This page explains the cookies and similar technologies used on LongDistance.net, why they exist, and how you can control them. It accompanies our privacy policy.
What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store on your device. Cookies let sites remember things between visits (so they don't ask you the same questions every page load) and let third parties like analytics and advertising providers count visits and tailor what they show.
Categories of cookies in use on this site
Strictly necessary
Cookies required for the site to function — for example, remembering whether your browser has loaded the page before. These are first-party cookies set by LongDistance.net itself. They don't track you across other sites.
Analytics
We use Google Analytics (gtag.js) to understand which pages get read, how readers arrive, and where the site has technical issues. Google Analytics sets cookies whose names typically begin with _ga and _gid. The data is aggregated; we do not use it to identify individual readers. You can opt out site-wide by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Advertising
We display advertising from Google AdSense and from other ad partners. These providers may set cookies on your device to measure ad performance, prevent fraud, frequency-cap how often you see the same ad, and (where you've consented) personalize ads based on your interests inferred from your browsing.
Common advertising cookie categories include:
- Identification cookies (e.g., Google's
IDEandNIDcookies) — used to recognize a browser across visits for ad measurement and frequency capping. - Personalization cookies — used (with consent in jurisdictions that require it) to tailor the ads you see.
- Conversion-tracking cookies — set by advertisers to measure whether an ad you saw resulted in a later action.
You can control or opt out of personalized advertising from Google at any time through Google Ad Settings. To opt out of personalized advertising from many third-party networks, visit YourOnlineChoices (Europe) or AboutAds.info (US). For more on how Google uses cookies in advertising, see Google's advertising technologies policy.
How to control cookies in your browser
All major browsers let you view, block, and delete cookies. Where to find these controls:
- Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data
- Safari: Settings > Privacy
- Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security
- Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions
Blocking all cookies will not prevent you from reading our articles, but it may affect how the site behaves on third-party services we embed and will likely cause advertising you see elsewhere to be less relevant rather than less frequent.
Do Not Track
Most browsers offer a "Do Not Track" signal. There is no universally accepted standard for how sites should respond to it, so LongDistance.net does not currently treat the DNT header as a separate opt-out beyond what the controls above already provide. The controls above are the most reliable way to limit data collection.
Changes to this policy
If the third-party services we use change or we add new ones, we will update this page and revise the "Last reviewed on" date. Continued use of the site after we update this page means you accept the changes.
Questions
For cookie or privacy questions, reach us via the contact page or read our full privacy policy.