About This Policy
This policy explains how official Kaharagian websites and digital services use cookies and similar technologies.
It applies generally to websites, portals, applications and other online services operated by or on behalf of the State of the Kaharagians and its institutions.
The cookies used may differ between websites and services. Where a cookie processes personal data, the service must provide the information required by the DPC through its own notice, settings page or cookie-management tool.
Cookies and similar identifiers may involve personal data. In that case, the Data Protection Code (DPC) and the Privacy Policy apply. If this Policy conflicts with the DPC or a higher source of Kaharagian law, the law prevails.
What Cookies Are
Cookies are small text files placed on a computer, telephone, tablet or other device when a person visits a website.
They may be used to:
- support the proper operation of a website;
- maintain a secure session;
- remember a User’s choices;
- provide account or authentication functions;
- improve the performance of a service; or
- provide information about how a website is being used.
Some cookies remain on a device only while the browser is open. Others remain until they expire or are deleted.
Similar Technologies
Official Kaharagian websites may also use technologies that perform functions similar to cookies.
These may include:
Local Storage
Local storage allows information to be retained within a browser until it is cleared. It may be used, for example, to remember a display preference or preserve information needed by a web application.
Session Storage
Session storage holds information temporarily for the duration of a browsing session. It is normally removed when the relevant browser tab or window is closed.
Pixels and Similar Elements
Pixels, tags or similar technical elements may record that a page, message or feature has been opened or used.
Authentication Tokens
Some services may use secure tokens to confirm that a User has signed in or is authorised to use a particular feature.
References to “cookies” in this policy include these similar technologies unless the context requires otherwise.
Our Approach
The State of the Kaharagians limits cookies to those required for the operation, security and proportionate improvement of its websites and digital services.
Official Kaharagian websites must not use cookies merely because they are available. The lawful basis, necessity, purpose and retention period of each cookie must be documented before it is introduced.
Where a cookie processes personal data:
- only the information necessary for the documented purpose may be collected;
- it must not remain in place longer than necessary;
- it must not be used for an incompatible purpose;
- non-essential cookies requiring consent must remain disabled until valid consent is given; and
- unnecessary third-party tracking is prohibited.
Cookies Used by Official Kaharagian Websites
Some official websites consist mainly of public information and may use few or no cookies.
Other services may require cookies to provide functions such as:
- secure account access;
- identity authentication;
- maintenance of a User’s session;
- completion of an online form;
- prevention of fraud or misuse;
- language, display or accessibility preferences;
- protection against malicious activity; or
- operation of an interactive application.
The absence of a cookie banner does not necessarily mean that no technical storage is used. A website may use strictly necessary cookies or local browser storage that does not require a separate consent choice.
Where a service uses additional or non-essential cookies that process personal data, the required information must be provided on that service.
Categories of Cookies
Cookies may be placed into one or more of the following categories.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly necessary cookies are required for a website or service to operate properly.
They may be used for:
- security;
- account authentication;
- session management;
- load balancing;
- network management;
- fraud prevention;
- accessibility functions;
- recording a User’s cookie choice; or
- maintaining information needed to complete a requested service.
A website or service may not function correctly if these cookies are blocked.
Functional Cookies
Functional cookies remember choices made by a User and may improve the operation of a website.
They may be used to remember:
- language preferences;
- light or dark display settings;
- accessibility preferences;
- previously selected options; or
- other settings chosen by the User.
Some preferences may be stored only within the User’s browser and may not be transmitted to the State.
Performance and Analytics Cookies
Performance and analytics cookies provide information about how a website or service is used.
They may help identify:
- which pages are visited;
- whether Users encounter errors;
- how quickly pages load;
- which functions are commonly used; or
- where improvements may be needed.
Official Kaharagian websites must not use analytics to build unnecessary profiles of individual Users.
Where analytics cookies require consent, they may be used only after valid consent has been provided.
Targeting and Advertising Cookies
Targeting or advertising cookies are used to follow browsing activity, select advertisements or measure advertising campaigns.
Official Kaharagian websites do not ordinarily use advertising cookies or behavioural advertising.
Should an official service introduce such technology, it must be clearly disclosed and managed separately from strictly necessary cookies.
Cookies Set by Individual Services
Because official Kaharagian websites perform different functions, there is no single list of cookies that accurately describes every service.
