1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit a website. They are widely used across the internet to make websites work more efficiently and to provide useful information to website owners.
Cookies help Loceno remember your preferences, understand how you use our platform, and improve your overall experience. They do not contain viruses or malware and cannot access other information on your device.
In addition to cookies, we may also use similar technologies such as:
- Local Storage: Data stored in your browser that persists between sessions, used for preferences and settings.
- Session Storage: Temporary data that is cleared when you close your browser tab, used for in-session state.
Throughout this policy, we refer to all of these technologies collectively as "cookies" for simplicity.
2. Types of Cookies We Use
Loceno uses the following categories of cookies. Each serves a specific purpose to improve your experience on our platform:
Essential Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary for the Platform to function properly. Without them, core features would not work. They include:
- Authentication and login session management
- Security features (e.g., CSRF protection)
- Cookie consent preferences
- Load balancing and server routing
Can you disable them? No. These cookies are essential and cannot be turned off without breaking the Platform.
Preference Cookies
These cookies remember choices you make to enhance your experience, such as:
- Your preferred language or region
- Display settings (e.g., grid or list view)
- Recently viewed listings or searches
- Dark/light mode preference (if available)
Can you disable them? Yes, but some features may not remember your choices between visits.
Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our Platform, which pages are most popular, and how users navigate between pages. We use this information to improve Loceno. Details are covered in Section 4.
Can you disable them? Yes. Disabling analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use the Platform.
3. How Loceno Uses Cookies
Here is a clear summary of the specific purposes for which Loceno uses cookies:
- Keep you signed in: So you don't have to log in every time you visit.
- Remember your preferences: Language, location, view mode, and other settings you've chosen.
- Improve search results: By understanding your location and browsing patterns, we can show more relevant local results.
- Maintain security: Protecting your account from unauthorized access and preventing abuse.
- Understand usage patterns: Seeing which features are used most, so we can prioritize improvements.
- Store cookie consent: Remembering whether you've accepted or customized your cookie preferences.
We do not use cookies for:
- Targeted or behavioral advertising
- Selling data to third parties
- Tracking you across other websites
- Building advertising profiles
4. Analytics & Performance Cookies
To improve Loceno, we use privacy-respecting analytics tools that help us understand how our Platform is used. These tools collect aggregated, anonymous data such as:
- Number of visitors and page views
- Most popular pages and features
- How users navigate through the Platform
- Browser type, device type, and screen size
- Approximate geographic location (country/city level, based on IP)
- Page load times and performance metrics
We prioritize analytics tools that:
- Do not use third-party tracking cookies
- Do not share data with advertising networks
- Anonymize IP addresses
- Comply with GDPR and other privacy regulations
Analytics data is used solely to improve the Loceno experience. We never use it to identify individual users or build personal profiles.
5. Third-Party Cookies
In some cases, third-party services embedded in Loceno may set their own cookies. These include:
- Google Maps: Used to display map embeds on business listing pages. Google may set cookies for map functionality and performance.
- Social Media Widgets: If we embed social sharing buttons, the respective platforms (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) may set cookies.
We have no control over these third-party cookies. They are governed by the privacy policies of their respective providers. We recommend reviewing their policies:
We minimize the use of third-party cookies wherever possible and choose privacy-respecting alternatives when available.
6. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
You have full control over which cookies you accept. Here's how to manage them:
Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically:
- View which cookies are currently stored
- Delete individual cookies or all cookies at once
- Block cookies from specific websites
- Block all third-party cookies
- Set your browser to notify you when a cookie is being set
Each browser has different steps for managing cookies. Please refer to your browser's help documentation for specific instructions.
What Happens When You Disable Cookies
If you choose to disable or block certain cookies, please be aware that:
- Some features of Loceno may not work as expected.
- You may need to log in each time you visit.
- Your preferences and settings may not be saved between visits.
- The Platform will still be accessible, but your experience may be less personalized.
7. Do Not Track Signals
Some browsers send a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal to websites. While there is no universal standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals, Loceno respects your privacy preferences. We do not engage in cross-site tracking, so our behavior remains the same regardless of whether your browser sends a DNT signal.
8. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our technology, legal requirements, or cookie usage. When we do, we will:
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
- Notify you through a cookie banner or platform notice if there are significant changes.
- Re-request your consent if required by applicable regulations.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, we're happy to help:
You can also learn more about cookies in general at www.allaboutcookies.org.