What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small file that is placed on your device (such as your mobile phone, laptop or desktop computer), which enables our server to identify that device and allows us to offer tailored content, services and products by permitting us to recognise you as a unique website user and provide us with information about how you use our website (theswitch.co.uk). Cookies are commonly used on the Internet and do not negatively impact your computer system or any device you may use to go on to our site.
Cookies allow us to:
- Ensure that web pages function correctly.
- Store your preferences, such as language or font size.
- Better understand your browsing experience on our website.
- Collect anonymous statistical information, such as which pages have been viewed and for how long in order to improve our website.
Cookies allow us to improve user experience on our website by adapting the information and services offered based on your preferences. This is done in order to provide you with a better experience whenever you visit us. THE SWITCH Website uses Cookies to operate, customise and facilitate visitor navigation.
Cookies are only associated with anonymous user details and their computer or device. They do not provide access to personal data. You can access your browser settings at any time to modify and/or block the installation and use of Cookies sent by THE SWITCH Website, without preventing access to the content. However, the quality of the browsing experience may be affected.
You can find more information about cookies at www.youronlinechoices.eu and www.allaboutcookies.org.
Why are cookies important?
- They allow the website to perform better by taking into account user preferences, such as language, currency, or device type (computer, mobile phone, tablet).
- They establish protection and security that helps to prevent or hinder cyberattacks against the Website or its users.
- They allow media managers to analyze statistical data to improve the quality of the user experience on the website.
- They serve to optimize the advertising shown to users, ensuring that it is more relevant to their interests.
We are continually looking to improve our website and user experiences hence regularly implement and adopt new technologies to help us achieve this. Please regularly check our cookie policy page for details of the cookies and updates.
What kind of cookies do we use at The Switch?
1. Analytical cookies: They help to ensure continuous improvement of the website, in order to guarantee the best possible service to the user. This website makes use of analytical cookies in order to better understand user activity on it. The information collected is anonymised, and it is not possible to establish any link between browsing patterns and individuals. The user may exclude their individual activity through the exclusion systems provided by the providers of the analysis systems that use these cookies, such as Google Analytics. It is possible that this website uses several of these systems. You can check the complete list of cookies at the end of this document.
2. Other cookies for internal use: In addition, this website may use various cookies to maintain user sessions between different logins to private account or portal areas that may be available. Their deactivation generally blocks features for the user, and therefore these cookies are necessary for the operation of this site. Again, you can check the complete list of cookies at the end of this document.
3. Cookies used by social networks: If Social Plugins are used, this website can participate in different third-party social networks, such as Facebook, to allow the user to share content or comments on those external websites and social platforms. You can check the list at the end of this document for cookies pertaining to social networks.
4. Cookies used by external content add-ons: This website may make use of content from third-parties, such as Google Maps to view geographic locations. Its use may require the use of certain third-party cookies that are detailed in the list at the end of the document. Some of these cookies are installed and managed by the providers of said add-ons, and cannot be accessed or controlled by this website.
Third-party cookies for personalised advertising: This website may make use of third-party ad services and, therefore, cookies linked to them for the creation of profiles based on online preferences and browsing habits. If used, these will be detailed in the list at the end of this document. They will not be installed if, after being informed of the cookie policy when reaching the website, the user does not accept the cookie policy and therefore does not continue browsing.
Description of cookies and their purposes
At The Switch we use Google services, such as Google Ads and Google Analytics. You can find more information on this here: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites
The list below outlines the purpose of the cookies mentioned above, incorporating a scale of 1 to 3 based on their impact on users visiting the website:
- Level 1 relates to cookies for internal use which are essential for the correct operation of the website and, therefore, the provision of the service requested by the user, as well as cookies managed by third parties with the sole purpose of allowing external plugins to display content correctly and, therefore, necessary for the functional presentation of this website.
- Level 2 relates to anonymous analytical cookies, for internal use, which are necessary for the maintenance of web content on the website, and are exclusively managed by this website.
- Level 3 relates to cookies managed by third parties that allow tracking the user through external websites or services.
List of cookies used on this website
| Cookie | Duration | Purpose | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sessionid | 1 month | Internal cookie. Keeps track of the user session across different web pages and forms on the site | Level 1 | Website |
| cookie-agreed | 3 months | Internal cookie. Records user accepting cookies | Level 1 | Website |
| cookie-agreed-categories | 3 months | Internal cookie. Categorizes which cookies have been accepted by a user | Level 1 | Website |
| gtm_debug | Session | Cookie set by Google Tag Manager. Stores information regarding pages a user has visited on the website. | Level 3 | Google* |
| gtm_preview | Session | Cookie set by Google Tag Manager. Stores information regarding pages a user has visited on the website. | Level 3 | Google* |
| test_cookie | 1 day | This cookie checks whether the user's web browser accepts cookies or not. | Level 3 | Google* |
| __utma | 2 years | To identify returning website users based on the browser used, if there is a match the cookie will consider that it is a returning user. If the user switches their web browser, Google Analytics will account for them as a distinct user. | Level 2 | Google* |
| __utmb | 30 minutes | Enables calculating how long a user spends on a webpage by recording the time of the page was accessed. | Level 2 | Google* |
| __utmc | Session | Google Analytics Internal Metric. Enables calculating how long a user spends on a webpage. Checks if the session should be kept open or a new session should be created. It is automatically deleted when changing websites or when closing the browser. | Level 2 | Google* |
| __utmz | 6 months | Google Analytics Internal Metric. It registers where the user came from in terms of online traffic. This cookie registers how the user arrived on our Website whether by direct traffic, from an external website, from an advertising campaign or from a search engine, including the keyword and the search engine used. | Level 2 | Google* |
| __utmt | 10 minutes | This cookie is used to help browsers manage cached web content which can improve page loading. | Level 2 | Google* |
| __utmv | 2 years | This cookie is used to store personal variables at the user level. This cookie is updated every time that data is sent to Google Analytics. | Level 2 | Google* |
| _ga | 2 years | This cookie is related to Google Analytics distinguishing different users. | Level 2 | Google* |
| _gat | 1 minute | This cookie is related to Google Analytics and is used to limit connection requests in order to improve website performance. | Level 2 | Google* |
| _gid | 24 hours | This cookie is related to Google Analytics and its ability to distinguish between different users for statistical purposes. | Level 2 | Google* |
| _gcl_au | 24 hours | This cookie is used by Google AdSense to measure the performance of online ads. | Level 3 | Google* |
| AMP_TOKEN | 30 seconds to 1 year | This cookie includes a token designed to work with Google AMP web technologies which helps identify client IDs as well as any errors or bugs. | Level 2 | Google* |
| _gac_property-id | 90 days | This cookie relates to advertising campaigns that a user has interacted with. This is achieved by linking data between Google Analytics and Google Ads. | Level 3 | Google* |
| OTZ | 1 month | This cookie allows for ads that may be served by the Google Ads platform to be optimised and personalised based on web traffic and user session duration details. | Level 3 | Google* |
| _dc_gtm_UA-XXXXXXXX | Session | This cookie is used to help identify visitors by age, gender or interests through the DoubleClick - Google Tag Manager platforms. | Level 2 | Google* |
| m.youtube.com LOGIN_INFO | Session | This cookie is used by the YouTube platform to collect data about embedded videos that may be viewed on the site. | Level 3 | Google* |
| IDE | 1 year | This cookie is used by Google DoubleClick to register user actions after clicking on a web ad as well as displaying relevant ads for the user. | Level 3 | Google* |
| Test_cookie | 30 days | This cookie is used to determine whether your browser accepts cookies from the Google Doubleclick platform. | Level 3 | Google* |
| SID, SAPISID, APISID, SSID, HSID, NID, PREF | Most of the cookies expire 10 years after your last visit to a page containing a Google Map. | Google sets a number of cookies on any page that includes an embedded Google Map. While we have no control over the cookies set by Google, they appear to include a mixture of pieces of information to measure the number and behaviour of Google Maps users. | Various | Google* |
| _fbp | 1 day | This cookie is set by Facebook in order to display a range of web ads such as real time offers from third party companies. | Level 2 | Facebook* |
| _fr | 3 months | This cookie is set by Facebook in order to improve the relevance of ads displayed to the user. | Level 2 | Facebook* |
| wd | Session | These cookies are used to analyse how users interact with Facebook content by recording the type of web browser used to login to Facebook and user location in order to avoid fraudulent login attempts. | Level 2 | Facebook* |
| c_user | 20/30 days | This cookie is used alongside the xs cookie in order to authenticate a Facebook user | Level 2 | Facebook* |
| spin | Session | This cookie is used to redirect, optimize and attribute online ads. | Level 2 | Facebook* |
| xs | 30 days | This cookie is used in conjunction with the c_user cookie above to authenticate Facebook users. | Level 2 | Facebook* |
| _hjid | 1 year | This is a third-party cookie that is established the first time a user visits a page with a Hotjar script. It is used to distinguish the user and their web browser. | Level 3 | Hotjar* |
| _hjTLDTest | Session | This cookie is used by Hotjar to store alternative URL paths in order to ensure cookies are located easily and can be shared between subdomains. | Level 3 | Hotjar* |
| guest_id | 48 hours | These cookies are used by Twitter to help in displaying embedded tweets. | Level 3 | Twitter* |
| __zlcmid | 1 year | These cookies are used by Zen Desk to offer their Live Chat platform on the website. | Level 2 | ZenDesk* |
| __MUID | 1 year | This cookie is used to correctly display and analyse web ads from Microsoft. | Level 3 | Microsoft* |
| __MUIDB | 1 year | This cookie is used to facilitate the display, analysis and features of Microsoft online advertising. | Level 3 | Microsoft* |
How can I deactivate or delete these cookies?
The user may, at any time, choose which cookies they want to have active on this website through the settings available on their browser of choice:
- Internet Explorer: https://privacy.microsoft.com/es-es/privacystatement
- Safari: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/es/cookies/
- Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647
- Firefox: http://support.mozilla.org/es/kb/Delete cookies
- Android (Google): https://www.google.com/intl/es/policies/privacy/
- Windows Phone (Microsoft): https://www.google.com/intl/es/policies/privacy/
What happens if cookies are disabled?
Some website features may be disabled or not function as intended.
Update of our cookies policy
We may update the Cookie Policy of our Website, therefore we recommend that you review this policy each time you access it in order to be adequately informed about how and why we use cookies.
See also: Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions