Note: The User Agreement can also be viewed by anonymous guests and interested parties. However, the change history is not displayed to unregistered guests. 

§ 1 Introduction

On the basis of the following User Agreement, the Bundeswehr, represented by the Armed Forces Office (operator of the internet platform), provides at the internet address www.linkandlearn.de a Bundeswehr-wide training and communication platform for Bundeswehr personnel (both civilian and military), FMoD personnel, reservists, and external persons who have ties to the Bundeswehr. 

As the operator, the Armed Forces Office is responsible for ensuring compliance with information security and data protection rules. The relevant persons in charge are specified in the site note. 

When you log onto the platform, you declare that you agree to and will comply with this User Agreement as amended.

In accordance with a valid role and rights concept, all authorised users with a valid account on this platform can create new groups, articles and other content (in due consideration of rights determined by the creator) or edit – in particular change, add to, update or rearrange – the content of existing articles. Users are personally responsible for their posts. Above all, users are responsible for ensuring that their posts (including external images and links) are not in violation of prevailing law or third-party rights (e.g. copyrights or personal rights). Users may only post content for which they themselves have copyright or for which they have the rights holder’s permission to post the content. 

*Authorised users: Bundeswehr personnel (both civilian and military), FMoD personnel, reservists, external persons who have ties to the Bundeswehr. 

Training and communication platform: The platform is designed to promote the exchange and collection of information within the Bundeswehr. 

Hierarchy-free platform: The platform is generally free of hierarchies. Every user, regardless of their position and rank, may contribute to the website’s content. 

Self-control: The platform is not monitored by a central editorial office but by its user community. Community managers who are responsible for individual areas or superior areas of the AFO intervene only in the event of a dispute or misuse on the basis of established rules. 

Security classification: Link and Learn is a closed internet-based platform. The information (regulations, directives, images etc.) provided and exchanged in this information domain, which is protected from the general public, is therefore limited to information classified as offen (Unclassified) or below. Any information with a higher security classification (classified documents) are explicitly excluded. The only exceptions are the separately denoted services that can only be accessed via the IntranetBw (up to VS-NfD (Restricted – For official use only)). 

As regards personal data, Section 5 of these Terms of Use apply. 

Reliability: The information on the platform is not officially validated by a central editorial office. As a result, all information must be regarded as insecure. Responsibility for the correctness of the information concerned lies with those who compile the information. Users may report clearly incorrect information at all times. 

Provided that they are relevant to the actual content, links to commercial content may be created on the Link and Learn platform. If they are partner links/affiliate links, they must be identified as such with the words “Partnerlink”. 

Users can only access the platform after registering. 

They are obliged not to reveal their user information to third parties. Should third parties acquire a user’s login details, the user is obliged to inform the operator immediately and to change their login details. This is done to protect users because they bear full responsibility for all activities that take place with their password or account. 

Owing to the principle of content creation (“user-generated content”), the platform operator assumes no liability or guarantee for the topicality, correctness or completeness of the information provided on this platform. This also applies to all links to other websites (“external links”) which this platform directly or indirectly refers to. The platform operator is not responsible for the content of a website that is reached with such an external link or for its data protection precautions. The platform operator reserves the right to change, add to or remove the information provided without prior notice. 

If and insofar as users upload content, e.g. information, data, text, photos, diagrams and/or news items, they do so exclusively at their own risk. If third parties draw the operator’s attention to illegal content or copyright-protected content, the operator reserves the right to delete the content immediately without previously informing the person involved. In such cases, the platform operator also has the right to block the user’s account and to initiate legal measures against them. 

Availability of the services cannot be guaranteed. The operator assumes no responsibility for any potential delay, deletion, faulty transmission and/or failed storage in the communication between users or in connection with personally configured areas. 

Personal data are only collected and stored to the extent that the user has provided them. All data specified by users (with the exception of the e-mail address and personnel number provided on registration) are visible to all platform users.   

Content published by users on the platform is linked to their profile. Unless specified otherwise, it is not possible to upload or change content anonymously on the platform. 

If users refer to persons in their content, these persons are to be specified, wherever possible, by linking the user profile. Otherwise, the users who upload the content are responsible for the personal data. 

The operator only processes the stored personal data to improve the services on this platform. These data are not used for any other purposes. If there is an intention to use the data for other purposes, users are given the possibility to give their explicit consent. Please note that personal data must, if ordered by government agencies, be forwarded for the purpose of criminal prosecution. 

The operator uses all available means to secure the users’ data against unauthorised access, loss and modification. 

