Legal notice for the Home Connect app

In connection with the use of the App, Home Connect mainly collects, processes and uses the following categories of personal data:

a. User master data

Data which we collect and use in connection with the creation of a user account (registration):

• Information you provide when registering, such as:
  • First name and surname
  • E-mail address (user ID)
  • The country in which you operate your home appliance(s)
  • Password as access protection.

The details requested upon registration may vary depending on the country.

• Information which we collect and save in connection with the registration:
  • Language setting of your mobile device
  • Agreement with the validity of the terms of use and confirmation of your acknowledgement of the Data Privacy Policy
  • Status of the user account (activated/deactivated)
  • App tracking presets (subject to the country selected, see 6. below).

b. Appliance master data

Data which we collect and use in conjunction with connecting your home appliance to the user account:

• Brand of the home appliance (e.g. Bosch or Siemens)
• Serial number and, if applicable, date of manufacture of the appliance (E number and FD number – this information is also provided on the type plate of the home appliance)
• The unique identifier of the network adapter used in the home appliance (MAC address).

This data is assigned to your user account in the "connect home appliance" function for each connected home appliance.

c.    Recommending a dryer program for a specific type of textile Appliance usage data

Data which we collect and use in connection with using the home appliance:

• Configured basic settings, program selection and program settings on the home appliance or via the App
• Appliance status data such as environmental conditions, status of components, changes of status for the appliance (e.g. change of operating mode, opening or closing of doors/front panel, changes in temperature, filling levels) and status messages from the home appliance (e.g. appliance is overheated, water container is empty, etc.).

d. App usage data

App usage data is data from your interaction with the App, such as functionalities of the App you use, your click behaviour in relation to the App controls, selection in dropdown menus, settings of on/off switches. For more details, see 6. below.

We use the data categories stated above – and only with your agreement, if this is required – to

• provide the App functionalities and the services offered via the App (1.a.-c.)
• eliminate faults (1.b. and c.)
• make the App more user friendly (1.d.)
• Improve our range of products and services, especially in terms of programs not used or not frequently used and other functions of the App and home appliance (1.c. and d.), and
• for direct marketing purposes (1.a.-c.).

Subject to any deviating legal provisions, the following normal retention periods shall apply:

a. User master data: To be deleted when the user account is deleted.

b. Appliance master data: Assignment to the user account is removed when the home appliance is removed from the user account.

c.    Recommending a dryer program for a specific type of textile Appliance usage data: Saved in a personalised format for a period of 10 days. In the event that you have consented to advertising, data is saved in a personalised format for the duration of the validity of the consent to advertising.

d. App usage data: Saved in an anonymised format insofar as and as long as the "Enable usage data tracking" function is activated.

a. Connectivity of your home appliance

You can control the connectivity of your home appliance via the App:

• You can, if necessary, cancel the connection to the Home Connect server separately for each home appliance (menu item Settings > Connection settings) with the result that
  • the appliance usage data (1.c.) is no longer transmitted to the Home Connect server;
  • certain functionalities of the App are no longer available, in particular it will no longer be possible to operate the home appliance outside the range of the Wi-Fi network, even if there is an existing Internet data connection.

• You can, if necessary, switch off the Wi-Fi connection separately for each home appliance (menu item Settings > Connection settings), with the result that
  • the appliance usage data (1.c.) is no longer transmitted to the Home Connect server;
  • it will only be possible to operate the appliance from the appliance itself but no longer via the App.

b. User accounts and local App data

You can control your user accounts via the App.

• You can delete your user account ("Settings" > "My account" > "Delete user account"). This means that
  • the connection between your home appliance and your user account will be deleted;
  • your home appliance will no longer transmit appliance usage data to the Home Connect server unless other user accounts are connected to the home appliance (see 1.b. above).

• By deleting the App, you will also remove all locally saved user-related data.

c.    Recommending a dryer program for a specific type of textile Factory settings of the home appliance

You can restore your home appliance to its factory settings from the appliance. This means that

• restoring the network settings will cancel the connection between the home appliance and the Home Connect server;
• the connection between the home appliance and the user accounts previously connected will be cancelled (requires the home appliance to have an Internet connection) and your home appliance will also, therefore, no longer be displayed in the App.

