This Privacy Policy informs you about the type, scope, and purpose of processing personal data (hereinafter referred to as "data") within our online offering and the related websites, features, and content, as well as external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as "online offering").
Regarding the terms used, such as "processing" or "controller," we refer to the definitions in Article 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
1. PRIVACY AT A GLANCE
General Information
The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data refers to any data that can be used to personally identify you. Detailed information on data protection can be found in our Privacy Policy below.
Data Collection on Our Website
Who is responsible for data collection on this website? The data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. The operator’s contact details can be found in the website’s imprint.
How do we collect your data?
Your data is collected in two ways:
Data you provide to us: This includes data entered into a contact form.
Data collected automatically when you visit the website: This primarily includes technical data (e.g., browser type, operating system, or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter our website.
What do we use your data for? Some data is collected to ensure the error-free operation of the website. Other data may be used to analyse your user behaviour.
What rights do you have regarding your data? You have the right to obtain, free of charge, information about the origin, recipients, and purpose of your stored personal data at any time. You also have the right to request the correction, blocking, or deletion of this data. For this and other questions regarding data protection, you can contact us at any time using the address provided in the imprint. Additionally, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.
Analytics and Third-Party Tools
When you visit our website, your browsing behaviour may be statistically analysed. This is primarily done using cookies and analytics programs. The analysis of your browsing behaviour is usually anonymous; browsing behaviour cannot be traced back to you. You can object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. Detailed information can be found in the following Privacy Policy.
You have the right to object to this analysis. We will inform you about your objection options in this Privacy Policy.
2. GENERAL INFORMATION AND MANDATORY NOTICES
Data Protection
The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We handle your personal data confidentially and in accordance with statutory data protection regulations and this Privacy Policy.
When you use this website, various personal data are collected. Personal data refers to data that can be used to personally identify you. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect and for what purpose we use it. It also explains how and why this is done.
We note that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., communication via email) may have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data from access by third parties is not possible.
Notice Regarding the Data Controller
The data controller for data processing on this website is:
Anastasiya Zhuk
Unter den Eichen, 96
12205 Berlin
Email: ana@sotheadventuresbegin.com
Imprint: https://sotheadventuresbegin.com/imprint
The data controller is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.).
Revocation of Your Consent to Data Processing
Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke consent that you have already given at any time. An informal email to us is sufficient. The legality of the data processing carried out before the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.
Right to Lodge a Complaint with a Supervisory Authority
In case of data protection violations, the affected person has the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. The competent authority for data protection issues is the data protection officer of the federal state in which our company is headquartered.
Right to Data Portability
You have the right to have data that we process based on your consent or in fulfilment of a contract transferred to you or a third party in a standard, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only take place to the extent that it is technically feasible.
SSL or TLS Encryption
This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of sensitive content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser bar. If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.
Right to Information, Blocking, Deletion
Within the framework of applicable legal provisions, you have the right to receive information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipients, and the purpose of data processing free of charge, as well as the right to correct, block, or delete this data. For further questions regarding personal data, you can contact us at any time using the address provided in the imprint.
Objection to Advertising Emails
The use of contact details published as part of the legal notice obligation for sending unsolicited advertising and information materials is hereby prohibited. The operators of the pages expressly reserve the right to take legal action in case of unsolicited sending of advertising information, such as spam emails.
3. DATA PROTECTION ON OUR WEBSITE
Cookies
The websites partially use so-called cookies. Cookies do not cause any harm to your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies are used to make our offering more user-friendly, efficient, and secure. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and saved by your browser.
Most of the cookies we use are "session cookies." They are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Other cookies remain on your device until you delete them. These cookies allow us to recognise your browser on your next visit.
You can configure your browser to inform you about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies on a case-by-case basis, exclude the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or generally, and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If you disable cookies, the functionality of this website may be restricted.