Users may end their usage relationship at any time provided this does not counter professional interests, and may request for their own data to be deleted immediately. Users may also ask for information at all times about which of their personal data we have stored. If the personal data have been deleted, the content uploaded by users is retained. The user name is replaced in the content, and the link to the relevant profile is removed. 

This website uses cookies and other logging methods. A cookie is a small text file that is used, for example, to collect information about the use of a website. In some cases, cookies and other processes are used to recall again the personal data previously provided by the Internet user. All conventional web browsers can be configured in such a way that incoming cookies are only accepted following confirmation by the user or are generally rejected. The users are asked to inform themselves about this in their web browser’s “Help” function. 

With the help of logging processes, information such as IP addresses (IP = Internet Protocol), type of browser software and operating system used, clickstream patterns, and the dates and time our website is accessed is collected. These data are only evaluated for statistical purposes, in anonymised or aggregated form, or to track violations against these terms of use. 

The operator of the platform reserves the right to continuously monitor all content that is not identified as private and to engage moderators for this purpose. These moderators are entitled to work towards ensuring that the user agreement is observed and to immediately delete or amend any content that violates against it without consulting the users. 

In addition, administrators have, in justified exceptional cases, the possibility to examine any content on Link and Learn, including content that is identified as private and private messages. All platform content is stored in the database as plain text (not encrypted). Administrators may not examine this content without considerable reason but only if this should be necessary to ensure that the Link and Learn platform is being operated in accordance with the regulations. Administrators also have access to this content as part of maintenance tasks. 

If users should notice any content that violates the terms of use, they are obliged to inform the platform’s operator immediately. 

In the event of misuse reports by third parties, the operator is entitled to check reported content for misuse. The platform operator is entitled to remove or move content. This also applies to input by users whose account has already been deleted. 

In the event of incorrect, incomplete or debatable facts or in the event of expressions of opinion, the platform operator reserves the right to post a reply. Users whose rights or interests are affected by incorrect, incomplete or debatable facts or by expressions of opinion have the right to post a reply that would appear next to the content in question and for as long as the latter is online. In such a case, the operator reserves the right to delete the queried statement to prevent a reply. 

Should the system fail to update within three months as a result of a user leaving the Bundeswehr or changing to another military or civilian Bundeswehr organisational element, the user must inform the operator by e-mail to support@linkandlearn.de. Leaving the Bundeswehr or changing elements may lead to changes to the updates. This also applies to external services of the integrated training portal E-Campus, which requires a licence. 

Since Link and Learn is a Bundeswehr-wide information and communication platform, users are obliged to provide their full name (first name and surname) in their own profile. Users are also obliged to provide a current e-mail address on Link and Learn so that the operator can reach them. If it is established that no e-mail address has been provided, the individual is requested to change the e-mail address the next time they log in. If the user fails to comply with this request, the user’s account on Link and Learn is removed after six months. 

Before using Link and Learn, users are obliged to secure their devices accordingly as specified in the information security declaration. Failure to comply with the relevant rule is a violation of the terms of use and results in the user accounts concerned being immediately suspended. An account can also be suspended if there is suspicion of manipulation or misuse that the user may have failed to notice in good time. 

The logos used in the design on this website are the property of the Bundeswehr. Commercial use of the logos is prohibited. 

The texts and images provided on this website may contain official information. All matters that have become known during duty must be kept secret outside of duty. This does not apply to information that is common knowledge or, by its nature, does not need to be kept confidential or has been authorised for publication. Content originating from the Link and Learn platform should therefore only be used or made available outside the Bundeswehr after thorough examination to establish if there is a need to keep it confidential. This also applies, for example, to the copying of content. 

The mere fact that a trademark is not named does not mean that it is not protected by third-party rights. 

Every user of the Link and Learn platform receives their own e-mail account with the domain personnel ID@auf.bundeswehr.de. For security reasons, all e-mails sent from this account or received at this account are checked for spam and malware by the computing centre. For security reasons, this centre reserves the right to change the status of e-mails so that they are labelled as spam or to refuse to deliver them. Recipients of the e-mails concerned are informed about this. 

The platform operator would like to point out that confidentiality must also be observed on the Link and Learn platform in accordance with Section 203 of the German Criminal Code. 

The platform operator reserves the right to amend or add to these terms of use in future. Users are informed during the login procedure if new terms of use have been published. Any amendments to the terms of use come into force if users have not objected to them within a week after the amended terms of use and an amendment notice have been posted on the service start page. The terms of use apply as amended to all the platform’s services. This is also the case for services that were used in the past.