Privacy Statement

With this data protection declaration, we provide information on what personal data we process, for what purpose, how and where, in particular in connection with our rheumatologyebook.com-Website and our other services. With this data protection declaration, we also provide information about the rights of persons whose data we process.

For individual or additional offers and services, special, supplementary or additional data protection statements as well as other legal documents such as general terms and conditions (GTC), terms of use or conditions of participation may apply.

Our offer is subject to Swiss data protection law as well as any applicable foreign data protection law such as, in particular, that of the European Union (EU) with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The European Commission recognizes that Swiss data protection law ensures adequate data protection.

1. Contact Addresses

Responsibility for the processing of personal data:

Daniel Beyeler
Rheuma Schweiz
Aargauerstrasse 250
8048 Zurich
Switzerland

info@rheuma-schweiz.ch

We point out if there are other persons responsible for the processing of personal data in individual cases.

1.1 Data protection officer

We have the following data protection officer as a point of contact for data subjects and as a contact for supervisory authorities in the event of inquiries relating to data protection law:

Daniel Beyeler
Rheuma Schweiz
Aargauerstrasse 250
8048 Zurich
Switzerland

daniel.beyeler@rheuma-schweiz.ch

1.2 Data protection representation in the European Economic Area (EEA)

We have the following Data protection representation pursuant to Art. 27 GDPR in the European Economic Area (EEA) including the European Union (EU) and the Principality of Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway as additional point of contact for supervisory authorities and data subjects for inquiries related to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

VGS Datenschutzpartner UG
Am Kaiserkai 69
20457 Hamburg
Germany

info@datenschutzpartner.eu

2. Processing of personal data

2.1 Terms

Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual. A data subject is a person about whom personal data are processed. Processing includes any handling of personal data, regardless of the means and procedures used, in particular the storage, disclosure, acquisition, collection, deletion, storage, modification, destruction and use of personal data.

The European Economic Area (EEA) comprises the European Union (EU) as well as the Principality of Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) refers to the processing of personal data as processing of personal data.

2.2 Legal basis

We process personal data in accordance with Swiss data protection law such as, in particular, the Federal Data Protection Act (FADP) and the Ordinance to the Federal Data Protection Act (FADP).

We process – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – personal data in accordance with at least one of the following legal bases:

  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO for the necessary processing of personal data for the performance of a contract with the data subject as well as for the implementation of pre-contractual measures.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO for the necessary processing of personal data to protect the legitimate interests of us or of third parties, unless the fundamental freedoms and rights and interests of the data subject prevail. Legitimate interests are, in particular, our interest in being able to provide our offer permanently, in a user-friendly, secure and reliable manner, as well as to be able to advertise for it as required, information security as well as protection against misuse and unauthorized use, the enforcement of our own legal claims and compliance with Swiss law.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c DSGVO for the necessary processing of personal data to comply with a legal obligation to which we are subject under any applicable law of member states in the European Economic Area (EEA).
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e DSGVO for the necessary processing of personal data for the performance of a task which is in the public interest.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a DSGVO for the processing of personal data with the consent of the data subject.
  • Art. 6 para. 1 lit. d DSGVO for the necessary processing of personal data to protect vital interests of the data subject or another natural person.

2.3 Type, scope and purpose

We process those personal data that are necessary to provide our offer permanently, user-friendly, secure and reliable. Such personal data can fall into the categories of inventory and contact data, browser and device data, content data, meta or marginal data and usage data, location data, sales, contract and payment data.

We process personal data for the period of time, required for the respective purpose(s) or as required by law. Personal data whose processing is no longer required will be anonymized or deleted. Persons whose data we process generally have the right to have their data deleted.

As a matter of principle, we only process personal data with the consent of the data subject, unless the processing is permitted for other legal reasons, for example, for the fulfilment of a contract with the data subject and for corresponding pre-contractual measures, to protect our overriding legitimate interests, because the processing is evident from the circumstances or after prior information.

In this context, we process in particular information that a data subject voluntarily and self-submits to us when contacting us – for example, by mail, email, contact form, social media or telephone – or when registering for a user account. We may store such information, for example, in an address book or with comparable tools. If you transmit personal data to us via third parties, you are obliged to ensure data protection vis-à-vis such third parties as well as to ensure the accuracy of such personal data.

