Cookie Policy

If you have any questions, please contact us via the live chat.

What are Cookies?

Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive or mobile device by your web browser (if you allow) that enable the site’s or service provider’s systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. These cookies can save your settings on a website and are used to deliver a more efficient and enjoyable website experience by storing information about how you use the website. For example, storing information on the pages you visited which allows for suggesting related content based on a previous visit.

There are two types of cookies: (i) First-party cookies which are set by the website you are visiting and (ii) Third-party cookies which come from other websites e.g. ads embedded on a page using Google services.

Are Cookies harmful?

Cookies cannot access any information on your computer other than the information you have openly disclosed to the website which sent the cookies to your computer. Cookies can’t be executed as code and as such cannot distribute malware.

What types of cookies do we use?

We only use first party cookies but also use some third party website tools which use cookies in different ways.

Third party tools on this website

Collection of access data and log files

Based on our legitimate interests in accordance with point (f) of Article 6 (1) GDPR, we collect data on all access to the server (so-called server log files). The access data includes the name of the website visited, the file, date and time of the visit, volume of data transferred, notification of successful data retrieval, the browser type and version, the user’s operating system, the referrer URL (of the website visited before), the IP address and the requesting provider. For security reasons (e.g. to investigate misuse or fraud), the log file information is stored for a maximum of seven days and then deleted. Data that must be stored for longer as evidence is exempt from erasure until the relevant incident has been conclusively resolved.

Measuring Reach

This Privacy Policy contains information on the use of cookies for the purpose of pseudonymous reach measurement.

If you do not wish cookies to be saved on your computer, please disable the appropriate option in your browser’s system settings. Saved cookies can be deleted in the browser’s system settings. Disabling cookies can result in our websites’ functions being restricted.

You can object to the use of cookies for measuring reach and for advertising purposes via the Network Advertising Initiative’s opt-out page as well as via the US website or the European website.

Google Analytics

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e. interests in the analysis, optimization and efficient running of our websites in accordance with point (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR), we use Google Analytics, a web analytics service from Google LLC. Google uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie regarding use of the websites by users is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield framework and therefore guarantees that it complies with European data protection law.

Google uses this information on our behalf to analyze the use of our websites by users, to compile reports on activities within these websites and to provide other services to us related to the use of these websites and the Internet. As part of this process, pseudonymous usage profiles of users may be generated using the data processed.

We use Google Analytics so that the advertisements placed as part of Google’s advertising services and those of its partners are only displayed to users who have also shown interest in our online content or who exhibit certain features (e.g. interest in certain topics or products, based on the websites visited), which we transmit to Google (so-called “remarketing”, or “Google Analytics audiences”). Using remarketing audiences, we also hope to ensure that our advertisements reflect users’ interests and are not annoying.

We only use Google Analytics with IP anonymization activated. This means that users’ IP addresses are first truncated by Google within the Member States of the European Union or in other states that are a party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be sent to a Google server in the USA and truncated there.

The IP address transmitted by your browser is not merged with other data by Google. You can prevent cookies being saved via the appropriate setting in your browser software. Users can also prevent Google obtaining and processing the data generated by the cookie related to their use of the website by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available via the following link: Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

You can find further information on the use of data by Google and on configuration options and possibilities to object on Google’s website: “How Google uses data when you use our partners’ websites or apps”, “How data is used for advertising purposes”, “Manage the information that Google uses to show you ads”.

Google (re)marketing services

Based on our legitimate interests (i.e. interests in the analysis, optimisation and efficient running of our websites in accordance with point (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR), we use the marketing and remarketing services (“Google Marketing Services”) provided by Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA).

Google is certified under the Privacy Shield framework and therefore guarantees that it complies with European data protection law.

Google Marketing Services enable us to target the advertisements we display for and on our websites so that we only display to users advertisements that potentially reflect their interests. For example, when a user is shown advertisements for products that they have shown an interest in our websites, this is called “remarketing”. For this purpose, when the user visits our websites and other websites on which Google Marketing Services are activated, Google immediately executes a code and so-called (re)marketing tags (transparent graphic images or codes, also called “web beacons”) are integrated into the website. In this way, an individual cookie, i.e. a small file, is saved on the user’s device (technology similar to cookies can also be used). Cookies can be used by various domains, including google.com, doubleclick.net, invitemedia.com, admeld.com, googlesyndication.com or googleadservices.com. This file records which websites you have visited, which content you are interested in and which content you have clicked on, as well as technical information on your browser and operating system, referrer websites, the time of your visit and other details of your use of the website. Your IP address is also recorded, although we state that within the context of Google Analytics, your IP address is first truncated within the Member States of the European Union or in other states that are party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and only sent to a Google server in the USA and truncated there in exceptional cases. Your IP address is not merged with other data from you as part of other Google services. The aforementioned information can also be merged by Google with such information from other sources. If you have subsequently visited other websites, you may be shown customized advertisements based on your interests.

User data is processed pseudonymously in the context of Google Marketing Services. This means that Google does not save and process users’ names or email addresses, for example, but processes the relevant data based on cookies within pseudonymous user profiles instead. This means that from Google’s perspective, advertisements are not managed and displayed for a specifically identified person but for the cookie owner, regardless of who this cookie owner is. This does not apply if a user has given their explicit consent for Google to process the data without being pseudonymized. The information about users collected by Google Marketing Services is transferred to Google and stored on Google’s servers in the USA.

The Google Marketing Services we use include the online advertising service “Google AdWords”. In the case of Google AdWords, every AdWords customer is given a different “conversion cookie”. Therefore, cookies cannot be tracked via AdWords customers’ websites. The information obtained using cookies is used to generate conversion statistics for AdWords customers that have opted into conversion tracking. AdWords customers are told the total number of users that have clicked on their advertisements and been redirected to a page with a conversion tracking tag. However, we do not obtain any information that enables us to identify users personally.

We may also use the “Google Optimizer” service. Google Optimizer enables us to see the effects of various changes to a website (e.g. changes to input fields, the design, etc.) in so-called “A/B tests”. Cookies are placed on users’ devices for the purpose of these tests. Only users’ pseudonymous data is used when doing so.

We also use “Google Tag Manager” to integrate Google’s analytics and marketing services into our websites and to manage them.

You can find further information on how Google uses data for marketing purposes in this overview: Google Privacy & Terms. Google’s Privacy Policy is available at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

If you wish to object to interest-related advertising using Google Marketing Services, you can make use of the configuration and opt-out options provided by Google: Configuration for Advertisements.

Other Google services

External typefaces from Google, LLC., “Google Fonts”. Google Fonts are embedded by accessing a Google server (usually in the USA). Privacy Policy, Opt-out.

Maps from the “Google Maps” service from the third-party provider Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Privacy Policy, Opt-out.

Hotjar

We use the Hotjar, analytics software from Hotjar Ltd. (Ireland), for our websites. Hotjar enables user behavior (clicks, mouse movements, scrolls, etc.) on our websites to be measured and analyzed. When doing so, the information generated by the tracking code and cookies is transferred to the Hotjar server in Ireland and stored there. The tracking code enables device-related data recorded by the device used and the associated browser and log files, which are automatically generated by our server, to be recorded.

Hotjar uses this information to analyze your use of our websites and to compile reports on use. To provide its service, Hotjar also makes use of services from third-party companies, such as Google Analytics and Optimizely. These third-party companies may store information that your browser transmits when you visit the website, such as cookies or IP requests. For more detailed information on how Google Analytics and Optimizely store and use data, please see their relevant privacy policies.

The cookies that Hotjar uses have various life spans: Some only remain valid during your current visit, others for up to 365 days.

You can prevent Hotjar collecting data by clicking on the following link and following the instructions here: Opt-out. You can view Hotjar’s Privacy Policy here: Privacy Policy.

Online presence on social media

We maintain an online presence on social media networks and platforms to communicate with our customers, prospective customers, and users active on them and to enable us to give them information on our services. The relevant providers’ terms and conditions and data processing guidelines apply when using these networks and platforms.

Unless stated otherwise in our Privacy Policy, users’ data is processed when they communicate with us on social networks and platforms, e.g. when they post on our profiles or send us messages.

Facebook: Custom Audiences and Facebook marketing services

Based on our legitimate interests in analysing, optimising and efficiently running our websites and for these purposes, the so-called “Facebook pixel” from the social media network Facebook, which is run by Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA or, if you are resident in the EU, by Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (“Facebook”) is used on our websites.

Facebook is certified under the Privacy Shield framework and therefore guarantees that it complies with European data protection law.

The Facebook pixel enables Facebook to define users of our websites as a target group for advertisements (so-called “Facebook ads”). Accordingly, we use the Facebook pixel so that the Facebook ads we place are only displayed to Facebook users who have also shown interest in our online content or who exhibit certain features (e.g. interest in certain topics or products, based on the websites visited), which we transmit to Facebook (so-called “Custom Audiences”). Using the Facebook pixel, we also hope to ensure that our Facebook ads reflect users’ interests and are not annoying. Using the Facebook pixel, we can also monitor the efficiency of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users have been redirected to our websites after clicking on a Facebook ad (so-called “conversions”).

Facebook processes data in accordance with its Data Policy. You can find specific information and details on the Facebook pixel and how it works in Facebook’s Help Centre.

You can object to the recording of data using the Facebook pixel and the use of your data to display Facebook ads. To determine the types of advertisements that are displayed to you on Facebook, visit the page set up by Facebook and follow the instructions on adjusting usage-based advertising settings here: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads. The settings are adjusted across all platforms, i.e. they are applied for all devices such as desktop computers or mobile devices.

You can also object to the use of cookies for measuring reach and for advertising purposes via the Network Advertising Initiative’s opt-out page as well as via the US website or the European website.

Twitter

We have integrated components from Twitter on our websites. The company that runs Twitter is Twitter, Inc. (1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA). Twitter is a multilingual, publicly accessible microblogging service on which users can publish and share so-called Tweets (short messages with a maximum of 280 characters). These short messages are accessible to everyone, i.e. also for individuals not signed up to Twitter, and are displayed to the relevant user’s so-called “followers” on Twitter. Using hashtags, links, and retweets, Twitter enables a wider range of users to be reached.

When you click the integrated Twitter symbol on our websites, your web browser is automatically triggered to open Twitter. As a result, Twitter is informed of which specific sub-page you are visiting. The purpose of integrating the Twitter components is to enable our content to be spread further and to increase the number of visitors to our websites.

If you are signed into Twitter at the same time, Twitter recognizes our websites and which sub-pages you are visiting every time you visit, for the entire duration of your visit. This information is gathered by the Twitter components and allocated to your account by Twitter. If you click on one of the Twitter buttons integrated into our websites, the data and information provided is allocated to your personal Twitter user account and stored and processed by Twitter.

Via the Twitter components, Twitter is always informed that you have visited our website if you are signed into Twitter at the same time as visiting our websites. This occurs regardless of whether you click on our integrated Twitter components or not. If you do not wish this information to be transmitted to Twitter in this way, you can prevent it being transmitted by signing out of your Twitter account before visiting our websites.

Twitter’s applicable data protection provisions are available at Twitter Privacy Policy .

Instagram

We have integrated components from Instagram on our websites. The company that runs Instagram is Instagram LLC (1 Hacker Way, Building 14 First Floor, Menlo Park, CA, USA). Instagram is an audiovisual platform that enables its users to share photos and videos, including on other social media networks.

