Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
The Business and Human Rights Initiative at UConn seeks to develop and support multidisciplinary research, education, and public engagement at the intersection of business and human rights. A partnership founded by Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs, the UConn School of Business, and the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, our initiative collaborates with programs and units throughout UConn.
From the U. Roberto (Robin) Romano Papers, Archives & Special Collections, University of Connecticut
Research
The Initiative supports and promotes scholarly research by UConn faculty in business and human rights. Reflecting the broad scope of the human rights challenges and opportunities in business, these research areas encompass:
Stakeholder Engagement
A Comparative Analysis of Stakeholder Dialogue Regimes
Key faculty: Shareen Hertel
Stakeholder dialogue emerged as a formal vehicle for promoting business and human rights in the early 2000s during the mandate of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative John G. Ruggie. This project assesses the on-the-ground impact of such processes, at the grassroots level. Through engagement with social movements, unions and consumer advocacy networks, the project fills critical scholarly and policy gaps by producing 1) more fine-grained data on the nature of corporate social impact; 2) a fuller picture of the terms of engagement between companies and communities (both in the context of formal consultative processes and in crisis situations); and 3) more comprehensive approaches to community-informed design and implementation of remedy for harm. This project intersects with the “Corporate Accountability Mechanisms” work stream of the BHRI – specifically, through mutual exploration of evolving legal frameworks for supply chain human rights due diligence – in this case, by analyzing community members’ perspectives on such emerging laws.
The Human Rights Implications of ESG and Sustainable Finance
Assessing the Human Rights Impact of Sustainable Finance Instruments
Key faculty: Stephen Park
Financial markets, including ESG strategies and financial products, have human rights implications for the protection of human rights and the fulfilment of specific human rights objectives. This research examines the objectives and impact of private standards, regulatory requirements, and international law governing sustainable finance from the perspective of human rights.
This research focuses on the responsibilities of social media platforms and the role of state regulation in regulating online speech. The research is also about the intersection of human rights and science and technology studies, considering the way in which the introduction of new technologies can undermine or strengthen the use of rights-based frameworks to achieve social change.
Accountability mechanisms in the business and human rights field comprises judicial and non-judicial remedy processes, and domestic laws requiring human rights disclosure and, increasingly, due diligence. This research explores these mechanisms. A common theme that links the threads of research is the challenge of employing extraterritorial accountability mechanisms to address corporate misconduct, in particular from the perspective of rightsholders.
As part of its mission of engaged research, the Initiative facilitates related public engagement by UConn faculty in order to bridge the gaps between academia, business, civil society, and government. In addition, we host the Business and Human Rights Workshop, which is dedicated to the development and discussion of works-in-progress and other non-published academic research.
Education
Business and human rights education equips students with the knowledge and skills to create value for business and society. The Initiative supports and promotes business and human rights learning both in and outside of the classroom by:
Social Responsibility and Accountability in Business
Sustainability, Markets, and Society
Politics and Human Rights in Global Supply Chains
Supporting and promoting student engagement through on-campus organizations and workshops.
Facilitating student internship and practicum course opportunities with corporations, civil society organizations, international organizations, and government agencies.
Advancing business and human rights education through national and international organizations. For example, faculty member Rachel Chambers serves as co-director of the Teaching Business and Human Rights Forum, an international organization dedicated to promoting and strengthening business and human rights education by fostering collaboration among teachers.
Public Engagement
To advance respect for human rights, UConn faculty engage with policymakers, businesses, advocates and other stakeholders to support student learning and professional opportunities in business and human rights. Examples of our engagement include:
Expert Working Group membership - the United States National Action Plan on Responsible Business Conduct
Participation in stakeholder consultations - State Obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Context of Business Activities
United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
Participation in stakeholder consultations on the day of general discussion regarding State Obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Context of Business Activities.
GNI is a multi-stakeholder group of companies, civil society organizations, investors, and academics dedicated to protecting and advancing freedom of expression and privacy in the information and communications technology sector. Molly Land, professor of law and human rights and a member of our steering committee, has served as an alternate member of GNI's Board of Directors.
State Treasurer explored how investors can ensure no one is left behind through a just climate transition during a keynote address to UConn students and faculty
If it works as intended, the EU law could be transformative in protecting human rights, including worker health and safety and workers’ free speech, around the world
‘Laura has been a champion of business in human rights not only within individual companies but also globally through her participation in policymaking at the highest levels’
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