Cookie Policy

Cookies are small data files stored on your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you visit a website.

They may allow a website to:

• Operate essential functions
• Keep users securely signed in
• Remember preferences
• Maintain entry and checkout sessions
• Understand website usage
• Identify technical problems
• Display embedded content
• Measure marketing performance

We do not retain cookies longer than reasonably necessary for their stated purpose.

This policy also applies to similar storage and tracking technologies, including:

• Pixels
• Tags
• Software development kits
• Local storage
• Session storage
• Device identifiers
• Embedded scripts
• Similar browser or device technologies

Together, these are referred to as “cookies” in this policy unless otherwise stated.

First-Party Cookies

First-party cookies are placed directly by the MUSE Event Awards website or entry system.

They may support account access, security, form completion, entry management, checkout, and cookie preferences.

Third-Party Cookies

Third-party cookies are placed or accessed by external services used through the website, such as:

• Analytics providers
• Payment processors
• Embedded-video services
• Advertising and campaign-measurement providers
• Security and fraud-prevention services

Third-party providers process information according to their own privacy policies as well as any contractual arrangements applicable to their services.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are required for the website and entry system to function.

They may support:

• Secure account login
• Authentication
• Entry-system sessions
• Form submissions
• Shopping carts and checkout
• Payment security
• Fraud prevention
• Load balancing
• Cookie-consent preferences

Strictly necessary cookies cannot normally be disabled through the cookie-preference center because the requested service may not function without them.

We do not use strictly necessary cookies for advertising or unrelated analytics.

Functional Cookies

Functional cookies remember selections that improve or personalize the website experience.

They may remember:

• Language
• Country or region
• Display settings
• Saved interface choices
• Video or media preferences

Where consent is required by applicable law, functional cookies are activated only after you provide that consent.

Analytics and Performance Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors use the website and identify performance or usability issues.

They may collect information relating to:

• Pages visited
• Time spent on the website
• Navigation paths
• Referring pages
• Browser and device information
• Technical errors
• Website responsiveness
• General interaction patterns

Analytics information may include cookie identifiers, IP-derived information, and other online identifiers. Although reports may be aggregated, the underlying information is not necessarily anonymous.

Where required, analytics cookies will remain disabled until the visitor provides consent.

Advertising and Marketing Cookies

These cookies may be used to:

• Measure campaign performance
• Understand referral sources
• Limit repeated advertisements
• Build or measure audiences
• Provide more relevant promotional content
• Understand interactions with advertisements

These cookies may enable third-party providers to recognize a browser or device across different websites.

Advertising and marketing cookies will only be activated where permitted and, where required, after consent.

Embedded-Media Cookies

Pages may contain content from services such as YouTube or Vimeo.

When embedded content is activated, the provider may receive information such as:

• IP address
• Browser and device details
• Page visited
• Video interactions
• Provider account information when the visitor is signed in

Where consent is required, connections to embedded-media providers and their non-essential cookies remain blocked until you provide consent or choose to load the content.

We use the following services on the MUSE Event Awards website and entry system:

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand website traffic, referral sources, visitor interactions, and website performance. Where consent is required, Google Analytics cookies are activated only after consent is provided.

Microsoft Clarity

We use Microsoft Clarity to understand website navigation, page interactions, and usability. Clarity may collect interaction data such as clicks, scrolling, navigation paths, and page engagement. Sensitive form fields, passwords, payment information, and confidential entry materials are masked or excluded from recordings.

YouTube and Vimeo

We use YouTube and Vimeo to display video content. Where consent is required, embedded videos and their non-essential cookies remain inactive until the visitor provides consent or chooses to load the content. Privacy-enhanced embedding is used where available.

PayPal and Stripe

We use PayPal and Stripe to process payments, authenticate transactions, prevent fraud, maintain payment sessions, and complete purchases. When a visitor selects one of these payment methods, the relevant provider may place or access cookies necessary to provide and secure the selected payment service.

We use Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity, YouTube, Vimeo, PayPal, and Stripe to support website analytics, embedded media, payment processing, security, and fraud prevention.

These services may place session cookies, which expire when the browsing session ends, and persistent cookies, which remain for a defined period. Depending on their purpose and provider, persistent cookies may remain for up to two years.

Where required by applicable law, functional, analytics, embedded-media, and advertising cookies will remain disabled until you provide consent. Cookies required for account access, entry submission, checkout, payment processing, security, fraud prevention, and recording your cookie choices may operate without optional-cookie consent.

The cookies currently active on your device, together with their categories and providers, can be reviewed and managed through Cookie Settings.

When visitors first access the website, they should be given the following choices:

• Accept All
• Reject Non-Essential
• Manage Preferences

When you first visit the website, you can select Accept All, Reject Non-Essential, or Manage Preferences. Through Manage Preferences, you can control functional, analytics, embedded-media, and advertising cookies independently, where those categories are used.

Strictly necessary cookies remain active because they support requested website and entry-system functions.

You may change your choices at any time through the Cookie Settings link in the website footer.

We make rejecting non-essential cookies as easy as accepting them. Where consent is required, non-essential cookies do not load before consent is received.

Most browsers allow users to:

• View stored cookies
• Delete cookies
• Block some or all cookies
• Receive notifications before cookies are stored
• Control cookies for individual websites

Browser controls supplement the Cookie Settings tool but are not the only way to refuse non-essential cookies.

Blocking strictly necessary cookies may prevent account access, entry submission, checkout, payment, or other website functionality from operating correctly.

Cookies may be:

Session Cookies

These expire when the browser is closed or shortly after the session ends.

Persistent Cookies

These remain for a defined period or until manually deleted.

We retain a limited record of your consent status, the date and time of your selection, and the applicable consent-banner version where necessary to record and respect your choices.

Where processing is based on consent, visitors may withdraw or revise that consent at any time through Cookie Settings.

Withdrawing consent will not affect processing that occurred before withdrawal.

The MUSE Event Awards website may link to external websites.

This Cookie Policy does not govern cookies placed independently by websites that visitors access through an external link. Visitors should review the privacy and cookie information provided by those websites.

This Cookie Policy may be updated to reflect changes in technology, website functionality, service providers, or applicable requirements.

When this Cookie Policy is updated, the revised version will be published with a new effective date. Where a change materially affects your cookie choices, we may ask you to review or renew your preferences.

Questions concerning this Cookie Policy may be sent to:

Email:
iaa@iaaawards.org

Legal address:
International Awards Associate Inc.
Office Suite 1320, Level 13(C), Block 4,
Financial Park Complex Labuan,
Jalan Merdeka,
87000 Federal Territory of Labuan,
Malaysia