The personal data collected as part of the interactive format “Message to the Universe” of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is only processed as necessary. The data to which this refers, the purpose for which it is used, the reason why it is required and the basis for processing are explained in the following. You will learn how you can contact the data controller and the Data Protection Officer of the BMBF and what rights you have concerning the processing of your personal data.

The term ‘personal data’ refers to any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data or an online identifier.

You are provided with the following information regarding the collection of personal data in accordance with Article 13 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR – Regulation [EU] 2016/679).

1. Entity responsible for data processing

The entity controlling the processing of personal data is the

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
(Federal Ministry of Education and Research)
53170 Bonn, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)228 9957-0
Fax: +49 (0)228 99578-3601
Email: bmbf@bmbf.bund.de
DE-Mail: poststelle@bmbf-bund.de-mail.de

If you have specific questions concerning the protection of your data, please approach the BMBF’s Data Protection Officer, who is the contact for data subjects:

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Datenschutzbeauftragte/r
53170 Bonn
Phone: +49 (0)228 9957-3369
Fax: +49 (0)228 9957-8-3369
Email: datenschutz@bmbf.bund.de

This statement provides you with an overview of how the BMBF ensures the protection of your data and what type of data is collected for what purpose and on what basis.

2. Data processing while using the form to submit your Message to the Universe during Science Year 2023 – Our Universe

a) Visit to the page containing the form

For technical reasons, personal data is processed when you visit the BMBF page with the form to submit your Message to the Universe. In addition, the website uses technically required cookies and cookies for web analytics. For further information see section 2 of Datenschutzerklärung für die Webseite.
More specifically, the following data is processed:

• IP address
• Type and version of your browser
• Operating system used
• Web page accessed
• Previously visited page (referrer URL)
• Date and time of server request

This data is stored in log files on a server at Digitas Pixelpark GmbH even after your visit to the website. This is done in accordance with Article 6 (1) (e) of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in conjunction with Section 5 of the Act on the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI-Gesetz) to store data past the time of your visit in order to protect the internet infrastructure of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) against attacks.

Data logged during access to the website is only disclosed to third parties insofar as we are legally obliged to do so or if disclosure is required for criminal or other prosecution in the case of attacks on federal communications technology. Data will not be disclosed to others in any other cases. The BMBF does not merge this data with other data sources.

b) Processing in the context of submitting a message

If you wish to submit a message, we will ask for your name (real name, forename or fictitious name) and email address. The data you provide when submitting your message will be used exclusively for operating the interactive format “Message to the Universe” of Science Year 2023 – Our Universe, more specifically for publication of your message on the website wissenschaftsjahr.de and in the newsletter (including your name in each case) as well as in supporting material and press reports as appropriate (in anonymized form) and for the purpose of contacting you in the context of this interactive format.

We reserve the right to publish the message you submit in an anonymized form in the social media channels of the Science Year (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon).

Please note that publications on the web or in social networks may be spotted by search engines worldwide and can be accessed by an undefined group of persons. Use by third parties is therefore possible. Legal protection against misuse of the data outside the EU may be inadequate.

Your data will be stored in a security data centre within the EU. Access to these servers is only possible for a few specially authorized persons as part of the organization and/or technical support by Digitas Pixelpark GmbH and neues handeln AG and their computing centres. All the messages submitted will be permanently stored in an anonymized form. Your personal data such as your name and email address will be fully erased from the servers on 31 December 2023.

Please note that the data will be processed in compliance with Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR. When a participant does not confirm to be over 16 years of age, no personal data other than those required for technical reasons and the message will be stored. You may withdraw your consent at any time by sending an email to redaktionsbuero@wissenschaftsjahr.de. If you withdraw your consent or ask us to erase the data stored by us as a result of the submission of your message, we will comply with your request without delay. However, processing of your submission will then no longer be possible and if you have already submitted a message, you would have to cancel it and request deletion. If the data is available on the web, removal will take place in so far as this is within the powers of the BMBF.

