You can find the privacy policy for the Open Roberta Lab here

You can find the privacy policy for the Roberta Facebook page here (german)

The “Roberta® – Learning with Robots” initiative is a project undertaken by the Fraunhofer Institut für Intelligente Analyse- und Informationssysteme IAIS which has been promoting digital education in Germany and internationally for over 15 years with a gender-equitable concept for robotics and programming courses as well as the “Open Roberta Lab” open-source programming platform.

As the party responsible for the data processing (controller), we process the personal data collected via our website and store them for the period, which is required to achieve the specified purpose and to comply with the statutory requirements. The following text informs you of the data we collect and the way we process the collected data. We also inform you on your data privacy rights as they pertain to the use of our website.

Pursuant to Article 4 No. 1 GDPR, personal data are all data referring to a specific or identifiable natural person.

1. Scope of this Agreement

This data protection information shall apply to the project website located at www.roberta-home.de and www.open-roberta.org.

2. Name and contact information of the person who signs responsible for processing and the appointed data security officer

Controller as defined in Article 4 No. 7 GDPR:

Fraunhofer Society for the Advancement of Applied Research
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.

Hansastraße 27 c,
80686 München [Munich, Bavaria, Germany]

for her Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS,

Schloss Birlinghoven,
53757 Sankt Augustin, Germany

(in the following referred to as 'Fraunhofer IAIS’)

Email:           info@iais.fraunhofer.de
Telephone:   +49 2241 14-3000
Fax:              +49 2241 14-4-3000

You can reach the data protection representative of the Fraunhofer Institute at the above address, c/o Data Protection Officer or at datenschutz(at)zv.fraunhofer.de.

Please feel free to contact the data protection officer directly at any time with your questions concerning your data protection rights and/or your rights as affected person.

Alternatively, you may want to send an email at roberta-zentrale(at)iais.fraunhofer.de.

3. Processing of Personal Data and Purposes of the Data Processing

a) During Your Website Visit

You have the choice to access our website without revealing your identity. In this case, the active browser on your computing device sends nothing but the automatic information about itself to the server of our website to enable the connection. This includes the browser type and version and the date and time of access.  Included in the transmitted data is also the IP address of your device. Our server stores this IP address in a log file and deletes it automatically after thirty (30) days.

We process the IP address for technical and administrative purposes when we establish a stable connection between your device and our server. This ensures the security and functional reliability of our website. In the event an attacker tries to harm our system, the stored data allow us to trace the illegitimate activity.

The legal foundation for processing the IP address is Article 6 para. 1. lit. f GDPR. We have legitimate interests in maintaining the security of our website and in providing trouble-free website services as outlined above.

Processing the IP address of the requesting device in our log file does not allow us to draw direct conclusions on the identity of the website visitor.

Furthermore, we use cookies and analytical services when visitors access our website. We explain the use of cookies and analytical services in Sections 5 and 6 of this data protection statement.

b) When creating a user account

You can create a user account on our website. You need this user account in particular to register for events. The user account gives you access to teaching materials, certificates of attendance and certifications, if applicable. It is necessary for all training participants to create a user account in order to access to the current versions of our teaching materials, which are constantly expanding and are frequently revised.

When creating a user account, we collect the following mandatory information, which is marked with an asterisk (*):

• Salutation
• First and last name
• Country and state/province where you are working, and
• Email address.

To set up the user account, you must also enter a password you choose yourself. To access your user account, you will need to enter your email address and this password. In your user account, you can view and edit the data stored about you at any time.

This data is processed in order to

• identify you as a participant,
• enable you to access training applications and material, and
• make your certificate available for download; the authenticity of the certificate can be validated even without signature.

We process data based on your query and for the purposes declared as prescribed by the first sentence of Article 6(1), point (b) GDPR to perform the contractual obligations and meet the conditions precedent for entering into the contract.

After your user account is deleted, your data will be automatically deleted to prevent further use except if we are required pursuant to Article 6(1)(c) GDPR to observe a longer storage period due to retention and documentation obligations pursuant to tax and commercial law (the German Commercial Code (Handelgesetzbuch, HGB), German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch, StGB) or the German Tax Code (Abgabenordnung, AO)) or if you have consented to longer storage pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

c) Visitor Registration for Events

On a regular basis, we invite web visitors to different kinds of events. Our website visitors are able to register online.

