Cookie Policy

When we use cookies

We only uses cookies when absolutely required. As such the number of cookies is absolutely minimal.  In order to track users between requests a session cookie is used, this is unavoidable and this site will not function if this cookie is blocked.

The areas described below are where cookies are used to provide additional functionality. The functionality can be disabled and the cookies will never be generated or looked for.

Essential (3)

Cookie Name Default expiration time Description Type Third Party
MoodleSession Session Used to distinguish logged-in users and load user specific data. Essential/HTML Core
enableGA 1 month Stores user consent to enable third party cookies Essential/HTML Core
accipioCookie 1 month Stores user selection and removes cookie consent banner Essential/HTML Core

Non Essential

If this site uses Google analytics and you have accepted non-essestial cookies then the following cookies will be used.

Cookie Name Default expiration time Description Type Third Party
_ga 2 years Used to distinguish users. Non-essential/HTTP Google
_gid 24 hours Used to distinguish users. Non-essential/HTTP Google
_gat_gtag_< GA ID > 1 minute Used to throttle request rate. If Google Analytics is deployed via Google Tag Manager, this cookie will be named _dc_gtm_. Non-essential/HTTP Google

HotJar

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjSessionUser_{site_id}

 Cookie
  • Set when a user first lands on a page.
  • Persists the Hotjar User ID which is unique to that site. Hotjar does not track users across different sites.
  • Ensures data from subsequent visits to the same site are attributed to the same user ID.
  • 365 days duration.
  • JSON data type.

_hjid

 Cookie
  • This is an old cookie that we do not set anymore, but if a user has it unexpired in their browser, we will reuse its value and migrate to _hjSessionUser_{site_id}.
  • Set when a user first lands on a page.
  • Persists the Hotjar User ID which is unique to that site.
  • Ensures data from subsequent visits to the same site are attributed to the same user ID.
  • 365 days duration.
  • UUID data type.

_hjFirstSeen

 Cookie
  • Identifies a new user’s first session.
  • Used by Recording filters to identify new user sessions.
  • 30 minutes duration, extended on user activity.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjHasCachedUserAttributes

 Cookie
  • Enables us to know whether the data set in _hjUserAttributes Local Storage item is up to date or not.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjUserAttributesHash

 Cookie
  • Enables us to know when any User Attribute has changed and needs to be updated.
  • 2 minutes duration, extended every 30 seconds.
  • Content hash data type.

_hjUserAttributes

 Local storage item
  • Stores User Attributes sent through the Hotjar Identify API.
  • No explicit expiration.
  • Base64 encoded JSON data type.

hjViewportId

 Session storage item
  • Stores user viewport details such as size and dimensions.
  • Session duration.
  • UUID data type.
Relating to the session

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjSession_{site_id}

 Cookie
  • Holds current session data.
  • Ensures subsequent requests in the session window are attributed to the same session.
  • 30 minutes duration, extended on user activity.
  • JSON data type.

_hjSessionTooLarge

 Cookie
  • Causes Hotjar to stop collecting data if a session becomes too large.
  • Determined automatically by a signal from the server if the session size exceeds the limit.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjSessionResumed

 Cookie
  • Set when a session/recording is reconnected to Hotjar servers after a break in connection.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjCookieTest

 Cookie
  • Checks to see if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use cookies. If it can, a value of 1 is set.
  • Deleted almost immediately after it is created.
  • Under 100ms duration, cookie expiration time set to session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjLocalStorageTest

 Cookie
  • Checks if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use Local Storage.
    If it can, a value of 1 is set.
  • Data stored in _hjLocalStorageTest has no expiration time, but it is deleted almost immediately after it is created.
  • Under 100ms duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjSessionStorageTest

 Cookie
  • Checks if the Hotjar Tracking Code can use Session Storage. If it can, a value of 1 is set.
  • Data stored in _hjSessionStorageTest has no expiration time, but it is deleted almost immediately after it is created.
  • Under 100ms duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjIncludedInPageviewSample

 Cookie
  • Set to determine if a user is included in the data sampling defined by your site's pageview limit.
  • 2 minutes duration, extended every 30 seconds.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjIncludedInSessionSample_{site_id}

 Cookie
  • Set to determine if a user is included in the data sampling defined by your site's daily session limit.
  • 2 minutes duration, extended every 30 seconds.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress

 Cookie
  • Used to detect the first pageview session of a user.
  • 30 minutes duration, extended on user activity.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjTLDTest

 Cookie
  • We try to store the _hjTLDTest cookie for different URL substring alternatives until it fails.
  • Enables us to try to determine the most generic cookie path to use, instead of page hostname.
  • It means that cookies can be shared across subdomains (where applicable).
  • After this check, the cookie is removed.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.
Relating to Recordings

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjRecordingEnabled

 Session storage item
  • Set when a Recording starts.
  • Read when the Recording module is initialized to see if the user is already in a recording in a particular session.
  • Session duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.

_hjRecordingLastActivity

 Session storage item
  • Updated when a user recording starts and when data is sent to the server (the user performs an action that Hotjar records).
  • Session duration.
  • Numerical value (timestamp) data type.
Relating to Feedback and Survey tools

Name

Data storage type

Description

_hjClosedSurveyInvites

 Cookie
  • Set when a user interacts with a Link Survey invitation modal.
  • Ensures the same invite does not reappear if it has already been shown.
  • 365 days duration.
  • List of Survey IDs, URL encoded.

_hjDonePolls

 Cookie
  • Set when a user completes an on-site Survey.
  • Ensures the same Survey does not reappear if it has already been filled in.
  • 365 days duration.
  • List of Survey IDs, URL encoded.

_hjMinimizedPolls

 Cookie
  • Set when a user minimizes an on-site Survey.
  • Ensures that the Survey stays minimized when the user navigates through your site.
  • 365 days duration.
  • List of Survey IDs, URL encoded.

_hjShownFeedbackMessage

 Cookie
  • Set when a user minimizes or completes a Feedback widget.
  • Ensures the Feedback widget will load as minimized if the user navigates to another page where it is set to show.
  • One day duration.
  • Boolean true/false data type.