Cookies, analysis and searching

Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you download a website or perform an action on the website. The cookies’ contents will then be shared between your browser, the website and various services. They are used to ensure that the website and various services work optimally. They are not used to identify you as an individual.

Overview of the cookies we use on our websites.

Data processing agreement and privacy

The City of Oslo (data controller) has entered into data processing agreements with Google and Hotjar (data processors) which contain specific terms and conditions for the use of the services provided by the data processors. In line with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the services have been updated to meet statutory requirements, including provisions relating to data storage and the deletion of identifiers at the user level.

Google Analytics

Use of the analysis tool Google Analytics 4 provides us with information about the pages visited and how users navigate between them, which websites users come from, and which devices are used on the website. Google LLC supplies Google Analytics and is the data processor for the statistics collected. The City of Oslo is the data controller and decides what data will be collected and sent to Google’s servers in the USA.

• Received data is subject to Google’s privacy guidelines (google.com).

Websites that make use of Google Analytics

Google Analytics is used by the following websites:

• City of Oslo, www.oslo.kommune.no
• ByplanOslo, magasin.oslo.kommune.no/byplan

Anonymisation of IP addresses

Google Analytics stores a portion of web users’ IP addresses to collect geographic information of a limited nature. Both the Norwegian Data Protection Authority and Google count IP addresses as one of several items of personal data. The City of Oslo has therefore activated the function anonymizeIP to mask the user’s IP address and thereby protect the privacy of our website users. This means that the last eight-bit group in the IP address is removed before storage.

Feedback function

A few users will, unprompted, disclose personal data via our feedback function. We work continuously to limit the scope of such information by validating text before it is submitted and masking certain items of personal data in the text before they are stored on our systems. We regularly screen Hotjar and delete any personally identifiable messages that are visible.

Third parties

The data that Google Analytics obtains from the City is not disclosed to any third party without our consent, except in certain specific situations; for example, when required by law. Google will not link your behaviour and use of the website with other information that it possesses.

Hotjar

The City of Oslo uses the web analysis tool Hotjar in order to understand users’ needs with respect to the website. This enables us to optimise your user experience. For instance, we analyse how long users spend on which pages, which links they choose to click on and how long users scroll down the pages. In addition, Hotjar is used for collecting responses to surveys and polls.

• Read more in Hotjar’s Privacy Policy (hotjar.com).

Websites that use Hotjar

Hotjar is used on the following websites:

• City of Oslo, https://www.oslo.kommune.no
• ByplanOslo, https://magasin.oslo.kommune.no/byplan

Anonymised IP addresses

IP addresses are used to determine the country in which the user is located. This data is stored in anonymised form on Hotjar’s servers.

User identification

Hotjar stores information about users in an anonymised user profile. Neither the City of Oslo nor Hotjar itself will use this information to identify users.

Facebook

We have no links to Facebook’s promotional or advertising tools.

Online searching

On some of our websites, we store information about search words and choices used in connection with online searches (internal search function). We use the information to improve the content and facilitate user navigation on our websites. Patterns of use and search statistics cannot be linked to other information about users, such as their IP address.

Websites that have an online search function and search engine

The following websites have an online search function and are using Algolia search engine:

• City of Oslo, www.oslo.kommune.no
• ByplanOslo, magasin.oslo.kommune.no/byplan
• News: aktuelt.oslo.kommune.no