Privacy

The following privacy policy applies to the use of our website www.torstenalfes.com.

We attach great importance to data protection. The collection and processing of your personal data are carried out in compliance with the applicable data protection regulations, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Responsible

The person responsible for the collection, processing, and use of your personal data within the meaning of Art. 4 No. 7 GDPR is

Torsten Alfes, Königsallee 14, 40212 Düsseldorf, 0211.13866-201, talfes@torstenalfes.com

If you wish to object to the collection, processing, or use of your data by us in accordance with these data protection provisions as a whole or for individual measures, you can address your objection to the person responsible.

You can save and print this privacy policy at any time.

2. General purposes of processing

We use personal data for the purpose of operating the website.

3. What data we use and why

3.1 Hosting

The hosting services used by us serve to provide the following services: Infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, security services, and technical maintenance services, which we use for the purpose of operating the website.

In this context, we, or our hosting provider, process inventory data, contact data, content data, contract data, usage data, metadata, and communication data of interested parties and visitors to this website on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure provision of our website pursuant to Art. 6 paragraph 1 S. 1 f) GDPR in conjunction with Art. 28 GDPR.

3.2 Access data

We collect information about you when you use this website. We automatically collect information about your usage behavior and your interaction with us and register data about your computer or mobile device. We collect, store and use data about each access to our website (so-called server log files). The access data includes:

• Name and URL of the retrieved file
• Date and time of the retrieval
  
• Amount of data transferred
• Message about successful retrieval (HTTP response code)
• Browser type and browser version
• Operating system
• Referrer URL (i.e. the previously visited page)
• Websites that are called up by the user's system via our website
• Internet service provider of the user
• IP address and the requesting provider

We use this log data without assigning it to you personally or otherwise profiling it for statistical evaluations for the purpose of operating, securing, and optimizing our website, but also to anonymously record the number of visitors to our website (traffic) and the extent and type of use of our website and services, as well as for billing purposes to measure the number of clicks received from cooperation partners. Based on this information, we can provide personalized and location-based content and analyze traffic, search for and fix errors, and improve our services.

This is also our legitimate interest according to Art 6 para. 1 p. 1 f) GDPR.

We reserve the right to review the log data retrospectively if there is a justified suspicion of unlawful use based on concrete indications. We store IP addresses in the log files for a limited period of time if this is required for security purposes or necessary for the provision of services or the billing of a service, e.g. if you use one of our offers. After cancellation of the order process or after receipt of payment, we delete the IP address if it is no longer required for security purposes. We also store IP addresses if we have a concrete suspicion of a criminal offense in connection with the use of our website. In addition, as part of your account, we store the date of your last visit (e.g. when registering, logging in, clicking links, etc.).

3.3 Cookies

We use so-called session cookies to optimize our website. A session cookie is a small text file that is sent by the respective servers when you visit a website and is temporarily stored on your hard drive. This file as such contains a so-called session ID, with which various requests of your browser can be assigned to the common session. This allows your computer to be recognized when you return to our website. These cookies are deleted after you close your browser. They are used, for example, to enable you to use the shopping cart function across multiple pages.
To a lesser extent, we also use persistent cookies (also small text files that are stored on your terminal device), which remain on your terminal device and enable us to recognize your browser on your next visit. These cookies are stored on your hard drive and deleted after the specified time. Their lifespan is between 1 month and 10 years. This allows us to present our offer to you in a more user-friendly, effective, and secure manner and, for example, to display information on the site that is specifically tailored to your interests.

Our legitimate interest in the use of cookies pursuant to Art 6 (1) p. 1 f) GDPR is to make our website more user-friendly, effective, and secure.

The following data and information, for example, are stored in the cookies:

• Log-in information
  
• Language settings
• Entered search terms
• Information about the number of visits to our website and the use of individual functions of our website.

When the cookie is activated, it is assigned an identification number and an assignment of your personal data to this identification number is not made. Your name, IP address, or similar data that would allow the cookie to be assigned to you are not placed in the cookie. Based on the cookie technology, we only receive pseudonymized information, for example, about which pages of our store were visited, which products were viewed, etc.

You can set your browser so that you are informed in advance about the setting of cookies and can decide on a case-by-case basis whether you want to exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general, or that cookies are completely prevented. This may limit the functionality of the website.

3.4 Data for the fulfillment of our contractual obligations

We process personal data only to the extent that we need them to fulfill our contractual obligations. The deletion of the data takes place after the expiration of warranty periods and legal retention periods.

3.5 CV upload and panel entry on our homepage

You can upload your CV on our website or contact us (e.g. via contact form or e-mail). In this case, we save your data in our CRM system and delete it on the website. The data will not be passed on to third parties. Only our employees and those of the technical service provider have access.

Measures are defined to ensure that those authorized to use our CRM system can only access the data subject to their access authorization and that personal data is not read, copied, modified, or removed without authorization after storage and during processing, use.

We only process further personal data if you consent to this (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 a) GDPR) or if we have a legitimate interest in processing your data (Art. 6 para. 1 p. 1 f) GDPR). A legitimate interest is, for example, to respond to your email.

3.6 Storage duration

Unless specifically stated, we store personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes pursued.

In some cases, the legislator provides for the retention of personal data, for example in tax or commercial law. In these cases, we only continue to store the data for these statutory purposes, but do not process it elsewhere and delete it after the statutory retention period has expired.

