Cookie Policy

A cookie, also known as a browser cookie, is a text file containing small amounts of information which a server may download to your computer, mobile or tablet when you visit a website or use an app.

There are different types of cookies which are used to do different things, such as letting you navigate between different pages on a website efficiently, remembering preferences you have given and helping us to identify ways to improve your overall site experience. Others are used to provide you with advertising which is more tailored to your interests or to measure the number of site visits and the most popular pages users visit.

‘First party’ and ‘third party’ cookies

Each type of cookie can be set and controlled by the operator of the website which the user is browsing  (known as a ‘first party cookie’) or a third party such as Facebook, for example to display advertisements and social sharing features, (known as a ‘third party cookie’). Our site does not control the dissemination of these cookies and you should check the relevant third party website for more information about these.

Due to their core role of enhancing and enabling usability or site processes, disabling certain cookies may prevent you from using certain aspects of this website.

Broadly speaking, there are two different types of browser cookie:

(1) Session cookies are stored in the computer's memory during a user's browsing session and are automatically deleted from the user's computer when the browser is closed or the session is deemed to have ended.

These cookies usually store a session ID that is not personally identifiable to users, allowing the user to move from page to page without having to log-in repeatedly. They are widely used by commercial web sites; for example to keep track of items that a consumer has added to a shopping basket.

Session cookies do not collect any information from the user's computer and they expire at the end of the user's browser session. They can also become inaccessible after the session has been inactive for a specified length of time, usually 20 or 30 minutes.

(2) Persistent cookies are stored on the user's computer and are not deleted when the browser is closed. Persistent cookies can be used to retain user preferences for a particular website, allowing those preferences to be used in future browsing sessions.

Persistent cookies usually assign a unique ID to the user’s browser and they are usually configured to identify a user for a prolonged period of time, from days to months or even years.

How does this site use cookies?

We only use browser cookies to measure non-personal information, for example to learn about the behaviour of visitors to our website and how they respond to our marketing communications. The more we learn, the better we are able to provide relevant and interesting content and services. The first person cookies set by this website do not contain any personally identifiable information.

Strictly necessary cookies

'Strictly necessary' cookies let you move around the website and use essential features. These cookies don't gather any information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you've been on the internet. Accepting these cookies is a condition of using the website, however, as they are required for the proper operation of the website. If you prevent them, we cannot guarantee how it will perform.

Analytics cookies / Performance cookies

We use these cookies to collect information about how visitors use our website, including details of the site where the visitor has come from and the total number of times a visitor has been to our website. By using our website, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device. We use the information to improve our website and enhance the experience of its visitors. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous.

Application or site specific cookies / Functionality cookies

These cookies remember choices you make to improve your experience. By using the website, you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device.

These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages that you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for such as watching a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.

What cookies are used on this website?

A list of all the types of cookies used on this website is set out in the tables below.

Which 1st party cookies does this site use?

Cookie

Name

Purpose

Essential Site Cookie

pyrocms

This cookie is used to hold the unique session ID which is generated every time our site is visited. This cookie is deleted when you close the browser.

Essential Site Cookie PHPSESSID This cookie is used to hold the unique session ID which is generated every time our site is visited. This cookie is deleted when you close the browser.

Which 3rd party cookies does this site use?

We use various persistent cookies for some of the above reasons. Here are some of the most important ones, although this is not a comprehensive list.

Cookie

Name

Purpose

More Information

The following cookies are focused on web analytics and helping us improve our understanding of visitors and their site usage

Google Analytics

_utma
_utmb
_utmc
_utmv
_utmz

These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site.  The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where visitors have come to the site from and the pages they visited.

Google stores the information collected by the cookies on servers in the United States. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf.  Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

Unless you opt-out of the Google Cookie, by using this site you consent to the use of the Google Cookie and any information generated by Google Analytics.

Click here for an overview of privacy at Google

And for information on how to opt-out from all Google Analytics cookies visit

http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

Addthis

__atuvc
loc
Coyote-2-a0f0083
bt
ana_svc
__utm
uid/uit
di/dt
ssh/sshs

The __atuvc cookie is created and read by JavaScript on the client side in order to make sure the user sees the updated count if they share a page and return to it before the share count cache is updated. No data from that cookie is sent back to AddThis and removing it when disabling cookies would cause unexpected behavior for users.

loc - This is our geolocation cookie, so our publishers know approximately where people sharing information are located
Coyote-2-a0f0083 - This is our load balancer cookie
bt - A behavior targeting cookie
ana_svc - a real-time service cookie
phpbb3_* and style_cookie - These are set by our support forum software
__utm* - Google analytics tracking
uid/uit - User id and login time tracking
psc - View counter cookie
di/dt - Date tracking cookies for determining expiration of other cookies
ssh/sshs - Service share history, used for configuring our preferred services.

http://www.addthis.com/

Information on how to opt out

http://www.addthis.com/privacy/opt-out#.T-2Ur5FvaSo

Facebook

datr

lsd

datr - Facebook set the ‘datr’ cookie when a web browser accesses facebook.com (except social plugin iframes), and the cookie helps them identify suspicious login activity and keep users safe. For instance, they use it to flag questionable activity like failed login attempts and attempts to create multiple spam accounts.  

How can you control the use of cookies?

Your use of the website constitutes your consent to this website setting cookies on your device.

If you do not want the website to set cookies on your device then you should either not use the site, [or you should delete cookies having visited the site], [or you should browse the site using your browser’s anonymous usage setting (called “Incognito” in Chrome, “InPrivate” in Internet Explorer, "Private Browsing" in Firefox and Safari)].

Alternatively, the ‘Help’ menu on the menu bar of most browsers will tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie and how to disable cookies altogether. However, because cookies allow you to take advantage of some of the website's essential features, we recommend you leave them turned on.

Learn more about cookies

To find out more about cookies, search in Google or visit aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org.