Cookie Policy
Last updated: May 30, 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how Catsoup Media ("we", "us", or "our") uses cookies and similar technologies on catsoupmedia.com (the "Site") to recognize you when you visit, remember your preferences, and understand how the Site is used. It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them.
This Cookie Policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which provides additional details about how we collect and process personal information.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners to make their sites work, work more efficiently, and provide reporting information.
Cookies set by the website operator (in this case, Catsoup Media) are called first-party cookies. Cookies set by parties other than the website operator are called third-party cookies. Third-party cookies enable features or functionality on or through the Site (such as analytics) to be provided by the third party that sets them. The parties that set those cookies can recognize your device both when it visits the Site and when it visits certain other websites.
Why we use cookies
We use first- and third-party cookies for several reasons:
- Strictly necessary reasons — to keep the Site secure, prevent abuse, and remember your preferences (such as your cookie-consent choice and language).
- Analytics — to understand how the Site is used and improve it. Only set after you have given your consent.
We do not use advertising or marketing cookies. We do not run targeted advertising, retargeting, or social-media ad pixels on the Site.
Categories of cookies we use
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are essential for the Site to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually set in response to actions you take, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in, or filling in forms. You can block these cookies in your browser, but parts of the Site will not work as expected.
Analytics cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with the Site by collecting and reporting information anonymously. They are only set after you accept analytics in the cookie banner.
Cookies on this Site
The table below lists the specific cookies and similar technologies set on the Site, what they do, and how long they last. We audit this list periodically and update it when we add or remove tools.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Category | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare | Identifies and mitigates automated bot traffic to keep the Site online and safe. Set automatically by our hosting provider. | Strictly necessary | ~30 minutes |
| cf_clearance | Cloudflare Turnstile | Records that you successfully passed an interactive challenge on a form (replaces a CAPTCHA). Only set when you submit a form on the Site. | Strictly necessary | Session – up to 30 days |
| catsoup-consent-v1 | Catsoup Media (first-party, localStorage) | Stores your cookie-consent choice (analytics accepted or declined) so we don't ask again. Not a cookie strictly speaking — it lives in your browser's local storage. | Strictly necessary | Until you clear browser storage or change your choice |
| _ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors for analytics reporting. IP addresses are anonymized. Only set if you accept analytics. | Analytics | 2 years |
| _ga_<measurement-id> | Google Analytics 4 | Persists session state and event data for analytics reporting. Only set if you accept analytics. | Analytics | 2 years |
This list is current as of the "Last updated" date above. Specific cookies set by Cloudflare may vary based on the security level and challenges issued; see Cloudflare's cookie reference for the up-to-date authoritative list. Google's official documentation of GA4 cookies is available on the Google Analytics 4 cookie usage page.
Similar technologies we use
In addition to cookies, we use a small number of similar technologies that perform comparable functions:
- localStorage — used to remember your consent preference (
catsoup-consent-v1) and language choice. localStorage does not expire automatically; it is retained until you clear it via your browser settings or until we update the storage key. - Web beacons / pixels — Google Analytics may load very small (1×1 pixel) tracking images from
www.google-analytics.comto measure page views. These only fire after you have accepted analytics. - JavaScript SDKs — the Cloudflare Turnstile widget loads JavaScript from
challenges.cloudflare.comwhen you open a form. The script collects passive signals about your browser to verify you are not a bot. It does not track you across sessions or sites.
For simplicity, we refer to all of the above (cookies, localStorage, web beacons, pixels, and SDKs) collectively as "cookies" throughout this policy.
Third-party cookie providers
The third parties that may set cookies on the Site operate under their own privacy policies:
- Cloudflare — our hosting and security provider. See Cloudflare's Privacy Policy and the cookie reference linked above.
- Google (Google Analytics 4) — our analytics provider. See Google's Privacy Policy and the GA4 cookie usage page linked above.
We do not control the cookies set by these third parties; their own privacy and cookie policies govern those.
Session cookies vs. persistent cookies
Session cookies exist only while your browser is open and are deleted when you close it. They are used for short-lived purposes such as remembering that you have passed a security challenge during the current visit.
Persistent cookies remain on your device for a defined duration (specified above for each cookie) so we can recognize you across visits or remember preferences. Their duration is set by the cookie itself; once expired, the browser deletes them automatically.
Managing your consent and cookie preferences
You are in control of your cookie preferences. There are several ways to manage them:
- Use our cookie banner. When you first visit the Site, you can Accept or Decline analytics in the banner. Your choice is remembered in
catsoup-consent-v1. - Change your choice at any time. Visit our Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information page to toggle your analytics preference. Withdrawing consent is as easy as giving it — one click.
- Global Privacy Control (GPC). We honor the GPC signal. If your browser sends GPC, we automatically treat that as a request to opt out of analytics "sharing" without you needing to interact with the banner.
- Browser-level controls. All major browsers let you block or delete cookies. The procedure varies by browser:
Please note that blocking strictly-necessary cookies (such as __cf_bm and the consent storage key) may prevent the Site from working as expected, including being unable to submit forms or remember your consent choice between visits.
Your rights under GDPR, CCPA, and similar laws
Where applicable privacy laws give you rights in relation to cookies and similar technologies, we honor them.
- GDPR (EU/UK): non-essential cookies are loaded only after you give explicit opt-in consent. Our default state for analytics is "denied" until you accept.
- CCPA/CPRA (California): we treat our use of Google Analytics as potentially "sharing" of personal information for analytics purposes as that term is defined under the CCPA. You can opt out at our Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information page, and we honor GPC signals.
- Other jurisdictions: if you reside in a region with comparable laws (Quebec's Law 25, Brazil's LGPD, Australia's Privacy Act, etc.), you may exercise equivalent rights by contacting us.
Data retention
Cookie durations are listed in the table above. For data collected via Google Analytics, our retention setting is 14 months, after which user- and event-level data is automatically deleted from Google's servers per the GA4 default. Aggregated, anonymized reporting data may be retained longer. Cloudflare's retention follows its own documented practices.
Changes to this Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time — for example, when we add or remove a tool that sets cookies. The "Last updated" date above reflects the latest revision. We encourage you to review this page periodically. When the changes are material, we will make a reasonable effort to provide additional notice (such as a refreshed banner asking for your renewed consent).
Contact us
Questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies? Email cat@catsoupmedia.com.