Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, provide a better user experience, and give website owners information about how their site is being used.

Cookies can be "persistent" or "session" cookies. Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them, while session cookies are deleted as soon as you close your browser.

In addition to cookies, we may also use similar technologies such as local storage, pixels, and scripts (collectively referred to as "cookies" in this policy) to collect and store information.

2. How We Use Cookies

Desi Notice Board uses cookies for a limited number of purposes, all focused on providing you with a secure, functional, and improved experience. We do not use cookies for advertising, user tracking across other websites, or selling data to third parties.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

Below is a detailed breakdown of all the cookies used on Desi Notice Board, organized by category:

4. Detailed Cookie Information

4.1 Essential Cookies (Required)

These cookies are absolutely necessary for the website to function properly. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You cannot opt out of these cookies as the website cannot function properly without them.

PHP Session Cookie (PHPSESSID)

This is a session cookie set by our server to maintain your browsing session. It stores a unique identifier that allows the website to recognize you as you move from page to page. This cookie does not store any personal information and is deleted when you close your browser.

Firebase Authentication Cookies

When you sign in with Google to post a notice, Firebase (a Google service) sets cookies to manage your authentication state securely. These cookies are essential for:

• Verifying your identity after Google Sign-In
• Maintaining your authenticated session
• Preventing unauthorized access and spam postings
• Security monitoring to protect your account

These cookies are managed by Google Firebase. For more information, please see Firebase's Privacy Policy.

4.2 Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymous information about how visitors use our website. This helps us understand which pages are popular, how users navigate the site, and where we can make improvements.

Google Analytics (_ga, _gid, _gat)

Google Analytics uses these cookies to:

• Distinguish unique visitors to our website
• Track how users interact with pages (time spent, clicks, scrolls)
• Identify which pages are most and least visited
• Understand traffic sources (search engines, direct visits, referrals)
• Monitor website performance and load times
• Collect device and browser information for optimization

Important Privacy Facts:

• All data collected is anonymized and aggregated
• We do NOT collect your IP address in full (IP anonymization is enabled)
• We do NOT track you across other websites
• We do NOT use this data for advertising purposes
• We do NOT share this data with any third parties (except Google as the analytics provider)
• This data is used solely to improve our website and your experience

For more information about Google Analytics cookies, please see Google's Cookie Usage Documentation and Google's Privacy Policy.

4.3 Security Cookies

Security cookies help us protect our website and users from malicious activities such as spam, bots, and automated attacks.

Google reCAPTCHA Cookies

We use Google reCAPTCHA on our contact form to verify that submissions are made by real humans and not automated bots. reCAPTCHA sets cookies that:

• Analyze user behavior patterns to distinguish humans from bots
• Prevent automated spam submissions through our contact form
• Protect the website from abuse and malicious attacks

reCAPTCHA cookies may collect hardware and software information such as device data and application data. This data is processed by Google. For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.

5. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies on our website are set by third-party services we use. These third parties have their own privacy and cookie policies:

We do not control these third-party cookies. Please refer to their respective privacy policies for detailed information about how they handle your data.

6. What Cookies We DO NOT Use

To be completely transparent, here are the types of cookies we absolutely do NOT use on Desi Notice Board:

• Advertising Cookies: We do not display third-party advertisements, therefore we do not use any advertising or targeting cookies.
• Social Media Tracking Cookies: While we have social media links in our footer, they are simple links and do not set tracking cookies.
• Cross-Site Tracking Cookies: We do not track your browsing activity across other websites.
• Marketing Cookies: We do not use cookies for marketing campaigns, email tracking, or promotional purposes.
• Personalization Cookies: We do not use cookies to create user profiles or personalize content based on behavior.

7. Managing and Disabling Cookies

You have the right to accept or reject cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Here's how:

7.1 Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can:

• View what cookies are stored on your device
• Delete all or specific cookies
• Block all cookies or specific types of cookies
• Set preferences for particular websites
• Enable "Do Not Track" signals

7.2 How to Manage Cookies in Popular Browsers

• Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
• Mozilla Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
• Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage cookies
• Opera: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies

7.3 Opting Out of Google Analytics

If you wish to opt out of Google Analytics tracking, you can:

• Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on (available for all major browsers)
• Block cookies from Google Analytics in your browser settings
• Use your browser's "Do Not Track" feature (where supported)

8. Cookie Duration

Cookies on our website have different durations:

• Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser (e.g., PHPSESSID).
• Persistent Cookies: Remain on your device for a set period (e.g., Google Analytics cookies persist for up to 2 years).
• Third-Party Cookies: Duration is determined by the third-party provider (Firebase, Google reCAPTCHA).

You can delete persistent cookies at any time through your browser settings.

9. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, our practices, or legal requirements. We will notify you by posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date.

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically. Your continued use of our website after changes are made constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Related Policies

This Cookie Policy should be read together with our other policies:

• Privacy Policy - General privacy practices and data handling
• Terms and Conditions - Terms of using our platform
• Content Policy - Guidelines for posting content

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:

• Email: contact@desinoticeboard.com
• Website: Contact Page
• Response Time: We aim to respond within 24 hours