Privacy Policy

Data Protection Explained

The protection of your data in eco - association of the German Internet economy e. V. 

I. General
We, eco Association of the German Internet Economy e. V., lichtstraße 43h, 50825 Cologne (later named "eco"), take the protection of your personal data very seriously and strictly uphold the rules of the data protection laws.  The following explanation gives you an overview on how we guarantee this protection.  We would like to specifically stress to you, as a visitor of our websites, subscriber of our newsletter "eco News" or guest of our numerous organisations, what type of data we gather, why we gather this data, how we always determine how best to contact you over the use of your personal data.

II. Surfing on this webpage
eco gathers and automatically stores files and information that your browser leaves behind during your surfing on this site, on to its server.

Examples of information that we gather and analyse, include the Internet-protocol-address (IP), that your computer connects to the Internet with, receipt confirmations and confirmations of e-mails, login, e-mail address, passwords, information about your computer and connection to the Internet such as, for example browser type, version and number, operating system and platform, your visitor history that we sometimes combine with other similar information gathered from other visitors and portray in a personally unidentifiable form such as ‘Top Contents’ reports and visitor statistics. Furthermore we gather, in anonymous form, the complete Uniform Resource Locators (URL) Clickstream, in and out of our websites, i.e. the sequence of the search or journey you have made to arrive at our site and at what location in the site. We gather information on what you search for, including date and time, cookie or Flash-cookie-number, the contents, and anything else that determines what you were looking for, when and how.

During your visits, we sometimes use javascript in order to gather and value information, including the duration a web page takes to load, where there are any interruptions to downloading or problems, the duration of the visit in detail, information for the interaction on a page (scrolling, clicking, Mouse-overs etc…) and over why someone has left a page. 

The most important data that is stored:

• Browser type/version
• Related operating system
• Referrer URL (the page visited prior to visiting a particular page)
• Host name of the computer used (IP address)
• Date and Time of the server inquiry
• Visitor history
  
  All data gathered is not for us to retain.  A consolidation of this data with other data sources is not undertaken. Moreover, the data is deleted after a statistical analysis. 
  
  III. Cookies
  Our webpages use named cookies at several places.  They serve as a tool to offer more user-friendly surfing on our webpages and make our websites’ services more effective.  Cookies are small text files that are dropped on your computer and that your browser stores.  The cookies we use from each visitor are called "session cookies".  They are automatically deleted after the end of your visit.  Cookies cause your computer no damage and contain no viruses.  There is an aid function in the menu bar of most web browsers, which explains how you can turn cookies on and off and modify the settings.  You can also delete cookies. To be sure you can fully experience the most interesting features of the eco websites we recommend you have your cookies and flash settings turned on. We also recommend that when you finish using a shared computer for browsing that accepts cookies and Flash cookies, that you clear the cookies data from the computer.
  
  IV. Registrationfor events
  On the eco webpage, registration forms are connected to the numerous events of the eco.  In the frame of your registration, personal data is requested e.g. name, address, e-mail address etc...  This data is gathered for your identification and registration at the organisation or event and the occasional postal letter including information such as news about the association or organisational appointments.  You are specifically referred to this within the registration process.  If the above-mentioned contradicts what is delivered to you regarding information about the association and you wish to inform us, please send an e-mail to datenschutz@eco.de and/or via post at the address eco Association of the German Internet Industry e. V., Lichtstrasse 43h, 50825 Cologne, Germany - subject: "data protection" or via fax at the number +49 (0)221 7000 48 11
  
  V. Subscription to "eco News"
  On the eco websites, you can subscribe to the newsletters of the association "eco News".  In the frame of the subscription entry for "eco News", we gather personal data from you e.g. name and e-mail address.  We use this data to exclusively personalise the emails we send you.  We do not share your personal data with third parties.  In order to prevent the abuse of e-mail address, subscribers must confirm the order of our eco News in an automated process per e-mail (Double-Opt-In).  For statistical purposes we carry out anonymous link tracking.  A conclusion on single receivers is not possible.  You always have the options to opt out or stop the subscription at any point. Should you wish to do so please send an email to  newsletter@eco.de, or via post to our office: eco Association of the German Internet Industry e. V., lichtstrasse 43h, 50825 Cologne, Germany or via fax on:  +49 (0)221,7000 48 11
   
  VI. Your rights
  You always have the right to request further information about the data stored regarding your personal data, who holds it and the purpose of the storage.  In addition the right stands for you to demand the cancellation and/or obstruction as well as correction of your data.  Please direct your concern to our data protection delegate, under the e-mail address datenschutz@eco.de, via post at our address eco Association of the German Internet Industry e. V., lichtstrasse  43h, 50825 Cologne, Germany with the subject: "data protection" or via fax at the number +49 (0)221,7000 48 11
  
  VII. Transmission to third parties
  The data gathered by us is not sold.  We transmit the information that we receive between our own organisations. The data protection for these connected businesses is explained below:
  
  Connected businesses
  Connected businesses that are controlled by eco are subject to, or follow, the same guidelines and offer at least the same data protection that is given in this explanation.
  
  Service provider
  We delegate to other businesses and individuals the fulfilment of some tasks for eco.  Examples are support in the organisation of events (e.g. teams, congresses, localTalks), shipment of letters or e-mails, the care of our contact lists, the analysis of our databases, advertising measures (including for the position of search results and links) as well as settlement of payments (credit card, debit procedure and calculation purchase) these service providers have access to personal information, that are required to fulfil their tasks.  They are not permitted to use this information however for any other purposes.  In addition they are obligated to treat the information in accordance with this data protection explanation as well as the German data protection laws. 
  
  Protection of eco and third parties
  We will announce personal data if we are legally obligated to or if such a transmission is required in order to protect our rights and that of a third party. 
  
  With your consent
  In all other cases, we will inform you about personal information that is supposed to be transmitted to a third party and give you the possibility to provide us with your consent. 
  
  VIII. Further information and references
  Our websites, services as well as initiatives constantly change - just as this data protection explanation and our terms and conditions of use change.  We endeavour to inform you at certain times over the guidelines valid here if they change.  However, you should visit our websites regularly and should take note of any changes.  Provided that no other regulations subject to the utilisation of information that we have about your data, this data protection explanation prevails.  We assure you that significant deviation from our data protection explanation that leads to a weaker protection of already preserved data, will only be carried out with your prior approval.  Your confidence is very important to us.  Therefore we would like to always be in communications with you when necessary about the use of your personal data and answer any questions.  If you have questions, that this data protection explanation was not able to answer, or if you wish for further information please always refer to the data protection delegate, at the e-mail address datenschutz@eco.de, or via the address: eco Association of the German Internet Industry e. V., lichtstrasse 43h, 50825 Cologne, Germany with the subject: "data protection" or via fax under the number +49 (0)221 7000 48 11