Last updated on January 30, 2013

Wheelmap.org is an online application developed by SOZIALHELDEN e.V. by means of which users can mark public places on a map, showing the wheelchair accessibility of places such as train stations, restaurants, government agencies and stores. The map shows to what extent the entrances of these places are accessible for the users of wheelchairs and wheeled walkers and for parents with a baby carriage.

Wheelmap.org is available on the web under http://wheelmap.org (hereinafter referred to as “website”) and as a mobile application (hereinafter referred to as “app”) for the operating systems or smart phones named on the website.

When you use Wheelmap.org we collect, use and transfer personal data, in so far as you have given consent therefore, and according to the data protection clauses.

Consent for the collection and use of personal data

I give my consent that my OpenStreetMap ID, and if applicable, my OpenStreetMap user name, be stored within the context of my registration with Wheelmap.org., for which a user account with OpenstreetMap is required. Wheelmap.org is based on OpenStreetMap and Wheelmap.org can only be used with all of its functions through storage of this data.

As a user who is registered with Wheelmap.org I give my consent to the data on my user profile being shared with nonprofit or public law contractual partners of SOZIALHELDEN e.V. (the cooperation partners). This will occur exclusively for the purpose of user support for Wheelmap.org. as well as for email communication with you about topics that are directly related to Wheelmap.org. Particularly, our cooperation partners are not entitled to use this data for advertising their commercial products or services.

I can revoke the above consent at any time with effect for the future by sending a message with my withdrawal of consent to [email protected], stating the email address under which I am registered at Wheelmap.org.

Data Protection Statement

Responsible entity

The responsible entity according to data protection regulations is SOZIALHELDEN e.V., c/o Immobilien Scout GmbH, Andreasstraße 10, 10243 Berlin, Germany.

Collection of personal data

1. User registration

In order to be able to use all the functions of Wheelmap.org, you must first complete a registration process. To begin the process it is necessary to open a user account on OpenStreetMap. At the end of the process you will be given the opportunity to permit Wheelmap.org to read your user data on OpenStreetMap. With your permission (see above) we will store your OpenStreetMap ID and your username, if you have provided one. This is the only manner in which we can offer you the full functionality of Wheelmap.org. You can voluntarily add further personal data to your user profile, such as a password for the use of the apps or an email address if you want to receive a newsletter.

2. Setting up your user account

As soon as the registration process has been successfully completed, SOZIALHELDEN e.V will add the user to the database of registered users. A user account with the user’s email address and his or her password will be set up (hereinafter referred to as the “user account”). It is always possible to see the personal data stored in your user account and to change or to delete that information.

3. Protocol data

When you visit our website we only collect and store an abbreviated version of your IP-address. When you use the app, we only collect and store information on the type of mobile phone, the operating system and the version of the app which were used.

4. Cookies

In order to make the use of our website and our services as convenient as possible for you, we use cookies. Cookies are small databases, that are deposited on your hard drive, thereby making it possible for our website to recognize you. We store information there regarding the types of places you have filtered out and your last location on the map. Unless you have set up your internet browser differently, these cookies will be deleted after 14 days. You can set up your internet browser in such a way that the storing of cookies is blocked, if you do not want cookies to be used. However, this could result in your not being able to use all the functions of Wheelmap.org to their full extent.

5. Web analysis services

Our website Wheelmap.org uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses so called “cookies”, text files which are stored on your computer and which make it possible to analyze your website use. As a general rule, the information that is generated by the cookie regarding your use of this website are transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Because we have activated the IP anonymization on our website, Google will abbreviate your IP address within the member states of the European Union and within the other states of the European Economic Area. Only in exceptions will the complete IP address be transferred to a Google server in the USA and abbreviated there. Google will use this information on behalf of SOZIALHELDEN e.V. to analyze your use of the website, to compile reports on website activities and to provide SOZIALHELDEN e.V. with other services connected to the use of the website and the internet. The IP address provided by your browser to Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data. We will only use the results to improve the website and its functions. You can block Google from storing cookies by changing the relevant setting on your browser software. However, we would like to point out that you may then not be able to use all the functions of this website to their full extent. Furthermore, the collection of data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP-address), as well the processing of this data by Google, can be prevented at any time, with effect for the future, by downloading and installing the browser plug-in made available at: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.

