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PLOS is a non-profit organization on a mission to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy, and practice.

Building on a strong legacy of pioneering innovation, PLOS continues to be a catalyst, reimagining models to meet open science principles, removing barriers and promoting inclusion in knowledge creation and sharing, and publishing research outputs that enable everyone to learn from, reuse and build upon scientific knowledge.

We believe in a better future where science is open to all, for all.

Cookie policy

Updated on January 22nd, 2025

Introduction

We are the Public Library of Science (“PLOS”).  This Cookie Policy describes the types of cookies and other tracking technologies we use on the PLOS website, our purposes and basis for using them, and your choices regarding them.

If you have questions about this Cookie Policy, please contact us at privacy@plos.org or send mail to:

Public Library of Science
Attn: Privacy
1875 Mission Street
Suite 103 #188
San Francisco, CA 94103

Cookies and other tracking technologies

Background

PLOS and our third-party partners, such as analytics and advertising partners, use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect certain information.  Cookies and other tracking technologies are used to distinguish you from other users on the PLOS website. This helps us provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and allows us to improve our site, analyze the use of our site, and deliver targeted advertising based on your browsing history on our site and other websites.  A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that are stored on your device.

PLOS uses both first party and third-party cookies. First party cookies are served directly by us to your computer or device. Third-party cookies are served by a third party on our behalf. Cookies can be “persistent” or “session” based. Persistent cookies remain on your device after your browser is closed. Session cookies are deleted automatically once your browser is closed. PLOS uses both persistent and session cookies.

We also use technologies that are similar to cookies, such as tags and pixels. Tags are small portions of code which we use on the PLOS website to learn whether you have clicked on certain web content. A pixel is a similar type of technology used on the PLOS website for the purpose of counting the number of views for each of its published articles. Pixels are sent directly to our servers or to the third-party platform which has provided the pixel.

For the rest of this policy, “cookies” refer to both cookies and other tracking technologies.

Types of Cookies

PLOS uses strictly necessary cookies and optional cookies, as follows:
  • Strictly necessary.Use of these cookies are required as they are essential to operating the PLOS website and necessary for us to operate certain features and maintain the security of the PLOS website.
  • Optional cookies.
    • For functionality. Use of these cookies help operate the PLOS website by, for example, remembering your preferences so that you can navigate the PLOS website efficiently.
    • For performance and analytics. Use of these cookies analyze how the PLOS website is accessed, used, or performing to improve your user experience and to maintain, operate and continually improve the website.
    • For marketing. Use of these cookies deliver contextual advertisements on the PLOS website and other websites and help us and third parties serve you targeted advertisements based on your browsing history on our website and other websites which may be tracked across different devices.

List of Cookies, Purpose, and Storage Periods

Below is a list of cookies on the PLOS website, information about the cookie provider, type of cookie, its purpose, and its storage period.

First Party

CookieProvider InformationTypeStorage PeriodPurpose
JSESSIONIDPLOS, USAStrictly necessarySessionManages a user’s authentication and session
plos-device-detectedPLOS, USAStrictly necessary2 HoursManages display of desktop and mobile interfaces
CASTGCGoogle LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA
Privacy Policy
Strictly necessarySessionTicket-granting cookie to support authentication and single sign-on.
CSRF-TOKENPLOS, USAStrictly necessarySessionCross Site Request Forgery Token for site security.
flanders_sessionPLOS, USAStrictly necessarySessionReduces database calls by remembering data about the user as they click between pages on the PLOS website.
plosDataLinkSurveyHushPLOS, USAStrictly Necessary24 HoursManages the number of times users are asked to opt-in to a survey.

