Cookie Policy

How We Use Cookies

We believe in transparency. This page explains what cookies we use, why we use them, and how you stay in control.

Last updated: March 29, 2026
Contents
  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Types of Cookies We Use
  3. 3. Third-Party Cookie Reference Table
  4. 4. How to Manage Cookies
  5. 5. Cookie Consent
  6. 6. Updates to This Policy
  7. 7. Contact

1. Introduction

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, phone, or tablet) when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, understand how you interact with the site, and in some cases deliver personalized advertising.

VotesZ ("we", "us", "our") uses cookies and similar technologies on our website (votesz.com) and related services. This Cookie Policy explains what cookies we use, what they do, and how you can manage your preferences.

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains how we process your personal data more broadly.

In short: We use essential cookies to make the site work, analytics cookies to understand traffic, and marketing cookies to measure advertising effectiveness. You can opt out of non-essential cookies at any time.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

We categorize our cookies into five types based on their purpose. Essential cookies are always active because they are necessary for the website to function. All other categories require your consent under GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.

🔒
Essential Cookies
Always active

These cookies are strictly necessary for the website and app to function. Without them, core features like logging in and staying authenticated would not work. They cannot be disabled.

  • Supabase auth session tokens — Keep you logged in securely across pages and app sessions. These tokens are encrypted and expire automatically.
  • Language preference (votesz_lang) — Remembers your chosen language (e.g., English, Dutch, Spanish) so you don't have to select it every visit.
  • CSRF protection tokens — Prevent cross-site request forgery attacks by validating that form submissions originate from our site.
⚙️
Functional Cookies
Consent required

Functional cookies enable features that are not strictly necessary but improve your experience on VotesZ.

  • Referral tracking (votesz_ref, 30 days) — When someone shares a VotesZ link with you, this cookie remembers who invited you so they receive credit for the referral. It expires after 30 days.
  • Draft auto-save preferences — Remembers your draft settings (e.g., auto-save interval) for post creation so your work is preserved if you leave the page.
📊
Analytics Cookies
Consent required

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website. This data is aggregated and anonymized — we use it to improve the experience for everyone, not to identify individuals.

  • Google Analytics / GA4 (_ga, _ga_*, _gid) — Measures website traffic, page views, session duration, and user journeys. Helps us understand which pages are most useful and where people drop off.
📢
Attribution & Marketing Cookies
Consent required

These cookies help us measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns across platforms. They track whether someone who saw an ad on social media later signed up for VotesZ. We do not use these cookies to build advertising profiles or sell your data.

  • AppsFlyer — Mobile attribution service that helps us understand which marketing channels drive app installs and web-to-app conversions.
  • Meta Pixel (_fbp, _fbc) — Measures conversions from Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns.
  • Google Ads (_gcl_aw, gclid, _gcl_dc) — Tracks conversions from Google Search and Display advertising.
  • X/Twitter Pixel (twclid) — Measures conversions from X (formerly Twitter) advertising campaigns.
  • TikTok Pixel (_ttp, tt_pixel) — Measures conversions from TikTok advertising campaigns.
💳
Payment Cookies
Always active

Payment cookies are set by our payment processor, Stripe, to facilitate secure transactions and prevent fraud. These are classified as essential because they are required for payment functionality to work.

  • Stripe (__stripe_mid, __stripe_sid) — Enables secure payment processing, session management during checkout, and fraud prevention. Set only when you interact with payment features.

3. Third-Party Cookie Reference Table

The table below provides a detailed overview of every cookie that may be set when you use VotesZ.

Cookie Name Provider Purpose Duration Type
sb-*-auth-token Supabase Authentication session management Session / 7 days Essential
votesz_lang VotesZ Stores preferred language setting 1 year Essential
csrf_token VotesZ Prevents cross-site request forgery Session Essential
votesz_ref VotesZ Referral attribution tracking 30 days Functional
_ga Google Distinguishes unique visitors 2 years Analytics
_ga_Z1RF8PWCSM Google GA4 session persistence 2 years Analytics
_gid Google Distinguishes users (short-term) 24 hours Analytics
_fbp Meta Facebook ad conversion tracking 90 days Marketing
_fbc Meta Facebook click ID from ad link 90 days Marketing
_gcl_aw Google Google Ads conversion tracking 90 days Marketing
gclid Google Google click identifier 90 days Marketing
_gcl_dc Google Google Display & Video 360 tracking 90 days Marketing
twclid X / Twitter X/Twitter ad conversion tracking 90 days Marketing
_ttp TikTok TikTok ad conversion tracking 13 months Marketing
tt_pixel TikTok TikTok pixel session identifier 13 months Marketing
__stripe_mid Stripe Fraud prevention & payment security 1 year Payment
__stripe_sid Stripe Payment session identifier 30 minutes Payment

4. How to Manage Cookies

You have full control over which cookies are stored on your device. There are two ways to manage them: through our cookie consent banner (when available) or through your browser settings.

Browser Settings

Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. The steps vary by browser:

🌐 Google Chrome

Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data → Manage exceptions or block all third-party cookies.

🪄 Safari

Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data. Safari blocks third-party cookies by default.

🔥 Firefox

Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection. Choose Standard, Strict, or Custom.

🕸️ Microsoft Edge

Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data.

Please note: Blocking essential cookies (authentication, CSRF) will prevent you from logging in and using core VotesZ features. We recommend only blocking analytics and marketing cookies if you prefer not to be tracked.

Opt-Out Links for Advertising Platforms

You can also opt out of interest-based advertising directly with each platform:

Google Analytics Opt-Out Google Ads Personalization Meta / Facebook Ad Preferences X / Twitter Ads Preferences TikTok Ads & Your Data Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Opt-Out European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA)

6. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes in legislation, or improvements to our practices.

When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes — such as adding entirely new categories of cookies or new third-party providers — we will notify you via a banner on the website or through the app.

We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.

7. Contact

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or how we use cookies, we'd love to hear from you.

You can reach us through our contact page. We aim to respond to all cookie-related inquiries within 5 business days.

If you believe your data protection rights have been violated, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. For residents of the Netherlands, this is the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens.