Glossary

Subscription contracts: When you sign a subscription contract (subscription for short), you commit to using something not just once, but for a fixed, longer period of time. You also pay for this period, for example in the form of monthly fees.

Account: An account is a user account for an online service, e.g. for an email service or a social media platform.

GTC: In the general terms and conditions, abbreviated as GTC, companies specify which rules apply to each of their contracts. For example, the T&Cs state what happens if the purchased device does not work properly or whether the company will take a device back if the buyer changes their mind. In some cases, GTC rules can be unlawful, in which case the consumer advice center can help.

Algorithms/algorithms: Algorithms are complicated mathematical formulas that are linked together and form a chain of rules or instructions. A simple example is a cooking recipe that specifies exactly what is to be done and in what order. Digitally, algorithms can be the basis of a computer-controlled decision, e.g. for sorting search results or which social media content is displayed to a profile.

Amazon Pay: Amazon Pay is a payment method used by Amazon to pay for goods or services on third-party websites. You pay using the payment method stored with Amazon (credit card or direct debit via your account). The process is considered secure and also includes buyer protection measures.

Authorizations: Apps sometimes need or want access to certain functions on the smartphone, such as the camera or contact list. To do this, however, they need the permission of the respective user. This is called "authorization".

Payment methods: There are various ways to pay for purchases, both online and in-store. These include cash as well as payment by bank card, bank transfer, direct debit or online payment methods such as PayPal or Klarna.

Bio: "Bio" stands for biography on social media. This is an area where you can leave a short text describing yourself for other users to read.

Dark patterns: Dark patterns are tricks that some websites or apps use to get users to do things that they may not really want to do. Especially in games and game apps that can be downloaded for free, the game design often incorporates such mechanisms. For example, you are asked to click on advertising or subscription banners, scroll endlessly or it is made more difficult to log out of a service. All things that waste time and/or money.

Data leak: A data leak means that private information that you have entrusted to a company is disclosed. This can happen unintentionally or due to a planned attack by hackers.

Privacy policy: A general privacy policy informs visitors to a website or online service about what happens to their personal data.

Data protection policy: A company's data protection policy sets out rules on how employees must handle customers' personal data. It regulates everything that is required by law. It states, for example, that every user can obtain information about what data is collected about him or her and what happens to this data.

Doxing: Doxing is when criminals collect data about a person and make it publicly available with the aim of harassing, threatening or harming them.

Free-to-play: Free-to-play is a business model in the gaming industry. It describes computer games in which at least the basic game content can be used free of charge. The manufacturer usually earns money from advertising and additional paid offers, which sometimes give you advantages over other players (pay-to-win), customize the game or remove advertising placed by the manufacturer.

Fakeshops: A fakeshop is a supposed online store from which goods can be ordered but which, after payment, are not delivered at all or at least not in the quality ordered. As a rule, the money is lost as the fraudulent traders only appear on the internet for a short period of time and the crimes can hardly be prosecuted.

Legal capacity/incapacity: Legal capacity is a legal term. Only those who have legal capacity can enter into legally binding transactions. This is only the case from the age of 18. Children under the age of seven have no legal capacity, while children and young people between the ages of seven and 18 are considered to have limited legal capacity. They can use money that has been given to them or that they have earned themselves to make purchases. However, only if they pay directly, as they are not yet allowed to make purchases in installments or subscriptions.

Law on advertising labeling: The law on advertising labeling stipulates that advertising on commercial websites or commercial social media profiles must be labeled. It must therefore always be made clear if an influencer is paid to recommend a product.

Credit: A credit is a sum of money with which you have topped up an account or voucher (card).

Hacking: Hacking is an attempt to gain unauthorized access to computers, networks or devices. Hackers use various techniques and methods to overcome security barriers and penetrate systems.

