Privacy Policy | Consonance (Gleichklang) | Consonance.com

General Information
The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data are all data with which you can be personally identified. Detailed information on the subject of data protection can be found in our privacy policy listed below this text. We have written this declaration as clearly as possible. However, it does involve complex issues, and especially people who are less familiar with computers and the internet may still have questions, which we will be happy to answer if you contact us.

Data Collection on Our Website
Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

The data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. The contact details, which you can also find in the imprint, are: Gleichklang ltd, Oesterleystr. 1, 30171 Hannover, Germany, Tel.: 0511807 89 93, E-Mail: kommunikation@gleichklang.de, Website: http s ://en.consonance.com

How Do We Collect Your Data?
On the one hand, your data is collected when you provide it to us. This may, for example, be data that you enter in a contact form, or that you provide when registering for partner and friendship search and when filling out the questionnaires necessary for partner and friendship search.

Other data is collected automatically when you visit the website by our IT systems. These are primarily technical data (e.g. internet browser, operating system, or time of page access). The collection of this data takes place automatically as soon as you enter our website.

In the privacy policy below this text, you will find further information on the types of personal data we collect. We also explain the reasons for data collection there.

What Do We Use Your Data For?
Part of the data is collected to ensure error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior. The data you enter is used to support your partner and/or friendship search.

What Rights Do You Have Regarding Your Data?
You have the right at any time to receive free information about the origin, recipients, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction, blocking, or deletion of this data. For this and for further questions on the subject of data protection, you can contact us at any time at the address given in the imprint or our data protection officer (datenschutz@gleichklang.de). Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Analysis Tools and Third-Party Tools
When you visit our website, your surfing behavior may be statistically evaluated. This is mainly done with cookies and so-called analysis programs. Such analyses are necessary if we want to optimize our website, detect and correct errors, and determine the effectiveness of online advertising. The analysis of your surfing behavior is usually anonymous; the surfing behavior cannot be traced back to you. You can object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. Detailed information on this can also be found in the following privacy policy.

Transfer to Third Parties
All personal data is collected exclusively in order to be able to offer the services of Consonance (Gleichklang). We may pass on data to our suppliers, subcontractors and business partners (“service providers”) so that they can provide services for us or on our behalf. We have concluded contracts with our service providers according to which they may not disclose information that they collect or receive from you to anyone else and may not use this information for any other purposes.

The personal data you enter is collected, stored and processed exclusively for internal use at Consonance (Gleichklang) to provide our service. However, as described, we may arrange for the transfer to one or more third parties who perform services on our behalf in order to be able to provide our members with the service we offer. Why do we commission third parties? The reason is that the technical and activity-related requirements for a web offering such as our dating platform are so high that we also have to rely on third-party providers in order to maintain and further develop the offering.

We use your data exclusively for the fulfillment of our services that you have ordered yourself. We do not pass on any data to third parties who would use it for their own purposes. Accordingly, we do not sell any data either. However, we are allowed to pass on data to third parties so that they can carry out necessary services for us. This applies, for example, to the transfer of data to our payment provider, who carries out credit card and direct debit payments. It also applies to our email dispatch provider, with whom we send our newsletter. Only the data that the third-party provider needs to perform its services is passed on. Should we sell our company and/or our dating platform Gleichklang.de, which is not planned, we may transfer all data to the new owner so that they can continue to operate the platform. Further information can also be found in the following privacy policy.

Privacy Policy

A First Overview:
What We Do and Why We Collect Personal Data
We are very pleased about your interest in Consonance (Gleichklang). Data protection has a particularly high priority for Consonance (Gleichklang). In principle, it is possible to use the websites of Gleichklang ltd without providing any personal data. However, if an affected person wishes to use the social contact mediation (partnership, friendship, travel partner) offered by us, the processing of personal data is necessary. This is because we could not offer our service without processing such data. After all, we can only make partner and friendship suggestions if we know something about our users. For this reason, we obtain the consent of every affected person, i.e. every person who uses our service.

Our entire collection, storage and processing of personal data is exclusively aimed at fulfilling our services.

The processing of personal data, such as the name, address, or email address of an affected person, is always carried out in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). With this privacy policy, we would like to inform interested parties and users of our platform about the nature, scope and purpose of the personal data we collect, use and process. We also want to inform our interested parties and users about their rights.

We have implemented numerous technical and organizational measures to ensure the most complete protection possible for the personal data processed via this website. Nevertheless, internet-based data transmissions can generally have security gaps, so that absolute protection cannot be guaranteed. Prime examples are the successful hacker attacks on web offerings of large companies, which are repeatedly reported in the media. Intelligence attacks are also repeatedly made public. Ultimately, it is not possible to provide complete protection against this. You should bear in mind the general uncertainty of all data input on the internet and internet use in this sense when you decide to use our service and thus provide data about yourself that we process.

We can only effectively support partner and friendship search for our service users if we collect all the information that is important for this purpose. For this reason, we also collect particularly sensitive data from the categories of sexuality, health and political opinions in order to be able to offer an effective service. We obtain the explicit consent of the users for the collection, storage and processing of this particularly sensitive data.

