Cookie Policy

Cookies are small text files placed on your device by a website you visit. They allow the site to remember certain information about your session — such as whether you have accepted a consent notice or selected a display preference — across page loads and return visits.

Cookies are not programs. They cannot execute code, carry viruses, or access other data on your device. They simply store a short string of text that the browser sends back to the originating server on subsequent requests.

Similar technologies — such as local storage and session storage — work in the same conceptual way but are stored differently in the browser. Where we refer to "cookies" in this policy we include these analogous mechanisms unless otherwise stated.

Taxon is a website and offline-first mobile application for field ecologists. The website (taxon.app) uses a small, purposeful set of cookies for three reasons only:

• Essential operation — keeping your session intact, remembering form state, and storing your own consent preferences so we do not ask again.
• Anonymous analytics — understanding which pages are useful to the ecology community, how the pricing page performs, and where the documentation falls short. We use Google Analytics 4 with IP anonymization enabled. No cross-site tracking.
• Functional preferences — remembering interface choices you have made, such as the billing-cycle toggle on the pricing page or a display theme preference.

We do not use advertising cookies, retargeting pixels, social-media tracking cookies, or any other mechanism designed to build a profile of you across the web.

The only third-party service that sets cookies on taxon.app is Google Analytics 4. It is used exclusively to understand aggregate usage patterns — which documentation sections people read, where users drop off during sign-up, and whether the pricing page communicates clearly.

We have configured GA4 with the following privacy settings:

• ✓ IP anonymization enabled — the final octet of your IP address is masked before any data reaches Google's servers.
• ✓ Google Signals and advertising features disabled — data is not used for ad personalization.
• ✓ Data retention period set to 14 months (GA4 minimum).
• ✓ Analytics cookies are only loaded after you opt in via the cookie banner.

Google's own data practices are governed by the Google Privacy Policy. We have no control over how Google handles data it receives through its own infrastructure.

We do not embed social-media widgets, advertising pixels, YouTube embeds, or any other third-party scripts that would set cookies on this site.

When you first visit taxon.app, a banner appears at the bottom of the page describing the cookie categories in use. The banner offers three actions:

• Accept all — Essential, analytics, and functional cookies are enabled.
• Essential only — Only cookies required for the site to function are set. Analytics and functional cookies are not loaded.
• Manage preferences — Opens a panel where you can enable or disable analytics and functional cookies individually.

Your choice is saved in the taxon_consent cookie for one year. You can change your choice at any time by clicking "Cookie preferences" in the site footer.

We rely on opt-in consent for all non-essential cookies, consistent with the requirements of GDPR Article 7 and the UK PECR. Essential cookies are set on the basis of legitimate interest in operating a functioning website.

We update this policy when we add, remove, or change how we use cookies. Minor changes (wording clarifications, broken link fixes) will be made without notice. Material changes — such as introducing a new cookie category — will be communicated via the consent banner so you can review and re-confirm your preferences.

The "Last updated" date at the top of this page always reflects when the policy was last substantively revised.

Questions about this policy, requests to delete specific cookies, or complaints about our data practices should be directed to:

We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within five business days.