Processing of the personal data you provide is required for publishing your message and for contacting you. You cannot participate in the submission of messages without such processing.

c) Processing of the message after submission using the form

The message you submit will be checked by editorial staff before publication. If your message contains one or more of the following disqualifying elements, it will not be considered in the interactive format and will be deleted:

• It constitutes a criminal offence under the German Criminal Code (StGB), including in particular: Insults and defamations of any kind, threats to public security and order, restriction of tolerance and diversity in community life
• Any form of discrimination and defamation of individuals or groups on account of origin, religious affiliation, nationality, physical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, income level or age
• Solicitation of violence against persons, institutions or companies
• Calls for demonstrations and rallies of any political orientation
• Pornography
• Misuse as advertising space for websites or services
• Automatic posting of comments
• Commercial or private offer of goods or services
• Violation of third-party rights, particularly copyright
• Quotes without citation of source or author
• Unauthorized publication of personal data

This list is not exhaustive.

The message you submit will also not be considered if your email address or the fictitious name chosen for submission of the message allow inferences regarding one of the above disqualifying criteria.

 Disclosure of personal data to third parties

The service providers listed below are responsible for operating the submission of Messages to the Universe using the form on this website. They process the data on behalf of the BMBF for the purposes listed under 2 above. No data is disclosed to third parties.

Digitas Pixelpark GmbH
Cäcilienkloster 2
50676 Köln
Phone: +49 (0) 221 951515-0
Fax: +49 (0) 221-951515-66

Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)

Projektträger | Kompetenzzentren und Services | Büro Wissenschaftskommunikation
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 2
10178 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 670 55-0
Fax: +49 (0)30 670 55-789

Editorial Office Science Year 2023 – Our Universe
Potsdamer Straße 87
10785 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 288 83 78-0
Fax: +49 (0)30 288 83 78-28

neues handeln AG

Potsdamer Straße 87

10785 Berlin

Phone: +49 (0)30 288 83 78-0

Fax: +49 (0)30 288 83 78-28

Stiftung Planetarium Berlin
Prenzlauer Allee 80
10405 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 4218450
Fax: +49 (0)30 42184599

4. Your rights with regard to data processing

You have the following rights vis-à-vis the controllers concerning your personal data:

• Right of access (Article 15 GDPR)
  • This right includes the possibility for you to request access to your personal data that is being processed by us. In particular, you can request access to information regarding the purposes of the processing, the categories of personal data concerned, the categories of recipient to whom the personal data has been or will be disclosed, the envisaged period of storage, the existence of the right to rectification, erasure, restriction of processing or to object to processing, the right to lodge a complaint, information as to the source of your data where this has not been collected by us, as well as the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling and relevant meaningful information where appropriate.
  • The exceptions from this right are laid down in Section 34 of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).
• Right to rectification (Article 16 GDPR)
  • This right includes the possibility for data subjects to obtain the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning them.
• Right to erasure (Article 17 GDPR)
  • This right includes the possibility for data subjects to obtain from the controller the erasure of data. However, this is only possible if the personal data concerning them is no longer necessary, has been unlawfully processed or consent on which the processing is based is withdrawn. The exceptions from this right are laid down in Section 35 of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).
• Right to restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR)
  • This right includes the possibility for data subjects to temporarily prevent the further processing of personal data concerning them. Such restriction mainly occurs in the period of verification regarding the exercise of other rights by the data subject.
• Right to data portability (Article 20 GDPR)
  This right includes the possibility for data subjects to receive from the controller the personal data concerning them in a commonly used and machine-readable format and have it transmitted to another controller as required. In accordance with Article 20 (3) second sentence of the GDPR, this right does not apply to processing that is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.
• Right to object to processing (Article 21 GDPR)
  This right includes the possibility for data subjects to object, on grounds relating to their particular situation, to the continuation of processing of their personal data that is necessary for performing public tasks or safeguarding public or private interests. In accordance with Section 36 BDSG, the right to object does not apply if processing by a public body is required by law.
• If the personal data is processed on the basis of your consent (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), you can withdraw your consent at any time for the purpose in question. The lawfulness of processing your personal data on the basis of the consent provided by you remains valid until your withdrawal of consent has been received.

You may exercise the aforementioned rights e.g. by sending an email to redaktionsbuero[at]wissenschaftsjahr.de, bmbf[at]bmbf.bund.deor poststelle[at]bmbf-bund.de-mail.de.

Questions and complaints may also be addressed to the BMBF’s Data Protection Officer at datenschutz[at]bmbf.bund.de.

You also have the right to submit a complaint to the supervisory authority under data protection law. The competent authority in our case is: Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Graurheindorfer Str. 153, 53117 Bonn.

5. Other aspects

As regards use of the website wissenschaftsjahr.de for purposes other than submission of your Message to the Universe in Science Year 2023, please refer to the relevant Statement on Data Protection at the bottom of the page.