Policies
Cookie Policy
Last updated October 4, 2026. If you came here after seeing the cookie banner, the short answer is this: choosing Accept lets Google Analytics 4 and Microsoft Clarity load, and until you do, they stay off. A Global Privacy Control signal keeps them off even if you accept. The page below lists each cookie, shows how to change your choice later, and explains what happens in the shop, which Fourthwall runs.
What are cookies and similar storage?
A cookie is a small file a website saves in your browser. The FTC notes that cookies can support shopping carts, preferences, analytics and advertising, and that some last only for a visit (session cookies) while others stay until they expire (persistent cookies). Browsers also offer local storage, which keeps small pieces of information on your device in a similar way. We use the word "storage" on this page to cover both.
What does the site store without asking?
Two small things: your theme choice (light, dark or your device's setting) and your cookie choice. Both sit in your browser's local storage so the site can remember them next time. They stay on your device and are sent nowhere. The site needs them to work the way you asked, so they do not wait for Accept.
Which analytics cookies load after Accept?
Only after you press Accept does the site load Google Analytics 4 and Microsoft Clarity, which count visits and show us where readers get stuck. The table lists the cookies they may set, with the details each vendor publishes.
Tap or hover a row to highlight it.
| Cookie | Set by | What it does | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie`_ga` | Set byGoogle Analytics 4 | What it doesTells users apart | How long2 years by default |
| Cookie`_ga_<container-id>` | Set byGoogle Analytics 4 | What it doesKeeps session state | How long2 years by default |
| Cookie`_clck` | Set byMicrosoft Clarity | What it doesKeeps the Clarity user ID and preferences for the site | How longVaries by cookie and browser |
| Cookie`_clsk` | Set byMicrosoft Clarity | What it doesLinks page views into one session recording | How longVaries by cookie and browser |
| Cookie`CLID` | Set byMicrosoft Clarity | What it doesMarks the first time Clarity saw you on any Clarity-enabled site | How longVaries by cookie and browser |
| Cookie`ANONCHK` | Set byMicrosoft Clarity | What it doesShows whether `MUID` is passed on to `ANID`; Clarity says it is always `0` | How longVaries by cookie and browser |
| Cookie`MR` | Set byMicrosoft Clarity | What it doesShows whether to refresh `MUID` | How longVaries by cookie and browser |
| Cookie`MUID` | Set byMicrosoft Clarity | What it doesIdentifies unique browsers visiting Microsoft sites, for advertising, analytics and operations | How longVaries by cookie and browser |
| Cookie`SM` | Set byMicrosoft Clarity | What it doesSyncs `MUID` across Microsoft domains | How longVaries by cookie and browser |
Google's page on GA4 cookies gives the two-year default, and adds that browsers may cut the lifespan of first-party cookies to a maximum of 400 days in Chrome and 7 days in Safari. Google says more cookies may be set if GA4 is linked to Google Ads. Microsoft's Clarity cookie page, last updated August 27, 2025, lists the Clarity cookies and what they do. Clarity keeps playback data for 30 days and click, heatmap, labeled and favorited session data for 9 months, according to Microsoft's data retention page. Those are retention periods for the data, which is a different thing from how long a cookie lasts.
If you do not press Accept, or you decline, nothing in this table is set and the site works the same. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office says non-essential cookies should not be set before consent, and our banner works that way for every visitor.
What does Global Privacy Control do?
Global Privacy Control, or GPC, is a signal your browser or a browser extension can send to say you want to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. The California Attorney General describes it as a valid way to make that request under California's privacy law.
On this site, a GPC signal means Google Analytics 4 and Microsoft Clarity never load, even if you press Accept. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle the signal and the rest of your information.
How do I change my choice later?
Open the "Cookie settings" link in the footer of any page and pick again. You can accept, or withdraw your consent, whenever you like.
What about the shop?
The shop runs on Fourthwall, which powers the shop pages and checkout. Cookies or similar technologies used on those pages may be controlled by Fourthwall or by payment and other service providers, and they follow the policies of those companies, not this page. The Fourthwall Help Center and its shop settings documentation cover shop and checkout support, and our Privacy Policy links Fourthwall's privacy policy. To see or remove what the shop sets, use your browser's site-data controls, described next.
How do I control cookies in my browser?
Every major browser lets you block, limit or delete cookies, including Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge. The FTC explains the options in its pages on internet cookies and how websites and apps collect and use your information. Blocking everything, including cookies a site needs, can break features such as a shopping cart or checkout, so you may prefer to block only analytics and leave the rest alone.
Contact
Questions about cookies or about this page go through the contact form. You can also read our Terms of Use, return to the home page or see the latest stories.