Examples to understand why such particularly sensitive data is collected:

Category Sexuality: There are people who place great value on sexual fidelity in a relationship. Conversely, there are people who want to have an open relationship without sexual fidelity. It would be very unfortunate if we were to suggest these people to each other despite their opposing attitudes towards sexuality in a relationship. In order to ensure a good match, we must collect, store and process this particularly sensitive information. In addition, for example, we must suggest a heterosexual woman a heterosexual (or bisexual) man, but not a homosexual man. The consideration of bisexuality is also very important. For bisexuals, it is important that acceptance of their sexual orientation exists. In this way, we want to help avoid the dangers of concealment and resulting possible crises. Equally important is that asexual people, who do not want any sexuality at all, can receive suitable partner suggestions. These are only a few examples that illustrate that the collection and processing of information on sexuality is indispensable for partner matching. It is also important for friendship search, because people want to get to know people of the same sexual orientation, for example. In addition, some people want to combine friendship with sexuality, while others definitely do not. All of this can only be taken into account if the information is collected, stored and used.
Category Health: There are people who suffer from disabilities or illnesses for whom it is very important that a future partner truly accepts this and has no reservations about starting a relationship. These people do not want to receive suggestions from people who would reject them because of their disability or illness. In order to ensure such a match, we must collect, store and process this particularly sensitive information. The same applies to other areas, such as sexual dysfunctions, where those affected urgently want to ensure acceptance for the suggestions.
Category Political Opinions: At Consonance (Gleichklang), people come together who value the alignment of basic values, convictions and attitudes. This also includes political opinions, such as the importance of environmental protection or commitment to animal rights. In order to be able to make suitable suggestions here, we also collect important information in this area for partner and friendship search.

Incidentally, even the mere indication of the gender you are looking for is already a sensitive datum, because it allows conclusions to be drawn about your sexual orientation. If we did not collect, store and process such particularly sensitive data, the quality of our service would drop drastically and we would no longer be able to effectively support our users in their partner and friendship search. This is the sole reason why we collect this data.

Further information on sensitive data can be found in a separate section of the privacy policy.

1. Explanations of the Terms Used Here
For easy readability of our privacy policy, we would like to explain some of the terminology used in advance.

In this privacy policy, we use, among other things, the following terms:

a) Personal data

Personal data are all information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter “affected person”). A natural person is regarded as identifiable who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more special characteristics that are an expression of the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of this natural person.

b) Processing

Processing is any operation or set of operations which is performed with or without the aid of automated processes in connection with personal data, such as the collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction.

c) Third party

Third party here means any natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body that is authorized to process personal data held by us. With this term, we mean other companies, persons or institutions other than Gleichklang ltd that gain access to the personal data we process.

d) Consent

Consent is any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the affected person’s wishes by which they, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signify agreement to the processing of personal data relating to them. So it is about persons whose personal data are processed agreeing to this beforehand.

e) Controller for data processing

Gleichklang ltd is responsible for data processing. When the following text refers to “we” or “Consonance (Gleichklang)”, this always means Gleichklang ltd.

2. Name and Address of the Controller
The controller within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation, other data protection laws applicable in the member states of the European Union and other provisions of a data protection nature is:

Gleichklang ltd
Oesterleystr. 1

30171 Hannover
Germany

Tel.: 0511807 89 93
E-Mail: kommunikation@gleichklang.de

Website: http s ://en.consonance.com

3. Name and Address of the Data Protection Officer
The Data Protection Officer of the controller is:

PF Dr. Stefan Herman Engeser
Gleichklang ltd
Oesterleystr. 1

30171 Hannover

E-Mail: datenschutz@gleichklang.de

Any affected person can contact our Data Protection Officer directly at any time with any questions or suggestions regarding data protection.

4. Collection of General Data and Information
The website of our dating platform www.Gleichklang.de collects a series of general data and information with each call of the website by an affected person or an automated system. This general data and information is stored in the server log files. The following can be recorded: (1) the browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the website from which an accessing system reaches our website (so-called referrer), (4) the sub-websites that are accessed via an accessing system on our website, (5) the date and time of access to the website, (6) an Internet Protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system, and (8) other similar data and information that serve to avert danger in the event of attacks on our information technology systems.

When using this general data and information, Gleichklang ltd does not draw any conclusions about the affected person. Rather, this information is needed to (1) deliver the content of our website correctly, (2) optimize the content of our website and the advertising for it, (3) ensure the permanent functionality of our information technology systems and the technology of our website, and (4) provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for prosecution in the event of a cyber attack. Therefore, Gleichklang ltd analyzes this data and information on the one hand statistically and also with the aim of increasing data protection and data security in our company, in order to ultimately ensure an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by an affected person.

5. Cookies
The websites of Gleichklang ltd use cookies. Cookies are text files that are stored and saved on a computer system via an internet browser.

Numerous websites and servers use cookies. Many cookies contain a so-called cookie ID. A cookie ID is a unique identifier of the cookie. It consists of a character string through which websites and servers can be assigned to the specific internet browser in which the cookie was stored. This enables the visited websites and servers to distinguish the individual browser of the affected person from other internet browsers that contain other cookies. A specific internet browser can be recognized and identified via the unique cookie ID.

By using cookies, Gleichklang ltd can provide users of this website with more user-friendly services that would not be possible without the cookie setting.

Using a cookie, the information and offers on our website can be optimized in the sense of the user. As already mentioned, cookies enable us to recognize the users of our website. The purpose of this recognition is to make it easier for users to use our website. For example, the user of a website that uses cookies does not have to re-enter their login data each time they visit the website, because this is handled by the website and the cookie stored on the user’s computer system.

The affected person can prevent the setting of cookies by our website at any time by means of an appropriate setting of the internet browser used and thus permanently object to the setting of cookies. Furthermore, cookies that have already been set can be deleted at any time via an internet browser or other software programs. This is possible in all common internet browsers. If the affected person deactivates the setting of cookies in the internet browser used, not all functions of our website may be fully usable.

6. Personal Data We Collect, Store and Process

Opening a User Account for Partner and Friendship Search

You have the option to open your personal access area on the website en.consonance.com for the use of Consonance’s services (mediation of social contacts, personality test) by providing personal data. On the page for opening the access area, the following are requested: Email address, gender, date of birth, type of intended use of our website (partner search and/or friendship search). This can also be verified by the input mask used for opening the user account: https://gleichklang.de/teilnehmer/?register

We only allow persons aged 18 and over to use our partner and friendship search. A mediation without specifying gender or age is not possible. Without this information, partner mediation or friendship mediation cannot take place.

