Data Protection Policy
What data we collect
Depending on how you interact with International Friends, we collect and process different kinds of information from or about you.
Things you do and information you provide.
We collect the content and other information you provide when you use any of the platforms of International Friends, including when you sign up for an account, create or share content, as well as write messages to others. This can include information from the content you provide (such as the metadata), such as the location of a photo or the date a file was created. We also collect information about how you use any of the platforms of International Friends, for example the content you view or the frequency and duration of your activities.
Things others do and information they provide.
We also collect content and information that other people provide when they use our Services, including information about you, such as when they share a photo in which they tag you or send a message to you,.
Your networks and connections
We collect information about the people and groups you are connected to, the events you went on, the photos you upload, which people are tagged in your photos
Information about payments
If you use any of the platforms of International Friends for purchases or financial transactions (for example, when you buy something on International Friends or make a donation), we collect information about the purchase or transaction. This may include invoicing, shipping and other contact details.
Device information
We collect information from or about the computers, phones, or other devices where you install or access our Services, depending on the permissions you’ve granted. Further information collected from your device are Attributes such as the operating system, hardware version, device settings and type, file and browser types.
How we use the information you provide to us
Our aspiration is to create the best place for Internationals to meet other Internationals in their new city. We use all of the information we have to help us provide and support all of the services provided by any of the platforms of International Friends. We process them according the Art. 6 of the DSGVO (the German Data Protection Law) Here we describe what we do with your data.
Provide, improve and develop the functionalities of International Friends.
We are able to personalize content, and make suggestions for you, by using this information to understand how you use and interact with the platforms of International Friends.
We also use information we have to provide shortcuts and suggestions to you. For example, we are able to suggest certain types of events based on what types of events you have gone to beforehand.
We conduct surveys, test features in development, and analyze the information we have to evaluate and improve the features of International Friends, develop new features, and conduct audits and troubleshooting activities.
Communicate with you.
We use your information to send you marketing communications, communicate with you about any of the events on the platforms of International Friends and let you know about our policies and terms. We also use your information to respond to you when you contact us.
Show and measure events and services.
We use the information we have to improve our events and measurement systems so we can show you relevant events on the platforms of International Friendsand measure the effectiveness and reach of the event advertisements.
Promote safety and security.
We use the information we have to help verify accounts and activity, and to promote safety and security on any of the platforms of International Friends. The information may be used by investigating suspicious activity or violations of our terms or policies.
We use cookies and similar technologies to provide and support our Services and each of the uses outlined and described in this section of our policy. Read our Cookie Policy to get more information about the use of cookies in International Friends.
How is the information shared?
Internationals use the platforms of International Friends to connect and share with others. We make this possible by sharing your information in the following ways:
People you share and communicate with
When you share and communicate on the platforms of International Friends, you choose the audience who can see what you share or communicate. For example, when you create an activity on International Friends, you can select the audience that is able to see your activty, such as everyone registered on the corresponding platform of International Friends, all of your connections or only you yourself. The same applies when you use the messaging and chatting system: you choose who can see your content.
Public information is any information you share with everybody registered on International Friends. Public information is available to anyone on or off International Friends and can be seen or accessed through online search engines, APIs, and offline media, such as on TV. Only the basic information of your profile are public. This includes your canvas picture, your profile picture and your name.
In some cases, people you share and communicate with may download or re-share this content with others on and off International Friends. When you comment on another person’s post or like their content on Facebook, that person decides the audience who can see your comment or like. If their audience is public, your comment will also be public.
People that see content others share about you
Other people may use International Friends to share content about you with the audience they choose. For example, people may share a photo and tag you in it, or say or mention you in an activity, to the audience they choose. Please contact any person that tags you directly to remove the tag.
New owner
If the ownership or control of all or part of the plattforms of International Friends or their assets changes, we may transfer your information to the new owner.
Sharing With Third-Party Partners and Customers
We work with third party companies who help us to provide the events and improve International Friends. All of these have signed confidentiality agreements with International Friends. We will not give out any sensitive personal data, even if the company has signed a confidentiality agreement with us.
Here are the types of third parties we can share information with about you:
Vendors, service providers and other partners.
We may transfer information to vendors, service providers, and other partners who globally support our business, such as providing technical infrastructure services, analyzing how our Services are used, measuring the effectiveness of ads and services, providing customer service, facilitating payments, or conducting academic research and surveys. These partners must adhere to strict confidentiality obligations.
Location of storage of data
All your data for International Friends is stored on servers in Germany and/or the EU. Your data may or may not be stored on servers in Singapore, a country that has been whitelisted by the EU for adherence to strict Data Privacy Laws.
We store data for as long as it is necessary to provide the features of International Friends to you and others, including those described above. Information associated with your account will be kept until your account is deleted, unless we no longer need the data to provide products and services.
How to exercise your rights regarding your data:
Right to see and correct any data we have stored:
You can manage the content and information you have shared when you used any of the platforms of International Friends through the Activity Log situated under the menu Network (please note that each (city-)platform of International Friends is separate and has a separate activity log). You can also ask to be given all the information by writing an email to admin@international-friends.net.
Please note that the analytics information we collect regarding your activity on any of the platforms of International Friends can only be given to you if you request it via email.
Right to withdraw consent for processing information:
You can delete your account any time. When you delete your account, we delete all data related to your account. This includes things you have created, commented or photos you have uploaded. If you do not want to delete your account, but want to temporarily stop using International Friends, you may deactivate your account instead. Both of those options are available on your Profile under the EDITING VIEW. Please remember that any information that others have shared about you is not associated to your account and will not be deleted. Keep in mind that information that others have shared about you is not part of your account and will not be deleted when you delete your account.
How will we notify you of changes to this policy?
We’ll notify you before we make changes to this policy and give you the opportunity to review and comment on the revised policy before continuing to use any of the plattforms of International Friends.
Responsible person for Data-protection:
Tim Stöhr; admin@international-friends.net