Updated Cookie Policy Clarifies Data Collection and User Rights

UK Tech News, the publisher behind the popular technology news website uktech.news, has released an updated Cookie Policy that takes effect on 4 June 2025. The policy applies to all visitors who are citizens or legal permanent residents of the United Kingdom, aligning with the UK's data protection regulations, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

The new policy provides a comprehensive breakdown of how cookies, scripts, and web beacons are used on the site, and offers visitors granular control over their data preferences. This update reflects the company's commitment to transparency as regulatory scrutiny over online tracking intensifies.

What Are Cookies and Why Do They Matter?

Cookies are small text files stored on a user's device when visiting a website. They allow the site to remember actions and preferences over time. The policy explains that cookies can be placed by the website itself (first-party cookies) or by third-party services that the site integrates. Scripts, which are pieces of program code executed on the server or user device, help the website function interactively. Web beacons (or pixel tags) are invisible images used to monitor traffic and user behaviour.

Under UK law, websites must obtain informed consent before placing non-essential cookies. This policy clearly distinguishes between different categories of cookies and the legal bases for their use.

Categories of Cookies Explored

The policy lists five main categories: technical or functional cookies, statistics cookies, advertising cookies, marketing/tracking cookies, and social media cookies. Each has a specific purpose and consent requirement.

Functional cookies are essential for the website to work correctly, remembering user preferences and keeping items in a shopping cart. These are placed automatically without asking for consent, as they are strictly necessary. Examples include cookies from CloudFlare, PHP, Complianz, WordPress, Stripe, and Hotjar. Complianz cookies store consent preferences for up to 365 days, while CloudFlare's __cf_bm cookie filters bot requests for 30 minutes.

Statistics cookies help the site understand how users interact with it, enabling optimization. Google Analytics, Hotjar, Snowplow, and Elementor fall into this category. For instance, Google Analytics' _ga cookie stores a unique user ID for two years to count pageviews. Snowplow uses _sp_id for the same purpose over a two-year period. Consent is required for these cookies.

Advertising cookies are used to personalize ads and measure campaign effectiveness. They create a profile based on user browsing behaviour both on and off the website. Criteo, Google Ads, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Fonts are among the vendors. Criteo's cto_bundle cookie lasts 13 months to provide cross-page functions. Facebook's _fbp cookie tracks visits across websites for three months. Consent is mandatory for these tracking cookies.

Marketing/Tracking cookies build user profiles for advertising across multiple sites. The policy notes that these cookies link a unique ID to the visitor to avoid showing the same ad repeatedly. Examples include Google various services (__gpi), One Signal (isPushNotificationsEnabled) for push notifications, and Google reCAPTCHA for spam prevention.

Social media cookies are embedded from platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) to enable sharing buttons and display recent posts. These third-party cookies may process data for personalized advertising. All three platforms are based in the United States, and data transfers are governed by appropriate safeguards.

Detailed Vendor Information

The policy provides an extensive list of third-party services and their specific cookies, expiration times, and functions. For example:

• Google various services: Functional cookie google_auto_fc_cmp_setting (persistent) stores consent preferences; Marketing cookie __gpi has no expiration listed.
• CloudFlare: Functional cookies mirage_cache_manifest (persistent) and __cf_bm (30 minutes) for bot filtering.
• Criteo: Marketing cto_bundle (13 months) provides cross-page functions; several purpose-pending cookies like criteo_fast_bid_expires.
• Google Analytics: Statistics cookies _ga (2 years), _gid (1 day), _ga_ (1 year), and _gat_gtag_UA_ (1 minute) for pageview counting and unique user IDs.
• Complianz: Fourteen functional cookies, all with 365-day expiration, covering consent, user data, and banner status.
• One Signal: Marketing cookies isPushNotificationsEnabled and isOptedOut (both persistent) for push notification management.
• Google reCAPTCHA: Functional _grecaptcha (6 months) for spam protection; Marketing rc::c, rc::b, rc::a (session or persistent) for bot filtering.
• WordPress: Seven functional cookies for user preferences, language, and login state, including wp-settings- and wordpress_logged_in_.
• Stripe: Functional __stripe_mid (1 year) for fraud prevention.
• HubSpot: Marketing __hstc (13 months) and hubspotutk (13 months) for tracking; Statistics __hssrc (session); Functional __hssc (30 minutes); plus five purpose-pending cookies.
• Hotjar: Functional _hjSession_ (session) and Statistics _hjSessionUser_ (1 year) for heatmaps and session recordings.
• Facebook: Eleven marketing cookies varying from session to 2 years for ad delivery, retargeting, and fraud prevention; three functional cookies for screen resolution and fraud.
• Google Fonts: Marketing cookie Google Fonts API (immediate expiration) to read user IP address.
• Twitter: Functional local_storage_support_test (persistent) for load balancing; Marketing metrics_token (persistent) to track embedded content views.
• LinkedIn: Functional sdsc (session), li_gc (6 months), BizographicsOptOut (10 years); Marketing lms_ads (30 days), _guid (90 days), li-oatml (1 month), li_sugr (90 days), UserMatchHistory (30 days); Statistics lms_analytics (30 days), AnalyticsSyncHistory (30 days); Preferences li_alerts (1 year), bcookie (1 year), lidc (1 day), bscookie (1 year).
• Google Ads Optimization: Marketing 1p_jar (1 month) for ad delivery.
• Google Ads: Marketing ads/ga-audiences (immediate expiration) for remarketing.
• Snowplow: Statistics _sp_id (2 years); three purpose-pending cookies for queue management.
• Elementor: Statistics (anonymous) elementor (persistent) to store performed actions.
• Miscellaneous: Over 50 purpose-pending cookies from various sources like perf_, __s3ga4_session_id, ev_did, and many others, indicating areas under review.

