XING Information

The University of Mannheim uses the XING news service offered here via the technical platform and services of XING SE, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany:https://www.xing.com/companies/universitätmannheim.

The controller responsible for data processing is XING SE, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany.

We would like to point out that you use the XING page and its features at your own risk. This applies in particular to the use of interactive features (e.g. sharing, evaluating, commenting). Alternatively, you can also access the study or work-related information offered on this page on our website at www.uni-mannheim.de.

1. Data processed by XING
Information about which data is processed by XING and for what purposes can be found in XING’s privacy policy: https://privacy.XING.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung

The University of Mannheim has no influence on the type and scope of the data processed by XING, the type of processing and use or the transfer of this data to third parties nor does it have any effective means of control in this regard.

When you use XING, your personal data is collected, transferred, stored, disclosed and used by XING SE. Regardless of your place of residence, this data may be transferred to any other country in which XING SE or its partners conduct business, and stored and used there. According to XING, this is always done in compliance with the conditions set out in the EU GDPR (EU General Data Protection Regulation).

XING processes the data you voluntarily enter, such as your name and user name, email address, telephone number, or the contacts in your address book if you upload or synchronize it.

XING also evaluates the content you share to determine what topics you are interested in, stores and processes confidential messages that you send directly to other users, and can determine your location based on GPS data, information about wireless networks, or your IP address to send you advertising or other content.

XING may use analysis tools such as Google Analytics for evaluation purposes. The University of Mannheim has no influence on the use of such tools by XING SE and has not been informed of any such potential use. Should tools of this kind be used by XING SE for the University of Mannheim's page, the University of Mannheim has neither commissioned nor approved this, nor does it support it in any other way. Furthermore, the personal data obtained during the analysis will not be made available to you. Furthermore, the University of Mannheim has no way of preventing or stopping the use of such tools on its XING page.

Through XING buttons or widgets embedded in websites and the use of cookies, XING is able to track your visits to these websites and associate them with your XING profile. This data can be used to tailor content or advertising to you.

As XING SE is a European provider, it is bound by the GDPR. This concerns, for example, your right of access as well as your right to have your data blocked or erased.

You can restrict the processing of your data in the general settings of your XING account under the various menu items listed under privacy.

You can find out more about how to view and download your own data from XING at www.XING.com/settings/privacy/data/disclosure

Information about the conclusions XING draws about you is provided at 
privacy.XING.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung/allgemeine-hinweise

Information on the available personalization and data protection setting options is provided at privacy.XING.com/de/ihre-privatsphaere

You also have the option of contacting XING's data protection officer directly by letter or email. Felix Lasse, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, e-mail: datenschutzbeauftragtermail-xing.com.

Information on your rights to object to data processing by XING are provided at https://privacy.XING.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung/welche-rechte-koennen-sie-geltend-machen

information about the complaints office responsible for XING SE can be found here: 
privacy.XING.com/de/datenschutzerklaerung/welche-rechte-koennen-sie-geltend-machen/beschwerderecht

2. Rights, documentation, evaluation
If you have any questions about the information we provide, please contact us at infomail-uni-mannheim.de. You can exercise your rights to access, block, or delete data by contacting our data protection officer at datenschutzbeauftragte(at)uni-mannheim.de.

The concept for this offer can be found at the following Internet address: XINGutilization plan. We will evaluate this utilization plan once a year to determine whether and how it is being used. This evaluation of the utilization plan will take into account usage figures and reach as well as the target group structure of the networks.

Further information on XING and other social networks and how you can protect your data are also provided at www.youngdata.de.

For generations, the University of Mannheim has been preparing students to take on leadership roles in business, academia, and society. One of the university’s strengths in this task is its profile, which is characterized by the economic and social sciences In these two fields of research, the University of Mannheim has been ranked among the 20 best research universities in Europe for years.

Public relations work for the University of Mannheim also takes place on XING. With this utilization plan, the University of Mannheim is assuming its responsibility and role model function for using social media as a public body in accordance with the “Guidelines of the commissioner for data protection and freedom of information of Baden-Württemberg (LfDI) on the use of social networks by public bodies” (PDF) . Please also refer to our Data Protection Declaration and Impact assessment of the use of XING.

