Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains how The Story Maker uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit or use our Service. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.
1.0 What Are Cookies
1.1 Definition
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by your web browser when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites function, improve efficiency, and provide information to site owners.
1.2 Similar Technologies
In addition to cookies, we may use local storage, session storage, and server-side session identifiers to provide similar functionality. References to "cookies" in this policy include all such technologies unless stated otherwise.
2.0 Cookie Categories
We classify cookies into three categories based on their purpose and necessity:
2.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the Service to function and cannot be disabled. They do not require consent under GDPR/ePrivacy regulations.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| auth-token | JWT authentication session | 24 hours | HttpOnly, Secure |
| refresh-token | Session renewal without re-login | 7 days | HttpOnly, Secure |
| csrf-token | Cross-site request forgery protection | Session | HttpOnly |
| cookie-consent | Records your cookie preferences | 365 days | Persistent |
| sb-*-auth-token | Supabase authentication session | Session | HttpOnly, Secure |
2.2 Functional Cookies
These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization. While the Service can function without them, disabling them may degrade your experience.
| Cookie / Storage Key | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| theme | Stores light/dark mode preference | 365 days | Local Storage |
| sidebar-collapsed | Remembers sidebar state preference | 365 days | Local Storage |
| project-autosave-* | Auto-saves work-in-progress for crash recovery | Session | Session Storage |
| language-preference | Stores selected interface language | 365 days | Local Storage |
2.3 Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how the Service is used in aggregate. Nothing optional runs before you choose — the script that could set these is not even loaded into the page until you accept Analytics in the cookie banner. See Section 3.0.
| Cookie / Service | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics (GA4) | Aggregate traffic and feature-usage analytics | Up to 13 months |
Error monitoring (via Sentry) runs on our servers only and does not set any cookie or tracking identifier in your browser.
2.4 Marketing Cookies
These cookies measure and improve the performance of our advertising. Nothing optional runs before you choose — the same rule as Analytics above: the script that could set these is not loaded until you accept Marketing in the cookie banner.
| Cookie / Service | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE | Google (DoubleClick) | Google Ads remarketing | Up to 13 months |
| _gcl_au and related | Google Ads | Conversion tracking (Sign Up, Purchase) | Up to 90 days |
3.0 Your Consent & Choices
3.1 Cookie Consent Banner
Nothing optional runs before you choose. When you first visit the Service, a banner offers Analytics and Marketing as separate, independent choices:
- Accept All — Enables both Analytics (Google Analytics) and Marketing (Google Ads conversion tracking and remarketing) cookies, in addition to the Strictly Necessary and Functional cookies above.
- Customize — Lets you grant Analytics and Marketing independently (for example, Analytics on and Marketing off).
- Reject All — Keeps only Strictly Necessary and Functional cookies; Analytics and Marketing cookies are never loaded.
Your choice is remembered in the cookie-consent cookie for 365 days. Until you make a choice, no Analytics or Marketing script is loaded into the page at all — not a denied/modeled request, nothing.
3.2 Changing Your Choice
Use Cookie Preferences in the footer at any time to reopen the banner and change your Analytics and Marketing choices. You can also clear your browser's cookies for this site and reload the page, which has the same effect.
3.3 Browser-Level Controls
You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, set per-site exceptions, and browse in "private" or "incognito" mode. Note that blocking all cookies may prevent the Service from functioning correctly (as authentication cookies are required).
4.0 Third-Party Cookies
4.1 Payment Processing
Razorpay may set its own cookies during the checkout process for fraud detection and session management. These cookies are governed by Razorpay's Privacy Policy.
4.2 Advertising Cookies
We use Google Ads for conversion tracking and remarketing — see the Marketing Cookies table in Section 2.4. These only load if you accept Marketing in the cookie banner. Your creative work is never shared with advertisers; only aggregate conversion signals (for example, that a sign-up happened) are sent to Google Ads, and only with your consent.
5.0 Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy as our technology and practices evolve. Material changes that add new non-essential cookie categories will reset the consent banner, requiring you to make a fresh choice. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.
6.0 Contact
For questions about our use of cookies:
- Email: legal@thestorymaker.app