Privacy policy

1General / Content of this privacy policy

In this privacy policy, we, Factory Works GmbH (“Factory Berlin”), inform you about the processing of personal data when you use our website, video surveillance at our locations, and at events. Personal data is information relating to an identified or identifiable person. This includes, in particular, information that allows conclusions to be drawn about your identity, such as your name, telephone number, address, or email address. Statistical data that we collect, for example, when you visit our website and that cannot be linked to you personally, is not considered personal data.

2Contact persons

The contact person and so-called controller for the processing of your personal data when visiting this website within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the

For all questions regarding data protection in connection with our products or the use of our website, you can contact our data protection officer at any time. They can be reached at the postal address above and at the email address provided above (subject: “Attn: Data Protection Officer”).

3Data processing on our website

3.1Access to our website / Access data

Each time you use our website, we collect the access data that your browser automatically transmits to enable your visit. This access data includes, in particular:

• IP address of the requesting device,
• Date and time of the request,
• Address of the accessed website and the requesting website,
• Information about the browser and operating system used,
• Online identifiers (e.g., device identifiers, session IDs).

The collection of this data is technically necessary to display our website to you and to ensure its stability and security. We do not typically know who is behind an IP address. We do not combine the data listed above with other data.

The legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f GDPR; insofar as access to information stored in the user’s terminal equipment is absolutely necessary, also § 25 para. 2 no. 2 TDDDG.

Since the collection of data for the provision of the website and the storage in log files are absolutely necessary for the operation of the website and for protection against misuse, our legitimate interest in data processing prevails in this case.

The information stored in the log files does not allow any direct conclusions to be drawn about you personally; in particular, we only store IP addresses in a shortened, anonymized form. The log files are stored for 30 days and then archived after anonymization.

3.2Contact

You have several options for contacting us. These include the contact form, registration for events, or sending an email. In this context, we process data solely for the purpose of communicating with you. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Where our contact form requests information that is not required for contacting you, we have always marked this information as optional. This information helps us to clarify your request and process it more efficiently. Providing this information is expressly voluntary and based on your consent, Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR. If this information includes details of communication channels (such as email address or telephone number), you also consent to us contacting you via these channels to respond to your request. You can, of course, withdraw this consent at any time for the future.

The data we collect when you use the contact form will be automatically deleted after your request has been fully processed, unless we still need your request to fulfill contractual or legal obligations (see section 5 “Storage period” below).

3.3Registration / Membership

You have the option to apply for a Factory Berlin membership, which will grant you access to the login area and the full functionality of our website. For contract processing, we collect the following mandatory information from you:

• Salutation,
• First and Last Name,
• Birth date,
• E-mail address,
• Password,
• Profession and company
• Photo,
• Billing and shipping address.

We have marked the mandatory fields you are required to provide. Registration is not possible without this information. The legal basis for processing this data is Article 6(1)(a), (b), and (f) of the GDPR.

3.4Newsletter

You have the option to subscribe to our newsletter, in which we will regularly inform you about new developments regarding our products and the Factory Berlin membership, as well as events and promotions.

We use the double opt-in procedure for newsletter subscriptions. This means we will only send you newsletters by email after you confirm that you are the owner of the email address provided by clicking a link in our confirmation email. If you confirm your email address, we will store your email address, the time of registration, and the IP address used for registration until you unsubscribe from the newsletter. This data is stored solely for the purpose of sending you the newsletters and documenting your registration.

You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. An unsubscribe link is included in the footer of every newsletter. Alternatively, you can also unsubscribe by contacting us using the contact details provided above or in the newsletter (e.g., by email or letter). The legal basis for processing your data is your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.

We use industry-standard technologies in our newsletters to measure interactions (e.g., email opens, links clicked). We use this data in pseudonymized form for general statistical analysis and to optimize and further develop our content and customer communication. This is done using small graphics embedded in the newsletters (so-called pixels). The data is collected exclusively in pseudonymized form and is not linked to your other personal data. The legal basis for this is your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. We want to share content that is as relevant as possible for our members via our newsletter and better understand what our readers are actually interested in. If you do not wish to have your usage behavior analyzed, you can unsubscribe from the newsletters or disable graphics by default in your email program. The data relating to interactions with our newsletters is stored pseudonymously for 30 days and then completely anonymized.

3.5Surveys and competitions

When you participate in one of our surveys, we use your data for market and opinion research. We generally analyze the data anonymously for internal purposes. If, in exceptional cases, surveys are not analyzed anonymously, the data is collected exclusively with your consent. The GDPR does not apply to anonymous surveys, and in the exceptional cases of personalized analyses, the legal basis is the aforementioned consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR.

