Privacy Policy

Status: February 21, 2026

Table of contents

  • Controller
  • Overview of processing
  • Relevant legal bases
  • Security measures
  • Disclosure of personal data
  • International data transfers
  • Deletion of data
  • Rights of data subjects
  • Use of cookies
  • Business services
  • Provision of the online offering and web hosting
  • Registration, login and user account
  • Contact and inquiry management
  • Newsletter and electronic notifications
  • Web analytics, monitoring and optimization
  • Social media presences
  • Changes and updates to this Privacy Policy
  • Definitions

Controller

Andre Genze

to be announced shortly

to be announced shortly

Germany

Email: hello@beardfriends.com

Imprint: https://beardfriends.com/imprint

Overview of processing

The following overview summarizes the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing and refers to the data subjects concerned.

Types of data processed

  • Account data
  • Payment data
  • Contact data
  • Content data
  • Contract data
  • Usage data
  • Meta, communication and procedural data

Categories of data subjects

  • Customers
  • Prospects
  • Communication partners
  • Users
  • Business and contractual partners

Purposes of processing

  • Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations
  • Contact inquiries and communication
  • Security measures
  • Direct marketing
  • Reach measurement
  • Office and organizational procedures
  • Administration and response to inquiries
  • Feedback
  • Marketing
  • Profiles with user-related information
  • Provision of our online offering and user-friendliness
  • IT infrastructure

Relevant legal bases

Relevant legal bases under the GDPR: Below you will find an overview of the GDPR legal bases on which we process personal data. Please note that, in addition to the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your and/or our country of residence or establishment. If more specific legal bases are applicable in individual cases, we will inform you in this Privacy Policy.

  • Consent (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR) – The data subject has given consent to the processing of personal data concerning them for one or more specific purposes.
  • Performance of a contract and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.
  • Legal obligation (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. c GDPR) – Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject.

National regulations (Germany)

In addition to the GDPR, national data protection regulations apply in Germany, in particular the German Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz – BDSG). The BDSG contains special provisions, among others, on the right of access, the right to erasure, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes and transfers as well as automated individual decision-making including profiling. State data protection laws of the German federal states may also apply.

Notice on GDPR and Swiss FADP

These privacy notices serve both as information under the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (Swiss FADP) and under the GDPR. For this reason, please note that, due to the broader territorial application and comprehensibility, the terms used in the GDPR are used. In particular, instead of “processing” of “personal data” under the GDPR, the Swiss terms may differ; however, the legal meaning of the terms is determined according to Swiss law where applicable.

Security measures

In accordance with legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, implementation costs and the nature, scope, circumstances and purposes of processing as well as the varying likelihood and severity of risks to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, we implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk.

Measures include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data, access rights, input, disclosure, availability safeguards and segregation. We have also established procedures to ensure data subject rights, deletion of data and responses to data threats. Furthermore, we consider the protection of personal data already during the development or selection of hardware, software and procedures in accordance with the principle of privacy by design and privacy by default.

TLS/SSL encryption (HTTPS)

To protect user data transmitted via our online services, we use TLS/SSL encryption. HTTPS is shown in the URL when a website is secured by an SSL/TLS certificate.

Deletion of inactive user accounts

  • Applicant accounts with no activity for 12 months are automatically and permanently deleted. Users are contacted by email one month before deletion.
  • Applicants may upload application documents after a successful skill test. These documents are automatically deleted after 6 months regardless of application status.

Disclosure of personal data

In the course of processing personal data, it may happen that data is disclosed or transferred to other entities, companies, legally independent organizational units or persons. Recipients may include, for example, service providers commissioned with IT tasks or providers of services and content integrated into a website. In such cases, we comply with legal requirements and, in particular, conclude appropriate contracts or agreements with recipients that serve to protect your data.

International data transfers

Processing in third countries (i.e., outside the EU/EEA) or disclosures/transfers to recipients in third countries only take place in compliance with legal requirements. Where the level of data protection has been recognized by an adequacy decision (Art. 45 GDPR), this serves as the basis. Otherwise, transfers only take place where protection is ensured in other ways, in particular via Standard Contractual Clauses (Art. 46(2) lit. c GDPR), explicit consent, or where required for contractual/legal reasons (Art. 49(1) GDPR).

EU–US Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework

Under the “Data Privacy Framework” (DPF), the EU Commission recognized an adequate level of protection for certain US companies by adequacy decision of July 10, 2023. A list of certified companies and further information can be found at https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/.

Deletion of data

We delete personal data in accordance with legal requirements as soon as consents are revoked or other permissions cease to apply (e.g., when the purpose no longer applies or data is not required). If data is not deleted because it is required for other legally permissible purposes, processing is restricted to those purposes (i.e., the data is blocked and not processed for other purposes). This applies, for example, to data that must be retained for commercial or tax reasons or for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims or for the protection of rights of another person.

Rights of data subjects

As data subjects, you have various rights under the GDPR, in particular arising from Articles 15 to 21 GDPR:

  • Right to object: You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you based on Art. 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR; this also applies to profiling. If personal data is processed for direct marketing, you have the right to object at any time to processing for such marketing, including related profiling.
  • Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw consent at any time.
  • Right of access: You have the right to obtain confirmation whether personal data concerning you is processed, and access to such data and further information, and a copy under legal requirements.
  • Right to rectification: You have the right to request completion or correction of inaccurate data.
  • Right to erasure / restriction: You have the right to request erasure without undue delay or, alternatively, restriction of processing.
  • Right to data portability: You have the right to receive personal data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or to request transmission to another controller.
  • Right to lodge a complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged infringement.

Use of cookies

Cookies are small text files or similar storage notes that store information on end devices and read information from them, e.g., to store login status, shopping cart contents, pages visited or functions used. Cookies may also be used for functionality, security and convenience and for analyzing visitor flows.

Consent

We use cookies in accordance with legal regulations. Therefore, we obtain prior consent unless not legally required. Consent is not necessary if storing/reading information is strictly necessary to provide a service expressly requested by the user. Strictly necessary cookies generally include cookies for displaying and operating the online offering, load balancing, security, storing preferences, or similar purposes related to providing core functions of the service.

Legal bases

The legal basis depends on whether we request consent. If users consent, the legal basis is consent. Otherwise, processing is based on our legitimate interests (e.g., economic operation and improving usability) or on contractual necessity.

Storage duration

  • Temporary cookies (session cookies): deleted at the latest when the user leaves the online offering and closes the device/application.
  • Persistent cookies: remain stored after closing the device; e.g., login status or preferred content. Unless we provide explicit information, users should assume a maximum retention of up to two years.

Withdrawal / objection (opt-out)

Users can withdraw consent at any time and object in accordance with legal requirements. Users can restrict cookies in browser settings (which may limit functionality). An opt-out for online marketing cookies may also be declared via https://optout.aboutads.info and https://www.youronlinechoices.com/.

Business services

We process data of our contractual and business partners (customers and prospects; “contract partners”) within contractual and comparable legal relationships and related measures and communication, e.g., to answer inquiries.

We process this data to fulfill contractual obligations, including providing agreed services, update duties, and remedies in case of performance issues. We also process data to safeguard our rights and for administrative tasks and organization, as well as based on legitimate interests in proper business management and security measures to protect partners and operations from misuse and threats.

Retention periods

We delete data after statutory warranty and comparable obligations, generally after 4 years, unless data is stored in a customer account or must be retained for legal archiving. Statutory retention periods include ten years for tax-relevant documents and accounting records, and six years for received/issued business letters, starting at the end of the calendar year in which the relevant event occurred.

Provision of the online offering and web hosting

We process user data to provide our online services. For this purpose, we process the user’s IP address, which is necessary to transmit content and functions to the user’s browser/device.

Server log files

Access to our online offering is logged in server log files. These may include the address/name of accessed pages/files, date/time, transferred data volume, successful retrieval, browser type/version, operating system, referrer URL, and usually IP addresses and requesting provider. Log files may be used for security (e.g., preventing overload / DDoS attacks) and to ensure server utilization and stability. Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized, unless further retention is required for evidence purposes.

Email sending and hosting

Our hosting services also include sending, receiving and storing emails. For these purposes, recipient/sender addresses and additional information regarding email delivery and contents may be processed. Data may also be processed for spam detection. Emails are generally encrypted in transit, but not end-to-end encrypted by default; therefore we cannot assume responsibility for the transmission path between sender and our server.

Hosting provider

CONTABO: Services in the field of providing IT infrastructure and related services (e.g., storage and/or computing capacity). Provider: Contabo GmbH, Aschauer Straße 32a, 81549 Munich, Germany. Website: https://www.contabo.com — Privacy Policy: https://contabo.com/de/legal/privacy/ — Data processing agreement provided by the provider.

