The English version of this text is intended to assist the reader’s understanding, but is not legally binding. The official German version takes precedence in all matters.
The University of Stuttgart uses the messaging service Instagram via the technical platform and the services of Facebook Inc, 1601 Willow Road Menlo Park, CA 94025: https://www.instagram.com/instagramhandle
The body responsible for the data processing of persons who live outside of the United States is Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland.
We wish to inform you that you are using the Instagram profile provided on this site and its functions under your own responsibility. This applies to the use of the interactive functions in particular (for example like and comment). Alternatively, you can also access study or employment information which is provided via this site on via our Internet service, www.internetadresse.de
1. Data which is processed by Instagram
Information concerning which data is processed by Instagram and for what purposes can be found in the data protection declaration of Instagram: https://help.instagram.com/155833707900388/
As part of Facebook Ireland Ltd, Instagram has undertaken to comply with the provisions of the EU-US Privacy Shield. More information can be found via the following link: https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC
The University of Stuttgart has no control over the data which is processed by Instagram, or the type of processing and the use or disclosure of the said data to third parties. The University of Stuttgart also does not have any effective control options in this regard.
When using Instagram, your personal data will be recorded, transferred, saved, disclosed and used by Facebook Ireland Ltd and will then, regardless of your place of residence, be transferred to the United States and any other country in which Facebook Ireland Ltd maintains a commercial presence and will be saved and used there.
During this process, Instagram processes the data which you have provided voluntarily on the one hand, such as your name and username, email address, telephone number and the contacts in your address book (should you upload or synchronize these) and on the other hand, Instagram also evaluates the content which you have shared, the topics you are interested in, it saves and processes confidential messages which you send directly to other users and can determine your location by means of GPS data, information concerning wireless networks or via your IP address, in order to provide you with advertising or other content.
For evaluation purposes, Instagram may use analysis tools, such as Instagram Insights or Google Analytics. The University of Stuttgart has no influence over the use of such tools by Instagram and has also not been informed of such potential use. Should such tools be used by Instagram for the Instagram profile of the University of Stuttgart, we have not requested or approved such use, nor have we supported this in any way. The personal data which is gathered during the analysis is also not made available to the University of Stuttgart. Only specific, non-personal, aggregated information concerning the activity, such as the number of likes or clicks on a specific post or profile can be viewed by the University of Stuttgart via its account. Furthermore, it is not possible for the University of Stuttgart to prevent or suspend the use of such tools in its Instagram profile.
Via widgets which are integrated into websites and by using cookies, it is possible for Instagram to record your visits to these websites and to assign such visits to your Instagram profile. On the basis of this data, content or advertising can be tailored to you. Accordingly, the University of Stuttgart does not use such widgets on its own websites.
Even if Instagram is a provider headquartered outside of Europe which only maintains a presence in Ireland, it is still bound by the GDPR. For example, this regulates your rights of information and the right to have your data blocked or erased.
You have the option of restricting the processing of your data under the general settings of your Instagram profile under the various menu settings.
Further information concerning these points can be found on the following Instagram support site: https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875
You can find information concerning the option to view your own data at Instagram and download it via the following link: https://help.instagram.com/181231772500920
Information concerning the way in which you can be traced by Instagram can be found here: https://help.instagram.com/181231772500920 and here: https://help.instagram.com/155833707900388/
Information concerning the available personalization and data protection settings can be found here: https://help.instagram.com/116024195217477
You also have the option of sending your concerns and objections in relation to data protection legality directly to Instagram via a form: https://help.instagram.com/contact/1845713985721890
Information concerning your rights of objection in relation to the data processing by Instagram can be found here: https://help.instagram.com/contact/1845713985721890
2. Data processed by the University of Stuttgart
The University of Stuttgart also processes your data, however it does not itself gather any data via your Instagram profile. The data provided by you to Instagram, in particular your username and the content published under your account is however processed by us when we comment on your posts or when we record posts which relate to your account. Any data which you freely publish and distribute in Instagram will be included by the University of Stuttgart in its services and made accessible to its subscribers.
3. Rights, documentation, evaluation:
Should you have any questions relating to our information services, you can contact us by email. You can claim your rights of information, blocking or the erasure of data by contacting our company data protection officer: email
The concept which forms the basis of the service can be found via the following Internet address: Instagram use concept
Further information concerning Instagram and other social networks, as well as information about how you can protect your data can also be found at www.youngdata.de.
