Cookies
What are cookies?
A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device (iPad, iPhone etc.) when you visit the site. Cookies contain a very small amount of information, usually consisting of a string of numbers and/or letters, they are not computer programs, they don't give the website owners any kind of access to your computer or mobile device.
Cookies enable websites to remember visitor actions and preferences (for example remembering that the member has an account and should remain logged in, remember that you prefer to see content in a different language to the default, remember that you like to view the content of the website in a larger font size and other display preferences). Placing a cookie on your computer or mobile device means that you don't have to make those choices every time you visit the site or browse from one page to another. Cookies can also allow websites to collect other forms of anonymous data, for example, to help track how popular a website is.
The below explains the cookies we use and why.
How do we use cookies?
Like most other websites we use cookies to ensure that our website works properly, to enhance your experience when visiting and to provide anonymous analytical data. We do not use cookies for profiling or tracking individual visitors.
Depending on how a visitor uses our website the following types of cookies may be set:
- Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookies have to be set in order for our website to work as intended. - Functionality Cookies
Functionality cookies give visitors a better user experience and allow for some customisation when it comes to interacting with our website. - Performance Cookies
Performance cookies are used by us, and by some of our embedded tools to collect anonymous usage data.
Please see the tables below which provides you with information on the cookies that might be stored when interacting with our websites.
thewi.org.uk
| Source | Name | First Party? | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squiz Matrix | SQ_SYSTEM_SESSION | Yes | A strictly necessary cookie set by Squiz Matrix, the content management system that powers our website. This cookie will be set if you log into the site (for example if you are a Web Editor) so that the system can keep you logged in for the duration of your visit. It will also be used if you use our online shop, to ensure your products remain in your basket until you complete your order. | Until your session ends (deleted when you close your web browser). |
| Cookie accepted | cookie_accepted | Yes | A functionality cookie set to remember that a visitor to our website accepted our cookie policy, this stops the cookie information pop-up box from appearing on every page that is visited. | 12 months. |
| Text size | TextSize | Yes | A functionality cookie set to remember visitor text size preference. We give visitors the option of increasing or decreasing the size of fonts displayed across the website. If a visitor changes their font size then a cookie is set to remember their preference across the website. | 10 days. |
| New privacy policy acknowledged | GDPRCookie | Yes | A functionality cookie set if a visitor wishes to hide the privacy policy update banner. To be as transparent as possible we have placed a banner at the top of the website advising of our updated privacy policy. It's important that visitors read and understand this policy. | 14 days. |
| Google Analytics |
_ga _gat _utma _utmb _utmc _utmz _utmt | Yes |
Google Analytics uses these performance cookies to track anonymous user website activity on our website This information is used by us to compile reports and to help us improve the website. Anonymous information collected includes the number of visitors to the website, where they came from (another website, Facebook etc.), the pages they visited, how long they stayed on the website/page and whether or not they have visited our website before. More information: Google Analytics and cookies Opt-out of Google Analytics | The longest cookie duration set by Google Analytics is 2 years, this helps make statistics relating to "new" and "returning" visitors more accurate. Other cookies have a much shorter duration, varying from 6 months to the moment you end your browser session. |
| Google Maps |
SID SAPISID APISID SSID HSID NID PREF | No |
Set by Google when we embed Google Maps in our pages - (directions to our offices, for example). Google uses a mixture of functionality cookies to remember visitors preferences and other information, such as your preferred language and performance cookies to monitor maps usage. More information: Google Privacy Policy | |
| YouTube |
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE PREF YSC GEUP | No |
We embed YouTube videos across our website, YouTube/Google use functionality cookies and performance cookies to collect anonymous statistics for embedded videos. If a visitor plays one of these videos YouTube may set cookies. More information: Google Privacy Policy | |
|
pid lang metrics_token guest_id | No |
We embed twitter content across our website and Twitter may set cookies on your device as a result. The cookies set will depend on the visitor's interaction with twitter content, and whether or not they are already logged in to Twitter. More information: Twitter Privacy Policy | ||
| ShareThis |
__uset __stid | No | We use ShareThis across our website to enable visitors to easily share our content on social media. They may also share non-aggregated data that has been further disassociated with any non-personally identifiable cookie or identifiers with partners for purely aggregate analysis purposes such as, but not limited to, spotting consumer trends and building models. They may also share aggregate statistical information about our services with advertisers and publishers."More information: ShareThis Privacy Policy (and Opt-Out) | |
| Worldpay |
JSESSIONID machine | Yes | In order to facilitate secure payment via Credit or Debit cards in our online store, we direct you to Worldpay, our third-party payment provider. Worldpay will set a strictly necessary cookie to process your order. | Until your session ends (deleted when you close your web browser). |
My WI - (https://mywi.thewi.org.uk)
My WI uses the same cookies as thewi.org.uk with the following changes and additions:
| Source | Name | First Party? | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie accepted | mywi_cookie_accepted | Yes | A functionality cookie set to remember that a visitor to our website accepted our cookie policy, this stops the cookie information pop-up box from appearing on every page that is visited. | 12 months. |
| Disqus |
__utma __utmb __utmc __utmv __utmz __qca disqus_unique UIDR mc UID testCookie | No | Disqus powers the commenting functionality on MyWI. Disqus uses a number of different cookies to enable you to post comments, for example remembering who you are as you navigate across different pages. Disqus also use Google Analytics for their own internal statistics. |
WI Training - (https://witraining.thewi.org.uk)
WI Training also uses Google Analytics, please refer to the section covering Google Analytics above for more details on the cookies set by Google.
| Source | Name | First Party? | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WI Training | MoodleSession | Yes | WI Training sets a strictly necessary cookie to identify you during your browsing session. This saves you having to log in repeatedly and allows you to progress through course content easily. | Until your session ends (deleted when you close your web browser). |
| BigBlueButton |
JSESSIONID rack.session AWSALB | No | BigBlueButton powers the web conferencing system in WI Training. Their service uses strictly necessary cookies to ensure that the webinar knows which WI Training account the webinar session is linked to. | Until your session ends (deleted when you close your web browser). |
The Membership Communication System (MCS) - (https://www.nfwi-records.org.uk)
| Source | Name | First Party? | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCS | ASP.NET_SessionId | Yes | A strictly necessary cookie set by MCS keeping you logged in to the MCS for the duration of your visit. | Until your session ends (deleted when you close your web browser) or after 30 minutes of inactivity. |
A first-party cookie is simply a cookie set by the website that you are visiting, a third-party cookie is a cookie set by an external website.
As with first-party cookies, third-party cookies have a variety of uses. Although often used legitimately, there are privacy concerns raised by third-party cookie usage as they are often used for marketing purposes.
Because cookies allow you to experience our website as it was designed we recommend that as a minimum you keep first-party cookies enabled. It is becoming increasingly common for modern browsers to give you the option to block third-party cookies and doing so should not break any functionality on our website.
If you'd like more information or help to disable cookies please read the section below.
How to control cookies
You can of course control and/or delete cookies as you wish – for details, see aboutcookies.org. You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed. If you do this, however, you may have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit a site and some services and functionalities may not work.
Internet Explorer - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/delete-manage-cookies
Google Chrome - https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647
Mozilla Firefox - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cookies-information-websites-store-on-your-computer
Safari (Mac) - https://support.apple.com/kb/PH19214
Safari (iOS) - https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201265
Android - https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2392971
We are planning to enhance our cookie tools to allow visitors to more easily control their cookie settings on our website, we will also be amending this document as and when our website changes.
Last update: 24/05/2018