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Data protection information

As a member of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (MPG) the Max-Planck-Institute for Physics takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We process personal data gathered when visiting our websites in compliance with the applicable data protection legislation and, as a matter of principle, only to the extent that this is necessary to provide a functioning website and our content and services. We neither publish your data nor transmit them to third parties on an unauthorized basis. In the following sections, we explain which data we record when you visit one of our websites, and how exactly they are utilized:

A. Provision of the website

1. Visiting the website

a) Type of data

Each time you visit our website, our service and applications automatically record data and information from the system of the visiting device.

The following data are gathered temporarily:

  • Your IP address
  • Date and time of your access to the website
  • Address of the page visited
  • Address of the previously visited website (referrer)
  • Name and version of your browser/operating system (if transmitted)

These data are stored in our systems' log files. There is no storage of these data together with other personal data relating to the user.

b) Legal basis

The legal basis for the temporary saving of data and log files is Article 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. Storage occurs in log files in order to ensure the website's functionality. The data also serve to optimize the websites, eliminate malfunctions and ensure our IT system security. Our justified interest in data processing pursuant to Article 6 (1) lit. f GDPR also lies in such purposes.

The recording of data for the provision of the website and the storage of data in log files are essential to operate the website. It is therefore not possible for the user to object.

c) Data deletion

The data are deleted as soon as they are no longer required in order to fulfil the purpose of their collection. If data are gathered for the provision of the website, this is the case if the respective visit is ended. In the event that data are stored in log files, this is the case after seven days at the latest. Storage above and beyond this period is possible. In this case, the users' IP addresses are deleted or removed so they can no longer be allocated to the visiting device.

2. User-friendly website design

a) Type of data

Our website uses cookies. Cookies are text files which are saved in or by the internet browser on the users’ systems. If a user accesses a website, a cookie can be saved on the user's system. These cookies contain a characteristic string of characters which enables definitive identification of the browser the next time the website is accessed.

We use cookies in order to make our website more user-friendly. It is a technical requirement of certain elements of our website that the accessing browser can also be identified after a page change. In the process, the following data are saved and transmitted in the cookies:

  • Language settings (localization) of the browser, also when changing pages (functionality of the language switch): Sessioncookie i18next
  • Session data (click path, pages visited, current language, remembering form data (terms used in the internal site search, entries in the contact form) as well as error messages for forms, if applicable): Sessioncookie mpg_session_r

Cookies are saved on your device and transmitted by the latter to our website. For this reason, you as the user also have full control over the use of cookies. By changing the settings in your internet browser, you can deactivate or limit the transmission of cookies. This can also happen on an automated basis. If cookies are deactivated for our website, the full range of functions of the website may not be entirely available for use.

b) Legal basis

The legal basis for the processing of personal data by means of cookies is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25, para. 2, no. 2 of the German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act [TTDSG]. Some of the functions of our website cannot be offered without the use of cookies. For these, it is absolutely necessary that the browser is recognized even after a page change.

c) Data deletion

The cookies are deleted after closing the session..

B. Web analysis

1. Type of data

We use the web analytics programme Matomo for statistical data collection in relation to utilization behaviour; this programme uses cookies and JavaScript to collect various information on your computer and transmit this automatically to us. Every time our website is accessed, our system logs the following data and information from the computer system of the accessing device:

  • IP address, anonymized by means of abbreviation
  • Two cookies to distinguish between different visitors: pk_id and pk_sess
  • Previously visited URL (referrer) if communicated by the browser
  • Name and version of the operating system
  • Name, version and language setting of the browser.

The following data are collected additionally if JavaScript is activated:

  • URLs visited on this website
  • Times of page visits
  • Type of HTML requests
  • Screen resolution and colour depth
  • Technologies and formats supported by the browser (e.g. cookies, Java, Flash, PDF, WindowsMedia, QuickTime, Realplayer, Director, SilverLight, Google Gears).

The saving and analysis of data is carried out solely on a central server operated by the Max Planck Institute for Physics

It goes without saying that you have the opportunity to object to your data being collected. The following independent methods are available to you if you wish to object to data collection by the central server:

  1. In your browser, activate the Do-Not-Track setting. As long as this setting is active, our central server will not save any of your data. Important: Do-Not-Track generally only applies to the one device and browser on which the setting is activated. If you use several devices/browsers, you must activate Do-Not-Track separately on each one.
  2. Use our opt-out function. Click on the check mark in the following selection box under https://www.mpp.mpg.de/footer-menue/datenschutzhinweis/opt-out in order to stop or reactivate data collection. As long as the selection box is deactivated, our central server will not save any of your data. Important: For the opt-out, we have to store a special recognition cookie in your browser. If you delete this or use a different PC/browser, you have to object to data collection once again on this page.

