Cookies
Statement
What are cookies?
A cookie is a small data file that can be transferred by a web server
onto your computer’s hard drive when you visit a website. The
information stored in a cookie can be read by the web server and is
used to allow a website to recognise your computer when you revisit
a website or browse from page to page of a website. Only the web server
that sent the cookie can read, and therefore use, that particular
cookie.
Cookies can help a website to arrange content to match users’
preferred interests more effectively and/or avoid the need for users
to re-enter data when they revisit a website. Cookies are commonly
used on the internet and do not harm your computer or computer files.
How do we use cookies on the Website?
We use cookies on the Website for our own internal purposes to track
how users navigate through the Website in order to enable us to evaluate
and improve the Website and our online services. We use cookie-derived
information to:
(a) compile statistical data on the use of the Website which can be
used to manage and plan enhancements to our services;
(b) to facilitate users’ ability to navigate through the Website;
(c) ascertain whether the Website is operating at an optimal level;
and
(d) personalise and improve the service we offer to you by understanding
your preferences and establishing which areas of the Website are of
most relevance to you.
We also use cookie technology to ensure that, where you have registered
for any of our online services, we maintain your confidentiality and
security as you move through secure or password protected areas of
the Website.
In addition, to evaluate the effectiveness of our advertisements and
promotions on selected third party websites, we (together with the
third party agents who help manage our online advertising) use cookies
to measure response rates to our advertisements and promotions.
We do not use cookies to track your use of the Internet after leaving
the Website, nor will we pass on any cookie-derived information to
third parties other than as set out in this Cookies Statement. We
may collate the statistical data compiled in respect of use of the
Website with statistical data similarly compiled in respect of other
websites operated by other companies in the Equity group in order
to facilitate group-wide evaluation and improvements.
What kind of cookies do we use on the Website?
We use two types of cookies on the Website:
Session cookies - temporary cookies which remain in the cookie file
of your browser until you leave the Website; and
Persistent cookies - which remain in the cookie file of your browser
for a longer period of time (the duration of this period will depend
on the ‘lifetime’ of the specific cookie).
What is the nature of the cookie-derived information we collect?
When you visit the Website, our server will record your IP address,
the date, time and duration of your visit and which areas of the Website
you visit. Your IP address is an assigned number allocated to your
browser when you log on to the internet which acts as the 'address'
of your computer whilst you are online and enables web servers to
locate and deliver content to you. It is usually allocated on a temporary
basis, i.e. for the duration of your session online.
Cookie-derived information is anonymous; it represents a computer
rather than a person. You cannot be personally identified from it,
and we use it solely on an anonymous, aggregated basis.
Can I decline to accept cookies?
You are not obliged to accept a cookie that we (or any other web server)
send to you. Most browsers accept cookies automatically but you can
modify the settings in your browser to turn off this feature. However,
cookies are integral to some areas of the Website and to certain of
our online services, so if you do choose not to accept cookies from
us, you may not be able to utilise some areas of the Website and we
may not be able to provide certain online services to you.
How do I modify my browser to turn off (“disable”)
the cookie acceptance feature?
Internet Explorer 5.0
To disable cookies:
1) Select 'Tools' from your main toolbar at the top of the browser.
2) Select 'Internet Options'.
3) Select 'Security' tab at the top of the dialogue box that opens
and the select 'Custom Level'.
4) Scroll down to the ‘Cookies’ section and under 'Cookies'
disable both 'stored' and 'per session'.
5) Click on ‘OK’.
Internet Explorer 6.0
To disable cookies:
1) Select 'Tools' from your main toolbar at the top of the browser.
2) Select 'Internet Options'.
3) Select 'Privacy' tab at the top of the dialogue box that opens
and click 'Advanced Options' under the ‘Settings’ heading.
4) Tick the 'Override automatic cookie handling' tickbox.
5) Disable the 'First Party' cookies by choosing 'Reject‘.
6) Disable the 'Third Party' cookies by choosing 'Reject‘.
7) Disable ‘Always allow session cookies’.
8) Click on ‘OK’.
Netscape Navigator 6.0
To disable cookies:
1) Select 'Edit' on the menu bar and select 'Preferences'.
2) Select 'Privacy and Security'.
3) Choose 'Cookies'.
4) Select 'Disable all cookies‘.
5) Click on ‘OK’.
Following these instructions will mean that your computer will not
accept cookies in future.
If you wish, you may subsequently reconfigure your computer to accept
cookies again by:
Internet Explorer 5.0 and 6.0: following the above instructions, selecting
‘Enable’ and then clicking on ‘OK’; or
Netscape Navigator 6.0: following the above instructions, selecting
‘Accept All Cookies’ and the clicking on ‘OK’.
Where can I find further information on cookies?
For further information on cookies, please visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org. |
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