Cookie Policy
This policy outlines what cookies are, how and why we use them, and how you can control them.
About this policy
This Cookie Policy relates to your use of our website: https://researchdata.scot.
Like most organisations, Research Data Scotland (“RDS”) uses Cookies to capture information about our website users (referred to as "you").
Where cookies are not strictly necessary for the provision of our website and services, we will ask you to consent to our use of cookies when you first visit our website.
What are cookies?
A Cookie is a small file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.
Cookies may be either "persistent" cookies or "session" cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiry date, unless deleted by the user before the expiry date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed.
Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal data that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.
For more information on Cookies, see https://www.aboutcookies.org/ and https://www.allaboutcookies.org/.
Cookies that we use
Analytics cookies
1. Google Analytics cookies
| COOKIE | PURPOSE | EXPIRY |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | Used to distinguish users | 13 months |
| _ga_N40T61HVWP | Used to find and track an individual session with your device | 13 months |
| _ga_WW1B696WDC | Used to find and track an individual session with your device | 13 months |
| _gat_UA-166331639-1 | Used to throttle the request rate – limiting the collection of data on high traffic sites. | 1 minute |
| _gid | Used to distinguish users | 24 hours |
Read Google’s statement on safeguarding your data.
2. Other analytics cookies
We also use the following analytics Cookies on our website:
| COOKIE | PURPOSE | EXPIRY |
|---|---|---|
| ai_session |
As per the ‘ai_user’ cookie, the ‘ai_session’ cookie supports the monitoring of the website’s performance via Application Insights. The cookie holds a unique value for the user’s browser session which allows the monitoring of the website’s performance more effectively. The cookie contains no personally identifiable information. Any data stored at Application Insights is anonymised. |
30 minutes |
| ai_user |
This cookie allows collection of website performance data to ensure it is operating efficiently. The service is provided by Application Insights and the data stored allows us to identify and resolve performance issues should they occur on the site. The cookie holds an anonymous id value which is used to identify a user’s journey across pages on the website. The cookie contains no personally identifiable information. Any data stored at Application Insights is anonymised. |
12 months |
| _clck |
This cookie is installed by Microsoft Clarity to store information of how visitors use a website and help in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visited in an anonymous form. |
12 months |
| _clsk |
This cookie is installed by Microsoft Clarity to store information of how visitors use a website and help in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visited in an anonymous form. |
Session |
| MUID |
This cookie is installed by Microsoft Clarity. It identifies unique web browsers visiting Microsoft sites. These cookies are used for advertising, site analytics, and other operational purposes. |
12 months |
| CLID |
This cookie is installed by Microsoft Clarity. It identifies the first-time Clarity saw this user on any site using Clarity. |
12 months |
| SM |
This cookie is installed by Microsoft Clarity. It is used in synchronizing the MUID across Microsoft domains. |
12 months |
| ANONCHK |
This cookie is installed by Microsoft Clarity. It indicates whether MUID is transferred to ANID, a cookie used for advertising. Clarity doesn't use ANID and so this is always set to 0. |
Session |
Essential Cookies
We use the following essential Cookies on our websites:
| COOKIE | PURPOSE | EXPIRY |
|---|---|---|
| AspNetCore.Antiforgery.* | This is an Anti-forgery token Cookie used to prevent cross-origin request forgery. | Session |
| .AspNetCore.Mvc.CookieTempDataProvider | This is a temporary cookie used to store data between page views | Session |
| CookieControl | This stores the configuration and settings for the cookie control | 3 months |
| UMB-XSRF-TOKEN | Set for angular to pass in to the header value for "X-UMB-XSRF-TOKEN" | Session |
| UMB-XSRF-V | Used to store the backoffice antiforgery token validation value. | Session |
| UMB_UCONTEXT | When a user logs in to make changes to researchdata.scot, the Content Management System (Umbraco) issues further cookies to authorise access. This is also a necessary function of researchdata.scot | Session |
Cookie consent and changing preferences
We will ask for your consent to place Cookies on your computer or device, except in certain circumstances where Cookies are essential for us to provide you with a service that you have requested (see the section on essential Cookies above for more information about how we use these types of Cookies).
You can withdraw your consent to the use of Cookies or manage any other Cookie preferences by using our cookie management tool.
Managing all cookies
You can prevent your information from being used by Google Analytics by using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
You can opt out of tracking from all participating companies through the Your Online Choices website.
In addition to the Cookie choices presented within our website, you can use your web browser to manage Cookies in the following ways:
- delete all or selected 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, which allows you to browse the web without recording your browsing history or storing local data such as Cookies.
You can access up-to-date information about blocking and deleting cookies on specific browsers via these links:
- Chrome (https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647)
- Firefox (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences)
- Opera (https://help.opera.com/en/latest/security-and-privacy/)
- Internet Explorer (https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies)
- Safari mobile devices (https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201265); and desktops (https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac)
- Microsoft Edge (https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10-microsoft-edge-and-privacy).
If you do choose to block Cookies, please be aware that you may lose some of the functionality of our website.
Contact us
If you want to talk to us in relation to this Cookie Policy, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Data Protection Officer
Research Data Scotland
Bayes Centre
47 Potterrow
Edinburgh EH8 9BT
dataprotection@researchdata.scot
This policy was last updated on 31 May 2023.