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Data protection regulations

The donation platform, betterplace.org, is operated by gut.org, a non-profit organisation (gut.org gAG; Schlesische Straße 26, D-10997 Berlin). We process personal data, which is collected when our websites are visited, under observation of the applicable data protection regulations. The Terms of Use and Donation Conditions shall be observed in addition to these data protection regulations. When a project, organisationor company is registered additional terms and conditions apply.

We do not forward data to third parties, unless this is otherwise explicitly stated. In the following, we explain the principles of data collection and data processing, what data we collect when our websites are used and how exactly this data is used.

  • Transparency
  • The collection and processing of data in connection with access to betterplace’s platform
  • Registration process
  • Donation procedure
  • The publication of personal information
  • The betterplace.org’s newsletter
  • Personal messages
  • Links to websites of other providers
  • Other rights of betterplace.org
  • Right to information and the right of withdrawal
  • Termination of usership
  • Deletion of data
  • Status and amendments to these data protection regulations; Data protection officer

Transparency

betterplace.org’s platform connects donors and project managers within a community, which is based on the transparency of the information provided by the participants. The disclosure of specific information, particularly about the organisations and projects is therefore a prerequisite for the platform to be used in a meaningful way. gut.org gAG endeavours to restrict the information required for the different areas and to ensure functionality on betterplace.org. Whenever possible we allow our users to choose how much information they would like to reveal. In addition to the minimum information required during registration, no further specifications need to be made in order to obtain a clear picture of the people behind the projects, organisations, companies or fundraising events.

The collection and processing of data in connection with access to betterplace’s platform

Log files

Whenever betterplace’s platform is visited, usage data is transmitted via the respective Internet browser and saved in log files. The following data is stored in these so-called server log files:

  • Date and time of visit
  • Name of accessed file
  • IP address of the relevant accessing computer
  • Browser type and version (user agent)
  • Operating system in use
  • Referrer URL (source URL) via which the user has accessed the site
  • Transferred volume of data
  • Status report, whether download was successful

This data is used by gut.org gAG without establishing a concrete connection to the person behind the data, and applied exclusively for technical or statistical purposes, for error removal or in order to optimise the platform. For example, we examine which areas are being frequently used and whether downloads have resulted in technical errors. Storage of the IP address is only temporary, while the site is being accessed;when the user leaves the site or stops using the site, the accumulated personal data is immediately deleted or, in the event that deletion conflicts with the storage retention periods stipulated by law, by statue or by agreement, the data is suspended. Further use of the data, particularly the IP address for statistical analysis is conducted anonymously, i.e. an abbreviated version of the IP address is used. If illegal use is suspected or should the security of the platform be impaired technically, gut.org gAG reserves the right to evaluate the available data in its defence.

Cookies

betterplace.org uses cookies that are either stored temporarily in RAM (session cookies) or permanently on the hard drive (permanent cookies). Cookies are files that are placed on your computer by a website when you visit the website. These files include information, which is stored in our “log files” and enable us to design our Internet pages efficiently, for example. Most of the cookies used by betterplace.org are so-called session cookies, which are stored in RAM but not on the user’s hard drive. As soon as the session is ended by closing the browser these cookies are automatically deleted.

Other cookies remain on the computer used by the user, so that the user is recognised the next time he/she visits betterplace’s platform. If, for example, the option “Stay logged on to this computer” is activated when registering at betterplace’s platform, a cookie is saved to the user’s hard drive, which keeps the user logged on for the next 14 days without any further explicit log-in procedures. In order to deactivate this automatic registration, this cookie has to be removed from the computer. By adjusting the settings in your Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Mozilla, etc.) you can prevent cookies from being stored or you can delete cookies that are already on your computer.

Statistical evaluations/profile of use – Google Analytics

We invest a lot of time into making betterplace.org a secure, modern and lively platform. Therefore, it helps us to know what our users are interested in and, for example, which projects get the most hits. The statistics system, Google Analytics, a Web analysis service developed by Google Inc. (“Google”), helps us in this process. Google Analytics uses so-called cookies – text files that are placed on your computer and make it possible to analyse the use of the website through a profile of use. The information produced by the cookie about how you use this website (including your IP address) is transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Google uses this information to evaluate how you use the website, to put together reports about website activities for website operators and to provide further services in connection with the use of the website and the Internet. Google can transfer this information to third parties if this is stipulated by law or if they have an agreement with Google to be able to use the data. On no account does Google bring your IP address in connection with other data stored by Google. You can prevent the cookies being installed by making relevant adjustments to your browser software; we would like to point out that in this event, you might not be able to benefit from the full functionality of this website. In the face of the discussion concerning the use of analysis tools together with full IP addresses, we would like to point out that this website uses Google Analytics together with the extension “anonymizeIp()”. This allows only abbreviated IP addresses to be further processed in order to exclude a direct reference to a person. By using this website you declare yourself to be in agreement with the processing of your data collected by Google in the previously described manner and for the previously mentioned purpose.