To reset your home appliance to the factory settings, please consult the user manual for your home appliance.

In order to access the App and the services it provides, we cooperate with different service providers. Where we have bound these service providers to data processing strictly in accordance with instructions as commissioned data processors, your consent to data processing by these service providers is not required.

In other cases, where your consent is required for the disclosure of your personal data to service providers for reasons of data privacy, we will notify you separately and we will not transmit your data without your prior consent.

The App can collect App usage data (see 1.d. above) and uses the Adobe Analytics service from Adobe Systems Software Ireland Limited, 4-6 Riverwalk, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Republic of Ireland (hereinafter referred to as "Adobe").

Where the "Enable usage data tracking" function is activated, App usage data is sent to and saved on an Adobe server in the UK. The App usage data allows the analysis of your use of the App (see 1.d. above). IP anonymisation was activated for this App, which means that the IP address you used will be truncated in advance. Adobe will use this information on behalf of Home Connect in order to evaluate your use of the App and to compile reports of App activities for Home Connect. The IP address transmitted from your mobile device under Adobe Analytics will not be combined with other Adobe or Home Connect data without your express consent.

You can control the collection of App usage data (incl. your IP address) by Adobe and the processing of such data by Adobe by activating or deactivating the "Enable usage data tracking" function. Depending on the legal situation in your country, the "Enable usage data tracking" function may be activated by default.

We use HockeyApp (www.hockeyapp.net) to create and transmit anonymous error reports where the App does not function as intended, especially in the case of a crash. Our service provider and Home Connect will receive error reports only with your explicit prior consent. Your consent will be requested specifically before any error report is transmitted.

In order to protect your data, e.g. from manipulation, loss and unauthorised access by third parties, we take technical and organisational measures. These measures include using the latest encryption technology, certificates, using a firewall at the Home Connect server and password protection of the Home Connect app. Data security of the Home Connect app has been tested and certified by TÜV Trust IT. We review our security measures and improve them continuously in line with technological progress.

This Data Privacy Policy applies to the functions and services provided by Home Connect via the App, but not to the products and services of other service providers (third-party services), even if Home Connect allows the use of these third-party services within the App (in relation to third-party services, see also the Terms of Use). In this case, the use of this third-party service is subject to the relevant data privacy provisions of the service provider and any additional data privacy policies on our part that deal with the special features of this third-party service and are relevant only in this respect.

In the event that data is passed on to another service provider, Home Connect will take reasonable and appropriate action to make known the facts associated with this (e.g. by embedding the content of the service provider within the App using Inline Frames) where the passing on of data is not obvious. This action is deemed obvious, for example, if the user leaves the Home Connect app via a link and the App or website of another service provider is called up.

If you, the user, are located in the application area of the Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 281 p. 31, EU Data Protection Directive), please be aware that use of third-party services may lead to your personal data being processed in countries outside of the application area of the EU Data Protection Directive.

In the course of further development of the App, due to the implementation of new technologies or the introduction of new services, for example, it may be necessary to adapt this Data Privacy Policy. Home Connect reserves the right to change or modify this policy as required. Home Connect shall always provide the current version of the Data Privacy Policy in the App to allow you to stay informed at all times about the current version of the Data Privacy Policy.

Should incorrect information relating to you be stored despite our efforts to keep data correct and up-to-date, we will change it at your request. If you have granted your consent to the collection, processing and use of your personal data, you can revoke this consent with effect for the future at any time. Consent can generally be revoked by selecting the relevant setting in the App, otherwise by using the contact options in the App that are specified below.

Your personal data will be deleted if you revoke your consent to your data being saved, if knowledge of it is no longer required in order to fulfil the purpose for which it is saved, or if saving this data is not permitted for other legal reasons. Please note that for technical or organisational reasons, there may be an overlap between your consent and the use of your data, e.g. in a newsletter which has already been sent out. Data which is required for billing and accounting purposes, or which is subject to the statutory retention obligation, is not affected by this.

Should you have any questions about data privacy, or if you wish to exercise your rights under data privacy law to revoke your consent, to information, correction, deletion or blocking, you can contact us using the contact details saved in the App.