A website or service that uses cookies involving personal data must provide a separate list containing:
- the name of the cookie;
- the organisation placing it;
- its purpose;
- the lawful basis for processing;
- whether it is strictly necessary;
- the information it stores;
- recipients and any international transfer safeguards;
- how long it remains in place; and
- how it may be controlled.
Where no additional cookie information is displayed, the service may use only strictly necessary technical storage or may not use cookies at all.
Users may contact the Royal Chancellery for clarification concerning a particular official website or service.
Preference Storage
Some websites may remember a User’s display, language or accessibility choices through local storage rather than a traditional cookie.
Examples may include:
- light or dark mode;
- text size;
- reduced-motion settings;
- preferred language; or
- whether a notice has already been dismissed.
Where such information remains entirely on the User’s device, it is not ordinarily available to the State unless the website is specifically designed to transmit it.
Clearing browser data may remove these preferences.
Account and Authentication Cookies
Websites that provide accounts, portals or restricted services may use cookies or authentication tokens to:
- confirm that a User has signed in;
- maintain a secure session;
- prevent unauthorised access;
- protect against forgery or malicious requests;
- apply the correct permissions; or
- sign a User out after a period of inactivity.
These cookies are normally necessary for the requested service.
Blocking or deleting them may sign the User out, interrupt a transaction or prevent the service from operating.
Analytics
Official Kaharagian websites do not use analytics merely to follow individual Users across unrelated websites.
Where analytics are used, they must be configured to collect no more information than is necessary for the documented purpose.
Analytics information may include:
- the pages visited;
- approximate visit times;
- browser and device type;
- general technical information;
- referring pages;
- errors encountered; and
- broad, non-precise geographic information derived from network data.
Analytics information must be minimised and should be aggregated, shortened, anonymised or pseudonymised wherever the purpose permits.
A service that uses non-essential analytics cookies requiring consent must provide the required information and choice before those cookies are activated.
Advertising and Cross-Site Tracking
Official Kaharagian websites do not ordinarily display commercial advertising or use cookies to track Users for advertising purposes.
They must not participate in cross-site behavioural tracking unless that use has been expressly approved, clearly disclosed, supported by a lawful basis and implemented in compliance with the DPC.
The appearance of an external link does not, by itself, mean that the State tracks a User’s activity after leaving an official website.
Third-Party Cookies
Some official websites may use content or services provided by another organisation.
Examples may include:
- video or audio players;
- maps;
- document viewers;
- identity providers;
- payment services;
- video-conferencing systems;
- security services;
- embedded forms; or
- externally hosted applications.
A third-party service may place its own cookies or receive technical information when it is used.
Third-party content that sets non-essential cookies requiring consent must not be activated until the User has made an informed choice.
The cookies and data practices of a third party may also be governed by that provider’s own terms and privacy information.
The State cannot directly control cookies placed by a third-party website after a User leaves an official Kaharagian service.
Infrastructure and Security Information
Hosting providers, content delivery services, domain providers, security systems and network operators may process technical information needed to deliver and protect official websites.
This information may include:
- internet protocol addresses;
- request dates and times;
- browser or device information;
- pages or resources requested;
- security events;
- error information; and
- network or server logs.
Such processing does not necessarily involve cookies and is addressed more fully in the applicable privacy policy.
Cookie Consent
Where consent is the lawful basis for a non-essential cookie, the relevant website must provide a clear means for the User to:
- accept or reject the cookie;
- choose between available categories;
- understand the general purpose of the cookie; and
- change or withdraw the choice later.
Consent must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous, and expressed through a clear affirmative act. Silence, inactivity and pre-ticked boxes are not consent. Withdrawal must be as easy as consent and available through the same interface or an equally accessible one. The controller must retain evidence of the choice, in accordance with DPC Arts. 4 and 7.
Rejecting non-essential cookies must not prevent access to ordinary public information.
A function that depends upon an optional third-party service may not work where the cookies needed by that service have been rejected.
Strictly necessary cookies may be set without an affirmative choice where they are required to provide a service requested by the User or to maintain security and proper operation.
Managing Cookies
Most browsers allow Users to view, block or delete cookies.
Depending upon the browser, a User may be able to:
- view cookies stored on the device;
- remove individual cookies;
- remove all cookies;
- block cookies from a particular website;
- block third-party cookies;
- prevent cookies from being stored;
- clear local and session storage; or
- create exceptions for selected websites.
