Degrees of Intrusion? A Survey of Cookies Used by UK Higher Education Institutional Websites and Their Implications

Abstract

The use of institutional websites to represent Universities online is ubiquitous within the UK Higher Education sector. The institutional website provides a single point of entry for anyone seeking information about an institution; as a digital representation of the university, from elements of a prospectus to showcasing research outputs, its potential audience is wide ranging. However, the use of cookies potentially changes the relationship with the audience, as they allow tracking of users and targeted interactions with the institution particularly through social media platforms. While the use of such data collection and marketing is standard for commercial websites, to what extent is this appropriate and what are the implications for the Higher Education sector? This work-in-progress paper will provide an initial exploration of this question through a survey of cookies used by UK Higher Education institution websites.