Sociology of Soccer

Just Another Sociology Blog of Dr. Stephan Pflaum

Imprint / Privacy

Information pursuant to § 5 TMG (German Telemedia Act)

Person responsible for content:

Dr. Stephan Pflaum
Ferdinand-Kobell-Str. 58
85540 Haar
Germany

Contact:

Email: stephan.pflaum@sociology-of-soccer.com

Hosting Provider:

STRATO AG
Pascalstraße 10
10587 Berlin
Germany

Disclaimer / Haftungsausschluss

Liability for Content

The contents of our pages have been created with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content. As a service provider, we are responsible for our own content on these pages in accordance with § 7 para. 1 TMG (German Telemedia Act). According to §§ 8 to 10 TMG, however, we are not obligated to monitor transmitted or stored third-party information or to investigate circumstances that indicate illegal activity. Obligations to remove or block the use of information under general law remain unaffected. However, liability in this regard is only possible from the time of knowledge of a specific infringement. Upon becoming aware of corresponding legal violations, we will remove this content immediately.

Liability for Links

Our website contains links to external third-party websites over whose content we have no influence. Therefore, we cannot accept any liability for this external content. The respective provider or operator of the pages is always responsible for the content of the linked pages. The linked pages were checked for possible legal violations at the time of linking. Illegal content was not recognizable at the time of linking. However, permanent monitoring of the content of the linked pages is not reasonable without concrete evidence of a legal violation. Upon becoming aware of legal violations, we will remove such links immediately.

Copyright

The content and works created by the site operators on these pages are subject to German copyright law. Duplication, processing, distribution, and any form of commercialization of such material beyond the scope of copyright law require the written consent of the respective author or creator. Downloads and copies of this site are only permitted for private, non-commercial use. Insofar as the content on this site was not created by the operator, the copyrights of third parties are respected. In particular, third-party content is identified as such. Should you nevertheless become aware of a copyright infringement, please inform us accordingly. Upon becoming aware of legal violations, we will remove such content immediately.

Data Privacy Policy / Datenschutzerklärung

Last updated: November 12, 2025

1. Data Protection at a Glance

General Information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is any data by which you can be personally identified. For detailed information on data protection, please refer to our data protection declaration listed below this text.

Data Collection on This Website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. The operator’s contact details can be found in the imprint section of this website.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected firstly by you providing it to us. This may, for example, be data that you enter into a contact form.

Other data is collected automatically or with your consent by our IT systems when you visit the website. This is primarily technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter this website.

What do we use your data for?

Part of the data is collected to ensure error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right at any time to receive information free of charge about the origin, recipient, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction or deletion of this data. If you have given consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time for the future. You also have the right, under certain circumstances, to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

You can contact us at any time regarding this and other questions on the subject of data protection.

2. Hosting

This website is hosted by STRATO AG. The provider is STRATO AG, Pascalstraße 10, 10587 Berlin, Germany (hereinafter referred to as “STRATO”).

When you visit this website, STRATO collects various log files including your IP addresses. For details, please refer to STRATO’s privacy policy: https://www.strato.de/datenschutz/

The use of STRATO is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in the most reliable presentation of our website possible. If consent has been requested, the processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR; consent can be revoked at any time.

Data Processing Agreement

We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with STRATO. This is a contract required by data protection law, which ensures that STRATO only processes the personal data of our website visitors according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

3. General Information and Mandatory Information

Data Protection

The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.

When you use this website, various personal data are collected. Personal data is data with which you can be personally identified. This privacy policy explains what data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.

We would like to point out that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., communication by email) can have security gaps. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Note on the Responsible Party

The responsible party for data processing on this website is:

Dr. Stephan Pflaum
Ferdinand-Kobell-Str. 58
85540 Haar
Germany

Email: stephan.pflaum@sociology-of-soccer.com

The responsible party is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.).

Storage Duration

Unless a more specific storage period has been specified within this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for deletion or revoke consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., tax or commercial retention periods); in the latter case, deletion will take place after these reasons no longer apply.

General Information on the Legal Basis for Data Processing on This Website

If you have consented to data processing, we process your personal data on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR or Art. 9 para. 2 lit. a GDPR if special categories of data are processed according to Art. 9 para. 1 GDPR. In the case of explicit consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, data processing is also carried out on the basis of Art. 49 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. If you have consented to the storage of cookies or to the access to information in your end device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), the data processing is additionally carried out on the basis of § 25 para. 1 TTDSG. Consent can be revoked at any time. If your data is required for the fulfillment of a contract or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, we process your data on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data if this is necessary for the fulfillment of a legal obligation on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR. Data processing may also be carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest according to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. Information on the relevant legal bases in each individual case is provided in the following paragraphs of this privacy policy.