We also process personal data that we receive from third parties, obtain from publicly accessible sources or collect in the course of providing our services, if and to the extent that such processing is permitted for legal reasons.

2.4 Processing of personal data by third parties, also abroad

We may have personal data processed by commissioned third parties or process it jointly with third parties or with the help of third parties or transmit it to third parties. Such third parties are in particular providers whose services we use. We also ensure appropriate data protection for such third parties.

Such third parties are generally located in Switzerland and in the European Economic Area (EEA). However, such third parties may also be located in other states and territories on earth as well as elsewhere in the universe, provided that their data protection law ensures adequate data protection in the opinion of the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) and – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – in the opinion of the European Commission, or if adequate data protection is ensured for other reasons, such as through a corresponding contractual agreement, in particular on the basis of standard contractual clauses, or through a corresponding certification. Exceptionally, such a third party may be located in a country without adequate data protection, provided that the requirements under data protection law, such as the express consent of the data subject, are met for this purpose.

3. Rights of data subjects

Data subjects whose personal data we process have rights under Swiss data protection law. These include the right to information as well as the right to correction, deletion or blocking of the personal data processed.

Data subjects whose personal data we process may – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – request confirmation free of charge as to whether we are processing their personal data and, if so, request information about the processing of their personal data, have the processing of their personal data restricted, exercise their right to data portability, and have their personal data corrected, deleted (“right to be forgotten”), blocked or completed.

Data subjects whose personal data we process may – if and insofar as the GDPR applies – revoke any consent they have given at any time with future effect and object to the processing of their personal data at any time.

Data subjects whose personal data we process have a right of appeal to a competent supervisory authority. The supervisory authority for data protection in Switzerland is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC).

4. Data security

We take appropriate and suitable technical and organizational measures to ensure data protection and, in particular, data security. However, despite such measures, the processing of personal data on the Internet can always have security gaps. We can therefore not guarantee absolute data security.

Access to our online offer takes place via transport encryption (SSL / TLS, in particular with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, abbreviated HTTPS). Most browsers indicate transport encryption with a padlock in the address bar.

Access to our online offering is subject – as is basically any Internet use – to mass surveillance without cause and without suspicion, as well as other monitoring by security authorities in Switzerland, the European Union (EU), the United States of America (USA) and other countries. We cannot directly influence the corresponding processing of personal data by secret services, police agencies and other security authorities.

5. Use of the Website

5.1 Cookies

We may use cookies for our website. Cookies – both our own cookies (first-party cookies) and cookies from third parties whose services we use (third-party cookies) – are data that are stored in your browser. Such stored data need not be limited to traditional cookies in text form. Cookies cannot run programs or transmit malware such as Trojans and viruses.

Cookies can be stored in your browser temporarily as “session cookies” when you visit our website or for a certain period of time as so-called permanent cookies. “Session cookies” are automatically deleted when you close your browser. Permanent cookies have a specific storage period. In particular, they allow us to recognize your browser the next time you visit our website and thus, for example, to measure the reach of our website. However, permanent cookies can also be used for online marketing, for example.

You can completely or partially deactivate cookies in your browser settings at any time, as well as delete them. Without cookies, our website may no longer be fully available. We actively ask you – if and to the extent necessary – for your express consent for the use of cookies.

In the case of cookies used for performance and reach measurement or for advertising, a general objection (“opt-out”) is possible for numerous services via the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), YourAdChoices (Digital Advertising Alliance) or Your Online Choices (European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance, EDAA).

5.2 Server log files

We may record the following information for each access to our website, provided that this information is transmitted by your browser to our server infrastructure or can be determined by our web server: Date and time including time zone, Internet Protocol (IP) address, access status (HTTP status code), operating system including user interface and version, browser including language and version, individual sub-page of our website accessed including amount of data transferred, website last accessed in the same browser window (referer or referrer).

We store such information, which may also constitute personal data, in server log files. The information is necessary to provide our online offer permanently, user-friendly and reliable, as well as to ensure data security and thus in particular the protection of personal data – also by third parties or with the help of third parties.

