Faceparty > Cookies Statement

Cookies?

What are Cookies?

Most websites use cookies. A cookie is a simple text file which is stored on your computer, tablet or mobile device. The cookie sends information back to us, each time you return. This could be for the duration of your visit (using a 'session cookie') or for repeat visits (using a 'persistent cookie').

Definition

There are other technologies, such as 'web beacons', which often have a similar purpose to cookies - so to make it easier, we will define the word 'cookie' to include all of these technologies.

What type of Cookies does Faceparty use?

We use cookies that are 'strictly necessary' to enable you to access Faceparty and to provide certain features (for example, to enable you to 'log on'). We use cookies to enhance the 'functionality' of our products (by storing your preferences, for example). We also use cookies to help us to improve Faceparty’s 'performance' (to provide you with a better experience). In addition and only if you explicitly give us your permission, cookies may be set by ‘third parties’ (for example, to provide social media features and to tailor advertisements to your taste).

We use three types of cookies to do this:

Session cookies that are deleted after each visit.
Persistent cookies that remain in place across multiple visits.
Third party cookies that are used by our approved business partners.

Certain cookies are strictly necessary for you to use Faceparty and for our products to work (for example, to enable you to log on to our servers). Any other cookies will only be set with your consent. You can modify your preferences at any time under the My Settings area of your account.

Session Cookies:

These are used 'in-session' each time you visit Faceparty; they expire 20 minutes after your visit (if you are using a web browser), or immediately when you close your app or browser. If you are using an app which is set to run in the background, then the session data will continue to exist (but only while the app is running – afterwards it will be deleted immediately and automatically). Session cookies are never physically stored on your device (they are held in your device’s temporary memory). However, you can still delete or disable web cookies via your browser, if you wish to, but this will restrict the functions that you're able to carry out - for example, you won't be able to log-on. These temporary Session Cookies are strictly necessary for Faceparty to work properly and include:

Session ID: This is a secure encrypted code that identifies your device on our servers. It does not contain anything personal about you – it only identifies your device and not you personally. It also holds the minimum technical information that we need in order to provide you with the content you request. It is important because (combined with our other cookies) your ‘session id’ is what ensures that only you can obtain and read your messages etc

Authentication Cookie: We set this cookie to prevent hackers, who might have access to your device, from altering your cookie. It's a safety feature that stops hackers from accessing your account.

Session Cookie (Logged Out): Unless you are logged on to Faceparty, with a Member Name and Password, all these cookies will store is the basic information required for us to operate our service. There’s no personally identifiable information included; just the date and time that the cookies were set and a series of numbers and codes that our servers need to give you the correct content.

Session Cookie (Logged In): When you log on we store more information about you in session cookies. These are necessary to provide our members with the services they have subscribed to. These cookies holds very basic and limited personally identifiable information, and are only set after a member logs in to Faceparty and has explicitly agreed to our cookie policy. This information is not written in text, but in secret codes (that only we understand). The personal information within these cookies can include your unique ID (a code we use to identify you) along with a series of numbers and codes which we can translate to your age, gender, preferences, language and location. We need this information so we can give you the correct content; for example, if someone wants to use Faceparty to meet local people around their own age, this information makes that possible. When you log-off this information is deleted immediately - and if you forget to log-off, it’s deleted automatically at the end of your session. These cookies also store a series of numbers that we use to manage your account. For example, this information enables us to let you know when you have a new message; when you have completed certain tasks (such as agreeing to a new policy, or uploading a photo), what subscriptions you have, along with your settings for certain features (such as chat). The data contained within these cookies will never include your real name and contact details and is securely encrypted with a minimum of 32bit encryption.

Member Name: This cookie is only set for logged-in members who have explicitly agreed to our cookie policy. It allows us to know your member name and nothing else. We use this cookie to be able to give you quick access to your own profile, without burdening our server resources. This information is automatically deleted at the end of your session (or when you log out).