In order to register online, our website visitors have to provide required data. These data include

• Salutation
• First and last name
• Country and state/province where you are working, and
• Email address
• poss. billing address

Should we request additional required data, we will specifically identify them (using an * for example). In addition, our website users often have the opportunity to volunteer additional information.

We process the required data mostly to identify you as event participant and to reserve a place for you. In addition, we agree with you on the type of event, provide you with information for and after the event and overall ensure that you enjoy your participation and the event proceeds smoothly. The volunteered data help us to plan and organise our events in tune with your interests.

We need the billing address to collect the participation fees.

We collect the data in response to the enquiries of interested parties. According to Article 6 para. 1, page 1, lit. b GDPR, the data collection is necessary for the mentioned purposes, to perform according to the participation contract and to meet the conditions precedent to entering into the participation contract.

We store the personal data we collect in relation to the event for the purposes specified in section 3.b for as long as you have a user account with us. You can delete your user account yourself at any time, in addition to your other rights within the scope of the GDPR (Section 7). We will store the personal data collected in context with the event until the end of the regular limitation period of three (3) years following the end of the year of the event. We will then delete the data unless we are obligated by law to store the data for a longer period according to compulsory safekeeping and documentation obligations pursuant to Article 6 para. 1, page 1 lit. c GDPR and in particular according to § 147 AO [General German Fiscal Code]). The further processing of the data shall be barred.

d) When applying for an event

With the support of external sponsors we regularly offer free events that interested persons can apply to attend, using an application form on our website.

The mandatory information (such as your name and email address) collected in the course of the application is marked with an asterisk (*). Moreover, applicants can generally provide additional information, such as regarding why they wish to attend, as well as their experience or interests.

The data is processed so that we can file and process the application; to inform the applicant, if relevant; and in the event that space is limited, to select the most qualified participants.

Data processing takes place in response to the query of the interested applicant and is necessary pursuant to the first sentence of point (b) of Article 6(1) GDPR for the purposes mentioned for performing the participation contract and to meet the conditions for entering into it (conducting the application process).

We work with external sponsors to offer free events to interested persons. The sponsor is granted the right to select suitable applicants for the events. The data collected within the scope of applying for an event is transferred to the sponsor on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest, within the meaning of the passage cited above, in cooperation and therefore also in forwarding the data to the sponsor in this regard for the purpose of applicant selection.

We delete the personal data at the end of the selection procedure (usually two weeks before the first selected event).

e) Subscriptions to our Roberta Newsletter

If you have given your explicit consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) GDPR, we use your email address to send our newsletter to you on a regular basis. The newsletter provides you with information about our activities in connection with Fraunhofer’s Roberta initiative, such as training dates, event information, reports, cooperation partners, awards and technical innovations at the “Open Roberta Lab”.

After you have subscribed to our newsletter, we will email a subscription confirmation to you. You must confirm the receipt of this email to receive our newsletter. This procedure is known as double opt-in procedure. For us, your email response serves as confirmation that you are in fact the person who subscribed to our newsletter.

You may opt out of receiving our newsletter at any time. At the end of each newsletter, you will find a link, which makes opting out easy. Alternatively, feel free to express your desire to cancel your subscription by email: roberta-zentrale(at)iais.fraunhofer.de.

Once we have received your cancellation of the newsletter subscription, we will immediately delete your email address from our distribution list.

Our service provider, the mailingwork GmbH, Birkenweg 7, 09569 Oederan Germany (Mailingwork) sends our newsletter to your email address on our behalf. Mailingwork stores the email addresses of our newsletter recipients on their servers in Germany on our behalf.

Mailingwork uses the data of our newsletter subscribers for the purpose of sending and evaluating newsletters on our behalf. For this purpose, we entered into an order processing contract with Mailingwork. Through the Company’s signature under this contract, Mailingwork agrees to process the subscriber data in compliance with all General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and to guarantee the rights of all affected persons.

Mailingwork assures that personal data are protected in a comprehensive way from unauthorised access. Mailingwork is barred from using the data provided by our newsletter subscribers to contact the subscribers himself and is not authorised to transfer the subscriber data to third parties. As reliable email sending service, Mailingwork is certified by the Certified Senders Alliance

f) The Use of COntact Forms

We offer website visitors the opportunity to contact us via a form on our website. To enable you to communicate with us via this form, we request the following data:

• First and last name
• Email address

We need these required data to learn who contacted us and to process the user request.

We process the requested data in response to your enquiry. Our purpose is to answer your query in pursuit of our legitimate interests pursuant to Article 6 para. 1, page 1 lit. f GDPR.

Once we have satisfied the enquiry via contact form, we will immediately delete the collected personal data.

4. Transfer of Personal Data to Third Parties

With exception of the above-mentioned cases of data processing by service providers on our behalf (newsletter subscription), we give your personal data only to third parties (i.e. to natural and legal persons other than you, the affected person), the controller or the service provider or his/her vicarious agents under the following circumstances:

• You consented explicitly to the data transfer to a third party according to Article 6 para. 1, page 1 lit. a GDPR
• The data transfer is required for the contractual performance of the contract with you according to Article 6 para. 1 page 1, lit. b GDPR
  • Data transmission to the mail order firm which will deliver the goods you ordered
  • Payment data transmission to payment service providers and credit institutes for payment transactions
• We are legally obligated to surrender the data to financial or judicial authorities according to Article 6 para. 1, page 1 lit. c GDPR
• Giving your data to third parties is required to exercise, enforce or defend legal claims, and there is no reason to assume that you as affected person could have an overriding interest worth protecting in the non-transfer of your personal data according to Article 6 para. 1 S. 1 lit. f GDPR. Such a data transfer to government and/or law enforcement authorities may occur in cases of attacks on our IT systems.

Third parties may use the transferred data only for the above-mentioned purposes.

If you have registered for an event, it may be necessary in the course of the contractual performance that your personal data are transmitted to an external organiser. The confirmation of your event registration will name the event organiser and tell you whether he/she is an external organiser. This event organiser will not only organise and manage the event but also process the registration data.

According to Article 28 GDPR, our service providers host our websites on servers located in Germany exclusively.

The transfer/transmission of personal data to countries outside the EU or an international organisation shall be excluded.

5. Cookies

We use server-side cookies. Cookies are small files, which are automatically created by the browser of the user device and stored in your device (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone or similar device) when you visit our website. Cookies do not harm your computer, and they do not contain viruses, Trojans or other malware.

Cookies contain information pertaining to the specific device, which accessed our website. However, this does not give us direct knowledge of your identity.

One reason for us to use cookies is making the use of our website more convenient for you. We use session cookies to allow session controls such as controls for inserting data into forms or saving shopping carts. At the latest, session cookies are deleted when you close your browser.

We also use temporary cookies to optimise the user-friendliness of our website. Your device stores these cookies temporarily for a specific time. The next time you visit our website, our server will recognise your device as prior visitor and remembers your settings and preferences. You will not have to enter these parameters again.

We also use cookies to gather data for our website statistics. This helps us to evaluate and optimise our web offerings (see Section 6). These cookies allow us to recognise repeat visits from your device. These cookies will be deleted automatically after twenty-five (25) month.

The data obtained with the help of cookies serve us to pursue our legitimate interests as website owners and serve the legitimate interests of third parties according to Article 6 para. 1, page 1 lit. f GDPR.

Most browsers accept cookies automatically. However, you are able to configure your browser in such a way that the application does not store cookies on your computer or always shows an alert before storing new cookies. The complete deactivation of cookies may prevent you from using all functions on our website.

6. Web Analysis using Matomo

On our website, we use the open source service Matomo by InnoCraft Ltd in New Zealand to analyse the activities of our website users and to optimise our website and its content based on this analysis. In the process, we do not receive any information, which identifies our users.

In context with using the Matomo service, we use cookies, which enable the service to analyse the activities of our website users. The cookie contains information, including personal information, which characterises your visit on our website. Under a pseudonym, Matomo creates your user profile for analytical purposes. Since we host the Matomo services on our own server, the analysis does not require the processing of data by third parties.
Without your specific permission, we do not use the collected data to identify you personally and will not combine the data with personal data about you under a pseudonym associated with you.

