This Policy was last updated on January 4, 2025. May the legal angels and fairies be happy.

This particular policy covers how a_joy art [Me, the arter but can we just acknowledge Squarespace here, because they are involved - just sayin.] uses cookies and similar digitalness to recognize when visitors like yourself, come visit this website - https://www.knottywoowoo.com [“The Website” or “Website”]. This policy attempts to explain what this digitalness is and why/how these items like cookies are used as well as your rights to dunk them in milk and eat them - I mean - manage them so we don’t run around violating your privacy. That’s super important!

In certain situations, this website may use cookies to collect personal information. This information can become, ironically, personal information if Me, via a lot of knotty woo woo, am able to deduce and combine it with other information. I actually don’t do this because I literally have more important things to do. But, it is possible and it’s possible Squarespace may magically do this for me if I click the wrong button. Really, I’m that klutzy.

What are cookies?

Cookies are bits and bobs of data files that are placed on your computer plate [device] or mobile picnic plate [device] when you traipse around the internet. Cookies of this variety are used widely by many website owners to make their websites work. I’m no different. This is, after all, the internet and cookie kind of universe. Cookies can also, surprisingly, make a website work more efficiently as well as provide particular types of reports/information.

Cookies come with Squarespace. It’s their thang. At any rate, I CAN set cookies up as the owner [a_joy art that is]. When this happens, it’s a “first-party cookie” kind of party. It’s probably one of the rare times I’m “first” on or at anything. But I say, if you’re going to be “first” a cookie party is one of the best. All other types of cookies are generally “third-party cookies.” These third-party cookies are generally these functional features that allow folks like me, to manage the web estate and look at whose coming and going in an analytical way. In fact, third-party cookies cover things like analytics, interactive content, and advertising. Just look at them as a cookie selection - chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodles…..you know they all have different flavors, consistency, and taste but they’re all cookies. These third-parties can recognize your plate - er - device/computer when you visit a website [including this one] and also when you visit certain other websites. FUN! It’s a cookie tracker. I wonder if there is a witch involved here and someones are named Hansel and Gretel. Not Good!

Why these cookies? I mean, they're not even edible.

Like is stated above in the “What are cookies” part, cookies have various purposes and functions. Some cookies are technical goodies that make the website work well. These cookies are generally called “essential,” or “strictly necessary” cookies. I like this because I believe there are essential cookies in life - the edible one’s I mean. They are simply good to have around when someone wanders into the kitchen.

Other cookies, the more sinister sort, allow for tracking and targeting with the particularly notion of nosiness. These sorts enjoy making the whole thing more specific to you, the visitor. While that may not be nefarious, it can be rather annoying. A good example here is tailored advertising. Other versions of cookies include analytical ones that allow me, the website owner, to view whose come, gone where, see how long they stayed, and when they bounced on this web space like a rubber ball on a hard wall.

How can you, the visitor, control these cookies flying everywhere?

Like with all edible cookies, you can put your hand up and let the website know you’re watching your waistline. No really. You can say “no thank you” and you don’t even have to smile or be polite. You can even flip the website off. It works this way in the secret tech web universe of cookies. With that said, there is a ritual process called a cookie banner that usually offers, much like a platter set of options, a way to manage your cookie intact. Just click on that Cookie Consent Manager option on the banner and you will be allowed to turn off and on all the cookies that do not meet your edible delight. There is but one exception and that’s the essential cookies. I mean let’s face it, there are essential sugar bombs that are needed to make life go round. In this world, they are called strictly necessary cookies. They make the whole digital culinary experience work. So, you get at least one cookie but I promise, it’s fat-free!

Once you make platter selection in the Cookie Manager space, your whims and wishes will be granted. If you choose to eat some and leave others, you can still hang out at the house. I’m not offended at all by cookie preferences. It does mean though, that some parts of the web house may become restricted - like the pantry and laundry room or something. It also impacts functionality which can also produce some differences in your floating experiences here.

Oh, and don’t forget, you can actually manage cookies through your web browser controls. There, you can accept or refuse all the cookies you want as well. That’s important too! No sugar cookies for you!

Because I am supposed to be diligent with my digital cookie-ness, below are specific types of first and third party cookies that you may run into here. Just keep in mind that some cookies will be related to which specific page or website “property” you click on [like a form for example]. My contact form is a rather good example of information collection at any rate.

Essential website cookies:

These are the necessary sort of cookies we all need every day to keep ourselves functioning. Okay, they are cookies this website needs. Keep in mind, Squarespace creates a bunch of this stuff that’s way beyond my immediate control. I’m just going to tell you about them.

So, google has this one called rc::a. It has sprinkles. I’m sure of it. At any rate, this particular type of cookie tracks and analyzes user behavior to make sure you’re not some kind of bot or automated software. This is a persistent cookie because it’s magical. It just never goes away. Yep. The service is something called reCAPTCHA and it’s a type of html _local _ storage kind of thing. If you want to review the service privacy policy - you can go right here. It’s a Google thing. You’re welcome. Cookie?

Analytic and customized cookies:

These are the bomb. Who doesn’t like a customized cookie? Okay, more seriously, these cookies collect information in aggregate form to tell me a couple of things. The first is how well the website is being used. Another way is like marketing campaigns, which I don’t currently do. Yet, another way this sugar delight is used is to help customize the website to you. I use a certain amount of Squarespace stuff. One of these is a session cookie - so it’s gone in a visit like when you eat that whole napkin of chex mix you got there in your hand. I don’t get it - why don’t you have a cookie? This name is p.gif. It comes from ptypekit.net and it’s a pixkel_tracker. Adobe analytics is something here too which gathers data regarding the sites usage and behavior on the website. I’m the provider [chuckle] and it’s a storage gig - you know - html _local _ storage fun. It’s magically persistent too, like my leg hair. My favorite cookie though, and it’s just a session one, is called crumb. Yep, crumb. Like what you’re leaving everywhere on my floor as you chomp that chex mix. It’s basically a cookie that’s used to recognize when you come to the door - er website. That’s to make sure you’re not a criminal. Well, technically, it makes sure to prevent cross-site request forgery. I’m the provider and it’s a service provided by Showtime Analytics. If you want to see their service privacy policy, just click here. You’re welcome!

Now, many people have advertising and social media cookies. At this point in time, I have no attachments here so there shouldn’t be any cookies on the plate for you to review. Isn’t that nice? Less cookies means a trimmer waistline. With all that chex mix, don’t be thinking that stuff is fat free either. It’s free fat! HA!

How can you control cookies with your browser? They’re flying everywhere!

You can, with your browsers help, manage your cookie diet more appropriately for your tastes. I’m not convinced there are fat-free, sugar free, or gluten free cookies but I could be wrong. Either way, this will keep your waistline trim as you desire. And if you don’t care, neither do I….well, technically I do but really just about the digital ones. Like most things in life, there is variety here and not every diet plan works the same. It’s best to consult with each nutritionist to figure that out - oh wait - I mean browser provider. Just click on the links below for the browsers you use. I’m not against cookies either - the edible kind. Eat all you want but just be sure you eat other stuff too.

• Chrome [Let’s hope for some rust]

• Internet Explorer [The adventurer extraordinaire!]

• Firefox [It’s on fire!]

• Safari [YEEEEEHAAA!]

• Edge [always on it]

• Opera [LALALALALA]

There are also other ways to opt out of some things. These advertising networks also help you get out of all the cookie tracking for advertisement purposes. I highly recommend these actually and actually do this myself. Here are some alliances you can visit.

• Digital Advertising Alliance

• Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada

• European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance

Do you use Flash cookies or Local Shared Objects?

I’m not “in” to flashing cookies. I mean really. Actually, I have no idea what the hell either of these entities are. But here goes nothing. I guess if you have a Flash player you might end up with flashy cookies. Kinky little things. Anyway, if you’ve got some cookie issues here, you can go to the Storage Settings Panel and do some karate blocking. Click on the link in that last sentence if you need some instructions on how to do that. There is a global settings panel too that can help you figure out how to delete existing cookies, to prevent them in the first place, and how to block them when they are not part of the page you are on [and being run by the page owner]. I believe this is all Flash player schtuff.

As with any cookie, this could rot your teeth out which makes them no longer really functional. Oops - wrong sugah. It just means if you reduce or impede ones that involve functionality, those Flash applications may not work too well. Makes sense, right? It means if I’ve got some flashy flashy going on, you might be screwed in viewing that content here. Sorry about that. [frown face].

Do I use targeted advertising?

No. Not to my knowledge. But this is a third-party cookie kind of gig. This is where you come here and they sniff you out and but a homing device on you - little pigeon. Then the next you know every bloody thing you ever wanted in the universe is now being advertised to you. Not so much fun. Anyway, these third-partiers can get this gig going by using cookies or web beacons to snatch your visitation info from here and all over to potential harass - I mean - let you know about goods and services that may be of interest to you. Damn stalkers. The information that gets collected in this type of a process does not enable me or them to identify you by name or contact details that directly identify you. You can give them that info but I recommend you don’t. But you can do it if you want.

How often will you update this Cookie Policy?

Oh, you know how cookie policies are. You are out and about and someone hands you a new recipe to try. Some people are more insistent about me trying their recipes - like government officials and weblomats. This just means if something were to change, I learn something new [a forever thing], or the police show up at my door. I will need to provide an update so as to keep us all informed about these cookies. They could at least offer me some milk or tea or something. Sheesh! It’s probably a good idea to come back here when you’re super bored or have really bad insomnia so you can stay abreast about all the kitchen recipes and new ditties through your eyelids or something.

Where can I get further information?

If you need any information, want a good cookie recipe, or would just like to share with me that I’m an idiot about cookie policies, just email me at knottywoowoo@icloud.com. I promise to serve tea and only the cookies you really want - the edible kind.

Notations

I wrote this with the help of Termly who graciously gave me one form I could use for my website for nada. It wasn’t correct in a number of things so I changed some of the stuff. But their ability to tell me about some cookies on my website was exceptionally useful and they deserve all the credit in the world. Thank you, Termly. And no, I don’t get a paid sponsorship out of that. I’m too daft for that and I have all these cookies someone’s gotta eat cuz I’m full.