Cookie Policy

Short version

We use essential cookies to keep you logged in and save your preferences. We use optional analytics cookies only with your explicit consent. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They allow the site to remember information about your visit — like staying logged in, saving your language preference, or understanding which pages are most useful.

Cookies are not programs and cannot access other files on your device. They are widely used across the internet to make websites function and to improve user experience.

Cookies We Use

We use three categories of cookies. Essential cookies are always active. Analytics and preference cookies require your consent and can be toggled in your settings.

Category	Required?	Purpose
Essential	Always on	Authentication, security, session management
Preferences	Optional	Remembering your settings and preferences
Analytics	Opt-in	Understanding how the platform is used (privacy-respecting)

Essential Cookies

Essential cookies are necessary for the platform to function. They cannot be disabled. Without them, you would not be able to log in, access your account, or use core features.

Cookie name	Purpose	Duration
`aipicks_session`	Keeps you logged in during your browser session	Session
`aipicks_auth`	Persistent login for 'remember me' functionality	30 days
`aipicks_csrf`	Protects against cross-site request forgery attacks	Session
`aipicks_consent`	Remembers your cookie consent choices	1 year

Analytics Cookies

With your consent, we use privacy-respecting analytics to understand how the platform is used. This helps us improve the experience, identify broken flows, and understand which features are most valuable.

What our analytics do NOT do

Build individual user profiles
Share data with advertising networks
Track you across other websites
Sell your data to third parties

Cookie name	Purpose	Duration
`aipicks_analytics`	Anonymised page view and feature usage tracking	13 months
`aipicks_session_id`	Session identifier for funnel analysis (anonymised)	Session

Preference Cookies

Preference cookies remember your settings across visits so you don't have to reconfigure them each time. These are optional and can be disabled.

Cookie name	Purpose	Duration
`aipicks_theme`	Remembers your colour mode (dark/light)	1 year
`aipicks_prefs`	Stores notification and display preferences	1 year
`aipicks_toc_state`	Remembers collapsed/expanded state of UI elements	1 year

Third-Party Cookies

We use Stripe for payment processing. When you visit a billing page, Stripe may set their own cookies for fraud prevention and security. These are governed by Stripe's Privacy Policy.

We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any other advertising network cookies. We do not allow any third-party advertising cookies on AiPicks.org.

How to Control Cookies

Through our platform

You can manage analytics and preference cookies at any time by visiting Settings → Privacy → Cookie Preferences in your account. Changes take effect immediately.

Through your browser

All modern browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Note that blocking essential cookies will prevent you from logging in. Instructions for popular browsers:

Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy when we add or change how cookies are used. Material changes will be communicated by updating the date above and, where appropriate, re-presenting the consent banner.

Contact

Questions about cookies or our data practices:

AiPicks Privacy Team

Cookie questions, consent withdrawals, and data privacy requests.

privacy@aipicks.org