Cookies Policy
This cookie policy is effective as and from April 1st, 2020
Introduction
We use cookies and similar technologies to personalise content, target and report on ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. This cookie policy is intended to inform you about the cookies we use and why we use them. It also informs you how to change or restrict how cookies are used on your device. This policy should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Policy, which explains how we use personal information. We value your opinions. Should you have any questions or comments related to the way we use cookies please contact us at [email protected]
What is a cookie? (this is a deep question, is a biscuit a cookie? must cookies be soft in the centre? where does shortbread fit in?!)
A cookie is a small piece of data sent by a website's server to the browser on your computer or mobile device. Cookies help us to recognise and remember your device when you visit our websites and enable us to retrieve among other things, your user settings and preferences.
Why do we use cookies?
We use cookies for a variety of legitimate business purposes including:
- For the operation of our website and Services
- To improve your user experience. By remembering your preferences and settings we can make it easier and faster to navigate through our website
- To provide you with a more personalised experience, such as making content recommendations, personalising your visits and greeting you by name
- To simplify any sign-in procedures
- To log your use of our website and services so that we can understand which content you find useful or interesting.
- To support our advertising services
- To determine the effectiveness of promotional campaigns, email campaigns and advertising
- To ensure content from our site and mobile applications is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your device.
- To provide social media features such as liking and sharing our content and to facilitate registration using your social media account.
What type of cookies do we use and why do we use them?
We use different types of cookies to run our website and Services including:
Strictly necessary cookies (I have strict cookie rules, they must be eaten in pairs)
We use cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of our website and Services. Our website cannot function properly without these cookies. If you disable all cookies it will affect your ability to use our Services.
Functional cookies (do these ones keep away hanger?!)
We use functional cookies to personalise and improve your experience by making it easier and faster to navigate through our website. Functional cookies enable us to retrieve your user preferences, personalise your visits, greet you by name and to simplify any sign-in procedures. For example, our website may request that you log in to gain access to some of our content. If we did not use cookies, you would be required to enter your login details every time you visited our site or navigated to a new page because we would not be able to remember that you had already logged in.
Analytical cookies (I judge myself enough, do the cookies need to judge too?!)
Analytical cookies help us to understand how visitors gain access to or read our content and interact with our Services. We collect statistical information about our visitors, such as whether they have visited the site before and the pages they view. We use these cookies to determine the kind of content and services our visitors value most, which in turn helps us to improve our website and its content. By understanding which content you find useful or interesting, we can recommend more content that you might like, as well as continuing to produce the most valuable content to meet your needs. Analytical cookies are set by preciousprayers.ie and third parties, including Comscore and Google Analytics.
To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, please visit https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. On this website you’ll find information about a browser plug-in that can be installed to prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics.
Advertising cookies (if they didn't advertise cookies would I still want so many?!)
To help fund the content, products and services we provide, third-party vendors, including Google, display advertising on our Services.
Third-party vendors use cookies to:
- Help show ads that are relevant to you based on inferred interests. This is often called online behavioural advertising (OBA)
- Restrict the number of times you see the same ad (frequency capping)
- Create a browsing profile that is used to deliver more relevant ads
- Measure the effectiveness of the ads that are served
- Detect fraudulent traffic
Any information which is transmitted to advertisers and advertising networks is non-personally identifiable. We do not have access to the information collected by third-party cookies nor do we control how they process this information.
To opt out from online behavioural advertising, please visit http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ie/your-ad-choices. On this website you'll find information about how behavioural advertising works, further information about cookies and the steps you can take to opt out of such targeting. By turning off ads personalisation, you will still see ads on our site, but they’ll be less targeted to you.
Third-party cookies (why do the ones that aren't mine always taste better?!)
Some of the cookies set on our website are served by third parties and not directly related to The Irish Times or our partners.
If you are a member of a social media site and logged in, the interfaces configured on our Services allow the social media site to connect your site visit and browsing behaviour to the personal data held on your social media site. Third-party cookies are used to facilitate this.
When using our services we may embed content from third-parties. For example, we may embed video, audio, tweets and other content in our articles and pages. These third parties may set their own cookies on your device. We do not control which cookies are set by third parties or how the cookie information is used. This cookie information can only be accessed by the third-party who set it.
These third parties have their own security, privacy and cookie policies. You are advised to review these separately. Learn more about third parties that may set cookies when you use this website.
Managing your cookie preferences (Chocolate chip or Oatmeal and Raisins?)
Cookies are meant to improve your user experience, but some users prefer to set restrictions on the types of cookies that can be stored on their device. By modifying your browser preferences, you have the choice to accept all cookies, to accept different types of cookies or to be notified when a cookie is set. It is also possible to configure your browser from accepting cookies altogether by changing your browser’s cookie settings. The following links may be helpful:
Cookie settings in Internet Explorer
Cookie settings in Safari web and iOS
Please visit your browsers help page for more information. It is important to note it may affect your ability to use our site if you choose to restrict or disable cookies.
Updates to this policy
We may update our cookie policy to reflect any changes in technology or data protection legislation. Any updates or changes that may affect how we use cookies or how you as a user can manage cookies will appear on this page. We will notify you by posting a notice on our website and, where appropriate, sending you a notification.