Cookie Policy

1. Cookies

Like most websites, this site uses cookies. To find out more about what cookies are, and how they are used on this website, go to our Privacy Policy. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you are happy with the website's use of cookies. You can visit our Privacy Policy at any point to find out how to manage and update your preferences in respect of cookies.

1.1 What are cookies?

1.1.1         A cookie is a piece of information that is stored on your computer's hard drive through your browser, to recognise your browser and which records how you have used a website. This means that when you go back to that website, it can give you tailored options based on the information it has stored about your last visit. You can normally alter the settings of your browser to prevent it from accepting cookies.

1.2 How do we use cookies?

1.2.1         We may use 'cookies' to improve the way the Site works and to monitor how people use our Site. This helps us to understand how people use our Site so we can develop and improve the design, layout and function of the Site. We may also use cookies to identify and follow-up with users who start to complete our registration forms or make other entries which may or may not have been completed. Third parties also use cookies through the Site, as described in more detail in Section 1.3.6 below.

1.2.2         There are different kinds of cookies with different functions:

1.2.3         Session cookies: these are only stored on your computer during your web session. They are automatically deleted when the browser is closed.  They usually store an anonymous session ID allowing you to browse a website without having to log in to each page. They do not collect any information from your computer.

1.2.4         Persistent cookies: a persistent cookie is one stored as a file on your computer, and it remains there when you close your web browser. The cookie can be read by the website that created it when you visit that website again. We use persistent cookies for web analytics purposes.

1.3 The cookies we use are explained below.

1.3.1 Strictly necessary cookies       

These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website. Without these cookies, services you have asked for, such as obtaining a quote or logging into your account, cannot be provided. These cookies do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you have been on the internet.

1.3.2 Performance Cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. We do not use any performance cookies on this Site; however, third parties might use such cookies through this Site. Please refer to Section 1.3.6 below for more information on how third parties use this Site.

1.3.3 Functionality cookies

These cookies allow websites to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, font and other parts of web pages that you can customise. 

1.3.4 Targeting cookies

These cookies collect several pieces of information about your browsing habits. They are usually placed by advertising networks rather than website operators. They remember that you have visited a website and share this information with other organisations such as advertisers.They do this in order to provide you with targeted adverts more relevant to you and your interests. Quite often they will be linked to site functionality provided by the other organisation. Although the cookies can track your visits around the web they do not usually know who you are. Without these cookies, online advertisements you encounter will be less relevant to you and your interests.

These cookies will usually be third party cookies, although if you are visiting the advertising network's own website, it is technically possible these could be first party cookies. These cookies can be associated with services provided by the third party, but this is not always the case. All information these cookies collect is anonymised, although they contain a unique key that is able to distinguish individual user browsing habits or store a code that can be translated into a set of browsing habits or preferences. Generally speaking the third party's Privacy Policy on their website will indicate if the cookie is being used as part of an advertising network.

Examples include:

(i) Cookies placed by advertising networks to collect browsing habits in order to target relevant adverts to you. The site you are visiting need not actually be serving adverts, but often this will also be the case.
(ii) Cookies placed by advertising networks to complement services used by website operators to increase functionality, for example, commenting on a blog, adding a site to your social network, providing maps or counters of visitors to a site.

Third parties might use such cookies through this website. Please refer to Section 1.3.6 below for more information on how third parties use this website.

1.3.5 Google Analytics

This Site uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google").  Google Analytics uses cookies to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.  Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage.  Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. Google uses the __utma, __utmb, __utmc, and __utmz  cookies.  These are persistent cookies that expire in up to two years. With each new visit, the expiration date is refreshed. By using this Site, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above. Find out more about cookies used by Google Analytics.

1.3.6 Third party cookies

Third parties, including Facebook, may use cookies, web beacons and other storage technologies to collect or receive information from this website and elsewhere on the Internet and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads. You can opt out of the collection and use of information for ad targeting using the control panel on this website. You can also access a mechanism for exercising such choices at e.g. aboutads.info/choices and youronlinechoices.eu.

1.4 How to reject cookies

1.4.1   If you don't wish to receive cookies that are not strictly necessary to perform basic features of our site you can set your browser to reject cookies or to tell you when a website tries to put a cookie on your computer.

1.4.2  Note that most web browsers will accept cookies, but if you would rather that we did not collect data in this way you can choose to accept all or some or reject cookies in your browser's privacy settings.  Rejecting all cookies means that certain features cannot then be provided to you and accordingly you may not be able to take full advantage of all our Site's features. The "Help" menu in the bar of most browsers will tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie and how to disable cookies altogether. Additionally, you can disable or delete similar data used by browser add-ons, such as Flash cookies, by changing the add-ons settings or visiting the website of its manufacturer.

1.4.3   For more information generally on cookies, including how to disable them, please refer to allaboutcookies.org. You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your computer.

2. First party cookies

The following is a list of first party cookies used on www.musiciansunion.org.uk. This list may not be an accurate reflection of the cookies used today due to changes or improvements in the way in which the website works. For more detailed information on other cookies that may be used on our Site, please see our content management systems providers' website.

Name: CRMUserDataSynchronization
Domain: musiciansunion.org.uk
Expires: 10 minutes
Assists in the updating of user information for logged in users. This is an anonymous cookie.

Name: UserAgreedWithCookiesStored
Domain: musiciansunion.org.uk
Expires: 1 year
This cookie remembers that you have opted to close the cookie notification at the top of the browser. This is an anonymous cookie.