Registration, login and user account

Users can create a user account. During registration, required information is communicated and processed for providing the user account based on contractual performance. Processed data includes login information (username, password and email address).

When using registration/login features and the user account, we store the IP address and time of user actions based on legitimate interests (and users’ interests) in protection against misuse. Data is generally not disclosed to third parties unless required for pursuing claims or legal obligations. Users may be informed by email about account-relevant processes, e.g., technical changes.

  • Use of real names: due to the nature of our community, pseudonyms are not permitted.
  • User profiles are not publicly visible or accessible.
  • Users can configure visibility settings for their profiles.
  • After account termination, data is deleted unless legally permissible/required to retain.

Contact and inquiry management

When contacting us (e.g., by mail, contact form, email, phone or social media) and within existing user/business relationships, the information provided by the inquiring persons is processed to answer the inquiry and any requested measures.

Newsletter and electronic notifications

We send newsletters, emails and other electronic notifications (“newsletters”) only with recipients’ consent or a legal permission. Registration typically only requires an email address; we may request a name for personal addressing or additional information if necessary.

Double opt-in

Newsletter registration uses a double opt-in procedure. After signup, you will receive an email requesting confirmation. This prevents unauthorized signups. We log the signup/confirmation time and IP address and changes at the sending service provider to prove compliance.

Opt-out

You can cancel the newsletter at any time (withdraw consent / object). An unsubscribe link is provided in each newsletter or you can contact us (preferably by email).

Content

Information about us, our services, promotions and offers. We also send email notifications when a new job posting goes live, after a positive skill test, and after application documents are provided. Users (registered applicants and employers) can change notification settings in their account.

Web analytics, monitoring and optimization

Web analytics (“reach measurement”) evaluates visitor flows and can include pseudonymous information about visitor behavior and interests. We may also use testing methods (e.g., A/B tests) to optimize our offering.

Unless otherwise stated, profiles may be created, and information stored/read in a browser or device. Collected information includes pages visited and elements used, technical details (browser/system), and usage times. Location data may be processed if users consent. IP addresses are processed; we use IP masking (shortening) for user protection. Generally, no clear data (e.g., names/emails) is stored, only pseudonyms.

Google Analytics 4

We use Google Analytics to measure and analyze use of our online offering based on a pseudonymous user ID. This ID does not contain identifying data such as name/email. It is used to assign analysis information to a device and to understand which content was accessed and how users interacted. Google provides coarse geolocation data derived from IP metadata. For EU traffic, IP address data is used only for geolocation derivation and is then deleted; it is not logged or used for other purposes. Provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Data processing terms: https://business.safety.google/adsprocessorterms/. Opt-out plugin: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de and ad settings: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

Social media presences

We maintain online presences within social networks and process user data to communicate with active users or to provide information about us. Data may be processed outside the EU, which can create risks (e.g., enforcement of rights may be more difficult). Social networks often process data for market research and advertising; usage profiles may be created and used to display interest-based ads.

Instagram

Provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland. Website: https://www.instagram.com — Privacy Policy: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy.

Facebook Pages

We are jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for the collection (but not further processing) of data of visitors to our Facebook page (“Page Insights”). Facebook processes device information and user interactions for analytics. Agreement: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum and further info: https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/information_about_page_insights_data. Provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland. Website: https://www.facebook.com — Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy. Transfers may be based on the EU–US DPF and Standard Contractual Clauses: https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum.

Changes and updates to this Privacy Policy

Please check the contents of our Privacy Policy regularly. We adapt the Privacy Policy as soon as changes to our data processing make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as a user action (e.g., consent) or an individual notification becomes necessary due to changes.

Definitions

  • Personal data: Any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (“data subject”).
  • Profiles with user-related information: Any automated processing of personal data to evaluate personal aspects, analyze or predict preferences/behavior/interests, often using cookies and web beacons.
  • Reach measurement (web analytics): Evaluates visitor flows and interests in content; often uses pseudonymous cookies/web beacons to recognize returning visitors.
  • Controller: The natural or legal person, authority, institution or other body which alone or jointly determines the purposes and means of processing.
  • Processing: Any operation performed on personal data, such as collection, storage, use, disclosure, or deletion.

Created with the free Datenschutz-Generator.de by Dr. Thomas Schwenke (translated to English).