Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy

Privacy Policy

At martinbartels.net, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

1. Data Controller

The data controller for this website is Martin Bartels, located at Frankfurt, Germany. For any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at martin.h.bartels@live.com.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect the following personal data when you create an account:

• Full Name
• Email Address

If you opt-in to receive email updates, we will also collect your email address for this purpose.

3. Purpose of Data Collection

We collect your personal data for the following purposes:

• To allow you to leave comments on this blog.
• To send you email updates (if you opt-in).

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on:

• Consent: When you create an account or opt-in to receive newsletters, you provide explicit consent for us to process your data for these purposes.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your personal data is stored in a PostgreSQL database hosted on a Virtual Private Server (VPS) provided by one.com. The server is located in a ISO27001-certified Datacenter in Europe.

We implement the following security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: Data transmitted between your browser and our server is encrypted using HTTPS (SSL/TLS).
• Database Security: Access to the database is restricted to authorized personnel only, and strong passwords and firewall rules are enforced.
• Regular Backups: We perform regular backups of the database to prevent data loss.
• Updates and Patches: The server and database software are kept up-to-date with the latest security patches.

6. Data Retention

We will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or as required by law. If you wish to delete your account, please contact us at martin.h.bartels@live.com.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: You can request that we delete your personal data.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we restrict the processing of your data.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your data for certain purposes.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: If processing is based on consent, you can withdraw your consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at martin.h.bartels@live.com.

8. Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal data to third parties without your consent, except:

• To trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website (e.g., email service providers for newsletters).
• When required by law or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

9. International Data Transfers

If we transfer your data outside the European Economic Area (EEA), we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data.

10. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal data, we will:

• Notify you via email within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach.
• Provide details about the nature of the breach, the data affected, and the steps we are taking to mitigate the risks.
• Report the breach to the relevant supervisory authority, as required by law.

11. Cookies

Our website uses cookies solely for authentication purposes. These cookies store encrypted session data to keep you logged in while using our website. For more details, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at martin.h.bartels@live.com.