Amnesty International’s website, like most websites, uses small text files called cookies. This note provides information on what cookies are, which cookies Amnesty International uses, and how they can be controlled.
If you wish to restrict or block cookies you can set your internet browser to do so- click on the following link for further information: www.aboutcookies.org
1. What are cookies?
Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your device when you visit a website. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognises that cookie. Cookies are widely used because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device and therefore allow enhanced functionality.
You can find out more information about cookies at: www.allaboutcookies.org some definitions used in this note are provided at part 5 below.
2. How does Amnesty International use cookies?
Amnesty International uses cookies for the following purposes:
- to compile statistical data on the use of our website and its functioning, so that we can monitor and improve it;
- to facilitate users’ ability to navigate through our website, including allowing registered users to access secure parts of our website;
- to allow us to optimize our advertising on 3rd party advertising platforms such as social media; and
- to allow us to reduce malicious traffic to donation pages.
3. Which cookies does Amnesty International use?
A full list of all the cookies we use is in the table in part 6 below.
Please note that some cookies can be set by 3rd party content providers in content that is embedded in our site. We are auditing the use of all cookies and the table will be updated as we make ongoing changes.
4. How to control cookies
If you do not wish to receive cookies you can set your web browser to restrict or block them. All modern browsers allow you to change your cookie settings, typically be found in the ‘options’ or ‘preferences’ menu of your browser. In order to understand these settings, the following link may be helpful: www.aboutcookies.org
If you disable cookies you will not be able to use all the interactive features of our website.
5. Definitions
First Party/ Third party cookies
Refers to the web domain placing the cookie. First-party cookies are those set by a website that is being visited by the user at the time – the website displayed in the URL window. Third party cookies are cookies that are set by a domain other than that of the website being visited by the user. If a user visits a website and another entity sets the cookie through that website, this would be a third-party cookie.
Persistent cookies
These cookies remain on a user’s device for the period of time specified in the cookie. They are activated each time that the user visits the website that created that particular cookie.
Session cookies
These cookies allow website operators to link the actions of a user during a browser session. A browser session starts when a user opens the browser window and finishes when they close the browser window. Session cookies are created temporarily. Once you close the browser, all session cookies are deleted.
Pixel tags
A pixel tag is not technically a cookie but is a similar type of technology placed on a website or within the body of an email for the purpose of tracking activity on websites, or when emails are opened or accessed, and is often used in combination with cookies. Information collected is anonymous.
6. Full list of cookies used by Amnesty International
Below is a full list of cookies set by www.amnesty.org
a) Cookies set by our website CMS
| Cookie | Purpose / More Information | Names | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie Agreement | This cookie is set as soon as the page is interacted with and stores the users consent preferences. | CookieControl | 90 days |
b) First Party cookies set by our website
| Cookie | Purpose / More Information | Names | Expiry |
| Google Analytics | Amnesty International support the use of Google Analytics within the site so that we can monitor activity on our website. Google Analytics cookies collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour information in an anonymous form. More information. | _ga | 2 years |
| Google Analytics | _gid | 1 day | |
| Google Analytics | _gat | 1 min | |
| Google Tag Manager | Google Tag Manager is a tool which is used to load various tags like Google Analytics. More information | No cookies are set | |
| Google Adsense | Used to store and track conversion data on Google adverts. | _gcl_au | 90 Days |
| Used to store and track visitors across websites | _fbp | 90 Days | |
| Engaging Networks | Used to keep track of page sessions for petitions. Sessions can contain form data, page state, query parameters, and authentication information. | en_sessionId | 1 hour |
| WooCommerce | Set for users who wish to donate these cookie helps a user donate money securely | woocommerce_cart_hash woocommerce_items_in_cart | session |
| WooCommerce | Set for users who wish to donate | wp_woocommerce_session | 2 days |
| Stripe | Set for users who wish to donate this cookie helps a user donate money securely | __stripe_mid | 1 min |
| Stripe | Set for users who wish to donate this cookie helps a user donate money securely | __stripe_sid | 30 mins |
| WordPress | Set for users who wish to donate this cookie helps a user to stay logged in securely | wordpress_sec_ | 15 days |
| WordPress | Set for users who wish to donate this cookie helps a user to stay logged in | wordpress_logged_in | 15 days |
| Cookie | Purpose / More Information | Names | Domain | Expiry |
| AWS | Amazon Web Services load balancer cookie for when the cookie needs to be set using a different domain | AWSALBCORS | join.amnesty.org | 7 days |
| AWS | Amazon Web Services load balancer | AWSALB | join.amnesty.org | 7 days |
| Google ads delivery, retargeting and preferences | NID | Google.com | 6 months | |
| Sets the consent value for google site interactions | CONSENT | Google.com Youtube.com | 2 years | |
| Set to see if a cookie can be set | test_cookie | Google.com Doubleclick.net | 30 mins | |
| Tracking | DV | www.google.com | 1 year | |
| Tracking | 1p_JAR | Google.com | 1 month | |
| GRECAPTCHA | Used on the donation pages to prevent website misuse | _ GRECAPTCHA | Recaptcha.net (Google) | 6 months |
| YouTube | Sets a location and preference settings | PREF | Youtube.com | 1 year |
| YouTube | Stores and tracks interactions | YSC | Youtube.com | Session |
| Google Analytics | See above Google Analytics | _ga | join.amnesty.org | 2 years |
| Google Analytics | See above Google Analytics | _gid | join.amnesty.org | 1 day |
| VWO | Optimisation and testing platform | _vwo | join.amnesty.org | 1 year |
| Engaging Networks | Java cookie | JSESSIONID | join.amnesty.org | Session |
We use Facebook pixel tags. We use pixel tags to track conversion from social media sites to our website. See more information on Facebook here.
