About the use of Google Analytics on this website
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help us analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) is transmitted to and stored by Google on their 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 our website operator 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. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser.
By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
The EU Cookie Law
The “Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2011” – better known as “The EU Cookie Law” is a piece of legislation applicable in ALL EU countries which comes into effect in the UK on May 26 2012.
It states:
“All websites connecting to all web devices will henceforth be required to state if the website will use cookies and explicitly declare what the cookies are called and for what purpose they are used. Further the user must be given the option of agreeing explicitly to have cookies used and stored on their device OR cookies retrieved FROM their device.”
Google Analytics Cookies
This is a bit geeky, but Google Analytics sets the following cookies as described in the table below:
| Name | Description | Expiration |
| __utma | This cookie is typically written to the browser upon the first visit to your site from that web browser. If the cookie has been deleted by the browser operator, and the browser subsequently visits your site, a new __utma cookie is written with a different unique ID. This cookie is used to determine unique visitors to your site and it is updated with each page view. Additionally, this cookie is provided with a unique ID that Google Analytics uses to ensure both the validity and accessibility of the cookie as an extra security measure. | 2 years from set/update. |
| __utmb | This cookie is used to establish and continue a user session with your site. When a user views a page on your site, the Google Analytics code attempts to update this cookie. If it does not find the cookie, a new one is written and a new session is established. Each time a user visits a different page on your site, this cookie is updated to expire in 30 minutes, thus continuing a single session for as long as user activity continues within 30-minute intervals. This cookie expires when a user pauses on a page on your site for longer than 30 minutes. | 30 minutes from set/update. |
| __utmc | This cookie is no longer used by the ga.js tracking code to determine session status.Historically, this cookie operated in conjunction with the __utmb cookie to determine whether or not to establish a new session for the user. For backwards compatibility purposes with sites still using the urchin.js tracking code, this cookie will continue to be written and will expire when the user exits the browser. However, if you are debugging your site tracking and you use the ga.js tracking code, you should not interpret the existence of this cookie in relation to a new or expired session. | Not set. |
| __utmz | This cookie stores the type of referral used by the visitor to reach your site, whether via a direct method, a referring link, a website search, or a campaign such as an ad or an email link. It is used to calculate search engine traffic, ad campaigns and page navigation within your own site. The cookie is updated with each page view to your site. | 6 months from set/update. |
Opt Out of Google Analytics
If you’re concerned about the use of cookies to track your use of websites then Google have produced an add on for browsers which allows you to opt out of Google Analytics, it’s called the “Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on” and can be downloaded here:
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Clear out stale cookies
If you use Microsoft Windows and you’re really concerned about cookies that may be already installed on your system, then you could use ccleaner (downloadable from here) which enables you to delete cookies, it will also clear out your systems cache, can be used to clear out your system registry, optimise your system, freshen your breath and leave you with cleaner brighter clothes… okay so maybe not the last two, but it’s still a pretty cool tool.