Cookie Policy
Last updated: January 2025
This Cookie Policy explains how Athletic Fuel Advice uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you and enhance your experience on our platform. We are committed to transparency regarding our data practices.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit our website. They contain information that allows us to recognize your device and store certain preferences. Cookies are widely used to improve user experience and website functionality.
Similar technologies like web beacons, pixels, and local storage may also be used for similar purposes.
Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly. They enable core functionality such as:
- Maintaining website security
- Load balancing across our servers
- Implementing user choices and preferences
- Ensuring proper navigation and form submission
Cannot be disabled: These cookies are essential and cannot be turned off without affecting website functionality.
Performance & Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our content. They collect information about:
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Content engagement and reading patterns
- Device and browser information
- Traffic sources and referral information
- Website performance metrics
Anonymized: Performance data is aggregated and anonymized to protect user privacy.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable personalized features and improved usability:
- Remembering your language preference
- Storing your content preferences and bookmarks
- Maintaining login state across sessions
- Personalizing content recommendations based on reading history
Optional: You can disable these cookies if you prefer, though some features may be limited.
Marketing & Advertising Cookies
These cookies are used to track advertising effectiveness and prevent ad fraud:
- Measuring ad performance and click-through rates
- Preventing duplicate counting of advertising impressions
- Tracking conversion data for affiliate partners
- Understanding audience demographics
Optional: You can opt out of marketing cookies at any time through your cookie preferences.
How We Use Cookies
Content & Editorial Enhancement
We use cookies to track which articles readers engage with most, helping our editorial team create more valuable content aligned with audience interests.
User Experience Improvement
Functional cookies allow us to remember your preferences, language settings, and reading history to provide a more personalized experience on return visits.
Website Analytics
Performance cookies provide insights into website traffic patterns, helping us optimize our platform's speed, stability, and usability for all readers.
Advertising & Site Support
We use advertising cookies to measure the effectiveness of our advertising partners who help fund our editorial operations. This allows us to serve relevant ads without compromising user experience.
Security & Fraud Prevention
Essential cookies help protect against security threats, detect fraudulent activity, and maintain the integrity of our platform.
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
Cookie Consent Banner
When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner. You can accept all cookies, reject optional cookies, or customize your preferences by clicking "Manage Preferences."
Browser Settings
You can manage cookies through your web browser settings:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Preferences → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
- Edge: Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Cookies and other site permissions
Do Not Track (DNT)
Most browsers include a "Do Not Track" feature. Please note that Athletic Fuel Advice does not currently respond to DNT signals, but you can still manage cookies through browser settings or our cookie preference center.
Opt-Out of Third-Party Tracking
To opt out of interest-based advertising:
- Visit the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out portal
- Visit the IAB Canada opt-out page
Consequences of Disabling Cookies
If you disable all cookies, including essential ones, some features of our website may not function properly. You will still be able to access all editorial content, but your experience may be limited. We recommend keeping essential cookies enabled.
Detailed Cookie List
| Cookie Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHPSESSID | Essential | Session | Maintains user session state |
| cookie_consent | Essential | 1 year | Stores user cookie preferences |
| _ga | Analytics | 2 years | Google Analytics - user identification |
| _gid | Analytics | 24 hours | Google Analytics - session identification |
| _gat | Analytics | 1 minute | Google Analytics - throttle request rate |
| user_preferences | Functional | 1 year | Stores language and display preferences |
| reading_history | Functional | 6 months | Tracks articles read for recommendations |
| _fbp | Marketing | 90 days | Facebook - conversion tracking |
| goog_pem_mod | Marketing | 90 days | Google - ad measurement |
| _hjid | Analytics | 1 year | Hotjar - user behavior analysis |
Note: This list is updated periodically. We may add or remove cookies as we modify our platform. Your cookie preferences will be respected for all cookies on this list.
Third-Party Cookies
Our website uses services from trusted third parties that may set their own cookies:
Google Analytics
Helps us understand how readers interact with our content. Google Analytics collects anonymous data about page views, session duration, and traffic sources.
Facebook Pixel
Used to measure advertising effectiveness and track conversions. This helps us understand which articles generate the most engagement.
Hotjar
Provides heatmaps and user session recordings to help us understand how readers navigate our website and which content sections are most engaging.
Advertising Networks
We partner with advertising networks to display relevant ads. These partners may set cookies to measure ad performance and prevent fraud.
You can manage these through your browser settings or industry opt-out tools mentioned above.
Legal Basis for Cookie Use
Consent
For non-essential cookies, we rely on your explicit consent through our cookie consent banner. You can withdraw consent at any time by managing your cookie preferences.
Legitimate Interests
For certain cookies, we rely on our legitimate business interests, including improving website functionality, understanding audience behavior, and protecting against fraud.
Legal Obligation
Some cookies may be used to comply with legal requirements or to protect the security of our platform.
Note: If you are located in the European Union or other jurisdictions with privacy regulations (such as GDPR), additional rights may apply. Please review our Privacy Policy for more information.
Data Retention
We retain cookie data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:
Questions About Our Cookies?
We're here to help clarify our privacy practices
Frequently Asked Questions
Get quick answers about our cookie practices
Can I disable all cookies?
Yes, you can disable cookies through your browser settings. However, some features of Athletic Fuel Advice may not function properly without essential cookies. You'll still be able to browse our content, but personalized recommendations and saved preferences won't work.
How long are cookies stored?
Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser. Persistent cookies vary in duration—some last 30 days, others up to 2 years. You can check the expiration date for each cookie in your browser settings. We periodically review and update cookie retention periods to comply with privacy regulations.
Does Athletic Fuel Advice share cookie data with third parties?
We only share aggregated, non-personal analytics data with trusted analytics providers for site improvement purposes. We never sell personal cookie data. All third-party partners are bound by strict confidentiality agreements and comply with GDPR and CCPA regulations.
How do I manage my cookie preferences?
You can manage cookie preferences through our consent banner that appears when you first visit. Click "Cookie Settings" at any time to adjust your preferences. You can enable or disable marketing and analytics cookies while keeping essential cookies enabled for site functionality.
Are you GDPR and CCPA compliant?
Yes, Athletic Fuel Advice is fully compliant with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) for EU users and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) for California residents. We provide clear consent options, transparent privacy policies, and the right to access, modify, or delete personal data upon request.
Your Privacy Matters to Us
We're committed to protecting your data and providing transparency about how we use cookies. Review our full privacy policy for complete details.