🔐 Data Protection at Freizeitgruppe-Bremen – Always Our Top Priority
Hello dear forum members and visitors of Freizeitgruppe-Bremen,
Today we’d like to give you a little behind-the-scenes look at how we handle data protection – a topic that has been very important to us from the beginning!
Why? One of our admins has been working in the IT field for over 45 years – and not only professionally but also privately, he pays great attention to secure systems and the responsible handling of data. When selecting our forum software and server systems, data protection and security always come first.
Of course, we know that 100% security is never guaranteed in IT – hackers are constantly evolving, and with the help of AI, their methods are getting more and more advanced. But we do everything we can to protect your data in the best possible way!
🔄 Then and Now: Our Forum Software
For many years we used the free and open-source software phpBB – it worked fine, but after every major update, we had to manually reconfigure it to meet our security standards.
That’s why, at the end of November / beginning of December 2024, we switched to the professional software WoltLab. While it’s not free, it offers many advantages:
- It’s developed by a professional team that constantly improves the software,
- It’s fast, secure, and privacy-friendly,
- And it’s used not only in private forums but also by many companies and organizations.
As admins, we now have many additional settings available to customize the software and fine-tune its security features.
🖥️ Our Server: Secure, Green & Based in Germany
Our forum runs on a private server located in a German data center. This means:
- We are subject to strict German data protection laws.
- The server is powered by 100% green energy 🌱.
- It’s well protected against attacks – with up-to-date security measures (we won’t go into details here for obvious reasons 😉).
We also keep the server software up to date at all times, and use several security tools to make sure everything stays safe.
Log files – these record who tried to access the server and from which IP address (not directly related to the forum) – are automatically deleted after a few weeks. We only keep them for a short time, just in case a hacker attacks the server and we need to investigate.
🧾 Data Protection Inside Our Forum
When you register and use the forum (e.g. post something, send messages, or download files), your current IP address is saved along with your profile. This is technically necessary and also allowed by law – for example, in case someone violates legal guidelines or insults others.
Important to note: In over 7 years, we’ve never had such a case!
That’s certainly thanks to our lovely community – and also our policy that new members are only activated after a brief personal meeting.
This ensures a respectful interaction right from the start. See also our article 'Activation only after getting to know each other – why?'
And here’s another plus: All stored IP addresses are automatically deleted after 30 days. This gives us the ability to act in emergencies while still respecting your right to data privacy.
🚫 No Tracking, No Analytics Tools
We deliberately do not use any third-party tracking or analytics tools – no Google Analytics or anything similar.
Your data stays with us.
The only exception: When you watch embedded YouTube videos, YouTube may collect your IP address and set cookies. Unfortunately, that’s something we cannot prevent technically.
📝 What Information Is Required When Registering?
We only ask for the bare minimum during registration:
✅ Username – freely chosen and unique
✅ Email address – only visible to admins
✅ Password – encrypted and never visible
✅ First name – required, since we use first names in the forum
All other fields (e.g. location, hobbies, profession) are completely optional – you can use the forum without sharing this info.
Uploading a profile picture is also voluntary.
📥 Downloading Your Personal Data? Easy!
According to Article 20 of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), you can download your personal data stored in the forum at any time.
Just go to your profile, request the export, receive a code via your registration email, and download the file.
It includes things like your profile info, stored IPs, and timestamps of your forum activity.
You can do this once every 24 hours.
🔒 Extra Protection with Two-Factor Authentication
If you want, you can add an extra layer of security with two-factor authentication (2FA) – similar to what you might know from online banking.
Just install a free app like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator. These apps generate a new 6-digit code every 30 seconds.
When you log in, you’ll need to enter that code in addition to your username and password.
That means: Even if someone knows your password, they still can’t access your account without the code. A great way to protect your account!
💬 Questions or Suggestions?
If you have any questions, ideas, or even criticism – we’re happy to hear from you! 😊
You can reply directly below this article, send an email to team@freizeitgruppe-bremen.de, or use the contact form on our website.
Best wishes
Your Admin Team
Heike + Hajo
