Privacy Policy

1. An overview of data protection

General

The following information will provide you with an easy to navigate overview of what will happen with your personal data when you visit our website.The term “personal data” comprises all data that can be used to personally identify you. For detailed information about the subject matter of data protection, please consult our Data Protection Declaration, which we have included beneath this copy.

Data recording on our website

Who is the responsible party for the recording of data on this website (i.e. the “controller”)?

The data on this website is processed by the operator of the website, whose contact information is available under section “Information Required by Law” on this website.

How do we record your data?

We collect your data as a result of your sharing of your data with us. This may, for instance be information you enter into our contact form.

Our IT systems automatically record other data when you visit our website. This data comprises primarily technical information (e.g. web browser, operating system or time the site was accessed). This information is recorded automatically when you access our website.

What are the purposes we use your data for?

A portion of the information is generated to guarantee the error free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyse your user patterns.

What rights do you have as far as your information is concerned?

You have the right to receive information about the source, recipients and purposes of your archived personal data at any time without having to pay a fee for such disclosures. You also have the right to demand that your data are rectified, blocked or eradicated. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time under the address disclosed in section “Information Required by Law” on this website if you have questions about this or any other data protection related issues. You also have the right to log a complaint with the competent supervising agency.

Moreover, under certain circumstances, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data. For details, please consult the Data Protection Declaration under section “Right to Restriction of Data Processing.”

Analysis tools and tools provided by third parties

There is a possibility that your browsing patterns will be statistically analysed when your visit our website. Such analyses are performed primarily with cookies and with what we refer to as analysis programmes. As a rule, the analyses of your browsing patterns are conducted anonymously; i.e. the browsing patterns cannot be traced back to you. You have the option to object to such analyses or you can prevent their performance by not using certain tools. For detailed information about this, please consult our Data Protection Declaration below.

You do have the option to object to such analyses. We will brief you on the objection options in this Data Protection Declaration.

2. General information and mandatory information

Data protection

The operators of this website and its pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. Hence, we handle your personal data as confidential information and in compliance with the statutory data protection regulations and this Data Protection Declaration.

Whenever you use this website, a variety of personal information will be collected. Personal data comprises data that can be used to personally identify you. This Data Protection Declaration explains which data we collect as well as the purposes we use this data for. It also explains how, and for which purpose the information is collected.

We herewith advise you that the transmission of data via the Internet (i.e. through e-mail communications) may be prone to security gaps. It is not possible to completely protect data against third party access.

Information about the responsible party (referred to as the “controller” in the GDPR)

The data processing controller on this website is:

Utz Klöppelt
Saarstraße 6
52062 Aachen

Deutschland / Germany

Email: info@readingpynchon.com

The controller is the natural person or legal entity that single-handedly or jointly with others makes decisions as to the purposes of and resources for the processing of personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses, etc.).

Revocation of your consent to the processing of your data

A wide range of data processing transactions are possible only subject to your express consent. You can also revoke at any time any consent you have already given us. To do so, all you are required to do is sent us an informal notification via e-mail. This shall be without prejudice to the lawfulness of any data collection that occurred prior to your revocation.

Right to object to the collection of data in special cases; right to object to direct advertising (Art. 21 GDPR)

In the event that data are processed on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. e or f GDPR, you have the right to at any time object to the processing of your personal data based on grounds arising from your unique situation. This also applies to any profiling based on these provisions. To determine the legal basis, on which any processing of data is based, please consult this Data Protection Declaration. If you log an objection, we will no longer process your affected personal data, unless we are in a position to present compelling protection worthy grounds for the processing of your data, that outweigh your interests, rights and freedoms or if the purpose of the processing is the claiming, exercising or defence of legal entitlements (objection pursuant to Art. 21 Sect. 1 GDPR).

If your personal data is being processed in order to engage in direct advertising, you have the right to at any time object to the processing of your affected personal data for the purposes of such advertising. This also applies to profiling to the extent that it is affiliated with such direct advertising. If you object, your personal data will subsequently no longer be used for direct advertising purposes (objection pursuant to Art. 21 Sect. 2 GDPR).

Right to log a complaint with the competent supervisory agency

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects are entitled to log a complaint with a supervisory agency, in particular in the member state where they usually maintain their domicile, place of work or at the place where the alleged violation occurred. The right to log a complaint is in effect regardless of any other administrative or court proceedings available as legal recourses.

Right to data portability

You have the right to demand that we hand over any data we automatically process on the basis of your consent or in order to fulfil a contract be handed over to you or a third party in a commonly used, machine readable format. If you should demand the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will be done only if it is technically feasible.

SSL and/or TLS encryption

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as purchase orders or inquiries you submit to us as the website operator, this website uses either an SSL or a TLS encryption programme. You can recognise an encrypted connection by checking whether the address line of the browser switches from “http://” to “https://” and also by the appearance of the lock icon in the browser line.

If the SSL or TLS encryption is activated, data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

Information about, blockage, rectification and eradication of data

Within the scope of the applicable statutory provisions, you have the right to at any time demand information about your archived personal data, their source and recipients as well as the purpose of the processing of your data. You may also have a right to have your data rectified, blocked or eradicated. If you have questions about this subject matter or any other questions about personal data, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time at the address provided in section “Information Required by Law.”

Right to demand processing restrictions

You have the right to demand the imposition of restrictions as far as the processing of your personal data is concerned. To do so, you may contact us at any time at the address provided in section “Information Required by Law.” The right to demand restriction of processing applies in the following cases:

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, these data – with the exception of their archiving – may be processed only subject to your consent or to claim, exercise or defend legal entitlements or to protect the rights of other natural persons or legal entities or for important public interest reasons cited by the European Union or a member state of the EU.

Rejection of unsolicited e-mails

We herewith object to the use of contact information published in conjunction with the mandatory information to be provided in section “Information Required by Law” to send us promotional and information material that we have not expressly requested. The operators of this website and its pages reserve the express right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited sending of promotional information, for instance via SPAM messages.

3. Recording of data on our website

Cookies

In some instances, our website and its pages use so-called cookies. Cookies do not cause any damage to your computer and do not contain viruses. The purpose of cookies is to make our website more user friendly, effective and more secure. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer and stored by your browser.

Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies.” They are automatically deleted after your leave our site. Other cookies will remain archived on your device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognise your browser the next time you visit our website.

You can adjust the settings of your browser to make sure that you are notified every time cookies are placed and to enable you to accept cookies only in specific cases or to exclude the acceptance of cookies for specific situations or in general and to activate the automatic deletion of cookies when you close your browser. If you deactivate cookies, the functions of this website may be limited.

Cookies that are required for the performance of the electronic communications transaction or to provide certain functions you want to use (e.g. the shopping cart function), are stored on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies to ensure the technically error free and optimised provision of the operator’s services. If other cookies (e.g. cookies for the analysis of your browsing patterns) should be stored, they are addressed separately in this Data Protection Declaration.

Server log files

The provider of this website and its pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser communicates to us automatically. The information comprises:

This data is not merged with other data sources.

This data is recorded on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The operator of the website has a legitimate interest in the technically error free depiction and the optimization of the operator’s website. In order to achieve this, server log files must be recorded.

Contact form

If you submit inquiries to us via our contact form, the information provided in the contact form as well as any contact information provided therein will be stored by us in order to handle your inquiry and in the event that we have further questions. We will not share this information without your consent.

Hence, the processing of the data entered into the contact form occurs exclusively based on your consent (Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. a GDPR). You have the right to revoke at any time any consent you have already given us. To do so, all you are required to do is sent us an informal notification via e-mail. This shall be without prejudice to the lawfulness of any data collection that occurred prior to your revocation.

The information you have entered into the contact form shall remain with us until you ask us to eradicate the data, revoke your consent to the archiving of data or if the purpose for which the information is being archived no longer exists (e.g. after we have concluded our response to your inquiry). This shall be without prejudice to any mandatory legal provisions – in particular retention periods.

The comment function on this website

When you use the comment function on this website, information on the time the comment was generated and, if you are not posting anonymously, the user name you have selected will be archived in addition to your comments.

Storage of the IP address

Our comment function stores the IP addresses of all users who enter comments. Given that we do not review the comments prior to publishing them, we need this information in order to take action against the author in the event of rights violations, such as defamation or propaganda.

Storage period for comments

Comments and any affiliated information (e.g. the IP address) shall be stored by us and remain on our website until the content the comment pertained to has been deleted in its entirety or if the comments had to be deleted for legal reasons (e.g. insulting comments).

