Cookies
As well as being a rather tasty biscuit, a cookie is also a piece of information in the form of a small text file that is placed on an internet user's hard drive. It is generated by a web server, which is the computer that operates a website.
The information the cookie contains is set by the server and it can be used by that server whenever the user visits the site. A cookie can be thought of as an internet user's identification card, which tell a website when the user has returned.
Cookies used on the Huntingdonshire District Council website.
| Cookie |
Typical content |
Expires |
| HDCRatings |
Anonymous unique identifier |
4 months |
| _utma |
Randomly generated number
|
2 years |
| _utmb |
Randomly generated number |
30 Minutes |
| _utmz |
randomly generated number + info on how the site was reached (e.g. directly or via a link, organic search or paid search)
|
6 Months |
| is_returning |
Randomly generated number |
5 years |
| Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. We use this data to improve our website and online services. - For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website, linked on the right. |
| Cookie |
Typical content |
Expires |
| socitm_exclude_alt7 |
True Value |
1 year |
| socitm_exclude_me7 |
True Value |
1 year |
| socitm_include_me7 |
False Value |
1 year |
| We use the Socitm customer survey on our website which randomly surveys customers to discover information about their preferences |
| Cookie |
Typical content |
Expires |
| astun |
version of mapping used |
1 month |
| astun:baseMap |
type of mapping preferred |
1 month |
| astun:currentLocation |
stores your address to save you typing it each time |
1 month |
| astun:mapSource |
mapping server reference |
1 month |
| astun:mapView |
stores your home location so we can show mapped items relevant to you |
1 month |
| astun:previousLocation |
stores your previous home location so we can show mapped items relevant to you |
1 month |
| astun:vLyrs_ish_HDC_AllMaps |
polygon used by our mapping server |
1 month |
| atLocation |
store your previous home location so we can show mapped items relevant to you |
1 month |
| atMyCouncil |
stores the tab selected at last viewing |
1 month |
| JSessionID |
True Value |
On Browser Close |
| Usersettings |
UPRN (Unique Property Reference Number) |
< 1 year |
| Xmapping |
Randomly generated number |
< 1 year |
| Some of our e-forms and our Refuse Calendar Database utilise a cookie to store your address so that on future visits you don’t have to re-enter your information. We are working to make this an option feature. Xmapping – This cookie is stored by the cambridgeshire.net website which provides the Events feed on our homepage. |
What is the purpose of using cookies?
Cookies make the interaction between users and websites faster and easier. Without cookies, it would be very difficult for a website to allow a visitor to fill up a shopping cart or to remember the user's preferences or registration details for a future visit.
Websites use cookies mainly because they save time and make the browsing experience more efficient and enjoyable. Websites often use cookies for the purposes of collecting demographic information about their users.
Cookies enable websites to monitor their users' web surfing habits and profile them for marketing purposes (for example, to find out which products or services they are interested in and send them targeted advertisements.)
Are cookies dangerous?
No. Cookies are small pieces of text. They are not computer programs, and they can't be executed as code. Also, they cannot be used to disseminate viruses, modern versions of both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers allow users to set their own limitations to the number of cookies saved on their hard drives.
Can cookies threaten users' privacy?
Cookies are stored on the computer's hard drive. They cannot access the hard drive - so a cookie cannot read other information saved on the hard drive, or get a user's email address etc. They only contain and transfer to the server as much information as the users themselves have disclosed to a certain website.
A server cannot set a cookie for a domain that it is not a member of. In spite of this, users quite often find in their computer files cookies from websites that they have never visited. These cookies are usually set by companies that sell internet advertising on behalf of other websites.
Therefore it may be possible that users' information is passed to third party websites without the users' knowledge or consent, such as information on surfing habits. This is the most common reason for people rejecting or fearing cookies