A cookie, also known as a web cookie, browser cookie, and HTTP cookie, is a piece of text stored on a user's computer by their web browser. A cookie can be used for authentication, storing site preferences, shopping cart contents, the identifier for a server-based session, or anything else that can be accomplished through storing text data.
The RCUK website makes use of cookies for specific purposes. Details of these cookies are below:
Cookies for improving service
Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage:
Name: _utma
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 2 years
Name: _utmb
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 30 minutes
Name: _utmc
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser
Name: _utmz
Typical content: randomly generated number + info on how the site was reached (e.g. directly or via a link, organic search or paid search)
Expires: 6 months
For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website.
Cookies for user settings and tracking
Microsoft ASP.NET (a web application framework on which this website is hosted) sets cookies to track a users moving around the website and website preferences such as table sorting:
Name: ASP.NET_SessionId
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser
For further details on the cookies set by Microsoft ASP.NET, please refer to the Microsoft Website.
Cookies for sharing links to our website
We use AddThis to make it easy to share links to our website with others. This third-party service places a cookie on your device to make their service easier to use. Their policy on use can be found on the following websites: Add This (Opt-out for AddThis).
Name: PHPSESSID
Typical content: randomly generated text
Expires: when user exits browser
Name: ci_session
Typical content: a unique id, your IP address and your browser information
Expires: 2 hours
Cookies for discussion tools
We use Disqus to enable users to comment and discuss web content. This third-party service places a cookie on your device to make their service easier to use. Their policy on use can be found on the following websites: Disqus.
Name: _utmz
Typical content: randomly generated text
Expires: Undisclosed