The University is based on its community of academic staff and students, the right of self-administration with the option of creating and carrying out one’s own study plans and research projects, as well as the authority to award publicly recognized academic titles. The University of Stuttgart is one of the leading technical universities in Germany, with a global reputation. It sees itself as a key player in university research, research which takes place outside of a university setting and industrial research, as well as a guarantor of quality and holistic, research-driven teaching. Public relations work is part of the University and will also take place in the future via Instagram.
1. Instagram
Instagram is a social network for the sharing of photos and videos. Here, registered users can upload, comment on and like pictures and videos free-of-charge. The content can be generally viewed by anybody, unless the account has been set to private mode. This is not possible for corporate accounts.
Further information concerning Instagram can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/about/us/
Instagram provides the following benefits:
- We can quickly process and upload pictures in a simple manner.
- We can quickly produce and publish short videos.
- Users can view our content without needing to register with Instagram.
Allows us to promote ourselves fully in external terms.
2. Purpose of the use
By setting up an Instagram channel, the existing communication channels such as the homepage, print products, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are complemented in a sensible way.
The primary purpose of the Instagram channel is market positioning and increasing awareness of the University of Stuttgart. In addition, it enables us to carry out target group specific communication, it allows us to transport our content across various media and increases our visibility on the Internet. With Instagram, we wish to promote interaction and communication with the users and can respond to the requirements of the target groups in a service orientated manner.
For certain target groups, the existing instruments are no longer sufficient. When taking the target group of prospective students into account, we have found that more of these people can be reached more directly, more quickly and in a more up-to-date manner via Instagram and interested recipients can subscribe to corresponding content.
3. Type and scope of use
The Instagram account informs the user of current topics in the areas of university studies and research. In addition, it enables interaction between students and university communications.
The regular content of the contributions includes the following:
- Current information concerning semester dates, such as re-registration and registration for examinations
- Current information concerning upcoming events at the university
- Information about student activities
- Information about changes on campus
- Information concerning current research plans and research projects
- Requesting responses and interaction with students about current topics
4. Responsibilities for editorial / technical support
The editorial support is the responsibility of the University Communications of the University of Stuttgart.
5. Alternative contact options
We wish to inform our users, that the Instagram channel is only one of many options for getting in touch with the University of Stuttgart or receiving information from us.
Further contact options:
- You can generally contact the central post room with any questions you may have.
Please note: Communication by email takes place without encryption as standard. When communicating by email, it cannot be excluded that unauthorized persons become aware of the content of an email when it is being sent.
Therefore, please use the encryption option when sending confidential information. - Should you have any telephone queries, we can be contacted on +49 (0) 711 / 685-0 (the switchboard is manned from Monday to Friday from 6.45 am to 11.30 am and from 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm).
- Building and parcel address
Keplerstr. 7, 70177 Stuttgart - Mailing addres
Postfach 10 60 37 70049 Stuttgart
6. Self-obligation
This use concept is evaluated once per calendar quarter in relation to whether and how the use takes place. We promote awareness on the part of the users concerning the risks to their right of informed self-determination.
Please also consult our social media guide, our data protection declaration and the assessment of the consequences of the use of Instagram.
A data protection consequence assessment must be carried out in accordance with the general rules of Article 35 Paragraph 1 of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) if a form of processing, in particular when using new technologies can be expected to represent a significant risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, in particular due to the type, scope, circumstances and purposes of the processing. The guidelines of the state officer for data protection and freedom of information (LfDI) concerning the use of social networks by public bodies imposes an obligation to carry out an assessment of the expected consequences of the intended processing for the protection of personal data in line with the GDPR.
The Instagram service of the University of Stuttgart does not represent such risks, as we only process data to a very limited extent (see also the data protection declaration of Instagram). However, some postings often have a direct connection to other persons. Therefore, when creating and publishing its own content, the University of Stuttgart ensures that alongside the copyright in relation to the photos, the image rights of the persons being shown are also protected. Should other Instagram users be referred to in contributions of the University of Stuttgart (by re-posting or mentioning), only the data which the person has provided voluntarily himself or herself (username and postings) is processed.
