NPR Cookie Policy : NPR
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NPR Cookie Policy We use the following types of cookies for the purposes set out below.

NPR Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy explains how NPR uses cookies and similar technologies in connection with our Services. If you have any questions or concerns about the Cookie Policy, please contact us at [email protected] or as otherwise described in our Privacy Policy.

What are cookies and similar technologies?

Cookies are strings of characters that can be written to a file on the user's computer or device when the user visits a site, application, platform or service. When you visit a website or use a mobile application, a computer asks your computer or mobile device for permission to store this file on your computer or mobile device and access information from it. Information gathered through cookies may include the date and time of visits and how you are using the website.

Local storage technologies, like HTML5, provide cookie-equivalent functionality but can store larger amounts of data, including on your device outside of your browser in connection with specific applications.

Web beacons, also known as pixel tags or clear GIFs, are used to demonstrate that a webpage or email was accessed or opened, or that certain content was viewed or clicked.

This Cookie Policy refers to all these technologies collectively as "cookies."

Cookies can be "first-party" or "third-party" depending on the domain that sets them.

  • First-party cookies. These cookies are set by NPR and information collected from these cookies is used by us in accordance with the terms of this Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy.
  • Third-party cookies. These cookies are set by another party's website (so not our website) and information is collected and used in accordance with that party's policies.

First-party and third-party cookies can be either "session" or "persistent" cookies depending on their duration, and our website uses both persistent and session cookies.

  • Session Cookies. These cookies are temporary cookies that remain on your computer or device until you leave our website. They allow our website to link your actions during a browser session. We may use these for a variety of purposes such as remembering what you clicked on, or the previous page you visited. A session starts when a user opens a browser window and ends when the browser window is closed, following which all session cookies expire and are deleted;
  • Persistent Cookies. These cookies remain on your device for much longer or until you manually delete them (how long the cookie remains on your device will depend on the duration or "lifetime" of the specific cookie, as well as your browser settings). Persistent cookies may be used for a variety of purposes, including remembering users' preferences and choices when using a site or to target sponsorship and marketing messages.

We use the following types of cookies for the purposes set out below:

Essential Cookies

These cookies are essential to provide you with services available through the NPR Services and to enable you to use some of their features. For example, these cookies allow NPR to remember your registration information while you are logged in. Local station customization, the NPR Shop, and other interactive features also use cookies. Without these cookies, the services that you have asked for cannot be provided, and we only use these cookies to provide you with those services.

Functionality Cookies

These cookies allow our Services to remember choices you make when you use them, such as remembering your Member station preferences and remembering your account details. The purpose of these cookies is to provide you with a more personal experience and to prevent you from having to re-enter your preferences every time you visit the NPR Services.

Analytics and Performance Cookies

These cookies are used to collect information about traffic to our Services and how users interact with the NPR Services. The information collected includes the number of visitors to the NPR Services, the websites that referred visitors to the NPR Services, the pages that they visited on the NPR Services, what time of day they visited the NPR Services, whether they have visited the NPR Services before, and other similar information. We use this information to help operate the NPR Services more efficiently, to gather broad demographic information and to monitor the level of activity on the NPR Services.

Targeted and Sponsor Cookies

These cookies track your browsing habits or other information, such as location, to enable us to show sponsorship credits which are more likely to be of interest to you. These cookies use information about your browsing history to group you with other users who have similar interests. Based on that information, and with our permission, we and our sponsors can place cookies to enable us or our sponsors to show sponsorship credits and other messages that we think will be relevant to your interests while you are using third-party services.

Social Media Service Cookies

These cookies are used when you share information using a social media sharing button or you link your account or engage with our content on or through a social media service such as Facebook. The social networking service will record that you have done this.

Additionally, we use these technologies:

Metadata tags

NPR, its sponsors and content producers may use ID3 tags or other metadata containers embedded in podcasts and other media files to collect listening data when these files are played using a compatible Internet-connected media player platform.

Pixel tags

NPR and its service providers and vendors may also use pixel tags, alone or in conjunction with cookies. A pixel tag, also known as a web beacon or clear GIF, is an electronic image that can be used to recognize certain information on your device, such as cookies, the time and date a web page is viewed, or a description of where API content is placed. Cookies and these other tracking technologies enable us to assign a unique number to a user's device, and relate information about a user's use of the NPR Services to other information about the user, including personal information. These technologies also enable NPR and its service providers and vendors to recognize you when you access the NPR Services using different computers, devices or browsers.