Legal basis

Comments are stored on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. a GDPR). You have the right to revoke at any time any consent you have already given us. To do so, all you are required to do is sent us an informal notification via e-mail. This shall be without prejudice to the lawfulness of any data collection that occurred prior to your revocation.

Processing of data (customer and contract data)

We collect, process and use personal data only to the extent necessary for the establishment, content organization or change of the legal relationship (data inventory). These actions are taken on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. b GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or pre-contractual actions. We collect, process and use personal data concerning the use of our website (usage data) only to the extent that this is necessary to make it possible for users to utilize the services and to bill for them.

The collected customer data shall be eradicated upon completion of the order or the termination of the business relationship. This shall be without prejudice to any statutory retention mandates.

Data transfer upon closing of contracts for services and digital content

We share personal data with third parties only if this is necessary in conjunction with the handling of the contract; for instance, with the financial institution tasked with the processing of payments.

Any further transfer of data shall not occur or shall only occur if you have expressly consented to the transfer. Any sharing of your data with third parties in the absence of your express consent, for instance for advertising purposes, shall not occur.

The basis for the processing of data is Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. b GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or for pre-contractual actions.

4. Social media

eRecht24 Safe Sharing Tool

Users may share the content of our website and its pages in a data protection law compliant manner on social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter or Google+. For this purpose, this website uses the eRecht24 Safe Sharing Tool. This tool does not establish a direct connection between the network and the user until the user has actively clicked on one of the buttons. The click on this button constitutes content as defined in Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. a GDPR. This consent may be revoked by the user at any time, which shall affect all future actions.

This tool does not automatically transfer user data to the operators of these platforms. If the user is registered with one of the social networks, an information window will pop up as soon as the social button of Facebook, Google+1, Twitter et al is used, which allows the user to confirm the text prior to sending it.

Our users have the option to share the content of this website and its page in a data protection law compliant manner on social networks, without entire browsing histories are being generated by the operators of these networks.

5. Plug-ins and Tools

Google Web Fonts

To ensure that fonts used on this website are uniform, this website uses so-called Web Fonts provided by Google. When you access a page on our website, your browser will load the required web fonts into your browser cache to correctly display text and fonts.

To do this, the browser you use will have to establish a connection with Google’s servers. As a result, Google will learn that your IP address was used to access our website. The use of Google Web Fonts is based on our interest in presenting our online content in a uniform and appealing way. According to Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR, this is a legitimate interest.

If your browser should not support Web Fonts, a standard font installed on your computer will be used.

For more information on Google Web Fonts, please follow this link: https://developers.google.com/fonts/faqand consult Google’s Data Privacy Declaration under: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en.

Google reCAPTCHA

We use “Google reCAPTCHA” (hereinafter referred to as “reCAPTCHA”) on our websites. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Irland (“Google”).

The purpose of reCAPTCHA is to determine whether data entered on our websites (e.g. information entered into a contact form) is being provided by a human user or by an automated program. To determine this, reCAPTCHA analyses the behaviour of the website visitors based on a variety of parameters. This analysis is triggered automatically as soon as the website visitor enters the site. For this analysis, reCAPTCHA evaluates a variety of data (e.g. IP address, time the website visitor spent on the site or cursor movements initiated by the user). The data tracked during such analyses are forwarded to Google.

reCAPTCHA analyses run entirely in the background. Website visitors are not alerted that an analysis is underway.

The data is processed on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. It is in the website operators legitimate interest, to protect the operator’s web content against misuse by automated industrial espionage systems and against SPAM.

For more information about Google reCAPTCHA and to review the Data Privacy Declaration of Google, please follow these links: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=enand https://www.google.com/recaptcha/intro/android.html.

Pixel tags from Verwertungsgesellschaft WORT (VG WORT)

Our website uses the VG WORT counter pixels provided by INFOnline GmbH, Forum Bonn Nord, Brühler Str. 9, 53119 Bonn as scalable central measurement method.

The legal basis is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the optimization and economic operation of our website and the preservation of our copyright interests with regard to the contents of our site.

The pixel code is a graphic placed on our website to collect key statistical data. This makes it possible to calculate the likelihood of content being copied based on the number of hits and the nature of the contents itself. This data is collected anonymously. In order to be able to count hits and return visits, either a so-called session cookie is stored on your device by your browser or a signature is created from various information in your browser (e.g. user agent, screen resolution, etc.). However, your IP address will only be processed in an anonymized form. As an individual user, you cannot be identified at any time.

