1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files a website stores on your device to remember information between visits or requests. ApexArena also uses local storage, a similar browser technology, to remember things like your theme preference or an in-progress quiz — the same privacy considerations in this policy apply to both.
This policy explains our own cookie practices in detail. For a broader overview of what data we collect and why, see our Privacy Policy.
2. How We Use Cookies & Local Storage
2.1 Strictly Necessary
These keep the platform working and cannot be disabled without logging out. They are never gated behind the cookie consent banner, because rejecting them would mean the site simply doesn't function.
| Name | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firebase Auth session | Keeps you signed in | Cookie / IndexedDB | Until sign-out or expiry |
theme | Remembers your light/dark mode choice | Local storage | Until cleared |
apex_quiz_progress_* | Resumes an in-progress quiz after an accidental refresh | Local storage | Until the quiz is submitted or quit |
aa_cookie_consent | Remembers your cookie choice itself, so we don't ask every visit | Local storage | Until cleared |
2.2 Analytics (optional)
Google Analytics sets cookies to collect anonymised usage statistics — which pages are visited, how long, and roughly where from — so we can understand what's working and what isn't. This is only loaded if you choose Accept All.
2.3 Advertising (optional)
Google AdSense sets third-party cookies to help serve relevant advertising, which keeps ApexArena free to use. Like analytics, this is only loaded if you choose Accept All. You can separately opt out of personalised ads at any time via Google's Ad Settings.
3. Third-Party Cookies
Only Google (Analytics and AdSense) sets cookies on ApexArena on our behalf, and only once you've accepted. We don't use any other third-party advertising, tracking, or session-replay tools.
4. Managing Your Preferences
You can change your cookie choice at any time — this reloads the page so the new choice takes effect immediately:
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Choosing Reject Non-Essential stops Analytics and AdSense from ever loading on this device — no cookie is even set, so there's nothing to "opt out" of after the fact.
5. Browser-Level Controls
Every modern browser also lets you block or delete cookies directly in its settings, independent of our own banner. Note that blocking the strictly-necessary session cookie will prevent you from staying signed in to ApexArena.
6. Changes to This Policy
If what we use cookies for changes materially, we'll update this page and the effective date above.
7. Contact Us
Questions about this Cookie Policy? Reach out via our Contact page.