Overview of the New Cookie Policy

UKTech.News, a leading technology news platform based in London, has released an updated Cookie Policy that provides an exhaustive breakdown of the cookies and similar tracking technologies deployed on its website. The policy, which took effect on 4 June 2025 and applies to citizens and legal permanent residents of the United Kingdom, aligns with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). It details not only the categories of cookies used but also the specific purposes, retention periods, and third-party vendors involved.

What Are Cookies and Similar Technologies?

The policy begins by defining cookies as small text files stored on a user’s device when visiting a website. These files allow the site to remember preferences, track browsing behaviour, and enable certain functionalities. Beyond standard cookies, UKTech.News also uses scripts – pieces of program code executed on the server or user’s device – and web beacons (also called pixel tags), which are invisible images embedded in pages to monitor traffic. Understanding these tools is essential for users concerned about online privacy and data collection.

Types of Cookies Used on UKTech.News

5.1 Technical or Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are essential for the core operation of the website. They ensure that parts of the site work correctly and remember user preferences, such as language settings or items in a shopping cart. According to the policy, these cookies can be placed without explicit user consent because they are strictly necessary. Examples include the CloudFlare cookie mirage_cache_manifest for content delivery and the __cf_bm cookie for bot filtering, which expires after 30 minutes. The Complianz plugin also stores consent preferences via several functional cookies with a one-year lifespan.

5.2 Statistics Cookies

Statistics cookies help the website understand how visitors interact with it by collecting anonymised data. UKTech.News uses Google Analytics for this purpose, with cookies like _ga (2 years), _gid (1 day), and _ga_ (1 year) to store and count pageviews. The policy states that explicit user permission is required before placing these tracking cookies.

5.3 Advertising Cookies

Advertising cookies enable personalised ad delivery based on a user’s browsing history, both on and off UKTech.News. For instance, the Criteo service sets the cto_bundle cookie with a 13-month expiration to provide functions across pages for remarketing. Similarly, Facebook’s _fbp cookie (3 months) tracks visits across websites. These are classified as tracking cookies and require prior consent.

5.4 Marketing/Tracking Cookies

Marketing and tracking cookies create detailed user profiles for targeted advertising. They monitor user activity across multiple websites. UKTech.News lists several vendors in this category, including Google Ads and LinkedIn. LinkedIn’s lms_ads cookie (30 days) stores and tracks visits across websites, while UserMatchHistory (30 days) is used for ad retargeting.

5.5 Social Media Cookies

The website embeds content from Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). These social media platforms place their own cookies when users interact with embedded “like” or “share” buttons. For example, Twitter’s metrics_token remains persistent to store whether the user has seen embedded content. Facebook sets multiple cookies such as xs (3 months), fr (3 months), and datr (2 years) for fraud prevention and ad delivery. All third-party social media vendors are based in the United States, which raises considerations regarding international data transfers under UK data protection law.

Detailed Cookie Inventory

UKTech.News provides a comprehensive table of all placed cookies, grouped by service provider. The list includes:

• Google Various Services – functional and marketing cookies like google_auto_fc_cmp_setting (persistent) and __gpi.
• CloudFlare – functional cookies for content delivery network (CDN) services.
• Criteo – marketing cookies including cto_bundle (13 months) and several purpose-pending cookies such as criteo_fast_bid_expires.
• Google Analytics – statistics cookies: _ga (2 years), _gid (1 day), _ga_ (1 year), and _gat_gtag_UA_ (1 minute).
• PHP – functional cookie exp (expiration variable) for page functionality.
• Complianz – numerous functional cookies for consent management, all with a 365-day retention, including cmplz_consented_services and cmplz_marketing.
• One Signal – marketing cookies for push notifications, such as isPushNotificationsEnabled and ONESIGNAL_HTTP_PROMPT_SHOWN.
• Google reCAPTCHA – functional and marketing cookies for spam prevention: _grecaptcha (6 months) and rc::c (session).
• WordPress – functional cookies including wp-settings- (persistent) and wordpress_logged_in_ (persistent).
• Stripe – functional cookie __stripe_mid (1 year) for fraud prevention in payment processing.
• HubSpot – marketing, statistics, and functional cookies, e.g., __hstc (13 months) and hubspotutk (13 months) for visitor tracking.
• Hotjar – functional and statistics cookies like _hjSession_ (session) and _hjSessionUser_ (1 year) for heatmaps and session recordings.
• Facebook – extensive list covering marketing (_fbc, act) and functional (wd, csm).
• Google Fonts – marketing cookie (expires immediately) reads user IP address for webfont display.
• Twitter – functional (local_storage_support_test) and marketing (metrics_token).
• LinkedIn – functional (sdsc, li_gc), marketing (lms_ads, li_oatml), statistics (lms_analytics), and preferences (lidc, bscookie).
• Google Ads Optimization – marketing cookie 1p_jar (1 month).
• Google Ads – marketing cookie ads/ga-audiences (expires immediately) for remarketing.
• Snowplow – statistics cookie _sp_id (2 years) and several purpose-pending cookies.
• Elementor – anonymous statistics cookie elementor (persistent) for tracking performed actions.
• Miscellaneous – a large number of purpose-pending cookies from various sources such as perf_, __s3ga4_session_id, evolok:properties, _ccmdt, and many more.

Consent and User Control

Upon first visit, UKTech.News displays a pop-up cookie banner where users can select which categories of cookies they consent to. The policy notes that users can also manage consent via the “manage consent” button on the page (though JavaScript support is required for the full TCF vendor list). Consent can be withdrawn at any time by adjusting browser settings or using the provided controls.

Vendor and Purpose Management

The policy includes a detailed vendor list under the Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). Users can view each vendor’s privacy policy and legitimate interest claims. Consent can be given or withdrawn on a per-purpose basis, including for statistics and marketing. Additionally, vendors may rely on legitimate interest as a legal basis; users have the right to object to such processing. Special features and special purposes are also outlined, such as data retention and non-cookie storage access.

Enabling, Disabling, and Deleting Cookies

Users can control cookies through their internet browser settings. The policy explains that disabling all cookies may impair website functionality. If cookies are deleted, they will be re-placed after obtaining fresh consent upon the next visit.

User Rights Under UK GDPR

UKTech.News enumerates the rights individuals have regarding their personal data: the right to be informed about data collection; the right of access to personal data; the right to rectification (correct, delete, or block data); the right to revoke consent; the right to data portability; and the right to object to processing (unless there are overriding legitimate grounds). Users can exercise these rights by contacting the publisher via the provided contact details: Tech City News, 124 City Roads, London, England, EC1V 2NX, email mydata@ex.comwearemvi.com, phone 0208 150 8286.

Context and Compliance

This updated Cookie Policy reflects the ongoing evolution of data privacy regulations in the United Kingdom post-Brexit. The UK GDPR, alongside the Data Protection Act 2018 and PECR, mandates that websites obtain informed consent before placing non-essential cookies. The detailed breakdown provided by UKTech.News serves as both a compliance document and a transparency tool, allowing users to make educated choices about their privacy. The policy was synchronised with cookiedatabase.org on 22 July 2026, indicating a commitment to keeping the information current.

For readers, understanding the distinction between essential functional cookies and non-essential tracking cookies is crucial. Functional cookies underpin basic site operations, while marketing and statistics cookies fuel advertising and analytics. The presence of numerous “purpose pending investigation” entries in the miscellaneous section suggests that UKTech.News is actively reviewing and categorising all cookies deployed, even those from less common third-party services. This proactive approach aligns with best practices recommended by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

As digital advertising and data-driven analytics become more sophisticated, the balance between personalised user experience and privacy protection remains a central challenge. UKTech.News’s policy offers a model of detailed disclosure that other publishers may follow. The expanded list of cookies, from Google and Facebook to niche services like Snowplow and Elementor, demonstrates the complex ecosystem of modern web technology. Users are encouraged to review the full policy and adjust their consent settings accordingly.

Source: UKTN News