4. Your rights as a person affected by data processing

According to the applicable laws, you have various rights regarding your personal data. If you wish to exercise these rights, please send your request by e-mail or by post, clearly identifying yourself, to the address mentioned in point 1.

Below you will find an overview of your rights.

4.1 Right to confirmation and information

You have the right to receive clear information about the processing of your personal data.

In detail:

You have the right to receive confirmation from us at any time as to whether personal data relating to you is being processed. If this is the case, you have the right to request from us free information about the personal data stored about you, together with a copy of this data. Furthermore, you have the right to the following information:

• the purposes of the processing;
• the categories of personal data processed;
• the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed.
  if possible, the planned duration for which the personal data will be stored or, if this is not possible, the criteria for determining this duration;
• the existence of a right to obtain the rectification or erasure of personal data concerning you, or to obtain the restriction of processing by the controller, or a right to object to such processing;
• The existence of a right of appeal to a supervisory authority;
• if the personal data is not collected from you, any available information about the origin of the data;
• the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, pursuant to Article Art. 22 (1) and (4) of the GDPR and, at least in these cases, meaningful information about the logic involved and the scope and intended effects of such processing for you.

If personal data is transferred to a third country or to an international organization, you have the right to be informed about the appropriate safeguards pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR in connection with the transfer.

4.2 Right to rectification

You have the right to request us to correct and, if necessary, complete personal data concerning you.

In detail:

You have the right to demand that we correct any inaccurate personal data concerning you without undue delay. Taking into account the purposes of the processing, you have the right to request the completion of incomplete personal data - also by means of a supplementary declaration.

4.3 Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")

In a number of cases, we are required to delete personal data relating to you.

In detail:

Pursuant to Article 17(1) of the GDPR, you have the right to request that we delete personal data concerning you without undue delay, and we are obliged to delete personal data without undue delay if one of the following reasons applies:

• The personal data are no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed.
• You withdraw your consent on which the processing was based pursuant to Art. 6 (1) p. 1 a) GDPR or Art. 9 (2) a) GDPR and there is no other legal basis for the processing.
• You object to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing, or you object to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 (2) GDPR.
• The personal data have been processed unlawfully.
• The erasure of the personal data is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation under Union or Member State law to which we are subject.
• The personal data was collected in relation to information society services offered pursuant to Art. 8 (1) GDPR.

If we have made the personal data public and we are obliged to erase it pursuant to Article 17(1) of the GDPR, we shall take reasonable measures, including technical measures, having regard to the available technology and the cost of implementation, to inform data controllers that process the personal data that you have requested the erasure of all links to or copies or replications of such personal data.

4.4 Right to restriction of processing

In a number of cases, you are entitled to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data.

In detail:

You have the right to require us to restrict the processing if one of the following conditions is met:

• the accuracy of the personal data is contested by you for a period enabling us to verify the accuracy of the personal data,
• the processing is unlawful and you have refused to erase the personal data and have instead requested the restriction of the use of the personal data;
• we no longer need the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but you need the data to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims; or
• you have objected to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR, as long as it has not yet been determined whether the legitimate reasons of our company prevail over yours.

4.5 Right to data portability

You have the right to obtain, transmit, or have us transmit personal data concerning you in machine-readable form.

In detail:

You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and you have the right to transfer this data to another controller without hindrance from us, provided that

• the processing is based on consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) p. 1 a) GDPR or Art. 9 (2) a) GDPR or on a contract pursuant to Art. 6 (1) p. 1 b) GDPR and
• the processing is carried out with the help of automated procedures.

When exercising your right to data portability pursuant to paragraph 1, you have the right to obtain that the personal data be transferred directly from us to another controller, to the extent that this is technically feasible.

4.6 Right of objection

You have the right to object from lawful processing of your personal data by us if this is based on your particular situation and our interests in the processing do not prevail.

In detail:

You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 e) or f) GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. We will no longer process the personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or the processing serves to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims.

If we process personal data for the purpose of direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such marketing; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing.

You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning you which is carried out for scientific or historical research purposes or for statistical purposes pursuant to Art. 89 (1) GDPR, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

4.7 Automated decisions including profiling

You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing - including profiling - which produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you.

Automated decision-making based on the personal data collected will not take place.

4.8 Right to revoke consent under the data protection law

You have the right to revoke consent to the processing of personal data at any time.

4.9 Right to complain to a supervisory authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your residence, workplace or the place of the alleged infringement if you consider that the processing of personal data concerning you is unlawful.

5. Data security

We make maximum efforts to ensure the security of your data within the framework of the applicable data protection laws and technical possibilities.

Your personal data is transmitted encrypted with us. This applies to your orders and also to the customer login. We use the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) coding system, but we would like to point out that data transmission on the Internet (e.g. when communicating by e-mail) can have security gaps. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

To protect your data, we maintain technical and organizational security measures in accordance with Art. 32 GDPR, which we constantly adapt to the state of the art.

We also do not guarantee that our offer will be available at certain times; disruptions, interruptions, or failures cannot be ruled out. The servers we use are carefully backed up on a regular basis.

6. Disclosure of data to third parties, no data transfer to non-EU countries

In principle, we only use your personal data within our company.

In the event that we outsource certain parts of data processing ("commissioned processing"), we contractually oblige commissioned processors to use personal data only in accordance with the requirements of data protection laws and to ensure the protection of the rights of the data subject.

A data transfer to entities or persons outside the EU outside the case mentioned in this statement in number 4 does not take place and is not planned.