This Glossary is meant to help you with some terms in our Privacy Policy that you may not be familiar with and is not a part of our official
APIs
An “application programming interface” or “API” is a communication protocol that allows software components to communicate with each other. The MediaWiki API, for example, allows third-party software tools to communicate with Mediawiki sites (including Wikimedia Sites) to carry out certain actions, such as reading or editing a page, automatically and remotely. Learn more on Wikipedia.
Browsers
A “browser” is a software application that people generally use to access the Internet. Examples of popular browsers include Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer. Learn more on Wikipedia.
Cookies
A “cookie” is a tiny data file that we transfer onto your computer, mobile phone, or any other device that you use to access GATE, generally used for authentication and occasionally tracking. Every cookie expires after a certain period of time, but that period varies depending on what the cookie is used for and how your browser is configured. A “session” cookie is one that generally expires when you close your web browser or mobile application. A “persistent” cookie is one that remains in your device, even after you close your browser or mobile application. A persistent cookie expires according to the duration set by us (or when you delete it manually). Learn more on Wikipedia.
You may remove or disable cookies through your browser settings.
Do Not Track
"Do Not Track" or "DNT" is a way for your web browser to tell the website you are visiting that you do not want to be be tracked by third parties whose websites you did not visit, like analytics services, advertising networks, and social platforms. When using this mechanism, a signal is sent by your browser, expressing your desire that your personal information, particularly about your online activities and network interactions, should not be passed on to third parties. When receiving a DNT signal sent by your browser, the person or entity that owns the website has the option to either honor or ignore the above-mentioned request.
Internet Protocol Address
An Internet Protocol Address (or “IP address”) is a unique number assigned to a particular device connected to the Internet. Your IP address may not always be the same on a particular device, depending on a number of variables such as your use of a proxy server or a corporate network. Generally, however, IP addresses are assigned according to the geographical location of your device and your internet service provider, and might be usable to approximate your real-life location. Learn more on Wikipedia.
JavaScript
"JavaScript" is a standard software programming language used on most modern websites. Learn more on Wikipedia.
Metadata
“Metadata” means additional information about a particular file (such as a photo or video) that usually includes things like the manufacturer and model of the device that took a photo, date and time the photo was taken, exposure time, lens focal length, ISO speed rating, and F-number. Some metadata is automatically included by the device and some is written by the owner of the device. Learn more on Wikipedia.
Nonpublic Information
"Nonpublic Information" is information that is otherwise not publicly available. This includes, but is not limited to, "personal information."
Operating System
An “operating system” is a software program that manages your device’s hardware resources and performs basic tasks like keeping track of files, recognizing when you type something into the keyboard, and sending output to your screen. Examples of common operating systems include Linux (also known as GNU/Linux), iOS, Windows, Mac OS X and Android. Learn more on Wikipedia.
Proxy Servers
A “proxy server” is a server that acts as an intermediary between your device and the server your device is requesting information (connection to a webpage, a file, etc.) from. Learn more on Wikipedia.
