With this privacy policy we inform you about which personal data we process in connection with our activities and activities, including our www.contra-corrente.ch website. In particular, we inform you about what, how and where we process which personal data. We also inform you about the rights of people whose data we process.
For individual or additional activities and activities, additional privacy policies and other legal documents such as general terms and conditions (GTC), terms of use or conditions of participation may apply.
We are subject to Swiss data protection law and any applicable foreign data protection law, in particular that of the European Union (EU) with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The European Commission recognizes that Swiss data protection law ensures adequate data protection.
1. Contact addresses
Responsibility for the processing of personal data:
Contra Corrente AG
Ostermundigenstrasse 69
3006 Bern
Switzerland
We point out if there are other persons responsible for the processing of personal data in individual cases.
2. Terms and legal bases
2.1 Terms
Personal data is all information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. A data subject is a person about whom we process personal data.
Processing includes any handling of personal data, regardless of the means and procedures used, for example querying, comparing, adapting, archiving, storing, reading, disclosing, obtaining, recording, collecting, deleting, disclosing, arranging, organizing, storing, changing, disseminating, linking, destroying and using personal data.
The European Economic Area (EEA) includes the Member States of the European Union(EU) as well as the Principality of Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) describes the processing of personal data as processing of personal data.
2.2 Legal bases
We process personal data in accordance with Swiss data protection law, in particular the Federal Act on Data Protection (Data Protection Act, DSG) and the Regulation on Data Protection (Data Protection Ordinance, DSV).
We process – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – personal data in accordance with at least one of the following legal bases:
- Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data to fulfill a contract with the data subject and to carry out pre-contractual measures.
- Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data in order to protect the legitimate interests of us or third parties, unless the fundamental freedoms and fundamental rights and interests of the data subject prevail. Legitimate interests are in particular our interest in being able to carry out our activities and operations in a permanent, user-friendly, secure and reliable manner and to communicate about them, ensuring information security, protection against misuse, enforcing our own legal claims and compliance with Swiss law.
- Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. c GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data to fulfill a legal obligation to which we are subject under any applicable law of member states in the European Economic Area (EEA).
- Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. e GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data to perform a task that is in the public interest.
- Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a GDPR for the processing of personal data with the consent of the data subject.
- Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. d GDPR for the necessary processing of personal data in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or another natural person.
3. Type, scope and purpose
We process the personal data that is necessary in order to be able to carry out our activities and operations in a permanent, user-friendly, secure and reliable manner. Such personal data can fall into the categories of inventory and contact data, browser and device data, content data, meta or peripheral data and usage data, location data, sales data as well as contract and payment data.
We process personal data for the period required for the respective purpose(s) or required by law. Personal data that no longer needs to be processed is anonymized or deleted.
We can have personal data processed by third parties. We can process personal data jointly with third parties or transmit it to third parties. Such third parties are in particular specialized providers whose services we use. We also guarantee data protection for such third parties.
We generally only process personal data with the consent of the persons concerned. If and to the extent that processing is permissible for other legal reasons, we can refrain from obtaining consent. For example, we can process personal data without consent in order to fulfil a contract, to comply with legal obligations or to protect overriding interests.
In this context, we process in particular information that a person concerned voluntarily sends to us when contacting us – for example by letter, email, instant messaging, contact form, social media or telephone – or when registering for a user account. We can store such information, for example, in an address book, in a customer relationship management system (CRM system) or with comparable tools. If we receive data about other people, the people transmitting the data are obliged to ensure that these people are protected from data breaches and that the personal data is accurate.
We also process personal data that we receive from third parties, obtain from publicly accessible sources or collect when carrying out our activities, if and to the extent that such processing is permitted for legal reasons.
4. Applications
We process personal data about applicants insofar as it is necessary to assess suitability for an employment relationship or for the subsequent implementation of an employment contract. The required personal data arise in particular from the information requested, for example in the context of a job advertisement. We also process personal data that applicants voluntarily provide or publish, in particular as part of cover letters, CVs and other application documents as well as online profiles.
