Cookie Policy

Last Updated: October 2026

This website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and help us understand how our platform is being used. Because we respect your privacy, you can choose to accept or reject certain types of cookies via our consent banner.

1. What are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your computer or device by websites that you visit. They are widely used to make websites work properly, provide secure access to restricted pages, and deliver reporting information to website owners.

2. How We Use Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

We use a third-party service provided by Google LLC, to measure and evaluate how visitors interact with our digital archive and website content.
We do not use Google Ads, and we do not use tracking cookies for advertising, remarketing, or behavioral targeting. We only collect performance data to understand how to improve our platform for the Dakota/Lakota community. Specifically, Google Analytics tracks:

  • Page views (which recordings and other pages are visited most often)
  • Outbound clicks (when links leading to external websites are clicked)
  • Search terms (the phrases entered into our website's search bar)
  • Audiovisual engagement (how users interact with embedded audiovisual media)
  • File downloads (when media or other files files are downloaded from the archive)

3. Essential System Cookies

Separate from analytics, our Content Management System (Mukurtu 3/Drupal 7) sets strictly necessary cookies required for the platform to function. These are essential for security and website operation:

  • A session cookie set when a user or administrator logs in to access restricted collections or community protocols. It expires when you close your browser.
  • A cookie that simply checks if your browser has JavaScript enabled so the site's interactive elements display correctly. It expires immediately when the browser is closed.

4. Managing Your Choices & Withdrawing Consent

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies.

  • Our Banner: You can select your preferences using the pop-up consent banner when you first visit our site, or update them at any time by clicking the [Insert Link/Button: "Cookie Settings"] in our footer.
  • Browser Controls: You can set or change your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies. If you choose to reject cookies, you can still use our website, though access to some functionality (such as logging into restricted areas) may be limited.
  • Global Google Opt-Out: To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

5. Third-Party Data Disclosures

The information generated by Google Analytics cookies about your use of the website is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. For more information on how Google handles this data, please review the Google Privacy & Terms.