Privacy policy
This Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) applies to the website https://itsonylsemantics.com and various related services (collectively, “I”, “mine”, or “my”) to the user (“user”), the customer (“customer”). This Policy describes how I collect, use and disclose information, and what choices you have with respect to the information. This Policy should be read carefully before using this website or providing it’s only semantics with personal information.
1. Data protection at a glance
General information
The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data is any data by which you can be personally identified. For detailed information on the subject of data protection, please refer to our data protection declaration listed below this text.
Data collection on our website
Who is responsible for data collection on this website?
Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find his contact details in the imprint of this website.
How do we collect your data?
On the one hand, your data is collected by you providing it to us. This may, for example, be data that you enter in a contact form. Other data is collected automatically by our IT systems when you visit the website. This is mainly technical data (e.g. internet browser, operating system or time of page view). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter our website.
What do we use your data for?
Part of the data is collected in order to ensure error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyse your user behaviour.
What rights do you have regarding your data?
You have the right to receive information free of charge at any time about the origin, recipient and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to demand the correction, blocking or deletion of this data. You can contact me at any time at the address given in the imprint for this purpose and for further questions on the subject of data protection. Furthermore, you have the right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.
Analysis tools and tools from third-party providers
When you visit our website, your surfing behaviour may be statistically analysed. This is done primarily with cookies and so-called analysis programs. The analysis of your surfing behaviour is usually anonymous; the surfing behaviour cannot be traced back to you. You can object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. You will find detailed information on this in the following data protection declaration. You can object to this analysis. We will inform you about the possibilities of objection in this data protection declaration.
2. General notes and obligatory information
Data protection
The operator of these pages takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. I treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this data protection declaration. When you use this website, various personal data are collected. Personal data is data by which you can be personally identified. This Privacy Policy explains what information I collect and how I use it. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done. I would like to point out that data transmission on the Internet (e.g. when communicating by e-mail) can have security gaps. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.
Note on the person responsible for this website
The responsible party for data processing on this website is:
Maximilian Engel
Rue Paul Lanscweert 8
1150 Woluwe Saint-Pierre
Telephone: +49 17636338770
E-mail: max@itsonlysemantics.com
”it’s only semantics” is registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE) under the number 0767.762.819 and is represented by Maximilian Engel as a natural person.
The responsible body is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of the processing of personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses or similar).
Withdrawal of your consent to data processing
Many data processing operations are only possible with your expressed consent. You can revoke consent you have already given at any time. All you need to do is send me an informal e-mail. The legality of the data processing carried out until the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.
Right of appeal to the competent supervisory authority
In the event of violations of data protection law, the data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. The competent supervisory authority in matters of data protection law is the Belgian Data Protection Authority (GBA), an independent body of the Federal Parliament of Belgium, in which our company is based. For more information and guidance, visit the link: https://www.dataprotectionauthority.be/citizen
Right to data portability
You have the right to have data that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in fulfilment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a common, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another responsible party, this will only be done insofar as it is technically feasible.
SSL or TLS encryption
For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or enquiries that you send to us as the site operator, this site uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognise an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser line. If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.
Information, blocking, deletion
Within the framework of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient and the purpose of the data processing and, if applicable, the right to correction, blocking or deletion of this data. For this purpose as well as for further questions on the subject of personal data, you can contact us at any time at the address given in the imprint.
Objection to advertising e-mails
We hereby object to the use of contact data published within the framework of the imprint obligation to send advertising and information material that has not been expressly requested. The operators of the pages expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited sending of advertising information, for example by spam e-mails.
3. data collection on our website
Cookies
Some of the Internet pages use so-called cookies. Cookies do not cause any damage to your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies serve to make our offer more user-friendly, effective and secure. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and saved by your browser. Most of the cookies we use are so-called "session cookies". They are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your end device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognise your browser on your next visit. You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or generally and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If you deactivate cookies, the functionality of this website may be limited. Cookies that are required to carry out the electronic communication process or to provide certain functions that you have requested (e.g. shopping basket function) are stored on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies for the technically error-free and optimised provision of its services. Insofar as other cookies (e.g. cookies to analyse your surfing behaviour) are stored, these are dealt with separately in this data protection declaration.
Server log files
The provider of the pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are:
browser type and browser version
Operating system used
referrer URL
Host name of the accessing computer
Time of the server request
IP address
This data is not merged with other data sources. The basis for data processing is Art. 6 (1) of the GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or pre-contractual measures.