Opening your account by providing personal data serves us to offer our services (partner search, friendship search), on the basis of which people open their user account (account, personal area) with us. You are free to change or completely delete the personal data provided when opening the account from our database at any time.

By opening the account through registration on the first page, the IP address assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), as well as the date and time of registration, are also stored. The storage of this data takes place against the background that only in this way can the misuse of our services be prevented, and if necessary, these data enable the clarification of committed criminal offenses. In this respect, the storage of this data is necessary for our protection. As a rule, this data is not passed on to third parties who do not perform services for us, unless there is a legal obligation to pass it on or the transfer serves criminal prosecution.

Further Data for Partner and Friendship Search After Opening Your Account

We support people in finding partnership and friendship by using a psychological matching algorithm to suggest those users whose personalities, values, preferences and lifestyles match each other. Based on the suggestions derived in this way, friendships and partnerships can develop through further contact between users.

In order to be able to offer this service, we collect a variety of information that is necessary for assessing the psychological compatibility of members for a friendship or partnership. We collect such data that (1) are necessary for the psychological matching algorithm and thus for the services of Consonance (Gleichklang), and/or (2) are required for the creation of a search profile with which users are introduced to each other in partner and friendship search, or (3) must be collected for the conclusion of the contract (e.g. names).

Specifically, for the provision of the necessary information for the matching algorithm and the creation of the search profile, we collect information on educational level, profession, basic values and beliefs, personality traits, lifestyles and preferences or search criteria for partner and/or friendship search in the questionnaires following registration. This also includes special sensitive data (see next section) relating to sexual preferences and orientations and health. This is necessary for the matching algorithm, as only in this way can it be ensured that, for example, a bisexual person is not suggested to someone who rejects bisexuality, or that a person with a handicap only receives suggestions where this handicap is also accepted. We obtain explicit consent for the collection, storage and processing of this data. For the conclusion of the contract, we also collect first and last names as well as your residential address.

We ourselves do not collect or process any data on credit cards or bank accounts, but instead use the external service provider Uncer GmbH for this purpose.

Special Sensitive Personal Data

To provide our psychological matching algorithm, we also collect and process special sensitive personal data relating to the categories of sexuality, health and political opinions. The collection and processing of this data is carried out exclusively to effectively support our users in their partner and/or friendship search:

For example, users can indicate that they only want suggestions from people who accept a physical disability, illness, or sexual dysfunction that they have. Many people come to Consonance (Gleichklang) precisely because we enable this acceptance in our suggestions, thereby reducing the likelihood of injuries and disappointments and enabling effective partner and friendship mediation for those affected.

Or users can specify, for example, that it is important to them that their bisexuality is taken into account and that only those people are suggested who accept this bisexuality. If this information were not requested, bisexuals who value acceptance would receive unsuitable suggestions, as would non-bisexual members where there is no acceptance. This would with high probability lead to massive conflicts, crises and even personal tragedies in many cases. Consonance (Gleichklang) reduces these risks by taking them into account in the matching. Likewise, Consonance (Gleichklang) enables other members to search effectively, for example when asexuals only want suggestions from people who are willing to enter into a relationship without sexuality.

Consonance (Gleichklang) members place great value on the fit of important basic attitudes, values and beliefs, which according to research can actually improve stability and satisfaction in a relationship. This also includes political positions, such as the importance of environmental protection or commitment to animal rights. We collect this information in order to be able to introduce people to each other whose values actually match.

Providing truly suitable suggestions is the core activity of Consonance (Gleichklang) and the reason why members come to us. Without collecting, storing and taking into account the necessary sensitive information, Consonance (Gleichklang) could not fulfill its services.

We obtain the express consent of our users for the collection, storage and processing of this particularly sensitive data.

We collect, store and process this data exclusively to ensure effective partner and friendship search for our users and to be able to make appropriate suggestions. The necessity of collecting this particularly sensitive data arises directly from the content-related service we provide. The collection of this data is indispensable for the provision of our service.

Data for Presentation in the Profile and Contact Initiation

In order for users of Consonance (Gleichklang) to get to know each other, it is necessary that they can view each other’s profiles. However, at Consonance (Gleichklang), only those users who have also paid the required fees can do this. This also serves to protect your data from dubious persons who quickly register for free somewhere. However, at Consonance (Gleichklang), even all users who have paid the fees can never view the profiles of all users. Rather, only those users who have been determined by the psychological matching algorithm as compatible for each other can mutually view their profiles. Only users of Consonance (Gleichklang) and employees of Consonance (Gleichklang) have access to (account, personal area) the profiles.

Before a user has decided to participate for a fee, they can already fill out a large part of the required information, complete their profile, familiarize themselves with our questions before deciding whether to pay, and view the results of the psychological tests. However, photos and free texts can only be created by users once they have already filled out the payment form. In this way, we want to help ensure that our database is not filled with dubious photos and texts.

Matching suggestions and the ability to contact other users are only possible after payment has been received. This reduces the likelihood that dubious persons can view your profile and send you messages.

In the profile, information is displayed that is intended to enable users to find interest in each other and to make contact. However, we do not provide information on names, addresses or email addresses in the profiles.

Users can voluntarily upload photos, which they can generally make available for viewing by all suggested users, but they can also generally hide them and only release them individually, or they can release them only for certain subgroups of suggested users (e.g. only for people whose profile they find interesting).

Users also enter a text in which they can state what they want. However, we strongly advise against communicating information such as names, email, address.

The results of your personality tests are not shown to other users in the profile. These results are only made available to you yourself. However, information on educational level, profession, lifestyle (e.g. diet, smoking, single parent status), interests and hobbies, as well as appearance, is displayed. Every user is also free to answer three sentence completion items so that their answers are also displayed.

