VAS PRIVACY POLICY – INSPIRATION FOR CLEAN ENERGY

Privacy Policy
Thank you for your interest in our website. Protecting your privacy is very important to us. The following sections provide detailed information about how we use your data.

Storage of access data in server log files
You can visit our webpages without having to provide any personal information. We only store access data in server log files; this data may include the requested file, the date and time of the request, the transferred volume of data and the IP address. This data is only analysed to ensure trouble-free operation of the website and to improve our service; it does not enable us to identify you personally.

Use of cookies
To make our website more attractive to visitors and enable the use of certain functions, we use ‘cookies’ on various pages. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device. Some of the cookies that we use are deleted again at the end of the browser session, i.e. when you close your browser (‘session cookies’). Other cookies remain on your device and enable us to recognise your browser on your next visit (‘persistent cookies’). You can configure your browser to alert you if cookies are being placed, so that you can decide in each instance whether to accept them, allow exceptions in certain cases or block them in general. Blocking cookies can restrict the functionality of our website.

Use of Google (Universal) Analytics
This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics, a web analysis service of Google LLC (www.google.de). Google (Universal) Analytics uses methods that enable your use of the website to be analysed, such as ‘cookies’, i.e. text files which are stored on your computer. The information that is generated about your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Because IP anonymisation is activated on this website, your IP address is truncated by Google before being sent within member states of the European Union or in other countries that are party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address sent to a Google server in the USA and truncated there. The anonymised IP address that your web browser transmits within the context of Google Analytics is not combined with other data held by Google.

You can prevent the data that the cookie generates about your use of this website (including your IP address) from being sent to and processed by Google; this can be done by downloading and installing the browser add-on from this link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de
As an alternative to the browser add-on,  you can click this link to prevent Google Analytics from collecting data on this website in future. This action will store an opt-out cookie on your device. If you delete your cookies, you will have to re-click the link.

Use of Facebook plugins 
On our website, we use social plugins (‘plugins’) of the social network Facebook, operated by Meta Platforms, Inc., 1601 Willow Rd, Menlo Park, California, 94025-1452, USA (‘Facebook’). The plugins are identified by the Facebook logo or the additional text ‘Social plugin from Facebook’ or ‘Facebook social plugin’.

When you visit a page of our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to the Facebook servers. Facebook transmits the content of the plugin directly to your browser and integrates it into the page. As a result of the plugin being integrated, Facebook is informed that your browser has accessed the corresponding page of our website, even if you do not have a Facebook profile or are not currently logged in to Facebook. Your browser transmits this information (including your IP address) directly to a Facebook server in the USA, where it is then stored.

If you are logged in to Facebook, Facebook can link your visit to our website directly to your Facebook profile. If you interact with the plugins, e.g. by clicking the ‘Like’ button or posting a comment, this information is also sent directly to a Facebook server, where it is then stored. In addition, the information is published on your Facebook profile and made visible to your Facebook friends.

More details about why, how and to what extent Facebook collects, processes and uses the data, as well as information about your corresponding rights and the possible settings to protect your privacy, can be found in Facebook’s privacy policy: http://www.facebook.com/policy.php 

If you do not want Facebook to link the data collected through our website directly to your Facebook profile, you must log out of Facebook before visiting our website. You can also use add-ons for your browser (e.g. a Facebook blocker or script blocker) to prevent Facebook plugins from being loaded.

Use of the Google+ plugin (e.g. ‘+1’ button) 
On our website, we use social plugins (‘plugins’) of the social network Google+ (Google Plus), operated by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, California, 94043, USA (‘Google’). The plugins can be recognised by buttons with the sign ‘+1’ on a white or coloured background, for example.
When you visit a page of our website that contains such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection to the Google servers. Google transmits the content of the plugin directly to your browser and integrates it into the page. As a result of the plugin being integrated, Google is informed that your browser has accessed the corresponding page of our website, even if you do not have a Google+ profile or are not currently logged in to Google+. Your browser transmits this information (including your IP address) directly to a Google server in the USA, where it is then stored.

If you are logged in to Google+, Google can link your visit to our website directly to your Google+ profile. If you interact with the plugins, e.g. by clicking the ‘+1’ button, the corresponding information is also sent directly to a Google server, where it is then stored. In addition, the information is published on Google+ and made visible to your contacts there.

More details about why, how and to what extent Google collects, processes and uses data, as well as information about your corresponding rights and the possible settings to protect your privacy, can be found in Google’s privacy policy:  https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-UShttp://www.google.com/intl/de/+/policy/+1button.html

If you do not want Google to link the data collected through our website directly to your Google+ profile, you must log out of Google+ before visiting our website. You can also use add-ons for your browser to prevent Google plugins from being loaded, such as a script blocker.

YouTube video plugins
Content from third-party providers is integrated into this website.
This content is provided by Google LLC (‘Provider’).YouTube is operated by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (‘Google’).

Privacy-enhanced mode is activated for YouTube videos that are embedded on our site. This means that no information from website visitors is collected and stored by YouTube unless they play the video.
More details about why, how and to what extent the providers collect, process and use data, as well as information about your corresponding rights and the possible settings to protect your privacy, can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US

Right of revocation
If you have provided us with personal data, you can change or delete it at any time in your user profile. If you wish to permanently delete your account, please contact the webmaster. However, please be aware that any forum posts, comments, dates and articles published up to that point may remain online; more information can be found in the General Terms of Use.

Links to other websites
Our website contains links to other websites. We have no control over whether the operators of such sites comply with the applicable data protection provisions.Articles
Articles
The articles on our website may be accessed by anyone. Before publication, articles should be carefully checked to ensure they do not contain information that is not intended for the public. The articles may be included in search engine results and may therefore be accessible worldwide without specifically having to visit this website.
Questions and comments
If you have any questions or comments about data protection, please contact the webmaster of the VAS Group by email.

Minors
Persons under the age of 18 should not send us any personal data without the consent of their parents or guardians. We do not request or collect personal data from minors or share such data with third parties.

Right to be informed; contact 
You have the right to be informed (free of charge) of the data being held about you, as well as the right to such data being corrected, blocked or deleted, if necessary. If you have any questions about the collection, processing or use of your personal data or the disclosure, rectification, blocking or deletion of data, or if you wish to revoke your consent or object to your data being used in a certain way, please contact us directly via the contact details on the Legal page.  Privacy Policy created with the Trusted Shops legal text generator in cooperation with Wilde Beuger Solmecke Attorneys at Law.