1. General information about XING
XING is a social network for text and photos that is primarily used for professional purposes. Registered users can use this service free of charge to publish their content and an employee profile, network with other users or company pages, comment on their posts, ‘like’ and share them. Users can recommend and rate the pages of companies, mark them as desired employers or subscribe to them so that they can read their news in their own news feed.

The advantages of XING are its wide reach and—unlike some other social networks—its readability without the need for users to register. Content from pages of companies and institutions can be read by users even without registering with XING. However, XING is generally used primarily by people who also have an account, as this is the only way to use most of its applications. Furthermore, XING SE is a company based in Germany that sets comparatively high standards for its own data protection.

More information on XING are provided at https://corporate.XING.com/de/unternehmen.

2. Purpose of the XiNG use by the University of Mannheim
The XING page is a useful addition to existing communication channels such as the website, press releases, newsletters, print products, and events. The XING page helps paint a diverse picture of learning, teaching, research, and life at the University of Mannheim, which appeals to prospective students and researchers and increases the sense of identification that current researchers, staff members and alumni feel toward their university. It also gives the public insight into the higher education institution's research and teaching activities as well as the work of institutions, student bodies, and student organizations of the higher education institution.

For some target groups, the “traditional” tools alone (print products and website) were no longer sufficient. We have found that we can reach students, prospective students, alumni, and employees much more directly and quickly via XING, especially since interested recipients can simply subscribe to our page. The XING page enables us to disseminate our news, stories, and impressions far and wide and to respond immediately to current events.

3. Type and scope of XING use by the University of Mannheim
The XING page of the University of Mannheim provides users with current reports on university topics, news from academia, research and teaching as well as current job offers. However, we do not use XING as a channel for providing advice. Inquiries that reach us via the comment feature are forwarded directly to the responsible department and referred to communication channels such as telephone and email.

Regular content of the University of Mannheim's XING page includes:

• information on university events
• information about developments and changes on campus
• information on current research projects and research results
• information about ranking results and other achievements of the university, as well as achievements and awards given to researchers, employees, students, and alumni of the university
  

4. Responsibilities for editorial/technical support
Responsibility for editorial support lies with Dr. Andreas Margara and Linda Schädler as well as the associated communications and marketing departments, in particular the social media editorial team.

5. Alternative information and contact options
We would like to point out to users that the XING page is only an additional option for contacting the University of Mannheim or obtaining information from it. Alternatively, the information offered on XING can also be accessed via the corresponding links on our website at www.uni-mannheim.de or on the other linked websites.

XING users can send all inquiries to our central inbox infomail-uni-mannheim.de. Please send your requests to pressemail-uni-mannheim.de. The social media team can be reached at redaktionmail-uni-mannheim.de.

The University of Mannheim can be reached by telephone at +49 621 181-2222. The hotline is staffed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Postal address:
Universität Mannheim
Schloss
68131 Mannheim

You can find an overview of the various ways to get in touch with the University of Mannheim on the contact website.

6. Commitment
We will evaluate this utilization plan once a year to determine whether and how it is being used. This evaluation of the utilization plan will take into account usage figures and reach as well as the target group structure of the networks.

According to the general regulation in Art. 35 paragraph 1 of the European General Data Protection Regulation, a data protection impact assessment must be carried out if a form of processing, in particular using new technologies, is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons due to the nature, scope, context, and purposes of the processing. The guideline of the commissioner for data protection and freedom of information of Baden-Württemberg (LfDI) on the use of social networks by public (PDF)bodies makes it mandatory to assess the impact of the intended data processing for the protection of personal data based on the GDPR.

The XING services of the University of Mannheim itself do not have this impact due to the very small scope of the related data processing (cf. in this respect the Data protection information for XING of the University of Mannheim). However, the postings often have a direct personal reference. When creating and publishing its own content, the University of Mannheimtherefore ensures that the image rights of those depicted are taken into account in addition to the copyright of the photos.

However, from the perspective of the University of Mannheim, the use of XING itself represents a high risk due to its far-reaching impact with regard to the evaluation of data by XING for advertising purposes and the like, for which a data protection impact assessment must be carried out due to the joint responsibility of the website operator (University of Mannheim) and the service provider (XING).

