1. What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to website owners.

This Cookie Policy explains how Rafael Cardoso ("we", "us") uses cookies and similar technologies on rafaelcardoso.co.uk.

2. How We Use Cookies

We use cookies for the following purposes:

To ensure the website functions correctly (essential cookies)
To understand how visitors interact with our website (analytics cookies)
To remember your preferences and settings

3. Types of Cookies We Use

3.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be disabled. They are set in response to actions you take, such as logging in, setting your privacy preferences, or filling in forms.

cookie_consent - Stores your cookie consent preferences. Expires: 1 year.

client_session - Maintains your login session. Expires: when you log out or session times out.

csrf_token - Protects against cross-site request forgery attacks. Expires: per session.

3.2 Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. These cookies are only set with your consent.

_ga - Google Analytics. Distinguishes unique users. Expires: 2 years.

_ga_* - Google Analytics. Maintains session state. Expires: 2 years.

We use Google Analytics with the following privacy protections:

IP anonymisation is enabled (your full IP address is never stored)
Google Consent Mode v2 is implemented (data collection only occurs after you consent)
Data retention is set to 26 months

3.3 Marketing Cookies

We do not currently use marketing cookies. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and request your consent before setting any marketing cookies.

4. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time:

Cookie Banner: When you first visit our website, a cookie consent banner allows you to accept all cookies, accept essential cookies only, or customise your preferences.

Browser Settings: You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note that blocking essential cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

Here is how to manage cookies in common browsers:

Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies
Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies
Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Cookies
Edge: Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions

5. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies on our website are set by third-party services:

Google Analytics - Sets analytics cookies to help us understand website usage. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.
Stripe - May set cookies during the payment process for fraud prevention. Subject to Stripe's Privacy Policy.

We do not control these third-party cookies. Please refer to the respective third-party privacy policies for more information.

6. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. If we make significant changes to the types of cookies we use, we will reset our cookie consent banner so you can make a new choice.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]