Cookie Policy

The site uses cookies or similar technology to collect information about your access to the site. Cookies are pieces of information that include a unique reference code that a website transfers to your device to store and sometimes track information about you. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently.

A few of the cookies we use last only for the duration of your web session and expire when you close your browser. Other cookies are used to remember you when you return to the site and will last for longer.

Most computer and some mobile web browsers automatically accept cookies but, if you prefer, you can change your browser settings to prevent that or to notify you each time a cookie is set. Please note however, that by blocking or deleting cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of the site.

To find out more about cookies, including details of cookies that have been set and how to manage and delete them, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

OUR COOKIES WILL BE USED FOR:

ESSENTIAL SESSION MANAGEMENT

• • Creating a specific log-in session for a user of the site in order that the site remembers that a user is logged in and that their page requests are delivered in an effective, secure and consistent manner;
  • Recognising when a user of the site has visited before allowing us to identify the number of unique users we receive to the site and make sure we have enough capacity for the number of users that we get;
  • Recognising if a visitor to the site is registered with us in any way;
  • We may also log information from your computer including the existence of cookies, your IP address and information about your browser program in order to allow us to diagnose problems, administer and track your usage of our site.

FUNCTIONALITY

• • Customising elements of the promotional layout and/or content of the pages of the site.

PERFORMANCE AND MEASUREMENT

• • Collecting statistical information about how our users use the site so that we can improve the site and learn which parts are most popular to users.

Details of the cookies we use are displayed below.

Analytics and Performance

Cookie	Purpose
__pdvt	Used in log of Crowdsignal survey data to aid in debugging customer problems.
_hjIncludedInSample mp_6d7c50ad560e017 15a871a117a2fbd90_mixpanel optimizelyBuckets optimizelyEndUserId __hstc hubspotutk optimizelySegments	Gathers information that helps us understand how visitors interact with our websites, which allows us to create a better visitor experience.
ab	Used for “AB testing” of new features.
nux_flow_name	Identifies which user signup flow was shown to the user.
tk_ni / tk_ai / tk_qs	Gathers information for our own, first party analytics tool about how our services are used. A collection of internal metrics for user activity, used to improve user experience.
tk_*r	Referral cookies used to analyse referrer behavior for Jetpack connected sites using WooCommerce.
wp-affiliate-tracker	Remembers the ID of the affiliate that referred the current user to WordPress.com
utma / utmb / utmc / utmt / utmz / ga / gat / gid	Google Analytics. Gathers information that helps us understand how visitors interact with our websites, which allow us to create a better experience for our visitors. Our users may also implement Google Analytics on their own websites.

Functionality

Cookie	Purpose
__stripe_sid / __stripe_mid	For processing payment and to aid in fraud detection.
_longreads_ prod_new	Authentication for Longreads.com Member accounts. Only active when logged in, on *.longreads.com domains.
akm_mobile	Stores whether a user has chosen to view the mobile version of a website.
botdlang	Used to track the language a user has selected to view popular blogs in.
landingpage_ currency	Defines the currency displayed in WordPress.com landing pages.
pd_dashboard	Records last used folder in Crowdsignal dashboard so it can be reopened upon user’s next visit.
PD_USER_AUTH	Login cookie used to identify Crowdsignal user.
wordpress_logged_in*	Checks whether or not the current visitor is a logged in WordPress.com user.
wp-settings-{user_id}	Persists a user’s wp-admin configuration.
wp_sharing_{id}	Tracks whether or not a user has already performed an action.

Security

Cookie	Purpose
csrftoken	Python/Ajax security cookie used on accounts.longreads.com.

Strictly Necessary

Cookie	Purpose
country_code	Used in order to determine whether or not the cookie banner should be shown. Set immediately on page load and retained for 6 hours to remember the visitor’s country.
sensitive_ pixel_ option	Remembers the state of visitor acceptance to the cookie banner. Only set when the visitor clicks Accept.
twostep_auth	Set when the user is logged in using two factor authentication.
wordpress_ test_cookie	Checks if cookies are enabled to provide appropriate user experience.

Jetpack Comments

Cookie Name	Purpose
comment_author_{HASH}	Remembers the value entered into the comment form‘s name field. Specific to the site from which it is set. This cookie mirrors one set by the core WordPress software for commenting purposes.
comment_ author_email_ {HASH}	Remembers the value entered into the comment form‘s email field. Specific to the site from which it is set. This cookie mirrors one set by the core WordPress software for commenting purposes.
comment_author _url_{HASH}	Remembers the value entered into the comment form‘s URL field. Specific to the site from which it is set. This cookie mirrors one set by the core WordPress software for commenting purposes

Mobile Theme

Cookie Name	Purpose
akm_mobile	Remembers whether or not a user wishes to view the mobile version of a site.

Subscriptions

Cookie Name	Purpose
jetpack_comments_subscribe_{HASH}	Remembers the state of the post and comment subscription checkboxes.
jetpack_blog_subscribe_{HASH}	Remembers the state of the post and comment subscription checkboxes.

EU Cookie Law Banner

Cookie Name	Purpose
eucookielaw	Remembers the state of visitor acceptance to the EU Cookie Law banner.

Please note that this section is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather aims to be representative, and that our users may set additional cookies (such as Google Analytics), depending on the features they have chosen to enable or the plugins they have installed.

Cookies set by WooCommerce

Cookies are used by WooCommerce in a variety of ways.

Cookies depend on specific features that are enabled on a store. The cookies are active when a user interacts with one of these features or to allow admin functions to be performed from within the store’s dashboard (/wp-admin).

Details are provided in tables below, listing various cookies that are set for users of stores with the WooCommerce plugin installed.

Store front end:

COOKIE NAME	DURATION	PURPOSE
woocommerce_ cart_hash	session	Helps WooCommerce determine when cart contents/data changes.
woocommerce_ items_in_cart	session	Helps WooCommerce determine when cart contents/data changes.
wp_woocommerce_ session_	2 days	Contains a unique code for each customer so that it knows where to find the cart data in the database for each customer.
woocommerce_ recently_viewed	session	Powers the Recent Viewed Products widget.
store_notice[notice id]	session	Allows customers to dismiss the Store Notice.

No personal information is stored within these cookies.

Store dashboard (/wp-admin):

COOKIE NAME	DURATION	PURPOSE
woocommerce_ snooze_suggestions __[suggestion]	2 days	Allows dashboard users to dismiss Marketplace suggestions, if enabled.
woocommerce_ dismissed_ suggestions__ [context]	1 month	Count of suggestion dismissals, if enabled.
tk_ai	session	Stores a randomly-generated anonymous ID. This is only used within the dashboard (/wp-admin) area and is used for usage tracking, if enabled.

Multi-Currency Support

Cookie	Purpose
wmc_current _currency_old	Saves the initial currency the site loads with
wmc_current_ currency	Saves the user/geo location currency that has been changed from the initial choice
wmc_ip_info	Browser IP is checked to detect location and auto select currency.