Privacy Policy




HQ Entertainment Network GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter referred to as the “Operator”) operates this website and provides the services offered (hereinafter referred to as “website content”). The aim of this Data Privacy Declaration is to brief users on the collection and utilisation methods, scope and purposes related to personal data by the responsible provider on this website.

The Operator of this site takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data as confidential and in compliance with the applicable statutory data privacy provisions as well as this Data Privacy Declaration.

The legal foundations for the protection of data are the German Federal Data Privacy Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz = BDSG) and the German Telemedia Act (Telemediengesetz = TMG).

Handling of Personal Data

The term “personal data” comprises information that can be used to identify a person, i.e. information that can be tracked and allocated to an individual. This includes the person’s name, e-mail address or telephone number. However, personal data also includes information on preferences, hobbies, Memberships or websites viewed.

The Operator shall collect, use and share data only if this is permitted by law or if users have agreed to the collection of their data.

Access Data / Server Log Files

The Operator (or the Operator’s provider) shall collect data related to any access to the website content (so-called server log files). Access data comprises the following:

Name of the accessed website and file
Access data and time
Transferred data volume
Successful access report
Browser type and version
User’s operating system
Referrer URL (previously visited site)
IP address
Request-submitting provider.

The Operator shall use the log data only for statistical analysis for the purpose of operating, the security and optimisation of the website content. However, the Operator does reserve the right to retroactively verify the log data if justified suspicions concerning the illegal use of the site arise due to concrete indications of such activities.

Registration Function

Data entered in conjunction with the user’s registration shall be used for purposes related to the use of the website content. Users may receive website content or registration relevant information, such as changes of the scope of the website content or technical issues via e-mail. The collected data is evident from the entry screen during the registration process. The following data will have to be collected and archived for registration purposes:

Nickname
E-mail address
IP address

Users may provide additional data for the optimum use of the website content. This information includes:

Zip code
City
Country
Date of birth
Gender

Under certain circumstances, the website content may also comprise services available for a fee. When orders are placed, the following information will be collected:

First and last name
Address
Payment information (credit card data will be archived by the payment provider).

Personal data is collected to ensure that the website content can be used securely, smoothly, efficiently and in a customised manner. The personal data collected from users is primarily used for the following processes:

Provision of the services desired by the customer and customer support
Adaptation, measuring and improvement of the content and ads on the website
Offering of additional products and services tailored to the customer’s needs
Sending of targeted marketing communications and promotional offers, including those of our cooperative partners
Settlement of disputes and elimination of problems
Prevention, uncovering and investigation of potentially prohibited or illegal activities as well as enforcement of the Operator’s General Terms and Conditions

If you are registered with us, you will be able to access the contents and services we offer to registered users exclusively. Registered users also have the option to change or delete the data entered during the registration process at any time, if necessary. In addition, we will of course provide information with regard to your personal data stored with us. We will be happy to correct or delete this data upon your request, unless we are obligated by law to retain this data. If you need to contact us regarding this matter, please use the contact data listed in this Privacy Act Declaration.

Providing Services Subject to Charge

The offer also includes services subject to charges. The following information is collected upon placing an order:

Last Name and First Name
Address
Payment Method (Credit card data is stored by the payment provider).

We utilise the most current encryption technology standards to protect your data during transfer. (e. g. SSL) with HTTPS.

Contact

When users initiate contact with the Operator (e.g. via e-mail), the user’s data will be stored for the purpose of handling the inquiry and in the event that questions arise later.

Newsletter

Our newsletter contains interesting and useful information about us, our products and our services.

If you want to subscribe to the newsletter, we will need a valid e-mail address to send it to you along with information that allows us to verify that you are the actual holder of the provided e-mail address and whether you consent to the newsletter subscription. No further data is collected. This data is used exclusively for the distribution of the newsletter and will not be shared with any third parties.

When you register for your newsletter subscription, we will store your IP address and the registration date. This saved data will be used exclusively in the event that a third party misuses and e-mail address and subscribes to the newsletter while the authorised owner of the address is not even aware of the subscription.

You have the option to revoke your consent to the archiving of data, your e-mail address and its use for the distribution of the newsletter at any time. You may submit your revocation notice via a link that can be found in the newsletters directly and also under your profile information or by sending a notice using the contact initiation options explained in the previous section.