Consent Management and User Rights

Upon first visit, users see a pop-up explaining cookies and asking them to save preferences. The policy reminds that disabling all cookies may break website functionality. For users on AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), a manage consent button is provided at the bottom of the page. However, the TCF (Transparency and Consent Framework) vendor list is not available without JavaScript.

The policy outlines a detailed consent interface where users can select or deselect all vendors, view privacy policies, and understand legitimate interest claims. Vendors are categorized by maximum cookie retention, non-cookie storage access, cookie refresh, and purposes (e.g., statistics, marketing). Users can give or withdraw consent on a per-purpose basis, and object to legitimate interest processing.

Special features and purposes are also listed. Some vendors use special features like precise geolocation; special purposes include ensuring security and preventing fraud. Features like matching data to offline sources are noted.

Under Section 8, users can enable/disable cookies through browser settings. Deleting cookies will not revoke consent permanently; cookies will be re-placed after consent on the next visit.

Section 9 enumerates user rights: the right to know why data is processed, right of access, right to rectification, right to withdraw consent and deletion, right to data portability, and right to object. To exercise these rights, users can contact the publisher using the provided details.

Contact and Accountability

The policy lists the controller as Tech City News, located at 124 City Roads, London EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom. They can be reached via email at mydata@ex.comwearemvi.com or by phone at 0208 150 8286. The policy syncs with cookiedatabase.org on 20 May 2026.

This update arrives at a time when the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is actively enforcing transparency rules. By publishing a detailed, category-specific policy with clear expiration dates and purposes, UK Tech News demonstrates compliance with emerging best practices. The inclusion of a "Purpose pending investigation" category for many cookies is notable—it suggests ongoing audit processes to fully classify all data collection methods.

Website operators across the UK are advised to review their own cookie policies in light of this example, particularly the need to map every cookie to its exact function, lifespan, and whether it shares data across borders. The increasing reliance on third-party vendors for analytics, advertising, and social media integration means that publishers must maintain up-to-date lists and easy opt-out mechanisms.

For regular readers of uktech.news, these changes should enhance trust. The ability to granularly control which cookies are accepted—without losing access to core content—is a significant step toward data privacy. The policy also clearly states that if users object to processing based on legitimate interest, the publisher will comply unless there are compelling grounds to continue.

As digital advertising evolves, so too must cookie policies. This document serves as a template for transparency: it defines every cookie type, justifies its necessity, and grants users control. It also provides a clear point of contact for inquiries about individual rights, reinforcing the publisher's commitment to accountability.

In practice, users can expect a smoother browsing experience with fewer interruptions, as consent preferences are stored for 365 days via Complianz. Those concerned about cross-site tracking can disable marketing cookies without affecting the site's core functionality. The policy's alignment with the ICO's guidance on real-time consent—whereby users can modify their choices at any time—further strengthens its credibility.

The cooperation with cookiedatabase.org ensures that the policy stays current with evolving cookie standards. While some cookies remain under investigation for their exact purpose, the publisher has pledged to update the list as more information becomes available. This proactive stance is likely to be well-received by privacy advocates.

Overall, the UK Tech News updated Cookie Policy is a thorough, user-centric document that balances operational needs with legal obligations. It empowers readers to make informed decisions about their data, while maintaining the publisher's ability to deliver targeted content and advertisements. As the digital landscape navigates further regulatory changes, transparent policies like this will become the norm rather than the exception.

Source: UKTN News