Information on special sensitive data from the categories of sexuality or health is not displayed in the profile by default. However, a user can explicitly state that it is important to them that this information be displayed in order to better support partner or friendship search. Only if a user explicitly selects the corresponding field for each displayed piece of information, this information will be displayed to other suggested users under “Special features”. The user can change this at any time.

When filling out the questionnaires, it is always indicated which information is displayed in the profile and which is not.

We at Consonance (Gleichklang) do a great deal to ensure that we have as many serious users as possible who also adhere to our community rules. However, we cannot guarantee that all users will do so.

Although we limit the circle of those who can view a profile (always mutually) to users who have been assigned (suggested) to the corresponding profile by the matching algorithm, this is not a guarantee. For example, despite all our protective measures, dubious persons may register with us (e.g. so-called love scammers). In addition, unauthorized persons may log in if they obtain knowledge of a member’s login data. Or users may show their profiles to other persons. Unfortunately, we cannot control this.

Especially with regard to the particularly sensitive data on sexuality and health, users should therefore think very carefully about whether they want to release this for the profile or not. There is no real security on the internet.

We expressly point out to our users that we cannot guarantee that other persons will not recognize them. This can happen especially when images are present. Nevertheless, it is necessary for us to offer our users the option of displaying images, because the chances of success of the search are significantly higher if a profile has pictures. However, recognition may also occur through a free text that you post. In partner and friendship mediation, only the country and the first two digits of the postal code are displayed. However, this is different with our additional optional contact lists, on which members can be placed to find people for activities, projects or mutual support in their vicinity or at the same place of residence. Here, the full postal code and the city, if entered, are displayed, since this information is indispensable for finding contacts on site.

Communication Content

In order for us to provide our service as a dating platform for our members, it is necessary for us to have access to the content of profiles and communications. Since this is a sensitive topic, we would like to briefly explain this:

Dating platforms are internationally infiltrated by so-called love scammers; these are fraudsters who want to defraud members of money or use them for money laundering or other criminal acts. If we did not use technical and manual procedures to quickly identify and block these love scammers, our platform would be overrun with these fraudsters. A genuine partner or friendship mediation would then no longer be possible. To identify and remove these fraudsters, it is necessary to read free texts and even messages according to certain signal words or even completely. Otherwise, identification and removal of these fraudsters is not possible.
In the context of online platforms, other crimes or abuses can also occur, such as insults, threats, harassment, stalking, right-wing extremist hate speech, attempts at pedophile infiltration. To protect our members from these as well, random checks and comprehensive reading checks upon suspicion are also necessary.
Technical problems may be reported that can only be checked and resolved if, for example, free texts or messages are opened. Examples would be if members report that formatting did not work for certain messages, messages could not be sent, were not sent completely, etc. In order to keep our system technically functional, but also to detect incorrect reports of technical problems and to report them back to the members, it may be necessary to read free texts and messages.
Expressly included in our service is also the advice to our members on how they can effectively conduct partner or friendship search. Members can ask us to read their profiles and messages they have written themselves in order to give them effective advice. These individual pieces of advice, which are part of our core service, can only be given if we can also look at the profiles. Many members take advantage of this.
To improve our service by providing effective general advice (e.g. what is important for the free text?), it is important to analyze profiles anonymously with regard to certain content and thus to be able to determine connections to the probability of success. On this basis, we can give our members effective tips on how to make their partner or friendship search successful.

For these and other reasons, Gleichklang Ltd reserves the right to access, read, store and disclose all information and content if this is deemed necessary for the following points:

to enforce the applicable terms of use, including the investigation of potential violations thereof,
to identify, prevent or otherwise detect address fraud, security problems or technical problems,
to comply with applicable laws and regulations, legal proceedings or government orders,
to respond to user requests,
to be able to effectively advise members who expressly participate in the dating coaching we offer

7. Transfer to Third Parties
The collection and processing of all personal data is carried out exclusively in order to be able to offer the services of Consonance (Gleichklang). We will never make your data available to others for other purposes or even sell it.

But even Consonance (Gleichklang) has to rely on business partners in order to be able to fulfill these services. We may pass on data to our suppliers, subcontractors and business partners (“service providers”) so that they can provide services to us or on our behalf. We have concluded contracts with our service providers according to which they may not disclose information that they collect or receive from you to anyone else and may not use this information for any other purposes.

As described, we may arrange for the transfer to one or more third parties who perform services for us. We do this in order to be able to provide our members with the service we offer.

This currently affects in particular:

the use of an external payment provider (Uncer Gmbh). Uncer carries out the payment processes via credit card and direct debit for us. We ourselves do not store any credit card data or bank details. Such data is stored exclusively by Uncer. Uncer GmbH is an international payment institution within the meaning of the Payment Services Supervision Act (ZAG), licensed and supervised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Register No. 122914). Contact information, including the contact information for the Data Protection Officer, can be found in the imprint of Uncer GmbH: https://www.unzer.com/de/impressum/
We use Mailerlite and Madmimi to send informational emails that help members use the mediation effectively or to inform our interested parties. For this, we have previously obtained consent (see next section). Mailerlite and Madmimi guarantee us a high delivery rate (through whitelisting) and statistical evaluations that help us to make our messages effective and helpful for recipients. We only pass on to Mailerlite OR Madmimi the email addresses, as well as the IP of registration and confirmation of the registered email address plus timestamp. The data protection provisions of Mailerlite or Madmimi can be read here: https://www.mailerlite.com/privacy-policy https://help.madmimi.com/what-is-gdpr-and-how-does-it-affect-me/
We also use Surveymonkey (SurveyMonkey Europe UC) as an external service provider for surveys. Surveymonkey is a provider that enables the creation of complex surveys. The collection of information takes place on Surveymonkey’s servers, where the information is also stored. Surveymonkey guarantees data protection and has a corresponding agreement with us. To clarify: Consonance (Gleichklang) conducts surveys to improve its service quality. These surveys are aimed at users, but also at people who do not use Consonance (Gleichklang). In this way, we also collect factors that can be used to improve our matching algorithm. Participation in the survey is of course voluntary and does not affect the receipt of services from Consonance (Gleichklang). There is also no connection between the survey data and data used for services. We use the anonymization function of Surveymonkey without collecting the IP address.
Member support in terms of answering incoming inquiries from members and interested parties is carried out by our Cambodian subsidiary Gleichklang (Cambodia) co. Ltd. This takes place under direct local control by the management of the German branch of our British Gleichklang Ltd. A data protection agreement has been concluded between the German branch and the Cambodian subsidiary, which complies with all data protection provisions just like the German branch. Data is not stored on servers in Cambodia.
Apart from the data we collect via Surveymonkey surveys, all data that Consonance (Gleichklang) collects or has collected is currently stored on servers within countries of the European Community. If this should change, we will ensure that data protection is guaranteed.

