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Ordnance Survey cookie policy

A cookie is a small text file stored on your computer when you use our Website, which we can access when you make return visits.

Cookies are used to improve services for you by, for example:

  • enabling a service to recognise your device so you don't have to give the same information several times during one task;
  • recognising that you may already have given a username and password so you don't need to do it for every web page requested;
  • measuring how many people are using services, so they can be made easier to use and ensuring there's enough capacity for a fast response.

We use some cookies which transfer information about your use of the Website to third parties; for example, Google analytics cookies transfer data to Google so that they can provide reports to us about activity on our Website.  Cookies are not used to identify you personally. 

Some features or services on the Website may not function properly without cookies.

You can choose to delete cookies, or stop cookies being stored on your computer in the future.  To manage cookies yourself and to find more information about them, please visit www.aboutcookies.org.  Alternatively, you can refer to your browser manufacturer’s instructions by clicking ‘help’ in your browser menu, or follow the instructions on your file management software to locate the file or directory in which cookies are stored on your computer.

We are working to include details of all cookies across our Websites in this list.

Cookies used on www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

We set the following Ordnance Survey cookies to store your text size and device display (mobile or desktop) preferences:

  • savedTextSize
  • savedDevice

Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. This to ensure that the service is available when you want it and responds quickly:

  • Name: _utma
  • Typical content: randomly generated number
  • Expires: 2 years

 

  • Name: _utmb
  • Typical content: randomly generated number
  • Expires: 30 minutes

 

  • Name: _utmc
  • Typical content: randomly generated number
  • Expires: when user exits browser

 

  • Name: _utmz
  • Typical content: randomly generated number + info on how the site was reached (e.g. directly or via a link, organic search or paid search)
  • Expires: 6 months

For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website.

We use other cookies to identify a browsing session and for user authentication, including the following:

  • JSESSIONID (Java);
  • ObSSOCookie (Oracle Single Sign On Session);
  • obTEMC (Microsoft Active Server Page session)
  • ASPSESSIONID (Microsoft Active Server Page session);
  • WT_FPC (WebTrends Analytics).

Some parts of our Website use social media tools that enable you to share content, which requires the following cookies:

  • psc, uid (social bookmarking widget via domain www.addthis.com);
  • wd; reg_fb_ref; reg_fb_gate; lsd; datr (social media ‘Facebook like' widget using domain www.facebook.com).

Cookies used by getamap and Ordnance Survey Leisure

Yahoo Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. This to ensure that the service is available when you want it and responds quickly:

  • Name: fpc10002099430845
  • Typical content: random string
  • Expires: 1 year

Copyright policy cookie to display copyright information:

  • Name: GetAMapSession
  • Typical content: “Crown copyright and Ordnance Survey 2011. All rights reserved. Licence number 100049945”
  • Expires: when user exits browser

The following cookie is set once you have logged on with username and password, so you don't have to do it for every Web page you request from our service:

  • Name: .ASPXAUTH
  • Typical content: random string
  • Expires: when user exits browser

 

  • Name: VanillaCommerce
  • Typical content: 2 parameters: RecogniseAfterLogout – has “true” or “false” value, UserId – GUID
  • Expires: when user exits browser  

The following cookie is set to determine which server should process a request:

  • Name: ServerId
  • Typical content: a number
  • Expires: when user exits browser

 

Cookies used by orders.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

(Business data product ordering service)

We set the following Ordnance Survey cookies to store your text size and device display (mobile or desktop) preferences:

savedDevice

Note: we do not use savedTextSize

Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. This to ensure that the service is available when you want it and responds quickly:

  • Name: _utma
  • Typical content: randomly generated number
  • Expires: 2 years

 

  • Name: _utmb
  • Typical content: randomly generated number
  • Expires: 30 minutes

 

  • Name: _utmc
  • Typical content: randomly generated number
  • Expires: when user exits browser

 

  • Name: _utmz
  • Typical content: randomly generated number + info on how the site was reached (e.g. directly or via a link, organic search or paid search)
  • Expires: 6 months

For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website.

Adobe Locally Stored Object (Flash Cookie)

  • Name: mapSettings
  • Local Path: Ordnance Survey Orders website (e.g. orders.ordnancesurvey.co.uk)
  • Typical content: Binary encoded version of the last viewed map extent
  • Expires: Never, unless manually deleted by user

We use other cookies to identify a browsing session and for user authentication, including the following:

  • JESSIONID (Java)
  • ObSSOCookie (Oracle Single Sign On Session)
  • ObFormLoginCookie (Oracle Single Sign On Session)
  • Test (Oracle Single Sign On Session)
  • Prod_webgate_http_pool (orders.ordnancesurvey.co.uk)
  • Prod_as101202_http_pool (orders.ordnancesurvey.co.uk)
  • Fpc1000624392500 (orders.ordnancesurvey.co.uk)
  • BIGipServerprod_as101202_http_pool (orders.ordnancesurvey.co.uk)

For general enquiries, complaints, feedback or suggestions, email: customerservices@ordnancesurvey.co.uk or call us on 08456 05 05 05