Policies/en/Cookie-Statement
This is a draft version. Source: adapted notably from the Wikimedia Foundation Governance Wiki, https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Cookie_statement (CC BY-SA 4.0), with changes. Status: proposal, to be adopted. See the detailed disclaimer.
In simple words: cookies are tiny files that a website places on your device, mainly to keep you logged in and to remember your preferences. This page proposes how cookies would be used on the platform: which kinds, for what purpose, and how you can refuse or delete them. Reading the platform would work without cookies; logging in would not.
Cookie statement
As stated in the Privacy policy (first draft, under review), WikiDeal is intended to be built on strong values of privacy and transparency. To that end, this Cookie Statement is proposed as a clear reference guide to the use of cookies on the WikiDeal Markets and Portals (collectively, "the Platform"). This Cookie Statement explains how cookies (and other locally stored data technologies) would be used, how third-party cookies would be handled, and how you can manage your cookie options.
The Ynternet.org Foundation, the non-profit foundation that hosts and incubates WikiDeal, would actively collect some types of information with a variety of commonly-used technologies. These generally include JavaScript and a variety of "locally stored data" technologies, such as cookies and local storage.
What is a cookie?
A "cookie" is a tiny data file that is transferred onto your computer, mobile phone, or any other device that you use to access the Platform, and is generally used for authentication and tracking. Every cookie expires after a certain period of time, but that period varies depending on what the cookie is used for and how your browser is configured.
Cookies are often categorized based on how long they remain active before they expire. A "session" cookie is one that generally expires when you close your web browser or mobile application. A "persistent" cookie is one that remains in your device, even after you close your browser or mobile application. A persistent cookie expires according to the duration set by the site, or when you delete it manually. You can learn more about cookies on Wikipedia.
You may remove or disable cookies through your browser settings. For more information on how to manage your cookie options, please see the cookie options section below.
What types of cookies would be used, and for what purposes?
Cookies would not be required in order to read the Platform. The information received from cookies and other locally stored data technologies would be used to make your experience with the Platform safer and better, to gain a greater understanding of user preferences and interactions with the Platform, and to generally improve the services. Cookies would be required in order to log in and for your actions to be associated with a user account; this matters especially on a contracts platform, where signing or managing a contract requires being reliably logged in.
The exact list of cookies would be established and published when the corresponding features are deployed. The examples below reflect a typical MediaWiki-based platform and are to be confirmed. The categories of cookies that would be used:
Functionality:
These cookies help the Platform work and are essential in order to enable you to move around the site and use its features. These cookies are useful for remembering your username in the login field, maintaining your session and remembering previous actions, keeping you logged in (if selected), and more. Typical examples:
| Name | Expires | Category | What does it do? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session cookies | When user exits browser | Functionality | Manage sessions. Provide functionality such as logging in to the Platform. |
| UserID, UserName | Up to 365 days, if the user chooses "Keep me logged in". Otherwise around 30 days. | Functionality | Help identify you to the wiki, and keep you logged in. |
| Login verification cookies | Up to 180 days | Functionality | Verify that you are logging in from a known device, to protect your account. |
Preferences:
These cookies store your preferences, so that they can be remembered the next time you use the Platform, for a more customized experience. These cookies are useful for recognizing and maintaining your language preference, remembering changes you have made to text size, fonts and other display preferences, and more. Typical examples:
| Name | Expires | Category | What does it do? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client preferences cookies | Around 30 days | Preferences | Store user preferences for client-side settings, such as font size, dark mode, and display width. |
| Mobile redirection preference | Around 30 days | Preferences | Tells the site not to redirect to the mobile version if you do not like that. |
| Language and editor preferences | Local storage, not a cookie | Preferences | Keep track of your preferred language and editor settings. |
Performance and analysis:
These cookies and technologies count the number of visitors and collect information about how you use the Platform. This would allow a better understanding of the user experience and help improve the Platform for you and other users, for instance by making sure users are finding what they need easily. Any data collected in this category would follow the data collection guidelines and the data retention guidelines: collect as little as possible, as safely as possible. The specific cookies in this category would be listed here when deployed.
Third-party:
Third-party cookies would never be used on the Platform without your permission. Such cookies would allow the rendering of services provided by third parties, such as "like" and "share" buttons. When a third party provides these kinds of services, they may require the use of a cookie in order to provide their services.
If you ever come across a third-party cookie transferred to your device during your access of the Platform, where you did not take any action to authorize the use and/or transfer of that cookie (such as one that may have been mistakenly placed by another user or administrator), please report that cookie to info@wikideal.net.
At this stage, no WikiDeal site hosted by a third-party service provider is planned. If such sites appear (for example a blog or a forum), this statement would be updated to describe their cookies.
What are my cookie options?
While this is not a comprehensive list, below are some of the things that you can do to limit use of cookies and other locally stored data technologies on your device. While cookies and other locally stored data technologies may not be necessary to use the site, some features may not function properly if you disable them.
You can:
- remove or disable specific locally stored data on your browser's settings (you can reset your web browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent);
- use a browser that can block third-party cookies; or
- install a plug-in to block locally stored data, if one is available.
Where can I find more information?
Please read through the Privacy policy for more information. If you have any further questions, contact info@wikideal.net.
Thanks!