Cookie Policy
Last updated: March 2025
At sontheriq, we believe in being straightforward about how we collect and use data when you visit our website. This policy explains what tracking technologies we use, why we use them, and how you can manage your preferences. We're committed to transparency in everything we do.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that get stored on your device when you visit websites. They help websites remember things about your visit – like your preferences or login status. Most websites use them because they make the browsing experience smoother and more personal.
Think of cookies as helpful notes. When you return to a site, these notes remind the website who you are and what you were doing. Some cookies disappear when you close your browser (session cookies), while others stick around for future visits (persistent cookies).
How sontheriq Uses Tracking Technologies
We use several types of tracking tools on sontheriq.com to improve your experience and understand how people interact with our financial negotiation resources. Here's what we're actually tracking and why it matters:
Essential Cookies
These are the cookies we absolutely need to run the site properly. They handle basic functions like security, network management, and accessibility. Without these, parts of sontheriq.com simply wouldn't work. You can't opt out of these through our site, but you can disable them in your browser settings (though this might affect how the site functions).
Functional Cookies
These help us remember your choices and provide enhanced features. For example, if you've set a preference for how you want to view our course schedules or saved certain negotiation resources, functional cookies keep track of that. They make your experience more personalised without collecting identifying information.
Analytics Cookies
We use these to understand how visitors interact with our website. Which pages are most helpful? Where do people spend their time? What content resonates with those interested in financial negotiation skills? This data helps us create better content and improve the site structure. All information is aggregated – we're looking at patterns, not individual behaviour.
Marketing Cookies
These track your journey across our site to help us understand what learning programs might interest you. They also help us measure the effectiveness of our educational campaigns. If you've seen information about our upcoming courses appearing after browsing our site, that's marketing cookies at work. You can disable these if you prefer not to see personalised content.
Specific Technologies We Use
Beyond standard cookies, we also use these tracking methods:
- Web Beacons: Tiny graphics (sometimes called pixel tags) that help us count visitors and understand traffic patterns across our educational content.
- Local Storage: A way to store data in your browser that helps load pages faster and remember your preferences across sessions.
- Session Storage: Similar to local storage but temporary – it's cleared when you close your browser tab.
- Log Files: Standard server logs that record technical information like IP addresses, browser types, and page request times for security and performance monitoring.
We don't sell your data to third parties. Any information collected through these technologies is used solely to improve your experience on sontheriq.com and help us develop better financial education resources for the Australian market.
Cookie Lifespan and Retention
Different cookies stick around for different lengths of time. Here's what you need to know:
| Cookie Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Session Cookies | Until browser closes | Temporary navigation and form data |
| Preference Cookies | 1-12 months | Remember your settings and choices |
| Analytics Cookies | 2 years | Track patterns and site improvements |
| Marketing Cookies | 90 days | Personalised content recommendations |
We review our cookie usage regularly and delete data we no longer need. If you clear your browser cookies, you'll need to reset your preferences next time you visit.
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
Browser Controls
Every modern browser gives you control over cookies. You can usually find these settings in the privacy or security section of your browser preferences. Here's what you can typically do:
- Block all cookies (though this might break some website functionality)
- Delete existing cookies stored on your device
- Allow cookies only from sites you visit directly (blocking third-party cookies)
- Set cookies to be deleted automatically when you close your browser
- Create exceptions for specific websites
Mobile Devices
If you're accessing sontheriq.com from a smartphone or tablet, you can manage cookies through your device settings. iOS and Android both have privacy controls that let you limit tracking across apps and websites. Look for "Privacy" or "Safari" (iOS) or "Chrome" (Android) in your settings.
Keep in mind that blocking all cookies might affect your experience on our site. Some features – like saving your progress through our learning modules or remembering which courses you've viewed – rely on cookie functionality.
Third-Party Services
We work with a few trusted service providers who help us run sontheriq.com effectively. These partners may place their own cookies when you visit our site:
Analytics Providers: We use analytics services to understand how people use our site. These services collect data about page views, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns. The information is anonymised and helps us improve our educational content.
Content Delivery Networks: To make our site load faster, we use CDNs that may set performance cookies. These help deliver content efficiently, especially for users across different parts of Australia.
Each third-party service operates under its own privacy policy. While we choose partners carefully, you should review their policies if you want to understand exactly how they handle data.
Changes to This Policy
We update this cookie policy occasionally to reflect changes in how we use tracking technologies or respond to new regulations. When we make significant changes, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
If we introduce new types of tracking that significantly affect your privacy, we'll notify you through a prominent notice on sontheriq.com before the changes take effect. We encourage you to check this page periodically, especially if you have specific concerns about data collection.
Your Rights and Data Protection
Under Australian privacy legislation, you have rights regarding your personal information. While cookies don't always contain personal data, when they do, you can:
- Request access to any personal information we've collected through tracking technologies
- Ask us to correct inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Withdraw consent for non-essential tracking at any time
- Lodge a complaint with the Australian Information Commissioner if you believe we've mishandled your data
We take your privacy seriously and will respond to any requests within the timeframes required by Australian law.
Questions About Cookies?
If something in this policy isn't clear, or you have specific questions about how we use tracking technologies on sontheriq.com, we're here to help.