Cookie Policy

1. What cookies are

Cookies are small text files that a website stores on your device when you visit. They let the site remember information about your visit, like keeping you signed in or storing your preferences. We also use localStorage (a related browser-storage mechanism) and may, with your consent, use other tracking technologies like web beacons inside ads.

For the rest of this policy, when we say "cookies" we mean cookies and any equivalent technologies described above.

2. Cookies we use

The sections below distinguish browser storage from page-view analytics. Essential storage supports sign-in; advertising consent is handled by the consent controls described below. Vercel Web Analytics does not use analytics cookies.

Essential cookies

These cookies are necessary for the site to work. Without them you cannot sign in or use the core features. We do not need consent to set them, because the service would be broken without them.

Functional storage

We use your browser's localStorage (not cookies in the strict sense) to remember recent address lookups. This browser copy supports the recent-address shortcuts; the address you submit for a lookup is also processed by the service as described in our Privacy Policy.

You can clear localStorage at any time from your browser's developer tools or settings.

Analytics

We use Vercel Web Analytics for page-view statistics, including page URL, referrer, approximate location, and device and browser information. It does not set analytics cookies or use identifiers that follow you across different websites. It operates separately from the advertising consent controls.

Read Vercel's Web Analytics privacy disclosure.

Google Analytics 4 is disabled in our current advertising-consent setup. Our first-party service events are separate from Vercel page views and are described in our Privacy Policy.

First-party advertising session cookie

FreeCodeChecks advertising endpoints set fcc_ad_sid to associate advertising requests, impressions, and clicks with a browser session. It is a first-party HttpOnly cookie, so page scripts cannot read it. This measurement identifier is separate from Google's advertising cookies and is not a consent preference.

Advertising cookies

These cookies are set by Google AdSense and its ad-tech partners. They are used to choose which ads to show you, to measure ad performance, and (if you consent to personalization) to make ads more relevant to your interests. They are only set after you grant consent through our Consent Management Platform.

A full list of cookies set by Google's ad systems is available at policies.google.com/technologies/cookies.

Google-managed consent controls determine the advertising choice. In regions governed by the IAB TCF, the certified CMP and Google's limited-ads rules determine whether an ad request is eligible; declining does not imply that non-personalized ad cookies may be used.

Advertising measurement

Advertising measurement. When an ad is shown on FreeCodeChecks we set a first-party cookie named fcc_ad_sid that lasts only until you close your browser. We use it to count how many times ads are seen and clicked. Advertisers receive only totals — never your identity, your searches, or this cookie.

3. The Consent Management Platform (CMP)

FreeCodeChecks is configured to use Google's Privacy & messaging consent flow through the AdSense site tag. Google manages the regional advertising consent message. The separate FreeCodeChecks Accept/Decline banner is disabled in this setup; it is not a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP).

“Manage cookie preferences” in the footer requests Google's consent-revocation message when its consent service is available. A saved first-party fcc_consent value from a different setup does not grant Google advertising consent in this setup.

For EEA, UK, and Swiss advertising traffic, Google requires a Google-certified CMP integrated with the IAB Europe Transparency and Consent Framework. Newly generated TC strings must use TCF v2.3 as of March 1, 2026. When that certified flow is active, it owns the regional consent choice and the first-party banner stands down.

Consent Mode v2 defaults deny advertising storage, user data, personalization, and analytics storage before a choice is resolved. Google's advertising script is also excluded entirely from authentication, account, legal, contact, submission, purchase, review, administration, API, and error routes.

4. How to manage your preferences

You have several ways to control cookies on FreeCodeChecks:

• On our site. Click "Manage cookie preferences" in the footer to request Google's consent controls when available. You can also contact us using the address below if you cannot access those controls.
• Browser controls. All major browsers let you block or delete cookies through their settings. Doing this affects every site, not just ours. If you block essential cookies, you will not be able to sign in.
• Privacy requests.

  Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

  Use that page or contact us to submit a privacy request. Use the consent controls to manage Google advertising choices.

• Opt out of personalized Google ads everywhere. Visit adssettings.google.com.
• Opt out of third-party advertising network cookies. Visit the Network Advertising Initiative at optout.networkadvertising.org or the Digital Advertising Alliance at optout.aboutads.info.

5. Third-party cookies

Some cookies on FreeCodeChecks are set by third parties we work with:

• Google AdSense and DoubleClick — set advertising cookies on pages that display ads, only after you grant consent.
• Stripe — sets fraud-prevention cookies on pages that involve a paid checkout (for example, when you purchase a research request). These cookies help Stripe distinguish legitimate buyers from fraudulent ones. See Stripe's cookie disclosures at stripe.com/cookies-policy/legal.

We do not place advertising cookies from these third parties on pages where they are not relevant (for example, on sign-in, sign-up, error pages, or admin pages).

6. Changes to this Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy when we add new features, change vendors, or when the law changes. The "Effective date" at the top reflects the most recent change. If we make a material change to how we use cookies, we will notify you through the consent banner so you can review and re-confirm your choices.

7. Contact

Questions about cookies? Email ben@emberbyte.io.

Emberbyte LLC
Attn: Ben Edelman
Ashburn, Virginia, USA