Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, which ones we use on mbwd.net, why we use them, and how you can control them. It sits alongside our Privacy Policy, which covers the broader picture of how we handle personal information.
If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us at info@mbwd.net.
1. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store on your device when you visit. The next time you come back, your browser sends the cookie back to the site so it can recognise you or remember a setting. Cookies are widely used to make websites work, to remember preferences, and to collect information about how the site is used.
The same general idea also covers a few similar technologies (local storage, session storage, pixels). For simplicity we use the word “cookies” throughout this policy to cover all of them.
2. How we use cookies
We use cookies in two categories:
- Strictly-necessary cookies. These are required for the site to work properly — for example, to remember whether you have accepted or declined optional cookies in our banner. We do not need your consent for these and you cannot switch them off through our banner.
- Analytics cookies. These help us understand how visitors find and use the site so we can improve it. They only load if you click “Accept” in our cookie banner. If you decline, or if you have not yet made a choice, these cookies are not set.
We do not use advertising cookies, marketing cookies, or social-media tracking pixels.
3. Cookies we set
The table below lists the cookies that may be set when you visit mbwd.net. The exact set depends on whether you have accepted analytics cookies and on which pages of the site you visit.
3.1 Strictly-necessary
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
cc_cookie |
mbwd.net (set by our cookie banner) | Remembers your cookie-consent choice so we don’t ask again on every page. | Expires after 180 days |
3.2 Analytics — only set if you accept
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga |
Google Analytics (Google Ireland Limited / Google LLC) | Distinguishes unique visitors by assigning a randomly generated identifier. | 2 years |
_ga_[GA4_PROPERTY_ID] |
Google Analytics | Holds session state for GA4. The suffix matches our GA4 property ID. | 2 years |
Google publishes its own description of the cookies set by Google Analytics at developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/ga4/cookie-usage.
If you accept analytics cookies, the data collected by Google Analytics is processed as described in section 2.2 of our Privacy Policy, including the international-transfer safeguards covered there.
4. How to control cookies
You have several layers of control:
4.1 The cookie banner on our site
When you first visit mbwd.net, our cookie banner asks you to Accept or Decline analytics cookies. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the “Cookie settings” link in the footer of the site — this reopens the banner so you can update your choice. Declining or withdrawing consent stops Google Analytics from loading on subsequent page views and clears the analytics cookies we have already set.
4.2 Your browser
All major browsers let you block or delete cookies directly. The exact menu varies but is usually under Settings → Privacy → Cookies:
If you block all cookies, parts of this site (such as remembering your consent choice) may not work as intended.
4.3 Opting out of Google Analytics specifically
In addition to declining analytics in our banner, you can install Google’s Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on to block Google Analytics on every site you visit.
5. Do Not Track
Some browsers send a “Do Not Track” (DNT) or “Global Privacy Control” (GPC) signal. There is no agreed industry standard for how to respond to DNT, so we do not currently react to it. We do treat Global Privacy Control as a valid opt-out signal from California residents under the CCPA/CPRA — when GPC is enabled, analytics cookies will not be set even if you have not interacted with our banner.
6. Changes to this policy
If we change the cookies we use — for example, if we add a new tool to the site — we will update this page and refresh the “Last updated” date at the top. For material changes, we will re-prompt your consent through the cookie banner.
7. Contact us
For any question about this Cookie Policy, please contact:
Mat Black Web Design
Matthew Blackmore
Email: info@mbwd.net