Cookies
Cookie policy
Effective October 12, 2026. Essential cookies only, until you say otherwise.
What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file a site stores in your browser. A pixel is a tiny request a page makes to another company’s server when it loads, which can set or read that company’s cookies. We use both only as listed here.
Your choice
The first time you visit, a banner asks whether we may use analytics and advertising cookies. Nothing non-essential loads before you answer. A browser sending the Global Privacy Control signal is treated as “reject non-essential” without asking. Change your mind any time:
The cookies and pixels we use
| Name | Who sets it | Category | What it does | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aipr_consent | Us | Essential | Remembers your cookie choice so we do not ask again. | 12 months |
| Hosting and security | Vercel | Essential | Routes requests, protects against abuse. No tracking. | Session |
| Vercel Analytics | Vercel | Analytics (no cookie) | Counts page views and the events “funnel started” and “request submitted” without cookies or identifiers. | None stored |
| _ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics | Analytics | Recognises repeat visits and reports usage to us in aggregate. Only if you allow analytics cookies and we have it enabled. | Up to 2 years |
| _gcl_au, _gcl_aw, ads/ga-audiences | Google Ads | Advertising | Measures whether an ad led to a request and builds audiences for our ads. Only if you allow advertising cookies and we have a campaign running. | Up to 90 days |
| _fbp, fr | Meta (Facebook and Instagram) | Advertising | Measures our Facebook and Instagram ads and builds audiences of people like our readers. Only if you allow advertising cookies and we have a campaign running. | Up to 90 days |
Advertising and analytics partners receive your IP address, browser details, the pages you viewed and events such as “request submitted”. They never receive the contents of a request. Google’s use is described at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites and Meta’s at facebook.com/privacy/policy; both offer their own opt-outs (adssettings.google.com and facebook.com/adpreferences).
Other ways to control cookies
Your browser can block or delete cookies for any site; blocking the essential cookie means the banner will ask again on every visit. The do not sell or share page turns advertising cookies off and records your opt-out. The privacy policy explains everything else we collect.
Changes
If we add a tool, we add it to this table before it loads and the banner asks again.