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Privacy Statement

We collect information from you when you access www.open-encyclopedia-system.org. For purposes of identification and tracking unauthorized access attempts to this domain as well as for purposes of optimization of web-based services in connection with the use of the web pages of the above-named domain, user data are stored and used to create anonymized access statistics.

We confine ourselves strictly to what is technically necessary and permitted by law. We collect and use personal data only with your prior consent or where allowed by law. It is important to us that you understand why we collect data and what we use them for. More information can be found below.

We collect information from you when you access the above-named domains. For purposes of identification and tracking unauthorized access attempts to this domain as well as for purposes of optimization of web-based services in connection with the use of the web pages of the above-named domain, user data are stored and used to create anonymous access statistics

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect on May 25, 2018. It strengthens the rights of the individual user. In point 10 below, “Rights of Individuals,” we describe your rights with regard to privacy and personal data.

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, we will be happy to answer them. Please send an email to: oes@cedis.fu-berlin.de

Personal information is information that can be used to identify you. This includes information such as your name, postal or IP address (if not anonymized), telephone number, and e-mail address, but not information that is not associated with your identity (such as anonymous log files in which the used browser types are logged).

Data provided by you (e.g., data input via a web form) can be or contain personal data. We store your data only at your request and to the extent needed (for example, for registration for an event) or for data backup. The specific use of such data is indicated in the respective context.

When you view the web pages of the above-named website or one of its subdomains, a log file is automatically created and stored on the server. Such files contain the web page you visited, the previous website you visited just before ours (in case it was a search engine, also the terms entered), date, time, the operating system you are using, features of the display (resolution in pixels and the so-called pixel-ratio for the detection of high-resolution displays), and the browser you are using (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, etc.). Additionally, the size of the transferred data amount, a so-called HTTP status code (for example to identify a successfully transmitted web page), and the IP address of your computer (e.g., PC or smartphone) – whereby the IP address is immediately anonymized through deletion of the last octet of the address – are also stored.

The collection and use of information stored in the log file is only for anonymous evaluation for statistical purposes (for example, an analysis of user behavior, which pages of the website or subdomain are accessed, which browsers are used, etc.) and thereby to improve our services. A mapping of IP address to the user ID does not occur. It is not possible to trace the analysis results to a specific IP address.

The information processed as explained above (see points 1 and 2) is electronically collected and used by Freie Universität Berlin, the Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS) and stored centrally by Freie Universität Berlin's Hochschul-Rechenzentrum (ZEDAT).

The information is not disclosed to third parties or used outside of Freie Universität Berlin, unless you have given us your consent to do so or we are required or authorized by law to do so (for example, in relation to law enforcement, presumed plagiarism, or other copyright infringements).

Like other organizations, we use so-called cookies. Cookies are small files that are stored in special filed directories on your computer (unless you block them). Information about your visit to our website can be stored in cookies.

Our cookies do not contain personal data (such as IP addresses or login data), but rather only anonymous session IDs. Some of the cookies we use will remain on your computer so that our web server can recognize your computer the next time you visit. Most browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, etc.) are set by default to accept cookies. You can set your browser to reject cookies or request a confirmation from you.  However, if you disable or reject cookies, it is possible that you will not be able to use certain features of the website.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data using cookies is Article 6 (1) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Java and Javascript applications are used on the web pages of the above-named domain. You can set your browser – if necessary, by using free add-ons – to reject the execution of such applications or to request confirmation from you. If you reject these applications, it may be possible that you cannot use certain features of the website.

Some of the web pages of the above-named domain use social media plugins, in particular the following:

  • "Facebook-I-Like" or "Facebook-Gefällt-mir": operated by: Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States
  • "Google+1”: operated by: Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States
  •  "Twitter”: operated by: Twitter, Inc., 795 Folsom St., Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States

Social plugins are software modules that are developed and made available by the social media services. They can be installed on web pages as is, to enable an automated communication (data exchange) between the web page and the social media services in accordance with their respective policies. As part of this communication, data are transferred dynamically from a social media service to one of our web pages, for example. On the other hand, at the same time, data from the user viewing our web pages are transferred to the social media service (e.g., that of the user's computer IP address). You will notice the use of social plugins on certain web pages. We would like to give you some information about them:

2-Step Solution to Ensure Privacy

Without additional measures, the social plugins (see above) use technical means that ensure that when viewing, or even loading, the page connected by the plugin, data (including personal data) are exchanged between the original website and the social media service (here, Facebook, Google, or Twitter). In these cases, the user has no option to decline this exchange of data.