Integration of Third Party Services and Content

Our online content may on occasions contain third party content, such as YouTube videos, maps from Google-Maps, RSS Feeds or graphics from other websites. This is always contingent upon the providers of such content (hereinafter referred to as “third party providers”) are aware of the user’s IP address. If they do not have the IP address, they cannot send the content to the browser of the respective user. Hence, the IP address is required for such content to be displayed. We strive to use only content from providers who utilise the respective IP address only for the delivery of the content. However, it is beyond our control if a third party provider stores the IP address e.g. for statistical purposes. If we know this is happening, we will notify the affected users accordingly.

Social Plugins

Our website features social plugins of the providers listed below. You will recognise the plugins by their respective logos.

These plugins are used to send information to be processed by the service providers, which may potentially include personal data. We are preventing unconscious and unintentional collection and transfer of data by applying a 2-click solution. In order to activate the desired social plugin, it must be activated by clicking on the corresponding icon. Data will be collected and transferred to this service provider only after activating the plugin. We do not collect personal data via the social plugins activation process or use thereof.

We are not able to control the type of data collected by an activated plugin, or how this data is processed by the provider. Currently, it must be assumed that a direct connection to the provider’s services is established and at minimum, the IP-address and device-relevant information will be collected and processed. There is also a chance that service providers attempt to store cookies on your PC used. Please consult the Privacy Act information provided by the respective service provider to determine which data will be collected, as well as how this data is used. Note: if you are logged on Facebook at the same time, Facebook is able to identify you as a visitor of a certain site.

The social media buttons of the following providers have been integrated in our website:

Facebook Inc. (1601 S. California Ave - Palo Alto - CA 94304 - USA)

Google Plus/Google Inc. (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway - Mountain View - CA 94043 - USA)

Cookies

Cookies are small files that enable the storage of specific device-related information on a user’s access device (PC, smartphone, etc.). On the one hand, their aim is to boost the user convenience of websites and thus to assist users (e.g. by saving login information). On the other hand, they are used to record statistical website usage data and to analyse the sites to improve their content. Users do have the option to control the use of cookies. Most browsers offer the option to limit or completely prevent the archiving of cookies. However, users who do this are advised that implementing these controls will result in usage restrictions and that it will in particular limit the access conveniences.

You have the option to manage many corporate online ad cookies via the American site http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or the EU site http://www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices/.

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis services offered by Google Inc. (Google). Google Analytics uses so-called cookies, which are text files that are archived on your computer and that allow the performance of an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookies about your use of this website (including your IP address) will, as a rule, be sent to a Google server in the United States, where they will be archived.

However, if the IP anonymity tool on this website is activated, the user’s IP address will be abbreviated within member states of the European Union or other nations who have signed the treaty on the European Economic Zone. Only in exceptional cases will your full IP address be sent to a server of Google in the United States to be abbreviated there. On behalf of the Operator of this website, Google will use this information to analyse your use of the website, to generate reports on website activities for the operators of the website and to render other services related to website uses.

The IP address transferred in conjunction with Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data. You have the option to prevent the installation of cookies with a respective setting in your browser software; however, we have to point out that in this case you may not be able to use all of the functions of this website in their entirety. Moreover, you may prevent the recording of data generated by the cookie and data related to your use of the website (including your IP address) and the transfer of the data to Google as well as the processing of the data by Google, by downloading the browser plug-in available under the following link: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de and installing it

As an alternative to the browser add-on or within browsers on mobile devices, please click this link to prevent the recording of data by Google Analytics within this website in the future. If you do this, an opt-out cookie will be archived on your device. If you delete your cookies, you will have to click on this link again.

Google Analytics Advertising Functions (Remarketing or Retargeting)

Besides Google Analytics, the Operator also uses the Google Analytics advertising functions. This technology makes it possible to contact users who have previously visited the website and have shown interest in certain content directly on the sites of the Google Partner Network and show specific promotional content. Cookies that were used to analyse the user patterns during website visits are deployed to insert the ads, which contain specific product recommendations and interest based advertising.

