Cookies

What are cookies?

Cookies are small files that are downloaded onto your computer when you visit a website. They are used by many websites to make them work, or to help them work more efficiently. They also provide us with information about how you use the website.                                      

Website operators are required by law - specifically the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (UK Regulations) - to provide clear and comprehensive information about the use of cookies, and ensure that users have consented to this use.

Types of cookie

The LSE website is a large and complex service comprising various sub-sites. Various cookies are in use across the LSE website, with the cookies in use subject to changes as the website develops. The following table details the cookies used on the LSE website following our latest audit (May 2018).

Session cookie

These are created temporarily in your browser’s subfolder while you are visiting the website. Session cookies allow you to proceed from webpage to webpage quickly and easily so you don’t get asked for the same information you’ve already given to the site. The cookie is then automatically deleted when you leave the website.

Persistent cookie

These remain in your browser’s subfolder and are activated again when you re-visit the website. It helps us to remember your information and settings when you visit the website again, resulting in a faster online experience for you.

Functional cookie

These enable additional functionality to improve your experience on the website. For example, recording settings for future visits so as to save users having to repeat making the same choices.

Instagram

csrftoken
mid
rur
urlgen

Used to enable sharing on social media.

Strictly necessary cookie

These are technically essential to the provision of the LSE website. For example, some cookies are used to enable secure login to restricted areas.

LSE

cb-enabled

This cookie is associated with a free script which shows the cookie alert notice on the website. It is used to record when the user has dismissed the notice to prevent it re-appearing on return visits.

Contensis

ASP.NET_SessionId

Used to enable state for interactive services, such as forms, and to enable authorisation to access restricted areas of the LSE website.

LSE

JSESSIONID

Used to facilitate authorisation to access restricted areas of the LSE website.

WordPress

PHPSESSID

Used to enable state for interactive services, such as forms, and to enable authorisation to access restricted areas of the LSE website.

Performance cookie

These monitor and assess the LSE website and its use. For example, recording visits to reveal how a website is used and which parts are most popular.

Google Analytics

__ga
__gat
__gid
__utma
__utmb
__utmc
__utmt
__utmz

Used to monitor usage of the LSE website. This information allows LSE to assess how the LSE website is used. Anonymous data about usage (eg number of visitors, visitors' country, number of times each page is visited) is collected and aggregated to produce website performance reports.

Baidu

HMACCOUNT
Hm_lpvt
Hm_lvt

Used to monitor usage of the LSE website. This information allows LSE to assess how the LSE website is used.               

Google Tag Manager

_dc_gtm

Used to help identify website visitors in Google Analytics by DoubleClick.                      

Bing

_uetsid
MUID
MUIDB

Used to help identify website visitors. Provided by Microsoft Inc.

Funnelback

user-id

Used to track user search experience across the website.

Hotjar

_hjClosedSurveyInvites
_hjDonePolls
_hjMinimizedPolls
_hjShownFeedbackMessage
_hjid
_hjRecordingLastActivity
_hjTLDTest
_hjUserAttributesHash
_hjCachedUserAttributes
_hjLocalStorageTest
_hjIncludedInPageviewSample
_hjIncludedInSessionSample
_hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress
_hjFirstSeen
hjViewportId
_hjRecordingEnabled

We use Hotjar in order to better understand our users’ needs and to optimize this service and experience. Hotjar is a technology service that helps us better understand our users’ experience (e.g. how much time they spend on which pages, which links they choose to click, what users do and don’t like, etc.) and this enables us to build and maintain our service with user feedback.

Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our users’ behavior and their devices. This includes a device's IP address (processed during your session and stored in a de-identified form), device screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), browser information, geographic location (country only), and the preferred language used to display our website. Hotjar stores this information on our behalf in a pseudonymized user profile. Hotjar is contractually forbidden to sell any of the data collected on our behalf.

For further details, please see the ‘about Hotjar’ section of Hotjar’s support site.

Advertising/targeting cookies

These use an identification number to monitor personal preferences for the purposes of personalising pages and gathering further information. For example, presenting adverts or promotions for products similar to those previously viewed or purchased.

These include

  • Facebook Pixel
  • LinkedIn InsightTag
  • Google/Doubleclick

 Google / Doubleclick

1P_JAR
CONSENT
NID
DV
UULE
IDE

Used to remember preferences and gather website statistics.

Sharing information via social media platforms

LSE websites and applications may have links embedded into pages on various social media platforms. Cookies generated by those sites are outside of the School’s control and may change without notice. When you share a page or link those sites may set cookies on your device or browser and may also make information about you publicly available or stored elsewhere. For more information about privacy and the cookies used by these services, as well as information on how to opt-out, please visit the respective social media platforms.

How can I manage my cookies?

You can use your website browser to:

  • Delete all cookies
  • Block all cookies
  • Allow all cookies
  • Block third-party cookies
  • Clear all cookies when you close the browser
  • Open a 'private browsing' / 'incognito' session (allows you to browse the internet without storing local data)
  • Install add-ons and plug-ins to extend browser functionality, for example Google have created a Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On for Chrome.

Click on your chosen browser below for instructions and guidance on how to manage your cookies via your browser.

Chrome

Firefox

Safari

Internet Explorer

If you use another browser, please visit the browser developer website for guidance and instructions on managing your cookies.

Information about cookies

More information can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office website, https://ico.org.uk ,  http://aboutcookies.org/ and http://www.allaboutcookies.org/