1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit a website or use a web application. They are widely used to make websites and apps work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the operators about how users interact with their service.

Cookies can be “session cookies” (which are deleted when you close your browser) or “persistent cookies” (which remain on your device for a set period of time or until you delete them manually).

They can also be “first-party cookies” (set directly by Decision Story) or “third-party cookies” (set by a third-party service we use, such as Google Analytics).

2. Why We Use Cookies

Decision Story uses cookies for the following reasons:

To keep you securely logged in to your account
To protect the Service against security threats such as CSRF attacks
To remember your preferences and personalise your experience
To understand how users navigate and interact with the Service, so we can improve it
To measure the effectiveness of the Service and diagnose technical issues
To record your cookie consent preferences

3. Cookie Categories

We use three categories of cookies. The table below explains each category, whether it is required, and what it does.

Category	Required?	Description
Essential	Always on	These cookies are strictly necessary for the Service to work. They enable core functionality such as authentication and security. You cannot opt out of these cookies without affecting how the Service operates.
Analytics	Optional	These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with the Service by collecting and reporting information anonymously. They allow us to improve performance and user experience.
Preference	Optional	These cookies allow the Service to remember choices you make (such as your preferred language or theme) and provide enhanced, personalised features.

4. Cookies We Use

The table below lists all cookies currently in use on Decision Story, their purpose, duration, and whether they are set by us or a third party.

Cookie Name	Provider	Category	Purpose	Duration	Type
ds_session	Decision Story	Essential	Maintains your authenticated session so you stay logged in	Session	First-party
ds_csrf	Decision Story	Essential	Protects against Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks	Session	First-party
ds_auth	Decision Story	Essential	Stores an encrypted token to remember your login state	30 days	First-party
_ga	Google	Analytics	Distinguishes unique users; used to calculate visit, session and campaign data for site analytics	2 years	Third-party
_gid	Google	Analytics	Distinguishes unique users (short-term identifier)	24 hours	Third-party
_ga_<ID>	Google	Analytics	Maintains session state for Google Analytics 4	2 years	Third-party
ds_prefs	Decision Story	Preference	Stores your UI preferences (e.g., theme, language, layout settings)	1 year	First-party
ds_cookie_consent	Decision Story	Preference	Records your cookie consent choices so we do not ask again on every visit	1 year	First-party

Cookie names and identifiers may change as the Service is updated. This policy will be updated accordingly. The “_ga_<ID>” cookie name contains a unique identifier specific to your Google Analytics property.

5. Third-Party Cookies

5.1 Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to help us understand how users use the Service. Google Analytics places cookies on your device to collect information about your usage patterns. This data is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.

Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the Service, what pages they visit, and what other websites they used prior to visiting. We use this information to improve the Service. Google does not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

You can opt out of Google Analytics across all websites by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, available at:

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

For more information on how Google uses data from our use of their analytics tools, please visit:

https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites

5.2 Email Marketing Provider

Our email marketing provider may use tracking pixels (a type of single-pixel image) embedded in emails to detect whether an email has been opened and whether links within it have been clicked. This helps us understand the effectiveness of our communications. You can opt out of email tracking by disabling image loading in your email client.

6. How to Manage and Opt Out of Cookies

6.1 Via Our Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit Decision Story, you will be shown a cookie consent banner. You can choose to accept all cookies, accept only essential cookies, or customise your preferences by category. You can change your preferences at any time by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting the Service.

6.2 Via Your Browser Settings

All modern browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can choose to block all cookies, block only third-party cookies, or delete cookies after each session. The table below shows where to find cookie settings in the most common browsers.

Browser	Cookie Settings Location
Google Chrome	Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
Mozilla Firefox	Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
Safari (macOS/iOS)	Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
Microsoft Edge	Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data
Opera	Settings → Advanced → Privacy & security → Site Settings → Cookies

Please note: blocking essential cookies will prevent you from logging in and using core features of Decision Story.

6.3 Via Third-Party Opt-Out Tools

You can also opt out of interest-based advertising and analytics cookies from many third-party providers through the following industry opt-out tools:

Your Online Choices (EU/UK): www.youronlinechoices.com
Network Advertising Initiative (US): optout.networkadvertising.org
Digital Advertising Alliance (US): optout.aboutads.info

7. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you do not want to be tracked. Currently, there is no universally accepted standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. Decision Story does not currently alter its data collection practices in response to DNT signals, but we honour your cookie preferences as set through our consent banner and browser settings.

8. Cookies and Children

Decision Story is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly set cookies to track or identify users under the age of 18. If you believe a minor has used the Service without consent, please contact us so we can take appropriate action.

9. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time as we add new features, integrate new third-party services, or as applicable laws change. When we do, we will update the “Effective Date” at the top of this document. Where changes are significant, we will notify you via a notice on the Service or by email.

We recommend reviewing this page periodically so you are always aware of what cookies are in use and why.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about our use of cookies, please contact us:

Leadgend Web Design and Digital Marketing

Operating: Decision Story

Email: [email protected]

Website: decisionstory.com

This Cookie Policy was last reviewed on 30 March 2026.