Cookie Policy
Draft
This document is a working draft and is pending formal legal review. It may change before being finalized. Questions? Contact us at support@slsag.org.
SL-SAG — Somaliland Strategic Advisory Group Last updated: May 2026 Version: 1.0-draft
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file that a website places on your device (computer, phone, or tablet) when you visit. Cookies help the site remember information about your visit — for example, keeping you logged in, or counting how many people read a particular article.
Some cookies are set by the site you are visiting. Others are set by third-party services the site uses.
What cookies does slsag.org use?
We try to keep our cookie use minimal. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
Category 1 — Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are required for the website to work. Without them, you cannot use basic functions like logging into your contributor account or navigating between pages.
You cannot opt out of strictly necessary cookies while continuing to use the site. They are not used for tracking or marketing purposes.
Examples of what these cookies do:
- Maintain your session when you are logged in as a contributor
- Remember your cookie consent choice
- Protect the site against cross-site request forgery (a security measure)
Who sets them: slsag.org directly, and Vercel (our hosting provider) for infrastructure-level functions.
How long they last: Most session cookies expire when you close your browser. A small number of functional cookies persist for up to 12 months.
Category 2 — Performance and analytics cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors use the site in aggregate — which articles are read most, how long people spend on a page, and whether the site is performing well technically. The data is anonymised or pseudonymised; we cannot use it to identify individual visitors.
We use this information to improve the site. We do not share this data with advertisers.
Who sets them: Our analytics provider. [Note to attorney/tobbi: insert analytics provider name here — e.g., Vercel Analytics, Plausible, Fathom. The provider should be named once confirmed.]
How long they last: Typically up to 12 months.
Your choice: You can opt out of performance cookies by clicking "Manage preferences" in our cookie banner, or by using your browser's "Do Not Track" setting (where supported). Opting out will not affect your ability to read the site.
Category 3 — Advertising cookies
We do not use advertising cookies. We do not run ads on slsag.org.
How to manage or delete cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers let you:
- View which cookies are stored on your device
- Delete some or all cookies
- Block cookies from specific websites
- Block all third-party cookies
Guidance for common browsers:
- Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Settings > Safari > Privacy > Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions
If you delete cookies or block them entirely, some parts of the site may not work as expected (for example, you may need to log in again each visit).
Do Not Track
Some browsers send a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal. We respect DNT signals by not loading performance analytics for visitors whose browser sends this signal. However, strictly necessary cookies are still set.
Changes to this policy
If we add new cookies or change how we use existing ones, we will update this page and, where required by law, ask for your consent again.
Contact
Questions about cookies: support@slsag.org
Open questions for attorney review:
- The analytics provider name is left as a placeholder. The specific provider must be named here and in the subprocessor list. Different providers (e.g., Google Analytics vs. Plausible) have significantly different consent and GDPR implications.
- Under GDPR and the EU ePrivacy Directive, performance cookies require prior consent unless they are genuinely anonymised at the point of collection (not merely aggregated later). Confirm with attorney whether the chosen analytics tool qualifies as "cookieless" or whether a consent gate is required for EU visitors.
- The cookie banner copy itself (which triggers before cookies are set) should be reviewed separately; see
cookie-banner-copy.mdif that document is drafted. - UK ICO guidance requires granular consent options. If significant UK traffic is expected, the consent mechanism should be reviewed against the ICO's cookie guidance (updated 2024).