Data Protection Information
The Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (MPG) takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We process personal data gathered when visiting our websites in compliance with the applicable data protection legislation and, as a matter of principle, only to the extent that this is necessary to provide a functioning website and our content and services. We neither publish your data nor transmit them to third parties on an unauthorized basis. In the following sections, we explain which data we record when you visit one of our websites, and how exactly they are utilized.
A. Provision of the website
1. Visiting the Website
a. Type of data
Each time you visit our website, our service and applications automatically record data and information from the system of the visiting device.
The following data are gathered temporarily:
- Your IP address
- Date and time of your access to the website
- Address of the page visited
- Address of the previously visited website (referrer)
- Name and version of your browser/operating system (if transmitted)
These data are stored in our systems’ log files. There is no storage of these data together with other personal data relating to the user.
b. Legal basis
The legal basis for the temporary saving of data and log files is Article 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. Storage occurs in log files in order to ensure the website’s functionality. The data also serve to optimize the websites, eliminate malfunctions and ensure our IT system security. Our justified interest in data processing pursuant to Article 6 (1) lit. f GDPR also lies in such purposes.
The recording of data for the provision of the website and the storage of data in log files are essential to operate the website. It is therefore not possible for the user to object.
c. Data deletion
The data are deleted as soon as they are no longer required in order to fulfil the purpose of their collection. If data are gathered for the provision of the website, this is the case if the respective visit is ended. In the event that data are stored in log files, this is the case after seven days at the latest. Storage above and beyond this period is possible. In this case, the users’ IP addresses are deleted or removed so they can no longer be allocated to the visiting device.
2. User-friendly website design
a. Type of data
Our website uses cookies. Cookies are text files which are saved in or by the internet browser on the users’ systems. If a user accesses a website, a cookie can be saved on the user’s system. These cookies contain a characteristic string of characters which enables definitive identification of the browser the next time the website is accessed.
We use cookies in order to make our website more user-friendly. It is a technical requirement of certain elements of our website that the accessing browser can also be identified after a page change. In the process, the following data are saved and transmitted in the cookies:
- Language settings (localization) of the browser, also when changing pages (functionality of the language switch): Sessioncookie i18next
- Session data (click path, pages visited, current language, remembering form data (terms used in the internal site search, entries in the contact form) as well as error messages for forms, if applicable): Sessioncookie mpg_session_r
Cookies are saved on your device and transmitted by the latter to our website. For this reason, you as the user also have full control over the use of cookies. By changing the settings in your internet browser, you can deactivate or limit the transmission of cookies. This can also happen on an automated basis. If cookies are deactivated for our website, the full range of functions of the website may not be entirely available for use.
b. Legal basis
The legal basis for the processing of personal data by means of cookies is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25, para. 2, no. 2 of the German Act to regulate Data Protection and Protection of Privacy in Telecommunications and Digital Services [TDDDG]. Some of the functions of our website cannot be offered without the use of cookies. For these, it is absolutely necessary that the browser is recognized even after a page change.
c. Data deletion
The cookies are deleted after closing the session.
B. Web analysis
1. Type of data
We use the web analytics programme Matomo for statistical data collection in relation to utilization behaviour; this programme uses cookies and JavaScript to collect various information on your computer and transmit this automatically to us. Every time our website is accessed, our system logs the following data and information from the computer system of the accessing device:
- IP address, anonymized by means of abbreviation
- Two cookies to distinguish between different visitors: pk_id and pk_sess
- Previously visited URL (referrer) if communicated by the browser
- Name and version of the operating system
- Name, version and language setting of the browser.
The following data are collected additionally if JavaScript is activated:
- URLs visited on this website
- Times of page visits
- Type of HTML requests
- Screen resolution and colour depth
- Technologies and formats supported by the browser (e.g. cookies, Java, Flash, PDF, WindowsMedia, QuickTime, Realplayer, Director, SilverLight, Google Gears).
The saving and analysis of data is carried out solely on a central server operated by the MPG.
It goes without saying that you have the opportunity to object to your data being collected. The following independent methods are available to you if you wish to object to data collection by the central server:
- In your browser, activate the Do-Not-Track setting. As long as this setting is active, our central server will not save any of your data. Important: Do-Not-Track generally only applies to the one device and browser on which the setting is activated. If you use several devices/browsers, you must activate Do-Not-Track separately on each one.
- Use our opt-out function. Click on the check mark in the following selection box under https://www.mpg.de/datenschutzhinweis/datenerhebung-deaktivieren in order to stop or reactivate data collection. As long as the selection box is deactivated, our central server will not save any of your data. Important: For the opt-out, we have to store a special recognition cookie in your browser. If you delete this or use a different PC/browser, you have to object to data collection once again on this page.
There is no storage of these data together with other personal data relating to the users.