To protect users of our web pages from this type of exchange of data, which is not subject to influence, and the transmission of data to the respective social media service, we have incorporated an appropriate technical precaution. This two-step solution gives users the opportunity, even after loading the page connected by the plugin, to agree to the use of each social media service (and thus to exchange data with this social media service). The basic setting of the 2-step solution does not transmit data to the social media services. This option may be decided case by case or permanently. A decision can be subsequently revised again. If you do not want a social media service to collect information about you through our web site, do not activate that social media by clicking the social plugin.

To permanently agree to data exchange between the website of the above-named domain and the relevant social media service, which requires a cookie on our part (see above), you should click on the button that is labeled as follows:

In the dialog box that opens, you can enable the exchange of data between the web pages of the above-mentioned domain and the relevant social media service, and you can also revise this again later.

By clicking on one of the specially marked buttons (see "Using the social plug-ins"), you agree to the above-mentioned one-time data exchange between the respective web page domain and the relevant social media service.

Using the Social Plugins

You will recognize the use of the Facebook plugin on a web page or subdomain of the above-named site, when you see the following button:

You will recognize the use of the Google plugin on a web page or subdomain of the above-named site, when you see the following button:

You will recognize the use of the Twitter plugin on a web page or subdomain of the above-named site, when you see the following button:

By clicking on one of these buttons you agree to the use of this plugin and therefore the transfer of personal data to the respective social media service. We have no control over the nature and scope of these transmitted data as well as their further processing. According to our current state of knowledge, the relevant social media service is informed of your IP address and that of the web page using the plugin. If you are simultaneously logged in to a social media service platform, that social media service is able to directly assign the information to your user profile.

In order to avoid such a collection of profile information about you, you should log out of each social media service platform. Data such as the IP address of the computer you are using will be transmitted in any regard.

For more information from Facebook about how to deal with the appropriate plugin and the corresponding social media service, refer to: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/. For more information on Facebook about its data use policy, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy .

For more information from Google about how to deal with the appropriate plugin and the corresponding social media service, refer to: http://support.google.com/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=de&answer=1319578&rd=1. For more information on Google about its privacy policy, please visit: http://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy.

For more information from Twitter about how to deal with the appropriate plugin and the corresponding social media service, refer to: https://twitter.com/logo. For more information on Twitter about its data use policy, please visit: https://twitter.com/privacy.

The web pages of the above-named domain sometimes use external content from third-party providers. Integrating external content such as videos, presentations, news feeds, e.g., from social media services can enhance the content of a website. As with the use of social plugins (see point 6), data protection aspects need to be taken into consideration. For that reason, the above-described “two-step solution” is implemented for integrating content from third-party providers. You can recognize this type of content when you see the following box, for example, where Google Maps are integrated into the website.

Analogous to the use of social plugins (see point 6), the following also applies here: By clicking the link you agree to a one-time data exchange between the respective websites of the above-named domain and the relevant third party. Under the default setting, data are not transmitted to the provider of the external content. You can permanently activate data exchange between the pages of the above-named domain and the provider of the external content (example here: maps.google.de), and you can revise this decision again at any time.

If you provide us with personal information (e.g., via web forms), you will as a rule find contact details on the same page where you can at no charge request information regarding which of your personal data are stored on our system. At your request, the information can also be provided electronically.

You have the right to ask the person responsible for confirmation of whether your personal data have been processed. If this is the case, you have a right of access to such personal data and to the information specified in Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

You have the right to demand from the person responsible the immediate correction of incorrect and personal data concerning you and, if necessary, the completion of incomplete personal data (Article 16 of the General Data Protection Regulation).

You have the right to request the person responsible to delete your personal data without delay, provided one of the reasons detailed in Article 17 of the General Data Protection Regulation applies (right to erasure). The person responsible will then no longer process the personal data unless he/she can prove compelling legitimate grounds for processing that outweigh the interests, rights, and freedoms of the individual concerned.

You have the right, at any time, to object to the processing of your personal data for reasons arising from your particular situation. In such cases, personal data may only be processed if there are compelling legitimate reasons for the processing that outweigh your interests, rights, and freedoms, or if the processing serves the assertion, exercise, or defense of legal claims (Article 21 of the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR).

You have the right to revoke your data protection consent at any time. The revocation of consent does not affect the legality of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until the revocation.

Given the constantly occurring changes on the Internet, especially with regard to technology and also the relevant legislation, we reserve the right to amend our privacy policy from time to time, if needed. Such adjustments to our privacy policy will be posted on this page with an advance notice of two weeks, provided that the circumstances requiring the change permit this timeframe.

Chief Data Protection Officer of Freie Universität

Ingrid Pahlen-Brandt, Email: datenschutz@fu-berlin.de

Deputy Data Protection Officer of Freie Universität

Andreas Hübinger, Email: andreas.huebinger@fu-berlin.de