Flash technology

We may also use Flash cookies (which are also known as Flash LSOs) on the NPR Services to collect and store information about your use of the NPR Services. Unlike other cookies, Flash cookies cannot be removed or rejected via your browser settings. If you do not want Flash cookies stored on your device, you can adjust the settings of your Flash player to block Flash LSO storage using the tools contained in the Website Storage Settings Panel. You can also control Flash LSOs by going to the Global Storage Settings Panel and following the instructions. Please note that setting the Flash Player to restrict or limit acceptance of Flash LSOs may reduce or impede the functionality of some Flash applications, including, potentially, Flash applications used in connection with certain of the NPR Services.

How can you control the use of cookies?

Depending on where you access the Services, you may be presented with a cookie banner or other tool to provide permissions prior to non-Essential cookies being set. In this case, we only set these non-Essential cookies with your consent.

Cookies. You can manage your cookie settings, including accepting or rejecting cookies, by clicking the "Cookie Settings & Opt Out" button in NPR's Privacy Policy. Clicking on that button, and following the instructions, will also allow you to opt out of the sharing of your information with our sponsorship vendors for delivery of "interest-based" sponsorship credits and marketing messages on NPR.org. If you opt out, those vendors may continue to serve you non-personalized, non-interest-based sponsorship credits and marketing messages on NPR.org.

Google Analytics.To prevent data from being collected by Google Universal Analytics, use the opt-out browser add-on developed by Google for this purpose available here.

You can also limit online tracking by:

Blocking cookies in your browser. Most browsers let you remove or reject cookies, including cookies used for interest-based sponsorship and marketing messages. To do this, follow the instructions in your browser settings. Many browsers accept cookies by default until you change your settings. For more information about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set on your device and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

Use the following links to learn more about how to control cookies and online tracking through your browser:

  • Firefox; Chrome; Microsoft Edge; Safari (Mac); Safari (Mobile/iOS)
  • Blocking advertising ID use in your mobile settings. Your mobile device settings can provide functionality to limit use of the advertising ID associated with your mobile device for interest-based sponsorship purposes.

    For iOS mobile devices, go to "Settings" from your device's home screen, scroll down to find and select "Privacy, " and then select "Tracking" to adjust tracking permission. For Android mobile devices, go to "Google Settings" on your device, select "Ads"; and click the option labeled "Delete advertising ID." (Please note these settings allow you to opt out of interest-based messages for all applications, not just NPR's mobile applications. These device settings options may change in the future or otherwise may differ for certain devices; consult your device manufacturer's support literature for the most current information.)
  • Using privacy plug-ins or browsers. You can block our websites from setting cookies used for interest-based sponsorship by using a browser with privacy features, like Brave, or installing browser plugins like Privacy Badger, Ghostery, or uBlock Origin, and configuring them to block third party cookies/trackers.
  • Industry interest-based sponsorship opt-out tools. You can also use these opt out options to limit use of your information for personalized or "interest-based" and "cross-contextual" online sponsorship credits and marketing messages by participating companies:
    ---Digital Advertising Alliance for Websites: https://optout.aboutads.info.
    ---Network Advertising Initiative: https://optout.networkadvertising.org.
    ---UK users, European Economic Area (EEA) users and Swiss users can learn more and access opt-out tools from https://www.youronlinechoices.eu/.
    ---To learn more about controlling the collection of cross-app data from your mobile device visit https://youradchoices.com/appchoices.
  • Platform opt-outs. Some of our sponsorship or marketing vendors offer opt-out features that let you opt out of use of your information for interest-based sponsorship, including:
    ---Google
    ---Facebook
    ---LiveRamp

Note that because these opt out mechanisms are specific to the device or browser on which they are exercised, you will need to opt out on every browser and device that you use.

Do Not Track. Some Internet browsers can be configured to send "Do Not Track" signals to the online services that you visit. We currently do not respond to "Do Not Track" or similar signals. To find out more about "Do Not Track," please visit http://www.allaboutdnt.com.