Anonymity and privacy

What the platform knows about you

A pseudonym and a password are enough for your counselling. You do not have to give anything else. onlineberatung.digital stores your password and recovery code in a way that nobody can read them. An email address is optional and is stored encrypted in the database.

Messages, the keyword from your booking and your counsellor's case notes are also stored encrypted. The servers are in Germany. There is no advertising, there are no trackers and there is no audience measurement. onlineberatung.digital only sets cookies where they are technically necessary, for example so that you stay signed in.

While you are signed in, onlineberatung.digital remembers your IP address and your browser for your session. This makes it possible to detect misuse and to sign out other devices.

Who sees what

Your counsellor can write case notes about your counselling. Only your counsellor can read them and, if one has been added, a co-counsellor. You do not see the case notes in your room.

If your counsellor leaves the centre, the centre lead passes your room on to a colleague. The centre lead does not see any content when doing so. The colleague then also sees the case notes.

What emails and files contain

You only get emails if you have entered and confirmed an address. At most they give the date and time of an appointment and a link to your room. Names, your pseudonym and content never appear in them. You only see what a new message says after signing in.

The name onlineberatung.digital appears at the top and bottom of every email. So anyone who reads your inbox can see that you use the platform. That is why you should use an address that only you read.

Files you download are kept plain too. The calendar entry from “Add to my calendar” only says “Appointment” and gives the link to your room, and for appointments in person or by phone also the type and the place. The file from “Download messages”, on the other hand, contains all messages in plain text, and its file name names your counsellor. Store it where only you can get to it.

During the video session

If the video runs in the room, the technology comes from Whereby, a provider from Norway. You appear there with your pseudonym. Whereby sees your IP address and details about your device and browser. Picture and sound are not recorded.

If your counsellor uses their own link, for example to Zoom, that service sees your IP address and your device. Enter your pseudonym as your name there. What else the service processes is set out in the privacy notice of the centre and of the service. Your room shows which service it is. More on this under The video session.

When things are deleted

• After closing you can still read and download your room for a while. Until when is shown in the room.
• After that onlineberatung.digital deletes the room with all messages, appointments and case notes. The centre sets the period and states it in its privacy notice.
• Your account disappears with your last room. You can delete it yourself at any time, see Account and security. Your pseudonym and your access are then gone immediately. Your rooms remain until the end of the centre's period.
• Guests of a video appointment: Their email address and name are deleted about a week after the appointment.

All the details are in the privacy notice.

What you can do yourself

• Choose a pseudonym without your name, where you live or your date of birth.
• On devices that others use too, sign out with “Sign out”.
• Keep your recovery code where only you can get to it.
• For the video session, find a place where nobody is listening.
• Write questions about your counselling to your counsellor in the room. They stay protected there. For questions about the platform there is the Contact page. Please do not send any personal or health details by email.