Cookie Policy

Read this cookie usage policy to help you understand how we use cookies.

Digitally speaking, cookies are rather ingenious little things. And that’s why we’ve got a policy on them. First of all, let’s clear up one thing; what is a cookie?

What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers sent to your computer when you visit a web site. It’s stored in your web browser (that’s the program you’re using to see this page). Whenever you visit the same web site again, the information stored in the cookie can be retrieved to notify the web site (and only that web site) of your previous activity. A cookie cannot give us access to your computer or to information beyond what you provide us.  And they’re definitely not viruses, spyware or Trojans that damage your computer.

What’s in a cookie?
A cookie contains the name of the server it came from, the lifetime of the cookie, and a value, usually a randomly generated unique number.

This cookie usage policy should be read in conjunction with the Royal Ballet and Opera Privacy Notice. Please read this cookie usage policy carefully to understand how the Royal Ballet and Opera uses cookies.

When you visit www.rbo.org.uk the Royal Ballet and Opera may store some information commonly known as a ‘cookie’ on your computer. A cookie helps you get the best out of the website and helps the Royal Ballet and Opera provide you with a more customized service.

If you have any questions about this information, please contact the Data Protection Manager by emailing: dpm@roh.org.uk

The below table shows the types of cookies which are frequently used by websites today, together with their purpose:

Cookie Purpose

Description

Essential cookies

A site may use a limited number of cookies essential to particular services a user has requested or for security purposes. For example, a site may use a cookie for a shopping cart function when a user makes a purchase. In particular, if a user has registered to a site or uses a customer portal. A cookie will be used to authenticate the device that a user is using.

Performance cookies

Performance cookies are set to collect and report on aggregate non-identifiable information, which can then be used to report on the performance of the website and provide insights on how the site is currently used and how it can be improved for your audience.

Functional cookies

Functional cookies support how a website functions. For example, by identifying a user’s device on a unique but anonymous basis, a website can identify the user’s language preferences.

Third party cookies - advertising and social Media

Third party cookies are placed on a user’s device. These are cookies from an alternative domain to the one the user is visiting. Third party cookies are often allowed by a web browser, however, they may be blocked, as they are widely used by advertisers to track browsing history.

Our cookies policy

Cookies help us arrange our web site content to match your preferred interests more quickly. They also allow us to deliver the full features of our web site; these are features like smoother log-ins, your preferences and shopping baskets.

The following table sets out which cookies the Royal Ballet and Opera uses, their purpose and how intrusive they may be considered.

Cookie Name

Duration

Type

Description

Impact

cookie consent

20 years from set / update

rbo.org.uk

first party

This cookie is necessary in order to ensure compliance with current Data privacy laws. This cookie is used to record if a user has allowed cookies to be placed on their computer.

Essential: without these, purchase activities may be compromised and we cannot reliably ensure compliance with privacy laws.

sessionkey

When a visitor ends the session (leave the website)

rbo.org.uk

first party

This cookie is necessary because it enables the Royal Ballet and Opera to sell tickets, goods and other services. This cookie is used to keep track of a user’s session when logged onto the site.

Essential: without these, purchase activities may be compromised and we cannot reliably ensure compliance with privacy laws.

_ga

2 years from set / update

google analytics

first party

Stores the unique ID of the user.

Non-essential but helps improve the service we provide.

_gali

1 year from set / update

google analytics

first party

Used to monitor performance of the website.

Non-essential but helps improve the service we provide.

_gat

24 hours from set / update

google analytics

first party

Used to throttle the google analytics request rate.

Non-essential but helps improve the service we provide.

_qca

5 years from set / update

Quantcast

Used to monitor visitor behavour for reports that are made available on the Quantcast.com Site, to enable web publishers and advertisers to deliver audience segments that are appropriate for their products or services.

Non-essential but helps improve the service we provide.

Third-party cookies

Google DoubleClick
We use anonymized age, gender and interests data gathered from Google’s DoubleClick cookie. Google uses the DoubleClick cookie on AdSense sites, partner sites and certain Google services. More information on Google’s Privacy policy and what information they collect.

Hotjar
Hotjar’s tools allow us to analyse what users do on our website. The cookies set as soon as a user loads a page which contains the Hotjar code. The cookies contain a universally unique identifier (UUID) which allows Hotjar to track the same visitor across multiple pages and sessions.  Find out more about Hotjar on their privacy policy page.

Microsoft Clarity
Microsoft Clarity’s tools also allow us to analyse what users do on our website. Its cookies fire as soon as a user loads a page which contains the Clarity code. These cookies contain a universally unique identifier (UUID) which allows Clarity to track the same visitor across multiple pages and sessions. Find out more about Microsoft Clarity on their privacy policy page.

Rakuten
This cookie allows us to better understand the effectiveness of our advertisements by tracking which marketing channel users arrive from when purchasing items on www.rbo.org.uk. Opt out details in the Managing Cookies section below.

Sizmek
These help us understand how well our online adverts are encouraging browsers to view more information about particular events on www.rbo.org.uk.  When a Royal Ballet and Opera advert is displayed on a third-party website, a Sizmek cookie is placed on their machine, providing this is enabled by their browser settings.  If that browser then visits www.rbo.org.uk, we can see that the advert has been effective. More information about Sizmek’s own privacy policy and how to opt out can be found here on the Sizmek website.

Cookie Name

Duration

Origin

Description

_gads

1 month from set / update

doubleclick.net

An advertising cookie used by Google Doubleclick.

IDE

2 years from set / update

doubleclick.net

_gads

1 month from set / update

doubleclick.net

bx

2 years from set / update

flickr.com

Cookies commonly associated with the use of Flickr photo galleries embedded in a site.

flrbcr

6 months from set / update

flickr.com

flrbgdrp

6 months from set / update

flickr.com

flrbp

6 months from set / update

flickr.com

flrbrst

6 months from set / update

flickr.com

flrbs

6 months from set / update

flickr.com

flrtags

6 months from set / update

flickr.com

localization

2 years from set / update

flickr.com

xb

2 years from set / update

flickr.com

APISID

2 years from set / update

google

These cookies install certain Google utilities as they store various preferences, for example, the number of results per page or the activation of the SafeSearch filter, as well as customizing the advertisements shown in the Google search

HSID

2 years from set / update

google

NID

6 months from set / update

google

OGPC

1 month from set / update

google

SAPSID

2 years from set / update

google

SIDCC

2 years from set / update

google

SID

2 years from set / update

google

SSID

2 years from set / update

google

_hjClosedSurveyInvites

1 year from set / update

Hotjar

This cookie is set once a visitor interacts with a Survey invitation popup. It is used to ensure that the same invite does not re-appear if it has already been shown.

_hjDonePolls

1 year from set / update

Hotjar

This cookie is set once a visitor completes a poll using the Feedback Poll widget. It is used to ensure that the same poll does not re-appear if it has already been filled in.

_hjMinimizedPolls

1 year from set / update

Hotjar

This cookie is set once a visitor minimizes a Feedback Poll widget. It is used to ensure that the widget stays minimizes when the visitor navigates through your site.

_hjIncludedInSample

1 year from set / update

Hotjar

This session cookie is set to let Hotjar know whether that visitor is included in the sample which is used to generate funnels.

_clck

13 months

Microsoft Clarity

Persists the Clarity User ID and preferences, unique to that site is attributed to the same user ID

_clsk

30 days

Microsoft Clarity

Connects multiple page views by a user into a single Clarity session recording

CLID

13 months

Microsoft Clarity

Identifies the first-time Clarity saw this user on any site using Clarity

ANONCHK

13 months

Microsoft Clarity

Indicates whether MUID is transferred to ANID, a cookie used for advertising. Clarity doesn't use ANID and so this is always set to 0

MR

13 months

Microsoft Clarity

Indicates whether to refresh MUID

MUID

13 months

Microsoft Clarity

Identifies unique web browsers visiting Microsoft sites. These cookies are used for advertising, site analytics, and other operational purposes

SM

13 months

Microsoft Clarity

Used in synchronizing the MUID across Microsoft domains

OT_324

When browsing session ends

bs.serving-sys.com

Advertising Information from booking process

A6

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

Monitoring and optimizing online advertising campaigns cookie.

Activityinfo2

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

C6

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

D3

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

G2

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

OT2

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

TargetingInfo2

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

u2

3 months from set / update

serving-sys.com

APISID

2 years from set / update

youtube.com

These cookies allow the correct Youtube video playback and store User’s preferences when viewing YouTube videos

CONSENT

20 years from set / update

youtube.com

HSID

2 years from set / update

youtube.com

PREF

1 year from set / update

youtube.com

SID

2 years from set / update

youtube.com

VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE

1 year from set / update

youtube.com

YSC

When the browsing session ends

youtube.com

s_gl

When the browsing session ends

youtube.com

Managing cookies

Cookies cannot be used by themselves to identify you. You can easily control and disable cookies through your browser settings.

All browsers are different – for more information on cookies in general, visit the following external links:

Depending on the browser you are using, cookies can be managed according to the steps shown in the below table.

Please be aware that by limiting or deleting cookies you may not enjoy as good an experience on our website. If you have any questions about cookies, please contact the Data Protection Manager dpm@roh.org.uk

Browser

How to check cookies are enabled

Google Chrome

Click on the menu icon at the top-right of your browser and select 'Settings'. Click the ‘Advanced’ tab, locate the ‘Privacy and Security’ section and select the ‘Content settings’ button. Select ‘Cookies’ menu item and locate 'Allow sites to save and read cookie data'

Microsoft Explorer 6.0, 7.0, 8.0

Click on ‘Tools’ at the top of your browser window and select ‘internet options’, then click on the ‘Privacy’ tab. Ensure that your Privacy level is set to Medium or below, which will enable cookies in your browser.  Settings above Medium will disable cookies

Mozilla Firefox

Click on the menu icon at the top-right of your browser window and select 'Preferences'. Then select the 'Privacy and Security' tab. Locate the 'History' section, then select 'use custom settings for history'

Apple Safari

Click on the cog icon at the top of your browser window and select the ‘Preferences’ option. Click on ‘Security’, check the option that says ‘Block'

Cookie Policy updated 19 February 2019

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Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775)