This policy explains how Bright Loop Media uses cookies and similar technologies on brightloopmedia.co.uk. It complements our Privacy Policy and is written to comply with the UK GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They allow the site to remember things like your preferences, login status, or how you got there. There are also non-cookie technologies that do similar jobs (local storage, session storage, pixel tags). This policy covers all of them collectively as "cookies".
2. Our Approach
We try to use as few tracking technologies as possible. The current site is built with privacy as a default:
- We use Plausible Analytics, which is cookieless by design and does not collect personal data. No consent is required to use it under PECR.
- We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any marketing tracking pixels.
- We do not use third-party advertising networks.
- We self-host as much of our infrastructure as practical.
Where we do use anything that requires consent under UK law, we ask you first through a clear, granular consent banner. You can change your choices at any time through the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer.
3. Cookies Currently in Use
As of the last review date, the following cookies and storage may be set when you visit brightloopmedia.co.uk:
Strictly Necessary (no consent required)
These cookies are essential for the site to function. They cannot be switched off.
| Name | Set By | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
consent_state |
Bright Loop Media | Records your cookie consent choices | localStorage | Until cleared |
nf_session (if set) |
Netlify | Session affinity for the hosting platform | First-party HTTP cookie | Session |
| Form anti-spam tokens | Netlify Forms | Bot protection on the contact form | First-party HTTP cookie | Session |
Analytics (always-on, cookieless)
| Service | Purpose | Cookies Set | Personal Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plausible Analytics | Anonymous, aggregate page-view stats so we can understand which content is useful | None | None. Plausible does not use cookies, does not identify individual visitors, and does not store personal data. See: https://plausible.io/data-policy |
Because Plausible is fully anonymous and cookieless, it does not require consent under PECR or UK GDPR. We use it as a strictly necessary technology for understanding site performance.
Optional (consent required)
Currently none.
If we add any of the following in future, they will load only after you opt in through the consent banner:
| Service | Likely Category | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Clarity | Analytics | Heatmaps and session replays for UX research |
| Sentry | Functional | Error monitoring (no personal content captured) |
| Google Analytics 4 | Analytics | Detailed traffic analysis |
| Marketing pixels (if ever) | Marketing | Re-targeting and conversion tracking |
This policy will be updated before any of the above is enabled.
4. Third-Party Resources
Some parts of the site load resources from third-party domains. These typically do not set cookies on your device, but the third party will see your IP address as part of normal HTTP traffic.
| Resource | Provider | Purpose | Cookies Set on Your Device |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web fonts | Google Fonts (fonts.googleapis.com, fonts.gstatic.com) | Loads the typefaces used across the site | None |
| Hosting and forms | Netlify | Serves the website and processes contact form submissions | Strictly necessary only (see above) |
We are evaluating self-hosting the web fonts to remove this third-party request entirely.
5. How to Manage Cookies
You can control cookies in three ways.
1. Through our consent banner. Click the "Cookie Settings" link in the site footer at any time. You can accept or reject categories individually.
2. In your browser. All major browsers let you block, delete, or restrict cookies. Instructions:
- Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647
- Safari: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-sfri11471/mac
- Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cookies-information-websites-store-on-your-computer
- Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027947
3. Through your device's privacy settings. Both iOS and Android offer system-level limits on tracking.
Blocking strictly necessary cookies will break parts of the site (notably the contact form). Blocking optional cookies has no impact on functionality.
6. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
We respect the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal. If your browser is configured to send GPC, we treat that as a clear opt-out from any non-essential cookies, equivalent to clicking "Reject All" in our banner. You do not need to do anything else.
We do not honour the older Do Not Track (DNT) signal because the standard was abandoned without clear meaning. GPC has replaced it.
7. Updates to This Policy
We update this policy whenever the cookies we use change. The "Last reviewed" date at the top is always accurate. We do not bury changes in fine print. If we add a tracking technology that requires consent, we will:
- Update this policy before deploying it.
- Reset your existing consent state and prompt you to choose again on your next visit.
- Disclose the change in our changelog if it is significant.
8. Contact
For questions about this policy or how we handle cookies:
Bright Loop Media Email: hello@brightloopmedia.co.uk Postal address: Available on request
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office if you believe we have mishandled cookies or your personal data: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
