Legal
Cookie Policy
Last updated: 18 May 2026
This page tells you exactly which cookies and similar technologies vatnode uses, what they do, how long they live, and how to change your consent at any time.
Your current consent
You have not chosen yet
The banner appears on your first visit. Until you choose, Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity are in cookieless mode — they do not set cookies or store identifiers on your device.
Your choice is stored in this browser only. If you use vatnode from another browser or device you will be asked again there.
What cookies are
A cookie is a small piece of data a website asks your browser to store and send back on subsequent visits. Some are strictly necessary for the site to function — they are why a page can know you are logged in. Others are optional and used for analytics; you control whether those run.
vatnode also uses localStorage to remember your consent choice. It is not technically a cookie, but it is the same category from a privacy perspective and we list it below for full transparency.
Essential cookies (always on)
These are required for vatnode to work. We do not ask for consent because the site cannot function without them and they are exempt under Article 5(3) of the EU ePrivacy Directive (strictly necessary purpose).
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| better-auth.session_token (or __Secure-better-auth.session_token in production) | Keeps you signed in to your vatnode account. Without this cookie you would need to log in on every page load. | 7 days; refreshed on use | .vatnode.dev |
| __Host-better-auth.csrf_token | Protects authentication requests against cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. | Session (cleared when you close the browser) | vatnode.dev (host-only) |
| vatnode-cookie-consent-v1 | Remembers your choice on this page so we do not show the banner again and respect your decision on every visit. This is technically localStorage, not a cookie, but we list it here for transparency. | Until you clear browser storage or change your mind below | vatnode.dev (browser localStorage) |
In addition we use Umami, a self-hosted analytics tool that runs on our own infrastructure and does not set any cookies or cross-site identifiers. Because it does not store anything on your device, it is not subject to cookie consent under EU law and is always on. It records aggregate page-view counts only.
Optional analytics cookies (consent required)
These help us understand which pages and features are useful so we can improve them. vatnode uses Google's Consent Mode v2: the analytics scripts are loaded on every page, but until you accept they run in cookieless mode — no cookies are written and no persistent identifiers are stored on your device. Aggregate, non-identifying signals (page URL, approximate timing) may still reach Google so that conversion measurement works correctly; this is the technical basis Google requires for advertisers in the EEA.
Cookies in this category are only set after you select Accept all in the banner or in Section 1 above. If you previously accepted and then change to Reject optional, the providers are immediately switched back to cookieless mode without a page reload, and the cookies they already set are deleted from your browser. Providers may retain anonymised aggregate data they already collected; to request deletion of historical data, write to [email protected].
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga, _ga_12W4HLQ182 | Google Analytics 4 | Distinguishes unique visitors and groups pageviews into sessions for aggregate usage analysis. | 2 years |
| _clck, _clsk | Microsoft Clarity | Records anonymised session recordings and heatmaps so we can see where the UI is confusing. | _clck: 1 year. _clsk: 1 day. |
| MUID | Microsoft Clarity (via clarity.ms) | Identifies unique web browsers across Microsoft properties; used by Clarity for session continuity. | 13 months |
Both Google and Microsoft transfer data to the United States. Where this happens we rely on the EU Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses (Module 2) as the transfer safeguard. See the Privacy Policy for the full legal basis assessment.
Optional advertising cookies (consent required)
vatnode runs Google Ads campaigns and uses the Google Ads tag to measure which campaigns lead to sign-ups and paid upgrades. The tag is loaded under the same Consent Mode v2 setup as analytics: until you accept, no advertising cookies are written and no remarketing identifiers are stored. Aggregate, non-identifying conversion signals may still reach Google to support modelled measurement.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _gcl_au, _gcl_aw, _gcl_dc | Google Ads | Attribute conversions (sign-ups, upgrades) to the Google Ads campaign that brought you here, and measure campaign performance. | 90 days |
| IDE, test_cookie | Google Ads (doubleclick.net) | Used by Google for remarketing — showing you vatnode ads on other sites you visit after leaving us. | IDE: 13 months. test_cookie: 15 minutes. |
If you accepted and want to opt out specifically of personalised Google ads, you can also do so at adssettings.google.com.
Changing your mind
Your consent is never permanent. The controls in Section 1 above let you switch between Accept all and Reject optional at any time. Changes take effect immediately — no page reload — and we clear existing optional cookies from your browser when you switch from accept to reject.
You can also clear all of vatnode's cookies and your consent choice by clearing site data in your browser settings; the banner will appear again on your next visit.
Contact
Questions about cookies or this policy: