Cookie policy

Like most other organisations and charities, MQ uses ‘cookies’ on its website. A cookie is a small file that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer which lets our website recognise your device. It helps us track the number of visits to our site and how people are using our webpages. Information collected in this way will be recorded anonymously and aggregated.

We also use cookies to collect data to improve the online experience of our website users. This helps us ensure that our information is accessible and to continually improve our site.

Our cookies fall into the following categories:

1. Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential for the user to move around the website and to use its features.
2. Performance cookies: These cookies collect information about how the user makes use of the site, e.g. which pages the user visits most. These cookies do not collect information that identifies the user.
3. Functionality cookies: These cookies are used to:
   1. recognise the user when the user returns to our website;
   2. remember choices made by the user and enhance the features, e.g. language or user’s location; and
   3. remember a user's preferences for a font size, or customisable parts of a web page.
4. Targeting or advertising cookies: These cookies collect information about the user's browsing habits. This may include:
   1. the source of the user’s referral to our website;
   2. the user’s use of social media sites, e.g. Facebook; or
   3. how the user interacts with our website.

We use this information to:

Many cookies will expire after the browser is closed except for cookies that are strictly necessary.

Find out more in the ICO guidance.The majority of our cookies fall into the first two categories. However, we also use cookies on our webpages that are in categories three and four.

What information do we collect?

We may collect some, or all, of this information when you visit our website, depending on how you use it. We monitor how people use our website so we can improve it.

If you visit our website, we may record information about this including (but not limited to):

• the areas of the website you visit
• the amount of time you spend on the site
• whether you are new to the site or have visited it before
• how you came to our website – for example, through an email link
• the type of device and browser you use
• how you use the website and the quality of your experience – for example, we may record a session or test different variations of a webpage to see how easy it is for you to find what you are looking for so we can improve the service

All data that is tracked is anonymous and the cookie cannot be used to identify you. You can find out how to turn off cookies by visiting aboutcookies.orgor www.allaboutcookiges.org. You can opt-out of Google Analytics cookies by Google’s opt-out tool.

However, please note that if you choose to refuse cookies you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website.

MQ also reserves the right to anonymously track and report a user's activity inside of our website. Our website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies and or an Application Programming Interface (“API”) to help analyse how our website is used. The information generated by the cookie or API about a user’s use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.

Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate an IP address with any other data held by Google.

By using the website, an individual or organisation consents to the processing of data about themselves by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above. You can change your cookie preferences at any time using Google's opt-out tool.