If you do not agree to this processing, you have the option of preventing the installation of cookies by making the appropriate settings in your browser. Further details can be found in the section about cookies above. In addition, you may opt of this statistical measurement. By confirming the link

https://optout.ioam.de/

a cookie is stored on your device via your browser to prevent any further analysis. Please note, however, that you must click the above link again if you delete the cookies stored on your end device.

The section above on VG Wort was generated by Model Data Protection Statementfor Anwaltskanzlei Weiß & Partner.

6. Newsletter

Newsletter data

In the following we tell you about information provided by our newsletter, the opt-in process, the mailing process, statistical procedures, and your right to revoke. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receiving it and to the terms mentioned below.

How often do we send the newsletter?

The newsletter is being sent approximately once a month. As soon as new blog entries, services, features or offers are available on our website, the newsletter will give information on it. Thus the frequency of sending and receiving the newsletter also depends on the frequency of news on our website. Therefore it might be sent more often than once a month.

Newsletter Content

We send newsletters, emails and other electronic messages (in the following: “newsletter”) advertising information, services and offers on our website. We do so only with consent of the recipient of the newsletter or with legal permission. As far as the general content of our newsletter is explained in the context of subscription (e.g. in the email you receive after having entered your email address in the subscription field), it is relevant to the subscriber’s consent. Our newsletters provide information on literary topics and their contexts, especially information on Thomas Pynchon’s works and their contexts, on information on our website “Reading Pynchon”, i.e. especially information on blog entries, services, features,  and offers on our website.

Double-Opt-In and Subscription Protocols

The subscription process to our newsletter is done by the so-called “double-opt-in” procedure. That means that after subscribing to the newsletter you receive an email in which you are asked to confirm your subscription. This procedure is necessary in order to prevent anyone from subscribing with email addresses not their own.

Subscription data is being stored in order to provide evidence of the subscription process in line with legal requirements. The data include the time of subscription and confirmation as well as your IP address.

If you would like to receive our newsletter, we require a valid email address as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the specified email address and that you agree to receive this newsletter. Apart from the data mentioned above, no additional data is collected or is only collected on a voluntary basis. We only use this data to send the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.

Cancellation and Revocation

We will, therefore, process any data you enter onto the contact form only with your consent per Art. 6 (1) (a) DSGVO. You can revoke consent to the storage of your data and email address as well as their use for sending the newsletter at any time, e.g. through the “unsubscribe” link in the newsletter. Furthermore you can cancel the subscription of the newsletter via the contact formon our website or by sending us an email to info@readingpynchon.com telling us that you want to end your subscription. The data processed before we receive your request may still be legally processed.

The data provided when registering for the newsletter will be used to distribute the newsletter until you cancel your subscription when said data will be deleted. Data we have stored for other purposes (e.g. email addresses for the members area) remain unaffected.

Integration of Email Service Provider CleverReach

This website uses CleverReachto send newsletters. The supplier is CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, Mühlenstr. 43, 26180 Rastede, Germany. CleverReachis a service which organizes and analyzes the distribution of newsletters. The data you provide (e.g. your email address) to subscribe to our newsletter will be stored on CleverReachservers in Germany or Ireland.

Statistical Data

Sending our newsletters with CleverReachenables us to analyze the behavior of newsletter recipients. Among other things, we can find out how many recipients have opened the email containing the newsletter and how often various links contained therein are clicked. With the help of conversion tracking, we can also analyze whether a predefined action (such as the purchase of a product on our website) takes place after clicking on the link in the newsletter. For more information on how data is analyzed by CleverReach, please visit https://www.cleverreach.com/de/funktionen/reporting-und-tracking/.

Data processing is based on Art. 6 (1) (a) DSGVO. You may revoke your consent at any time by unsubscribing to the newsletter. The data processed before we receive your request may still be legally processed.

Cancellation and Revocation

If you do not want your usage of the newsletter to be analyzed by CleverReach, you will have to unsubscribe from the newsletter. For this purpose, we provide a link in every newsletter we send. You can also unsubscribe from the newsletter directly on the website via our contact form or by sending us an email to info@readingpynchon.com telling us that you would like to unsubscribe.

