Cookie Policy - How Needle Uses Cookies

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us provide you with a better experience by remembering your preferences and enabling certain functionality. We also use similar technologies (such as browser storage) where described below.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

In addition to HTTP cookies, we may use similar browser storage (for example localStorage or sessionStorage) for the same kinds of purposes. Labels below describe the role of the technology, not only a single cookie file.

2.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly and cannot be disabled:

• Authentication Cookies: Keep you logged in to your account
• Security Cookies: Protect against fraud and unauthorized access
• Session Cookies: Maintain your session while browsing
• Load Balancing: Distribute traffic across our servers

2.2 Analytics Cookies

These analytics technologies help us understand how visitors use our website. You can opt out as described in Cookie consent:

• Analytics Services: Track website usage and performance (metadata only, no personal content)
• Error Tracking: Monitor and fix technical issues
• Sentry Session Replay: Screen recording of your session for debugging (enabled only after you consent to analytics; automatically stopped the moment you withdraw analytics consent)
• Page Load Times: Optimize website speed and performance
• User Behavior: Understand how users navigate our site (aggregated data only)

2.3 Preferences and similar browser storage

We persist some interface choices on your device so the product feels consistent between visits. Depending on the feature, this may use cookies, local storage, session storage, or a combination - not every item below is implemented as a classic HTTP cookie.

• Theme preferences: Remember your light/dark mode choice where the client stores it
• Recent search context: Restore parts of your in-app search experience between sessions where we store it locally
• Platform selections: Remember selected platforms or filters you use often in the UI
• Layout and UI state: Remember dashboard or layout preferences where stored in the browser

3. Third-Party Services

We use third-party services that may set their own cookies or similar technologies:

• Analytics Services: Website analytics and performance tracking (only if you've consented to analytics cookies)
• Cloud Services: Authentication and database services (essential for service operation)
• AI Services: Content analysis and processing (essential for service features)
• Caching Services: Performance optimization (essential for service performance)
• Storage Services: Data export file storage (essential for data portability feature)
• Sentry: Error monitoring (essential for service reliability) and session replay (only after you consent to analytics)
• Noodleseed (Halo chat widget): Powers the site chat. It is an independent controller and may set its own cookies/storage subject to its privacy policy - we do not control those

4. Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies in several ways:

4.1 Browser Settings

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings:

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
• Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions

4.2 Cookie Consent

When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie consent notification in the bottom corner where you can:

• Accept All: Allow essential and analytics cookies (helps us improve the service)
• Essential Only: Accept only essential cookies (no analytics tracking)
• Close: Close the notification (treats as Essential Only)
• Learn more by clicking the "Learn more" link to our Cookie Policy

You can change analytics preferences at any time using Manage cookies in the site footer (next to the copyright line). The same control appears when the cookie banner is shown.

4.3 Opt-Out Options

You can opt out of analytics tracking:

• In-app control: Use Manage cookies in the site footer to open the preference panel and toggle analytics.
• Google / Firebase Analytics (browser): When you opt in to analytics, we use Firebase Analytics (Google) for product measurement. Google offers a browser add-on for Google Analytics that may reduce collection on some sites that use related Google measurement technologies; coverage depends on your browser and Google's product behavior. See also Google's Privacy Policy.
• Sentry Session Replay: Controlled by the analytics consent choice - turn analytics off in Manage cookies and replay stops immediately.

5. Impact of Disabling Cookies

If you disable cookies or clear or block similar browser storage we rely on, some parts of the site may not work as expected:

• You may need to log in repeatedly
• Your preferences may not be saved
• Some features may not function correctly
• Website performance may be affected
• Personalized content may not be available

6. Cookie Retention

Different cookies are stored for different periods:

• Session Cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
• Persistent Cookies: Remain until they expire or are deleted
• Authentication-related storage: Session-style values may clear when you close the browser; longer-lived tokens or cookies depend on your browser, sign-in method, and security settings, and may be refreshed when you use the product.
• Analytics Cookies: May persist for up to 2 years (only if you've consented)
• Consent Records: Stored in our database until account deletion (for compliance purposes)

7. Business Information

Needle is operated by the business identified below. Details are published in good faith for transparency and support. If you believe any item is incorrect or out of date, email support@useneedle.net and we will correct this page after verification where appropriate.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. We will notify users of material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our website after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new policy.

9. Related Policies

For more information about our policies and practices, please review our other legal documents:

10. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, please contact us at support@useneedle.net