General Cookie notice VRT

(version 25/5/2018)

We find it important that you can view, listen, read or experience our VRT content anytime and anywhere. We are also happy to provide you with customized interactive services. That is why beyond our online services are certain technologies such as cookies and scripts. We refer to these technologies as cookies hereinafter for the sake of convenience. In this cookie statement, we explain clearly and simply which cookies we use and why. We also tell you how you can control these cookies.
 

Who is responsible for this cookie notice?

We, the ‘Vlaamse Radio- en Televisie-omroeporganisatie’ (the Flemish Radio and Television broadcasting corporation(hereinafter also referred to in short as (the) VRT), are responsible for this cookie notice. We are a limited liability company governed by public law, with our registered office at Auguste Reyerslaan 52, 1043 Brussels
 

What does this cookie notice do?

As a public broadcasting organisation, we come into contact with you as a media user on a daily basis. For example, we meet when you use one of our online services. These include not only our websites but also our (mobile) applications and internet services that provide access to our offer. Examples of our online services are VRT NU, the VRT NWS website and the Studio Brussel app.

This cookie notice covers the media services of the following VRT brands: VRT, Eén, Canvas, Radio 1, Radio 2, Klara, Studio Brussel, MNM, VRT NU, VRT-Radioplus, Sporza, VRTNWS, Future Media Hubs.
 

What are cookies?

Our websites make use of so-called "cookies". Cookies are small data or text files that are installed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website or use a (mobile) application. Cookie files contain unique codes that, for example, allow your browser to recognise you when you visit an online service.

Where do cookies come from?

Based on the origin of cookies, we make a distinction between first-party and third-party cookies.

First-party cookies

First-party cookies are direct cookies we manage ourselves. They are specific to the VRT online service visited or used. This online service creates and places the cookies in order to function properly, for example.

Third-party cookies

Third-party cookies are cookies that are not managed or placed by us, but by a third party. This happens during your visit or use of a VRT online service. Third-party cookies, therefore, ensure that certain data are sent to third parties through your visit or use of an online service. These are, for example, social media cookies or cookies from advertisers, which ensure that you see advertisements. Although we do not manage or place these cookies ourselves, we do everything we can to ensure that their placement by third parties via our platforms is as controlled as possible.

Why does the VRT use cookies?

We use cookies primarily to improve your user experience and to make our online services function better. Cookies generally make the interaction between you and the website or (mobile) application you visit easier and faster. For example, they help you navigate between the different parts of a website or (mobile) application. If we can identify you thanks to a cookie, you do not always have to enter the same data, such as your login details.

Additionally, we use cookies to make the content of our websites and (mobile) applications more interesting for you. We do this by adapting that content to your personal taste and needs.

We also use cookies to map your surfing behaviour. How did you end up on our website? How long have you used our (mobile) application? Thanks to statistical results, we can improve our websites and (mobile) applications where necessary, and respond to your preferences and needs and those of all our other users. Finally, we may use that data to fulfil certain reporting obligations.

Which cookies does the VRT use and for what purposes?

Different types of cookies can be placed via our various online services. The cookies can be divided into different categories, which we list for you below. The cookies listed below are not all placed simultaneously via all our websites or (mobile) applications.

Necessary functional cookies

Necessary functional cookies are cookies that are necessary for the proper use of our online services. We use these cookies to guarantee, among other things, the following benefits:

• Remember information that you enter or indicate on the various pages. This way you do not always have to fill in or indicate all your data or preferences again.
• Save settings for optimal video playback, such as the desired buffer size and the resolution information of your screen.
• Read your browser settings in order to display our website optimally on your screen.
• Fill in the advertising space on our website technically as optimal as possible. This allows us to avoid showing the same ad over and over, to allow advertisers to measure the impact of the ad, or to detect and address potential abuse through the ad space.
• Balance the load on the website so that it remains accessible at all times.
• Allow you to comment on our websites and in our apps.

No consent is required for the use of these cookies nor can they be disabled.

Statistics cookies

Statistics cookies collect general information about how our online services are used. In this way we can make statistical analyses of the information we get. How did you end up on our webpage? On which (mobile) application do you spend the most time? Statistical results allow us to make and improve the structure, navigation and content of our online services in a way that is as user-friendly as possible. We also use the data to report on VRT performance or in the context of surveys in which we participate. No consent is required for the use of these cookies nor can they be disabled.

Advertising cookies

Advertising cookies track your surfing behaviour on our websites to compile your user profile. This profile is then used to show you advertisements that match your personal interests.

More than a third of our budget as a public broadcasting organisation is our 'own' income. Advertising plays an important role here. It is, therefore, possible that you see or hear advertisements when you use one of our services. For this we use the services of Pebble Media NV (Schaliënhoevedreef 20 / c, 2800 Mechelen). They manage the user profile that is used to show you advertisements that match your interests. For example, if you have surfed to a football item on our Sporza website, your profile may indicate that you are interested in football. That way you may notice that you sometimes see football-related advertisements. In other words, if Pebble Media NV can get a better idea of which websites you visit or what type of programmes you watch, they can attract advertisers more easily.

Advertising cookies can only collect data that say something about your media use. Personal identification data such as your name or address, which you have entered in your VRT profile, for example, are not used for this. We always ask for your consent to display customised ads on our online services. We do this via the cookie settings that appear on your screen when you use one of our online services. You can always withdraw your consent via the same settings.

For a clear understanding: even if you have not given your consent, you will still see or hear advertisements on our online services. This advertising will then only be less relevant because it will not be adapted to your presumed interests. We, therefore, leave you the choice of whether or not you receive tailor-made advertisements.

Please note that our partner Pebble Media NV provides the advertising spaces on the online platforms for various companies. Even if you have not given us consent for customised advertising or have withdrawn this consent, it is possible that your user profile exists at Pebble Media NV as a result of your visit to other third-party websites. For more information please read the Pebble Media NV privacy- en cookiebeleid/ privacy and cookie notice.

Recommendation cookies

Recommendation cookies – just like advertising cookies – track your surfing behaviour to compile your user profile. That profile is then used to provide you with a media experience that matches your interests. These cookies tell us something about your use of our online services so that we can make more targeted recommendations and suggestions. Furthermore, these cookies ensure that the programmes you have already watched do not appear again as a suggestion. In this way we hope to introduce you to new programmes and information that you find interesting, and that you may not immediately have thought of yourself.

Social media cookies

Social media cookies are used to enable the integration of social networking sites on our websites. Our online services may contain embedded elements from third parties. This may include content that is stored with another party, but that is shown on, in or through our online services. Furthermore, VRT content can be shared via buttons of social network sites on our online services. Examples of those social network sites are Facebook, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. Those third parties may place cookies through our online services to collect data. We ourselves have no influence on what those social network sites do with their cookies. For more information about these cookies, we would like to refer you to the statements that the third parties provide on their own websites. Please note that these statements can change regularly.

Click here for a detailed list of cookies on our various websites and (mobile) applications.

How long do cookies last?

We make a distinction between temporary and permanent cookies based on the duration of the cookie.

• Temporary cookies are temporarily stored in your browser or (mobile) application. This means that those cookies are deleted as soon as you close your browser or (mobile) application.
• Permanent cookies remain on your computer or mobile device, even if you have closed your browser or (mobile) application. Thanks to permanent cookies, we can recognise you when you visit our website or (mobile) application again later. Permanent cookies remain on your device until a automatically predetermined end date is reached, until a new cookie is installed, or until you delete them via the settings of your browser, (mobile) application or mobile device.

How can I manage the use of cookies on the VRT online services?

We want to give you as much control as possible over the use of cookies via our services. Therefore, you can manage the use of cookies on our online services, both through our online services and through your browser.

Via the VRT online services

When you visit one of our online services for the first time, you will be given the option to accept or reject specific types of cookies. Additionally, on some of our online services you can adjust the cookie usage per type of cookie at any time. For example, you can choose to refuse advertising cookies. You do this by using the check marks in the 'Cookie settings' menu. If you have made adjustments and clicked the green 'Save' button, the new settings will be saved. You will notice that on your next visit we will use the new cookie settings.

However, you cannot adjust all types of cookies in this way. Nor is it recommended you do so. The functional necessary cookies and statistics cookies mentioned above cannot be modified. After all, those cookies are necessary for our online services to work or to collect general information about how you and other visitors use our online services. The data we may collect via these cookies are always anonymous. In this way identification is never possible.

Via the browser

You can also manage or refuse the installation of cookies via your browser settings. You can delete cookies that are already installed on your computer or mobile device at any time.

How you can adjust these settings differs per browser. If necessary consult the help function of your browser, go directly to the manual of your browser via these links: Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

Do I have to read other VRT statements?

We recommend that you also read our privacy notice carefully. After all, our cookie and privacy notice are related. Sometimes we use cookies to collect certain information about your use of our online services. In our privacy notice, you can read which personal data we can collect from you, why we collect it, how we use it, and how we approach it.

Who can I contact with further questions or complaints about cookies?

Have you read our cookie notice, but have not found an answer to your question yet? Then we kindly invite you to ask your question about cookies via our customer service. They will address your question as soon as possible.

Additionally, the VRT also has a Data Protection Officer (DPO). This person guards the protection of your data at the VRT. Our DPO is happy to speak to you via DPO@vrt.be.

We hope you will not be needing the following email address anytime soon. But for complaints regarding our cookie notice, we would like to forward you to our complaints department (klachtenprocedure@vrt.be). You can also file a complaint with a supervisory authority. In Belgium, this is the Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit). More information about this can be found on their website.

Can this cookie notice change?

This cookie notice may be amended if our services or applicable law so require. Our online services are, for example, a dynamic and innovative environment. This means that we are constantly looking for a better service tailored to your needs. It is possible that new applications are introduced in which we will collect or want to use your data in a different way. Of course we will let you know when there are significant changes, and, if necessary, ask your consent.

This cooky notice was updated on November, 2022.