Privacy policy
1. General provisions
This privacy policy describes how, why, and to what extent personal data is processed by PDF Tools AG, Brown-Boveri-Strasse 5, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland (“PDF Tools”). PDF Tools complies with the relevant data protection regulations when processing personal data. All employees of PDF Tools are obliged to maintain confidentiality.
Please note that the following information may be reviewed and amended occasionally. Therefore, PDF Tools recommends regularly checking this privacy policy for any updates.
2. Processing of personal data
As soon as you contact PDF Tools, personal data will be collected from you and processed.
2.1 Evaluation and conclusion of contract / User management and payments
The following personal data will be collected when you enter into a contract with PDF Tools or register at My PDF Tools (https://www.pdf-tools.com/en/mypdftools/, “My PDF Tools”) in order to evaluate a trial version of a product: name, surname, company name, business email address, business role, postal address, phone number, town/city, country, language, and (if you are registering for “My PDF Tools”) IP address. Additionally, the following data will be collected and processed for the purpose of performing the contract: contract data (date, content, term), interaction data, and data concerning customer requirements.
PDF Tools processes this personal data in order to generate quotes, execute a contract, and for marketing purposes, as described in section 2.3. If a business relationship no longer exists between PDF Tools and the customer, the personal data will be deleted or anonymized unless PDF Tools is subject to a statutory duty to store the data. Where the European General Data Protection Regulation (“the GDPR”) applies, the relevant legal grounds are as follows: Article 6 (1)(b) (performance of a contract when registering for My PDF Tools), Article 6 (1)(b) (performance of a contract) and Article 6 (1)(c) (compliance with a legal obligation) of the GDPR.
In connection with users and customers, PDF Tools processes additional personal data. PDF Tools processes personal data for the purpose of customer administration, customer care, order management, accounting, payment handling, and invoicing. PDF Tools processes for these purposes general identification data (name, address, country, country of IP, email, email accounting, IP, VAT numbers, webhooks), financial identification data (credit or debit card numbers, type, card type, secret codes, country of credit card, PayPal account, transaction history), usage data (login, login times).
Where the GDPR applies, the relevant legal grounds are as follows: Article 6 (1b) (performance of a contract when registering for My PDF Tools), Article 6 (1)(b) (performance of a contract) and Article 6 (1)(c) (compliance with a legal obligation) of the GDPR. In certain constellations, we will obtain the consent of the data subject (Article 6 (1)(a)) of the GDPR.
PDF Tools uses in connection with these data processing activities third-party applications from the following third-party providers:
Braintree: Braintree processes data to detect misuse of the credit card or the credit card payment option at an early stage and, after successful verification, to process the agreed payment by credit card. Braintree is a company of PayPal, PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A.; 22-24 Boulevard Royal; L-2449 Luxemburg. Please find the data privacy notice of Braintree here.
AWS: We use the cloud services of AWS as our invoice database. The service is provided by Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL, 38 Avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855, Luxembourg. More information about the data processing by AWS can be found here.
HubSpot: We use the services of HubSpot to provide you with quotes and conclude some of our contracts. The service is provided by HubSpot, Inc., Dublin (European HQ), Ground Floor, Two Dockland Central Guild Street, Dublin 1. For more information about data processing in connection with HubSpot, please see here.
The transfer of your personal data to these service providers is based on our data processing agreement with these providers (in connection with Art. 28 of the GDPR / Art. 9 of the Federal Act on Data Protection (“FADP”) or the EU Standard Contractual Clauses (see section 4.2).
2.2 Contact requests through the website or by email
The following personal data is collected from contact requests by email or the contact form on the website: name, surname, business email address, phone number (optional), products / services of interest, and the content of your message. Additionally, the time of receipt of the request will be documented.
The data will be used to process the contact request and maintain business relationships in accordance with section 2.1, as well as for marketing purposes as described in section 2.3. After the contact request has been handled, the personal data will be deleted or anonymized unless PDF Tools is subject to a statutory duty to store data.
Where the GDPR applies, the relevant legal grounds are Article 6 (1)(b) (performance of a contract), our legitimate interest in addressing your request according to Article 6 (1)(f), and Article 6 (1)(c) (compliance with a legal obligation).
For handling contact requests, we are using a contact form that is created by us, however the data you insert in the contact form is going to be sent to HubSpot too. Therefore, your data may be stored in a database of HubSpot, which may allow HubSpot to access your data if this is necessary for providing the software and supporting its use.
For handling support requests, made by our customers, we are using HelpSpot. HelpSpot is operated by UserScape, Inc, UserScape, 2600 South Road, Ste 44-175, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 (“HelpSpot”). For more information about data processing in connection with HelpSpot, see here. HelpSpot is hosted on our own servers, but when AI-enhanced customer support experience is provided, HelpSpot uses a Chat GPT model owned and managed by OpenAI Ireland Limited, with its registered office at 1st Floor, The Liffey Trust Centre, 117-126 Sheriff Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 YC43, Ireland. For their privacy policy, please refer here. Please contact us if you would like to opt out of the AI-enhanced customer service.
We might also send out Thermostat surveys, which HelpSpot manages. When a user clicks on a Thermostat rating link in the survey email generated out of HelpSpot, the only information included is the rating the user clicked and the Request ID. The data is sent to the Thermostat server where it is stored as a survey response. The rest of the integration happens within our HelpSpot server such as displaying results etc. For more information about data processing in connection with HelpSpot, see here.
Please note that by requesting support from us, you consent for i) PDF Tools developers to be involved in providing support and ii) for the files you share with us whilst requesting support to be processed by our developers in multiple locations such as Switzerland, Spain and/or Serbia. Our developers might download the files from HelpSpot to analyze issues (both on their local machines and online) and run regression tests to ensure the reported issues do not reappear. Please advise us if you do not wish your files to be processed and downloaded in any of these locations.
Information about data processing by third parties and any transfers abroad can be found in section 4 of this Privacy Policy.
2.3 Marketing and newsletters
PDF Tools AG processes the data provided to it by customers verbally, in writing, or electronically, including for marketing purposes. This serves the purposes of providing the customer with personalized advice, generating quotes for products and services of PDF Tools AG tailored to the customer's specific requirements, sending a newsletter, and improving the services of PDF Tools AG.
PDF Tools AG processes the following categories of personal data for marketing purposes: identification and contact data (name, surname, phone number, postal address, email address, language), contract data (date, content, term), interaction data, and data concerning customer requirements.
PDF Tools provides a newsletter to which customers can subscribe by providing a valid email address. Beyond the email address, name, surname, salutation, and language, no other personal data is collected for the purpose of sending the newsletter. If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, you can unsubscribe from it by clicking on “Unsubscribe from NewsFlash” in the newsletter and then completing the form to unsubscribe from the newsletter. You can also unsubscribe from the newsletter by sending an email to pdfsales@pdf-tools.com. Once you have unsubscribed, you will no longer be sent the newsletter.
You can object in writing to Your Personal Data being processed for marketing purposes with future effect, either generally or for specific channels. If you provide us with such a declaration, we will no longer contact you personally for marketing purposes. However, if you utilize one or more valid services, your data will remain in the database of PDF Tools to render the services and execute transactions.
You can object to receiving marketing materials by sending an email to pdfsales@pdf-tools.com
Where the GDPR applies, the relevant legal ground is Article 6 (1)(a) (consent provided when subscribing to the newsletter) and Article 6 (1a and f) (consent or legitimate interests in the processing of data for marketing purposes).
Our marketing emails may contain a web beacon, 1x1 pixel (tracking pixel), or similar technical tools. A web beacon is an invisible graphic that is linked to the user ID of the respective subscriber. For each marketing email sent, we receive information about which email addresses it was successfully delivered to, which email addresses have not yet received the marketing email, and which email addresses the delivery has failed for. It is also shown which email addresses have opened the marketing email and for how long, as well as which links have been clicked. Finally, we also receive information about subscribers who have unsubscribed from the mailing list. We use this data for statistical purposes and to optimize the frequency and timing of email delivery, as well as the structure and content of the marketing emails. This allows us to tailor the information better and offers in our marketing emails to the individual interests of the recipients.
The web beacon is deleted when you delete the marketing email. You can prevent the use of web beacons in our marketing emails by adjusting the settings of your email program so that HTML is not displayed in messages. You can find information on how to configure this setting in the help documentation of your email software application, e.g. here for Microsoft Outlook.
By subscribing to the marketing emails, you also consent to the statistical analysis of user behavior for the purpose of optimizing and customizing the marketing emails.
We use HubSpot for sending marketing emails. Therefore, your data may be stored in a database of HubSpot, which may allow them to access your data if necessary for providing the software and supporting its use. Information about data processing by third parties and any transfer abroad can be found in section 4 of this Privacy Policy.
3. Central Data Storage
If a clear identification of your person is possible, we will store and link the data described in this Privacy Policy, i.e. your personal information, contact details, contract data, and your browsing behaviour on our website in a central database. This allows for efficient management of customer data, enables us to adequately process your requests, and facilitates the efficient provision of the services you requested, as well as the performance of the related contracts. Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis for this data processing is our legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR in the efficient management of user data.
We also analyze this data to further develop our products and services based on your needs and to provide you with the most relevant information and offers. We also use methods that predict possible interests and future orders based on your use of our website.
Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis for this data processing is our legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1)(f) in carrying out marketing activities.
For the central storage and analysis of data in the CRM system, we use a software application provided by HubSpot, Inc., Dublin (European HQ), Ground Floor, Two Dockland Central Guild Street, Dublin 1. Therefore, your data may be stored in their database, which may allow HubSpot to access your data if this is necessary for providing the software and supporting its use. Information about data processing by third parties and any transfer abroad can be found in section 4 of this Privacy Policy. Further information about data processing by HubSpot can be found at here.
4. Disclosure of personal data
4.1 Disclosure to third parties and third-party access
All data is stored by PDF Tools electronically on internal servers located in Switzerland.
The personal data collected by Google Analytics is stored on Google servers. Without the support of other companies, we would not be able to provide our products and services in the desired form. To use the services of these companies, it is necessary to share your personal data with these companies to a certain extent. A disclosure of data is limited to selected third-party service providers and only to the extent necessary for the optimal provision of our services. Various third-party service providers are explicitly mentioned in this Privacy Policy. Other third parties include the following service providers:
HelpSpot operated by UserScape, Inc, UserScape, 2600 South Road, Ste 44-175, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. For more information about data processing in connection with HelpSpot, see here.
HubSpot operated by HubSpot, Inc., Dublin (European HQ), Ground Floor, Two Dockland Central Guild Street, Dublin 1. For more information about data processing in connection with Hubspot, see here.
AWS services are provided by Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL, 38 Avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855, Luxembourg. More information about the data processing by AWS can be found here.
Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis for this data processing is the performance of a contract within the meaning of Article 6 (1)(b). Furthermore, your data may be disclosed, especially to authorities, legal advisors, or debt collection agencies, if we are legally obliged to do so or if it is necessary to protect our rights, in particular to enforce claims arising from our relationship with you. Data may also be disclosed if another company intends to acquire our company or parts thereof, and such disclosure is necessary to conduct a due diligence or to complete the transaction. Your data might be transferred between our developers in Switzerland, Spain and Serbia when you request support with a specific file via HelpSpot. We ensure that an appropriate level of protection is provided, as well as appropriate safeguards. Please see more details on that in section 2.1. Where the GDPR applies, the legal basis for this data processing is (i) our legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1)(f) in protecting our rights and fulfilling our obligations, as well as (ii) the sale of our company or parts thereof, should this take place in the future.
4.2 Transfer of personal data to third countries
We have the right to transfer your personal data to third parties located abroad if it is necessary to carry out the data processing described in this Privacy Policy. Specific data transfers have been mentioned in section 4.1. When making such transfers, we will ensure compliance with the applicable legal requirements for disclosing personal data to third parties. The legal provisions governing the disclosure of personal data to third parties are duly observed. The countries to which data is transmitted include those that, according to the decision of the Federal Council and the European Commission, have an adequate level of data protection (such as the member states of the EEA or, from the EU's perspective, Switzerland), as well as those countries (such as the USA) whose level of data protection is not considered adequate (see Annex 1 of the Data Protection Ordinance (DPO) and the website of the European Commission). If the country in question does not provide an adequate level of data protection, we ensure that your data is adequately protected by these companies by means of appropriate safeguards, unless an exception is specified on a case-by-case basis for the individual data processing (see Article 49 of the GDPR). Unless otherwise specified, these safeguards may be provided for by standard contractual clauses as referred to in Article 46(2)(c) of the GDPR, which can be found on the websites of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) and the EU Commission. If you have any questions regarding the implemented measures, please reach out to our data protection contact (see section 12).
5. Rights of access, of rectification, of erasure, and to object
Depending on the specific circumstances of the case and your place of residence, you may have some or all of the following rights:
to withdraw your consent to the processing of Your Personal Data at any time. As a result, we may no longer process Your Personal Data based on the consent. But the withdrawal of your consent has no effect on the lawfulness of processing before the withdrawal;
to access the personal data processed by us and/or request copies of this data. In particular, you can obtain information about the purposes of processing, categories of personal data, categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, planned retention period, and origin of your data if it was not collected directly from you;
to request the rectification/correction, erasure, or restriction of processing of Your Personal Data;
to request Your Personal Data, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit this data to another controller. You may also ask us to directly transmit this data to another controller, where technically feasible;
to object to the processing of Your Personal Data on grounds relating to your particular situation, if we process Your Personal Data based on our legitimate interests. You may also object to the processing of Your Personal Data for direct marketing purposes at any time;
to obtain information of the possibility of denying consent to the data processing and the consequences of the denial;
to oppose the processing grounded on a legal basis other than consent;
to request review, by a natural person, of decisions taken solely on the basis of automated processing of personal data that affects their interests, including decisions intended to define their personal, professional, consumer or credit profile or aspects of their personality.
Requests to execute such rights can be sent to pdfsales@pdf-tools.com. In addition, every data subject has the right to enforce their rights in court or to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority.
6 Technical and organizational security measures
We take appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect Your Personal Data.
7 Cookies
In brief: We may use necessary cookies without your consent, or for functional and analytical or advertising-related purposes, if you consent to this.
A cookie is a small piece of data placed on your computer’s hard drive that permits identifying a specific device or browser. We may place our own cookies (first-party cookies) or third-party services integrated on our website may place cookies on your device (third-party cookies). Cookies may typically process personal data, such as your IP address, device information, date and time of your visit to our website, information on your activities on our website, settings you make when visiting our website, and unique identification numbers. There are different types of cookies, such as session cookies (which expire at the end of your browsing session) or persistent cookies (which are stored on your device for a longer period of time and between sessions and can enable the entity that placed the cookie to recognize your device or browser between sessions).
Most internet browsers accept cookies automatically. However, when accessing our website, we ask for your consent to the use of non-essential cookies, especially for the use of cookies from third parties for marketing purposes. You can adjust your preferences for cookies by using the corresponding buttons in the cookie banner. Details regarding the services and data processing associated with each cookie can be found within the cookie banner and in the following sections of this Privacy Policy.
You may also be able to configure your browser to prevent cookies from being stored on your computer or receive a notification whenever a new cookie is being sent. On the following pages, you will find instructions on how to configure cookie settings for selected browsers:
Disabling cookies may prevent you from using all the features of our website.
We use cookies for different purposes:
7.1 Cookies for functional purposes
We use cookies or similar technologies that are technically necessary to operate our website or provide its basic functions, keeping you logged in (if you want that). These cookies allow us to operate our site, maintain its security, and provide its key functions. We process Your Personal Data to provide our website to you (Art. 6 (1)(b) of the GDPR) and based on our legitimate interest to ensure its security, a smooth user experience, and smooth access to these key functions (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR).
7.2 Cookies for analytical purposes
We use cookies or similar technologies to better understand your use of our website. For example, they help us track the number of visitors to our website and see how users move around our website. This helps us improve the way our website works, for example, by ensuring that users can find what they are looking for. Some of these cookies may be placed by third-party providers. We only place these cookies with your consent (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR).
7.3 Cookies for personalization and advertising-related purposes
We use cookies or similar technologies to capture your visit to our website, the pages you visit, and the links you follow. We may use this information based on your consent (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR) and will process it to evaluate your preferences to make our website and the advertisements we display more relevant for you. We may also share this information with third parties. Some of these cookies may track your movements on other websites.
7.4 Log-File-Data
When you visit our website, our own on-premise servers located at our headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, as well as the servers of our hosting provider Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL, 38 Avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855, Luxembourg (to which all website requests are rooted via Microsoft Azure), temporarily store every access in a log file. The following data is collected without your intervention and stored by us until automatically deleted:
IP address of the requesting computer;
date and time of access;
name and URL of the accessed file;
website from which the access was made, if applicable, with the search word used;
operating system of your computer and the browser you are using (including type, version, and language setting); and
device type in case of access from mobile phones;
Please note that the city or region from which the access was made and the name of your internet service provider are not logged but can be looked up for requests made via IP4. The collection and processing of this data is carried out for the purpose of enabling the use of our website (establishing a connection), ensuring the long-term security and stability of the system, and enabling error and performance analysis and optimization of our website (see also section 9 regarding the latter points).
In case of an attack on the network infrastructure of the website or suspicion of other unauthorised or improper use of the website, the IP address and other data will be analysed for clarification and defence purposes; if necessary, they may be used in civil or criminal proceedings for the identification of the respective user.
The legal basis for this data processing is our legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR in the purposes described above.
8. Website functionality providers
8.1 HubSpot
Some of the contact forms on our website are provided by HubSpot (HubSpot, Inc., Dublin (European HQ), Ground Floor, Two Dockland Central Guild Street, Dublin 1). If a user fills out such a contact form, HubSpot will create a contact record. We use this service for efficient contact management based on our legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR). The data is retained at least for the duration of the customer relationship. The transfer of Your Personal Data to HubSpot is based on our data processing agreement (in connection with Art. 28 of the GDPR / Art. 9 of the FADP).
8.2 Google reCAPTCHA
We use the reCAPTCHA service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland on our website. This is a security service that helps us distinguish whether data inputs on our website (e.g. into contact forms or when opening a URL) are made by an individual or by automated means. The purpose of reCAPTCHA is to block automated requests, spam, or other malicious traffic to our website. Google will process Your Personal Data (e.g. IP address, input rates, time spent on a specific site, and movements on the site) to evaluate the website traffic as part of this product. Our use of Google reCAPTCHA is to protect our website against spam and malicious traffic in order to ensure its security. We use Google reCAPTCHA to protect our website against spam and malicious traffic based on our legitimate interests (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR). The data is retained for the duration of the session, while the verification token lasts only for 2 minutes.
In providing Google reCAPTCHA, Google acts as a data controller for Google Ads and may process Your Personal Data for other purposes. We have no control over the data that Google collects or the extent of the data collected by Google. We also have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted to Google. For details about Google’s data processing, please refer to https://policies.google.com/privacy.
9. Analytics providers
For the purpose of customizing and continuously optimizing our website, we use the web analytics services listed below. In this context, pseudonymised usage profiles are created, and cookies are used (please also see section 7). The information generated by the cookie regarding your use of our website is usually transmitted to a server of the service provider, where it is stored and processed, together with the Log File Data mentioned in section 7.4. This may also result in a transfer to servers abroad, e.g., the USA (for information on the absence of an adequate level of data protection and the proposed safeguards, see section 4.2). Through the data processing, we obtain, among others, the following information:
navigation path followed by a visitor on the site (including content viewed, products selected or purchased, or services booked);
time spent on the website or specific page;
the specific page from which the website is left;
the country, region, or city from where an access is made;
end device (type, version, colour depth, resolution, width, and height of the browser window); and
returning or new visitor.
The provider, on our behalf, will use this information to evaluate the use of the website, in particular to compile website activity reports and provide further services related to website usage and internet usage for the purposes of market research and the customisation of the website. For these processing activities, we and the providers may be considered joint controllers in terms of data protection to a certain extent.
Regarding the further processing of the data by the respective provider as the (sole) controller, including any potential disclosure of this information to third parties, such as authorities due to national legal regulations, please refer to the respective privacy policy of the provider.
9.1 Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics on our website, provided by Google (Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland). Its purpose is to analyze user behavior and, based on the results, help us make decisions relating to product and marketing optimization. Google will process Your Personal Data (IP address, online identifiers, device identifiers, and device information, e.g. browser type, version, device type, user behavior, e.g. pages visited, session duration, use of specific website functions, e-commerce activity) to evaluate your use of the website, compile reports on website activity, and provide us with other services related to website activity and internet usage.
Contrary to the description in the general section above, IP addresses are not logged or stored in Google Analytics (in the version used here, "Google Analytics 4"). For accesses originating from the EU, IP address data is only used to derive location data and is immediately deleted thereafter. When collecting measurement data in Google Analytics, all IP searches take place on EU-based servers before the traffic is forwarded to Analytics servers for processing. Google Analytics utilizes regional data centers. When connecting to the nearest available Google data center in Google Analytics, the measurement data is sent to Analytics via an encrypted HTTPS connection. In these centers, the data is further encrypted before being forwarded to Analytics' processing servers and made available on the platform. The most suitable local data center is determined based on the IP addresses. This may also result in a transfer of data to servers abroad, e.g., the USA (for information on the absence of an adequate level of data protection and the proposed safeguards, see section 4.2).
Google Analytics uses cookies for data processing. You can consent to the processing of Your Personal Data by Google Analytics (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR) and/or prevent it/withdraw your consent at any time through our cookie banner. To withdraw your consent, go to the cookie settings at the bottom of our website. Google will anonymize Your Personal Data 14 months after your last activity, provided there is no legal obligation to store it for a longer period.
The transfer of Your Personal Data to Google is based on our data processing agreement (in connection with Art. 28 of the GDPR / Art. 9 of the FADP). Google may process personal data outside the EU/EEA. We safeguarded the transfer of personal data via standard contractual clauses (see section 4.2 above). Users can also prevent the collection of data related to their website usage (including IP address) generated by the cookie as well as the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en-GB.
9.3 Hubspot Analytics
We use HubSpot Analytics, a service provided by HubSpot (HubSpot, Inc., European HQ, Two Dockland Central Guild Street, Dublin 1) to analyze how visitors use our website. HubSpot processes Your Personal Data, such as your IP address, your location, information on your device and browser, and information on the pages you visited including date and time of each visit. We use this information to improve our services, our website and its functionalities, and for targeted marketing.
For data collection, HubSpot places a cookie on your device (see section 7 above for further information). You can consent to the processing of Your Personal Data by HubSpot (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR) and/or prevent it/withdraw your consent at any given time through our cookie banner. To withdraw your consent, go to the cookie settings at the bottom of our website. HubSpot uses this data to provide us with aggregated reports on the use of the pages of our website. Most of the cookies used for this purpose expire when a session is closed; however, one of them remains and expires within two years.
Please note that if you consent to data processing for HubSpot Analytics, HubSpot may associate information from your previous page visits with your contact record that has been created based on contact forms provided by HubSpot on our website with the help of the cookies that have been placed on your device. This will enable us to see information on past visits to our site within your contact record. Your consent is the legal basis for our use of HubSpot Analytics (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR). The transfer of Your Personal Data to HubSpot is governed by our data processing agreement (in connection with Art. 28 of the GDPR / Art. 9 of the FADP).
9.4 Posthog
We use services of PostHog to analyze and optimize the user behavior and the user-friendliness of our website. The services are offered by PostHog Inc, 965 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 USA. PostHog may record and repeat your user behavior on our website. This permits Posthog to understand the behavior of the users on our website so that we can adapt and improve our services and website offering. Posthog creates detailed reports about the user activities on our website and identifies user segments. The storage of this data by Posthog is timely limited and the data will only be processed for the above-mentioned purposes. You can find further information under https://posthog.com/privacy.
You can consent to the processing of your personal data by Posthog (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR) and/or prevent it/withdraw your consent at any given time through our cookie banner. To withdraw your consent, go to the cookie settings at the bottom of our website.
The transfer of your personal data to Posthog is governed by our data processing agreement (in connection with Art. 28 of the GDPR / Art. 9 of the FADP). Posthog may process personal data outside the EU/EEA. We safeguarded the transfer of personal data via standard contractual clauses (see section 4.2 above).
9.5 NextRoll
Our site uses technologies of third-party partners such as NextRoll, Inc. (formerly AdRoll, Inc.) headquartered in 201 California St Floor 5, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States (“NextRoll”) to help us recognize your device and understand how you use our site(s) so that we can improve our services to reflect your interests and serve you advertisements about the products and/or services that are likely to be of more interest to you. Specifically, NextRoll collect information about your activity on our site(s) to enable us to: i) measure and analyze traffic and browsing activity on our site(s); ii) show advertisements for our products and/or services to you on third-party sites; iii) measure and analyze the performance of our advertising campaigns. To read more about the technologies used by NextRoll and their cross-device capabilities please refer to NextRoll’s Privacy Notice, see here.
10. Advertising-related providers
We use services of various companies to provide you with interesting offers online. In the process of doing this, your user behavior on our website and websites of other providers is analyzed in order to subsequently be able to show you online advertising that is individually tailored to you.
Most technologies for tracking your user behavior (tracking) and displaying targeted advertising (targeting) utilize cookies (see also section 7), which allow your browser to be recognized across different websites. Depending on the service provider, it may also be possible for you to be recognized online even when using different end devices (e.g., laptop and smartphone). This may be the case, for example, if you have registered for a service that you use with several devices.
In addition to the data already mentioned, which is collected when visiting websites (Log File Data, see section 7.4) and through the use of cookies (section 7) and which may be transmitted to the companies involved in the advertising networks, the following data, in particular, is used to select the advertising that is potentially most relevant to you:
information about you that you provided when registering or using a service from advertising partners (e.g., your gender, age group); and
user behaviour (e.g., search queries, interactions with advertisements, types of websites visited, products or services viewed and purchased, newsletters subscribed to).
We and our service providers use this data to determine whether you belong to the target audience we address and take this into account when selecting advertisements. For example, after visiting our website, you may see advertisements for the products or services you have viewed when you visit other sites (Re-targeting). Depending on the amount of data, a user profile may also be created, which is automatically analyzed; the advertisements are then selected based on the information stored in the profile, such as belonging to certain demographic segments or potential interests or behaviors. These advertisements may be displayed to you on various channels, including our website or app (as part of on- and in-app marketing), as well as advertising placements provided through the online advertising networks we use, such as Google.
The data may then be analyzed for the purpose of settlement with the service provider, as well as for evaluating the effectiveness of advertising measures in order to better understand the needs of our users and customers and to improve future campaigns. This may also include information that the performance of an action (e.g., visiting certain sections of our website or submitting information) can be attributed to a specific advertising. We also receive from service providers aggregated reports of advertisement activity and information on how users interact with our website and advertisements.
10.1 Google Ads
a) Conversion Tracking
We use Google Ads Conversion Tracking offered by Google as well as Google Ad Manager (Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) on our website. We use this service to determine how successful our advertisements through the Google marketing network are (so-called Google Ads) based on the display of the advertisements and clicks by users. This service makes our advertisements more interesting for you and improves our marketing campaigns.
To enable this service, Google places a conversion tracking cookie on your computer (for further information on cookies see section 7 above). You can consent to the processing of Your Personal Data by Google (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR) and/or prevent it/withdraw your consent at any given time through our cookie banner. To withdraw your consent, go to the cookie settings at the bottom of our website.
The cookie expires within 90 days after visiting our website. It enables Google to recognize your internet browser and captures the unique cookie ID, the number of ad impressions per placement (frequency), last impression (relevant for post-view conversions), and opt-out information (ads that the user no longer wishes to be addressed with). If you visit our website before the cookie expires, we and Google can recognize you, for example, if you click on an ad for our services and are redirected to our website. We only receive statistical evaluations from Google. Based on these evaluations, we can see which of the advertising measures are particularly effective. We do not receive any further data from the use of the advertising tools; in particular, we cannot identify users on the basis of this information.
b) Google Ads Remarketing
We also use the online marketing service Google Ads Remarketing offered by Google on our website. We use this function to present you with advertisements on our website based on your interests in Google Ads on other websites within the Google marketing network. For this purpose, Google analyzes your interaction with our website, e.g. which offers you were interested in, in order to be able to display relevant advertisements on other sites even after you have finished visiting our website.
To enable this service, Google places a cookie on your computer (for further information on cookies see section 7 above). You can consent to the processing of Your Personal Data by Google (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR) and/or prevent it/withdraw your consent at any given time through our cookie banner. To withdraw your consent, go to the cookie settings at the bottom of our website.
This cookie expires 180 days after visiting our website. Google uses this cookie to analyze how you interact with Google Ads on our website and on other websites to present you relevant advertisements.
c) General information on Google Ads
Google acts as a data controller for Google Ads and may process Your Personal Data for other purposes. We have no control over the data that Google collects or the extent of the data collected by Google. We also have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted to Google. For details about Google’s data processing, please refer to: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Google may process personal data outside the EU/EEA. We safeguarded the transfer of personal data via standard contractual clauses (see section 4.2 above).
10.2 LinkedIn (LinkedIn Insights Tag)
We use the LinkedIn Insight Tag (provided by LinkedIn, LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Plaza, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland) on our website. We use this function to capture visits of LinkedIn users to our website in order to track conversions from LinkedIn (i.e. if users came to our website based on our LinkedIn advertisements or articles) to track retargeting of our website visitors to LinkedIn. For this purpose, LinkedIn collects Your Personal Data (IP address, URL referrer, device and browser characteristics, timestamp, and events, such as page views).
LinkedIn places a cookie to capture Your Personal Data (see section 7 above for further information). You can consent to the processing of Your Personal Data by LinkedIn (Art. 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR) or prevent it or withdraw your consent at any given time through our cookie banner. To withdraw your consent, go to the cookie settings at the bottom of our website.
The cookie expires within 6 months from the last visit to our website. We will receive aggregated reports about our audience and LinkedIn advertisement performance from LinkedIn. We use this information to evaluate the quality of interaction of our audience on LinkedIn with our website and services.
The transfer of Your Personal Data to LinkedIn for the aforementioned purposes is based on our data processing agreement (in connection with Art. 28 of the GDPR / Art. 9 of the FADP). LinkedIn may process personal data outside the EU/EEA. We safeguarded the transfer of personal data via standard contractual clauses (see section 4.2 above).
10.3 Microsoft Advertising
a) Conversion Tracking
10.4 Google Marketing Platform (formerly Google DoubleClick)
This website uses Google Marketing Platform's DoubleClick, a service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Google Building Gordon House, Barrow St, Dublin 4, Ireland. DoubleClick uses cookies to present you with advertisements that are relevant to you. In doing so, a pseudonymous identification number (ID) is assigned to your browser or device in order to verify which ads were displayed in your browser and which ads were viewed. This can improve campaign performance or, for example, prevent you from seeing the same ad more than once. In addition, Google can use cookie IDs to record so-called conversions that are related to ad requests. This is the case, for example, when a user sees a Campaign Manager ad and later uses the same browser to visit the advertiser's website and make a purchase.
You can consent to the processing of your personal data by Google (Art. 6 (1) of the GDPR) and/or prevent it/withdraw your consent at any given time through our cookie banner. To withdraw your consent, go to the cookie settings at the bottom of our website. This cookie expires 180 days after visiting our website.
Due to the technology used, your browser automatically sets up a direct connection with the servers of Google. Google acts as a data controller and may process your personal data for other purposes. We have no control over the data that Google collects or the extent of the data collected by Google. We also have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted to Google.
For details about Google’s data processing, please refer to: https://policies.google.com/privacy. We inform you therefore to the best of our knowledge: Google receives the information that you have accessed the section of our website where the cookies are placed or that you have clicked on an ad of us. In case that you are registered with a service of Google at that moment, Google can allocate your visit or access to your Google account. Even when you are not registered, it is not entirely excluded that the provider can find out your IP-address and store it. It can also not entirely be excluded that data is transferred to Google LLC in the USA. Google may process personal data outside the EU/EEA. We safeguarded the transfer of personal data via standard contractual clauses (see section 4.2 above).
11. Social Media
11.1 Plugins
On our website, you can use social media plugins from the following providers:
Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, Privacy Policy;
Twitter International Unlimited Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, Ireland, Privacy Policy;
LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, Privacy Policy.
We use the social media plugins to make it easier for you to share content from our website, for example, from our blog. The social media plugins help us to increase the visibility of our content on social networks, thereby contributing to better marketing.
The content of the plugin is transmitted directly from the social network to your browser and integrated into the website. As a result, the respective provider receives information that your browser has accessed the corresponding page of our website, even if you do not have an account with that social network or are not currently logged in to it. This information (including your IP address) is transmitted from your browser directly to a server of the provider (usually located in the USA) and stored there (for information on the absence of an adequate level of data protection and the proposed safeguards, see section 4.2). We have no influence on the scope of data collected by the provider through the plugin, although from a data protection perspective, we may be considered joint controllers with the providers up to a certain extent.
If you are logged into the social network, it can assign your visit to our website directly to your user account. If you interact with the plugins, the corresponding information is also transmitted directly to a server of the provider and stored there. The information (e.g., that you like a product or service from us) may also be published on the social network and displayed to other users of the social network. The provider of the social network may use this information for the purpose of displaying advertisements and tailoring the respective offering to your needs. For this purpose, usage, interest, and relationship profiles may be created, e.g,. to evaluate your use of our website with regard to the advertisements displayed to you on the social network, to inform other users about your activities on our website, and to provide other services associated with the use of the social network. The purpose and scope of the data collection, further processing and use of the data by the providers of the social networks, as well as your rights in this regard and options for protecting your privacy can be found directly in the privacy policies of the respective providers.
If you do not want the provider of the social network to associate the data collected through our website with your user account, you must log out of the social network before activating the plugins. The legal basis for the described data processing is your consent within the meaning of Article 6 (1)(a) of the GDPR. You can withdraw your consent at any time by notifying the plugin provider in accordance with the instructions provided in its privacy policy.
11.2 Social Media Profile
Our website contains links to our profiles on the social networks of the following providers:
Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, Privacy Policy;
Twitter International Unlimited Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, Ireland, Privacy Policy;
LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, Privacy Policy.
If you click on the icons of the social networks, you will be automatically redirected to our profile on the respective network. This establishes a direct connection between your browser and the server of the respective social network. As a result, the social network receives information that you have visited our website with your IP address and clicked on the link. This may also involve the transfer of data to servers abroad, e.g., in the USA (for information on the absence of an adequate level of data protection and the proposed safeguards, see section 4.2).
If you click on a link to a social network while you are logged into your user account on that social network, the content of our website can be associated with your profile, allowing the social network to directly link your visit to our website to your account. If you want to prevent this, please log out of your account before clicking on the respective links. A connection between your access to our website and your user account will always be established if you log in to the respective social network after clicking on the link.
In addition, we receive data from you and the platforms when you come into contact with us via our social media profile directly (e.g., when you communicate with us, comment on our content or visit our profiles). At the same time, the platforms evaluate your use of our profile and link this data with other data about you known to the platforms (e.g., about your behavior and preferences). The platforms also process this data for their own purposes on their own responsibility, in particular for marketing and market research purposes (e.g. to personalize advertising) and to control their platforms (e.g. which content they show you). Content you publish yourself (e.g., comments on an announcement) may be redistributed by us (e.g., in our advertising on the Platform or elsewhere). We or the operators of the platforms may also delete or restrict content from or to you in accordance with the usage guidelines (e.g. inappropriate comments). Please read the data privacy notices of the platform provider to receive additional information regarding the data processing by the platform provider. There you will find information about where the data is processed by the platform provider, which rights you have as data subject and how you can enforce them.
We ourselves process this data to design our social media profiles user-friendly, to continuously optimize our social media profiles, and to communicate with the users of our social media profiles in a personalized manner. We also process the data to answer your questions and to communicate directly via the social media platform with users. Finally, we use the data to direct and optimize online marketing in our social media profile.
The legal basis for any data processing attributed to us is our legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1)(f) of the GDPR in the use and promotion of our social media profiles and the consent provided by the users of the social media profile according to Article 6 (1)(a) of the GDPR.
12. Contact
If you have any questions, you can contact us at the following address:
Postal address: PDF Tools AG, Brown-Boveri-Strasse 5, 8050 Zurich
Last updated: 07.02.2024