Cookie Policy
The cookies and similar technologies we use, why, and how to control them.
This Cookie Policy explains how The Digital Weekly uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on thedigitalweekly.com. It complements our Privacy Policy.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file that a website stores on your browser or device. Cookies allow sites to:
- Remember your preferences and settings (theme, language, region)
- Keep you signed in across pages
- Measure how the site is used (aggregate analytics)
- Serve relevant content and advertising (where applicable)
- Detect and prevent fraud or abuse
Similar technologies include local storage, session storage, IndexedDB, web beacons, pixel tags, and SDKs. For brevity, this Policy uses “cookies” to refer to all of these.
Categories of cookies we use
| Category | Purpose | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Essential for the site to function — security, load balancing, consent state | Yes (cannot be disabled) |
| Preferences | Remember your settings — theme, region, displayed content | No (default on, you can disable) |
| Analytics | Understand aggregate site usage — pages visited, time on page, popular content | No (consent required in EU/UK) |
| Marketing | If we ever introduce advertising tracking, this category will be added — currently empty | No (consent required) |
Specific cookies in use
Strictly necessary
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
PHPSESSID |
Session identifier for the application | Session | The Digital Weekly |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-* |
Stores your cookie-consent choices | 1 year | The Digital Weekly |
CookieLawInfoConsent |
Records that you’ve seen and answered the cookie banner | 1 year | The Digital Weekly |
__cf_bm |
Bot management; protects against malicious traffic | 30 minutes | Cloudflare |
Preferences
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
tdw_theme |
Stores your light/dark theme preference | 1 year | The Digital Weekly |
tdw_region |
Stores region preference if you select one | 1 year | The Digital Weekly |
tdw_dismissed_* |
Remembers which notification banners you’ve dismissed | 30 days | The Digital Weekly |
Analytics
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga |
Distinguishes unique users in aggregate analytics | 2 years | Google Analytics 4 |
_ga_* |
Maintains session state in Google Analytics 4 | 2 years | Google Analytics 4 |
tdw_nl_src |
Attributes newsletter sign-ups to source pages (for editorial planning) | 30 days | The Digital Weekly |
Google Analytics is configured with IP anonymisation enabled — IP addresses are truncated before being stored. We do not link analytics data to your identity. Aggregate data only.
Third-party cookies
Some pages may load third-party content (embedded YouTube videos, social-media widgets, podcast players) that sets cookies on its own. We disclose these embeds where they appear. To prevent third-party cookies, you can:
- Block third-party cookies in your browser settings
- Use privacy-focused extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger
- Decline the embed by not playing the video / interacting with the widget
We do not currently use third-party advertising trackers, social-sharing widgets that ping back to social platforms when the page loads, or remarketing pixels.
How we obtain consent
On your first visit, you see a cookie banner that asks for your consent regarding non-essential cookies. You have three options:
- Accept all — consents to all cookie categories (strictly necessary, preferences, analytics)
- Reject all non-essential — only strictly necessary cookies are set; preferences and analytics are blocked
- Customise — choose category-by-category
Your choice is remembered for 365 days. You can change your choice at any time by clicking “Cookie Settings” in our footer (forthcoming feature) or by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting the site.
Global Privacy Control
We honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal. When your browser is configured to send GPC, we treat your visit as if you opted out of all non-essential cookies, regardless of the banner state. This complies with California Consumer Privacy Act requirements and other applicable privacy regulations.
To enable GPC, configure your browser:
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → enable “Send websites a ‘Do Not Track’ signal” or use a GPC extension
- Brave: GPC is enabled by default
- DuckDuckGo Browser: GPC is enabled by default
- Chrome / Safari / Edge: install a GPC-enabling extension
How to manage cookies in your browser
Most browsers let you view, manage, and delete cookies. Specific guidance:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Apple Safari (macOS)
- Apple Safari (iOS)
- Microsoft Edge
- Opera
- Brave
You can also use industry opt-out tools:
What happens if you reject cookies?
If you reject all non-essential cookies:
- The site will function normally
- Your theme preference won’t be remembered across visits
- We won’t be able to measure your visit in our analytics (aggregate counts will be lower)
- Newsletter sign-ups won’t be attributed to source pages
- Some embedded third-party content (videos, widgets) may not load or may load with reduced functionality
Essential site functions — reading articles, signing up for the newsletter — are unaffected.
Children
The Services are not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect cookie data linked to children under 13 (US) or 16 (EU). Parents who believe we have set cookies on a child’s device should contact privacy@thedigitalweekly.com.
Changes to this policy
We update this Cookie Policy when our cookie practices change. Material changes are reflected in the “Last updated” date at the top of this page and announced via our newsletter. Changes to cookie categories that require consent will trigger a fresh consent prompt.
Contact
Questions about cookies: privacy@thedigitalweekly.com
For your other rights and how we handle personal data, see our Privacy Policy.
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