Instructions differ between browsers and may change over time. Users should consult the privacy or cookie settings provided by their browser or device manufacturer.
Clearing Cookies and Stored Information
Deleting cookies may also remove:
- saved preferences;
- active login sessions;
- partly completed forms;
- cookie-consent choices; and
- other information stored by a website.
A User may therefore need to sign in again or reselect preferences after clearing browser data.
Local storage and other site data may need to be cleared separately from traditional cookies, depending upon the browser.
Blocking Cookies
The effect of blocking cookies depends upon the website or service concerned.
Blocking non-essential cookies should ordinarily affect only optional features such as analytics, embedded media or saved preferences.
Blocking strictly necessary cookies may:
- prevent a User from signing in;
- interrupt an application or transaction;
- cause security checks to fail;
- prevent settings from being retained; or
- make part of the service unavailable.
Public information pages that do not require cookies should generally remain accessible.
Do Not Track and Similar Signals
Some browsers provide a “Do Not Track” setting or another signal intended to express a preference concerning online tracking.
There is no single universally adopted method of interpreting every such signal.
Official Kaharagian websites do not ordinarily use behavioural advertising or unnecessary cross-site tracking. Where a recognised browser signal can reasonably be applied to a particular technology, it may be taken into account.
Cookie choices made through the controls provided by the relevant website remain the clearest way to manage non-essential cookies on that service.
Children and Cookies
Official Kaharagian websites must not use cookies to create advertising or behavioural profiles of children.
Where a service is intended for children or may reasonably be used by them, personal data must be minimised and unnecessary tracking is prohibited. Where processing relies on consent from a person under 18, consent must be given or authorised by the holder of parental authority or legal guardianship and reasonably verified, as required by DPC Art. 7(7).
Account, security or service-delivery cookies may still be used where required to operate the service safely.
Changes in the Cookies Used
The cookies used by a website may change when:
- a new service or feature is introduced;
- an authentication system is changed;
- security measures are updated;
- a technical platform is replaced;
- an external provider is added or removed; or
- an analytics or performance tool is introduced.
Where a change materially affects Users, the relevant notice, cookie list or settings tool must be updated before the changed processing begins.
Non-essential cookies must not be introduced without the notice and choice required under applicable Kaharagian law.
Application of This Policy
This policy applies to official websites, portals, applications, digital publications and other online services operated by or on behalf of the State of the Kaharagians and its institutions.
A particular service may publish additional cookie information where necessary.
Where a service-specific notice identifies the cookies used by that service, the notice should be read together with this policy.
Governing Law, Jurisdiction and Enforcement
This Policy is governed by Kaharagian law, subject to the Fundamental Laws, applicable promulgated treaties and Kaharagian conflict-of-laws rules. Kaharagian law governs the State’s internal authority and the official character of its services. Mandatory host-jurisdiction law applies where the Fundamental Laws or the DPC so provides, including the higher-protection rule in DPC Art. 29.
Acting through a competent authority and as permitted by applicable law, the State may choose to commence, defend, support or participate in proceedings; seek interim or final relief; enforce rights or judgments; cooperate with foreign authorities; or refer conduct to a competent authority in any jurisdiction. A choice to act in a foreign forum is limited to that matter and carries the jurisdictional consequences imposed by applicable law; it is not a general submission for unrelated matters.
This section is to be read with FN Arts. 6, 36, 38, 42, 45 and 47 and DPC Arts. 3, 26 and 29. Officials acting abroad do not claim immunity or privilege that the host jurisdiction does not recognise.
Contact
Questions concerning cookies or similar technologies used by an official Kaharagian website or service should be directed to:
Royal Chancellery
chancellery@kaharagia.org
An enquiry should identify the website or service concerned and, where possible, include:
- the page or function being used;
- the name of the cookie, if known;
- the browser or device involved; and
- a description of the question or difficulty.
The Royal Chancellery may refer the enquiry to the institution or technical office responsible for the relevant service.
Changes to This Policy
This policy may be amended to reflect changes in Kaharagian law, technology, website functions or administrative practice.
The review date above will be updated after a substantive change.
Users should consult the current version of this policy and any service-specific cookie notice for the most recent information.