edX Online

edX’s cookie policy

Last Updated:

Please read the following carefully to understand how edX LLC (a 2U, Inc. company, also “edX”, “we”, or “us”) uses Cookies and other tracking technologies when you visit www.edx.org (the “Site”). By using or accessing our Site, you agree to this Cookie Policy. This Cookie Policy may change from time to time and your continued use of the Site is deemed to be acceptance of such changes. Please check this Cookie Policy periodically for updates.

QUICK GUIDE TO CONTENTS

  1. What are Cookies?

    Cookies and similar tracking technologies (e.g., pixel tags and HTML5 storage objects) (collectively "Cookies") are files containing small amounts of information that are stored by your browser on any Internet-enabled device – such as your computer, smart phone, or tablet – when you visit a website. Most web pages contain elements from multiple web domains, so when you visit our Site, your browser may receive Cookies from several sources.

    Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognizes that cookie. Cookies do lots of different and useful jobs, such as remembering your actions and preferences (such as login, language, font size and other display preferences), distinguishing you from other users of the Site, generally improving your online experience, and helping us to offer you the best product and services. We use Cookies and other tracking technologies to ensure visitors to our Site have the best possible experience and to provide targeted advertising.

    There are many different types of Cookies. For a detailed list of Cookies used on our Site, please refer to the section below, Types of Cookies Used by edX.

  2. How You Can Control or Delete Cookies

    We provide you with several ways to manage Cookies:

    • You can refuse to provide your consent to our collection of non-essential Cookies;
    • You can disable first- or third-party Cookies by use of your browser settings;
    • You can use opt-out tools provided by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA), or National Advertising Initiative (NAI).

    Our performance, functionality and targeting/advertising Cookies are not strictly necessary for the Site to work but will provide you with a better browsing experience. You can delete or block these Cookies, but if you do this, you may have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit the Site and some features of the Site may not work as intended. For example, you may not be able to visit certain areas of the Site or you may not receive personalized information when you visit our Site.

    A. Control via Your Browser Settings

    Most internet browsers are initially set up to automatically accept Cookies. If you do not want our Site to store Cookies on your computer or device, you can change or adjust your browser or device settings to block Cookies or to alert you when Cookies are being sent to your device.

    If you use different devices to view and access our Site (e.g. your computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.), you will need to ensure that each browser on each device is adjusted to suit your Cookie preferences.

    The procedures for changing your settings and Cookies differ from browser to browser. If necessary, use the help function on your browser or click on one of the links below to go directly to the user manual for your browser.

    More info. To find out more about Cookies, including how to see what Cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org.

    B. Additional Mechanisms for Exercising Choice

    We, or other parties we do business with, may place or recognize unique Cookies placed on your browser or use other tracking technologies when you visit our Site to collect information about your use of the Site and your other online activities over time and across different websites and apps, and may use that information to serve interest-based advertisements to you as you browse the Internet.

    To learn more about your choices for receiving interest-based advertising or to opt-out, please review the information below:

    • DAA: To opt-out of such collection and use for interest-based advertising by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) participating companies, please visit the DAA's website.
    • EDAA: To opt-out from the use of information about your online activities for interest-based advertising by European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) member companies, please visit the EDAA's website.
    • NAI: To opt-out from the use of information about your online activities for interest-based advertising by Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) member companies, please visit the NAI's website.

    Please note that even if you opt-out, you may still receive advertisements from edX that are not customized based on Cookies or other technologies.

  3. Types of Cookies Used by edX

    We use different types of Cookies to run our Site. Some or all of the Cookies identified below may be stored in your browser.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookies are necessary for the operation of our Site. These Cookies are essential in helping you to move around our Site and use the features, such as accessing secure areas of the Site or using the shopping basket.

    For example, we may use Strictly Necessary Cookies to:

    • Remember the goods and services you selected when you get to the payment page
    • Identify you as being logged into the Site
    • Provide access to protected areas of the Site
    • Remember previously entered text so it is not lost if the page refreshes

    Performance Cookies

    Performance Cookies simply help us improve the way our Site works. We utilize these Cookies to analyze how our visitors use our Site and to monitor our site performance. They tell us how people use each page, which ones are most commonly viewed, or whether any errors occurred. This allows us to provide a high-quality experience and quickly identify then fix any issues that arise.

    For example, we may use Performance Cookies to:

    • Store preferences to see which method of linking between pages is most effective
    • Enable web analytics to provide anonymous statistics on how our Site is used
    • To assist with error management in helping us improve the Site by measuring any errors that occur
    • Monitor ad response rates and determine the effectiveness of our ads

    Functionality Cookies

    We use Functionality Cookies to allow us to remember your preferences. For example, we may use Functionality Cookies to:

    • Remember settings you have applied such as layout, colors, font sizes and page backgrounds
    • Remember if we have already asked you if you want to fill in a survey
    • Detect if you have already seen a pop-up to ensure it doesn’t get shown to you again
    • Process a request from a user to submit a comment or blog or forum post

    Targeting Cookies

    Targeting Cookies help edX make sure that the ads you see on our Site are relevant to you and your interests. Targeting Cookies may also be placed on your device by our third party service providers that remember you have visited the Site in order to provide you with ads more relevant to you. We may use Targeting Cookies to:

    • Collect information about browser habits to target advertising
    • Collect information about browser habits to target site content
    • Provide links to social networks
    • Provide advertising agencies with information on your visit so that they can present you with advertisements you may be interested in

    Many of the Cookies placed through our Site are session Cookies, while others are persistent Cookies, and some are “first-party” Cookies, while others are “third-party” Cookies.

    • First-party Cookies are those set by a site that is being visited by the user at the time (e.g., Cookies placed by www.edx.org).
    • Third-party Cookies are Cookies that are set by a domain other than that of the site being visited by the user. For example, when a user visits a site and a cookie set on that site by a third-party fires, it transfers information to the user's web browser, where it might be stored or sent back with the next request to the same server. Cookies that are sent through these third-party components are called third-party cookies and are mainly used for advertising and tracking across the web.
    • Persistent Cookies are Cookies that remain on a user’s device for the period of time specified in the cookie. They are activated each time that the user visits the site that created that particular cookie.
    • Session Cookies are Cookies that allow website operators to link the actions of a user during a browser session. A browser session starts when a user opens the browser window and finishes when they close the browser window. Session Cookies are created temporarily. Once you close the browser, all session Cookies are deleted.
    • Google Analytics Cookies. Our Site uses Google Analytics Cookies, which monitor traffic levels, search queries and visits to our Site. These Cookies enable Google to determine whether you are a return visitor to the Site and to track the pages that you visit during your session. For more information about Google Analytics Cookies, please see Google's privacy policy. Google has developed the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on for the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js, analytics.js, dc.js). If you want to opt out of Google Analytics, you can download and install Google’s add-on for your web browser.
    • Facebook Advertisements. We use Facebook to market our services, track conversion events, and find audiences for our courses, programs, and products. You can control whether you see ads based on your activity off of Facebook, through “Data About Your Activity From Partners” in your Facebook Ad Preferences. For more information, see Facebook’s help page.

  4. Cookies Set by Members

    Some of the educational institutions or other leading global entities that create courses and/or programs using tools provided by edX and offer them directly to you through the Site (“Members”) set Cookies within those courses and/or programs, and those Members alone choose which Cookies to set. However, your Cookie consent choices on the Site will apply to Cookies set by Members.

  5. Questions/Contact Us

    If you have any questions or concerns regarding this Cookie Policy, please contact us at privacy@edx.org.