16. Data protection provisions regarding the use of Google Analytics (with anonymization function)
The controller has integrated the Google Analytics component (with anonymization function) into this website. Google Analytics is a web analytics service. Web analytics is the gathering, collection, and analysis of data regarding the behavior of visitors to websites. A web analytics service collects data including, among other things, the website from which a data subject arrived at a website (so-called referrers), which sub-pages of the website were accessed, and how often and for how long a sub-page was viewed. Web analytics is primarily used to optimize a website and to conduct cost-benefit analyses of online advertising.
The operating company of the Google Analytics component is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland.
For web analytics via Google Analytics, the controller uses the extension “_gat._anonymizeIp”. By means of this extension, the IP address of the data subject’s internet connection is truncated and anonymized by Google if access to our websites originates from a Member State of the European Union or from another contracting state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.
The purpose of the Google Analytics component is to analyze visitor traffic on our website. Google uses the data and information obtained to, among other things, evaluate the use of our website, compile online reports for us showing activities on our websites, and provide other services related to the use of our website.
Google Analytics places a cookie on the data subject’s information technology system. What cookies are has already been explained above. Placing the cookie enables Google to analyze the use of our website. Each time an individual page of this website—operated by the data controller and incorporating a Google Analytics component—is accessed, the internet browser on the data subject’s information technology system is automatically prompted by the respective Google Analytics component to transmit data to Google for the purpose of online analysis. As part of this technical process, Google gains knowledge of personal data, such as the data subject’s IP address; Google uses this information to, among other things, track the origin of visitors and clicks and subsequently facilitate commission settlements.
Cookies are used to store personal information, such as the time of access, the location from which access originated, and the frequency of the data subject’s visits to our website. During each visit to our website, this personal data—including the IP address of the internet connection used by the data subject—is transmitted to Google in the United States of America. This personal data is stored by Google in the United States of America. Google may disclose this personal data collected via the technical process to third parties.
As previously described, the data subject can prevent the setting of cookies by our website at any time by adjusting the settings of their internet browser accordingly, thereby permanently objecting to the setting of cookies. Such a browser setting would also prevent Google from placing a cookie on the data subject’s information technology system. Furthermore, a cookie already set by Google Analytics can be deleted at any time via the internet browser or other software programs.
Furthermore, the data subject has the option to object to and prevent the collection of data generated by Google Analytics regarding the use of this website, as well as the processing of such data by Google. To do this, the data subject must download and install a browser add-on available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. This browser add-on informs Google Analytics via JavaScript that no data or information regarding website visits may be transmitted to Google Analytics. Google considers the installation of the browser add-on to be an objection. If the data subject’s information technology system is subsequently deleted, formatted, or reinstalled, the data subject must reinstall the browser add-on to disable Google Analytics again. Should the browser add-on be uninstalled or deactivated by the data subject or another person within their sphere of control, it is possible to reinstall or reactivate the browser add-on.
Further information and Google’s applicable data protection provisions can be accessed at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/ and http://www.google.com/analytics/terms/de.html. Google Analytics is explained in greater detail at https://www.google.com/intl/de_de/analytics/.