UNODC SPARK
Cookie Policy
Use of cookies on the UNODC SPARK platform.
SPARK uses a small number of cookies. Two are needed for the platform to work at all — they keep you signed in and remember that you have seen this notice. Two more are set by UNODC's own analytics software, which counts how the platform is used. No cookies are set for advertising, and none are shared with an advertising network.
What cookies are
A cookie is a small file a website asks your browser to store and send back on later visits. Cookies are what allow a site to recognise that two page requests come from the same person — which is how staying signed in works. Some of the entries below are not cookies in the strict sense but data stored in your browser for the same reason; they are listed because the distinction makes no difference to you.
The cookies SPARK sets
Necessary for the platform to work
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Kept for |
|---|---|---|---|
MoodleSession |
SPARK | Identifies your session so the platform knows that the pages you request belong together. Without it you cannot sign in, and anything you submit would be lost between one page and the next. | Until you sign out or close the browser |
EU_COOKIE_LAW_CONSENT |
SPARK | Records that you have seen and acknowledged the notice about these policies, so that it is not shown again on every page. | 30 days |
MOODLEID1_ |
SPARK | Set only if you ask the platform to remember your username on the sign-in page. It stores that username, nothing else. | Until you clear it |
These cannot be switched off while using the platform: without them there is no signing in and no way to keep a page's state.
Understanding how the platform is used
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Kept for |
|---|---|---|---|
_pk_id.* |
Matomo, hosted by UNODC at analytics.elearningunodc.org |
Assigns your browser a random identifier so that repeat visits can be counted as one visitor rather than several. The identifier is not linked to your account and carries no information about you. | 13 months |
_pk_ses.* |
Matomo, hosted by UNODC | Marks the pages you open in one sitting as a single visit, so that visit counts are not inflated. | 30 minutes |
The analytics software runs on UNODC's own servers. Usage statistics are not sent to an external analytics provider, and they are not combined with data from other websites.
Stored by your browser, not as cookies
SPARK also keeps a small amount of data in your browser's local storage: translations of interface text, icon definitions and page templates. This is a cache — it makes pages load faster and is discarded when you clear your browsing data. It contains no personal data and is never sent back to the server.
Cookies set by other services
Some parts of a page are loaded from services outside the platform. They do not set cookies of their own on SPARK, but requesting a file from them discloses your IP address and browser to that service:
cdn.jsdelivr.netandcdnjs.cloudflare.com— scripts and stylesheetsassets.elearningunodc.org— images and fonts, hosted by UNODC
If a course includes a live webinar, joining it opens Zoom, which sets its own cookies under its own policy. That happens on Zoom's side, not on SPARK.
What you can do
Every browser lets you view, delete and block cookies, usually under settings named "Privacy", "Cookies" or "Site data". Blocking cookies from SPARK will prevent you from signing in, since the session cookie is what keeps you signed in.
If you prefer not to be counted in the usage statistics, most browsers offer a "Do Not Track" setting, which the analytics software respects. You can also block analytics.elearningunodc.org in your browser; the platform works normally without it.
Changes
The table above describes the platform as it is configured today. If cookies are added or their purpose changes, this policy is updated and, where the change is material, you will be asked to review it.
