Cookie Policy
What cookies do on AjaxUniverse, and how to control them
Last reviewed on 28 April 2026.
What a cookie actually is
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store. The next time you visit, the browser sends that file back, which lets the site remember something about your previous visit. Cookies do not run programs and cannot read other files on your device. Modern web pages also use closely related technologies — local storage, session storage, and pixel tags — that have a similar effect; everything we say about cookies on this page applies to those technologies too.
Categories of cookies on AjaxUniverse
1. Strictly necessary
These keep the site working. They include cookies that route traffic correctly through the hosting provider's network and cookies that remember session-level settings such as whether you have dismissed a notice on this visit. Without these, parts of the site would not function. They cannot be switched off.
2. Preferences
If a future feature lets you change a setting (for example, opening or closing menus, or choosing a preferred section view), we may store that preference in a small cookie or in your browser's local storage so the site behaves the same way the next time you visit. Today, this category is minimal.
3. Analytics
We may use a privacy-respecting analytics tool to understand which pages are most useful to readers. Where any such tool is in use, it counts page visits in aggregate and is configured to avoid storing data that would identify an individual visitor. We do not combine analytics data with advertising profiles.
4. Advertising — Google AdSense
AjaxUniverse displays advertising served through Google AdSense. Google and its advertising partners use cookies and similar identifiers to:
- display ads on our pages and rotate creatives;
- measure whether ads were seen, clicked, and acted on;
- detect invalid traffic and prevent fraud;
- where lawful, choose ads that are more likely to be relevant to you based on your activity on this site and other sites that work with Google.
Some commonly seen names for these cookies are __gads, __gpi, IDE, and NID; the exact list and their lifetimes are controlled by Google and can change. Visiting Google's overview of cookie types is the most up-to-date source.
How to control cookies
In your browser
Every major browser lets you view, block, or delete cookies — usually in the "Privacy" or "Security" section of settings. You can usually choose to block all third-party cookies (which removes most advertising and analytics cookies) while still allowing first-party cookies. If you block strictly-necessary cookies, parts of this site may stop working.
For Google ads specifically
- Google Ads Settings — turn off ad personalisation across Google's products and partner sites that use its services.
- How Google uses information from sites that use its services — Google's own explanation of partner-site data flows.
Industry-wide opt-outs
- European Economic Area / United Kingdom — YourOnlineChoices
- United States and Canada — aboutads.info / DAA and NAI
- Mobile devices — both iOS and Android offer a "Limit ad tracking" or "Reset advertising ID" option in system settings, which applies to apps and to ad-targeting that uses the device's advertising ID.
Consent in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland
If you visit from the EEA, the UK, or Switzerland, Google operates a consent flow under the IAB Transparency & Consent Framework. The choices you make in that flow govern whether non-essential advertising cookies are set on your device. You can review or withdraw your consent at any time by clearing site data and reloading the page; the consent prompt will appear again.
Do Not Track
Most browsers offer a "Do Not Track" signal. Because no industry-wide standard exists for how a website should honour this signal, AjaxUniverse does not respond to it directly. The cookie categories above, the in-browser controls, and Google's own ad controls are the practical way to manage what is set on your device.
Changes to this policy
If we add new categories of cookies — for example, by introducing a new feature or new third party — this page will be updated and the "Last reviewed" date at the top will change. Material changes will also be summarised in a brief note when first published.
Contact
Questions about cookies on AjaxUniverse: info@ajaxuniverse.com. For broader privacy questions, see the Privacy Policy.