DATA PROTECTION

Data Protection and Imprint

This blog does not pursue any commercial purposes

Cook’s Ring Road is a purely private and non-commercial blog. We provide information on roadtrips in and recipes from different regions and are very happy to do so on request and for free.

None the less and just to be on the safe side, you will find information on legal aspects below, although this may not even be necessary.

Data Protection

Overview of the processing operations

The following overview summarises the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing, and refers to the data subjects.

Types of data processed: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses); content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos); contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers); meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses); usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times)

Categories of data subjects: users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).

Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online form); contact inquiries and communication; remarketing; range measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors); security measures; tracking (e.g. interest/behaviour-related profiling, use of cookies); contractual services and service; administration and answering of inquiries

Applicable legal basis: In the following, we provide the legal basis of the basic data protection regulation (GDPR), on the basis of which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the regulations of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence and domicile. If, in addition, more specific legal bases are applicable in individual cases, we will inform you of these in the data protection declaration.

  • Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR) – The data subject has given his or her consent to the processing of personal data relating to him or her for one or more specific purposes.
  • Fulfilment of a contract and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures taken at the request of the data subject.
  • Protection of vital interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. d. GDPR) – Processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR) – Processing is necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the controller or of a third party unless the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require the protection of personal data prevail.

National data protection regulations in Switzerland: In addition to the data protection regulations in the Basic Data Protection Regulation, national regulations on data protection apply in Switzerland. These include in particular the Federal Data Protection Act (DSG). The DSG applies in particular if no EU/EEC citizens are affected and, for example, only data of Swiss citizens are processed.

Security measures

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures in accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the implementation costs and the nature, scope, circumstances and purposes of the processing, as well as the different probabilities of occurrence and the extent of the threat to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, in order to ensure a level of protection commensurate with the risk. Those measures shall include, in particular, safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as the access, input, disclosure, safeguarding of availability and segregation of data relating to them. Furthermore, we have established procedures to ensure that data subjects’ rights are exercised, data is deleted and responses to data threats are made. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software and procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection, by designing technology and by using data protection-friendly default settings.

Transmission and disclosure of personal data

Within the scope of our processing of personal data, it happens that the data is transferred to other bodies, companies, legally independent organisational units or persons or that it is disclosed to them. The recipients of this data may include, for example, payment institutions in the context of payment transactions, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content that are integrated into a website. In such cases, we observe the legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with the recipients of your data which serve to protect your data.

Data processing in third countries

If we process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA)) or if the processing takes place in the context of the use of services provided by third parties or the disclosure or transfer of data to other persons, bodies or companies, this is only done in accordance with the legal requirements. Subject to express consent or to contractual or legally required transfers, we process or allow the data to be processed only in third countries with a recognised level of data protection, including the US processors certified under the Privacy Shield, or on the basis of special guarantees, such as contractual obligations under so-called standard protection clauses of the EU Commission, the existence of certifications or binding internal data protection regulations (Art. 44 to 49 GDPR, information page of the EU Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection_en).

Use of cookies

Cookies are text files that contain data from websites or domains visited and are stored by a browser on the user’s computer. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user during or after his visit within an online offer. The stored information may include, for example, the language settings on a website, the login status, a shopping cart or the location where a video was viewed. The term “cookies” also includes other technologies that perform the same functions as cookies (e.g., when user information is stored using pseudonymous online identifiers, also known as “user IDs”).

The following cookie types and functions are distinguished:

  • Temporary cookies (also: session or session cookies): Temporary cookies are deleted at the latest after a user has left an online offer and closed his browser.
  • Permanent Cookies: Permanent cookies remain stored even after the browser is closed. For example, the login status can be saved or preferred content can be displayed directly when the user visits a website again. The interests of users used for reach measurement or marketing purposes can also be stored in such a cookie.
  • First-Party-Cookies: First-party cookies are set by ourselves.
  • Third-Party-Cookies: Third party cookies are mainly used by advertisers (so-called third parties) to process user information.
  • Necessary (also: essential or imperative) cookies: Cookies can be absolutely necessary for the operation of a website (e.g. to store logins or other user input or for security reasons).
  • Statistical, marketing and personalization cookies: Furthermore, cookies are usually also used in the context of range measurement as well as when the interests of a user or his or her behavior (e.g. viewing certain content, using functions, etc.) on individual web pages are stored in a user profile. Such profiles are used to show users e.g. content that corresponds to their potential interests. This procedure is also known as “tracking”, i.e., following the potential interests of users. If we use cookies or “tracking” technologies, we will inform you separately in our data protection declaration or when obtaining your consent.

Notes on legal bases: The legal basis on which we process your personal data using cookies depends on whether we ask you for your consent. If this is the case and you consent to the use of cookies, the legal basis for processing your data is the declared consent. Otherwise, the data processed with the aid of cookies will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (e.g. in the business operation of our online offer and its improvement) or, if the use of cookies is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations.

