The Scheme's privacy policy

If you visit the PAS website, we automatically gather and store the following information about your visit (via the use of Google Analytics) so that we can track the use of our website in order to make improvements:

• the IP address from which you access our website
• the name of the domain from which you access the Internet (e.g. aol.com, if you are connecting from an America Online accoun
• the type of browser and operating system used to access our website
• the date and time of your visit to the site
• the pages, files, documents and links that you visit
• the internet address of the website from which you linked to our site (i.e. the previous site you visited before you came to us)

What happens to the information collected?

PAS will not make any attempt to identify individual users or their particular browsing activities. The information above is stored and used in the aggregate only, in order to provide us with information about the general use of our site. We analyse our logfiles in order to make improvements to the site: for example if we find that some pages are rarely, or never visited, we may decide to remove or rewrite them.

What are cookies?

Cookies can be either persistent or session-based. Persistent cookies are small pieces of information sent to your browser by a website that you visit. They are stored on your computer, contain an expiry date, and may be used to track your browsing behaviour upon return to the issuing web site. When you register on a website, cookies allow the website to remember your information so you will not have to re-enter it the next time you visit. You can set your browser to refuse cookies from any website you visit. If you choose to do that you can usually still gain access to most, if not all of the site, but you may not be able to conduct certain types of transactions (such as shopping) or take advantage of some of the interactive elements offered. Session cookies are short-lived, are used only during a browsing session, and expire when you quit your browser. Upon closing your browser the session cookie set by the web site is destroyed and no personal information is maintained which might identify you should you visit the web site at a later date.

Does PAS use cookies?

The Schemed does use cookies for the following purposes:

• We use a persistent cookie on our Access Options page, to enable your accessibility preferences to be remembered when you next visit our site. For example, if you choose to view the site in black text with yellow background, and you click that button on our Access Options page, a cookie will be activated and placed on your machine so that the next time you visit us, our site will be presented to you in those colours.
• A session cookie which is deleted on exit for maintaining your history on the database

You can usually set your browser to refuse our cookie if you wish: check your browser for a command called 'Block Cookies' (it is in the Privacy or Security settings area, depending on which browser you have.)

Note that if you choose not to accept our cookie, you will have to reset your access options each time you visit our website.

Email addresses and personal information

We will only collect personal information which you knowingly and willingly provide, by for example sending emails or completing online forms. Your email address will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it and it will not be added to a mailing list or used for any other purpose without your consent. When you sign up to our email alert service (so that you can be notified by email when new material is added to our website), we ask you for your email address and a password. This is to enable you to personalise the alerting service and this will not be used for any other purpose. When you sign up for Portable Antiquities News alerts, you are asked for an email address, a password and your name.

You are also protected under the Data Protection Act 1998, which we adhere to in full. Your personal details cannot be released to a third party under any Freedom of Information request.