Got Cookies?: We set a non-personally identifiable 'test cookie' to see if your web browser accepts cookies. The reason we do this, is because sometimes people disable their cookies by accident. We need this in order to know how to process your requests and it also enables us to say, "The reason you can't log on is because your cookies are disabled".

Security Tokens: These allow us to identify trusted web traffic and to determine whether or not to allow a device access to our servers. They do not contain any personal data.

Load Balancing: Faceparty doesn’t always use these cookies, but when we do these cookies ensure that our customers’ requests are fairly shared across our servers, to ensure the best possible speed, availability and performance. They also make sure that your session is remembered by our system (but only for its duration). This means that if the server you are using crashes, we can automatically switch you to another server without you having to log in again. They do not contain any personal data.

Persistent Cookies:

These enable us to identify repeat visitors. You can manage which cookies you allow under the My Settings area of your account, or as stated below. The Persistent Cookies we use include:

Language: We store your language, to make sure we give English people English etc. We do this because sometimes a computer's default settings do not match the language of the user. This cookie is essential and cannot be turned off, as it is needed for us to operate our website and to show you legal notices that you can understand.

Country: We store a number, which we link to your country. This means we can give you the correct customer service, legal and purchasing details. This also enables us to show you members in your country, by default, in search results. This cookie is essential and cannot be turned off, as it is needed for us to be compliant.

Cookie Settings: This cookie stores a local copy of your cookie preferences (but not your personal details). We need this to make sure that we don’t set cookies unless you have consented to them. This cookie will remain for up to 6 months after your last login.

Remember Log-in Details: Regular Members who use our website, who get tired of always having to enter their log-in details, can opt to have their log-in details stored in a cookie. The data we store in your cookie is always fully encrypted with a minimum of 32bit encryption technology. We do not recommend choosing this option if you use a shared computer, because it means other people could access your account and messages. If you manually opt-in to set this cookie, it will be set to last for 12 months. This 12 month period will re-start each time you log-in with the ‘remember details’ box checked. If you ever log-in (on the same device) without this box checked, the cookie will be deleted. If you are an app user, your login details will stored on your device from when you log in until you physically log out.

Automatic Log-in: Exactly the same as the 'Remember Log-in Details' cookie, with the addition that it also logs you on. For web users, this is only set if you specifically request to be logged on automatically, when a cookie will be set to last for 12 months. This 12 month period will re-start each time you visit the website. This cookie will be deleted when you physically log out. For app users, you will remain logged on (even if you close the app) until you physically log out.

Ad Pickle: This cookie is only set if you agree and consent to have adverts tailored to your interests, as chosen by your Advertising Cookie preferences. If set, it makes sure that we don’t show adverts for nail polish to big hairy cavemen etc. by storing your age group, gender and approximate location (for example, '18-30, Female, London, UK') - but no other personal information. This cookie automatically deletes itself after 6 months and is renewed every time you log on to Faceparty. It can be read by other websites that we own and operate, but it can’t be used to identify you personally.

Analytics: We will only set analytics cookies if you have explicitly given us your consent to accept ‘Functional Cookies’. Analytics give us data about how Faceparty is used, which enables us to know what features are popular, where we're getting things right, where we're getting things wrong. They help us become more awesome!

App Users: When you log on to our app, the information you can access while using the app is stored locally and may continue to be stored locally until you log out, when it will be immediately deleted.

Access Cookies: These allow us to identify trusted web traffic and to determine whether or not to allow a device access to our servers, which server to send them to and so on. These are essential and do not contain any personal data.

Referrer ID: When it is permitted and to the fullest extent permitted by law, we will store a cookie containing information about the partner site or advertisement that referred you to us. These cookies enable us to calculate what commission, if any, is due to the referrer and help us know which adverts are effective. The cookie will contain a date and a number (which we can link to the referrer) and will last for up to 12 months. It won’t contain any personal data.