By using a XING account, the respective user places themselves under systematic observation by XING. This may also reveal sensitive data such as political views, sexual orientation, or health problems, which can be linked and used to create a personality profile.

The University of Mannheimassumes that public bodies that use a social network for public relations work and to provide general information bear joint responsibility.

Joint responsibility does not mean that the University of Mannheimconfirms or guarantees that the products of XING SE comply with data protection regulations. The University of Mannheim is unable to do this under the current circumstances. Joint responsibility rather means that the University of Mannheimmakes itself and others aware of the risks of social networks. From a data protection perspective, social networks are currently in need of improvement in many areas. For this reason, the University of Mannheim shows XING users alternative, more data protection-friendly communication channels by referring to the homepage of the University of Mannheim.

Users are also informed about the general risks associated with the use of social media in the Data protection information for the XING page of the University of Mannheim. The University of Mannheimcommitted to these measures in its utilization plan . The advantages and disadvantages of using XING are regularly evaluated accordingly, taking into account the terms of service of XING SE. This evaluation of the utilization plan is carried out annually and takes into account the usage figures and reach as well as the target group structure and usage behavior of the networks.

XING use is thus embedded in a package of measures. Against this background, the impact assessment of the XING use by the University of Mannheimis as follows:

1. Risk identification
The risks described at the beginning, which are associated with the use of XING, generally exist independently of the University of Mannheim's own XING use. In the vast majority of cases, the postings of the University of Mannheimdo not refer to sensitive personal data, but instead disseminate factual content.

Finally, the data processed through interaction with the University of Mannheim's XING page or other accounts—namely, the account name of XING users visible in the comments—are already public/generally accessible/freely available on the Internet.

However, by appearing on the XING page of the University of Mannheim and through the interrelationship with a broader/“more specific” public, the data are made available and may thus attract greater attention and wider dissemination than without this interaction. This also allows the university to assess a user’s interest in the University of Mannheim due to a user’s subscriber status or regular posts. Finally, XING also collects log data when users passively read the page.

By using XING itself, the University of Mannheim increases the amount of data that is used and analyzed by XING SE.

2.Risk assessment
The expansion of the dissemination circle and the increase in linking options facilitates the processing of data for other purposes by XING SE and secret profiling. Openness to visitor contributions can also lead to negative social consequences such as inappropriate or discriminatory comments or the dissemination of sensitive data.

While these damages may be significant if caused by XING SE itself, they are only increased to a limited extent by the XING page of the University of Mannheim. This is because a substantial part of the data is already available to XING SE. In particular, the services of the University of Mannheimdo not lead to an obligation to create a XING account, as there are sufficient alternative contact and information options for the University of Mannheim.

Also, the topics of science, teaching, research etc. are only suitable for triggering hateful debates to a limited extent, so that the probability of damage occurring is very limited.

3.Risk assessment
Overall, the additional risk caused by the XING page of the University of Mannheimcan therefore be classified as low to medium.

It is also possible to implement remedial measures that further reduce the risk. The majority of these measures are within the sphere of the user: Users can protect themselves to a certain extent by making various settings, such as deleting their browser history, deactivating cookies or not sharing their location when using photos. However, unlike X, for example, XING officially requires a real name.

In addition, continuous editorial support enables us to intervene in the event of comments that are defamatory or offensive up to and including blocking the account. The University of Mannheimhas formulated a netiquette for the use of its website and will ensure that users adhere to this netiquette when maintaining the site.

4. Result
The use of XING by the University of Mannheimis justifiable in view of the risks described and the binding measures established. The University of Mannheimcommits to monitoring further developments and to regularly repeating and, if necessary, further developing the review carried out.

Networking and communication with other XING users
Liking or commenting on comments of other XING users on the XING page of the University of Mannheim does not imply any statement about the relationship of the University of Mannheim to these users or the content published by them. In particular, it does not imply any approval or recommendation for its subscribers. Rather, the University of Mannheim sees liking or commenting on comments as an opportunity to network with other users for the rapid dissemination and sharing of information related to science.

