Cookie Policy

This page gives you information about cookies. It has been created in order to explain what cookies are, how they are used on this website and how you can control them.

What are cookies?

Cookies are very small text files which store very small amounts of information. They are used to remember settings and preferences between visits to the site, as well as information between different pages on the same site.

For security reasons, cookies can only be read by the site that set them. Findacourse.ie has no access to cookies set on your computer by, for example, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft or any other website on the internet. However, through the use of third party cookies, it is possible for sites to collect information about visitors to other sites. For example, online advertisers may use third party cookies to anonymously track an individual’s visits to sites on the web.

More information about how Findacourse.ie allows third party cookies is given below.

To find out more about cookies in general, you might find the following link useful

Wikipedia: HTTP Cookies

How are Cookies used?

Currently, there are four types of cookies that may be generated as you browse our site: session cookies, preference cookies, analytics cookies and third party cookies.

Session Cookies

As you move through the site, various pieces of information need to be stored in order for the site to function properly. For example, if you add a course to favourites, this course will be remembered so that you can access them later. If you log in, it will be remembered which account you logged in with.

This information is stored in a database and is referred to as a session. One cookie is set to keep track of which session you are using. Old session data is automatically deleted from the database multiple times a day, so this information is not stored long-term.

In addition to the session cookie, a cookie is set to check if cookies can be set on your computer. This is done for diagnostic purposes when you use forms on the website. This information is used to help solve any problems you may have encountered.

How do I control session cookies?

You can use your browser settings to control whether or not the site sets session cookies. More information on your browser settings is provided at the bottom of this page.

Please be aware that cookies are critical to the working of the site. If you choose to disable cookies from this site the functionality of the site will be greatly reduced.

Preference Cookies

Currently a preference cookie is set when you click OK on the cookies acceptance banner displayed on the site.

How do I control preference cookies?

These cookies are set as a direct result of your choice, and function solely as indicators of what that choice was. It is not believed to pose any risk to your privacy. However, you can always use your browser settings to control whether or not our site can set cookies on your computer.

Please be aware that cookies are critical to the working of the site. If you choose to disable cookies from this site the functionality of the site will be greatly reduced.

Analytics Cookies

In order to monitor how this and related websites are performing, data is collected about page visits. This information is completely anonymous — it cannot be determined who it came from. When this data is used, numbers of visitors are analysed overall rather than individual visits.

Analytics information is used in reports and to improve the website. For example, analytics data has been used to add, remove or change features of the site based on how popular they are with users.

Examples of tracking data:

the numbers of visitors to individual pages;
when pages were visited;
how long users stayed on the page;
the page they came from;
technical data about the device being used to browse the site (such as browser and operating system version, and display size) — this data is used to ensure that the technology the site uses is appropriate for the majority of users, and how best to display the site for users who have less capable browsers.

More information about analytics cookies

Google provides analytics data on this website. You can read more about how Google Analytics treats your data at: Google: Safeguarding your data.

You can also read Google’s full privacy policy.

How do I control analytics cookies?

Google provides a tool to opt-out of Google Analytics. This is available for all modern browsers in the form of a browser plugin.

Additionally, you can control how cookies are set using your browser settings. See below for more information.

Third party cookies

The advertisements you see displayed on the site are sometimes generated by third parties. These services may use their own anonymous cookies to track how many times a particular ad has been displayed to you, and may track your visits to other sites where their ads are displayed. Please note that advertisers can only track visits to sites which display their ads or other content. This tracking is anonymous, meaning that they do not identify who is viewing which ads.

Tracking in this manner allows advertisers to show you ads that are more likely to be interesting to you, and also limit the number of times you see the same ad across a wide number of sites. As an example of how advertisers operate, if you recently researched cars, adverts for motoring service providers may subsequently appear on this website.

Findacourse.ie does not have access to, or control over, these third party cookies; nor can the data held by these advertisers be viewed. Online advertisers provide ways for you to opt-out of your browsing being tracked. More information about the advertisers used, and how to opt-out, is provided below.

More information about online advertising and tracking

The International Advertising Bureau has produced a website to give more information about privacy and advertising on the internet.

Controlling cookies within your browser

A browser is a program you use to view web pages. Your browser allows you to control what cookies are set on your computer, and how long they are stored. You may have more than one browser installed on your computer. In this case, you will need to change the settings for each browser you use.

Browser help pages relating to cookie settings

Browser manufacturers provide help pages relating to cookie management in their products. Please see below for more information.

For other browsers, please consult the documentation that your browser manufacturer provides.

Further help

If you still have any concerns relating to our use of cookies, please contact us at info[@]findacourse.ie