Recipients of Personal Data

In the course of our business activities, we work with various external parties. In some cases, this also requires the transfer of personal data to these external parties. We only pass on personal data to external parties if this is necessary for the fulfillment of a contract, if we are legally obliged to do so (e.g., transfer of data to tax authorities), if we have a legitimate interest according to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR in the transfer, or if another legal basis permits the data transfer. When using processors, we only pass on personal data of our customers on the basis of a valid data processing agreement. In the case of joint processing, a joint processing agreement is concluded.

Revocation of Your Consent to Data Processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke consent you have already given at any time. The legality of the data processing carried out until the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right to Object to Data Collection in Special Cases and to Direct Marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

IF DATA PROCESSING IS BASED ON ART. 6 PARA. 1 LIT. E OR F GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME TO OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING BASED ON THESE PROVISIONS. THE RESPECTIVE LEGAL BASIS ON WHICH PROCESSING IS BASED CAN BE FOUND IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY. IF YOU OBJECT, WE WILL NO LONGER PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA UNLESS WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING THAT OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS, OR THE PROCESSING SERVES TO ASSERT, EXERCISE, OR DEFEND LEGAL CLAIMS (OBJECTION UNDER ART. 21 PARA. 1 GDPR).

IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA CONCERNING YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MARKETING; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING INSOFAR AS IT IS RELATED TO SUCH DIRECT MARKETING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL SUBSEQUENTLY NO LONGER BE USED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES (OBJECTION UNDER ART. 21 PARA. 2 GDPR).

Right to Lodge a Complaint with the Competent Supervisory Authority

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, their place of work, or the place of the alleged violation. The right to lodge a complaint is without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in fulfillment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a common, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another responsible party, this will only be done insofar as it is technically feasible.

Information, Correction, and Deletion

Within the framework of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient, and the purpose of data processing and, if applicable, a right to correction or deletion of this data. You can contact us at any time regarding this and other questions on the subject of personal data.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. You can contact us at any time for this purpose. The right to restriction of processing exists in the following cases:

  • If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we usually need time to verify this. For the duration of the verification, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.
  • If the processing of your personal data happened/is happening unlawfully, you can request the restriction of data processing instead of deletion.
  • If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend, or assert legal claims, you have the right to request restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of deletion.
  • If you have lodged an objection pursuant to Art. 21 para. 1 GDPR, a balance must be struck between your interests and ours. As long as it has not yet been determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, this data – apart from its storage – may only be processed with your consent or for the assertion, exercise, or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

SSL or TLS Encryption

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator, this site uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

4. Data Collection on This Website

Server Log Files

The provider of the pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are:

  • Browser type and browser version
  • Operating system used
  • Referrer URL
  • Hostname of the accessing computer
  • Time of the server request
  • IP address

This data is not merged with other data sources.

The collection of this data is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the technically error-free presentation and optimization of its website – for this purpose, server log files must be recorded.

Contact Form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the inquiry form, including the contact data you provided there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We do not pass on this data without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR if your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of the inquiries sent to us (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this has been requested; consent can be revoked at any time.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions – in particular retention periods – remain unaffected.

Inquiry by Email, Telephone, or Fax

If you contact us by email, telephone, or fax, your inquiry including all resulting personal data (name, inquiry) will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of processing your request. We do not pass on this data without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR if your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of the inquiries sent to us (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this has been requested; consent can be revoked at any time.

The data you send to us via contact requests will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions – in particular statutory retention periods – remain unaffected.

5. Use of AI Tools

Content Creation with AI Assistance

This blog uses artificial intelligence tools (specifically Claude by Anthropic) to assist in content creation. The AI serves as a co-author under human editorial oversight. All blog posts include explicit AI disclosure statements that detail:

  • The AI model used (Claude Sonnet 4.5)
  • The specific tasks performed by AI (literature integration, structural organization, drafting support)
  • The methodological framework applied (Grounded Theory)
  • Human oversight and review processes
  • Limitations and verification requirements

Data Processing with AI:

When creating content with AI assistance, the following principles apply:

  1. No Personal Data Processing: We do not feed personally identifiable information (PII) from website visitors into AI systems.
  2. Research Data: Publicly accessible sources (academic publications, news articles, publicly available statistics) are used as input for AI-assisted analysis.
  3. Interview Data: When interview materials are used in research, they are pseudonymized before any AI processing occurs, in full compliance with GDPR requirements.
  4. Third-Party Processing: AI tools are provided by Anthropic. Their privacy policy can be found at: https://www.anthropic.com/privacy
  5. Human Oversight: All AI-generated content undergoes human review for accuracy, theoretical coherence, and compliance with academic standards before publication.

The use of AI tools is based on our legitimate interest in efficient research and publication workflows (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR). No visitor data from this website is processed through AI systems.

Reader Rights Regarding AI-Generated Content

As a reader, you have the right to:

  • Know which content was created with AI assistance (disclosed in each post)
  • Verify claims independently (encouraged in all AI disclosure statements)
  • Request information about our AI usage policies
  • Provide feedback on AI-generated content quality

6. Social Media and External Content

This website may contain embedded content from social media platforms or other external services (e.g., YouTube videos, Twitter feeds). When you visit pages with such embedded content, your browser may establish a connection to the servers of these third-party providers.