6. Facebook Plug-Ins

Our website has integrated plug-ins of the social network Facebook (the provider for the German Facebook websites is Facebook Ireland Limited, Hanover Reach, 5-7 Hanover Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland). You can recognize the Facebook plug-ins by the Facebook logo or the “Like” button. You will find a list of Facebook plug-ins at: http://de-de.facebook.com/help/social-plugins. Upon visiting our website a direct connection is made between your browser and the Facebook server when you click on the “Like” button. Facebook can then receive data regarding your visit to our website, including your IP-address, browser information and operating system, screen resolution, installed browser plug-ins such as Adobe Flash player, websites that you visited when you followed a link (referrer), and the URL of the current page. This is true even if you are not logged into your Facebook account or don’t even have a Facebook account. According to information provided by Facebook, Facebook stores the gathered data for a period of up to 90 days and then removes your name as well as all other personal information from the data or combines the data with the data of another person, whereby your data is no longer linked to you. By clicking the Facebook “like” button while you are logged into your Facebook account, you can link the contents of our website to your Facebook profile. Facebook can thereby match your visit to our website with your Facebook account. We would like to inform you that as the provider only of our own website we do not have full information regarding the content which your browser transfers to Facebook or Facebook’s use thereof. You can find more information on this in Facebook’s data privacy statement at: http://de-de.facebook.com/full_data_use_policy. If you do not wish Facebook to match your visit to our website with your Facebook account, then please log out of your Facebook account first.

Use of data

7. Use by Wheelmap.org

We use your personal data to make the use of Wheelmap.org possible for you on the website and on the app.

8. Newsletter

With your consent we will occasionally send you a newsletter per email. If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, you can unsubscribe at any time over the link provided in every newsletter or through your user account.

9. Prosecution of unlawful activities and contract violations; guarantee of data security

We are permitted to use your personal data for the purpose of data security and to prevent and to prosecute activities in connection with the use of Wheelmap.org, which are suspected to be unlawful or to be a contract violation, in particular if they are criminal offenses or constitute a considerable breach of our terms of use.

Data transfer

We will only transfer your personal data to third parties in the following cases:

10. Transfer by order of a competent authority

The transferral of personal data to a public sector entity or to an entitled third party, such as police authorities or the bearer of intellectual property rights, for the purpose of criminal persecution or to avert a danger for example, will take place by order of the competent entity and insofar as we are legally bound to comply with the order.

11. Data processing carried out by external service providers

Within the scope of the operation of our website and our app we occasionally work with third parties, who process personal data of our users on our behalf. These service providers work according to our instructions and under our supervision. These service providers are obliged to process your personal data according to the currently valid data privacy laws.

12. Transfer of data to our cooperation partners

With your consent we will transfer data, which is stored on your user profile, to our cooperation partners as described in paragraph 1.2.

Protection of your user account

Your password is the key to your user account. Please use a variation of numbers, letters and special characters and do not give your password to anyone else. If you reveal your password to others, please be aware of the fact that you are responsible for all activities that are carried out on your user account and that you can be held legally responsible for such activities. Therefore, if your password is in danger for any reason you should let us know immediately and you should change your password.

Right to information

In accordance with the current data privacy laws, as a registered user you have the right to obtain information at any time regarding the type and scope of the data that we have stored about you. Please send a message stating your information request and including your name and your email address to [email protected].

Deleting data

You can delete your user account on Wheelmap.org at any time by logging into your account and clicking on “delete account” on your user profile. All your personal data will be deleted immediately, in so far as we no longer need the data to comply with legal requirements (particularly statutory retention periods) or to enforce, or to defend ourselves against, claims and rights arising out of our contractual relationship with you.

Revisions to this data privacy statement

We reserve the right to revise this data privacy statement at any time in accordance with the currently valid data privacy laws. We will inform our users of the revisions in a suitable manner on our website and our app. The revised data privacy statement will become effective on the date named in the revised data privacy statement.