Cookies
- What is a cookie?
- EU ePrivacy directive
- Cookies we use
- Other information about cookies we use
- How to manage cookies
What is a cookie?
When you use our website, a text file called a 'cookie' is placed in a directory on your computer. This file is passed through to our web server.
Cookies allow websites to remember your preferences (for example, if you have specified that you would like the website to appear in high contrast or you would like My Darlington+ to remember your password, the cookie will remember this for you).
Cookies can be sessional (they only last for the time you are on the website) or persistent (they last for a certain length of time).
The cookies that we use cannot harm your computer in any way or give away any of your personal information.
EU ePrivacy directive
On 26 May 2011, the European Union brought in new laws which state websites must get "explicit consent" from web users where cookies are used. Websites must also tell users about cookies and what they are going to use the information for.
Because of confusion over the directive, web owners were given twelve months from this date to prepare themselves.
Session only cookies are exempt from the regulations as they are needed for a website to work properly and they do not collect or store information permanently.
More information about the directive [external link]
Cookies we use
Here is a list of the cookies we use, on this website and the third-party systems we use (for example, Facebook and Google):
| Name | Description | Where used | Duration | Session/ Persistent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASP.NET SessionID | This is used to maintain session information for the .NET framework and is created when a user accesses the website, allowing the server to identify the session. This is not personally identifiable |
Homepage My Darlington+ Content pages Register Office certificate search Report It Parking payment system Payment system DLDLive website Darlington Partnership website |
N/A | Session |
| ASPSESSIONIDAQTCQTCR |
This is used to maintain session information for the .NET framework and is created when a user accesses the website, allowing the server to identify the session that you are using. Removed after session ends. |
Parking payment system Payment system |
N/A | Session |
| b/bx | Flickr sets multiple cookies to help deliver embedded or integrated features | Flickr | 2 years | Persistent |
| c_user | Every user on Facebook has their own unique ID number which can be found easiest in the URL of their profile. This is stored in this cookie and is used by Facebook chat for sending and receiving instant messages. | N/A | Session | |
| datr | Facebook use this cookie to help identify suspicious login activity | 2 years | Persistent | |
| fl_v | Flickr sets multiple cookies to help deliver embedded or integrated features | Flickr | 1 hour | Persistent |
| GAPS | This cookie is used by Google to track usage of their products and services |
YouTube Google Maps Google Translate |
N/A | Session |
| guest_id | Unique identifier cookie created by Twitter |
Homepage My Darlington+ |
2 years | Persistent |
| hascookies | Used on our online forum | Online forum (Website Toolbox) | N/A | Session |
| js | JavaScript controller | 1 month | Persistent | |
| JSESSIONID | Contains a single, unique, sessionid. This only lasts for the duration of the session. This is how the server knows exactly which user is sending an individual request and so it can deal with that request correctly | Online forms (iCasework) | N/A | Session |
| k | Part of the Twitter API on our website |
Homepage My Darlington+ |
1 week | Persistent |
| lastvisit | Used on our online forum | Online forum (Website Toolbox) | 8.5 years | Persistent |
| localization | Geolocation cookie which provides localised language and advertising content | Flickr | 2 years | Persistent |
| lsd | Session authentication cookie | N/A | Session | |
| lu | This is set the first time a browser visits facebook.com. It is used to pre-fill the user’s email address into the login field | 2 years | Persistent | |
| MyDarlingtonPostcode | Created when a postcode is entered into My Darlington+ |
Homepage My Darlington+ |
5 years | Persistent |
| newvisit | Used on our online forum | Online forum (Website Toolbox) | 8.5 years | Persistent |
| NID | This cookie is used by Google to track usage of their products and services |
YouTube Google Maps Google Translate |
6 months | Persistent |
| original_referer | A cookie that tracks how you travel to and from Twitter | N/A | Session | |
| pid | An authentication cookie that lets Twitter know if you are logged in or not | 2 years | Persistent | |
| PREF | This cookie is used by Google to track usage of their products and services |
Homepage My Darlington+ Content pages Register Office certificate search Report It YouTube |
2 years | Persistent |
| psc | A cookie created by AddThis |
Content pages Register Office certificate search |
2 years | Persistent |
|
reg_fb_gate reg_fb_ref |
Used by Facebook to track a user's session | N/A | Session | |
| twitter_sess | Contains information about user's Twitter session activity | N/A | Session | |
| uid | A cookie created by AddThis |
Content pages Register Office certificate search |
2 years | Persistent |
| use_hitbox | Related to the autocomplete on the search | YouTube | N/A | Session |
| UserID | Stores authentication details for My Darlington+. Is created after logging into the system | My Darlington+ | N/A | Session |
| uvc | A cookie created by AddThis |
Content pages Register Office certificate search |
2 years | Persistent |
| VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | Holds info about the user's YouTube layout | YouTube | 9 months | Persistent |
| wd | A cookie used by Facebook | N/A | Session | |
| __utma, __utmb, __utmz | These cookies are used by Google Analytics | Google Analytics | Up to 2 years | Persistent |
| __utmc | This cookie is used by Google Analytics | Google Analytics | N/A | Session |
| nmstat | This cookie is used by Siteimprove | Siteimprove | 1000 days | Persistent |
| siteimproveses | This cookie is used by Siteimprove | Siteimprove | N/A | Session |
| szcookiechoice | This cookie is used by Siteimprove | Siteimprove | N/A | Session |
Other information about cookies we use
Online library system
Our online library system uses session cookies to maintain your current session. These cookies hold no sensitive or personal information and automatically expire after a period of inactivity.
Pay a parking fineThe system we use which allows you to pay a parking fine online uses a cookie to track session information and to store your ticket number during the payment process. This cookie expires after a short time and cannot be used to derive any information about the user or their computer.
MyServices planning
MyServices uses session cookies. These hold no personal information.
Planning Portal
The Planning Portal complies with the e-Privacy directive. List of cookies on the Planning Portal [external link].
Local Motion
The Local Motion website fully complies with the e-Privacy directive.
LIS
The cookies used on the LIS website are:
- ias.UiSkin - remembers which 'look and feel' you have applied to the IAS user website (if there is more than one available)
- ias.PreferredItemCount - remembers how many items you like to see in a list by default
- ias.fontSize - remembers any choices you have made to increase/decrease the default font size
- ias.Locale - remembers the choice you made about which locale/language to view the site in (if more than one available)
- ias.<ThemeTreeID>_Expanded - remembers the choices you made about which themes were expanded in a tree (on a tree by tree basis – different cookies for different trees)
- IASASPXAUTH - The built-in forms authentication cookie for ASP.NET. Used when user logs in. This is classed as an essential cookie.
We use third party widgets on our website. These widgets will have their own cookie policies,
- Flickrslidr [external link] (Site currently unavailable)
- Flood warnings widget [external link]
- Issuu [external link]
How to manage cookies
- How to manage cookies in Internet Explorer [external link]
- How to manage cookies in Firefox [external link]
- How to manage cookies in Chrome [external ink]
- How to manage cookies in Safari [external link]
There are applications and extensions available to download in certain browsers that allow you to view the web with a greater degree of privacy.
Bear in mind that blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of your browser.