Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device (computer, phone, or tablet) when you visit a website. They allow websites to recognize your device, remember your preferences, and collect usage information. Similar technologies include web beacons, pixels, and local storage – this policy covers all of these.

2. Cookies We Use

2.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the platform to function and cannot be disabled. They are set in response to your actions, such as logging in or purchasing a product.

Cookie

Purpose

Duration

|--------|---------|----------|

next-auth.session-token

Authentication session management

Session / 30 days

next-auth.csrf-token

CSRF protection for form submissions

Session

__stripe_mid

Stripe payment fraud prevention

1 year

__stripe_sid

Stripe payment session

30 minutes

2.2 Analytics Cookies and Session Replay

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with the platform so we can improve it.

We use PostHog for product analytics. PostHog sets first-party cookies and browser storage (names beginning with "ph_", retained up to 1 year) to distinguish visitors and sessions and to record usage events such as pages visited and features used.

Session replay is separate and consent-gated. Only if you accept in the analytics banner shown on your first visit does PostHog record a masked session replay to help us find and fix usability problems — we mask everything you type, so keystrokes and form contents are never recorded. Replay never starts without your consent. Declining in the banner opts you out of PostHog analytics entirely.

2.3 Preference Cookies

These cookies remember your settings and preferences across sessions.

Cookie

Purpose

Duration

|--------|---------|----------|

ss-analytics-consent

Records your analytics banner choice (accept or decline)

1 year

ss_trade_pref

Remembers your selected trade type filter

1 year

ss_metro_pref

Remembers your last viewed metro

6 months

2.4 Third-Party Cookies

Certain third-party services used by StormSnipe may set their own cookies. We do not control these cookies. Please refer to each provider's privacy policy:

- Stripe, Inc. – Payment processing cookies. [Stripe Privacy Policy](https://stripe.com/privacy) - Mapbox – Map rendering. Mapbox may collect usage data for service improvement. - YouTube – The YouTube live stream embed may set cookies if you interact with embedded stream content. [Google Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)

3. Cookies We Do NOT Use

StormSnipe does not use: - Advertising or retargeting cookies; - Cookies from Facebook/Meta Pixel or similar ad networks; - Third-party behavioral tracking cookies.

4. Managing Cookies

You may control cookie behavior through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to: - View and delete cookies; - Block cookies from specific websites; - Block all third-party cookies; - Browse in "private" or "incognito" mode, which limits cookie persistence.

Note that disabling certain cookies (particularly strictly necessary cookies) will impair or prevent your ability to use the StormSnipe platform, including logging in and completing purchases.

Browser-specific instructions: - Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data - Safari: Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data - Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data - Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions

5. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal. StormSnipe does not currently respond to DNT signals as there is no established standard for their use. We do honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal: when your browser sends GPC, we treat it as a decline and disable PostHog analytics and session replay automatically. We do not use advertising or behavioral tracking cookies regardless of your DNT setting.

6. Cookie Consent

Strictly necessary cookies are set without consent, as they are essential to service delivery. Analytics and session replay are governed by the analytics banner shown on your first visit: accepting enables analytics and starts masked session replay; declining opts you out of PostHog capture entirely. Your choice is stored in the "ss-analytics-consent" cookie for 12 months, after which we ask again. To change your choice sooner, clear that cookie (Section 4) and the banner will reappear.

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy when we add or change cookies. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

8. Contact

For questions about our use of cookies, contact press@stormsnipe.com.