Group Token: This is only set if you allow 'Functional Cookies'. It means (if you visit another website owned by our group of companies, or one of our partner sites) that you can log in with your existing details, without having to create a new account. This cookie may be set by Faceparty, or by another domain owned by us, or by a partner's domain that is running our software. If set, this cookie will last for 12 months. No personal information is included unless you also opt to store your log-in details on your device, whereby your unique user ID will be stored. This cookie will also store a list of codes, which we translate to know which of our websites you use (including partner sites).

Third Party Cookies:

On occasion, we allow select and reputable third parties to set cookies on your device, while you use Faceparty. You can manage which cookies you allow under the My Settings area of your account. The third parties we allow include:

Google ReCAPTCHA: This service helps us to know that you are a real person and not a hacking tool. This cookie is strictly necessary for Faceparty's security features and cannot be turned off. Your use of reCAPTCHA is subject to Google’s Policies and you can see how Google uses your data by clicking Here.

Google Maps: We use Google Maps, Google Places and other geolocation products that Google provides. These Google services improve and empower our location based features. Sometimes, Google may need to set cookies for these services to work. We will only allow Google to set these cookies if you have explicitly given us your consent to accept ‘Functional Cookies’. Your use of these Google services are also subject to Google’s Policies. You can see how Google uses your data by clicking Here.

Google Analytics: We will only allow Google to set analytics cookies if you have explicitly given us your consent to accept ‘Functional Cookies’. Google Analytics gives us data about how Faceparty is used, which enables us to know what features are popular, where we're getting things right, where we're getting things wrong. Google agrees that they cannot identify you personally from this information. More information can be found Here.

Analytics & Optimization: In addition to Google Analytics and our own Analytics, we may (from time to time) engage the services of other third parties, such as Optimizely, Oracle Maxymiser or other market-leaders, who can provide us with essential insights about how Faceparty is used, which helps us to make our products better and more efficient. These bona-fide suppliers may vary from time to time and be engaged on an ad-hoc basis. We will only allow these analytics cookies to be set if you have explicitly given us your consent to accept ‘Functional Cookies’.

Advertising Cookies: When adverts are served, they are usually served from Trafficking Software, which makes sure that everyone's interests are looked after. By setting a cookie, the Trafficking Software can guarantee that you don't see the advert too much (to save both your time and the advertiser's money). In addition, some advertising partners will serve advertisements that they believe are most likely to be of interest to you, based upon information about your visit to this website and other websites and by using techniques known as pairing and profiling. In order to do this, our advertising, pairing, profiling and trafficking partners may need to place non-essential cookies on your computer, which will identify you [or your device] across the different websites you visit. We will only allow them to do this if you explicitly give us permission for them to do so, in your Advertising Cookie settings, either when you create your account or at any time by visiting My Settings. For more information about this type of advertising, how to turn this feature off and to choose in more detail who can or can’t set cookies on your device, please visit https://www.youronlinechoices.com (for the UK and the European Union), https://optout.aboutads.info (for the US) or https://youradchoices.ca (for Canada). Please contact us for a list of providers in your country, if not listed. Please note that turning off advertising cookies won't mean that you are not served any advertising, just that it will not be tailored to your interests.

Google Advertising Services: In addition to the Advertising Cookies above, we also use Google’s advertising services. Google may set essential and non-essential cookies, but will only set non-essential cookies or any form of tracking cookies if you have physically agreed and consented to these types of cookies in your Advertising Cookie settings. You can see how Google uses your data by clicking Here.

Social Media: It's possible that we may engage with other reputable Social Media. For example, we may allow Members to embed a YouTube video or an Instagram feed on their profiles, in their messages or on their forum posts. In these instances, it would be possible for the third party (for example YouTube) to set a cookie or to read a cookie that they have already set (but not to read our own cookies) which could enable them to engage in profiling and cross-device tracking. In these instances, please revert to the Privacy Policies of the partner website, who will also be obliged to protect the safety of your data. We will only allow other Social Media to set or read cookies while you are using Faceparty if you have explicitly consented to allow ‘Functional Cookies’.