The University of Mannheim will not like or comment on all comments published on its page. The University of Mannheim's decision not to like or comment on a comment of a user does not imply any statement, in particular it does not imply rejection or disinterest on the part of the University of Mannheim towards the respective user.

Type and purpose of use
The University of Mannheim uses its page for its own posts in accordance with the manner described in its utilization plan. The University of Mannheim will reply to comments provided that these relate to the exchange of information on university-related topics. For all types of requests, contact options outside of XING are available, such as emails to: infomail-uni-mannheim.de. Detailed advice, e.g. on programs, is not provided; instead, a website link to the relevant telephone and email contacts of the University of Mannheim will be provided.

XING and data protection
The use of XING by the University of Mannheim does not imply any endorsement of this medium or the company or XING's privacy policy. The University of Mannheim recommends that all users inform themselves about the processing of their data by XING and protect their privacy as much as possible: This includes reading XING's privacy policy. Key aspects are also summarized in the University of Mannheim's own data protection declaration on its use of XING.

In addition, every user should at least make the following settings to protect their privacy:

• open a user account only with the data that are absolutely necessary
• disable the widget function
• prevent cross-site tracking (for example, by using the Ghostery add-on in your browser)

1. We do not tolerate offensive or illegal postings on this social media page. In particular, please refrain from:
   • threats, bullying, harassment, insults, degrading comments, defamation, slander, malicious gossip, and hate speech in any form
   • posts expressing attitudes/views that are xenophobic, sexist, or discriminatory toward minorities, communities, or individuals
   • posts that explicitly represent party political, religious, and/or ideological content and goals
   • approving, triggering, or glorifying: violence, war, discrimination, unconstitutional, or anti-democratic acts
   • pornographic or sadistic depictions.
2. Do not post any advertising or spam.
   Any commercial content will be removed immediately. It is also not permitted to use social networks to send advertising or other marketing content to others via private messages (spam).
3. Respect privacy and anonymity! Please help us to protect the privacy and rights of other users. Do not disclose any personal/private details about other people, regardless of whether they are also users of the network or not. This primarily includes names, addresses, and other personal information, as well as photos/videos. Keep in mind that it may be difficult to delete such data completely at a later time.
4. As a user of this website, please respect copyright and intellectual property rights. In particular, please ensure that you have the rights to distribute the content, photos, artwork, or other works protected by copyright, trademark, or name rights that you publish on these social media pages. By posting certain content, you confirm that you have the necessary permission to do so. You also consent to the further use of this content on the various social media sites of the University of Mannheim.
5. “Be careful what you say!” While it's fine to be casual and use dialect or colloquial language, offensive language, swear words, or similar expressions are not tolerated. Likewise, sexist remarks are not tolerated. Please remain friendly and tolerant! Even if you feel attacked or insulted by a post or comment, remain objective and fair. If you feel that you have been treated unfairly, please let us know. The easiest way to do this is to send a direct message to the page administrators or an email to the university's social media coordinators at redaktionmail-uni-mannheim.de.
6. To make the exchange accessible and understandable for everyone, please post only in German or English.
7. The comments, opinions, and links posted by users on social media pages operated on behalf of the University of Mannheim do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the University of Mannheim. Furthermore, copyrighted works or trademarks of the University of Mannheim may not be used without the prior written consent of the university.
8. All posts must have a concrete, direct connection tothe University of Mannheim. In case of doubt, the respective page administrator should be contacted before posting.
9. Posts/content that violate the principles defined here will be removed immediately.
10. Users who ignore the netiquette of our social media pages despite repeated warnings will be excluded from using our social media pages. Depending on the nature of the content and/or the intensity of the insult, discrimination, threat, etc., we reserve the right to report the incident and the user to the respective site provider. These providers all have their own community standards, which also form the basis of our netiquette. As an example, we refer to the Facebook Community Standards provided at https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/.
11. We are unable to review all postings in a timely manner. Therefore, administrators cannot be held responsible or liable for the content of comments. Each user is responsible for their own contributions. We would like to point out that you can be prosecuted for comments violating applicable law even when they are posted online and you can be reported by the University of Mannheim or by other users.