Privacy Policy
Data protection declaration
Unless stated otherwise below, the provision of your personal data is neither legally nor contractually obligatory, nor required for conclusion of a contract. You are not obliged to provide your data. Not providing it will have no consequences. This only applies as long as the processing procedures below do not state otherwise.
"Personal data" is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
Responsible for data processing
The person responsible for data processing on this website in terms of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is:
User account
When you open a user account, we will collect your personal data in the scope given there. The data processing is for the purpose of improving your forum usage experience. The processing will be carried out on the basis of art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR with your consent. The data we will collect is the data you enter yourself along with access information like IP address and used device (desktop, tablet or mobile phone). You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us without affecting the legality of the processing carried out with your consent up to the withdrawal. Your user account will then be deleted.
For the ease of usage it is possible to link the Swyx Forum user account with your user account of other platform. With this link it is possible to login into Swyx Forum with one mouse click. These links are not generated automatically, but you configure them yourself manually within your account settings. Per link you decide what data should be passed from the platform to Swyx Forum. In any case Swyx Forum passes on every login you do via this link your IP address to the social media platform for identification purpose. The following so called "login controllers" to other platforms are available: Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Twitter. More information on these platforms can be found further down.
Data storage
Swyx Forum is hosted by Invision Power Services, Inc. (700 12th Street STE 42, Lynchburg, VA 24504, USA). IPS develops web forum services and provides them through Amazon Web Services, Inc. (1200 12th Avenue South, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98144, USA). This means that all Swyx Forum data is handled and stored in the United States. The European Union and the United States have agreed to a common privacy data protection level ("Privacy Shield"). IPS complies to the GDPR. Please refer to their commitment to data privacy.
Amazon Web Services, Inc. is an affiliated company of Amazon, Inc. (410 Terry Ave N. Seattle, WA 98109, USA). You can find more detailed information on Amazon's collection and use of data, your associated rights and options for protecting your privacy in Amazon's privacy policy: https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/. Amazon is fully certified under the "Privacy-Shield" agreement between the European Union and the United States of America and guarantees to comply to the European Data Privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TOWQAA4&status=Active).
Use of your email address
We use your email address exclusively to send you notifications about new or updated content on our website as also for initial registration purpose. During the initial registration process to our website, your email address and IP address is forwarded to the IPS Spam Defence Service, a service of our above mentioned forum hoster to determine the likelihood a registering account is a spam source. The processing will be carried out on the basis of art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR with your consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the legality of the processing carried out with your consent up to the withdrawal. You can unsubscribe from the notifications at any time using the relevant link in the notification, via your notification settings in your user account or by contacting us.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies. Cookies are small text files which are saved in a user’s internet browser or by the user’s internet browser on their computer system. When a user calls up a website, a cookie may be saved on the user’s operating system. This cookie contains a characteristic character string which allows the browser to be clearly identified when the website is called up again. We use cookies to make our offering more user-friendly, effective and secure. Cookies also allow our systems to recognise your browser after a page change and to offer you services. Some functions of our website cannot be offered without the use of cookies. These services require the browser to be recognised again after a page change.
Our website also uses cookies to allow us to analyse the surfing behaviour of visitors to our website.
Processing is carried out on the basis of § 15 (3) TMG (Telemedia Act) as well as art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR due to our justified interest in the purposes above. The data collected in this way is pseudonymised using technological measures. It is therefore not possible to connect the data to your person. The data will not be stored together with other personal data pertaining to you. You have the right to veto this processing of your personal data according to art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR by contacting us, for reasons relating to your personal situation. Cookies will be stored on your computer. You therefore have full control over the use of cookies. By choosing corresponding technical settings in your internet browser, you can prevent the storage of cookies and transmission of the data they contain. Cookies which have already been saved may be deleted at any time. We would, however, like to point out that this may prevent you from making full use of all the functions of this website. Using the links below, you can find out how to manage cookies (or deactivate them, among other things) in major browsers:
Chrome Browser: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/61416?hl=en
Internet Explorer:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies
Mozilla Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences
Safari: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-and-website-data-sfri11471/mac
Security of your Personal Information
Our website secures your personal information from unauthorised access, use or disclosure. We secure the personally identifiable information you provide on computer servers in a controlled, secure environment, protected from unauthorised access, use or disclosure. All data being transmitted between our server and you is protected through the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.
Links into social media platforms
Use of Facebook
Our website uses Facebook's function for the embedding of Facebook content. Facebook is a website of Facebook Inc. (1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA; "Facebook"). The feature shows Facebook content in an iFrame on the website. The option "advanced privacy mode" is enabled here. This prevents Facebook from storing information on visitors to the website. In addition to embedding of Facebook content we offer a Facebook "login controller, which enables you to register and login into Swyx Forum with your Facebook account. Your Facebook account information is not shared with Swyx Forum, instead Facebook just tells us that you are a rightfully logged in Facebook user. You can find more detailed information on Facebook’s collection and use of data, your associated rights and options for protecting your privacy in Facebook’s privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/. (opt-out: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads). Facebook is fully certified under the "Privacy-Shield" agreement between the European Union and the United States of America and guarantees to comply to the European Data Privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).