We process – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – personal data about applicants, in particular in accordance with Art. 9 Para. 2 lit. b GDPR.
We use third-party services to advertise positions using e-recruitment and to enable and manage applications.
5. Personal data abroad
We process personal data generally in Switzerland and the European Economic Area (EEA). However, we can also export or transfer personal data to other countries, in particular to process it there or to have it processed there.
We can export personal data to all states and territories on earth and elsewhere in the universe, provided that the law there permits this in accordance with Decision of the Swiss Federal Council ensures adequate data protection and – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – in accordance with Decision of the European Commission ensures adequate data protection.
We may transfer personal data to countries whose law does not guarantee adequate data protection, provided that data protection is guaranteed for other reasons, in particular on the basis of standard data protection clauses or with other suitable guarantees. In exceptional cases, we may export personal data to countries without adequate or suitable data protection if the special data protection requirements are met, for example the express consent of the data subjects or a direct connection with the conclusion or execution of a contract. We will be happy to provide data subjects with information about any guarantees or provide a copy of any guarantees upon request.
6. Rights of data subjects
6.1 Data protection claims
We grant data subjects all claims in accordance with the applicable data protection law. Data subjects have the following rights in particular:
- Information: Data subjects can request information as to whether we process personal data about them and, if so, which personal data this is. Data subjects also receive the information required to assert their data protection claims and to ensure transparency. This includes the personal data processed as such, but also, among other things, information on the purpose of processing, the duration of storage, any disclosure or export of data to other countries and the origin of the personal data.
- Correction and restriction: Affected persons can correct incorrect personal data, complete incomplete data and have the processing of their data restricted.
- Deletion and objection: Affected persons can have personal data deleted («right to be forgotten») and object to the processing of their data with effect for the future.
- Disclosure of data and data transfer: Affected persons can request the release of personal data or the transfer of their data to another responsible party.
We can postpone, restrict or refuse the exercise of the rights of data subjects within the legally permissible framework. We can inform data subjects of any conditions that must be met in order to exercise their data protection claims. For example, we can refuse to provide information in whole or in part with reference to business secrets or the protection of other persons. For example, we can also refuse to delete personal data in whole or in part with reference to statutory retention periods.
We can exceptionally charge costs for the exercise of rights. We inform affected persons in advance of any costs.
We are obliged to take appropriate measures to identify affected persons who request information or assert other rights. Affected persons are obliged to cooperate.
6.2 Right to complain
Data subjects have the right to enforce their data protection claims through legal means or to lodge a complaint with a competent data protection supervisory authority.
The data protection supervisory authority for private controllers and federal bodies in Switzerland is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC).
Data subjects have the right – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – to lodge a complaint with a competent European data protection supervisory authority.
7. Data security
We take suitable technical and organizational measures to ensure data security appropriate to the respective risk. However, we cannot guarantee absolute data security.
Our website is accessed using transport encryption (SSL/TLS, in particular with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, abbreviated to HTTPS). Most browsers indicate transport encryption with a padlock in the address bar.
Our digital communication is subject to mass surveillance without cause or suspicion, as well as other surveillance by security authorities in Switzerland, the rest of Europe, the United States of America (USA) and other countries. We have no direct influence on the processing of personal data by secret services, police departments and other security authorities.
8. Use of the website
8.1 Cookies
We may use cookies. Cookies – our own cookies (first-party cookies) as well as cookies from third parties whose services we use (third-party cookies) – are data that is stored in the browser. Such stored data does not have to be limited to traditional cookies in text form.
Cookies can be stored temporarily in the browser as “session cookies” or for a certain period of time as so-called permanent cookies. “Session cookies” are automatically deleted when the browser is closed. Permanent cookies have a certain storage period. Cookies make it possible in particular to recognize a browser the next time you visit our website and thus, for example, to measure the reach of our website. Permanent cookies can also be used for online marketing, for example.
