The BMBF’s website can be used without personal information being disclosed. Personal information is only collected for technical purposes, for example if you place an order or sign up for a newsletter.

The following statement provides you with a complete overview of how the BMBF ensures the protection of your data and of the types of data that are collected and the purpose of doing so.

Data processing on this website

Data is collected and exchanged every time a website is visited. The BMBF automatically collects and stores data that your browser transfers to our server. That is to say:

• your internet browser type and version
• the operating system used
• the loaded web page
• the page previously visited (referrer URL)
• time of the server request.

The BMBF analyses this data solely for statistical purposes in order to measure the demand for BMBF web offerings. The BMBF is not able to trace this data back to specific individuals. This data is not merged with other data sources. IP numbers are only used to respond to queries and are not stored after a session has been ended. Data logged during access to the BMBF’s website is only disclosed to third parties in so far as we are obliged to do so by law or under a court order or if disclosure is required for (criminal) prosecution in the case of attacks on the BMBF internet infrastructure. Data will not be disclosed for any other reason.

Cookies

The BMBF uses so-called session cookies so that you can order brochures from any page of the BMBF’s website and place your order in a shopping basket. Session cookies are small information units that are stored in the active memory of the visiting user’s computer. A randomly generated, unique ID number – otherwise known as a session ID – is stored in a session cookie. A cookie also contains information as to its origin and the period of time it is to reside on a computer. These cookies cannot store any further types of data. The session ID is used to compile your orders in the shopping basket.

Some providers use permanent cookies to recognise visitors returning after a longer period of time. This type of information is stored as a text file on the hard drive of the user’s computer. In contrast to this, the session cookies used by the BMBF are deleted as soon as you end a session. Your shopping basket is automatically emptied once the browser has been closed or another page has been loaded. The contents of your shopping basket must be selected anew, should you end a session without completing your order transaction.

Handling cookies

All internet browsers can handle cookies. Most browsers are set up to accept all cookies without asking the user for permission. Please set up your browser to accept session cookies if you would like to use the BMBF’s shopping-basket feature.

If you refuse all cookies:

• you cannot add various different publications to your shopping-basket and
• you can only order one brochure at a time.

Data analytics

If you have given your consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR, the BMBF, together with its service provider contracted for support and development “ITZBund”, will analyse information on your use of our website for statistical purposes as part of public relations work and for the purpose of providing information on tasks within the BMBF’s remit as needed.

It does so using the Matomo web analytics service.

The software uses permanent cookies to recognize visitors returning even after longer periods of time. This information is stored as a text file on the hard drive of the user’s computer. The cookie is valid for 13 months after which it deletes itself.

The software also uses session cookies. Session cookies are small information units that are stored by the provider of a website in the active memory of the visiting user’s computer. A randomly generated, unique ID number, a so-called session ID, is stored in a session cookie. A cookie also contains information on its origin and the period of time it is to be stored on a computer. These cookies cannot store any further types of data. The software uses session cookies to provide for the unambiguous identification of visitors.

The following data is stored when individual pages of our website are accessed:

• Two bytes of the IP address of the user’s retrieving system (anonymous)
• The accessed web page
• The website from which the user reached the accessed web page (referrer)
• The sub-pages loaded via the accessed web page
• The length of time spent on the web page
• How often the page has been accessed

The software is configured so that IP addresses are stored incomplete with 2 bytes concealed (e.g. 192.168.xxx.xxx). This makes it impossible for the shortened IP address to be linked to the retrieving computer, meaning that you remain anonymous as the user.

The relevant software runs only on the web servers of the service provider “ITZBund” on behalf of the BMBF. These are the only servers where information on your use of the website is stored. No data is disclosed to third parties.

If you want to modify your decision regarding use of the cookie for web analytics purposes and give your consent or withdraw it again, you can do this by changing your settings before continuing your visit. The default setting for web analytics is that they are disabled.

Open privacy settings

Data pertaining to the dispatch of newsletters

Your email address and selected newsletter list(s) are stored on our server when you sign up to be on a mailing list for one of the BMBF’s newsletters. We use this information solely for the purpose of dispatching newsletters. Data sets are used to analyse system performance. We neither pass on this data to third parties nor use it for any other purposes of our own. Our registration system, which includes a confirmation message containing a web link to finalise registration (double opt-in), ensures that you have explicitly requested the newsletter.

You can view your data via the corresponding website at any time. To do so, you need to use the email address under which you registered for the newsletter.

Order transactions and emails to the “Company Region” (“Unternehmen-Region”) Internet editorial office

When you send us an email, its contents and your e-mail address will be used solely for the purposes of corresponding with you. In the case of order transactions, any personal data submitted will be passed on to third parties solely for the purposes of handling the order (e.g. to a mail order company or other public authorities or institutions which are responsible for the dispatch of the material ordered). Your data will be deleted once your order has been completed. We hereby operate on behalf of the BMBF. Inquiries from the general public, both on paper and in electronic form, are stored in accordance with the statutory periods of the Registry Directive, which supplements the Joint Rules of Procedure of the Federal Ministries (GGO).

Right to demand information

You have the right to demand information at any time on data that has been saved about you personally as well as to know where the data originated, who has received it and the purposes for storing it. The BMBF’s Internet editorial office (information@bmbf.bund.de) can provide you with information on the stored data. You can address any questions or grievances you may have to the BMBF’s Data Protection Officer.

Reviewing your data

Any internet browser can be set up to notify you whenever cookies are activated and to display their contents. Detailed information is available on the websites of the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information and the Federal Office for Information Security.

You can view the data stored for newsletter dispatch purposes via the corresponding website at any time. To do so, you need to use the email address under which you registered for the newsletter.