Use of Facebook Pixel
Our website does not make use of Facebook Pixel.
Use of Google
Our website uses Google services to provide a Google "login controller, which enables you to register and login into Swyx Forum with your Google account. Your Google account information is not shared with Swyx Forum, instead Google just tells us that you are a rightfully logged in Google user. In this case an online form of Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA) will be used. Further information on the data collected and used by Google, your rights and privacy can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/. (opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated). Google is fully certified under the "Privacy-Shield" agreement between the European Union and the United States of America and guarantees to comply to the European Data Privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).
Use of Google Analytics
Our website does not make use of Google Analytics.
Use of Google Fonts
Our website does not make use of Google Fonts.
Use of Google reCAPTCHA V2
Our website uses the Google ReCaptcha function to identify bots, e.g. when registering to our website. An online form of Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA) will be used which may set a session cookie and get information about your internet browser and device accessing this website. Further information on the data collected and used by Google, your rights and privacy can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/. (opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated). Google is fully certified under the "Privacy-Shield" agreement between the European Union and the United States of America and guarantees to comply to the European Data Privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).
Use of Twitter
Our website uses Twitter's function for the embedding of Twitter content.Twitter is a website of Twitter Inc. (1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA). The feature show Twitter content in an iFrame on the website. The option "advanced privacy mode" is enabled here. This prevents Twitter from storing information on visitors to the website. In addition to embedding of Twitter content we offer a Twitter "login controller, which enables you to register and login into Swyx Forum with your Twitter account. Your Twitter account information is not shared with Swyx Forum, instead Twitter just tells us that you are a rightfully logged in Twitter user. You can find more detailed information on Twitter’s collection and use of data, your associated rights and options for protecting your privacy in Twitter’s privacy policy: https://twitter.com/de/privacy. (opt-out: https://twitter.com/personalization). Twitter is fully certified under the "Privacy-Shield" agreement between the European Union and the United States of America and guarantees to comply to the European Data Privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active).
Use of LinkedIn
Our website uses LinkedIn services to provide a LinkedIn "login controller, which enables you to register and login into Swyx Forum with your LinkedIn account. Your LinkedIn account information is not shared with Swyx Forum, instead LinkedIn just tells us that you are a rightfully logged in LinkedIn user. In this case an online form of LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company (Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Irland) will be used. Further information on the data collected and used by LinkedIn, your rights and privacy can be found in LinkedIn privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy (opt-out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/).
Use of YouTube
Our website uses YouTube LLC’s function for embedding YouTube videos. (901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA; “YouTube”). YouTube is an affiliated company of Google Inc. (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA;“Google”). This feature shows YouTube videos in an iFrame on the website. The option “advanced privacy mode” is enabled here. This prevents YouTube from storing information on visitors to the website. It is only if you watch a video that information is transmitted to and stored by YouTube. Further information on the data collected and used by YouTube and Google, your rights and privacy can be found in YouTube’s privacy policy: https://www.youtube.com/t/privacy. (opt-out: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated). Google is fully certified under the "Privacy-Shield" agreement between the European Union and the United States of America and guarantees to comply to the European Data Privacy laws (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active).
Use of Vimeo
Our website uses Vimeo Inc.'s function for embedding Vimeo videos. (Attention: Legal Department, 555 West 18th Street New York, New York 10011, USA). This feature shows Vimeo videos in an iFrame on the website. The option "advanced privacy mode" is enabled here. This prevents Vimeo from storing information on visitors to the website. It is only if you watch a video that information is transmitted to and stored by Vimeo. Further information on the data collected and used by Vimeo, your rights and privacy can be found in Vimeo’s privacy policy: https://vimeo.com/privacy. We need to inform you, that Vimeo uses Google Analytics and therefore refer also to Google's privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/. (opt-out: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en). We our self do not use Google Analytics.
Duration of storage
After contractual processing has been completed, the data is initially stored for the duration of the warranty period, then in accordance with the retention periods prescribed by law, especially tax and commercial law, and then deleted after the period has elapsed, unless you have agreed to further processing and use.
Rights of the affected person
If the legal requirements are fulfilled, you have the following rights according to art. 15 to 20 GDPR: Right to information, correction, deletion, restriction of processing, data portability. You also have a right of objection against processing based on art. 6 (1) GDPR, and to processing for the purposes of direct marketing, according to art. 21 (1) GDPR.
Contact us at any time. Our contact details can be found above or in our imprint.
Right to complain to the regulatory authority
You have the right to complain to the regulatory authority according to art. 77 GDPR if you believe that your data is not being processed legally. In this case please contact the "Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit" of North Rhine-Westfalia in Düsseldorf, Germany.