Cookies can be deactivated or deleted in whole or in part at any time in the browser settings. Without cookies, our website may no longer be fully available. We actively request your express consent to the use of cookies – at least if and to the extent necessary.
For cookies used for success and reach measurement or for advertising, a general objection (“opt-out”) is possible for numerous services via AdChoices (Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada), the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), YourAdChoices (Digital Advertising Alliance) or Your Online Choices (European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance, EDAA).
8.2 Server log files
We can record the following information for each access to our website, provided that it is transmitted from your browser to our server infrastructure or can be determined by our web server: Date and time including time zone, IP address, access status (HTTP status code), operating system including user interface and version, browser including language and version, individual sub-pages of our website accessed including the amount of data transferred, last website accessed in the same browser window (referrer).
We store such information, which may also represent personal data, in server log files. The information is required in order to provide our website in a permanent, user-friendly and reliable manner and to ensure data security and thus in particular the protection of personal data – also by third parties or with the help of third parties.
8.3 Tracking pixels
We can use tracking pixels on our website. Tracking pixels are also known as web beacons. Tracking pixels – also from third parties whose services we use – are small, usually invisible images that are automatically retrieved when you visit our website. Tracking pixels can be used to record the same information as in server log files.
9. Notifications and messages
We send notifications and messages by email and other communication channels such as instant messaging or SMS.
9.1 Success and reach measurement
Notifications and messages can contain web links or tracking pixels that record whether an individual message has been opened and which web links were clicked. Such web links and tracking pixels can also record the use of notifications and messages on a personal basis. We need this statistical recording of usage for success and reach measurement in order to be able to send notifications and messages based on the needs and reading habits of the recipients in an effective and user-friendly as well as permanent, secure and reliable manner.
9.2 Consent and objection
You must in principle expressly consent to the use of your email address and other contact addresses, unless the use is permitted for other legal reasons. For any consent, we use the “double opt-in” procedure wherever possible, which means that you will receive an email with a web link that you must click on to confirm so that no misuse by unauthorized third parties can occur. We may store such consents including IP address and date and time for evidential and security reasons.
You can in principle object to receiving notifications and messages such as newsletters at any time. With such an objection, you can also object to the statistical recording of usage for success and reach measurement. Required notifications and messages in connection with our activities and operations remain reserved.
9.3 Service providers for notifications and messages
We send notifications and messages with the help of specialized service providers.
We use in particular:
- Brevo: Building and maintaining customer relationships, particularly via email and instant Messaging; provider: Sendinblue GmbH (Germany); data protection information: Data protection declaration, «Data protection and data security», «Security and data protection».
10. Social Media
We are present on social media platforms and other online platforms in order to be able to communicate with interested parties and to inform them about our activities and operations. In connection with such platforms, personal data may also be processed outside Switzerland and the European Economic Area (EEA).
The general terms and conditions (GTC) and terms of use as well as data protection declarations and other provisions of the individual operators of such platforms also apply. These provisions provide information in particular about the rights of data subjects directly vis-à-vis the respective platform, which includes, for example, the right to information.
We are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Ireland) for our social media presence on Facebook, including the so-called page insights, if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable. Meta Platforms Ireland Limited is part of the Meta companies (including in the USA). The page insights provide information about how visitors interact with our Facebook presence. We use page insights to provide our social media presence on Facebook in an effective and user-friendly manner.
Further information on the type, scope and purpose of data processing, information on the rights of data subjects and the contact details of Facebook and Facebook’s data protection officer can be found in the Facebook privacy policy. We have concluded the so-called «Addendum for Responsible Persons» with Facebook and have thereby agreed in particular that Facebook is responsible for guaranteeing the rights of data subjects. The relevant information for the so-called page insights can be found on the page «Information about page insights» including «Information about page insights data».
11. Third-party services
We use services from specialized third parties to be able to carry out our activities and operations in a permanent, user-friendly, secure and reliable manner. With such services, we can, among other things, embed functions and content in our website. With such embedding, the services used record the IP addresses of the users at least temporarily for technically compelling reasons.
For necessary security-related, statistical and technical purposes, third parties whose services we use can process data in connection with our activities and operations in an aggregated, anonymized or pseudonymized manner. For example, this includes about performance or usage data in order to be able to offer the respective service.
We use in particular:
- Google services: Providers: Google LLC (USA) / Google Ireland Limited (Ireland) for users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland; General information on data protection: «Privacy and security principles», Privacy policy, «Google is committed to complying with applicable data protection laws», «Guide to data protection in Google products», «How we use data from websites or apps on or in which our services are used» (information from Google), «Types of cookies and other technologies used by Google», «Personalized advertising» (activation / deactivation / settings).
11.1 Digital infrastructure
We use services from specialized third parties to be able to use the digital infrastructure required in connection with our activities. These include, for example, hosting and storage services from selected providers.
We use in particular:
- METANET: Hosting; provider: METANET AG (Switzerland); Information on data protection: Data protection declaration, «Technical and organizational measures».
11.2 Contact options
We use services from selected Providers in order to be able to communicate better with third parties such as potential and existing customers.
11.3 Social media functions and social media content
We use third-party services and plugins to embed functions and content from social media platforms and to enable the sharing of content on social media platforms and in other ways.
We use in particular:
- Facebook (Social Plugins): Embedding Facebook functions and Facebook content, for example “Like” or “Share”; providers: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Ireland) and other meta companies (including in the USA); information on data protection: Data protection declaration.
- Instagram platform: Embedding Instagram content; providers: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Ireland) and other meta companies (including in the USA); Data protection information: Data protection declaration (Instagram), Data protection declaration (Facebook).
11.4 Maps
We use third-party services to embed maps in our website.
We use in particular:
- Google Maps including Google Maps Platform: Map service; Provider: Google; Google Maps-specific information: «How Google uses location information».
11.5 Digital audio and video content
We use services from specialized third parties to enable the direct playback of digital audio and video content such as music or podcasts.
We use in particular:
- Vimeo: Video platform; Provider: Vimeo Inc. (USA); Information on data protection: Data protection declaration, «Data protection».
- YouTube: Video platform; provider: Google; YouTube-specific information: «Privacy and Security Center», «My data on YouTube».
11.6 Fonts
We use third-party services to display selected fonts as well as icons, logos and icons into our website.
We use in particular:
- Adobe Fonts: Fonts; providers: Adobe Inc. (USA) for users in North America/ Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited (Ireland) for users in the rest of the world; Information on data protection: «Adobe Privacy Center», Privacy Policy (Adobe Fonts), Privacy Policy (Adobe), «Questions about data protection?», «Adobe privacy settings».
- Font Awesome:Icons and logos; Provider: Fonticons Inc. (USA); Data protection information: Data protection declaration.
- Google Fonts: Fonts; Provider: Google; Google Fonts-specific information: «Privacy and Google Fonts», «Data protection and data collection».
11.7 E-Commerce
We operate e-commerce and use third-party services to successfully offer services, content or goods.
11.8 Payments
We use specialized service providers to process our customers’ payments securely and reliably. The legal texts of the individual service providers, such as general terms and conditions (GTC) or data protection declarations, also apply to the processing of payments.
11.9 Advertising
We use the option of displaying targeted advertising for our activities and activities on third parties such as social media platforms and search engines.
With such advertising, we particularly want to reach people who are already interested in our activities and activities or who could be interested in them (remarketing and targeting). For this purpose, we may transmit corresponding information – possibly also personal information – to third parties who enable such advertising. We can also determine whether our advertising is successful, in particular whether it leads to visits to our website (Conversion Tracking).
Third parties with whom we advertise and where you are registered as a user may be able to assign the use of our website to your profile there.
We use in particular:
- Facebook advertising (Facebook Ads): Social media advertising; providers: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Ireland) and other meta companies (including in the USA); data protection information: remarketing and targeting, in particular with the Facebook pixel and custom audiences including lookalike audiences, data protection declaration, «Advertising preferences» (User registration required).
- Google Ads: Search engine advertising; Provider: Google; Google Ads-specific information: Advertising based on search queries, among other things, using various domain names – in particular doubleclick.net, googleadservices.com and googlesyndication.com – for Google Ads, «Advertising» (Google), «Why am I seeing a certain advertisement?».
- Instagram Ads: Social media advertising; providers: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Ireland) and other meta companies (including in the USA); Information on data protection: Remarketing and targeting, in particular with Facebook Pixel and Custom Audiences including Lookalike Audiences, Privacy Policy (Instagram), Privacy Policy (Facebook), «Advertising preferences» (Instagram) (registration as a user required), «Advertising preferences» (Facebook) (registration as a user required).
- LinkedIn Ads: Social media advertising; providers: LinkedIn Corporation (USA) / LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company (Ireland); Information on data protection: Remarketing and targeting, in particular with the LinkedIn Insight Tag, «Data protection», Data protection declaration, Cookie policy, Objection to personalized advertising.
12. Extensions for the website
We use extensions for our website to be able to use additional functions.
We use in particular:
- Gravity Forms Zero Spam: Spam protection (differentiation between desired comments from people and unwanted comments from bots and spam); provider: Katz Web Services Inc. (USA); Data protection information: Use on our own server infrastructure, Data protection declaration.
- ShortPixel: Hosting and optimization of images; provider: ID SCOUT SRL (Romania); Information on data protection: Data protection declaration, «Legal & Privacy».
13. Success and reach measurement
We try to determine how our online offering is used. In this context, we can, for example, measure the success and reach of our activities and the effect of third-party links to our website. We can also, for example, test and compare how different parts or versions of our online offering are used («A/B test» method). Based on the results of the success and reach measurement, we can in particular correct errors, strengthen popular content or make improvements to our online offering.
For the success and reach measurement, in most cases the IP addresses of individual users are stored. In this case, IP addresses are generally shortened (“IP masking”) in order to follow the principle of data economy through the corresponding pseudonymization.
Cookies can be used and user profiles can be created for the success and reach measurement. Any user profiles created include, for example, the individual pages visited or content viewed on our website, information on the size of the screen or browser window and the – at least approximate – location. In principle any user profiles are created exclusively in pseudonymized form and are not used to identify individual users. Individual third-party services with which users are registered can assign the use of our online offering to the user account or user profile for the respective service.
We use in particular:
- Google Tag Manager: Integration and management of other services for measuring success and reach as well as other services from Google and third parties; provider: Google; Google Tag Manager-specific information: «Data collected with Google Tag Manager»; further information on data protection can be found in the individual integrated and managed services.
- Matomo: success and reach measurement; provider: Matomo (free open source software); data protection information: use on own server infrastructure and with pseudonymized IP addresses, «List of all Matomo Features».
14. Video surveillance
We use video surveillance to prevent crimes and to secure evidence in the event of crimes, as well as to enforce our house rules. These are – if and to the extent that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable – overriding legitimate interests in accordance with Art. 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f GDPR.
We store recordings from our video surveillance for as long as they are necessary to secure evidence.
We can save recordings due to legal obligations, to enforce our own legal claims and in the event of suspected criminal offenses, and transmit them to the relevant authorities, in particular courts or law enforcement authorities.
15. Final provisions
We have created this privacy policy with the Data Protection Generator from Data Protection Partner.
We can adapt and add to this privacy policy at any time. We will inform you about such adjustments and additions in an appropriate form, in particular by publishing the current data protection declaration on our website.