Cookies are small text files that websites store on your device to remember things between visits. Some are essential (so the site works); some are optional (analytics, marketing). The Almanac only uses essential ones.
| Name | What it does | How long it lasts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
almanac_session | Keeps you signed in | 30 days (or until you sign out) | Essential |
almanac_csrf | Protects against cross-site request forgery (a type of attack) | Session only (deleted when you close your browser) | Essential |
almanac_prefs | Remembers your display preferences (theme, language, etc) | 1 year | Essential |
That's it. No advertising cookies. No third-party tracking pixels. No Google Analytics. No Facebook Pixel.
Even without cookies, we collect a small amount of technical data on every page request:
This is logged for 90 days, then deleted. It's used for security (spotting attacks, debugging issues) and aggregate analytics (how many people are visiting what). It's not linked to your account unless you're signed in.
When you use Stripe to subscribe, Stripe sets its own cookies on the payment page (necessary for fraud prevention). We do not have control over those — please check Stripe's own cookie policy if you want detail.
Because all our cookies are essential, you can't disable them and still use the service. If you do disable cookies in your browser, you'll be signed out automatically and the site won't function.
If you want to delete our cookies, you can do so from your browser's settings — usually under "Privacy" or "History".
If we ever add new cookies, this page is where we'll document them. We'll also notify registered users by email. The "last updated" date at the top of this page tells you when it last changed.
Questions about cookies or our data practices: privacy@thealmanac.co.uk