Cookie Policy
Last Updated: July 23, 2025
This Cookie Policy explains how Connects.ink uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site performance, and provide personalized services.
1. Introduction
Connects.ink uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your experience on our platform. This policy explains what cookies are, how we use them, and how you can control them. By continuing to use our services, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy.
2. What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit, such as your preferred language, login status, and other settings that can make your next visit easier and the site more useful to you.
Cookies can be "persistent" (remain on your device until deleted or expired) or "session" (deleted when you close your browser). They can also be "first-party" (set by our website) or "third-party" (set by other services we use).
3. Cookies We Use
We use several types of cookies to provide and improve our services:
- Essential Cookies: Required for basic site functionality and security
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
- Performance Cookies: Monitor site performance and optimize user experience
- Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and personalize your experience
- Third-Party Cookies: Enable integrations with external services and analytics
4. Essential Cookies
Essential cookies are necessary for our website to function properly and cannot be disabled. These cookies enable core functionality including:
- Authentication: Maintaining your login session and account security
- Security: Protecting against cross-site request forgery and other security threats
- Load Balancing: Distributing traffic across our servers for optimal performance
- Form Data: Temporarily storing form information to prevent data loss
- Cookie Consent: Remembering your cookie preferences and consent choices
- Theme Preferences: Storing your dark/light mode selection
These cookies typically expire when you close your browser or after a short period of inactivity for security purposes.
5. Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously:
- Page Views: Tracking which pages are visited and how often
- User Journey: Understanding how users navigate through our platform
- Feature Usage: Monitoring which features are most popular and useful
- Traffic Sources: Identifying how users find our website
- Device Information: Collecting anonymous data about devices and browsers used
- Geographic Data: General location information for regional optimization
All analytics data is anonymized and aggregated. We do not use this information to identify individual users or track personal behavior outside our platform.
7. Functional Cookies
Functional cookies enhance your experience by remembering your preferences and providing personalized features:
- User Preferences: Storing settings like language, timezone, and display options
- Dashboard Layout: Remembering your preferred dashboard configuration
- Notification Settings: Managing your communication preferences
- Recently Viewed: Showing recently accessed profiles and content
- Form Autofill: Remembering non-sensitive form data for convenience
- Accessibility: Maintaining accessibility settings and preferences
You can disable functional cookies, but this may limit some personalization features and require you to re-enter preferences on each visit.
8. Third-Party Cookies
We use carefully selected third-party services that may set their own cookies to provide enhanced functionality:
- Supabase: Database and authentication services with secure session management
- Vercel Analytics: Privacy-focused website analytics and performance monitoring
- Google Fonts: Web font delivery service (may cache font preferences)
- OAuth Providers: Google and other authentication services for secure login
- CDN Services: Content delivery networks for improved performance
All third-party services are selected based on their privacy practices and compliance with data protection regulations. We regularly review and audit these partnerships to ensure they meet our privacy standards.
9. Cookie Management
You have several options for managing cookies on our platform:
- Cookie Banner: Accept or decline non-essential cookies when you first visit
- Account Settings: Manage cookie preferences through your account dashboard
- Browser Settings: Control cookies directly through your browser preferences
- Selective Consent: Choose which types of cookies to allow or block
- Withdrawal: Change your mind and withdraw consent at any time
Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality and performance of our website. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are necessary for basic site operation.
10. Browser Controls
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Here's how to manage cookies in popular browsers:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data
- Mobile Browsers: Settings → Privacy → Cookies (varies by browser)
You can also use private/incognito browsing modes, which typically don't store cookies after you close the browser window. Some browsers also offer enhanced tracking protection features.
11. Data Retention
Different types of cookies have different retention periods based on their purpose:
- Session Cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
- Authentication Cookies: Expire after 30 days of inactivity
- Preference Cookies: Stored for up to 1 year or until changed
- Analytics Cookies: Retained for up to 2 years for trend analysis
- Performance Cookies: Stored for up to 90 days for optimization
- Third-Party Cookies: Governed by respective third-party policies
We regularly review and clean up stored cookie data to minimize data retention and protect your privacy. You can also manually clear cookies at any time through your browser settings.
12. Policy Updates
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will:
- Update Date: Change the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
- Notification: Notify users through our platform or email when appropriate
- Consent: Request new consent for material changes to cookie usage
- Transparency: Clearly explain what changes have been made and why
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies and protect your privacy.
