither statutory nor contractually required. However, without the IP address, the service and functionality of our website cannot be guaranteed. Furthermore, individual services may be unavailable or limited. Hence, objection to the aforementioned processing is not possible.

Newsletter
Purpose of the processing
By sending you our newsletter, we would like to inform you and keep you updated about current topics and projects. The data you enter via the registration form will only be used to send you our newsletter by e-mail. The provision of your name is necessary in order to address you personally and, if necessary, to identify you in case you wish to exercise your rights as a data subject.

Legal basis
The processing of the data submitted via the registration form is based on your consent, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

Data recipients
For the newsletter mailing, we use a service provider who acts as our data processor.

Retention period
Relevant data are processed only as long as your consent is given. Afterwards, they will be deleted.

Mandatory or required provision
The provision of your personal data is voluntary and based solely on your consent. Unfortunately, we cannot send you our newsletter without your consent.

Consent withdrawal
You can withdraw your consent to the storage and use of your personal data for the purpose of newsletter mailing at any time. You can unsubscribe via a dedicated link in the newsletter. Consent can also be withdrawn via the contact channels provided on the website.

Cookies
Like many other websites, we use “cookies”. Cookies are small text files placed on your terminal equipment (laptop, tablet, smartphone or similar) when visiting our website.
You can delete particular or all cookies. Depending on your browser, you can obtain information and instructions on how to delete cookies or prevent their placing altogether under the following links:
•    Mozilla Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox
•    Internet Explorer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/delete-and-manage-cookies-168dab11-0753-043d-7c16-ede5947fc64d
•    Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/61416?hl=en
•    Opera: https://www.opera.com/help
•    Safari: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-sfri11471/mac

Retention period and used cookies
If you allow us to place cookies through your browser settings or by giving us consent hereto, following cookies may be used on our website:
•    Matomo

Technically necessary cookies
Type and purpose of the processing
We use cookies to make our website more user-friendly. Some elements of our website require the identification of the calling browser even after a page change.

Technically necessary cookies are used to simplify the use of the website for users. Some features of our website cannot be provided without the use of cookies. For these features, it is necessary that the browser is recognised even after a page change.

Legal basis and legitimate interest
The processing is carried out in accordance with Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR on the basis of our legitimate interest in a user-friendly design of our website.

Data recipients
Recipients of the data may be our technical service providers, who work on the operation and maintenance of our website as data processors.

Mandatory or required provision
The provision of the aforementioned personal data is neither statutory nor contractually required. However, without this data, the service and functionality of our website cannot be guaranteed. Furthermore, individual services may be unavailable or limited.

Right to object
Please find the information on your right to object to the processing according to Art. 21 GDPR further below.

Use of cookies that are not technically necessary
Furthermore, we use cookies to better tailor our website to the interests of the website visitors, and to improve the website based on statistical evaluations.

Legal basis
The legal basis for this processing is your consent according to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

Data recipients
Recipients of the data may be our technical service providers, who work on the operation and maintenance of our website as data processors.

Mandatory or required provision
Of course, you can in principle visit our website without cookies being placed. In general, Internet browsers are set to accept cookies. You can disable cookie usage at any time in your browser settings (see “Withdrawal of consent”).
Please note that individual features of our website may not function if you have deactivated cookie usage.

Withdrawal of consent
You can withdraw your consent at any time via our Cookie Consent Tool.

Use of Matomo
If you have given your consent hereto, this website will use Matomo (formerly Piwik), an open source software for statistical analysis of visitor access. The provider of the Matomo software is InnoCraft Ltd, 150 Willis St, 6011 Wellington, New Zealand.

Matomo sets a cookie (a text file) on your device to recognise your browser. When subpages of our website are opened, the following information are collected:

•    the IP address of the user, shortened by the last two bytes (anonymised),
•    the subpage opened and the time of its opening,
•    the website from which the user has reached our website (referrer),
•    the browser, browser plug-ins, operating system and screen resolution used,
•    the length of the stay on the website, and
•    the pages accessed from the relevant subpage.

The data may be used to create and evaluate pseudonymised usage profiles for the stated purposes. Matomo is used to improve the quality of our website and its content. In this way, we learn how our website is used and can thus constantly optimise our offer.

By anonymising the IP address by six digits, we take into account the interest of the website visitors in the protection of their personal data. The data are neither used to personally identify the website user nor are they merged with other data. We do not transmit the information on your website usage generated by the cookie to third parties.