Banks & Payment Providers: When you purchase a product on Faceparty, or one of our partner sites, our payment provider and your bank may set cookies on your device. For more information, please refer to their own policies, which should be made readily available to you when you attempt to make a purchase.

DDOS & Hacker Protection: We work with third party experts who protect our website and your data from malicious attacks. These cookies are essential and cannot be turned off. They are usually set from our own domain (meaning they can only be read while you use our domain) and may be set by companies including Akamai, CloudFlare, Level 3 and Incapsula or other reputable companies we may engage from time to time or on a permanent basis. We must always have the right to change supplier without notice to you, because if ever there is a security risk, we need to attend to it immediately and engage the services of which ever supplier will give the best protection.

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Delivering content to you in a fast, cost-effective and reliable way requires the use of a Content Delivery Network, which is a network of servers across the globe which act as an intermediary between you and Faceparty. It means that if you are in New York, you can access the copy of Faceparty stored in New York and if you are in London, you can access the copy stored in London – otherwise it’d be really slow to access content stored halfway across the globe. We use and have used a number of CDNs including Akamai, CloudFlare, Level 3 and Incapsula – and we may change suppliers every now and then, if it means we can make Faceparty faster and more cost-effective. CDNs don’t usually have to set cookies, but if it’s essential to honor your requests or for security purposes, a cookie may be set. These cookies are safe, essential, do not contain your personal details and cannot be turned off.

Mailing List Services: We typically use our own software to manage our email subscriptions and newsletters. Sometimes we may also engage the services of reputable suppliers, such as MailChimp and Mad Mimi, to help us along the way. In these instances, our third party supplier might need to set essential cookies on your device and cookies which are required in order to fulfil your requests (such as cancelling a newsletter subscription). We will only ever engage the services of bona-fide suppliers (with whom we have verified the integrity of their privacy practices). In addition, we will only allow them to set cookies if you have already agreed and consented to our cookie and privacy policies.

Referrals and Acquisitions: When it is permitted and to the fullest extent permitted by law, we may use third party software to store a cookie containing information about the partner site, referral site or advertisement that referred you to us. These cookies enable us to calculate what commission, if any, is due to the referrer and help us know which adverts are effective. The cookie will contain a date and a number (which we can link to the referrer) and will last for up to 12 months. It won’t contain any personal data.

Include Files: Examples of 'Include Files' are JavaScripts, fonts and CSS files – things that are needed for a web-page to work. We write most of our own software from scratch, but sometimes there’s ready-made, third party software out there that’s ready to go, quick to deploy and fully bug tested. Cookies set by these third parties are essential because the services they provide are required for our website to work.

Third Party Software & Media Players: Certain features may require third party software in order to work properly. For example, a particular video may need a specific type of media player. We will only ever allow trusted, bona-fide third-party software to be used and sometimes this will require the use of a third party cookie. However, non-essential or personally identifiable cookies will only be set with your prior consent to allow ‘Functional Cookies’.

You can Accept or Block Cookies!

This page forms part of our Terms & Conditions. By using Faceparty you agree that we can place both essential and non-essential cookies on your device in accordance with this Cookie Policy and the choices you make with your consent. You can manage your cookie preferences through the My Settings area of your account.

You can block or delete cookies from any website through your browser settings. However, blocking cookies will render most of Faceparty's features unusable. The cookie preferences you choose on Faceparty will override your web browser’s default ‘Do Not Track’ options, so that you have more accurate control. For more information about cookies and how to disable them in your web browser, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org. For information on how to do this on your mobile or cell phone, please see your handset manual – however, please note that not all app-based cookies can be turned off (but they will only be set in accordance with your choices and as stated above).

Sometimes, we need to change our Cookie Policy. For example, a law might change or we might add new features to the Website. If we make any changes, we'll publish them here. We’ll also alert you of any significant changes :)

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