Cookie Policy

What are cookies?

Cookies (also known as browser cookies or tracking cookies) are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. These text files can be read by these websites. They are usually sent with each request to the website, therefore they can be read and processed on the server side (backend).

To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to block and delete cookies, visit https://www.aboutcookies.org/. This is a great website with FAQ to learn more about the different cookie types (like persistent and session) and much more. Another source of information about cookies is https://allaboutcookies.org.

You can also use the tool at the bottom to quickly check and interact with Cookies & Local Storage.

Why are cookies needed?

I use my own cookies to recognize you when you visit my websites or use my apps (= my products & services). This means that you don't have to log in each time you visit, and I can remember your preferences and settings. You can see detailed information about what information is stored in these cookies by viewing my Privacy Policy.

Cookies help me:

• Make my website work as you'd expect
• Save you having to login every time you visit the site
• Remember your settings during and between visits
• Improve the speed / security of the site
• Allow you to share pages with social networks
• Personalize my site to you to help you get what you need faster
• Continuously improve my website for you

I do not use cookies to:

• Collect any sensitive information (without your express permission)
• Pass personally identifiable data to third parties
• Pay sales commissions

Types of Cookies (GDPR)

Cookies can be classified by its lifespan and the domain to which they belong. There are for example short living cookies (usually referred as session cookies) which are only present until the browser session is active.

There there are persistent cookies, which remain stored on the device for a longer pre-defined period of time.

As for the domain / provider to which it belongs, there are either first-party or third-party cookies.

• First-party cookies which are set by the web server of the visited page and share the same domain. They can also be set by (external loaded) scripts (like Targeting or Performance) but only for this specific domain.
• Third-party cookies on the other end are set by the visited external visited domain. This can happen when the webpage references a file, such as JavaScript or Image, located outside its domain. Local scripts can not read or set these.

First-party cookies can only be read by the domain from which they are set. Third-party cookies are from another authority / domain and can not be read on this website.

For example, my website can not read a cookie which is used to remember your authentication. But if my website has for example an image referenced to this website, your browser will make a request with the cookie to this domain and the given web server who receives this request can read this authentication cookie and knows that you visit from my website this image.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential to enable you to browse around my websites and use required features. For example authentication, security or to remember settings (like consent decision).

Functionality Cookies

These cookies allow my websites to remember choices you make while browsing. For instance, I might store your geographic location in a cookie to ensure that my website localized for your area. They may also remember chosen preferences (text size, last selected item, etc.) or are used to keep track of what featured products or videos have been shown to avoid repetition. The information these cookies collect do not personally identify you but will make a more personalized experience for you based on stored preferences.

Performance Cookies

These cookies collect information about how you use my websites, like page views, browser type, etc. and how you navigate through the website. This data may be used to optimize and improve the website (useability). It is also used for affiliate / referral, to know from where you came. These cookies are aggregated and pseudomyzed and can't therefore identify you personally.

Targeting

These cookies are placed by third-party advertising platforms or networks to collect information about your visits to and actions on certain pages of my websites so that they can deliver ads. These cookies also track ad performance. Depending on your opt-in and opt-out decision, they can track you personally. Personalized ads are more in your interest but this makes you identifiable to some degree.

About Tracking Pixels

I also might include tracking pixels, which are small graphic images, in my marketing communication to determine engagement. These may be set by myself or by third parties with whom I have partnered to assist in my marketing efforts. They are NOT used in direct communication to you (only marketing, like newsletter, reminder, etc.).

HTML5 Local Storage

Local Storage is similar to cookies and is used on this website as well. Local Storage (as the name implies) is only locally available on your device and won't be sent automatically to a remote server. But (Java)scripts can read the data. You can check what local storage is set similar to how to view cookies or use the tool below.

Control Cookies and how to opt-out

I think it's important that you are able to control the collection of personal data relating to your use of my websites and apps, and have therefore made sure that you can opt out of any personal data collection using cookies or other technologies as set out below.

Cookies

You can use the settings within your browser to control the cookies that are set on your computer or mobile device. However, please be aware that cookies are important to many aspects for the platform - if you set your browser to reject cookies, you may not be able to enjoy all of the features of the platform. To find out how to see what cookies have been set and how to reject and delete cookies, please visit https://www.aboutcookies.org/.

You must opt-in to external providers (unless they are strictly necessary) and you can change / review your settings by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and by clicking on "Privacy Settings". From there you can also explicitly choose opt-out. Additionally you can view each provider, which eventually has a method linked to globally opt-out for all websites. You could also look for a browser plugin with the search engine of your choice.

Ads

If you do not wish to receive personalized advertising that is delivered by third parties, you are be able to express your choice through opt-out programs by third parties. I do not control these opt-out options and I'm not responsible for the decisions you make on this platform or if they are not accurately working.

Below are options to opt-out / change your advertising settings where applicable:

• Opt-out choices of Google Ads
• Opt-out choices of YourAdChoices (DAA)
• Opt-out choices of NAI
• Opt-out choices of EIDAA

Consent to Cookies and Similar Technologies

I have done my best to provide you with clear and comprehensive information about the use of cookies and similar technologies.

If you choose to use this website or any other website or apps from me, without blocking or disabling cookies or opting out of these technologies (as described above), you will indicate your consent to my use of these cookies and other technologies and to my use (in accordance with this policy and my Privacy Policy) of any personal information that I collect using these technologies. If you do not consent to the use of these technologies, please be sure to block or disable them using your browser settings, the opt-out links above, the settings on your device or through the "Privacy Settings" provided by this website!

Anonymous users or guests (not registered and logged in users!) need to give consent by clicking on the "Accept" button on the cookie, tracking and advertisement information banner before any tracking will happen and cookies will be set.

Ads

This website might include in the future ads on certain pages (like the blog). I'm using Google AdSense to serve ads. Google uses cookies to help serve the ads that it displays on the websites of its partners, such as websites displaying Google ads or participating in Google certified ad networks. When users visit a Google partner's website, a cookie may be dropped on that end user's browser.

Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's previous visits to your website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet.

Other Third party Cookies

I or other users might include content which references external resources. These might set third party cookies (maybe also without your consent) which we can't control nor can mention all here.

For example, an embedded YouTube video might set cookies from YouTube / Google.
If possible, we block any external references before you give explicit consent to it.

What data is stored when I visit the website?

Below you find all known data types and eventually the current value for this domain. If the cookie is known to me as the time of writing, it will be linked to the given provider with more information. Please understand, that I can't ensure 100% accuracy as eventually third party providers change the key (=name) from time to time. I try my best to keep up with changes.

Cookies

Local Storage