Cookie statement
This page explains how Metopedia uses cookies and similar local storage technologies. For broader privacy rules, see Metopedia:Privacy policy.
Metopedia uses cookies and similar technologies for normal wiki operation, login sessions, preferences, security, spam prevention, and site reliability. Metopedia does not use cookies to sell personal information, build advertising profiles, or run behavioral advertising.
A cookie is a small piece of data stored by a browser. Similar technologies include local storage, session storage, cache data, browser tokens, security tokens, and comparable browser-side storage used to provide a website service.
Summary
| Cookie or storage type | Purpose | Required for site function |
|---|---|---|
| Essential cookies | Login, editing, session continuity, request validation, account security, and MediaWiki operation. | Yes |
| Preference cookies | Interface settings, language, skin, display options, and editor preferences. | Sometimes |
| Security and anti-abuse cookies | Spam prevention, abuse detection, failed-login protection, bot filtering, and request validation. | Yes |
| Analytics or measurement cookies | Limited site measurement. | No |
| Third-party cookies | May appear only where external services, embedded media, security services, or infrastructure providers are enabled. | Depends on the service |
Essential cookies
Essential cookies are used to make the wiki function. They support actions such as logging in, editing, maintaining a session, preventing forged requests, remembering account state, and protecting the site from abuse.
Metopedia may use essential cookies for:
- login sessions;
- account authentication;
- edit sessions;
- edit tokens;
- request validation;
- account preferences;
- interface settings;
- spam prevention;
- abuse prevention;
- security checks;
- failed-login protection;
- page rendering and site reliability.
Disabling essential cookies may prevent login, editing, uploads, preferences, account functions, or security checks from working correctly.
Preference cookies
Preference cookies or account-stored preferences may remember settings chosen by a user. These may include:
- site skin;
- language options;
- editor preferences;
- table or interface settings;
- display options;
- logged-in user preferences;
- accessibility-related interface choices.
Preference cookies improve usability. Some preference settings may be stored in the user account instead of in a browser cookie.
Security and anti-abuse cookies
Metopedia may use cookies, tokens, rate-limit signals, session identifiers, or similar mechanisms to protect the site. These tools may help detect or prevent:
- spam;
- vandalism;
- repeated failed login attempts;
- automated abuse;
- malicious uploads;
- forged requests;
- session hijacking;
- abuse of forms or account creation;
- attempts to bypass restrictions.
Security cookies are not used for advertising. They are used to preserve account security, source integrity, and site availability.
Analytics and measurement
Metopedia may use limited analytics or server-side measurement to understand traffic, diagnose errors, identify abuse, and improve site performance. Analytics tools, when enabled, must be limited to site operation, maintenance, security, measurement, or usability.
Metopedia avoids unnecessary third-party tracking. It does not use advertising cookies, cross-site behavioral advertising cookies, or cookies designed to sell or share personal information for advertising purposes.
Third-party cookies
Third-party cookies may occur when Metopedia uses infrastructure, security, analytics, embedded media, fonts, maps, video, code previews, document viewers, or content-delivery services provided by another party.
Third-party services are limited to site operation, security, performance, measurement, embedded content, or usability. When embedded third-party content is present, the third party may process technical data under its own terms and privacy practices.
Examples of third-party service categories include:
- hosting or server infrastructure;
- content-delivery networks;
- security and anti-abuse services;
- analytics or performance measurement;
- embedded media viewers;
- email or message-routing services;
- search indexing or crawler services.
Consent and control
Essential cookies are required for requested site functions such as login, editing, security, and request validation. Non-essential cookies, such as analytics or optional embedded-service cookies, may require consent or a comparable control depending on jurisdiction and implementation.[1][2]
Metopedia’s position is to keep non-essential tracking limited. If optional non-essential cookies are enabled through analytics, embedded services, or other tools, the site should provide a clear way to understand or control them through browser settings, site settings, a cookie notice, or another available preference mechanism.
Browser controls
Users can control cookies through browser settings. Most browsers allow users to:
- block cookies;
- delete existing cookies;
- block third-party cookies;
- clear site data;
- use private browsing modes;
- inspect stored cookies;
- disable local storage;
- set site-specific permissions.
Blocking or deleting cookies may require users to log in again and may break editing, preferences, upload tools, spam checks, account features, or security protections.
Global Privacy Control and opt-out signals
Some browsers or extensions may send privacy preference signals such as Global Privacy Control. Where legally applicable and technically recognized, Metopedia may treat such signals as a request to avoid sale or sharing of personal information for advertising or cross-context behavioral advertising.
Cookie duration
Cookie duration varies by function.
| Category | Typical duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Session cookies | Until the browser session ends or the session expires. | Used for ordinary login and request continuity. |
| Login cookies | Until logout, expiration, or deletion by the user. | Used to keep a user signed in. |
| Preference cookies | Until changed, expired, or deleted. | Used to remember interface choices. |
| Security cookies | Short-term or persistent depending on the security function. | Used to prevent abuse and protect accounts. |
| Analytics cookies | Duration depends on the analytics tool if enabled. | Non-essential analytics must remain limited to site measurement and improvement. |
Local storage and similar technologies
Metopedia or its enabled tools may use local storage, session storage, browser cache, or comparable mechanisms. These technologies may support editor behavior, interface state, previews, security checks, or performance.
The same general principle applies: storage is used for site function, security, preferences, or measurement, not behavioral advertising.
Logged-in and logged-out users
Logged-in users may receive cookies connected to account sessions, preferences, editing tokens, and account security. Logged-out users may still receive essential cookies or storage related to security, anti-abuse protection, preferences, or normal page delivery.
Public editing activity, page history, logs, and account-related information are covered by Metopedia:Privacy policy.
Changes to cookie use
Metopedia may change cookie use when the software, extensions, security tools, analytics configuration, hosting setup, or embedded services change. Material changes should be reflected on this page or in the privacy policy.
Contact
Cookie questions may be sent to [email protected] with the subject line Cookie Question. Requests should describe the page, browser behavior, cookie name if known, and the concern.