Cookie Policy

Cookies are small files stored on your device by a website or third-party service. Similar technologies can include local storage, pixels, tags, and embedded content tools. They can help a site work, remember preferences, or load external content.

Necessary technologies operate without an optional consent choice because they support privacy preferences and secure staff authentication. Optional functionality and analytics storage are off until a reader enables them.

The first consent layer offers equally available choices to accept all, reject non-essential technologies, or manage preferences. A choice can be changed later through Cookie preferences in the footer.

• newsdrift_cookie_consent: a necessary cookie that stores privacy choices for 182 days.
• newsdrift_session: the default name of a necessary, HTTP-only staff authentication cookie. Its name and duration are configurable; the default duration is 30 days.
• newsdrift.commenterDetails:optional local storage that remembers a commenter's name and email in that browser until cleared or consent is withdrawn.
• _ga: an optional Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish users, with a default duration of two years.
• _ga_<container-id>: an optional Google Analytics cookie used to persist session state, with a default duration of two years.

NewsDrift uses Google Analytics on public reader pages to understand readership and how visitors use the site. The Google tag uses Advanced Consent Mode and defaults analytics storage to denied. Advertising-related consent remains denied because NewsDrift does not deploy Google advertising through this integration.

When analytics storage is denied, Google Analytics does not read or write its first-party Analytics cookies, although the Google tag may send cookieless, consent-aware measurement signals to Google. Allowing Analytics permits normal cookie-based measurement. Withdrawing that choice through Cookie preferences immediately returns analytics storage to denied and clears known first-party Google Analytics cookies; the tag remains loaded in denied-storage mode.

Separate server-side audience reports available to authorised newsroom staff do not themselves set reader cookies through the public website.

Comment submission does not depend on optional storage. If a reader enables optional functionality and selects Remember my details, the submitted name and email are saved only in that browser for future comment forms.

Rejecting or withdrawing optional functionality removes those saved commenter details. It does not delete comments already submitted for moderation.

Articles may contain media from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, TikTok, Dailymotion, Spotify, SoundCloud, Rumble, X, or Instagram. NewsDrift blocks those embedded players and widgets until optional functionality is enabled.

Once enabled, the relevant provider may receive technical and interaction data and may use its own storage under its privacy policy. Readers can keep the embed blocked and use the supplied external link instead.

Use Cookie preferences in the footer to reopen the preference centre at any time. Browser settings can also delete site data, although doing so may reset your saved preference.

Cookie use may change as NewsDrift adds features. Questions may be sent to contact@newsdrift.co.uk or through the contact page.