Third country transfer
The data collected may be transferred to the following third countries: New Zealand

The following data protection guarantees are in place: Adequacy Decision of the EU Commission

Withdrawal of consent
You can withdraw your consent to the storage and analysis of your data through Matomo at any time via the link below. A so-called opt-out cookie will be placed on your device, which is valid for two years. As a consequence, Matomo will not collect any session data. However, please note that the opt-out cookie will be deleted if you delete all cookies.

Cookie Einstellungen

  • Essential Cookies

    Only essential cookies are set to save your personal settings.

  • Statistics

    Use of cookies with the purpose of analysing website access or improving your user experience.
    • Matomo

      Analysis of website access

  • Allow selection

    Allows the display of data from external sources (Twitter, YouTube...)
    • YouTube

      Allows the display of YouTube videos

    • sendinblue (Newsletter)

      Allows the display of the newsletter registration form

You can find more information on the privacy settings of Matomo under the following link: matomo.org/docs/privacy-how-to/.

You may also refuse cookie placing in your browser settings. However, please note that in this case, you might not be provided with the full functionality of this website.

Embedded YouTube videos
We embed YouTube videos on our website. The operator of the respective plugins is YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA (hereinafter “YouTube”). YouTube, LLC is a subsidiary of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheater Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (hereinafter “Google”). If you visit a webpage with a YouTube plugin, a connection to YouTube’s servers will be established, thereby disclosing YouTube the webpages you visit. If you are logged into your YouTube account, YouTube will be able to associate your browsing behaviour with you personally. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account beforehand or by not giving us your consent.

Upon starting a YouTube video, the provider places cookies collecting information about user behaviour.
You will find additional information on the purpose and scope of YouTube’s data collection and processing and on your rights and options for protecting your privacy in the provider’s privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy.

Consent withdrawal
Currently, the provider does not provide an option to opt-out from or block data transmission. If you want to prevent the tracking of your activities on our website, please withdraw your consent for the relevant cookie category or for all technically not necessary cookies and data transfers in the cookie consent tool. In this case, however, you might not be able to use all functions of our website.

Your rights as a data subject
You can exercise the following rights at any time by contacting our data protection officer via one of the communication channels listed in this privacy policy:

•    right of access: you have the right to ask us whether we hold any of your personal information and how we process them (Art. 15 GDPR),
•    right to rectification: you have the right us to ask us to correct inaccurate personal data (Art. 16 GDPR),
•    right to erasure: you have the right to ask us to delete your personal information in certain circumstances (Art. 17 GDPR),
•    right to the restriction of processing: you have the right to ask us to restrict our use of your personal data in case the laws prohibit us to delete the data (Art. 18 GDPR),
•    right to data portability, provided you have consented to the data processing or have concluded a contract with us (Art. 20 GDPR), and
•    right to object to processing: you have the right to object to the processing of your data (Art. 21 GDPR).

If you have given us consent, you can withdraw it at any time with effect for the future.

You can lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority at any time, e.g. the supervisory authority of the federal state of your residence or the authority responsible for us.
You can find a list of German supervisory authorities (for the non-public sector) with their respective addresses at:
www.bfdi.bund.de/DE/Infothek/Anschriften_Links/anschriften_links-node.html

SSL encryption
To protect your personal data during transmission, we use state-of-the-art encryption methods (e.g., SSL) via HTTPS.

Information on your right to object according to Art. 21 GDPR
You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data relating to you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (data processing on the basis of legitimate interests); this also applies to profiling within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 4 GDPR based on this provision.

If you object to the processing, 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 is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Recipient of an objection
You can submit an objection in any form, e.g. by sending us a letter or an e-mail with the subject “Objection” and stating your name, address or other identifiers to:

Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften e.V. (National Academy of Science and Engineering)
Karolinenplatz 4
80333 Munich
Germany
E-mail: datenschutz(at)acatech.de

Changes to our privacy policy
We reserve the right to adapt this privacy policy in order to comply with the developing legal requirements or to take account of changes to our services (e.g. when introducing new services). In such a case, your next visit will be subject to the new privacy policy.

Questions to the Data Protection Officer
Should you have any questions regarding data protection, please send us an e-mail or contact us directly using the following contact details:

Data Protection Officer of acatech e.V.
c/o activeMind AG Management- und Technologieberatung
Potsdamer Straße 3
80802 Munich
Germany

Phone: +49 (0)89 / 91 92 94 – 900
E-mail: datenschutz(at)acatech.de