Cookie Policy
Last updated: May 16, 2026
This page lists every cookie and storage item we touch, what it's for, and how to refuse the ones that aren't strictly necessary.
1. Essential cookies (always on)
These are required for the site's core function — submitting one answer per day and remembering your consent. They cannot be refused, but they contain no personal data.
| Name | Purpose | Lifetime | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ow_uid | A random UUID used together with your hashed IP and browser fingerprint to enforce one-answer-per-day. Contains no identifying information. | 400 days | First-party |
| ow_cookie_consent | Remembers whether you accepted or rejected non-essential cookies. | Local storage | First-party |
2. Local-storage items (browser-only, never sent to us)
These live entirely in your browser. They never leave your device. We cannot read them from our server.
| Name | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
| ow_streak_v3 | Your personal streak counter — how many consecutive days you answered. | Until you clear it |
| ow_journal_v3 | Your private word journal (last 500 words you submitted). | Until you clear it |
3. Advertising cookies (only if you click Accept)
With your consent, Google AdSense sets cookies to serve ads. We don't control these cookies directly — they are managed by Google. The most common ones:
| Name | Set by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| __gads | Google AdSense | Tracks ad impressions and prevents the same ad showing repeatedly |
| __gpi | Google AdSense | Anonymous user identifier for ad personalisation |
| NID | User preferences across Google services | |
| IDE | DoubleClick | Measure ad effectiveness |
Click Reject in our cookie banner to refuse these. Existing ones can be cleared in your browser settings.
Opt out of personalised ads: google.com/settings/ads · youronlinechoices.com (EU)
4. Analytics — Google Analytics 4 (with consent)
With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4 to understand how many people visit, which pages they read, and where they come from in aggregate. IPs are anonymised before being sent to Google. We do not link analytics data to your one-word answer.
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics 4 | Distinguishes unique visitors | 2 years |
| _ga_* | Google Analytics 4 | Persists session state | 2 years |
| _gid | Google Analytics | Distinguishes users (legacy) | 24 hours |
You can opt out site-wide by clicking Reject in our cookie banner, or by installing the official Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
We do not use Facebook Pixel, Hotjar, Mixpanel, or any other third-party tracker.
5. Server-side identifiers (not cookies, but worth knowing)
When you submit a word, our server computes a one-way SHA-256 hash of your IP, User-Agent, screen size, timezone, and your ow_uid cookie. The hash is stored against your answer to prevent duplicates. We never store the raw IP or any of these inputs in plain text. The hash cannot be reversed.
You can request deletion of your hash (and the answer linked to it) by emailing hellooneword.online@gmail.com.
6. How to manage cookies
- On this site: click "Reject" in the consent banner to refuse advertising cookies.
- In your browser: Settings → Privacy → Clear cookies / Block third-party cookies.
- Universally: aboutcookies.org
See also our Privacy Policy for the wider picture.