2. Legal basis
The legal basis for the processing of personal data by means of cookies is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25 para. 2 no. 2 TDDDG. The processing of the users’ personal data enables us to analyze the usage behaviour of our users. By evaluating the data obtained, we are able to compile information on the use of the individual components of our websites. This helps us improve our websites and their user-friendliness on an ongoing basis. These purposes also constitute our legitimate interest in data processing according to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25, para. 2, no. 2 TDDDG. By anonymizing the IP address, the users’ interest in the protection of their personal data is sufficiently taken into account.
3. Data deletion
The data are deleted after the final annual totals have been arrived at for access statistics.
C. Subscription
1. Type of data
Our website offers users the opportunity to sign up for a free publication. When users sign up for economic sociology. perspectives and conversations, the data from the input screen are transmitted to us. This generally consists of your email address, last name and first name. We inform you about the concrete processing of your data in the course of the sign-up process and obtain your consent accordingly. There is also a reference to this Data Privacy Statement. The data is solely used for sending out the newsletter.
2. Legal basis
The legal basis for processing the data after a user signs up for the newsletter is the user’s consent according to Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR. The purpose of collecting data is to deliver the newsletter.
The legal basis for voluntary tracking is Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR as well as § 25, para.1 TDDDG.
3. Data deletion
The user’s email address is therefore only saved for as long as the newsletter subscription is active. The newsletter subscription can be cancelled by the user in question at any time via email to: info@mpifg.de.
If a user consents to the tracking, this data will be stored as long as the subscription to the newsletter is active or the user revokes their consent to tracking via their personal profile.
D. Measures for the secure use of forms
1. Prevention of the misuse of forms
a. Type of data
To prevent any misuse of the form, the Google Invisible reCaptcha function is used. reCaptcha serves to exclude mass machine use of the forms offered
by registering cursor movements in the background in addition to the IP address, e.g. when filling out the form – switching between form fields. reCaptcha is an embedded JavaScript that establishes a connection to Google's servers when one of the aforementioned forms is called up and reloads Google Fonts within the Captcha symbol to ensure correct display and function. In the course of this, Google records the IP address, the page accessed, the browser type and the browser language set by the user. You can find out details from a reference to data processing by the provider that is included in the form.
b. Legal basis
The legal basis for the processing of personal data by means of reCaptcha is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25, para. 2, no. 2 TDDDG. reCaptcha is used to ensure the functional capability of the forms and prevent their misuse. These purposes also constitute our legitimate interest in data processing according to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. The use of reCaptcha is absolutely necessary in order to operate the mentioned forms. It is therefore not possible for the user to object.
c. Data deletion
The MPG itself does not collect any data through the use of reCaptcha.
The data collected by Google itself when using reCaptcha is deleted or anonymized after nine months.
2. Securing communication through forms
a. Type of data
To protect the integrity of the data entered into a form while the form is being transmitted, a digital token is retrieved from the MPG servers and transmitted back when the completed form is submitted. The token is not stored on the users’ devices.
The token csrf_token is used to secure the communication through the following form:
b. Legal basis
The legal basis for the data processing is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25, para. 2, no. 2 TDDDG. The token is used to ensure the security of communication through forms and prevent misuse. These purposes also constitute our legitimate interest in data processing according to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. The use of the token is absolutely necessary in order to operate the mentioned forms. It is therefore not possible for the users to object.
c. Data deletion
The MPG does not store any data when using the token.
E. Data transmission
The management and storage of your personal details is carried out by selected services (Subscription, Section C) within the scope of commissioned data processing on systems of our service providers.
Your personal data are only transmitted to public institutions and authorities if legally required or for the purpose of criminal prosecution due to attacks on our network infrastructure. The data are not shared with third parties for any other purposes.
F. General details
1. Contact details of the controller
The controller within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation and other national data protection acts as well as other data protection legislation is the
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (MPG)
Hofgartenstrasse 8
80539 Munich, Germany
Telephone: +49 (89) 2108-0
Contact form: https://www.mpg.de/kontakt/anfragen
Internet: https://www.mpg.de
2. Data Protection Officer’s contact details
The controller’s Data Protection Officer can be reached as follows:
Data Protection Officer of the MPG
Hofgartenstrasse 8
80539 Munich, Germany
Telephone: +49 (89) 2108-1554
datenschutz@mpg.de
G. Rights of the data subjects
As a data subject whose personal data are collected in the context of the above-mentioned services, you generally have the following rights unless legal exceptions apply in individual cases:
- Information (Article 15 GDPR)
- Correction (Article 16 GDPR)
- Deletion (Article 17 (1) GDPR)
- Restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR)
- Data transmission (Article 20 GDPR)
- Revocation of processing (Article 21 GDPR)
- Revocation of consent (Article 7 (3) GDPR)
- Right to complain to the regulator (Article 77 GDPR). For the MPG, this is the Bavarian Data Protection Authority (BayLDA), Postfach 1349, 91504 Ansbach, Germany.