SoundCloud Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy forms part of our Privacy Policy and should be read together with our Terms of Use.

Like most companies, when you visit or interact with the Platform, we and our service providers may use cookies and other tracking technologies for storing information, including pixels (also known as a “web beacon” or “clear GIFs”), local storage, and device indetifiers, to help provide, protect and improve the Platform. For example, to save your preferences, personalize content, target ads based on your interests, combat fraud and abuse, and streamline the functioning of and your access to the Platform.

This policy explains how and why we use these technologies and the choices you have. We use “cookies” and “similar technologies” interchangeably to refer to all of these technologies.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your computer, phone, or other device when you visit websites and are used to record information about your activity, including the pages you view, the content you listen to, ads you click on, your settings, and other actions you take on the Platform.

Cookies can be “persistent” or “session” cookies. Persistent cookies stay on your device for a set period of time or until you delete them, while session cookies are deleted once you close your web browser.

Similar Technologies

We use other data collecting technologies with similar functionality as cookies, including pixels, local storage, and device identifiers. While the specific names and types of cookies we use may change from time to time as we improve and update the Platform, we have provided some basic definitions in order to help you better understand this policy.

How We Use Cookies

While we use cookies to deliver, measure, and improve the Platform in various ways, the cookies we use generally fall into one of the following categories:

Third Party Cookies

We allow certain service providers to place cookies and similar technologies on the Platform for the same purposes listed above, including collecting information about your online activities over time and across different websites and devices in order to provide you with more relevant advertising.

For instance, to help us better understand how people engage with the Platform, we work with third party analytics partners, including Google Analytics. To opt out of Google Analytics, you may install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser here. To opt out of Google Analytics for display advertising or customize Google display network ads, you can visit the Google Ads Settings page.

You may also encounter cookies and tracking technologies from our third-party marketing service providers, including (1) Facebook to provide advertising services through Facebook’s advertising and marketing platforms (e.g., Audience Network, Custom Audiences, and Faceook Pixel) and other social networks, and (2) Google to provide advertising services through Google’s advertising and marketing platforms (e.g., DoubleClick for Publishers, Google AdX, and Adwords). Please refer to the Privacy Policy for how to opt out of cookies from these service providers.

Additionally, we may work with advertising networks and programmatic exchanges to allow us to serve you ads. These third-party ad networks and exchange providers may use third-party cookies, pixels, or similar technologies to collect information, including your device identifier, IP address, or identifier for advertising. The information these third parties collect may be used to help us in providing you with more relevant advertising that we serve on or off the Platform, and as described above.

Third-party cookies are covered by the third parties’ privacy policy.

Your Choices and Controls

SoundCloud is committed to offering you meaningful privacy choices. You have a number of options to control or limit how we, our partners, and other third parties use cookies. However, note that cookies are important to many aspects for the Platform – if you disable cookies, you may not be able to enjoy all of the features of the Platform. To the extent you opt out of personalized advertising using the mechanisms below, you may still receive advertisements when using the Platform, but they will not be tailored to your interests.

Browser Settings

To control cookies, you can modify your settings in most web browsers to accept or deny cookies or to request your permission each time a site attempts to set a cookie. You can also manually delete previously stored cookies at any time. Please note that if you choose to block cookies, doing so may impair the Platform or prevent certain elements of it from functioning.

Device Settings

On your mobile device, enable the “Limit Ad Tracking” setting in your iOS phone’s settings, or the setting to “Opt out of Ads Personalization” in your Android phone’s settings. To opt-out of location tracking when using our Apps, you can use the settings of your device. You can disable mobile analytics and bug reporting through these same settings as well.

SoundCloud Settings

If you have a SoundCloud account, you can adjust the following settings to reflect your choices:

Additional Controls

For more information about analytics and advertising cookies and how you can opt out, you can visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s opt-out page, the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out page, or http://youronlinechoices.eu.

“Do Not Track Signals”

Your browser settings may allow you to automatically transmit a “Do Not Track” signal. Because there currently isn’t an industry or legal standard for recognizing or honoring DNT signals, we are not configured to respond to them at this time. We await the result of work by the privacy community and industry to determine when such a response is appropriate and what form it should take.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies, please contact us through the Help Center or at dataprotection@soundcloud.com.

Last amended: 25 May 2018