Privacy policy

1. Controller

Deutsch-Amerikanischer Freundeskreis Ilmenau e.V.
Ahornallee 5a
98693 Ilmenau, Germany
Email: contact@usfriends-il.de
Phone: +49 176 6255 1871

2. Hosting

This website is hosted by 1blu AG, Rudolstädter Str. 97a, 10713 Berlin, Germany (www.1blu.de). Each time our website is accessed, the server automatically records server log files. These contain: the IP address of the requesting device, date and time of access, name and URL of the file accessed, browser type and version, operating system, and the referring page (previously visited website).

This data is technically necessary for the operation of the website. It is not merged with other data sources. Data is stored for a maximum of 14 days. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in the secure and stable operation of the website).

3. Google Fonts

Our website uses fonts from Google Fonts (provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland). When a page is loaded, your browser establishes a direct connection to Google’s servers, transmitting your IP address. Google Fonts is embedded locally where technically possible. Where a connection to Google servers arises, this is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in a uniform display). Google may transfer data to the USA; Standard Contractual Clauses pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR apply. Further information: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

4. Google Search Console

We use Google Search Console (provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) to analyse and optimise our website’s performance in Google search results. Aggregated data about search queries, clicks, impressions, and technical performance are collected. The Search Console does not set cookies on your device and does not directly process personal user data. Use is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in search engine optimisation). For Google’s privacy information, see: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

5. SEO Plugin Rank Math

We use the WordPress plugin Rank Math SEO to optimise our website for search engines. The plugin processes page content locally on our server and generates, among other things, a sitemap (sitemap_index.xml), structured data (Schema.org/JSON-LD), and meta tags. The analytics module is disabled. No personal user data is transmitted to external third parties by the plugin. Further information: https://rankmath.com/privacy-policy/.

6. Contact Form

When you contact us via the contact form, your details (name, email address, message) are stored to process your enquiry. This data will not be shared with third parties without your consent and will be deleted after your enquiry has been processed, unless a legal retention obligation applies. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (initiation of a contract / pre-contractual measures) and Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

7. Instagram Integration

Our website embeds content from Instagram (provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland). The integration is done as a direct iFrame. When loading this content, a connection to Instagram’s servers is established, during which your IP address is transmitted and Instagram may set cookies. This occurs regardless of whether you have an Instagram account or are logged in. Meta may transfer collected data to the USA; Standard Contractual Clauses pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR apply. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in displaying current social media content). For more information: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy.

8. Cookies and Language Preference

Our website uses technically necessary cookies. These are required for the operation of the website and cannot be disabled. We use the following cookies:

  • pll_language: Stores your language preference (German/English). Session cookie, no tracking.
  • WordPress session cookies (wp-settings-*): Technical settings for logged-in users. These are only set for logged-in WordPress users and are not relevant for visitors without an account.

We do not set any marketing, tracking, or analytics cookies. As we use only technically necessary cookies, no cookie consent banner is required under current law (§ 25 TTDSG in conjunction with the GDPR). The Instagram integration may set additional cookies; these are the responsibility of Meta. The legal basis for our cookies is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

9. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of access (Art. 15 GDPR)
  • Right to rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)
  • Right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)
  • Right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
  • Right to data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
  • Right to object to processing (Art. 21 GDPR)

To exercise your rights, please contact us at: contact@usfriends-il.de

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority. The authority responsible for us is the Thüringer Landesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (TLfDI), Häßlerstraße 8, 99096 Erfurt, Germany, www.tlfdi.de.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update this privacy policy to reflect changes in legal requirements or modifications to our website and services. The current version is always available on this page. Last updated: March 2026.