1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit our website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to website owners.
Cookies help us understand how you use our platform, remember your preferences, and improve your overall experience. We are committed to being transparent about how we use cookies and giving you control over your cookie preferences.
2. How We Use Cookies
Based Users uses cookies for the following purposes:
- Essential functionality: To enable basic website features and user authentication
- Performance monitoring: To understand how visitors interact with our platform
- User preferences: To remember your settings and personalize your experience
- Security: To protect against fraud and abuse
- Analytics: To analyze platform usage and improve our services
3. Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the platform to function properly. They enable basic features like page navigation, user authentication, and access to secure areas. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.
Performance Cookies
These cookies collect information about how visitors use our platform, such as which pages are visited most often and if they get error messages. This data helps us improve how our platform works.
Functionality Cookies
These cookies allow the platform to remember choices you make (such as your username, language preference, or research interests) and provide enhanced, more personal features.
Analytics Cookies
We use analytics cookies to understand how our platform is being used and to identify areas for improvement. These cookies help us analyze user behavior patterns and platform performance.
4. Specific Cookies We Use
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| session_token | Maintains user login session | Session (expires when browser closes) | Essential |
| user_preferences | Stores user settings and preferences | 30 days | Functionality |
| csrf_token | Security protection against cross-site attacks | Session | Essential |
| analytics_id | Anonymous user tracking for platform analytics | 2 years | Analytics |
| language_pref | Remembers selected language | 1 year | Functionality |
| research_filters | Saves research preference filters | 90 days | Functionality |
5. Third-Party Cookies
We may use third-party services that place their own cookies on your device. These services include:
- Google Analytics: For website traffic analysis and user behavior insights
- PayPal: For processing payments to research participants
- Intercom: For customer support and messaging
- Stripe: For processing client payments securely
These third-party services have their own privacy policies governing their use of cookies. We encourage you to review their policies to understand how they use cookies and other tracking technologies.
6. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
🔧 Browser Settings
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to view, manage, and delete cookies. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.
Browser-Specific Instructions
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Site Settings → Cookies
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings → Site permissions → Cookies and stored data
Cookie Consent Management
When you first visit our platform, you'll see a cookie consent banner where you can accept or customize your cookie preferences. You can change these preferences at any time by:
- Clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in our footer
- Accessing your account preferences
- Using the cookie management options in your browser
7. Do Not Track Signals
We respect browser "Do Not Track" signals where technically feasible. When we detect that your browser is sending a Do Not Track signal, we will not set non-essential tracking cookies.
8. Cookie Retention
Different cookies have different retention periods:
- Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
- Persistent cookies: Remain until their expiration date or until you delete them
- Functional cookies: Typically expire after 30 days to 1 year
- Analytics cookies: Usually expire after 2 years
9. Data Protection and Privacy
Cookie data is handled according to our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws. We implement appropriate security measures to protect cookie data and only use it for the stated purposes.
⚠️ Important Note
Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are necessary for the basic functionality of our research platform, including user authentication and security features.
10. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the updated policy on our website
- Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
- Sending email notifications for significant changes (where required)
11. Contact Us About Cookies
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:
- Email: privacy@basedusers.com
- Address: Based Users, 123 Research Ave, San Francisco, CA 94105
- Phone: +1 (555) 123-4567
📚 Additional Resources
For more information about cookies and how to manage them, visit aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org.
By continuing to use Based Users platform, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy.