At Edinburgh Capital Bank (hereinafter, “the Bank”, “we”, or “us”), we value your privacy and are committed to transparency in the use of tracking technologies, such as cookies. This policy explains in detail what cookies are, how we use them, your rights, and how to manage your preferences.
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device (computer, smartphone, or tablet) when you visit our website or use our digital services. These files enable the website to “remember” your actions or preferences over time, enhancing your browsing experience and allowing us to optimise our services.
2. Types of Cookies We Use
We classify cookies based on their purpose, duration, and origin:
A. By Purpose:
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Purpose: Essential for the technical operation of the website (e.g., accessing secure areas like your banking account, processing payments, or maintaining login sessions).
Examples: User authentication, server load balancing, fraud prevention.
Legal Basis: Legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR).
Performance and Analytics Cookies
Purpose: Collect anonymised data about how you interact with our website (pages visited, session duration, error reports).
Examples: Google Analytics, Hotjar (heatmaps and session recordings).
Legal Basis: Explicit consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR).
Functional Cookies
Purpose: Personalise your experience by remembering preferences (e.g., language, regional settings, device type).
Examples: Accessibility adjustments, default text size.
Legal Basis: Explicit consent.
Advertising and Targeting Cookies
Purpose: Deliver relevant ads based on your browsing behaviour, both on our site and third-party platforms.
Examples: Facebook Ads, Google Ads, LinkedIn cookies.
Legal Basis: Explicit consent.
B. By Duration:
Session Cookies: Deleted automatically when you close your browser.
Persistent Cookies: Remain on your device until expiry or manual deletion (e.g., login retention for 30 days).
C. By Origin:
First-Party Cookies: Set by our domain (edinburghcapitalbank.com).
Third-Party Cookies: Set by external domains (e.g., analytics or advertising partners).
3. Detailed List of Cookies
Below is a list of specific cookies used on our website:
Cookie Name
Purpose
Type
Duration
Origin
ecb_session_id
Maintain user session in secure areas
Strictly Necessary
Session
First-Party
_ga
Track website traffic and user behaviour
Performance
2 years
Third-Party (Google Analytics)
lang_pref
Remember language preference
Functional
1 year
First-Party
_fbp
Deliver targeted ads on Facebook
Advertising
90 days
Third-Party (Meta)
_hjSession
Analyse user interactions for UX improvements
Performance
365 days
Third-Party (Hotjar)
4. Why Do We Use Cookies?
Ensure technical functionality and security of transactions.
Analyse user behaviour to improve website performance.
Personalise content and offers based on your interests.
Measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
5. Consent and Managing Cookies
A. Your Consent
On your first visit to our website, a cookie banner will prompt you to accept or reject non-essential cookies.
You may adjust preferences anytime via our Cookie Preferences Centre, accessible in the website footer.
Manage advertising cookies via platforms like Your Ad Choices.
C. Consequences of Disabling Cookies
Disabling non-essential cookies may limit access to certain features (e.g., personalisation or analytics tools).
Strictly necessary cookies cannot be disabled, as they are critical for core functionalities (e.g., account access).
6. International Data Transfers
Some third-party cookie providers (e.g., Google or Meta) may process data outside the UK. In such cases, we ensure compliance with UK data protection laws through mechanisms like Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or adequacy decisions.
7. Your Rights Under UK GDPR
You have the right to:
Withdraw consent at any time.
Access data collected via cookies.
Request rectification or erasure of personal data.
Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).