However, from the point of view of the University of Stuttgart, the use of Instagram represents processing with a significant risk due to its wide ranging effects, in particular in relation to the evaluation of the data by Facebook Ireland Ltd for advertising purposes and others, which means that a data protection consequence assessment needs to be carried out (by Instagram), since when using an Instagram account, the respective user can be systematically observed by Instagram. During this process, sensitive data such as political views, sexual orientation or health problems can be disclosed, which are connected to each other and used in order to create a personality profile. Persons subject to special protection, such as young people can be Instagram users and therefore data subjects. Sensitive data can be gathered from these persons through the obtaining of log data, for example by means of the previously visited websites or the location data of the user.
This applies even more when it is considered that Instagram cannot be checked or it can only be verified in a limited manner. As the data of German users is not processed in Germany, but rather in Ireland, there are major hurdles concerning redress before the courts compared to cases where the company is located in the country.
The University of Stuttgart proceeds on the assumption that public bodies which use a social network for public relations work to provide general information and must assume co-responsibility.
Co-responsibility does not mean that the University of Stuttgart is confirming or guaranteeing that the products of Instagram conform with data protection regulations. It is not possible for the University of Stuttgart to do so under the current circumstances. Rather, co-responsibility means that the University of Stuttgart is aware of the risks of social networks and makes others aware of these too. Currently, the social networks are considered to be in need of improvement from a data protection legislation point of view. Therefore, the Instagram users are shown alternative communication channels which better comply with data protection legislation by means of references on the homepage of the University of Stuttgart.
The University of Stuttgart has undertaken to carry out these measures in its use concept. In accordance with the use concept, the benefits and drawbacks of the use of Instagram are evaluated regularly, with the inclusion of the terms and conditions of use of Instagram.
Therefore, the use of Instagram is included in a package of measures. The assessment of the consequences of the use of Instagram by the University of Stuttgart can be explained as follows, taking the above into account:
1) Risk identification:
The risks referred to above which are connected to the use of Instagram generally exist regardless of the use by the University of Stuttgart. Also, in the majority of cases of the postings by the University of Stuttgart, no connection is made to personal data and its own, factual content is distributed.
Finally, the data which is processed by means of the interaction with the Instagram profile of the University of Stuttgart or other profiles - namely the account name of an Instagram user which is visible in the comments - is already public / generally accessible / freely available on the Internet.
However, by means of the appearance on the Instagram profile of the University of Stuttgart and the interaction, this data is made available to a wide ranging / "specific” target public audience, which means greater awareness and additional distribution than would be the case without such interaction. This also indicates the interest of the University of Stuttgart in the subscriber capacity or regular contributions.
By means of its own use of Instagram, the University of Stuttgart is therefore increasing the quantity of data which is used and evaluated by Instagram.
2) Risk analysis:
By means of the extension of the distribution group and the increase in the connection options, the processing of the data by Instagram for other purposes and secret profile formation are encouraged. The openness for visitor contributions can lead to detrimental consequences for society, such as inappropriate or discriminatory comments or the distribution of sensitive data.
Should these consequences be shown to be significant when caused by Instagram itself, these are increased to a limited extent by the Instagram profile of the University of Stuttgart, as the data is already available to Instagram to a significant extent. In particular, the service provided by the University of Stuttgart does not lead to any obligation to set up an Instagram account, as enough other options for contacting the University of Stuttgart and obtaining information exist.
Also, the topics of campus life, science, teaching and research etc very rarely lead to hate filled debates being triggered, which means that the likelihood of detrimental consequences is extremely limited.
3) Risk assessment
Overall, the additional risk caused by the Instagram profile of the University of Stuttgart is considered to be low to medium.
In addition, by using remedial measures, it is possible to further reduce the risk. However, the majority of these measures are the responsibility of the user: The user can protect himself or herself to a certain extent by means of various settings, for example by deleting his or her browser history, de-activating cookies or declining to provide location information when using photos.
In addition, the continual editorial support is able to intervene in case of comments which are defamatory or insult other persons up to and including blocking the account.
4) Result
The use of Instagram by the University of Stuttgart is considered reasonable in light of the described risk and binding measures. The University of Stuttgart is obliged to observe future developments and regularly repeat and, where applicable, continually develop the assessment which has been carried out here.