7. Full list of cookies used by Amnesty International Decoders
Below is a full list of cookies set by decoders.amnesty.org
| Cookie | Purpose / More Information | Names | Expiry |
| Cookie Agreement | Created when the ‘OK to Continue’ button is clicked in the cookies notice at the top of page. Hides cookies notice on future visits. | CookieControl | 90 days |
Amnesty Decoders uses cookies to authenticate you as a user. This allows our Amnesty Decoder front-end to receive the token, store it within your browser session and authenticate you as a user
im_access_token
7 days
| Cookie | Purpose / More Information | Names | Expiry |
| Google Analytics | Amnesty International and Amnesty Decoders support the use of Google Analytics within the site so that we can monitor activity on our website. Google Analytics cookies collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour information in an anonymous form. More information. | _ga | 2 years |
| _gat | 10 minutes | ||
| Google Tag Manager | Google analytics is deployed through Google Tag Manager. More information | _dc_gtm | 10 minutes |
| Microsoft Azure | Ensures all requests are processed on the same cloud server instance. | ARRAffinity | Session |
| Visual Web Optimizer | Visual Web Optimizer allows us to trial design variations on our website. The cookies tell us which version of the website you have seen. All information is kept anonymous.More information | _vis_opt_exp | 100 days |
| _vis_opt_s | 100 days. | ||
| _vis_opt_test_cookie | Session | ||
| _vwo_uuid | 100 days. | ||
| _vis_opt_out | 100 days. | ||
| Amnesty Campaigns | Amnesty Campaigns use a cookie to temporarily retain the information that users enter to support a campaign action: name, email address and country selection. These cookies are retained so that users don’t need to retype this information and can quickly support further actions. It is retained until users close their browser session. | CampaignUserDetails | Session |
| Amnesty Decoders | Amnesty Decoders task manager uses cookies for handling your session on the project task pages. | task_session | 3 months |
| Amnesty Decoders identity management system uses cookies for handling your session in the site. These cookies are used to sign in and sign out of Amnesty Decoders identity management. | im_session | Until the browser is closed | |
| Amnesty Decoders discussion forum uses cookies for handling your session in the site. These cookies are used to sign in and sign out of Amnesty Decoders discussion forum. | _t | 2 months | |
| Amnesty Decoders discussion forum’s software library stores its cookie session for operation purpose. | _forum_session | Until the browser is closed | |
| Amnesty Decoders uses cookies to remember data entered in some text fields. These cookies are used so that users don’t need to retype inputs that are likely to remain similar (e.g. username when logging in). | task_remember_token | 3 months | |
| Amnesty Decoders uses cookies to remember if users want to accept Amnesty International cookies or not. These cookies ensure that the platform retains user preferences for activating cookies or not. | Amnesty International_accept_cookies | 3 months | |
| Amnesty Decoders uses cookies to authenticate you as a user. This allows our Amnesty Decoder front-end to receive the token, store it within your browser session and authenticate you as a user | im_access_token | 7 days |
c) Third Party cookies set by our website
| Cookie | Purpose / More Information | Names |
| YouTube | We sometimes embed videos from YouTube. YouTube’s use of cookies is governed by Google’s privacy policy. More information. Expiry dates for these cookies vary from the session to 10 years. | VISITOR_ INFO1_LIVE |
| demographics | ||
| use_hitbox | ||
| Activity | ||
| SID | ||
| HSID | ||
| PREF |
We use both Facebook and Twitter pixel tags. Pixel tags are used to track conversion from social media to our website. See more information on Facebook here and Twitter here.