Cookie Policy & Your Privacy Choices
The cookies and similar technologies we use, and how to control them.
Your Privacy Choices
This is also our “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” and “Opt out of targeted advertising” control. Your choice is saved in this browser for 180 days.
Current choice: checking…
Opting out still shows ads (they keep the site free) but they will not be personalised. The choice applies to this browser and device; repeat it on other devices, or contact us to apply it to your account.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files a website stores in your browser. We also use similar technologies such as local storage, pixels and device identifiers; in this policy “cookies” covers all of them. This policy applies to every visitor, wherever you are, and supplements our Privacy Policy.
Summary: when each type is used
| Type | Purpose | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Login, security, remembering your cookie choice | Always (no consent needed) |
| Preferences (on your device) | Dark/light mode, dismissed pop-ups | Always; never sent to us |
| Analytics | Understanding how the site is used | Only after you click Accept (before that, Google Analytics runs cookieless via Consent Mode) |
| Advertising | Showing and measuring ads; frequency capping; fraud prevention | Ads appear for everyone and may be personalised using advertising cookies unless you decline (banner or the control below) or your browser sends Global Privacy Control. In the EU/EEA, UK and Switzerland, Google asks for your consent first. |
| Ad personalisation | Matching ads to your interests | Unless you decline or send GPC (EU/UK/CH: only with consent) |
We respect Global Privacy Control: if your browser sends it, advertising cookies are limited and ads are never personalised. We use Google Consent Mode v2 so Google's tags follow your choice automatically.
Strictly necessary cookies
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
wordpress_logged_in_* | Keeps you signed in | Session or 14 days |
wordpress_sec_*, wordpress_test_cookie | Login security and checking cookies work | Session |
dm_consent | Stores your Accept / Decline / opt-out choice | 180 days |
__cf_bm, cf_clearance (Cloudflare) | Bot and attack protection | 30 minutes – 1 year |
Preferences stored on your device
| Key (local storage) | Purpose |
|---|---|
dm_theme | Your dark/light mode |
dm_wa_pop_seen and similar | Remembers pop-ups and tips you have already dismissed |
Analytics cookies (after Accept)
| Provider | Cookies | Duration | More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | _ga, _ga_* | Up to 2 years | Google Privacy |
| Microsoft Clarity / Hotjar / Meta Pixel (only if enabled on this site) | _clck, _clsk, _hjSession*, _fbp | Session – 1 year | Microsoft · Hotjar · Meta |
Our own server-side statistics (views, copies, searches, time on page) use hashed identifiers, not cookies. You can delete them at any time in Dashboard → Security.
Advertising cookies (Google AdSense)
Ads appear for everyone and may be personalised using advertising cookies unless you decline (banner or the control below) or your browser sends Global Privacy Control. In the EU/EEA, UK and Switzerland, Google asks for your consent first.
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visits to this and/or other sites. How Google uses cookies in advertising.
| Cookies | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
__gads, __gpi, __eoi | Ad delivery, frequency capping, measurement | Up to 13 months |
IDE, DSID, test_cookie (doubleclick.net) | Personalised ads and ad measurement | Up to 13 months |
FCCDCF, FCNEC | Stores your choice in Google's EU/UK/Swiss consent message | Up to 13 months |
Google may change cookie names and durations; its cookie list has the latest details.
Other ways to control cookies
- On this site: Your Privacy Choices above, the cookie banner, or Dashboard → Preferences.
- Global Privacy Control: turn it on in a supporting browser or extension (see globalprivacycontrol.org).
- Google: My Ad Center and the Google Analytics opt-out add-on.
- Industry opt-outs: aboutads.info (US), youradchoices.ca (Canada), youronlinechoices.eu (Europe).
- Your browser: block or delete cookies in Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. Blocking all cookies will stop you logging in.
- Mobile devices: reset or limit your advertising ID in your phone's privacy settings.
Your rights
Under India's DPDP Act, the GDPR, UK GDPR/PECR, US state laws and other privacy laws you can withdraw consent at any time without losing access to the site, know what we use and why (this page), have analytics data deleted, and complain to your data protection authority. See the country-by-country section of our Privacy Policy.
Questions?
Contact us through our Contact page. We reply within 72 hours.