Squarespace
In order to make this website user-friendly and to provide you with the best possible service, we use Squarespace and Squarespace Analytics, a software of Squarespace Inc, 225 Varick Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10014, USA, Tel: 001-646-580-3456. Within the framework of the use of this software, the use of the website is analysed. For this purpose, Squarespace Analytics uses "cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website is transmitted to and stored by Squarespace on servers in the United States. Squarespace stores the following parameters during your visit by means of log files and cookies: Frequency of visit, type of terminal device (PC, mobile device, tablet), source of visit (Google, Direct, Bing, other websites), browser (Chrome, Chrome Mobile, Firefox, Internet Explorer, others), operating system (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, others), frequently used pages, approximate geographical location of the visitor, search terms entered in the search box, the IP address. You can prevent the storage of cookies by making the appropriate settings in your browser or deleting the cookies already stored. Since the steps required in each case vary from browser to browser, please call up the "Help" menu of your browser if you need information on how to proceed. If you use several end devices or browsers, you must do this again for each of your end devices or browsers. However, we would like to point out that in this case you may not be able to use all the functions of this website to their full extent. Further information on Squarespace can be found in the terms of use and the data protection guidelines of Squarespace Inc. at https://de.squarespace.com/terms-of-service/ and https://de.squarespace.com/privacy/. Squarespace is certified under the EU-US data protection agreement "Privacy Shield" and thus undertakes to comply with the EU data protection regulations.
Contact form
If you send us enquiries via the contact form, the information you provide in the enquiry form, including the contact details you enter there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the enquiry and in the event of follow-up questions. We do not pass on this data without your consent. The processing of the data entered in the contact form is therefore based exclusively on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 of the GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time. For this purpose, an informal communication by e-mail to us is sufficient. The legality of the data processing operations carried out until the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation. The data you entered in the contact form will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to store it or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g. after we have completed processing your request). Mandatory legal provisions - in particular retention periods - remain unaffected.
Processing of data (customer and contract data)
We collect, process and use personal data only to the extent that it is necessary for the establishment, content or amendment of the legal relationship (inventory data). This is done on the basis of Art. 6 (1) of the GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or pre-contractual measures. We collect, process and use personal data about the use of our Internet pages (usage data) only insofar as this is necessary to enable the user to use the service or to bill the user. The collected customer data is deleted after completion of the order or termination of the business relationship. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.
Data transfer upon conclusion of a contract for services and digital content
We only transmit personal data to third parties if this is necessary within the framework of the contract processing, for example to the credit institution commissioned with the payment processing. Further transmission of data does not take place or only if you have expressly consented to the transmission. Your data will not be passed on to third parties without your express consent, for example for advertising purposes. The basis for data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 of the GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or pre-contractual measures.
5. Analysis tools and advertising
Google Analytics
This website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Google Analytics uses so-called "cookies". These are text files that are stored on your computer and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Google Analytics cookies are stored on the basis of Art. 6 (1) of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analysing user behaviour in order to optimise both its website and its advertising.
IP anonymisation
We have activated the IP anonymisation function on this website. This means that your IP address is shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other states party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before being transmitted to the USA. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage to the website operator. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.
Browser plugin
You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. You can also prevent the collection of data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) by Google and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.
Objection to data collection
You can prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set, which will prevent the collection of your data during future visits to this website: Deactivate Google Analytics. For more information on how Google Analytics handles user data, please see Google's privacy policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de.
Demographic characteristics with Google Analytics
This website uses the "demographic characteristics" function of Google Analytics. This allows reports to be generated that contain statements about the age, gender and interests of site visitors. This data comes from interest-based advertising from Google as well as visitor data from third-party providers. This data cannot be assigned to a specific person. You can deactivate this function at any time via the ad settings in your Google account or generally prohibit the collection of your data by Google Analytics as shown in the item "Objection to data collection".
Google AdSense
This website uses Google AdSense, a service for integrating advertisements of Google Inc. ("Google"). The provider is Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Google AdSense uses "cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. Google AdSense also uses so-called web beacons (invisible graphics). Through these web beacons, information such as visitor traffic on these pages can be analysed. The information generated by cookies and web beacons about the use of this website (including your IP address) and delivery of advertising formats will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. This information may be passed on by Google to contractual partners of Google. However, Google will not merge your IP address with other data stored by you. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analysing user behaviour in order to optimise both its web offering and its advertising. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
Google Analytics Remarketing
Our websites use the functions of Google Analytics Remarketing in conjunction with the cross-device functions of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. The provider is Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. This function makes it possible to link the advertising target groups created with Google Analytics Remarketing with the cross-device functions of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. In this way, interest-based, personalised advertising messages that have been adapted to you depending on your previous usage and surfing behaviour on one end device (e.g. mobile phone) can also be displayed on another of your end devices (e.g. tablet or PC). If you have given your consent, Google will link your web and app browsing history to your Google account for this purpose. In this way, the same personalised advertising messages can be displayed on every device on which you log in with your Google account. To support this feature, Google Analytics collects Google-authenticated IDs of users, which are temporarily linked to our Google Analytics data to define and create audiences for cross-device ad targeting. You can permanently object to cross-device remarketing/targeting by deactivating personalised advertising in your Google account; follow this link: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/. The aggregation of the collected data in your Google account is based solely on your consent, which you can give or withdraw at Google. In the case of data collection processes that are not merged in your Google Account (e.g. because you do not have a Google Account or have objected to the merging), the collection of data is based on Art. 6 (1) of the GDPR. The legitimate interest results from the fact that the website operator has an interest in the anonymised analysis of website visitors for advertising purposes. Further information and the data protection provisions can be found in Google's data protection declaration at: https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/.
Google AdWords and Google Conversion Tracking
This website uses Google AdWords. AdWords is an online advertising programme of Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States ("Google"). Within the framework of Google AdWords, we use so-called conversion tracking. When you click on an ad placed by Google, a cookie is set for conversion tracking. Cookies are small text files that the internet browser stores on the user's computer. These cookies lose their validity after 30 days and are not used to personally identify the user. If the user visits certain pages of this website and the cookie has not yet expired, Google and we will be able to recognise that the user clicked on the ad and was redirected to this page. Each Google AdWords customer receives a different cookie. The cookies cannot be tracked across AdWords customers' websites. The information obtained using the conversion cookie is used to create conversion statistics for AdWords customers who have opted in to conversion tracking. The customers learn the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a page tagged with a conversion tracking tag. However, they do not receive any information that personally identifies users. If you do not wish to participate in the tracking, you can object to this use by easily deactivating the Google conversion tracking cookie via your internet browser under user settings. You will then not be included in the conversion tracking statistics. The storage of "conversion cookies" is based on Art. 6 para. 1 of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analysing user behaviour in order to optimise both its website and its advertising. More information on Google AdWords and Google conversion tracking can be found in Google's privacy policy: https://www.google.de/policies/privacy/. You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If you deactivate cookies, the functionality of this website may be limited.
Google reCAPTCHA
We use "Google reCAPTCHA" (hereinafter "reCAPTCHA") on our websites. The provider is Google Inc, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA ("Google"). The purpose of reCAPTCHA is to check whether data entry on our websites (e.g. in a contact form) is made by a human or by an automated programme. For this purpose, reCAPTCHA analyses the behaviour of the website visitor on the basis of various characteristics. This analysis begins automatically as soon as the website visitor enters the website. For the analysis, reCAPTCHA evaluates various information (e.g. IP address, time spent by the website visitor on the website or mouse movements made by the user). The data collected during the analysis is forwarded to Google. The reCAPTCHA analyses run entirely in the background. Website visitors are not informed that an analysis is taking place. The data processing is based on Art. 6 para. 1 of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in protecting its web offers from abusive automated spying and from SPAM. For more information on Google reCAPTCHA and Google's privacy policy, please see the following links: https://www.google.com/intl/de/policies/privacy/ and https://www.google.com/recaptcha/intro/android.html.
Squarespace Analytics
In order to make this website user-friendly and to offer you the best possible service, we use Squarespace and Squarespace Analytics, a software of Squarespace Inc., 225 Varick Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10014, USA, Tel: 001-646-580-3456. Within the scope of the use of this software, the use of the website is analysed. For this purpose, Squarespace Analytics uses "cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website is transmitted to and stored by Squarespace on servers in the United States. Squarespace stores the following parameters during your visit by means of log files and cookies: Frequency of visit, type of terminal device (PC, mobile device, tablet), source of visit (Google, Direct, Bing, other websites), browser (Chrome, Chrome Mobile, Firefox, Internet Explorer, others), operating system (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, others), frequently used pages, approximate geographical location of the visitor, search terms entered in the search box, the IP address. You can prevent the storage of cookies by making the appropriate settings in your browser or deleting the cookies already stored. Since the steps required in each case vary from browser to browser, please call up the "Help" menu of your browser if you need information on how to proceed. If you use several end devices or browsers, you must do this again for each of your end devices or browsers. However, we would like to point out that in this case you may not be able to use all the functions of this website to their full extent. Further information on Squarespace can be found in the terms of use and the data protection guidelines of Squarespace Inc. at https://de.squarespace.com/terms-of-service/ and https://de.squarespace.com/privacy/. Squarespace is certified under the EU-US data protection agreement "Privacy Shield" and thus undertakes to comply with the EU data protection regulations.
