Only the German version is legally binding.
Privacy policy
Privacy policy "Remote Sensing in Schools" (Fernerkundung in Schulen, FIS)
1. Controller
The controller for this website within the meaning of the GDPR is Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, a public-law corporation. It is legally represented by its Rector, Prof. Dr. Martin Paul.
Project contact:
Prof. Dr. Andreas Rienow
Geomatics Research Group
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsstraße 150
44801 Bochum
Email: andreas.rienow@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Phone: +49 234 32-24791
Data protection officer
Dr. Kai-Uwe Loser
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Datenschutzbeauftragter – NB 1/68
Universitätsstraße 150
44801 Bochum
Email: dsb@rub.de
Phone: +49 234 322-8720
Website: dsb.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
2. What this policy covers
We want you to know which data is processed when you visit this website. The site has no contact form, no newsletter and no registration. No user profiles are built, and no special categories of personal data under Art. 9 GDPR are processed.
Unless stated otherwise, we process data under Art. 6(1)(e) GDPR in conjunction with § 3 DSG NRW: the processing is necessary for a task carried out in the public interest, namely providing a publicly funded educational service. Third-party content that transfers your IP address to third parties is loaded only with your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR), see section 5.
3. Providing the website and server log files
On every visit the server automatically records:
- IP address
- date and time
- requested address (URL) and response status
- browser and operating system identifier (user agent)
The purpose is to deliver the website, keep it running and defend against attacks. The data is not used for marketing or merged with other data. Log files are deleted after 7 days. This processing is required to operate the website; an objection is therefore not possible without not using the site.
The website runs on servers of Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
4. Reach measurement
To improve our service we record how often each page is viewed and which features are used.
Which data: On every page change your browser sends the path of the page viewed (for example "/materialien") and the width of your browser window to our web server, but no search terms, filter values, referrer, page titles or language settings. For the following actions a counting event with a fixed name and fixed values (identifier and title of the material, file format, number) is also sent, without free text: downloading or previewing a file, downloading as ZIP, starting a video, starting a lesson, switching the file language, using a filter (only which filter, not its value), a search without results (only the number of active filters), opening a tool in the satellite image viewer, passing an H5P exercise (without answers or score), and an error page (only the status code). Our web server shortens your IP address (to the first three bytes for IPv4, the first 48 bits for IPv6) and passes this information on to the counting software together with your browser identifier. Your full IP address never reaches the counting software.
What is stored: For each page view and each counting event, one entry with the time, the page path, where applicable the event's name and values, the window width, the names of browser and operating system, the device type, and the country, region and city derived from the shortened IP address. The entries of one visit are linked by a session identifier calculated from the shortened IP address, the browser identifier and a random value that changes daily; the random value is then deleted. After that, the entries can no longer be linked to a visit and contain no personal data; we keep them for statistics. The shortened IP address and the full browser identifier are not stored. We do not combine this data with other data. No cookies are set and no information is stored on your device; only the window width is read.
Operator: The counting software (Umami) is operated by Ruhr-Universität Bochum; the data is not passed on to third parties.
Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(e) GDPR in conjunction with § 3 DSG NRW (reporting on a publicly funded educational service).
Objection: If your browser sends the "Global Privacy Control" signal, your visit is not recorded.
5. Third-party content (only with your consent)
We load the following content only after you click the respective button ("Load external content" or "Load map"). Before that, no connection to the providers is made. Your choice is stored in a cookie in your browser so you do not have to click again on every visit. The cookie is set only after your click.
| Content | Provider | Data transferred | Third country |
|---|---|---|---|
YouTube videos (via youtube-nocookie.com) | Google Ireland Limited / Google LLC | IP address, device and browser data | USA (EU-US Data Privacy Framework) |
| OpenStreetMap background map in the map tools | OpenStreetMap Foundation | IP address, browser identifier, requested map sections | United Kingdom (adequacy decision) |
| Copernicus Browser (embedded in lessons) | Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem | IP address, browser identifier | EU |
We retrieve the preview images of YouTube videos ourselves through our server, not your browser. Google therefore receives the address of our server, not yours.
Legal basis: your consent, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. You can withdraw it at any time with effect for the future with the button below or the link in the footer (or by deleting the cookie in your browser). After that the content is loaded only after a click again.
For more information, see the providers' privacy notices.
6. Services of Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Some content comes from further servers of Ruhr-Universität Bochum: the materials database ERDB (er.indygis.rub.de, queried by our server) and the player for interactive H5P content (scarif.indygis.rub.de, retrieved by your browser). Your IP address is transferred to these servers and logged there as described in section 3. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(e) GDPR in conjunction with § 3 DSG NRW.
7. Reporting problems
On the materials pages you can send a problem report or feedback. We store the chosen category, the page or file concerned and, if you fill it in, your free text (at most 500 characters) as a non-public ticket in the GitLab of Ruhr-Universität Bochum. Your IP address is not stored in the ticket. Please do not enter personal data in the free text.
The purpose is to correct the reported errors. Tickets are deleted 12 months after the report. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(e) GDPR in conjunction with § 3 DSG NRW. Alternatively you can write to us at info@esero.de; we use your message and address only to reply and delete them afterwards, at the latest after 12 months.
8. Login for editors
Staff have a login for maintaining content. It sets a session cookie that is required to operate the login. It is set only when editors sign in and does not affect visitors.
9. Protection of minors
We recommend that minors aged 13 and over ask their parents for permission before sharing information about themselves on the internet, and we encourage parents to teach their children to use the internet safely.
10. Your rights
You have the following rights against Ruhr-Universität Bochum:
- access to your processed data (Art. 15 GDPR),
- rectification (Art. 16 GDPR),
- erasure (Art. 17 GDPR),
- restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR),
- objection to processing based on Art. 6(1)(e) GDPR on grounds relating to your particular situation (Art. 21 GDPR),
- withdrawal of a consent given, with effect for the future (Art. 7(3) GDPR).
To exercise them, contact the project contact named above or the data protection officer. Exercising these rights is free of charge.
Right to lodge a complaint: You can complain to a supervisory authority. The competent authority is the State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information of North Rhine-Westphalia (ldi.nrw.de).
11. Changes
We adapt this policy when the website or the legal situation changes. Version: 2026-11-01.