We reserve the right to commission further service providers at any time. We have data processing agreements with third-party providers that work for us.

8. Transfer of Data for Law Enforcement Purposes
If we are requested or obliged by government authorities, such as law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory authorities, we may have to disclose data about our users. We may also use and disclose information we have collected about you to exercise or protect legal rights or to defend against legal claims.

9. Sale of Gleichklang ltd as a Whole or Only the Dating Platform Gleichklang.de
We do not intend to sell Gleichklang ltd or our dating platform Gleichklang. However, should there be a sale of our company as a whole or should Consonance (Gleichklang) sell its dating platform, we may transfer all your personal information to the buyer. Of course, you can also have your data deleted at any time in this case.

10. Access, Rectification and Deletion (Right to Be Forgotten)
There is a right to information, rectification and deletion (right to be forgotten), which we fully implement at Consonance (Gleichklang). We inform every affected person at any time upon request about which personal data concerning the affected person is stored. Furthermore, we rectify or delete personal data at the request or indication of the affected person, unless there are statutory retention obligations to the contrary. Payment data is kept by our external payment provider Uncer for 10 years. Our employees are available as contacts. For information requests, the email that the person concerned has stored with us must always be used. To avoid misuse, we may also check the identity of the requesting person beyond that. Because we absolutely want to prevent us from passing on your data to the wrong people. The identity check is therefore in your own best interest.

11. Contact Possibility via the Website
The website of Gleichklang ltd contains a contact form. Persons can also contact us by email. If an affected person contacts us by email or via a contact form, the personal data transmitted by the affected person is automatically stored. Such personal data transmitted on a voluntary basis by an affected person to us is stored for the purpose of processing or contacting the affected person. There is no transfer of this personal data to third parties. After completion of processes, such data is deleted again.

12. Routine Deletion of Personal Data
We process and store personal data only for the period necessary to achieve the purpose of storage or insofar as this is provided for by the European Directive and Regulation or another legislator in laws or regulations to which we are subject.

If the purpose of storage no longer applies or if a storage period prescribed by the European Directive and Regulation or another competent legislator expires, the personal data is routinely deleted in accordance with the legal provisions.

Consonance (Gleichklang) offers all users the possibility to terminate their already started or completed partner and friendship search or the use of the contact lists by cancellation and later to start it again for a fee, taking over the existing data. In doing so, users can, if they choose this option, also fall back on their old messages and settings. If users do not wish to use this service, we delete all personal data upon termination, unless there are retention obligations to the contrary.

13. Data Protection Provisions on the Use and Application of Google Analytics, Google Remarketing, Conversion Tracking by Microsoft (Bing Ads), Adcell and Superclix

Explanation of the Reason for Use and Application

Consonance (Gleichklang) can only offer its service of effective support for your partner and friendship search if we continuously gain enough new members and there is also a continuous refreshment of our database through new users. For the acquisition of new users, however, it is of central importance that our pages are user-friendly, that we know the scrolling behavior of those who visit our page, and that we can place effective advertising.

For online advertising, it is essential that we can determine whether a campaign is worthwhile in terms of costs and revenues and that we can optimize a campaign depending on costs and revenues. It is important that we are present in as many places on the internet as possible and thus draw the attention of interested parties to us. In addition to directly paid online advertising, so-called advertising partners (affiliates) also contribute to this; they advertise for us and receive a commission payment whenever they refer a new user who has actually paid to us.

Exclusively for the above-mentioned reasons, we use services that enable us to achieve our goals and to attract enough users to our site. This is also in the interest of our users, who want to find friendship and/or partnership with us.

a) Google Analytics

Consonance (Gleichklang) has integrated the component Google Analytics (with anonymization function) on this website. Google Analytics is a web analytics service. Web analysis is the collection, gathering and evaluation of data about the behavior of visitors to websites. A web analytics service collects, among other things, data on which website a person came from to a website (so-called referrer), which subpages of the website were accessed, or how often and for what duration a subpage was viewed. Web analysis is used to optimize our website and for cost-benefit analysis of internet advertising so that we can see whether the advertising we place to attract new users is worthwhile or not.

The operating company of the Google Analytics component is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043-1351, USA.

We use the addition “_gat._anonymizeIp” for web analysis via Google Analytics. By means of this addition, the IP address of the internet connection of the affected person is shortened and anonymized by Google if access to our websites takes place from a member state of the European Union or from another contracting state of the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

The purpose of the Google Analytics component is the analysis of visitor flows on our website. Google uses the data and information obtained, among other things, to evaluate the use of our website, to compile online reports for us that show the activities on our websites, and to provide other services related to the use of our website.

Google Analytics places a cookie on the information technology system of the affected person. What cookies are has already been explained above. By setting the cookie, Google enables an analysis of the use of our website. Each time one of the individual pages of this website is called up, which is operated by the controller and on which a Google Analytics component has been integrated, the internet browser on the information technology system of the affected person is automatically caused by the respective Google Analytics component to transmit data to Google for the purpose of online analysis. As part of this technical procedure, Google gains knowledge of personal data, such as the IP address of the affected person, which Google uses, among other things, to trace the origin of visitors and clicks and subsequently to enable commission settlements.