There is no storage of these data together with other personal data relating to the users.

2. Legal basis

The legal basis for the processing of personal data by means of cookies is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25 para. 2 no. 2 TTDSG. The processing of the users' personal data enables us to analyze the usage behaviour of our users. By evaluating the data obtained, we are able to compile information on the use of the individual components of our websites. This helps us improve our websites and their user-friendliness on an ongoing basis. These purposes also constitute our legitimate interest in data processing according to Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR as well as § 25, para. 2, no. 2 TTDSG. By anonymizing the IP address, the users' interest in the protection of their personal data is sufficiently taken into account.

3. Data deletion

The data are deleted after the final annual totals have been arrived at for access statistics.

C. Contact form

1. Type of data

On our website, there is a contact form which can be used to make contact electronically. If you make use of this option, the details entered in the input screen are transmitted to us and saved. This generally consists of your email address, last name and first name. We inform you about the concrete processing of your data in the course of the operation and obtain your consent accordingly. There is also a reference to this Data Privacy Statement. The data are used solely for processing the dialogue.

2. Legal basis

The legal basis for processing data in connection with use of the contact form is your consent according to Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR. Processing of personal data from the input screen serves the sole purpose of processing the contact request. You have the option to withdraw your consent to the processing of personal data at any time vis-à-vis the listed contact persons.

3. Data deletion

The data are deleted as soon as they are no longer required in order to fulfil the purpose of their collection. This is the case when the relevant dialogue with the user is finished or the processing of the user's request has been finalized. The dialogue is finished when circumstances indicate that the matter in question has been conclusively clarified.

D. Registration

1. Type of data

On our websites, we offer users the option to register, e.g. for conferences and other events. We generally gather your email address, family name and first name. We inform you about the specific processing of the data and we obtain your consent as part of the registration procedure. Reference is also made to this data protection statement.

2. Legal basis

The legal basis for processing data is the existence of the user's consent according to Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR. If registration serves to fulfil a contract of which you are a contractual party or to implement pre-contractual measures, the additional legal basis for data processing is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR.

3. Data deletion

The data are deleted as soon as they are no longer required to achieve the purpose for which they were gathered. This is the case for data gathered during the registration process if registration is cancelled or modified on our websites. For the registration process to fulfil a contract or to implement pre-contractual measures, this is the case if the data are no longer required to fulfil the contract. After the contract ends, it may be necessary to continue to store the contractual partner's personal data in order to fulfil contractual or statutory obligations.

You can withdraw registration at any time. You can have the data relating to you altered at any time; the procedure is described in detail during the actual registration operation. If the data are required to fulfil a contract or implement pre-contractual measures, premature deletion of the data is only possible if this is not prevented by contractual or statutory obligations.

E. Youtube

The Max Planck Institute for Physics uses external links to videos on the YouTube platform on certain pages; these are not directly embedded into the pages. The external links display a preview image, which is created using an API service provided by YouTube.

YouTube´s terms of service can be accessed via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/static?template=terms

F. Allgemeine Angaben

1. Contact details of the controller

The controller within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation and other national data protection acts as well as other data protection legislation is the

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (MPG)
Hofgartenstrasse 8
80539 Munich, Germany
Telephone: +49 89 2108-0
Contact form: https://www.mpg.de/kontakt/anfragen
Internet: https://www.mpg.de

2. Data Protection Officer's contact details

The controller’s Data Protection Officer can be reached as follows:

Data Protection Officer of the MPG
Hofgartenstraße 8
80539 München
Telephone: +49 89 2108-1554
datenschutz@mpg.de

G. Rights of the data subjects

  • Information (Article 15 GDPR)
  • Correction (Article 16 GDPR)
  • Deletion (Article 17 (1) GDPR)
  • Restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR)
  • Data transmission (Article 20 GDPR)
  • Revocation of processing (Article 21 GDPR)
  • Revocation of consent (Article 7 (3) GDPR)
  • Right to complain to the regulator (Article 77 GDPR). For the MPG, this is the Bavarian Data Protection Authority (BayLDA), Postfach 1349, 91504 Ansbach, Germany.
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