5.3 Tracking pixel

We may use tracking pixels on our website. Tracking pixels are also referred to as web beacons. Tracking pixels – also from third parties whose services we use – are small, usually invisible images that are automatically retrieved when you visit our website. Counting pixels can be used to record the same information as in server log files.

6. Notifications and messages

We send notifications and communications such as newsletters by email and through other communication channels such as instant messaging.

6.1 Performance and reach measurement

Notifications and messages may contain web links or tracking pixels that record whether an individual message was opened and which web links were clicked. Such web links and tracking pixels may also track usage of notifications and communications on a personal basis. We need this statistical recording of usage for performance and reach measurement in order to be able to offer notifications and communications effectively and in a user-friendly manner based on the needs and reading habits of the recipients, as well as permanently, securely and reliably.

6.2 Consent and objection

As a matter of principle, you must expressly consent to the use of your e-mail address and other contact addresses, unless such use is permitted for other legal reasons. For any consent to receive e-mails, we use the “double opt-in” procedure whenever possible, which means that you will receive an e-mail with a web link that you must click to confirm, so that no misuse by unauthorized third parties can take place. We may log such consents including Internet Protocol (IP) address, date and time for evidence and security reasons.

In general, you can unsubscribe from notifications and communications such as newsletters at any time. By unsubscribing, you can in particular object to the statistical recording of usage for performance and reach measurement. Notifications and communications that are absolutely necessary for our offer remain reserved.

7. Performance and reach measurement

We use services and programs to determine how our online offering is used. In this context, we can, for example, measure the success and reach of our online offering and the effect of third-party links to our website. However, we can also, for example, test and compare how different versions of our online offering or parts of our online offering are used (“A/B test” method). Based on the results of the performance and reach measurement, we can in particular correct errors, strengthen particularly popular content or make improvements to our online offering.

When using services and programs for performance and reach measurement, the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of individual users must be stored. IP addresses are basically shortened in order to follow the principle of data economy through the corresponding pseudonymization and to improve the data protection of visitors to our website (“IP masking”).

When using services and programs for performance and reach measurement, cookies may be used and user profiles may be created. User profiles include, for example, the pages visited or content viewed on our website, information on the size of the screen or browser window and the – at least approximate – location. In principle, user profiles are created exclusively in pseudonymous form. We do not use user profiles to identify individual visitors to our website. Individual services with which you are registered as a user can, if necessary, assign the use of our online offer to your profile with the respective service, whereby you usually had to give your consent to this assignment in advance.

In particular, we use:

8. Third party services

We use third party services in order to provide our offer in a durable, user-friendly, secure and reliable manner. Such services are also used to embed content into our website. Such services – for example, hosting and storage services, video services and payment services – require your Internet Protocol (IP) address, as such services cannot otherwise transmit the corresponding content. Such services may be located outside of Switzerland and the European Economic Area (EEA), provided that adequate data protection is guaranteed.

For their own security-related, statistical and technical purposes, third parties whose services we use may also process data related to our offer as well as from other sources – including cookies, log files and counting pixels – in aggregated, anonymized or pseudonymized form.

8.1 Digital infrastructure

We use third-party services to make use of required digital infrastructure for our offer. This includes, for example, hosting and storage services from specialized providers.

In particular, we use:

8.2 Fonts

Wir verwenden Dienste von Dritten, um ausgewählte Schriftarten sowie Icons, Logos und Symbole in unsere Website einbetten zu können.

In particular, we use:

8.3 Payments

We use payment service providers to process payments from our customers securely and reliably. The terms and conditions of the respective payment service providers, such as general terms and conditions (GTC) or data protection declarations, apply to the processing in each case.

In particular, we use:

9. Extensions for the Website

We use extensions for our website in order to be able to use additional functions.

In particular, we use:

10. Final provisions

We have created this privacy policy using the privacy generator of Datenschutzpartner.

We may adapt and supplement this privacy policy at any time. We will inform about such adjustments and additions in an appropriate form, in particular by publishing the respective current privacy policy on our website.