Data protection notice in accordance with Art. 13 GDPR for WZB online meetings, telephone conferences and webinars via Zoom

We would like to inform you below about the processing of personal data in connection with the use of the online meeting software "Zoom".

Responsible for data processing is:

WZB Berlin Social Science Center

Reichpietschufer 50

10785 Berlin

E-mail: wzb [at] wzb.eu

Note: Insofar as you access the website of the online meeting provider, the provider is responsible for the data processing that takes place there. If you do not want to or cannot use the Zoom App, then the basic functions can also be used via a browser version.

Purposes of processing

We use the online meeting software "Zoom" to conduct conference calls, video conferences, webinars and other online event formats (hereinafter: "online meetings"). "Zoom" is a service of Zoom Video Communications, Inc. which is based in the USA.

What data is processed?

When using Zoom, various categories of personal data are processed. The scope of the data also depends on the information you provide before or when participating in an online meeting and which functions you use.

The following personal data may be processed:

  • Personal data: first name, last name, telephone number (optional), e-mail address, password, profile picture (optional), department (optional).
  • Meeting metadata: meeting topic, description (optional), participant IP addresses, device/hardware information
  • For recordings (optional): MP4 file of all video, audio and presentation recordings, M4A file of all audio recordings, text file of all online meeting chats
  • When dialing in with the telephone: information about the incoming and outgoing phone number, country name, start and end time, additional connection data such as the IP address of the device can be stored if necessary
  • Text, audio and video data: You may have the option of using the chat, question or survey function in an online meeting. In this case, the text entries you make are processed in order to display them in the online meeting and, if necessary, to log them. In order to enable the display of video and the playback of audio, the data of the microphone and/or the video camera of your end device will be processed during the online meeting. You can deactivate or mute the camera and/or microphone at any time via the provider's online meeting software.

Some of the aforementioned data is required to conduct an online meeting. Without providing the data required to conduct an online meeting, you will not be able to participate in the online meeting. Providing other data is optional, but may be required to use certain services. In the case of required data, not providing it will result in the inability to provide the service or feature in question. For optional data, not providing it may result in preventing us from providing the online meeting in the same form and to the same extent as usual.

Extent of processing

We use the aforementioned data to conduct an online meeting. If we want to record online meetings, we will notify you in advance and obtain your consent. The fact of recording will be displayed to you in the online meeting software. If it is necessary to record the results of an online meeting, we will record text input. In the case of webinars, we may further process the questions asked by participants for the purposes of recording and following up on webinars. Automated decision-making within the meaning of Art. 22 GDPR is not used.

Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis for the data processing described above is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent, insofar as you have given this separately, e.g. in the case of recordings), Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Section 26 para. 1 BDSG (establishment, implementation or termination of the employment relationship, insofar as you are in an employment relationship with us or have applied to us) and Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (safeguarding legitimate interests based on our interest in conducting online meetings and making them efficient, insofar as you are a participant in an online meeting without being in an employment relationship with us or having applied to us at the same time). Otherwise, the legal basis for data processing when conducting online meetings is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR, insofar as the meetings are conducted in the context of contractual relationships. The provision of your data is not required by law.

Recipients/forwarding of data

Personal data processed in connection with participation in online meetings will not be passed on to third parties as a matter of principle, unless they are specifically intended to be passed on. Please note that online meetings are often precisely intended to share information with colleagues, project partners, customers, interested parties or third parties. Zoom's provider necessarily obtains knowledge of the above-mentioned data, insofar as this is provided for in the context of our data processing agreement with Zoom.

Data processing outside the European Union

Zoom is a service provided by a provider from the USA. Processing of personal data thus also takes place in a third country outside the European Union. We have therefore taken special measures to ensure that your data is processed in third countries as securely as within the European Union. We have concluded an data processing agreement with Zoom's provider that meets the requirements of Art. 28 GDPR. An adequate level of data protection is guaranteed by the conclusion of the so-called EU standard contractual clauses.

Deletion of data

Unless there are legal retention periods, your data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer required for the purpose for which we collected it. In the case of legal retention periods, deletion takes place after the retention obligations have expired. If you are registered as a Zoom user, reports of online meetings (meeting metadata, phone dial-in data, questions and answers in webinars, survey function in webinars) may be stored by Zoom for up to one month.

For more information on data protection and your rights, as well as the contact details of our data protection officer, please see our data protection policy.