Privacy and Usage Policy

Privacy Policy

We take issues of online privacy seriously, and want you to feel secure when using our website. The following information will give you an overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our websites, use our apps and online services, or contact us.

This page is meant for us to explain to you what personal data we collect and process when you visit this website, for what purpose we use it, who has access to it, how long we store it and what rights you have when we process your personal data.

This Privacy Policy is aligned with both the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

CCPA is a data privacy law that provides California consumers with a number of privacy protections, including right to access, delete, and opt-out of the “sale” of their personal information. Starting January 1, 2023.

GDPR is a privacy and security which establishes the circumstances under which it is lawful to collect, use, disclose, destroy, or otherwise process “personal data”. It was adopted in 2016 and entered into application on 25 May 2018.

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is a small file which by your permission may be placed on your computer’s hard drive or device’s storage.

Once you agree to a cookie, the file then starts analysing web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site.

Cookies allow websites and web applications to respond to your preferences as an individual. The cookie also gathers and remembers information about your settings and preferences as you interact with a website.

Why we use Cookies

This website uses traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website to meet the needs and preferences of our site visitors.

We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system. Cookies also provide us with information on the performance of our website as it interacts with the visitors.

Basically, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie does not in any way give us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

User-generated content

Your contributions as visitors to this website (user generated content) are personal data. They are stored in a log file and are used exclusively for their original purpose or as forum, comment, chat or blog posts. As soon as storage is no longer necessary, they are deleted.

What personal data do we process and for what purpose?

When you use our website, we collect technical data, such as your IP address, log data or we assign you a user ID or cookie. As a rule, this takes place without any inference to your person. We can only link this technical data to your person if you have given us permission to do so.

We collect and use this data to ensure better user experience in the provision of our website information. We also process your personal data for the security of our IT systems and to ensure the data security of our users.

In order to ensure the legal framework for the use of our services, we collect your IP address, for example, so that geo-blocking of certain content can be ensured.

We also process personal data in the course of our own legal enforcement and defence, (including for the issuing, administration and enforcement of house bans).

We will only pass on your personal data to third parties if we have your consent or if we have a legitimate interest in doing so. For example, your data may be transferred by us to third parties if we are obliged to do so by law or by a corresponding official or court order.

How long do we store your personal data?

We store your data for as long as this is necessary for the provision of our website services, or we have a legitimate interest in the continued storage. More often than not, we will delete your personal data within six months at most.

What rights do you have over your personal data?

You have the right to obtain, free of charge, information on the identity and contact details of the data controller, the personal data processed as such, the purpose of the processing, and the retention period of the personal data.

You also have the right to order a rectification, deletion, restriction of processing, revocation of your consent or objection to processing.