Categories we use
We group cookies into four categories. Essential is always on; the other three are off by default and only activated after you opt in.
Essential
Strictly necessary for the Platform to function: keeping you on the page you requested, remembering your theme and density preferences, storing your cookie-consent decision so we don't ask again, and protecting against basic abuse. Without these the Platform will not work properly. They do not require consent under GDPR/PECR, UAE PDPL, or comparable laws.
le-theme: your theme preference (light, dark, or system).le-grain: your preference for the subtle paper-grain overlay.le-consent/le-consent-v1: your consent decision and the version of the policy it was made against.
Functional
Improve your experience by remembering choices you have made, for example, recent search terms in the command menu, dismissed onboarding hints, or layout density preferences beyond the default. Disabling these means the Platform will still work, but small conveniences will reset on each visit.
Analytics
Aggregate, statistical data about how the Platform is being used: which pages are read, which essays are popular, which links are followed, and how visitors move through the site. We use this to inform editorial and design decisions. Analytics cookies are loaded only after you opt in, and we configure them to anonymise IP addresses where possible.
Performance
Diagnostic information about load time, rendering, and runtime errors. Used to keep the Platform fast and reliable. Performance cookies are loaded only after you opt in.
Third-party cookies & tracking disclosure
We may use third-party service providers to deliver parts of the Platform. Where those services are loaded, they may set their own cookies under our instruction. Examples include hosting providers (Vercel), content-delivery networks, font providers (Google Fonts), email-delivery providers, error tracking, and analytics processors.
Third-party cookies are subject to the privacy and cookie policies of the provider that sets them. We engage providers only where the contractual and technical terms align with this policy and the standards described in our Privacy Policy.
We do not use third-party cookies for cross-site behavioural advertising and we do not participate in advertising-identifier auctions.
How we obtain & record consent
On first visit, we display a consent banner offering three actions:
- Accept all: allow essential, functional, analytics, and performance cookies.
- Reject non-essential: load only essential cookies; no analytics or performance tracking will fire.
- Manage preferences: open a granular dialog where you can toggle each non-essential category independently.
Non-essential cookies are not set before you make a decision, in line with GDPR/PECR “prior consent” expectations and equivalent rules in other jurisdictions. Your decision is recorded locally so the banner does not reappear on every page, and is versioned against this policy. If we make a material change to the cookies we set, we will ask again.
Managing cookies in your browser
In addition to the consent controls we offer, most browsers let you block or delete cookies, clear local storage, and configure exceptions for specific sites. Vendor documentation is the most reliable source. Start here:
Blocking essential cookies via the browser may break parts of the Platform, including the consent banner itself.
Regional notes
We apply the strictest applicable standard. In practice this means:
- EU/UK (GDPR, ePrivacy Directive/PECR): prior, freely given, specific, and informed opt-in for all non-essential cookies; equal prominence given to “Reject”.
- UAE (PDPL): notice and consent before processing personal data through cookies, with the same opt-in standard applied above.
- KSA / GCC: compliance with the KSA Personal Data Protection Law and equivalent regional standards, including limits on cross-border transfers.
- Singapore (PDPA), Philippines (DPA), and wider APAC:notification, choice, and the ability to withdraw consent.
- USA (CCPA/CPRA): notice at collection, the right to opt out of any “sale” or “sharing” (we do neither), and recognition of Global Privacy Control signals where technically feasible.
Changes to this Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time as our practices or legal obligations evolve. The “Effective” date in the header indicates the current version. Where a change materially affects what cookies we set, we will re-prompt for consent the next time you visit.