Privacy
We are delighted in your interest in our Geothermal Information System GeotIS. The protection of your privacy when using our system is important to us. Generally, this application can be used anonymously.
Server log files
Each time a user accesses a page from GeotIS and every time a file is called, data about this operation is stored in log files. These log files are only used for monitoring the functionality of our site, log files with user IP addresses are evaluated in the case of malfunction by the data center administrators only. We, the operators of the GeotIS, have only access to log files without personal data.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files which are sent from our website and stored on your computer while you are browsing our application. They are technically necessary for the functionality of our site. Most of them are only temporary. As soon as the web browser is closed these cookies are automatically deleted. So-called session cookies (e.g. Geotissession) are used as a temporary unique identifier to identify actions that belongs to a single user. This information is lost when the browser session is closed, the user cannot be identified anymore.
However, the lifetime of cookies for user-specific settings can be extended to one year by the user. The default setting is the duration of a session. Cookies of the type "Analytics" are required for statistical analysis as described in the following "Statistical Analysis" section.
You can deactivate cookies in your browser settings; however, we point out that in this case you will not be able to use many features of this application.
Specifically, following cookies are created:
| Cookie name | Life span | Type | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geotissession | Session | Session | Session identifier |
| horizonColorsUse | Session | Session | Color selection of the horizons for settings in GeotIS |
| loc | Session * | Setting | Selected language |
| termsAccepted | Session * | Setting | Agreement to our terms and conditions |
| GeotIS_Cookie_All | Session * | Setting | Lifetime of cookies |
| colorPalette | Session * | Setting | Predefined colors of the stratigraphies in sections |
| farbIndizes | Session * | Setting | Custom colors of the stratigraphies in sections |
| dpiGeotis | Session * | Setting | Custom screen resolution |
| temperaturTiefe | Session * | Setting | Depth of the underground temperature |
| horizontalTiefe | Session * | Setting | Custom depth of horizontal sections |
| vertikalTiefe | Session * | Setting | Custom depth of vertical sections |
| profilUeberhoehung | Session * | Setting | Custom vertical exaggeration of vertical sections |
| cod | Session * | Setting | Activated map layers |
| cookieDecisionTaken | Session * | Setting | |
| _pk_id… | 30 min. | Analytics | Matomo – various analysis data |
| _pk_ses… | 30 min. | Analytics | Matomo – for visitor counter incrementation |
| mtm_consent | 1 year | Analytics | Consent to Matomo |
| piwik_ignore | 1 year | Analytics | Matomo opt out |
How to accept cookies:
- In Chrome: Click on the wrench symbol and choose "Settings". Click on "Show advanced settings..." At Privacy click on "Content settings...". There you can either allow cookies or add https://www.geotis.de as an exception.
- In Internet Explorer open Tools →Internet options → Privacy → Sites and allow https://www.geotis.de.
- In Firefox goto Options → Privacy. Select "use custom settings for history" and add https://www.geotis.de as an exception.
- In Opera open Settings → Preferences → Advanced → Content. Click on "Manage Site Preferences...". Click "Add...". Enter https://www.geotis.de as "Site" on the tab "General". Then open the tab "Cookies" and accept them.
- In Safari click on the gear symbol, then choose Preferences → Privacy and select any option for "Block cookies" other than "Always".
Statistical analysis
We use the open-source software "Matomo" for statistical analysis of user access to our web application. The software developers of this tool were in close contact with the Independent Regional Centre for Data Protection Schleswig-Holstein (ULD) when implementing data protection rules and regulations in the source code. This means that Matomo can be used in compliance with German data protection laws.
For statistical analysis only the first byte of your IP address is used (e.g. 192.xxx.xxx.xxx). In addition, this information is made anonymous before being stored. Therefore, any personal reference is excluded.
Data which has been collected and anonymized is not passed to third parties and is analyzed exclusively in-house. It helps us to identify and improve relevant content of GeotIS.
If you do not agree to the storage and analysis of data from your visit, then, at any time you may opt out from your data being stored or used as described in the following paragraph.
Objection against statistical analysis
Matomo supports the "Do Not Track" method of current web browsers. If you wish to generally prohibit any analysis of your online behaviour, we recommend that you activate this option in your browser. Alternatively, you can prohibit Matomo web analysis on our web application by unchecking the checkbox in the next section. In this case an opt-out cookie ("piwik_ignore", lifetime one year) will be set.
Current status:
External links
To provide optimum information, our user interface contains hyperlinks in pictures and graphics or marked with -Symbol referring to third-party web sites.
Insofar as such links are not self-evident, we expressly point out that this is an external link. We have no influence on content or design of the linked web sites. The guarantees of this privacy policy do not apply to these.
In all cases, the operators of the linked web sites are liable for their contents and accuracy of the provided information.
Privacy Policy Changes
We reserve the right to make minor modifications (in particular relating to the EU General Data Protection Regulation which enters into application on May 25 th , 2018) of this privacy policy and encourage you to occasionally check this page for changes.
Further information and contacts
If you have any questions to this privacy policy, please contact the following address:
Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics
Data protection officer
Stilleweg 2
D - 30655 Hannover
Tel. +49 511 643 - 3818
Info@leibniz-liag.de
Name and address of the person responsible
The person responsible within the meaning of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other national data protection laws and regulations is:
Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics
Stilleweg 2
30655 Hannover
Tel. +49 511 643 - 2302
Fax +49 511 643 - 3665
https://www.leibniz-liag.de/en
The Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics is an independent public-law institution (Rechtsfähige Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) and is represented by its director Prof. Dr. M. Sauter.
Hannover, May 19th 2023