The data provided when registering for the newsletter will be used to distribute the newsletter until you cancel your subscription when said data will be deleted from our servers and those of CleverReach. Data we have stored for other purposes (e.g. email addresses for the members area) remains unaffected.

For more information, see the privacy policy of CleverReach at https://www.cleverreach.com/de/privacy-policy/.

Use of Newsletter Online and Data Management

There are cases in which we direct newsletter recipients to websites by our newsletter provider CleverReach. Our newsletter, for example, contains a link that allows users to be directed to the online version of the newsletter (e.g. if your mail software, mail application or mail program has problems displaying the newsletter correctly). In addition the privacy policy by CleverReachcan only be accessed on its website.

In this context we also point out that CleverReachuses cookies on its websites. Thus personal data is being processed by CleverReach, its partners or integrated service providers (e.g. Google Analytics). We do not have any influence on this kind of data storage. You find further information concerning this aspect in the privacy policy by CleverReach. In addition we point out the possibilities of revocation of data storage for the purpose of advertising on the following websites: YourAdChoices (you start a browser check when clicking on this link) and http://www.youronlinechoices.com/(the latter for Europe).

7. Our social media appearances

Data processing through social networks

We maintain publicly available profiles in social networks. The individual social networks we use can be found below.
Social networks such as Facebook, Google+ etc. can generally analyse your user behaviour comprehensively if you visit their website or a website with integrated social media content (e.g. like buttons or banner ads). When you visit our social media pages, numerous data protection-relevant processing operations are triggered.

In detail: If you are logged in to your social media account and visit our social media page, the operator of the social media portal can assign this visit to your user account. Under certain circumstances, your personal data may also be recorded if you are not logged in or do not have an account with the respective social media portal. In this case, this data is collected, for example, via cookies stored on your device or by recording your IP address.

Using the data collected in this way, the operators of the social media portals can create user profiles in which their preferences and interests are stored. This way you can see interest-based advertising inside and outside of your social media presence. If you have an account with the social network, interest-based advertising can be displayed on any device you are logged in to or have logged in to.

Please also note that we cannot retrace all processing operations on the social media portals. Depending on the provider, additional processing operations may therefore be carried out by the operators of the social media portals. Details can be found in the terms of use and privacy policy of the respective social media portals.

Legal basis

Our social media appearances should ensure the widest possible presence on the Internet. This is a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. The analysis processes initiated by the social networks may be based on divergent legal bases to be specified by the operators of the social networks (e.g. consent within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR).

Responsibility and assertion of rights

If you visit one of our social media sites (e.g., Facebook), we, together with the operator of the social media platform, are responsible for the data processing operations triggered during this visit. You can in principle protect your rights (information, correction, deletion, limitation of processing, data portability and complaint) vis-à-vis us as well as vis-à-vis the operator of the respective social media portal (e.g. Facebook).
Please note that despite the shared responsibility with the social media portal operators, we do not have full influence on the data processing operations of the social media portals. Our options are determined by the company policy of the respective provider.

Storage time

The data collected directly from us via the social media presence will be deleted from our systems as soon as the purpose for their storage lapses, you ask us to delete it, you revoke your consent to the storage or the purpose for the data storage lapses. Stored cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory statutory provisions – in particular, retention periods – remain unaffected.

We have no control over the storage duration of your data that are stored by the social network operators for their own purposes. For details, please contact the social network operators directly (e.g. in their privacy policy, see below).

Individual social networks

Facebook

We have a profile on Facebook. The provider is Facebook Inc., 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA. Facebook is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield.

We have signed an agreement with Facebook on shared responsibility for the processing of data (Controller Addendum). This agreement determines which data processing operations we or Facebook are responsible for when you visit our Facebook Fanpage. This agreement can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum

You can customise your advertising settings independently in your user account. Click on the following link and log in:
https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads

Details can be found in the Facebook privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/

Twitter

We use the short message service Twitter. The provider is Twitter Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States. Twitter is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield.

You can customise your Twitter privacy settings in your user account. Click on the following link and log in:
https://twitter.com/personalization

For details, see the Twitter Privacy Policy: https://twitter.com/privacy

LinkedIn

We have a LinkedIn profile. The provider is the LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. LinkedIn is certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield. LinkedIn uses advertising cookies.

If you want to disable LinkedIn advertising cookies, please use the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out

For details on how they handle your personal information, please refer to LinkedIn’s privacy policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy