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Information on cookies and tracking technologies

This notice provides information about the use of cookies and tracking technologies on the websites and associated sub-pages (hereinafter referred to as "websites") and online offers/presence (together hereinafter referred to as "telemedia services" or electronic communication services) of Messe Berlin GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "Messe Berlin") for the storage and access to information on users' terminal equipment or devices and the subsequent processing of personal data. This notice supplements the general data protection notice for websites and online offers/presence and marketing of Messe Berlin. For particular processing activities there will be separate information notices, where necessary.

Telemedia provider within the meaning of the Telecommunications Telemedia Data Protection Act (hereinafter "TTDSG") and Controller for subsequent data processing within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Messe Berlin GmbH, Messedamm 22, 14055 Berlin, Germany, e-mail: info@messe-berlin.de.

Data protection officer: group data protection officer of Messe Berlin (address: as before; e-mail: datenschutz@messe-berlin.de). In some cases, especially when integrating social media, Messe Berlin is a joint controller with the respective third-party providers within the meaning of Art. 26 GDPR for certain data processing activities. For more information in this regard, in particular on the roles and relationships of the joint controllers, please see the data protection notices of the respective third-party providers in Section 4.

Messe Berlin uses various types of cookies and tracking technologies such as pixels and local stored objects on its telemedia services:

  • "Cookies" are small text files that are stored on the user's terminal equipment in the web browser when visiting or using the telemedia services.
  • "Web beacons " are small graphic files that are also stored on the user's device.
  • Local storage" means that data is stored locally in the cache, i.e., in a kind of temporary memory of the user's browser. If the cache is not deleted, the data remains there even when the browser window is closed, and the program is terminated and can be read out further.

These cookies and tracking technologies automatically record information such as the date of the page view and surfing behavior and are automatically accessed and read out by Messe Berlin and any third-party providers of cookies and tracking technologies. This information enables, among other things, the recognition of the users at the next time they access the telemedia services. The information collected differs according to the type of tracking technology used.

These automatically collected technical data, especially in connection with the IP address, some device information or online identifiers, can be used to identify data subjects. In this case these technical data amount to personal data.

Cookies and other tracking technologies

On some telemedia services, first party cookies and other tracking technologies as well as third party cookies and other tracking technologies are used, which can be divided into the following categories:

Essential

The storage of information in the user's terminal equipment (e.g., laptop, computer, mobile phone) or access to information already stored in their terminal equipment by means of these technologies is absolutely necessary for the operation and usability of the telemedia services so that Messe Berlin can provide these telemedia services expressly requested by the user (legal basis: section 25 (2) TTDSG). This also includes technologies for the use of the Consent Management Tool. These technologies can therefore not be deactivated.

The subsequent processing of any personal data is based on the legitimate interest of Messe Berlin in the functioning, provision and maintenance of the operation, usability, operability and safety/security of the telemedia services (legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

For further information on subsequent data processing, see the data protection notice for websites and online offers/presence and marketingof Messe Berlin

Functional/marketing

Storing information in the terminal equipment of the users or accessing information already stored in their terminal equipment by means of these technologies help to analyse the use of the telemedia services, measure performance and optimise the telemedia services for the user and/or dynamically display advertising on own and external websites, personalise content and advertisements and display relevant information in a targeted manner (e.g., via individualised banners on websites) and measure the efficiency of the advertising (e.g., whether an advertisement was clicked on and subsequent actions on the websites). These technologies also provide information to the respective third-party technology provider or advertising partner and are used by them for their own purposes, if applicable, as explained in their privacy notices and cookie notices. The aforementioned storage or access to the information is based on the consent of the users (legal basis: section 25 TTDSG).

The subsequent processing of any personal data is based on the consent of the user (legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR).

For further information on subsequent data processing, see the data protection notice for websites and online offers/presence and marketing of Messe Berlin.

Social Media Plugins

The Messe Berlin telemedia services integrate social media plugins. If users are logged in with their social media account, they can share content such as individual blog posts, products or news in the social media by clicking on the respective icon on the web pages. Among other things, the IP address of the user’s device is transmitted to the social networks. Users can be identified through the connection and the third-party providers can create a browsing history of their users. On the Messe Berlin websites the plugins are implemented with the software "Shariff", so that the data are only transferred to the respective operators of the networks when the user consciously clicks on the buttons (so-called 2-click solution - i.e., the social plugin is activated after the first mouse click and the functions can only be used after the second mouse click of the user). The data processing is based on the consent of the users (legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR).

For further information on subsequent data processing, see the data protection notice for websites and online offers/presence and marketingof Messe Berlin.

Where necessary, personal data will be disclosed to other companies of the Messe Berlin group of companies for the purposes specified in section 3 below. In order to carry out certain processing activities in connection with the purposes mentioned in section 3 (in particular hosting and IT support, website and content management, data management), external service providers are used which process the personal data on behalf of Messe Berlin (so-called "processors“).

Services and functions of third parties may be integrated on some Messe Berlin telemedia services in the form of external links. When users click on these links and use these offers, they leave the Messe Berlin telemedia services and are redirected to the website of the respective third party, which may use its own cookies or tracking technologies. This third party processes the data as a controller within the meaning of the GDPR. For further information, please refer to the data protection and cookie notices of the respective third party.

Social media

Data published in social media accounts are available to all users of the social media channels worldwide. It is also available to the providers of the social media channels (YouTube/Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Xing), which have their own terms of use/general terms and conditions (GTCs) and privacy notices (see below). Users should note the options provided by these providers to restrict the processing of usage or traffic data.

Cookies and other tracking technologies can be deleted by users themselves or the setting of cookies can be prevented or blocked. In this case, users must call up the help pages of their web browser in order to make the corresponding browser settings. However, the settings made there only relate to the browser used and set in this way. If users delete or prevent so-called essential tracking technologies, they will not be able to visit or use the corresponding telemedia services or the functionality of the telemedia services may be impaired. 

If the browser cache is not cleared, the data remains there even when the browser window is closed and the program is terminated and can still be read out.

Stored personal data will be deleted once they are no longer necessary for the achievement of the respective purpose of their processing, or after receipt of the objection or the withdrawal of consent will no longer be processed for the associated purpose and, if necessary, subsequently deleted, unless the conditions of applicable statutory exceptions are met. Evidence of consent given is stored for a maximum of three years after the date on which the consent is withdrawn or otherwise becomes invalid.

When visiting the telemedia services of Messe Berlin, users can actively consent to the use of cookies and tracking technologies that are not necessary for the operation or functioning of the telemedia services (i.e. the categories Functional and Marketing) via the Consent Management Tool. Users can change their personal settings at any time via the Consent Management Tool and (de-)activate cookies and tracking technologies that are not necessary, either in their entirety or individually, and thus withdraw consent already given with effect for the future or also give their consent at a later point in time.

Rights of the data subjects pursuant to Art. 12-21 GDPR: the right to access personal data, the right to rectification, erasure and data portability as well as to restriction of processing. If consent has been given, this can be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future.

Rights of objection

Insofar as the processing is based on the legal basis of legitimate interest (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) (see section 3 above), the data subject has the right to object to the processing of personal data at any time on grounds relating to the data subject's particular situation.

Furthermore, there is the right to object to the processing and use of data for marketing purposes at any time.

In order to exercise the rights, data subjects can contact the controller (and in case of joint controller, each of the joint controllers) at any time (for contact details, see section 1). If data subjects are of the opinion that the data processing violates data protection law, they have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority of their choice (Art. 77 GDPR in conjunction with section 19 of the German Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz)).