To the extent that we collect IP addresses in our analysis, these addresses are stripped of their last control number block upon collection to anonymise the IP addresses instantly. We delete further personal data stored in the cookie after twenty-five (25) month.

We process the statistical data based on our legitimate interests in the optimisation of our online offerings and our web presence according to Article 6 para.1 lit. f GDPR.

Currently, Matomo Web Services analyse your website visit. Click here to prevent the Matomo Web Services from analysing your visit of our website.

7. YouTube

Based on the agreement according to Article 6 Para. 1, page 1 lit. f GDPR, we use components (videos) of YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Avenue, 94066 San Bruno, CA (USA) (in the following referred to as ‘YouTube’), a company of Google Inc., Amphitheatre Parkway, 94043 Mountain View (USA),  (in the following referred to as ‘Google’).

In the process, we use the ‘extended data protection mode’ option provided by YouTube.

Upon requesting an Internet page with embedded video, our website connects to the YouTube servers and renders the content on the Internet page using your browser.

According to the information provided by YouTube, in the ‘extended data protection mode’, your data will be transmitted to the US YouTube servers only while you watch the video. The transmitted data include the Internet page you just viewed and device-specific data including your IP address. By clicking ‘run’ on the video you agree to this mode of transmission.

Should you be logged into your YouTube account at the same time, YouTube will associate these collected data with your member account. You are able to prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

Google complies with the data protection regulation of US Privacy Shield and is registered with the US Privacy Shield Program of the US Department of Trade.

You find further information on the data protection in context with YouTube in the Google Data Protection Regulations.

8. Your Rights as Affected Person

You have the following rights:

• According to Article 7 para. 3 GDPR, you have the right to revoke any consent declaration at any time, which you have given to us before. This has the consequence that we are no longer privileged to continue the respective activity.
• According to Article 15 GDPR, you have the right to demand information on your personal data, which we have processed. In particular, you have the right to information on the following: Purposes of the data processing - The categories of personal data - the categories of recipients to which we transmitted/disclosed or will transmit your data - the planned storage periods of data - the existence of the right to correction, deletion, restriction of processing and objection - the right to appeal - the right to know the origin of data in the event that we did not collect these data - the right to meaningful and detailed information on the existence of automated decision-making including profiling
• According to Article 16 GDPR, you have the right to the correction of incorrect and/or the completion of incomplete personal data in storage at the Fraunhofer Society
• According to  Article 17 GDPR, you have the right to the deletion of your personal data providing the deletion does not interfere with the execution of the right to the free expression of opinions and with the compliance with legal obligations, providing the deletion is not against public interest and providing the deletion does not hamper the enforcement, execution or defence of legal claims
• According to Article 18 GDPR, you have the right to restrict the processing of your personal data if you contest or challenge the accuracy of these data, the processing of the data is illegal but you reject the deletion of these data and we no longer need the data while you still need the data to enforce, execute or defend legal claims or you have raised an objection against the data processing according to Article 21 GDPR
• According to Article 20 GDPR, you have the right to receive the personal data you provided to us in a structured, well-established and machine-readable format or to demand the transmission to another authority and
• According to Article 77 GDPR, you have the right to complain to a superior authority. As a rule, you may find such authority at your place of residence, your workplace or our company domicile.

9. Data Security

We transmit all your personal data using the generally used and secure encryption standard TLS (Transport Layer Security). The TLS protocol is a proven and secure standard. Bankers use the standard for online banking transactions. You recognise a secure TLS connection by the s following the http (https://...) in your browser URL or by the lock symbol in the lower section of your browser.

By the way, we use suitable technical and organisational safety procedures to protect your data against inadvertent or wilful manipulation, partial or complete loss, destruction or against the unauthorised access by third parties. We constantly improve these security measures as the technology advances.

10. Amendments to the Data Security Information and its Timeliness

This data protection information as amended on June 2018 is currently applicable.

Due to improvements of our website and website offers or based on statutory or government standard, it may become necessary to amend this data protection information. You find the latest applicable data protection information by clicking the link on the following website

https://www.roberta-home.de/en/privacy-policy/

You may read or print this updated and amended version at any time.