What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small piece of data that is sent between a website and your web browser, enabling the website to function properly and the website owner to collect helpful information about your visit.
A cookie cannot read data from your hard disk or read cookie files created by other websites.
If a cookie is a “session” cookie, it will expire at the end of your browsing session.
“Persistent” cookies remain on your device even after you close your browser; this helps to remember your preferences ready for the next time you visit.
Why do we use cookies?
Most websites use cookies, as they help organisations achieve a number of common business objectives.
Cookies play an important part in delivering the intended functionality and security of a website. We use cookies to learn about, and improve, the user experience of visitors to the website. Also, to understand what information vistors are interested in, so we can create more interesting and relevant content.
We sometimes re-direct you to third-party vendors whose services we use. Once you have left our site, we do not track you. You will be subject to the cookie notice provided by the third-party vendor and can manage cookies within their site in line with their policy. Examples of this include: third-party survey providers, or content we have contributed to that is hosted on another site.
What cookies are used on MyLife Digital websites?
In this section you can find details on the cookies we use for our websites.
It is important to be aware that our cookies will never analyse visits to other websites or track any internet searches being undertaken whilst you still have a window open on any of our websites.
The MyLife Digital websites include:
Cookie Manager
On first access to any of our websites, or by clicking the 'c' icon in the left hand, bottom corner of the screen, you will see our Cookie Manager
Here you can Reject All, Accept All or choose to switch on or off the Analytic and Marketing categories of cookies.
Please be aware, switching off the cookies could impede your website user experience.
Figure 1. Cookie Manager
Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us, and the third parties we work with, to understand how effective our websites are by collecting and reporting information on usage. They also provide useful functionality, performance, statistical and security features across our websites.
Information collected by these cookies helps us to improve the functionality and user experience of our websites and any associated services.
Listed below are the analytics cookies we currently use across our websites, if we change these, this list will be updated accordingly:
Cookies | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
Pardot | Identifies and tracks you as a unique visitor in order for us to tailor marketing and user experience | Session | |
_utma | Collects data on the number of times a user visited the website as well as dates for the first and most recent visit. Used by Google Analytics | 2 years | |
_utmb | Registers a timestamp with the exact time of when the user accessed the website. Used by Google Analytics to calculate the duration of a website visit. | 1 day | |
_utmt | Used to throttle the speed of requests to the server | ||
_utmc | Registers a timestamp with the exact time of when the user leaves the website. Used by Google Analytics to calculate the duration of a website visit. | Session | |
_utmz | Collects data on where the user came from, what search engine was used, what link was clicked and what search term was used. Used by Google Analytics | 6 months | |
_utm.gif | Google Analytics Tracking Code to log details about the visitors' browser and computer | Session | |
test_cookie | To check whether the visitors web browser is set to allow or reject cookies | 1 day |
Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies are used to track your activity across our websites. We do this to predict the products and services you are likely to be interested in, so we can send you relevant and personalised marketing material.
Listed below are the marketing cookies we currently use across our websites, if we change these, this list will be updated accordingly:
Cookies | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
visitor_id# | Identifies and tracks you as a unique visitor in order for us to tailor marketing and user experience | 10 years | |
visitor_id# | |||
lpv601271 | 1 day |
How can you control the cookies being applied?
To manage the use of cookies, you can use our Cookie Manager. See section ‘Cookie Manager’ above or you can set your browser to block or delete cookies.
You can find out more about how to do this by clicking the following links for your web browser:
Please note that blocking or deleting cookies is likely to have a negative impact on your user experience and the functionality of the website during your visit.
How do we protect information that is collected?
We hold any information collected by cookies securely in line with recognised industry standards and never sell it on to third parties.
Further information on how we hold your data securely and your rights in relation to your data can be found in the Privacy Notice of our websites.
Where can you find out more?
For more information on cookies in general, please visit All About Cookies.
If you would like to know more about how MyLife Digital and it’s associated companies manage cookies, please email us on dataprotection@mylifedigital.co.uk.