General notes on revocation and objection (opt-out): Depending on whether the processing is based on consent or legal permission, you have the possibility at any time to revoke a given consent or to object to the processing of your data by cookie technologies (collectively referred to as “opt-out”). You can initially declare your objection by means of the settings of your browser, e.g. by deactivating the use of cookies (although this may also restrict the functionality of our online service). An objection to the use of cookies for online marketing purposes can also be declared by means of a variety of services, especially in the case of tracking, via the websites https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/. In addition, you can receive further notices of objection in the context of the information on the service providers and cookies used.

Processing of cookie data based on consent: Before we process data within the scope of the use of cookies or have them processed, we ask users for their consent, which can be revoked at any time. Before consent has not been given, we will only use cookies that are necessary for the operation of our online service. Their use is based on our interest and the interest of the users in the expected functionality of our online offer.

  • Processed types of data: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Blogs and publication media

We use blogs or comparable means of online communication and publication (hereinafter “publication medium”). Readers’ data are processed for the purposes of the publication medium only to the extent necessary for its presentation and for communication between authors and readers or for security reasons. In addition, we refer to the information on the processing of visitors to our publication medium within the scope of this data protection notice.

Comments and contributions: If users leave comments or other contributions, their IP addresses may be stored based on our legitimate interests. This is done for our security in case someone leaves unlawful content in comments and contributions (insults, prohibited political propaganda, etc.) In this case we can be prosecuted ourselves for the comment or contribution and are therefore interested in the identity of the author. Furthermore, based on our legitimate interests, we reserve the right to process user information for the purpose of spam detection. On the same legal basis, we reserve the right to store the IP addresses of users for the duration of surveys and to use cookies to avoid multiple voting. The personal information provided in the comments and contributions, any contact and website information as well as the content information will be permanently stored by us until the users object.

Comment subscriptions: Users can subscribe to the follow-up comments with their consent. Users will receive a confirmation email to verify that they are the owner of the email address entered. Users can unsubscribe current comment subscriptions at any time. The confirmation email will contain information about the cancellation options. For the purpose of proving the users’ consent, we store the time of subscription together with the users’ IP address and delete this information when users unsubscribe from the subscription. You can cancel the receipt of our subscription at any time, i.e. revoke your consent. We may store the unsubscribed e-mail addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before we delete them in order to be able to prove a previously given consent. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defence against claims. An individual request for deletion is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of a consent is confirmed at the same time.

  • Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: contractual services and performance, feedback (e.g. collecting feedback via online forms), security measures, administration and response to inquiries, contact requests and communication.
  • Legal basis: Fulfilment of contract and pre-contractual enquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b. GDPR), legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR), consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR), protection of vital interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. d. GDPR).

Provision of the online offer and web hosting

In order to provide our online services securely and efficiently, we use the services of one or more web hosting providers from whose servers (or servers managed by them) the online services can be accessed. For these purposes we may use infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, as well as security and technical maintenance services. The data processed within the scope of providing the hosting offer may include all data concerning the users of our online offer, which are generated within the scope of use and communication. This regularly includes the IP address, which is necessary to be able to deliver the contents of online offers to browsers, and all entries made within our online offer or from websites.

Collection of access data and log files: We ourselves (or our web hosting provider) collect data on every access to the server (so-called server log files). Server log files may include the address and name of the web pages and files accessed, date and time of access, data volume transferred, notification of successful access, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page) and, as a rule, IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g. to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks) and to ensure the capacity utilisation of the servers and their stability.

  • Processed data types: Content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Presence in social networks

We maintain online presences within social networks in order to communicate with the users active there or to offer information about us there. Please note that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This can result in risks for the users, because the enforcement of the users’ rights could be made more difficult. With regard to US providers that are certified under the Privacy Shield or offer comparable guarantees of a secure level of data protection, we would like to point out that they thereby undertake to comply with the data protection standards of the EU. Furthermore, user data within social networks is generally processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created on the basis of user behaviour and the resulting interests of the users. The user profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place advertisements within and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. For these purposes, cookies are usually stored on the users’ computers, in which the usage behaviour and interests of the users are stored. Furthermore, data may also be stored in the user profiles independently of the devices used by the users (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in to these). For a detailed description of the respective forms of processing and the possibilities of objection (opt-out), please refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks. Also in the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we would like to point out that these can most effectively be asserted with the providers. Only the providers have access to the data of the users and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. Should you nevertheless require assistance, please contact us.