The Operator and Google utilise first party provider cookies (e.g. Google Analytics Cookies) in combination with third party provider cookies (e.g. DoubleClick cookies) to compile, optimise and publish ads based on earlier user visits to the site. The Operator uses Google Analytics reports to distinguish between users based on demographic parameters and interests. The Operator deploys the data received from Google as a result of interest-related advertising as well as the visitor data obtained from third party providers (e.g. age, gender, interests) in Google Analytics for marketing purposes and the continuous improvement of the website content.
If you do not want to receive interest-based advertising via this Google remarketing technology, you can deactivate the use of cookies for these purposes, by bringing up the DoubleClick deactivation page. As an alternative, you can also deactivate the use of cookies by third party providers, by bringing up the deactivation page of the network advertising initiative. Google also offers an option for the self-control of cookies for ad presets: http://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/technologies/ads/.

You can object to the display of personalised advertising banners by Google if you use the following link to prevent their use in the future: https://www.google.com/settings/u/0/ads/authenticated

Google AdSense

The Operator uses Google AdSense – a service provided by Google Inc. (“Google”) for the integration of ads. Google AdSense uses so-called “cookies” in conjunction with its ad integration service, which are text files that are stored on the user’s computer and that make it possible to analyse the website use. Google AdSense also uses so-called Web Beacons. These are invisible graphics. Web Beacons enable users to analyse information such as website visitor frequencies. Cookies and Web Beacons are used to generate data related to the use of the website content. This data is personal, given that the IP address is stored as well. Google collects this personal data and, if applicable, transfers it to its advertising contract partners. This data is collected, archived and transferred for advertising purposes. If the user wants to prevent the collection of his/her personal data, the user may prevent the installation of the Cookies or Web Beacons by making the required adjustments to his/her browser software. However, doing so may result in the user no longer being able to use all of the functions of the website.

Google Tag Manager

This website uses the Google Tag Manager. This service enables the management of Website Tags via an interface. The Google Tool Manager only implements tags, which means no use of Cookies and no collection of personal data. The Google Tool Manager triggers other tags, which in turn collect data. However, the Google Tag Manager does not access this data. If a deactivation has been implemented on the domain or Cookie level, it remains intact for all tracking tags if they are being implemented with the Google Tag Manager.

Use of Analysis Programs and Tracking Tools

Visitor behaviors have to be analysed for the optimum design of the website content. The Operator uses web analysis programs for this purpose, which make it possible to analyse the visits to the site.

Besides the elimination of errors, the primary purpose of data processing is the optimisation of the website content with regard to user needs. The web analysis process also supplies indices about the visitor volume and the distribution of visitor traffic across different times as well as popular content and the time users spend on the site.

Using Affiliate Tracking Cookies

The provider uses affiliate tracking cookies to accurately collect sales and/or lead information on this website. Cookies are small text files, which are saved on your PC when you visit a website. These affiliate tracking cookies do not utilise or store any personal data. Moreover, only the identification number of the transferring partner and the classification number of the advertisement accessed by the website visitor will be collected. This information is required to process payments between the site provider and the advertising party. Upon executing a transaction, the partner identification number is used to assign the commission to be paid to the forwarding partner.

You can prevent the installation of cookies by using the settings in your browser software; however, the provider advises the user that not all functions may be available to the full extent in the event the cookies have not been installed.

Information, Deletion, Correction

We comply with the principles of storing and creating a minimum of data. We store your personal data only for the timeframe required to achieve the results outlined herein or for the numerous intended storage terms mandated by law. Upon fulfillment of the respective purpose and/or expiration of the aforementioned terms, the respective data will be blocked or deleted in a routine procedure as mandated by the statutory regulations.

The user is entitled to the provision of free information concerning the personal data archived about him/her upon request. In addition, the user is entitled to the correction of incorrect data as well as the blockage and deletion of his/her personal data unless this would be in conflict with statutory retention mandates.

If you need more information or have any other questions related to personal data, please feel free to contact us at any time at the provided address, via phone or fax. You can also contact us via e-mail at [email protected].

Refusal to Accept Unsolicited Promotional E-mails

We herewith expressly object to the use of contact information published in conjunction with legal mandates for the sending of advertising and information material we have not expressly requested. The Operator of the website reserves the express right to take legal action in the event that unsolicited advertising information should be sent to us, for instance via e-mail SPAM.