Effective date: 13/10/2026
Last updated: 13/10/2026
This Cookie Policy explains how Creating Connections (“we”, “us”, or “our”) uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/creatingconnections/about-creating-connections/.
1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on a user’s device when the user visits a website. Cookies help websites work correctly and can collect information about website usage.
Cookies may be:
First-party cookies, set by your website
Third-party cookies, set by external service providers
Websites may also use similar technologies such as web beacons, pixel tags, tags, and scripts.
2. Why does this website use cookies?
This website uses cookies to:
Enable essential website functionality
Maintain user sessions
Analyse traffic and performance
Deliver advertising and personalised content
Cookies may collect identifiers such as IP address, device identifiers, browser type, and referral source.
3. Cookie categories
This website uses the following cookie categories:
Necessary cookies (strictly necessary cookies)
Required for website functionality and security.
Functional cookies
Remember user preferences.
Analytics cookies
Measure user behaviour and website performance (for example, Google Analytics).
Marketing cookies
Support targeted advertising (for example, Meta Pixel).
4. Cookie list
Essential
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
| Name | Description | Duration |
|---|
| wpconsent_preferences | This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences. | 30 days |
Comments
These cookies are needed for adding comments on this website.
| Name | Description | Duration |
|---|
| comment_author | Used to track the user across multiple sessions. | Session |
| comment_author_email | Used to track the user across multiple sessions. | Session |
| comment_author_url | Used to track the user across multiple sessions. | Session |
Statistics
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Learn more| Name | Description | Duration |
|---|
| _gac_ | Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together. | 90 days |
| __utma | ID used to identify users and sessions | 2 years after last activity |
| __utmt | Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests | 10 minutes |
| __utmb | Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server. | 30 minutes after last activity |
| __utmc | Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session. | End of session (browser) |
| __utmz | Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server | 6 months after last activity |
| __utmv | Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server. | 2 years after last activity |
| __utmx | Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test. | 18 months |
| _ga | ID used to identify users | 2 years |
| _gali | Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked | 30 seconds |
| _ga_ | ID used to identify users | 2 years |
| _gid | ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity | 24 hours |
| _gat | Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager | 1 minute |
Marketing
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
AddToAny
AddToAny provides share and follow buttons that let visitors post your pages to social networks, messaging apps, and bookmarking services.
Learn more| Name | Description | Duration |
|---|
| page_services | Set on the addtoany.com domain to remember which sharing services the visitor uses, so the share menu lists those services first. | 9999 days |
YouTube
A video-sharing platform for users to upload, view, and share videos across various genres and topics.
Learn more| Name | Description | Duration |
|---|
| GPS | Registers a unique ID on mobile devices to enable tracking based on geographical GPS location. | 1 day |
| VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | Tries to estimate the users' bandwidth on pages with integrated YouTube videos. Also used for marketing | 179 days |
| PREF | This cookie stores your preferences and other information, in particular preferred language, how many search results you wish to be shown on your page, and whether or not you wish to have Google’s SafeSearch filter turned on. | 10 years from set/ update |
| YSC | Registers a unique ID to keep statistics of what videos from YouTube the user has seen. | Session |
| DEVICE_INFO | Used to detect if the visitor has accepted the marketing category in the cookie banner. This cookie is necessary for GDPR-compliance of the website. | 179 days |
| LOGIN_INFO | This cookie is used to play YouTube videos embedded on the website. | 2 years |
| VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA | Youtube visitor privacy metadata cookie | 180 days |
5. Cookie duration (session cookies vs persistent cookies)
Cookie duration explains how long a cookie remains active.
Session cookies expire when the user closes the browser.
Persistent cookies remain active for a defined period.
(Expiry duration should be disclosed because it affects how long tracking continues)
6. Third-party cookies and tracking technologies
Third-party providers such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, payment processors, and embedded video platforms may place cookies on your website. These providers process data under their own privacy policies.
7. How users can manage cookies
Users should be able to:
Accept or reject cookie categories
Modify preferences
Withdraw consent
Many websites offer these controls through a cookie banner and a cookie preference centre.
(CookieYes, for example, supports consent withdrawal through a Revisit consent widget.)
8. Updates to this cookie policy
Creating Connections may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in technology, cookies used, or legal requirements.
(The “Last updated” date reflects the most recent revision)