Agreement to the collection and processing of the data by Google Analytics can be withdrawn at any time with future effect. This link can be used for this purpose to download the instructions for a “Browser add-on to deactivate Google Analytics”.

Registration process

When you register as a new user, certain compulsory data such as name, email address, password and gender are collected and stored by gut.org gAG. This data is used to process the user relationship. We only use your email address for queries, to confirm a donation, or to send you personal news or news about a donation target you are supporting (see “Personal Messages”). The data is first used during the registration process, during which you will receive an email to confirm the information provided in your registration. You are asked to confirm this in accordance with the instructions given in the email; later, you have to log on to betterplace.org using your email address in connection with a password. Further use of your email address (e.g. newsletter – see “betterplace.org’s newsletter”) is only with your additional consent. All further information (also photos) about yourself (particularly via the tool “Edit profile” on your “My betterplace” page) as well as texts or other posts that you upload to the pages on betterplace.org are of your own free will. If you, as a user, register an organisation or a company, gut.org gAG saves you as a representative of the organisation or company as well as information you provide about the organisation/company. If you register a project, gut.org gAG collects and stores the information you provide, especially the address and the bank account details of the recipient of payments in order to be able to transfer incoming donations. This data informs users and potential donors. The data is stored by gut.org gAG and, with the exception of the email address, password and bank account details, is published on betterplace’s platform.

Donation procedure

What is understood as the donation procedure is the process by which a project, organisation or fundraising event (or similar) is supported in the form of donations, independent of the tax status of the respective donation target. Every donation that is funded via betterplace’s platform is saved, processed and used by gut.org gAG to realise statutory requirements as well as fiscal matters in particular. During the donation procedure, gut.org gAG processes and uses the name and address of the donor, the donation target and the time at which the donation was made, also the amount, or the quantity of support with regard to donations in kind, and also the payment method. The IP address of the donor is forwarded to the Payment Service Provider. Upon conclusion of the donation procedure, the sponsor appears through mention of the name he/she has specified, as well as a picture, should this have been supplied (voluntarily), on the website of the relevant project as a donor. The donor can choose whether or not he/she wants to have the amount of money displayed. The payment method used to conclude the transaction is not revealed. On no account will personal bank account information or access data be stored or published during the donation procedure on betterplace’s platform. This data is only collected for a temporary period and is transmitted directly and securely to the interfaces of the affiliated bank systems. During the donation procedure the sponsor can agree to have his/her data forwarded to the supported organisation or project by selecting a checkbox.

A donation target on betterplace.org can, in a sense, be supported anonymously by donations of money: although for legal and fiscal reasons, gut.org gAG stores, processes and uses the name and address of the donor, the donation target, the time at which the donation was made, the amount, or quantity of the donation with regard to donations in kind, and the payment method: however no data is displayed publicly in this case.

The publication of personal information, especially user posts about projects in blogs and on the profile page

Please note that information you provide about yourself, especially in the form of posts about projects, in blogs and on your profile, for example concerning donations or other forms of support relating to the donation target, similarly comments or other texts, your photo and other information about yourself, etc. is published on betterplace.org and is therefore accessible on the Internet. Remember that this can also include your political views or religious or philosophical opinions. In accordance with the Terms of Use and Donation Conditions (found in the section “Rights of use”), the rights of use of gut.org gAG also include the right to edit and change contents, to use them in advertising materials for betterplace.org or gut.org gAG and to use them via the API interface on websites of betterplace.org partners both on and offline. When you register at betterplace.org you also agree to these issues as well.

betterplace.org’s newsletter

If you have provided your consent during the registration process, or subsequently via your user profile, you will occasionally receive an email from gut.org gAG to inform you about current projects and other general news about betterplace.org. You can withdraw your consent with effect in the future by deactivating the function in your user profile. Alternatively you can hereby generally object to the use of your data or withdraw your consent in the form of a message by email (address: change@betterplace.org) or by post (address: gut.org gAG; Schlesische Straße 26, D-10997 Berlin).

Open rate

In the newsletter emails sent about betterplace.org, the HTML part of the email includes a graphic for the purposes of statistical evaluation. It enables gut.org gAG to know whether or not the email was opened. If you do not want to be included in this statistical evaluation, you can either prevent this by changing the settings of your email, or by unsubscribing to the newsletter. You can object or unsubscribe by clicking on the link in the newsletter or by sending us a message either by email (address: change@betterplace.org) or by post (address: gut.org gAG; Schlesische Straße 26, D-10997 Berlin).

Click rate

In the newsletter-emails sent about betterplace.org, the HTTP links in the HTML part of the email are encrypted in such a way that gut.org gAG can count whenever the links are clicked. In the process, gut.org gAG collects and saves the source of the link and the link target of the HTML recipient for statistical purposes. If you do not want to be included in this statistical evaluation, you can either prevent this by changing the settings of your email, or by unsubscribing to the newsletter. You can object or unsubscribe by clicking on the link in the newsletter or by sending us a message either by email (address: change@betterplace.org) or by post (address: gut.org gAG; Schlesische Straße 26, D-10997 Berlin).

Personal messages

gut.org gAG informs you automatically by email if there is personal news for you or news about the donation targets you support. In the same way as for the newsletter, by deactivating the respective function in your user profile you can also make adjustments to the contact settings determining how you receive personal messages. The basic setting in this case is “Yes”. If you click “No”, the respective message tools are deactivated. You can check the settings in your profile at any time and change them with effect for the future.

Links can be activated on betterplace.org to other Internet pages, especially sites of cooperation partners. gut.org gAG is responsible for neither the content of these pages nor for third-party compliance with data protection regulations on their websites.

Other rights of gut.org gAG

gut.org gAG reserves the right to use personal information, to withhold it or to publish it as required by law, e.g. to follow up user complaints or possible breaches of the law in a suitable way, to protect the integrity of the website, to answer your questions, or to support government investigations into violations of the law within the legally defined framework.

Right to obtain information and the right of withdrawal

You have the right to obtain information about the personal data that is stored in relation to your person and you have the right to the rectification of incorrect data, suspension and deletion. If you would like to obtain information about your personal data or wish to have it corrected, suspended or deleted, or if you have any other questions about how we use your personal data, please contact us either by email (to:change@betterplace.org) or by post (address: gut.org gAG; Data protection officer; Schlesische Straße 26, D-10997 Berlin) addressed to our data protection officer.

Providing the use of your personal data by gut.org gAG is based on your consent, you can withdraw this consent at any time with effect for the future by writing to our postal address (gut.org gAG; Schlesische Straße 26, D-10997 Berlin) or emailing us at change@betterplace.org. By sending us a respective message, you can generally withdraw your consent to the use of your data independent of any previous consent.

Termination of membership

If you wish to terminate your membership on betterplace.org, please send an email tochange@betterplace.org with “cancel membership” in the subject line.

Deletion of data

gut.org gAG only collects, processes and uses your personal data if this is needed to fulfil the pursued purpose or if you have given your additional consent. If you cancel your membership, or in the event of a withdrawal of your agreement, your personal data is deleted, providing this does not conflict with any retention periods stipulated by law, statue or agreement or providing the storage of this data is not necessary for the processing of your contractual relationship, the donation procedure or other billing purposes. Subject to withdrawal of your agreement to the processing and use of data, your blog posts as well as other comments are not deleted. Your name is simply disguised.

Status and amendments to these data protection regulations; data protection officer

These data protection regulations are currently valid and dated 1 July 2011.

gut.org gAG reserves the right to amend or add to these data protection regulations. The registered users are informed by email at least four weeks before the changes are put to effect. You can withhold your agreement to the amended regulations within four weeks by sending an email including the respective text to widerspruch@betterplace.org. Without this agreement, you are no longer able to use the offer. Information that has been processed and used up to this point in time may continue to be used by gut.org gAG providing the user has given prior consent.

If you have any suggestions or questions about the collection, processing and use of your data by gut.org gAG you are welcome to contact our data projection officer at any time:

gut.org gAG

- Data protection officer -

Schlesische Straße 26

D-10997 Berlin

E-Mail: change@betterplace.org