1. Like most websites we use cookies to analyse web traffic, to personalise content and ads, and to enhance social media features. A website cookie is a small piece of data, usually stored in the form of a text file, sent from a website and stored on a user’s computer by the user’s web browser while they are browsing. They are pieces of non-personally identifiable information that can be grouped into 5 categories:

2. Strictly Necessary Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

3. Analytical/Performance Cookies: These allow us to record and analyze the number of visitors viewing the site, the articles they’re reading most, and other details that give us insights into how our site is being used. We use Google Analytics and Piano to track our visitors, understand which pages are being read, where readers are linking from, where they are, how long they are spending on certain pages, and other information that helps us understand how our readers use our site. We do not use additional parameters within the application to attribute users browser profiles with other elements of their usage, device or location data, or other identity markers. In addition, we randomize IPs within Analytics to further prevent attribution. We retain this data by default for 26 months, at which time this randomized user data is purged and only aggregate data such as number of visits is retained.

4. Functionality Cookies: These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.

5. Targeting Cookies: These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners to record your visit to our website, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant advertisements on our site as well as other sites you may visit. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising and will impact the ad rates that sites like ours receive from advertisers because the ads you will see are less likely to be of interest.

6. Social Media Cookies:These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
   We use a combination of all of these types of cookies when you visit our website. In addition, we use Web beacons, provided by third-party advertising companies, to help manage and optimize our online advertising. Web beacons enable us to recognize a browser’s cookie when a browser visits this site, to learn which banner ads bring users to our Web site and to deliver more relevant advertising. Global cookie consent settings can be set to manage which advertising cookies you would like to allow when visiting our site and any sites you visit with the same browser. You are able to change those settings or “opt-out” from targeting by following the links in your appropriate region:
   

7. Canada: YourAdChoices/Canada
8. USA: YourAdChoices
9. EU and California: You will have been prompted upon visiting the site to select your ad preferences when visiting LaineyGossip. You may change these settings at any time. 

If you have any questions about our policies or our use of your data, please email privacy@thehagstoneblog.com.