  • Processed data types: inventory data (e.g. names, addresses), contact data (e.g. e-mail, telephone numbers), content data (e.g. text entries, photographs, videos), usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Persons concerned: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: contact requests and communication, tracking (e.g. interest/behavioural profiling, use of cookies), remarketing, reach measurement (e.g. access statistics, recognition of returning visitors).
  • Legal basis: legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f. GDPR).

Services used and service providers:

Plugins and embedded functions and content

We include in our online offer functional and content elements that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as “third party providers”). These may be, for example, graphics, videos or social media buttons as well as contributions (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”). The integration always requires that the third party providers of such content process the IP address of the users, as without the IP address they would not be able to send the content to their browsers. The IP address is therefore required for the display of these contents or functions. We make every effort to use only such content whose respective providers use the IP address only to deliver the content. Third party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also known as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. Pixel tags” can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website. The pseudonymous information may also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may contain technical information about the browser and operating system, websites to be referred to, the time of visit and other details about the use of our online offer, as well as being linked to such information from other sources.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to use third party providers, the legal basis for processing data is consent. Otherwise, the users’ data will be processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in efficient, economic and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to draw your attention to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

  • Types of data processed: Usage data (e.g. websites visited, interest in content, access times), meta/communication data (e.g. device information, IP addresses).
  • Affected persons: Users (e.g. website visitors, users of online services).
  • Purposes of processing: provision of our online services and user-friendliness.

Deletion of data

The data processed by us will be deleted in accordance with the legal requirements as soon as their consent permitted for processing is revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g. if the purpose for processing these data ceases to apply or if they are not necessary for the purpose). Unless the data are deleted because they are required for other and legally permissible purposes, their processing is limited to these purposes. This means that the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes. This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for reasons of commercial or tax law or whose retention is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person. Further information on the deletion of personal data can also be provided in the individual data protection notes of this data protection declaration.

Amendment and update of the privacy policy

We ask you to inform yourself regularly about the content of our data protection declaration. We will adapt the data protection declaration as soon as changes in the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes make it necessary for you to cooperate (e.g. consent) or to receive other individual notification. If we provide addresses and contact information of companies and organisations in this privacy policy, please note that the addresses may change over time and please check the information before contacting us.

Rights of data subjects

As data subjects, they are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which result in particular from Art. 15 to 18 and 21 GDPR:

  • Right of objection: You have the right to object at any time, for reasons arising from your particular situation, to the processing of personal data relating to you which is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 paragraph 1 letter e or f GRDP; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions. If the personal data concerning you are processed 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, including profiling, insofar as it is linked to such direct marketing.
  • Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw any consent given at any time.
  • Right of access: You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether data in question is being processed and to obtain information on such data and to obtain further information and copies of the data in accordance with the law.
  • Right of rectification: You have the right to request the completion of data concerning you or the rectification of inaccurate data concerning you in accordance with the law.
  • Right to erasure and limitation of processing: You have the right to request that data concerning you be immediately erased or, alternatively, that the processing of such data be limited in accordance with the law.
  • Right to data transferability: You have the right to receive data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, common and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements or to request that it be transferred to another responsible party.
  • Complaints to the supervisory authority: You also have the right, in accordance with the statutory provisions, to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement, if you believe that the processing of personal data relating to you is in breach of the GDPR.

Definitions of terms

This section provides an overview of the terms used in this privacy policy. Many of the terms are taken from the law and defined above all in Art. 4 GDPR. The legal definitions are binding. The following explanations, on the other hand, are primarily intended to help you understand them. The terms are sorted alphabetically.

  • Controller: The term “Controller” refers to the natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body which alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of processing personal data.
  • Personal data: “Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as “data subject”); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier (e.g. a cookie) or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
  • Processing: “processing” shall mean any operation or set of operations which is performed upon personal data, whether or not by automatic means. The term is broad and covers virtually all processing of data, whether it be collection, analysis, storage, communication or deletion.
  • Reach measurement: Reach measurement (also known as web analytics) is used to evaluate the flow of visitors to an online offering and can include the behaviour or interests of visitors in certain information, such as the content of websites. With the help of reach analysis, website owners can, for example, identify at what time visitors visit their website and what content they are interested in. This enables them to better adapt the contents of the website to the needs of their visitors. Pseudonymous cookies and web beacons are often used for reach analysis purposes in order to recognise returning visitors and thus obtain more precise analyses of the use of an online offering.
  • Remarketing: One speaks of “remarketing” or “retargeting”, e.g. when it is noted for advertising purposes in which products a user was interested on a website in order to remind the user of these products on other websites, e.g. in advertisements.
  • Tracking: One speaks of “tracking” if the behaviour of users can be traced across several online offers. As a rule, behavioral and interest information regarding the online offers used is stored in cookies or on servers of the providers of the tracking technologies (so-called profiling). This information can then be used, for example, to display advertisements to users that are likely to correspond to their interests.

Imprint

Johanna & Alex
Switzerland