Cookie Policy
View our Cookie Policy.
Cookie Policy
Last Updated: April 10, 2026
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device to help websites function, analyze traffic, and provide a better experience. We also use "cookieless" technologies (like Vercel’s hashed visitor identification) which serve similar purposes for performance and security.
2. How We Categorize Our Technology
We categorize our cookies and tracking scripts into three groups to ensure transparency and user control:
| Category | Purpose | Examples | Default Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Essential for site security, navigation, and completing merch transactions. | Stripe, PayPal, Vercel Core | Always On |
| Analytics | Helps us understand traffic patterns and popular podcast episodes. | Google Analytics (GA4), Vercel Analytics | Opt-In (EU) / Opt-Out (US) |
| Functional | Remembers your preferences, such as items in your merch cart. | Local Storage, Session Cookies | Opt-In (EU) / Opt-Out (US) |
3. Third-Party Partners
We utilize services from the following providers who may drop their own cookies or collect data:
- Vercel: Used for hosting and performance monitoring. Vercel Analytics generally uses short-lived hashes (24-hour expiration) rather than persistent cookies.
- Google Analytics: Uses cookies to distinguish unique users and throttle request rates.
- Stripe / PayPal: Use cookies strictly for security and to process your transactions during checkout.
4. Your Rights & Control
We provide a "Privacy & Cookie Settings" link in our footer that allows you to:
- Reject All: Instantly disable all non-essential tracking.
- Granular Control: Choose to allow Analytics while blocking Functional cookies.
- US "Do Not Sell/Share": While we do not "sell" your data for money, US laws (like the CPRA) define "sharing" for analytics as a regulated activity. You can opt-out of this sharing at any time.
5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Our Website uses cookies to remember your preferences and analyze traffic.
- Choice: You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies. However, if you do not accept cookies, some portions of our Website (like the shopping cart) may not function properly.
- Global Privacy Control (GPC): Our Website is configured to recognize and honor GPC signals from your browser, treating them as a request to opt-out of non-essential tracking.