By means of the cookie, personal information, for example the time of access, the place from which access originated and the frequency of visits to our website by the affected person, is stored. With each visit to our websites, this personal data, including the IP address of the internet connection used by the affected person, is transmitted to Google in the United States of America. This personal data is stored by Google in the United States of America. Google may pass on this personal data collected via the technical procedure to third parties.

The affected person can prevent the setting of cookies by our website, as already described above, at any time by means of a corresponding setting of the internet browser used and thus permanently object to the setting of cookies. Such a setting of the internet browser used would also prevent Google from setting a cookie on the information technology system of the affected person. In addition, a cookie already set by Google Analytics can be deleted at any time via the internet browser or other software programs.

Furthermore, the affected person has the possibility to object to and prevent the collection of data generated by Google Analytics relating to the use of this website and the processing of this data by Google. To do this, the affected person must download and install a browser add-on under the link https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. This browser add-on tells Google Analytics via JavaScript that no data and information on visits to websites may be transmitted to Google Analytics. The installation of the browser add-on is considered by Google as an objection. If the information technology system of the affected person is later deleted, formatted or reinstalled, the affected person must reinstall the browser add-on to deactivate Google Analytics. If the browser add-on is uninstalled or deactivated by the affected person or by another person attributable to their sphere of control, there is the possibility of reinstalling or reactivating the browser add-on.

Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of Google can be found at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/ and at http://www.google.com/analytics/terms/de.html. Google Analytics is explained in more detail under this link https://www.google.com/intl/de_de/analytics/.

b) Google Remarketing

Consonance (Gleichklang) has integrated Google Remarketing services on this website. Google Remarketing is a function of Google AdWords that enables a company to display advertising to those internet users who have previously visited the company’s website. The integration of Google Remarketing allows us to create user-based advertising and thus attract new users to Consonance (Gleichklang).

The operating company of the Google Remarketing services is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043-1351, USA.

The purpose of Google Remarketing is the display of interest-relevant advertising. Google Remarketing enables us to display advertisements via the Google advertising network or to have them displayed on other websites, which are tailored to the individual needs and interests of internet users.

Google Remarketing places a cookie on the information technology system of the affected person. What cookies are has already been explained above. With the setting of the cookie, Google enables the recognition of the visitor to our website when they subsequently visit websites that are also users of the Google advertising network. With each call to a website on which the Google Remarketing service has been integrated, the affected person’s internet browser automatically identifies itself to Google. As part of this technical procedure, Google gains knowledge of personal data, such as the IP address or the surfing behavior of the user, which Google uses, among other things, to display interest-relevant advertising.

By means of the cookie, personal information, for example the websites visited by the affected person, is stored. Accordingly, with each visit to our websites, personal data, including the IP address of the internet connection used by the affected person, is transmitted to Google in the United States of America. This personal data is stored by Google in the United States of America. Google may pass on this personal data collected via the technical procedure to third parties.

Furthermore, the affected person has the possibility to object to interest-based advertising by Google. To do this, the affected person must call up the link www.google.de/settings/ads from each of the internet browsers they use and make the desired settings there.

Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of Google can be found at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/.

The controller has integrated Google AdWords on this website. Google AdWords is an internet advertising service that allows advertisers to place both ads in Google’s search engine results and in the Google advertising network. Google AdWords enables an advertiser to predefine certain keywords by means of which an ad is displayed in Google’s search engine results only when the user calls up a keyword-relevant search result with the search engine. In the Google advertising network, the ads are distributed on topic-relevant websites by means of an automatic algorithm and in consideration of the previously defined keywords.

The operating company of the Google AdWords services is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043-1351, USA.

The purpose of Google AdWords is to promote our website by displaying interest-relevant advertising on third-party websites and in the search engine results of the Google search engine and to display third-party advertising on our website.

If an affected person reaches our website via a Google ad, Google places a so-called conversion cookie on the information technology system of the affected person. What cookies are has already been explained above. A conversion cookie loses its validity after thirty days and does not serve to identify the affected person. The conversion cookie is used to track whether certain subpages, for example the shopping cart of an online shop system, have been accessed on our website, provided the cookie has not yet expired. Both we and Google can use the conversion cookie to track whether an affected person who reached our website via an AdWords ad generated revenue, i.e. completed or cancelled a purchase.

The data and information collected through the use of the conversion cookie are used by Google to create visit statistics for our website. These visit statistics are in turn used by us to determine the total number of users who were referred to us via AdWords ads, i.e. to determine the success or failure of the respective AdWords ad and to optimize our AdWords ads for the future. Neither our company nor other Google AdWords advertising customers receive information from Google by means of which the affected person could be identified.

By means of the conversion cookie, personal information, for example the websites visited by the affected person, is stored. Accordingly, with each visit to our websites, personal data, including the IP address of the internet connection used by the affected person, is transmitted to Google in the United States of America. This personal data is stored by Google in the United States of America. Google may pass on this personal data collected via the technical procedure to third parties.

The affected person can prevent the setting of cookies by our website, as already described above, at any time by means of a corresponding setting of the internet browser used and thus permanently object to the setting of cookies. Such a setting of the internet browser used would also prevent Google from setting a conversion cookie on the information technology system of the affected person. In addition, a cookie already set by Google AdWords can be deleted at any time via the internet browser or other software programs.

Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of Google can be found at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy/.

c) Conversion Tracking by Microsoft (Bing Ads, Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA)

Our online offerings also use . Microsoft Bing Ads sets a cookie on your computer if you have reached our website via a Microsoft Bing ad. Microsoft Bing and we can thus recognize that someone has clicked on an ad, was redirected to our website and reached a predetermined target page (conversion page). We only learn the total number of users who clicked on a Bing ad and were then redirected to the conversion page. No personal information about the user’s identity is shared. If you do not wish to participate in the tracking procedure, you can also refuse the setting of a cookie required for this – for example by browser setting that generally deactivates the automatic setting of cookies. Further information on data protection and the cookies used at Microsoft Bing can be found on Microsoft’s website: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement

d) Affiliate Network Adcell

The controller has integrated components of Adcell on this website. Adcell (Firstlead GmbH with the brand adcells, www.adcells.de) is a German affiliate network that offers affiliate marketing.

Within our offering, we use standard industry tracking measures based on our legitimate interests (i.e. interest in the analysis, optimization and economic operation of our online offering) in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR, insofar as these are necessary for the operation of the affiliate system.

Affiliate marketing is an internet-based sales form that enables commercial website operators, the so-called merchants or advertisers, to display advertising, which is usually remunerated via click or sale commissions, on third-party websites, i.e. at distribution partners, which are also called affiliates or publishers. In our case, remuneration is based on sale commissions. For this purpose, an advertising medium, i.e. an advertising banner or other suitable means of internet advertising, is made available on the affiliate network, which is subsequently integrated by an affiliate on its own websites or advertised via other channels such as keyword advertising or email marketing.

Adcell places a cookie on the information technology system of the affected person. When an affected person pays fees to Consonance (Gleichklang) for a booking, we pay a commission to Adcell, which in turn distributes it to the advertising site owners and also retains its own commission. The purpose is thus the processing of commission payments.

The affected person can prevent the setting of cookies by our website, as already described above, at any time by means of a corresponding setting of the internet browser used and thus permanently object to the setting of cookies. Such a setting of the internet browser used would also prevent Adcell from setting a cookie on the information technology system of the affected person. In addition, cookies already set by Adcell can be deleted at any time via an internet browser or other software programs.

The applicable data protection provisions of Adcell can be found at https://www.adcell.de/agb.

14. Subscription to Our Newsletter
We give our interested parties and users the opportunity to subscribe to information about our services on our website. When opening a user account, it can be indicated on the corresponding registration whether this is desired by explicitly checking the box. Likewise, it is possible to subscribe to the newsletter, for example, if someone participates in surveys we conduct.

We inform those who have chosen this subscription at regular intervals about our offers and about opportunities for effective use of our services. However, this newsletter can only be received if (1) the affected person has a valid email address and (2) the affected person registers for the newsletter dispatch. For legal reasons, a confirmation email is sent to the email address entered for the newsletter dispatch for the first time in the double opt-in procedure. This confirmation email serves to verify whether the owner of the email address as the affected person has authorized the receipt of the newsletter.

When registering for the newsletter, we also store the IP address assigned by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) of the computer system used by the affected person at the time of registration, as well as the date and time of registration. The collection of this data is necessary in order to be able to trace the (possible) misuse of the email address of an affected person at a later point in time and therefore serves as legal protection. If we did not do this, we could be accused of sending emails without consent.

The personal data collected as part of a newsletter registration will be used exclusively for sending our newsletter. Subscribers to the newsletter by email may also be informed if this is necessary for the operation of the newsletter service or a related registration, as might be the case in the event of changes to the newsletter offering or changes in technical circumstances.

The subscription to our newsletter can be cancelled by the affected person at any time. The consent to the storage of personal data that the affected person has given us for the newsletter dispatch can be revoked at any time. For the purpose of revoking consent, a corresponding unsubscribe link can be found in every newsletter. Furthermore, it is possible to communicate the wish to unsubscribe to us directly.

15. Newsletter Tracking
The newsletters of Gleichklang ltd, for whose dispatch we use the third-party provider Madmimi, contain so-called tracking pixels. A tracking pixel is a miniature graphic that is embedded in such emails that are sent in HTML format to enable log file recording and log file analysis. This allows a statistical evaluation of the success or failure of the newsletter dispatch. On the basis of the embedded tracking pixel, Gleichklang ltd can recognize whether and when an email was opened by an affected person and which links contained in the email were clicked by the affected person.

Such personal data collected via the tracking pixels contained in the newsletters are stored and evaluated in order to optimize the newsletter dispatch and to better adapt the content of future newsletters to the interests of the subscribers. Affected persons are entitled at any time to revoke the separate declaration of consent given via the double opt-in procedure. After a revocation, this personal data will be deleted.

16. Rights of the Affected Person from Whom We Collect, Store and Process Data
We implement all your rights. These include in particular:

a) Right to Confirmation

There is a right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to obtain confirmation of the processing of personal data. Upon request, we confirm whether personal data concerning a person is being processed by us. For this purpose, the affected person can contact our employees at any time. If an affected person wishes to exercise this right of confirmation, they can contact an employee of the controller at any time.

b) Right to Information

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to obtain from the controller at any time free information about the personal data stored about them and a copy of this information. Furthermore, the European Directive and Regulation have granted the affected person information about the following:

the processing purposes
the categories of personal data that are processed
the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed, in particular recipients in third countries or international organizations
if possible, the planned duration for which the personal data will be stored, or, if this is not possible, the criteria for determining this duration
the existence of a right to rectification or deletion of the personal data concerning them or to restriction of processing by the controller or a right to object to this processing
the existence of a right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
if the personal data are not collected from the affected person: all available information about the origin of the data
the existence of automated decision-making including profiling in accordance with Article 22 para. 1 and 4 GDPR and — at least in these cases — meaningful information about the logic involved as well as the scope and intended effects of such processing for the affected person

Furthermore, the affected person has a right to information as to whether personal data have been transferred to a third country or to an international organization. If this is the case, the affected person also has the right to obtain information about the appropriate safeguards in connection with the transfer.

If an affected person wishes to exercise this right to information, they can contact the employees of Consonance (Gleichklang) at any time.

c) Right to Rectification

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to request the immediate rectification of incorrect personal data concerning them. Furthermore, the affected person has the right, taking into account the purposes of the processing, to request the completion of incomplete personal data — including by means of a supplementary declaration.

If an affected person wishes to exercise this right to rectification, they can contact an employee of Consonance (Gleichklang) at any time.

d) Right to Deletion (Right to Be Forgotten)

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to demand from the controller that the personal data concerning them be deleted immediately, provided that one of the following reasons applies and insofar as the processing is not necessary:

The personal data were collected or otherwise processed for purposes for which they are no longer necessary.

The affected person revokes their consent on which the processing was based pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR or Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a GDPR, and there is no other legal basis for the processing.

The affected person objects to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 para. 1 GDPR, and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing, or the affected person objects to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 para. 2 GDPR.

The personal data were processed unlawfully.

The deletion of the personal data is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation under Union law or the law of the member states to which the controller is subject.

The personal data were collected in relation to offered services of the information society pursuant to Art. 8 para. 1 GDPR.

If one of the above reasons applies and an affected person wishes to initiate the deletion of personal data stored at Gleichklang ltd, they can contact an employee of Consonance (Gleichklang) at any time. The employee of Gleichklang ltd will ensure that the deletion request is complied with immediately.

If the personal data have been made public by Gleichklang ltd and our company as the controller is obliged to delete the personal data pursuant to Art. 17 para. 1 GDPR, Gleichklang ltd shall, taking into account available technology and implementation costs, take reasonable measures, including technical measures, to inform other controllers processing the published personal data that the affected person has requested from these other controllers the deletion of all links to these personal data or copies or replications of these personal data, insofar as the processing is not necessary. Employees of Gleichklang ltd will take the necessary steps in each individual case.

e) Right to Restriction of Processing

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to require the controller to restrict processing if one of the following conditions is met:

The accuracy of the personal data is contested by the affected person, for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data.

The processing is unlawful, the affected person objects to the deletion of the personal data and requests instead the restriction of the use of the personal data.

The controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of processing, but the affected person requires them for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims.

The affected person has objected to processing pursuant to Art. 21 para. 1 GDPR and it is not yet clear whether the legitimate grounds of the controller outweigh those of the affected person.

If one of the above conditions is met and an affected person wishes to request the restriction of personal data stored at Gleichklang ltd, they can contact an employee of the controller at any time. Employees of Consonance (Gleichklang) will arrange for the restriction of processing.

f) Right to Data Portability

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to receive the personal data concerning them, which they have provided to a controller, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format. They also have the right to transmit this data to another controller without hindrance from the controller to whom the personal data was provided, provided that the processing is based on consent pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR or Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a GDPR or on a contract pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, and the processing is carried out by automated means, provided that the processing is not necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

Furthermore, when exercising their right to data portability pursuant to Art. 20 para. 1 GDPR, the affected person has the right to obtain that the personal data be transmitted directly from one controller to another, insofar as this is technically feasible and insofar as this does not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of other persons.

To assert the right to data portability, the affected person can contact an employee of Gleichklang ltd at any time.

g) Right to Object

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to object at any time, on grounds relating to their particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning them which is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e or f GDPR. This also applies to profiling based on these provisions.

Gleichklang ltd will no longer process the personal data in the event of an objection, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing that outweigh the interests, rights and freedoms of the affected person, or the processing serves the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims.

To exercise the right to object, the affected person can directly contact any employee of Gleichklang ltd or another employee. The affected person is also free, in connection with the use of information society services, regardless of Directive 2002/58/EG, to exercise their right to object by automated means using technical specifications.

h) Automated Individual Decisions Including Profiling

We do not use automated individual decisions, including profiling.

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing — including profiling — which produces legal effects concerning them or similarly significantly affects them, provided that the decision (1) is not necessary for the conclusion or performance of a contract between the affected person and the controller, or (2) is permitted by Union or member state law to which the controller is subject and these laws contain appropriate measures to safeguard the rights and freedoms and legitimate interests of the affected person, or (3) is made with the explicit consent of the affected person.

i) Right to Revoke a Data Protection Consent

Every person affected by the processing of personal data has the right granted by the European Directive and Regulation to revoke their consent to the processing of personal data at any time.

If the affected person wishes to exercise their right to revoke consent, they can contact an employee of the controller at any time.

17. Security of Minors
Our service is exclusively intended for use by adults, i.e. persons at least 18 years old. All persons who are not of legal age are not permitted to use our service. We do not knowingly collect data from minors and do not knowingly allow them to register and use our services. We ask for notification if there is information that persons who are not yet adults are registered with us or have used our services.

18. Data Protection in Applications and the Application Process
This section is for the case where people apply to Consonance (Gleichklang).

Consonance (Gleichklang) collects and processes the personal data of applicants for the purpose of handling the application process. The processing can also take place electronically. This is particularly the case when an applicant submits corresponding application documents to the controller by electronic means, for example by email or via a web form on the website. If the controller concludes an employment contract with an applicant, the transmitted data will be stored for the purpose of processing the employment relationship in compliance with legal provisions. If the controller does not conclude an employment contract with the applicant, the application documents will be automatically deleted two months after the decision to reject is announced, provided that no other legitimate interests of the controller stand in the way of deletion. Other legitimate interest in this sense is, for example, a burden of proof in proceedings under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).

19. Further Questions and Right to Complain
If you have further questions about data protection, you can contact us at any time at the address given in the imprint or our data protection officer (datenschutz@gleichklang.de). Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

20. Changes to the Provisions
We are entitled to change our data protection provisions in the future. Changes will become effective at the time when we publish the revised data protection policy on our platform.

This privacy policy was created with the help of the privacy policy generator of DGD Deutsche Gesellschaft für Datenschutz GmbH, which acts as a data protection officer, in cooperation with the data protection lawyers of the law firm WILDE BEUGER SOLMECKE | Rechtsanwälte, with large passages added and modified.

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