6.Scheduling
x.ai
My Website uses the service provided by x.ai to allow prospective customers to schedule appointments and lessons with me. The secondary purpose is to be able to collect payments for certain appointments, e.g. language lessons, using the third-party provider Stripe (You can find more information under the point “Stripe”). x.ai is located at 200 Broadway, 3rd Floor. New York, NY10038, USA. x.ai is a productivity tool powered by artificial intelligence that lets you schedule meetings. Your infromation, e.g. email address and name willl be stored in x.ai’s system once a meeting is scheduled. x.ai has ensured me in written form that your data will under no circumstances be sold, neither individually or in an agregated form. Your data is solely used to ensure the delivery of the service. The /meetings page in my x.ai account contains a full list of all my meetings (those that have taken place and those in the future) keeping a true ledger of what happened on my calendar, and additionally the system has a "follow-up" feature that easily allows me to schedule a follow-up meeting with anyone of the participants from a meeting. As such, my guests information is maintained in the system as part of the product and to deliver the service. x.ai, inc complies with the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework and the Swiss-US Privacy Shield Framework as set forth by the US Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal information from European Union member countries and Switzerland transferred to the United States pursuant to Privacy Shield. x.ai has certified that it adheres to the Privacy Shield Principles with respect to such data. If there is any conflict between the policies in this privacy policy and data subject rights under the Privacy Shield Principles, the Privacy Shield Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Privacy Shield program, please visit https://www.privacyshield.gov/, and to view x.ai’s certification page, please visit here. With respect to the Personal Information received or transferred pursuant to the Privacy Shield Framework, x.ai is subject to the regulatory enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In certain situations, x.ai may be required to disclose Personal Information in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. x.ai acknowledges the right of EU and Swiss individuals to access their personal data pursuant to the Privacy Shield. Individuals wishing to exercise this right may do so by contacting x.ai at information-security@human.x.ai. The data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 of the GDPR). x.ai has further committed to refer unresolved privacy complaints under the Privacy Shield Principles to an independent dispute resolution mechanism, the BBB EU PRIVACY SHIELD, operated by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed, please visit www.bbb.org/EU-privacy-shield/for-eu-consumers for more information and to file a complaint. This service is provided free of charge to you.
https://x.ai/privacy-policy/#information-we-collect-receive
Written data processing agreement
I have a written, so-called "Data-Processing-Agreement" with x.ai, in which x.ai agrees to protect the data of my customers and commits to adhearing to GDPR guidelines, congruent with E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield.
7.Payments using third-party payment providers on itsonlysemantics.com
Stripe
In order to process payments ahead of some appointments involving a paid service, e.g. language lessons or paid consulting services, I use the third-party vendor Stripe. Stripe has been contracted by x.ai, the scheduling platform of this website, to collect payments. The entity responsible for processing payments is Stripe, Inc., 510 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Stripe, Inc. is a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA. Registration number: 4675506, Secretary of State, State of Delaware. Many of Stripe’s services are provided to others in connection with their own business and activities, and the customer may engage with Stripe services as part of another’s service, such as making a payment for a lesson through it’s only semantics’ calendar booking system x.ai and Stripe provides the payment processing services to it’s ony semantics through Stripe Checkout (collectively, we refer to Sites and direct and indirect services as “Services”). This policy applies to Stripe’s own Services. For x.ai’s privacy policy, refer to the point x.ai’s privacy policy. Websites, products and services of third-parties and some affiliates of Stripe are subject to their own separate privacy policies.When connecting to Stripe through a third-party platform, i.e. x.ai, two levels of permission can be requested: read only and read and write. x.ai uses read and write. The read and write level is used by x.ai to help me (it’s only semantics) accept payments online. This allows me to create customers, charges, refunds, and more. At no time, am I able to copy credit card numbers or copy them off of Stripe. Here is an general overview how your data will be used within the the read and write permission.
All of the above read-only permissions
View all of your customers, subscriptions, charges, and payouts
View your account balance
View basic information about your account: business name, support phone number, time zone, etc.
List and view the same information above for your connected accounts
Create and update any object: customers, charges, invoices, plans, coupons, and subscriptions
Refund any charge
Delete customers
Also, if I, the seller needs help with a payment or transaction, x.ai, the account owner can look up the details either using the API or by getting a limited view of the user’s Dashboard. This limited view can help the platform troubleshoot with my account if there are any problems. (Note that platforms have always had the ability to create and access data on connected accounts via the API; this new capability allows them to manage the same data via the Dashboard.) Some of Stripe’s services may be accessed directly by me (it’s only semantics), including through Stripe’s websites that reference this policy (e.g. stripe.com) (collectively “Sites”). As a European citizen you may exercise your rights by contacting our DPO. If you are a resident of the EEA or Stripe has identified Stripe Payments Europe Limited as your data controller, and believes that it is processing your information in scope of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may direct your questions or complaints to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.
Legal validity
You privacy and the safekeeping of your data are my utmost priority. Equally, I am commited to keeping my privacy section up to date, in case things chnage, inlcuding, but not limited to how your data is processed. If sections or individual terms of this statement are not legal or correct, the content or validity of the other parts remain uneffected by this fact.
If for whatever reason, you have questions about your data is processed or I have omitted something, please do not hesitate to reach out to me under
max@itsonlysemantics.com