Cookies that are necessary for the electronic communication process or to provide certain functions requested by you (e.g. shopping cart function) are stored on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the storage of cookies for the technically error-free and optimised provision of services. Insofar as other cookies (e.g., cookies for analysing your browsing behaviour) are stored, they will be treated separately in this Privacy Policy.
For so the adventures begin, cookies are important so that the origin of the customers referred to our partners via affiliate links (referral links) can be attributed to them, and a commission payment can be made to us after the purchase by the referred customer. Our company is primarily financed by these commission payments and can thus provide the information offered to our readers free of charge.
Server Log Files
The provider of the pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are:
- Browser type and browser version
- Operating system used
- Referrer URL
- Hostname of the accessing computer
- Time of the server request
- IP address
This data is not merged with other data sources.
The legal basis for the data processing is Art. 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, which allows the processing of data to fulfil a contract or pre-contractual measures.
Contact Form
If you send us inquiries via contact form, the data you provide in the form, including the contact details you provide, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We do not share this data without your consent.
The processing of the data entered in the contact form is based solely on your consent (Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time. An informal email to us is sufficient. The lawfulness of the data processing operations carried out up to the point of revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.
The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request its deletion, revoke your consent for storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., after the completion of your inquiry). Mandatory statutory provisions – in particular, retention periods – remain unaffected.
Comment Function on this Website
For the comment function on this page, in addition to your comment, information regarding the time of comment creation and, if you are not posting anonymously, the username you choose will be stored.
Retention Period for Comments
The comments and related data (e.g., IP address) are stored and remain on our website until the commented content is fully deleted or the comments must be deleted for legal reasons (e.g., offensive comments).
Legal Basis
The storage of comments is based on your consent (Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR). You can revoke any consent you have given at any time. An informal email to us is sufficient. The lawfulness of the data processing operations that have already occurred remains unaffected by the revocation.
4. ANALYTICS TOOLS AND ADVERTISING
Google Analytics
This website uses features of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.
Google Analytics uses so-called cookies. These are text files stored on your computer that enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie regarding your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.
The storage of Google Analytics cookies is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analysing user behaviour to optimise both its online offering and its advertising.
Objection to Data Collection
You can prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set, preventing the collection of your data during future visits to this website: Disable Google Analytics.
Demographic Features in Google Analytics
This website uses the “demographic features” function of Google Analytics. This allows reports to be generated that contain statements about the age, gender, and interests of website visitors. These data come from Google’s interest-based advertising and third-party visitor data. These data cannot be attributed to a specific individual. You can disable this feature at any time via the ad settings in your Google account or prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics as described in the "Objection to Data Collection" section.
Google AdSense with Personalised Ads
We use the services of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA ("Google") based on our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in analysing, optimising, and operating our online offering in an economic manner in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).
Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Framework, providing a guarantee of compliance with European data protection law (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active). The TCF 2.0 policies of the IAB are also adhered to.
We use the AdSense service, which helps display ads on our website, for which we are compensated based on their display or other usage. For these purposes, usage data, such as the click on an ad and the user's IP address, is processed, with the IP address truncated to the last two digits. Therefore, the processing of user data is pseudonymised.
We use AdSense with personalised ads. Google draws conclusions about user interests based on the websites or apps they visit and the user profiles created. Advertisers use this information to tailor their campaigns to these interests, which benefits both users and advertisers. For Google, ads are personalised when collected or known data determines or influences the selection of ads. This includes, among other things: previous search queries, activities, website visits, app usage, demographic and location data. Specifically, this includes demographic targeting, interest category targeting, remarketing, as well as targeting lists for customer matching and audience lists uploaded to DoubleClick Bid Manager or Campaign Manager.
Consent can be withdrawn at any time by clicking the link to withdraw consent. AdSense automatically adds the required link to withdraw consent to the GDPR on websites where GDPR notices are displayed. These links are only added to websites that have been approved and contain the AdSense code. After withdrawal, the EU user consent notice will be presented again.
For more information on how Google uses data, settings and opt-out options, please refer to Google’s privacy policy and the settings for displaying ads by Google.
5. NEWSLETTER
Newsletter Data
If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require your email address as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the provided email address and that you agree to receive the newsletter. No additional data is collected, or only on a voluntary basis. We use this data exclusively for sending the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.
The processing of the data entered in the newsletter registration form is carried out solely on the basis of your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can revoke the consent given for the storage of data, the email address, and their use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example, via the "Unsubscribe" link in the newsletter. The legality of the data processing carried out prior to the withdrawal remains unaffected by the withdrawal.
The data you provided for receiving the newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted after you unsubscribe. Data stored for other purposes with us (e.g. email addresses for the member area) will remain unaffected.
With the following information, we inform you about the content of our newsletter, the registration, dispatch, and statistical evaluation procedures, as well as your rights to object. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive it and the described procedures.
Content of the Newsletter
We send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications with promotional information (hereinafter referred to as "Newsletter") only with the consent of the recipients or a legal permission. If the content of the newsletter is specifically described during the registration, it is binding for the user's consent. Otherwise, our newsletters contain information about our services and us.
Double Opt-In and Logging
The registration for our newsletter is done via a so-called Double Opt-In procedure. This means that after registration, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your registration. This confirmation is necessary to ensure that no one can register using another person’s email address. The newsletter registrations are logged to document the registration process in accordance with legal requirements. This includes the storage of the registration and confirmation times, as well as the IP address. Any changes to the data stored with the mailing service provider are also logged.
Registration Data
To register for the newsletter, it is sufficient to provide your email address. Optionally, we ask you to provide a name for personalised addressing in the newsletter.
The sending of the newsletter and the associated success measurement are based on the recipients’ consent according to Article 6(1)(a), Article 7 GDPR in conjunction with Section 7(2) No. 3 UWG, or if consent is not required, based on our legitimate interests in direct marketing according to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR in conjunction with Section 7(3) UWG.
The logging of the registration process is based on our legitimate interests according to Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our interest lies in using a user-friendly and secure newsletter system that serves both our business interests and the expectations of users, and further allows us to demonstrate consent.
Termination/Withdrawal
You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, i.e. withdraw your consent. A link to unsubscribe from the newsletter is included at the end of every newsletter. We may store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years based on our legitimate interests before we delete them, in order to demonstrate previously given consent. The processing of this data will be limited to the purpose of possible defence against claims. An individual deletion request is always possible, provided that the former existence of consent is confirmed.
6. ONLINE MARKETING AND AFFILIATE PROGRAMS
Participation in Affiliate Partner Programs
Within our online offering, we use industry-standard tracking measures based on our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in analysing, optimising, and economically operating our online offering) in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, insofar as these are necessary for the operation of the affiliate system. Below, we clarify the technical details for users.
The services offered by our contractual partners may also be advertised and linked to on other websites (so-called affiliate links or after-purchase systems, where, for example, links or services of third parties are offered after a contract is concluded). The operators of the respective websites receive a commission if users click on the affiliate links and subsequently take advantage of the offers.
In summary, it is necessary for our online offering that we can track whether users, who are interested in affiliate links and/or the offers available to us, subsequently make use of these offers as a result of the affiliate links or our online platform. To do this, the affiliate links and our offers are supplemented with certain values that may be part of the link or otherwise, for example, in a cookie. These values include, in particular, the referring website (referrer), time, an online identifier of the operator of the website on which the affiliate link was located, an online identifier of the respective offer, an online identifier of the user, as well as tracking-specific values such as advertisement ID, partner ID, and categorizations.
The online identifiers of the users we use are pseudonymous values. This means that the online identifiers do not contain any personal data such as names or email addresses. They only help us determine whether the same user who clicked on an affiliate link or showed interest in an offer through our online offering has taken up the offer, i.e., for example, concluded a contract with the provider. However, the online identifier is considered personal data to the extent that the partner company and we have the online identifier along with other user data. Only in this way can the partner company inform us whether the user took up the offer, allowing us to, for example, pay out the bonus.
7. TOOLS
Within our online offering, we may integrate features and content from the Instagram service, provided by Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos, or text and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Instagram. If users are members of the Instagram platform, Instagram may link the retrieval of the aforementioned content and features to the users' profiles on the platform.
Within our online offering, we may integrate features and content from the Pinterest service, provided by Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos, or text and buttons that allow users to share content from this online offering within Pinterest. If users are members of the Pinterest platform, Pinterest may link the retrieval of the aforementioned content and features to the users' profiles on the platform.
Google Maps
We integrate maps from the "Google Maps" service, provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. The data processed may include IP addresses and location data of users, but these will not be collected without their consent (usually through the settings on their mobile devices). The data may be processed in the USA.
8. USE OF SOCIAL PLUGINS
We use so-called "social plugins" from various social networks on our website (hereinafter referred to as "plugin providers"). A social network is an online social gathering place that enables users to communicate with each other and interact in the virtual space. The legal basis for processing your data is Article 6, paragraph 1, sentence 1, letter f) GDPR. We have an interest in enabling you to have a comfortable and optimized experience on our website through the integration of social plugins, and the associated possible analyses, and to operate our site economically.
When you visit a page of our website that contains such a social plugin, a direct connection is established through your internet browser to the systems of the social plugin providers. The content of the social plugin is transmitted directly to your internet browser by the respective social plugin provider and embedded into our website. At the same time, the social plugins transmit information to the respective social plugin provider that you have visited the corresponding page of our online presence. This applies regardless of whether you have created a profile with the social plugin provider, logged in to the social plugin provider, or actively used a social plugin (e.g. by clicking the "Like" button or submitting a comment).
When actively using a social plugin, the corresponding information is transmitted directly from your internet browser to the respective social plugin provider and stored there. Once you are logged in to one of the social plugin providers at the same time, they can assign your visit to our website to your account there. We have no influence over the type and scope of the data collected and transmitted. Details about the scope and purpose of data collection, processing, and use can be found in the privacy policies of the social plugin providers. There, you can also view your rights and options for protecting your privacy.
If you do not agree that the social plugin providers assign the data collected through your visit to our website to your account [or "profile"], we ask that you log out of the social plugin providers before visiting our website.
The social plugins from the social network Facebook are operated by Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA (www.facebook.com), and Facebook Ireland Limited, Hanover Reach, 5-7 Hanover Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland (www.facebook.de) ("Facebook"). An overview of Facebook plugins can be found here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins; information about Facebook's privacy policy can be found here: www.facebook.com/policy.php. If data is processed outside the EEA, where no equivalent data protection level to the European standard exists, this is done based on the EU-US Privacy Shield: https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC. If you wish to object to data collection by Facebook in the future, you can do so here: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads.
Within our online offering, we may integrate features and content from the Instagram service, provided by Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos, or text and buttons that allow users to express their likes regarding the content, follow the authors of the content, or subscribe to our posts. If users are members of the Instagram platform, Instagram may link the retrieval of the aforementioned content and features to their profiles on the platform.
Within our online offering, we may integrate features and content from the Pinterest service, provided by Pinterest Inc., 635 High Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA. This may include, for example, content such as images, videos, or text and buttons that allow users to express their likes regarding the content, follow the authors of the content, or subscribe to our posts. If users are members of the Pinterest platform, Pinterest may link the retrieval of the aforementioned content and features to their profiles on the platform.
9. DATA PROCESSING IN THE CONTEXT OF OTHER ONLINE PRESENCE
In addition to the website, we are also present on online platforms and social networks to communicate with you and keep you informed about news. When accessing these networks and platforms, the terms of service and data processing policies of the respective operators apply.
You can find these on the website of the respective provider. We are present on the following platforms:
If you communicate with us through these online presences, we process the data in your messages and posts based on the contents therein and the purposes of the communication, either on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) GDPR or Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Your data will be deleted, as far as the online presence allows, as soon as they are no longer necessary for the respective purpose.