Third-Party

CookieProvider InformationTypeStorage PeriodPurpose
IDEGoogle Ads (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyMarketing2 YearsUsed by Google DoubleClick to register and report the website user’s actions after viewing or clicking one of the advertiser’s ads and present targeted ads.
NIDGoogle Ads (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyMarketing6 MonthsRegisters a unique ID that identifies a returning user’s device. Used for targeted ads.
1P_JARGoogle Ads (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyMarketing30 DaysRemembers preferences.
gidGoogle Ads (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics2 YearsCollects information about how visitors use our website. Used to compile reports and improve the website.
gaGoogle Ads (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics2 YearsCollects information about how visitors use our website. Used to compile reports and improve the website.
gadsGoogle Ads (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyMarketing1 YearCollects information about how visitors use our website. Used to compile reports and improve the website.
GCLBGoogle Cloud (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyStrictly NecessarySessionMaintains continuity of session when IP addresses may change.
dc_gtmGoogle Analytics (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 MinuteCollects information about how visitors use our website. Used to compile reports and improve the website.
gat_masterGoogle Analytics (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 MinuteCollects information about how visitors use our website.
personalization_idTwitter (Twitter, Inc.), 1355 Market St #900, San Francisco, CA 94103 Privacy PolicyFunctional2 YearsEnables Twitter integration and social media sharing.
wordpress_test_cookieWordPress (Automattic, Inc.), 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA Privacy PolicyStrictly NecessarySessionTests whether WordPress can place cookies. Does not identify the user.
gat_journalsMasterGoogle Analytics (Google LLC), 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 MinuteCollects information about how visitors use our website.
_ceir, is_returningCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 YearTracks whether a visitor has visited the site before.
_CEFTCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 YearStores page variants assigned to visitors for A/B performance testing.
_cer.sCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and AnalyticsSessionTracks a recording visitor session unique ID, host, and start time.
_cer.vCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and AnalyticsUp to 31 DaysTracks whether a visitor has visited the site before.
_ce.sCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 YearTracks a recording visitor session unique ID, host, and start time.
_ce.cchCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 SecondUsed to check if cookies can be added.
_ce.gtldCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 SecondUsed to identify the top-level domain.
ce_need_secure_cookieCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics1 SecondUsed to determine cookie security parameters.
ce_successful_csp_checkCrazy Egg, 16220 Ridgeview Ln La Mirada, CA 90638, USA Privacy PolicyPerformance and Analytics24 HoursDetermines if the page has a Content Security Policy rule that would prevent tracking.
__hs_opt_outHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessary6 monthThis cookie is used by the opt-in privacy policy to remember not to ask the visitor to accept cookies again.
__hs_do_not_trackHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessary6 monthThis cookie can be set to prevent the tracking code from sending any information to HubSpot.
__hs_initial_opt_inHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessary7 daysThis cookie is used to prevent the banner from always displaying when visitors are browsing in strict mode.
__hs_cookie_cat_prefHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessary6 monthsThis cookie is used to record the categories a visitor consented to.
__hs_gpc_banner_dismissHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessary180 daysThis cookie is used when the Global Privacy Control banner is dismissed.
__hs_notify_banner_dismissHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessary180 daysThis cookie is used when the website uses a Notify consent banner type.
hs_ab_testHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessaryEnd of the sessionThis cookie is used to consistently serve visitors the same version of an A/B test page they’ve seen before.
_keyHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessary14 daysWhen visiting a password-protected page, this cookie is set so future visits to the page from the same browser do not require login again.
__hsmemHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USAprivacy@hubspot.comNecessary7 daysThis cookie is set when visitors log in to a HubSpot-hosted site. It contains encrypted data that identifies the membership user when they are currently logged in.
hs-membership-csrfHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comNecessaryEnd of the sessionThis cookie is used to ensure that content membership logins cannot be forged.
__cfruidHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.com


Cloudflare, Inc. 101 Townsend St. San Francisco, CA 94107
dpo@cloudflare.com
NecessayEnd of the sessionThis cookie is set by HubSpot’s CDN provider because of their rate limiting policies. Learn more about Cloudflare cookies.
__cfuvidHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.com


Cloudflare, Inc. 101 Townsend St. San Francisco, CA 94107
dpo@cloudflare.com
NecessayEnd of the sessionThis cookie is set by HubSpot’s CDN provider because of their rate limiting policies. Learn more about Cloudflare cookies.
__cf_bmHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.com


Cloudflare, Inc. 101 Townsend St. San Francisco, CA 94107
dpo@cloudflare.com
Necessary30 minutesThis cookie is set by HubSpot’s CDN provider and is a necessary cookie for bot protection. Learn more about Cloudflare cookies.
__hstcHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comPerformance and analytics6 monthsThe main cookie for tracking visitors.
hubspotutkHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comPerformance and analytics6 monthsThis cookie keeps track of a visitor’s identity. It is passed to HubSpot on form submission and used when deduplicating contacts.
__hsscHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comPerformance and analytics6 monthsThis cookie keeps track of sessions.
__hssrcHubSpot, Inc. Two Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 USA privacy@hubspot.comPerformance and analyticsEnd of the sessionWhenever HubSpot changes the session cookie, this cookie is also set to determine if the visitor has restarted their browser

Legal Basis for Use of Cookies

PLOS uses cookies under the following legal basis:
  • PLOS’s legitimate interests (for users in the EU: Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). We use strictly necessary cookies based on PLOS’ legitimate interests. This includes:
    • to enable PLOS to provide our products and services to you, including website features
    • the legitimate interests of others, for example, to ensure the security of our website
    • to prevent fraud and other illegal activity.
  • Consent (for users in the EU: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). We place optional cookies on the basis of your consent, which you may withdraw at any time after giving it, as described in this Cookie Policy.
For users in the EU: The US is assessed by the European Court of Justice as a country with an insufficient level of data protection.  If you consent, you agree in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) (GDPR) that your data may be processed outside the EEA, including in the United States.

How to Manage Cookies

Withdrawing Consent

If you do not wish to accept optional cookies in connection with your use of the PLOS website or wish to withdraw your consent, you can opt out by clicking on Cookie Preferences.

Browser Settings

To opt-out of our use of necessary cookies, you can change your browser settings to stop accepting cookies or to prompt you before accepting cookies from websites you visit. You can delete cookies in your browser settings at any time. Please note that by not accepting cookies, some pages may not fully function, and you may not be able to access certain information on the PLOS website.

“Do-Not-Track”

PLOS does not track users over time and across third party websites to provide targeted advertising and therefore does not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) signals. Third parties that have content embedded on the PLOS website such as social sharing features may set cookies on a user’s browser and/or obtain information about the fact that a web browser visited a specific PLOS website from a certain IP address.

Google Analytics

For information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, visit www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.  To opt-out of Google Analytics, visit Google’s “How you can control the information collected by Google on these sites and apps” article available here.

Crazy Egg

For information on how Crazy Egg collects and processes data, visit https://www.crazyegg.com/privacy#use_of_cookies. To opt-out of Crazy Egg, visit “I don’t want to be tracked by Crazy Egg” article available here.

Changes to this policy

Any changes we may make to this Cookie Policy in the future will be posted on this page.

Further Information

Questions, comments and requests regarding this Cookie Policy should be addressed to privacy@plos.org. If you would like further information about how we process personal data collected through PLOS websites, please see our Privacy Policy.  
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