Personal data are any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. This includes information such as your name, age, mailing or IP address, telephone number, date of birth, email address, and user behavior. Information that does not allow us to identify you (or would only enable us to do so with disproportionate effort) because the information is anonymized, for example, is not considered personal data.

The processing of personal data (for example, when said data are collected, retrieved, used, stored, or transmitted) must always have a legal basis and/or be based on your consent. Processed personal data are erased as soon as the purpose for which they are processed has been achieved, provided that the legally stipulated storage periods no longer apply. Such processed personal data are collected, used, and stored electronically by Freie Universität Berlin.

Insofar as we process your personal data in order to provide you with specific services, we provide information below on the specific processes involved, the scope and the purpose of the data processing, the legal basis for processing, and the respective storage periods.

These personal data are not disclosed to third parties nor used outside of Freie Universität Berlin, unless you have granted us your consent to do so or we are required or authorized by law to do so (for example, in relation to law enforcement or suspected plagiarism and other copyright infringements).

Whenever you access an official web page of Freie Universität Berlin, a log file containing data is automatically created and stored on the server. These data include:

• the website you visited
• the web page from which you accessed our web page (plus the terms entered if this was a search engine)
• date
• time
• the operating system used
• features of the display (resolution in pixels and the pixel ratio for the detection of high-resolution displays) and
• the browser used (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, etc.)

The log file also stores the volume of the transmitted data, an HTTP status code (for example, to identify a successfully transmitted web page), and the IP address of the device used to access the page (e.g., PC or smartphone) – whereby the IP address is immediately anonymized by the erasure of the last octet of the address.

The data stored in the log file is collected and used solely 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 serves to improve our services. As IP addresses are anonymized in the way described above, they cannot be mapped to a specific user and cannot be traced to a specific IP address.

Legal basis

The legal basis for our data processing is Article 6.1.1.e GDPR in conjunction with Section 3 of the Berlin Data Protection Act (BlnDSG) Section 4 of the Berlin Higher Education Act (BerlHG), and Article 6.1.1.c GDPR in conjunction with Section 13.7 of the German Teleservices Act (TMG). The processing of said data is required in order to provide and maintain the website and thus serves Freie Universität Berlin in performing a task carried out in the public interest.

Storage period

The log files for the ongoing and previous calendar year are stored for evaluation purposes. In this case, the IP addresses are anonymized. The data are then erased.

We will only disclose your personal data to third parties when:

• You have given your explicit consent pursuant to Article 6.1.1.a GDPR.
• This is legally permissible and required for the performance of a contract to which you are party pursuant to Article 6.1.1.b GDPR.
• Disclosure of personal data is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation pursuant to Article 6.1.1.c GDPR.
• Disclosure of personal data is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Freie Universität Berlin pursuant to Article 6.1.1.e GDPR.

We will notify you if your personal data are to be disclosed due to specific circumstances in an individual case.

1. Use of cookies on our website

Type and scope of data processing

We use cookies on our website. Cookies are small files that are sent to the browser of your end device and stored there during your visit to our website. We are unable to offer some functions of our website without the use of certain cookies required for technical reasons. Other cookies allow us to carry out different analyses. For example, if you revisit our website, cookies are able to recognize the browser you use and transmit different kinds of information to us. Using cookies allows us to make our website more user-friendly and effective for you by tracing your use of our website and determining your preferred settings (for example, country and language settings). If third parties process information via cookies, they collect this information directly via your browser. Cookies do not inflict any damage on your end device. They cannot run programs on your end device and do not contain viruses.

Legal basis

Article 6.1.1.e GDPR in conjunction with Section 3 of the BlnDSG, Section 4 BerlGH, and Article 6.1.1.c GDPR in conjunction with Section 13.7 TMG, serve as the legal basis for data processing of technically necessary cookies. We must obtain your consent for cookies that are not technically necessary and third-party cookies. If you have given your consent to the use of cookies on the basis of one of the notifications on our website (“cookie banner”), the lawfulness of said use also complies with Article 6.1.1.a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with future effect by deactivating cookies in your browser settings.

Storage period

As soon as the data transferred via cookies are no longer required to fulfill the purposes described above, this information will be erased, especially if you deactivate cookies. This is usually the case when you close your browser window. The data will only be stored in exceptional cases, for example, if this has been stipulated by law.

2. Configuring your browser settings

You can manage your cookie settings using the options described below or by configuring your browser settings.

Most browsers are pre-configured to accept cookies as the default, but you can also configure your browser to only accept specific cookies or not accept any at all. However, please note that you may not be able to use all functions of our website if you have deactivated cookies on our website via your browser settings. You can erase cookies that have been stored on your browser or display the storage period via your browser settings. You can also set your browser to notify you before cookies are stored. As different browsers tend to differ in terms of their functionality, we ask that you consult the help menu of your respective browser to access the configuration options available to you.

We recommend that you install specially developed plug-ins if you would like a comprehensive overview of all third-party access to your internet browser.

Auf den Webseiten der o.g. Domain werden teilweise Java- und Javascript-Anwendungen verwendet. Sie können bei Ihrem Browser – ggf. durch die Verwendung entsprechender, frei erhältlicher Zusatzprogramme – einstellen, dass er die Ausführung solcher Anwendungen ablehnt oder vorher eine Bestätigung von Ihnen erfragt. Wenn Sie diese Anwendungen ablehnen, kann es allerdings passieren, dass Sie bestimmte Funktionen des Webangebots nicht mehr nutzen können.

