Cookie Policy
Last updated: 5 August 2026
This page lists the cookies used on wackywolfexplorer.com, what each is for, and how to turn them off. It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.
Cookies are small text files a website stores in your browser. Some are needed for the site to function; most, on most sites, are there for advertising and measurement. On this site, the split is worth stating plainly: we set almost nothing ourselves. Nearly all cookies here come from Google, because Google advertising is how the site is funded.
Cookies we set directly
| Purpose | What it does | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
| Consent preference | Records your cookie choices so you are not asked on every page | Up to 12 months |
| Security | Protects against cross-site request forgery on any form submission | Session |
We do not set cookies to track you, to build a profile, or to remember who you are between visits. There is no login, no account and no personalisation on this site.
Calculator inputs are not stored in cookies. The tools run in your browser and their inputs go nowhere — not to a cookie, not to our server, not to a third party.
Advertising cookies — Google AdSense
This site runs Google AdSense Auto Ads. Google and its advertising partners set cookies to serve ads, cap how often you see the same one, and measure whether ads work.
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Typical lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
__gads | Ad delivery, frequency capping and measurement | Up to 13 months | |
__gpi | Ad personalisation and measurement | Up to 13 months | |
IDE / DSID | Google (doubleclick.net) | Ad personalisation and conversion measurement | Up to 13 months |
test_cookie | Google (doubleclick.net) | Checks whether your browser accepts cookies | 15 minutes |
| Third-party vendor cookies | Various ad networks bidding through AdSense | Ad serving and measurement | Varies by vendor |
Third-party vendors and ad networks other than Google may serve ads on this site and set their own cookies. We do not control these and cannot list them exhaustively, because which networks bid on a given impression changes.
Turning these off:
- Google Ads Settings — opt out of ad personalisation by Google.
- aboutads.info/choices — opt out across many participating vendors.
- youronlinechoices.eu — the equivalent for Europe.
- Google’s partner sites disclosure — how Google uses data from sites using its services.
Opting out of personalised advertising does not remove advertising. You will still see ads; they will be less targeted, and the site will earn less from them.
Analytics cookies — Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 (measurement ID G-45KH6QL7XR) to see which articles get read, how people find them, and where they go next.
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Typical lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes one browser from another | Up to 2 years |
_ga_<container-id> | Google Analytics | Maintains session state | Up to 2 years |
We use this to decide what to write, what to update and what to correct. IP anonymisation is in effect. We do not attempt to identify individual visitors, and we do not have any mechanism that would let us.
Turning these off: install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, or decline analytics cookies in the consent banner where one is shown to you.
Managing cookies in your browser
Every major browser lets you block or delete cookies:
- Chrome — Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies
- Edge — Settings → Cookies and site permissions
- Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security
- Safari — Preferences → Privacy
You can also browse in a private or incognito window, which discards cookies when you close it.
What breaks if you block cookies
Honestly: very little on this site.
- Blocking all cookies: every article, table and calculator continues to work. The consent banner may reappear on each visit, because the cookie that records your choice is itself blocked.
- Blocking third-party cookies only: advertising becomes non-personalised. Nothing else changes.
- Blocking analytics: no effect on you at all. We lose visibility into which pages are useful, which is a real cost to the site but not to your reading of it.
The tools do not require cookies. Nothing on this site is gated behind accepting them.
Changes
We will update this page when our cookie use changes, and when Google changes theirs. The “Last updated” date reflects the most recent revision.