When you click the integrated Instagram symbol on our websites, your web browser is automatically triggered to open Instagram. As a result, Instagram is informed of which specific sub-page you are visiting. The purpose of integrating the Instagram components on our websites is to enable our content to be spread further and to increase the number of visitors to our websites.

If you are signed into Instagram at the same time, Instagram recognizes our websites and which sub-pages you are visiting every time you visit, for the entire duration of your visit. This information is gathered by the Instagram components and allocated to your account by Instagram. If you click on one of the Instagram buttons integrated into our websites, the data and information provided is allocated to your personal Instagram user account and stored and processed by Instagram.

Via the Instagram components, Instagram is always informed that you have visited our websites if you are signed into Instagram at the same time as visiting our websites. This occurs regardless of whether you click on our integrated Instagram components or not. If you do not wish this information to be transmitted to Instagram in this way, you can prevent it being transmitted by signing out of your Instagram account before visiting our websites.

You can find further information and Instagram’s applicable data protection provisions at Data Policy and Privacy Policy .

Youtube

We have integrated components from YouTube on our websites. The company that runs YouTube is YouTube, LLC (901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA). YouTube, LLC is a subsidiary of Google Inc. (1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043-1351, USA). YouTube is an Internet video portal that enables video clips to be posted, viewed, rated and commented on.

When you click the integrated YouTube symbol or element on our websites, your web browser is automatically triggered to open YouTube. As a result, YouTube and Google are informed of which specific sub-page you are visiting. The purpose of integrating the YouTube components on our websites is to enable our content to be spread further and to increase the number of visitors to our websites.

When you are signed into YouTube at the same time, YouTube recognizes which specific sub-page of our websites you are visiting when you visit a page that contains a YouTube video. This information is collected by YouTube and Google and allocated to your YouTube account. This occurs regardless of whether you click on a YouTube video or not. If you do not wish this information to be transmitted to YouTube and Google in this way, you can prevent it being transmitted by signing out of your Instagram account before visiting our websites.

The Privacy Policy published by YouTube, which is available at Google Privacy Policy, provides information on the collection, processing, and use of personal data by YouTube and Google.

XING

We have integrated components from Xing on our websites. The company that runs Xing is XING SE (Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany). Xing is a web-based social media network that enables you to network with existing business contacts and to make new contacts. Users can set up a personal profile on Xing. Companies can create company profiles and post articles, job vacancies and news, among other things.

Every time you visit one of our pages that contains an integrated Xing component, your web browser automatically opens XING. During this technical process, Xing is informed of which specific sub-page of our websites you are visiting.

If you are signed into Xing at the same time, Xing recognizes our websites and which sub-pages you are visiting every time you visit, for the entire duration of your visit. This information is gathered by the Xing components and allocated to your account by Xing. If you click on a Xing button integrated into our websites, e.g. the “Share” button, Xing allocates this information to your personal user account and stores this personal data.

Via the Xing components, Xing is always informed that you have visited our websites if you are signed into Xing at the same time as visiting our websites, regardless of whether you have clicked on the Xing component or not. If you do not wish this information to be transmitted in this way, you can prevent this by signing out of your Xing account before visiting our websites.

The Privacy Policy published by Xing, which is available at https://www.xing.com/privacy, provides information on the collection, processing, and use of personal data by Xing. Xing has also published data protection information for the XING Share button at https://www.xing.com/app/share?op=data_protection.

We have integrated components from LinkedIn on our websites. The company that runs LinkedIn is the LinkedIn Corporation (2029 Stierlin Court Mountain View, CA 94043, USA). LinkedIn Ireland (Privacy Policy Issues, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland) is responsible for privacy policy issues outside the USA. LinkedIn is a web-based social media network that enables you to network with existing business contacts and to make new contacts. Users can set up a personal profile on LinkedIn. Companies can create company profiles and post articles, job vacancies and news.

Every time you visit one of our pages that contains an integrated LinkedIn component, this component triggers your web browser to download LinkedIn automatically. LinkedIn is then informed of which specific sub-page of our websites you are visiting.

If you are signed into LinkedIn at the same time, LinkedIn recognizes our websites and which sub-page of our websites you are visiting every time you visit, for the entire duration of your visit. This information is gathered by the LinkedIn components and allocated to your account. If you click on a LinkedIn button integrated into our websites, LinkedIn allocates this information to your personal user account and stores this personal data.

Via the components, LinkedIn is always informed that you have visited our websites if you are signed into LinkedIn at the same time as visiting our websites. This occurs regardless of whether you click on the LinkedIn component or not. If you do not wish this information to be transmitted in this way, you can prevent this by signing out of your LinkedIn account before visiting our websites.

Via LinkedIn Settings, you can unsubscribe from emails, SMS messages and targeted advertisements and manage your advertisement settings. LinkedIn also has partners such as Quantcast, Google Analytics, BlueKai, DoubleClick, Nielsen, Comscore, Eloqua and Lotame, which may use cookies. Such cookies can be disabled via LinkedIn Cookie Policy. You can find LinkedIn’s applicable data protection provisions at LinkedIn Privacy Policy. LinkedIn’s cookie policy is available at LinkedIn Cookie Policy.

We also use the network’s marketing functions (so-called “LinkedIn Insight Tag”) on our websites. In particular, the LinkedIn Insight Tag enables us to analyze the success of our campaigns on LinkedIn or define target groups for these based on users’ interactions with our websites. If you have registered with LinkedIn, LinkedIn can allocate your interaction with our websites to your user account. LinkedIn can also allocate your visit to our websites to you and your user account if you click LinkedIn’s “Recommend” button and are signed into your LinkedIn account.

LinkedIn is certified under the Privacy Shield framework and therefore guarantees that it complies with European data protection law.

Curator

Curator (based in Sydney, Australia) is a social media aggregator that enables all social media channels to be combined into one stream. We do not store any personal data in connection with the handling of such processes. You can view Curator’s data protection provisions here: Privacy Policy.

Crowdcast

Crowdcast, Inc. (based in 2323 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612, USA) provides a browser-based live streaming platform that allows users to host live, online events, interactive webinars, workshops, and online summits and to engage with attendees via live chat, polls, time-stamped Q&As, and face-to-face. Beyond collecting emails, Crowdcast provides advanced data and analytics around the event and audience.

You can view Crowdcast’s data protection provisions here: Privacy Policy.

SoundCloud

We have integrated components from SoundCloud on our websites. SoundCloud, a service offered by SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG .(based in Rheinsberger Str. 76/77, 10115 Berlin, Germany) and its subsidiaries, which include SoundCloud, Inc., is an online audio streaming and distribution platform that allows users to upload, stream, promote, and share music and podcasts.

When you click the integrated SoundCloud symbol or element on our websites, your web browser is automatically triggered to open SoundCloud. As a result, SoundCloud, Google or Apple are informed of which specific sub-page you are visiting. The purpose of integrating the SoundCloud components on our websites is to enable our content to be spread further and to increase the number of visitors to our websites.

When you are signed into SoundCloud at the same time, SoundCloud recognizes which specific sub-page of our websites you are visiting when you visit a page that contains a SoundCloud component. This information is collected by SoundCloud, Google and/or Apple allocated to your SoundCloud account. You can limit the data SoundCloud receives from Google through your Google activity. You can also regulate the information SoundCloud receives from Apple through your Apple ID settings.

The Privacy Policy published by SoundCloud, provides information on the collection, processing, and use of personal data by SoundCloud.

Newsletter & general mailings

Below is information on the content of our newsletter, the processes of subscription, dispatch and statistical analysis, and your rights to object. By subscribing to our newsletter, you give your consent for it to be sent to you and for the processes described.

We only send newsletters, emails and other electronic notifications with promotional information with recipients’ consent. Where, when subscribing to a newsletter, its content is described in concrete terms, this is decisive for your consent. Our newsletters also contain information on our products, offers, promotions, and our company.

We use a so-called double opt-in method for subscription to our newsletter. This means that after subscribing, you receive an email asking you to confirm your subscription. This confirmation is necessary so that nobody can subscribe to using unknown email addresses. Subscriptions to newsletters are recorded so that proof of the subscription process can be provided in accordance with legal requirements. This includes recording the date of subscription and confirmation, as well as the IP address. Changes to your data as saved by the dispatch service are also recorded.

The newsletter is sent using “MailChimp”, a newsletter dispatch platform from the US provider Rocket Science Group, LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE #5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA. You can view the dispatch service’s data protection provisions here: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/. The Rocket Science Group LLC t/a MailChimp is certified under the Privacy Shield framework and therefore guarantees that it complies with European data protection law.

According to information provided by the dispatch service, it may also use this data is pseudonymised form, i.e. without it is attributed to a user, in order to optimize or improve its own services, e.g. for technical optimization of the dispatch process and presentation of the newsletter or for statistical purposes, to determine which companies recipients come from. However, the dispatch service does not use our newsletter recipients’ data to write to them itself, nor does it share it with third parties.

To subscribe to the newsletter, we ask you for your name in addition to your email address so that we can address you personally in the newsletter.

The newsletter contains a so-called “web beacon”, i.e. a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from the dispatch service’s server when the newsletter is opened. When it is retrieved, information such as that on your browser and your system is initially collected, as well as your IP address and the date of retrieval. This information is used for technical improvement of the services based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading habits based on the location of retrieval (which can be determined using the IP address) or the times of access. The statistical analysis also includes determining whether the newsletter is opened, when it is opened and which links are clicked on. This information may be attributed to specific newsletter recipients for technical reasons. However, it is neither our nor the dispatch service’s aim to monitor specific users. Instead, the purpose of the analyses is to understand the reading habits of our users as a group and to tailor our content to them or send different content that reflects our users’ interests.

The newsletter is dispatched and its performance is assessed based on recipients' consent in accordance w

ith point (a) of Article 6(1) and Article 7 GDPR in conjunction with no. 3 of Section 7 (2) UWG (Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb [German Protection Against Unfair Competition Act]) and based on the statutory consent in accordance with Section 7 (3) UWG.

LiveChat

The chat feature on our website gives you the option to contact our training team directly so that we can answer your questions in real time. To provide this service, we work with LiveChat, Inc. (One International Place, Suite 1400, Boston, MA 02110-2619). You do not have to enter any personal data to use the real-time chat. However, when you use this feature, a chat log containing your anonymized IP address and your DNS entry as well as the information you have shared with us during the conversation is automatically created. We can forward this chat log on to you and delete it on request.

LiveChat has committed itself to the EU-US Privacy Shield framework and the Swiss-US Privacy Shield framework and therefore guarantees that it complies with European data protection law.

You can view LiveChat’s Privacy Policy here: Privacy Policy .

How do we use cookies?

For instance, we use cookies to help us understand your preferences based on previous or current site activity, which enables us to provide you with improved services. We also use cookies to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future. We use cookies to:

Understand and save user’s preferences for future visits.
Keep track of advertisements.
Compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interactions to offer you better site experiences and tools in the future. We may also use trusted third party services that track this information on our behalf.

Changing Your Settings for Cookies

You may refuse to accept cookies by activating the setting on your browser, which allows you to refuse the setting of cookies. However, if you select this setting some features will be disabled on our websites, and some of our services may not function properly.

Please note that trendig’s approved or recommended third parties may also use cookies over which trendig technology services GmbH has no control.

Furthermore, you can disable Google Analytics Tracking by using Google Analytics Opt-out browser plugin. Just click here and follow the steps.

You will find further information concerning Google Analytics Terms of Service and data privacy here.

For more information including how to change your cookie settings or block cookies altogether, please visit aboutcookies.org. Please remember that blocking cookies may alter your experience of using these websites.