Cookie Policy

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device when you visit. They help the site remember your preferences, understand how you use the site, and in some cases deliver relevant content.

Cookies are not harmful and do not carry personal information unless you have provided that information. You remain in control — you can choose which optional cookies to accept at any time using the controls on this page.

Why We Use Them

We use cookies to make the Optimised News website work reliably, to understand which parts of our content are most useful to visitors, and to ensure that any marketing we do reaches people who have already expressed an interest in our programmes.

Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies Always Active

These cookies are necessary for the website to function. They manage session continuity, security, and basic navigation. They cannot be disabled while you use our site.

• session_id — Maintains your browsing session across pages
• cookieConsent — Stores your cookie preference so we do not ask again
• csrf_token — Protects form submissions against cross-site request forgery

Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors reach and use our website. The data is aggregated and anonymous — we use it to improve page content and navigation.

• _ga, _gid — Google Analytics: page views, session duration, device type
• _ga_* — Google Analytics 4: event tracking and engagement metrics

Marketing Cookies

Marketing cookies allow us to understand whether our advertising reaches people interested in our programmes. They also help limit the number of times you see the same advertisement.

• _fbp — Meta (Facebook) Pixel: conversion tracking for social advertising
• _uet*, _uetvid — Microsoft Bing Ads: conversion and audience tracking

Preference Cookies

These cookies remember choices you have made, such as your preferred language or the last programme page you visited, so we can offer a more consistent experience on return visits.

• lang_pref — Stores your language selection
• last_viewed — Remembers the last programme section you viewed

Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies are set by third-party services that appear on our pages. These services have their own privacy and cookie policies:

• Google Analytics — google.com/privacy
• Meta (Facebook) — facebook.com/policy/cookies
• Microsoft Bing Ads — microsoft.com/privacy
• Google Maps — Embedded maps may set cookies for usage tracking

We review our third-party services periodically and only work with those whose data practices we are satisfied meet reasonable standards.

Cookie Duration

Cookies fall into two duration categories:

• Session cookies exist only while your browser is open and are deleted automatically when you close it. They manage navigation and form security.
• Persistent cookies remain on your device until they expire or you delete them. Analytics and preference cookies typically persist for 1–24 months depending on the service.

Essential: session · Analytics: up to 24 months · Marketing: up to 13 months · Preferences: up to 12 months

Your Cookie Preferences

Use the toggles below to manage which optional cookies you accept. Your preferences are saved in your browser and can be updated at any time.

Managing Cookies in Your Browser

You can also manage cookies directly in your browser settings. Note that blocking all cookies may affect the functionality of some pages.

Your Rights & Choices

• You may withdraw consent for optional cookies at any time using the toggles above
• You have the right to request information about data collected through cookies
• Disabling analytics cookies means we will not collect aggregated usage data from your browser
• Disabling marketing cookies may reduce the relevance of any advertisements you see related to our programmes
• Essential cookies cannot be disabled while you use the site, as they are required for basic functionality

For questions about how we handle personal data, please refer to our Privacy Policy or contact our team at [email protected].