We have no influence over the scope and further use of data collected by these providers. For information on the purpose and scope of data collection and processing by these services, please refer to their respective privacy policies:

  • YouTube: https://policies.google.com/privacy
  • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/privacy
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy

The integration of such content is based on our legitimate interest in making our website more attractive and informative (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR) if requested.

7. Comments and Interaction

If commenting functionality is enabled on this blog, the following information applies:

Comment Data:

When you submit a comment, your name, email address, comment text, and IP address are stored. Storage of the IP address is necessary to protect against spam and abuse. Your email address is never published but may be used to contact you regarding your comment if necessary.

The legal basis for storing this data is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR (our legitimate interest in preventing spam and abuse) and Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR if you have explicitly consented.

Comment Retention:

Comments and associated metadata are retained indefinitely. This allows us to automatically recognize and approve follow-up comments instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

Your Rights:

You can request deletion of your comments at any time by contacting us. We are legally obligated to retain certain data under German commercial and tax law, but for other data you have the right to request deletion.

8. Cookies

This website uses minimal or no cookies for its core functionality. If cookies are used, the following principles apply:

  • Essential Cookies: Cookies that are technically necessary for the operation of the website (e.g., session cookies) are used on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.
  • Optional Cookies: Any non-essential cookies (e.g., for analytics) require your explicit consent under Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 para. 1 TTDSG.

You can configure your browser to be informed about the setting of cookies and to allow cookies only in individual cases, to exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general, and to activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser.

9. Newsletter (If Applicable)

If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require an email address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided and that you agree to receive the newsletter. Further data is not collected or is only collected on a voluntary basis.

We use the so-called double opt-in procedure for sending the newsletter. This means that after you have registered, we will send you an email to the specified email address in which we ask you to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter. If you do not confirm your registration within 24 hours, your information will be blocked and automatically deleted after one month.

The legal basis for sending the newsletter is your consent according to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 7 para. 2 No. 3 TTDSG. You can revoke your consent to the storage of your data, the email address, and its use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example via the “unsubscribe” link in the newsletter.

10. Research Ethics and Interview Data

As an academic research blog, we occasionally publish content based on qualitative research including interviews. The following principles govern our handling of such data:

Ethical Standards:

  • All interview-based research follows established social science ethics guidelines
  • Informed consent is obtained from all participants before data collection
  • Participants are informed about:
    • The purpose of the research
    • How data will be used and stored
    • Their right to withdraw consent
    • Data protection measures in place
    • Whether and how AI tools may assist in analysis (with full transparency)

Data Protection Measures:

  • Interview recordings and transcripts are stored securely and separately from identifying information
  • Pseudonyms are used in all publications
  • Personally identifiable information is removed from quoted materials
  • Geographic and institutional details are generalized where necessary to protect anonymity
  • Access to raw interview data is restricted to the research team

Legal Basis:

Processing of interview data is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR (consent) and Art. 9 para. 2 lit. j GDPR for scientific research purposes.

Participant Rights:

Research participants have the right to:

  • Access their interview data
  • Request correction of inaccuracies
  • Withdraw consent and request deletion (subject to research integrity considerations)
  • Lodge complaints with data protection authorities

11. International Data Transfers

This website may use services that process data in countries outside the European Union. When we use such services, we ensure adequate data protection through:

  • Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission
  • Adequacy decisions by the European Commission (e.g., for transfers to countries with adequate protection levels)
  • Explicit consent for transfers where required

The AI service provider Anthropic is based in the United States. Data transfers to Anthropic are conducted in accordance with applicable data protection regulations and documented in our data processing agreements.

12. Children’s Privacy

This website is directed at university students, researchers, and the general public interested in sociological analysis of football. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16 years of age without parental consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us immediately.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update this privacy policy to reflect changes in legal requirements or changes to our services. The current version is always available on this page. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically.

Last revised: November 12, 2025

14. Contact for Data Protection Concerns

If you have questions about data protection or wish to exercise your rights under GDPR, please contact:

Dr. Stephan Pflaum
Ferdinand-Kobell-Str. 58
85540 Haar
Germany
Email: stephan.pflaum@sociology-of-soccer.com

EU Model Clauses for Data Protection

This website complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and German data protection law (BDSG). Our data processing activities adhere to the principles of:

  • Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency (Art. 5 para. 1 lit. a GDPR)
  • Purpose Limitation (Art. 5 para. 1 lit. b GDPR)
  • Data Minimization (Art. 5 para. 1 lit. c GDPR)
  • Accuracy (Art. 5 para. 1 lit. d GDPR)
  • Storage Limitation (Art. 5 para. 1 lit. e GDPR)
  • Integrity and Confidentiality (Art. 5 para. 1 lit. f GDPR)
  • Accountability (Art. 5 para. 2 GDPR)

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure data security and protection against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration.

This imprint and privacy policy was last updated on November 12, 2025.