As part of our prize draws, we use your data for the purpose of conducting the prize draw and notifying winners. Detailed information can be found in the terms and conditions of participation for the respective prize draw. The legal basis for this processing is the prize draw contract pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b GDPR.

3.6Use of our own cookies

Some of our services require the use of cookies. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on your device by your browser. Cookies are not used to run programs or load viruses onto your computer. Rather, the main purpose of our own cookies is to provide you with a customized experience and to make using our services as efficient as possible.

Most browsers are set to accept cookies by default. However, you can adjust your browser settings to reject cookies or to only allow them after you have given your consent. If you reject cookies, some of our services may not function correctly for you.

We use our own cookies in particular

• for login authentication,
• for load distribution
• to note that you have been shown information placed on our website – so that it will not be shown again on your next visit to the website.

We want to enable you to use our website more conveniently and in a more personalized way. These services are based on our aforementioned legitimate interests; the legal basis is Article 6 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 Letter f GDPR.

We also use cookies and similar technologies (e.g., web beacons) from partners for analysis and marketing purposes. This is described in more detail in the following sections.

3.7Use of cookies and comparable technologies for analysis purposes

If you have given us your consent via the cookie banner displayed on our website, we use cookies and similar technologies (e.g., web beacons) to statistically record and analyze general user behavior based on access data. We also use analytics services to evaluate the use of our various marketing channels. The legal basis for the data processing described in the following section is your consent, Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 para. 1 TDDDG.

3.7.1Google Analytics

Provided you have given your consent, this website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC. The responsible party for users in the EU/EEA and Switzerland is Google Ireland Limited, Google Building Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”).

Scope of processing

Google Analytics uses cookies that enable an analysis of your use of our websites. The information collected by the cookies about your use of this website is generally transmitted to and stored on a Google server in the USA. IP address anonymization is activated by default in Google Analytics version 4. Due to IP anonymization, your IP address is shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

During your website visit, your user behavior is recorded in the form of “events.” Events can include:

• Page views
• First visit to the website
• Start of the session
• Your “click path”, interaction with the website
• Scrolls (whenever a user scrolls to the bottom of the page (90%))
• Clicks on external links
• internal search queries
• Interaction with videos
• Viewed/clicked ads

The following is also recorded:

• your approximate location (region)
• your IP address (in abbreviated form)
• technical information about your browser and the devices you use (e.g. language setting, screen resolution)
• your internet provider
• the referrer URL (which website/advertising medium you used to access this website)

Purposes of processing

On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your pseudonymous use of the website and to compile reports on website activity. The reports provided by Google Analytics serve to analyze the performance of our website and the success of our marketing campaigns.

Recipients

of the data are/may be:

• Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (as data processor pursuant to Article 28 GDPR)
• Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheater Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
• Alphabet Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA

Third-country transfer

Where data is processed outside the EU/EEA and there is no level of data protection equivalent to European standards, we have concluded EU Standard Contractual Clauses with the service provider to ensure an adequate level of data protection. Google Ireland’s parent company, Google LLC, is based in California, USA. Where data is processed outside the EU/EEA, Google has certified itself under the Data Privacy Framework (DPF) program and is listed in the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) Data Privacy Framework list. This means that Google has publicly committed to complying with the DPF obligations and any data transfer to the USA is considered safe based on the European Commission’s current adequacy decision of July 10, 2023. A list of currently certified US companies can be found here: Data Privacy Framework. Further information on the Data Privacy Framework program can be found on the official ITA website: Data Privacy Framework. Google also provides EU Standard Contractual Clauses, thereby offering a further guarantee of compliance with European data protection law. The existing EU Standard Contractual Clauses will not lose their validity after the adequacy decision enters into force.

Data retention period

The data we send and which is linked to cookies is automatically deleted after 14 months. Data whose retention period has expired is automatically deleted once a month.

Legal basis

The legal basis for this data processing is your consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 para. 1 TDDDG.

Revocation

You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future by accessing the cookie settings HERE and changing your selection there. The lawfulness of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until revocation remains unaffected. Alternatively, you can prevent the storage of cookies from the outset by adjusting your browser settings accordingly. However, if you configure your browser to reject all cookies, this may restrict the functionality of this and other websites. You can also prevent Google from collecting and processing data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) by either 1. not giving your consent to the setting of the cookie or 2. downloading and installing the browser add-on to deactivate Google Analytics HERE. Further information on the terms of use of Google Analytics and on data protection at Google can be found at Terms of Service | Google Analytics – Google and at https://policies.google.com/?hl=de.