Identity theft: Identity theft is a crime in which fraudsters attempt to impersonate someone else, e.g. to order things in someone else's name and pay for them from someone else's account. To do this, the person uses stolen personal information such as dates of birth or credit card numbers.

Imprint: For products published in print or online, the legal notice indicates who is legally responsible for the content. A complete imprint contains: Company name; address with postal address (no PO box); other contact options via telephone, fax, e-mail; a natural person named as responsible for the site (name); commercial register entry and/or tax number.

In-app/in-game purchases: In-app purchases are additional content or subscriptions that you buy in an app. The same applies to games, in which case they are called in-game purchases.

IT glitch: An IT glitch is an error in a large computer system caused by a user or internal software.

Purchase in installments: When buying in installments, the total amount of a purchase is divided into several equal payments over a certain period of time. Fees and interest are often charged. Children and young people are not allowed to make purchases in installments.

Klarna: Klarna is a company that offers payment in numerous online stores. You can choose between purchase on account, purchase in installments or bank transfer.

Licenses/license-free: A license is a legal permission, e.g. for the use of a piece of music or an image. The license also specifies the conditions under which something may be used: e.g. only against payment or only on certain platforms. The term "royalty-free" is used colloquially and actually means "free of license fees".

Password manager: Password managers are programs in which you can store and manage your various user names for services and the associated various passwords. They are particularly secure so that unauthorized persons cannot gain access.

PayPal: PayPal is an online payment method. When shopping online, transfers are made directly from the payment service provider from the buyer's account to the seller's account. PayPal can only be used if you have created a verified account there.

Personal data: Personal data refers to information about people, e.g. name, date of birth, place of residence or telephone number. This information is very personal, but it is still stored by most online services and used for personalized advertising, for example, unless you object to this.

Phishing: Phishing is an attempt to obtain user data using fake emails and other forms of messages. They are lured to fake websites in order to disclose their data. For example, you receive an email asking you to enter your bank details on a website. The site in question looks very similar to the original bank site, but it is a fraudulent site. The term "phishing" is made up of the words "fishing" and "password". Phishing is therefore fishing for passwords.

PIN/ TAN: A "PersonalIdentificationNumber" (PIN) is a sequence of digits that can be used to authenticate yourself on a device. PINs are mainly used to (un)lock smartphones and in connection with bank cards. The abbreviation "TAN" stands for "transactionnumber". This number is a type of one-time password and is usually used in online banking.

Ransomware: Ransomware is malware that criminals use to lock computers or servers in order to extort a ransom for their release.

Lock symbol in the browser: If a padlock is displayed in the address bar to the left of the web address (URL), this means that the connection to the page is encrypted. Data that you enter there cannot be read by third parties.

Trusted Shops: "Trusted Shops" is a company that issues a seal of the same name for trustworthy online stores. Each store with this seal has been individually checked and the seal is considered to be very trustworthy.

URL: A "URL"(Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of a website that is entered directly via the address bar in the browser.

Copyright: Anyone who pursues a creative activity and creates intellectual, scientific or artistic works, e.g. as a songwriter or lyricist, is protected by copyright law in Germany. This stipulates that third parties may not simply reproduce, adopt or copy this intellectual property for their own purposes. However, some works are also copyright-free. You must pay attention to the terms of use!

Advertising/online advertising: Online advertising in marketing is a targeted communicative measure to publicize products or services and convey a positive image. The aim is to reach potential customers through advertising and convince them to buy or use a specific product or service. Social ads on social media are particularly important in online marketing. Advertising is displayed according to certain criteria such as age, gender, friends, etc.

Withdrawal: In legal terms, withdrawal is a declaration of rescission by consumers after the conclusion of a contract. Withdrawal within the 14-day period is mainly possible for contracts concluded online, e.g. a purchase or the conclusion of a subscription.

Payment service providers: Payment service providers such as Paypal or Klarna are various providers of cashless payment options on the Internet. Payment service providers are independent of a specific online store and facilitate secure online purchases.