1. Use of the search function

The Google Custom Search Engine (Google CSE) is used as the primary search service on the website of Freie Universität Berlin. The integrated search service provides a full-text search for content of the official website of Freie Universität Berlin. This search function can be accessed via the search box integrated in the header of each web page.

Users are informed of this service via the search box at the top of the website of Freie Universität labeled “Search with Google™.” If a user selects and enters a keyword in the input field of the search box, an additional link will appear just below (“Information about Using Google Search™”), which refers to the data protection policy that applies to Google CSE.

Users can activate the search function by entering a search term in the search box and pressing “Enter” or the search icon (magnifying glass icon). Via a plugin provided by Google, the search results page automatically reloads with the appropriate search results. Data are transferred to the search engine during this process.

Users can choose between a search within the currently displayed domain or the entire website of Freie Universität Berlin.

2. Data processing and using the search function

The plugin that is developed and made available by Google (Google Custom Search Engine Google, CSE) is integrated on an “as-is” (unchanged) basis by the operator of the official website of Freie Universität Berlin as a software module in the search results page. The plugin allows for automated communication (data exchange) between the retrieved search results page and the Google service, if the search results page is called up. The use of the Google-powered search function comprises a dynamic transfer of data by the service provider (Google) to the search results page.

Data are only transferred to Google when a user activates the search box, starts a full-text search, and thus retrieves the search results page. Data are simultaneously transmitted to Google when the search function is used within the search results page. No data are transmitted to the search engine (Google) when official websites of Freie Universität Berlin that incorporate the Google Search Engine are visited. An exception occurs when users directly reference a search results page.

By using the full-text search and the resulting request to view the search results page, you are agreeing to the transmission of data to Google. This includes, for example, the search terms you enter and the IP address of the device you are using.

If you are logged into Google at the same time, the Google service will be able to assign information directly to your user profile. You should therefore log out if you wish to prevent the collection of your personal profile information.

Please note that the principles relating to the processing of personal data outlined in this data protection policy only apply to the website of Freie Universität Berlin and do not refer to Google. We expressly bring to your attention that the operator of the website of Freie Universität Berlin has no influence over the type and volume of data transmitted to Google and that the processing of data, in particular, the storage, erasure, and use of personal data that may be transmitted to the provider of the search engine are entirely the responsibility of the external service provider, in this case, Google.

For more information on Google’s privacy policy and how Google handles user data, please visit: http://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy.

Some external content from third-party providers is included on the official web pages of Freie Universität Berlin. Integrating external content such as videos, presentations, or news feeds, e.g., from social media services, can enhance the content of a website. As with the use of map services, data protection aspects need to be taken into consideration here, too. For that reason, the “two-step solution” described above is also used when integrating content from third-party providers. You can recognize this type of content when you see certain types of widgets, such as the Google Maps widget shown above at Section 7.

The two-step solution operates in a similar way for third-party content. 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 relevant domain and the provider of the external content, and you can revise this decision again at any time.

The website of Freie Universität Berlin uses Google Maps to visually depict geographical information. Data on how visitors use the map functions when using Google Maps is collected, processed, and used by Google. You can find further information on the data processing performed by Google in Google’s Privacy Policy. You can also change your data protection settings via the Google Safety Center.

You can find detailed instructions on how to manage your data when using Google products here.

Without additional measures, the map services use technical means that ensure that even when viewing or loading the page using the map, data (including personal data) are exchanged between the original website and the map service (here, Google). In the aforementioned cases, the user has the option to refuse to allow such data to be transmitted.

To protect users of our web pages from this type of exchange of data, which is not subject to our influence, and from the transmission of data to the respective map service, we have incorporated an appropriate technical precaution called the two-step solution. This two-step solution gives users the opportunity, even after loading the service, to agree to the use of the respective map service (and thus to exchange data with this map service). The default setting of the two-step solution does not transmit data to the map service. This option may be decided on a case-by-case or permanent basis. A decision can be subsequently revised. If you do not want a map service to collect information about you via our website, do not activate it by clicking the respective map.

Maps supplied by Google Maps take the form of widgets, an example of which can be seen right.

By clicking the link, you agree to a one-time data exchange between the respective web page domain and Google. No data is transferred to Google by default. To permanently agree to data exchange between the website of a specific domain and the relevant map service, which requires a cookie on our part (see above), you should check the box “Permanently activate.” You can also revise this decision again later.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data confidentially. To prevent the manipulation, loss, or misuse of your personal data we have stored, we implement comprehensive technical and organizational security precautions that are regularly reviewed and adapted to the latest state of technological progress. This includes using recognized encryption processes such as SSL and TLS.
However, due to the structure of the internet, it is possible that data protection regulations and the aforementioned security measures are not observed by other individuals or institutions who do not fall within the sphere of our responsibility. Data disclosed by unencrypted means, for example via email, is especially vulnerable to third-party access. We are unable to influence this by technical means. It is the responsibility of the user to protect the data they have made available against misuse by using encryption or other similar methods.