Cookies Policy

This Cookie Policy explains how The Local Dot uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website.

 

Website: https://www.thelocaldot.com

 

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use and protect personal information.

 

1. WHO WE ARE

 

The Local Dot is an ordinary partnership operated by:

 

• Mark Preston

• Joby Young

 

Our business address is:

 

The Local Dot
Office 13b
Business First Business Centre
Lancaster House
Amy Johnson Way
Blackpool
Lancashire
FY4 2RP
United Kingdom

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Email: info@thelocaldot.com

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2. WHAT ARE COOKIES?

 

Cookies are small pieces of information stored on your computer, smartphone, tablet or other device when you visit a website.

 

Cookies can perform different functions. Some are necessary for a website to operate securely and correctly. Others can remember preferences or help website owners understand how visitors use their website.

 

Cookies may be stored only for the duration of your browsing session or remain on your device for a specified period.

 

Cookies can also be:

 

First party cookies, which are set by the website you are visiting.

 

Third party cookies, which are set by another organisation whose technology or services are used by the website.

 

The rules can also apply to technologies other than traditional cookies where information is stored on, or accessed from, a visitor's device. The ICO now refers more broadly to these as storage and access technologies.

 

3. HOW THE LOCAL DOT USES COOKIES

 

The Local Dot website is built using the Wix Editor.

 

We also use:

 

• Google Analytics 4

• Google Tag Manager

• Google Search Console

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The cookies currently associated with this setup fall primarily into two categories:

 

Essential cookies

 

These support the security, stability and operation of the Wix website.

 

Analytics cookies

 

These help us understand how visitors find and use our website so we can measure and improve its performance.

 

The ICO requires websites to provide clear information about cookies and, except where an exemption applies, obtain valid consent before using them.

 

4. ESSENTIAL WIX COOKIES

 

Wix places certain cookies on websites built using its platform. Wix currently classifies the following cookies as essential.

 

• • XSRF-TOKEN

  • Purpose: Used by Wix for fraud detection relating to calls made through the website.

  • Duration: Session.

  • Type: Essential.

• • hs

  • Purpose: A Wix security cookie associated with its legacy Hive system.

  • Duration: Session.

  • Type: Essential.

• • svSession

  • Purpose: Used by Wix for website security, stability and core website functionality.

  • Duration: 12 months.

  • Type: Essential.

• • SSR-caching

  • Purpose: Used by Wix in connection with website rendering and performance.

  • Duration: 24 hours.

  • Type: Essential.

• • TS*

  • Purpose: A family of Wix cookies used for attack detection and website security. The exact cookie name may vary.

  • Duration: Session.

  • Type: Essential.

• • bSession

  • Purpose: Used by Wix to measure system effectiveness.

  • Duration: 24 hours.

  • Type: Essential.

• • fedops.logger.sessionId

  • Purpose: Used by Wix to track session errors and technical issues and support website resilience.

  • Duration: 12 months.

  • Type: Essential.

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These cookies support the underlying operation, security and stability of the website.

 

Wix's current documentation categorises all seven as essential.

 

5. GOOGLE ANALYTICS 4 COOKIES

 

We use Google Analytics 4, commonly known as GA4, to understand how visitors interact with our website.

 

Google states that GA4 uses first party cookies to distinguish individual users and sessions.

 

The GA4 cookies currently relevant to our website are:

 

• • _ga

  • Provider: Google Analytics.

  • Purpose: Used to distinguish website users for analytics purposes.

  • Default duration: 2 years.

  • Type: Analytics.

• • ga<container-id>

• Provider: Google Analytics.

  • Purpose: Used to maintain or persist a visitor's session state. The part of the cookie name following _ga_ is specific to the Google Analytics property or measurement configuration.

  • Default duration: 2 years.

  • Type: Analytics.

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Google notes that browser restrictions can result in shorter effective lifetimes in some circumstances.

 

These cookies allow us to understand information such as how visitors arrive at the website, which pages are visited and how people interact with the website.

 

We use this information to understand website performance and identify opportunities to improve the experience for visitors.

 

6. GOOGLE TAG MANAGER

 

We use Google Tag Manager to manage and deploy website tags.

 

Google Tag Manager itself is a tag management system. The cookies and other technologies that may be activated through it depend upon the tags configured within the Tag Manager container.

 

At present, based on the integrations described in this Cookie Policy, Google Analytics 4 is the relevant analytics technology.

 

Google Tag Manager also includes consent management functionality that can control how tags behave according to the consent choices made by a visitor.

 

If we add additional technologies through Google Tag Manager in the future, we will review and update this Cookie Policy where those technologies introduce additional cookies or storage and access technologies.

 

7. GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE

 

We use Google Search Console to understand how our website performs within Google Search.

 

Search Console provides website owners with information about matters such as search visibility, indexing and website performance.

 

Unlike Google Analytics, Search Console is not being identified in this policy as a source of visitor tracking cookies on https://www.thelocaldot.com.

 

We have therefore not listed invented “Google Search Console cookies” simply because Search Console is connected to the website.

 

If our implementation changes and additional browser technologies are introduced, this policy will be updated accordingly.

 

8. ESSENTIAL COOKIES AND CONSENT

 

Essential cookies are required for the website to function securely and correctly.

 

Under the applicable UK rules, consent is not generally required where storage or access is strictly necessary to provide a service requested by the visitor, although visitors should still be given information about those technologies.

 

This is why essential Wix cookies may operate without you actively accepting analytics cookies.

 

Blocking essential cookies through your browser may prevent parts of the website from functioning correctly.

 

9. ANALYTICS COOKIES AND YOUR CHOICE

 

Analytics cookies are treated differently from cookies that are strictly necessary to operate the website.

 

Where consent is required, non essential cookies should not be placed simply because somebody visits or continues browsing the website. The ICO states that consent must involve a clear positive action and that visitors should be able to enable or disable non essential cookies.

 

The Local Dot therefore uses cookie consent controls to allow visitors to make choices about non essential cookies.

 

Where analytics consent has not been given, the website should be configured so that analytics cookies requiring consent are not stored on the visitor's device.

 

Google also provides Consent Mode, which enables Google tags to adapt their behaviour according to a visitor's consent choice. Google distinguishes between basic consent mode, where tags are blocked before consent, and advanced consent mode, where consent aware tags can send cookieless signals when consent is denied.

 

10. CHANGING YOUR COOKIE PREFERENCES

 

You can change your choices regarding non essential cookies using the cookie settings available on our website.

 

You can also control cookies through your web browser.

 

Depending on the browser you use, you may be able to:

 

• View stored cookies

• Delete individual cookies

• Delete all cookies

• Block cookies

• Block third party cookies

• Allow cookies from selected websites

• Clear cookies when the browser closes

• Use private or incognito browsing

 

The ICO confirms that modern browsers provide controls for deleting, blocking and otherwise managing cookies.

 

Please be aware that disabling essential cookies may affect the operation or functionality of the website.

 

11. THIRD PARTY SERVICES

 

Some cookies or similar technologies used by our website are provided by third parties.

 

Based on the current website setup described in this policy, these include technologies provided by:

 

• Wix

• Google

 

Those organisations may process information in accordance with their own privacy and cookie practices.

 

The Local Dot does not control how third party providers independently use information collected through their own services.

 

12. FUTURE CHANGES TO THE WEBSITE

 

The cookies used by a website can change when new functionality, integrations, applications or third party services are added.

 

Wix itself notes that websites built on its platform can include additional cookies when site owners add components, code or third party applications.

 

If we introduce additional technologies that set or access cookies or similar information, we will review this Cookie Policy and update it where necessary.

 

13. CHANGES TO THIS COOKIE POLICY

 

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect:

 

• Changes to our website

• Changes to Wix functionality

• New website integrations

• Changes to Google services

• Changes to the cookies or similar technologies being used

• Changes to applicable law or regulatory guidance

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The latest version will be published on this page.

 

The Last updated date at the top of the policy will show when the most recent changes were made.

 

14. CONTACT US

 

If you have questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact:

 

The Local Dot

Office 13b
Business First Business Centre
Lancaster House
Amy Johnson Way
Blackpool
Lancashire
FY4 2RP
United Kingdom

​

Email: info@thelocaldot.com