Legal
Cookies
Last updated 25 October 2026
Why there's no cookie banner: we only use cookies that are strictly necessary for the site to work (signing in, keeping your account secure) or that remember a setting you chose yourself (theme, sidebar). UK law (the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations) doesn't require consent for these. We use no analytics, advertising, tracking or social-media cookies, and adverts on the site don't set any. If that ever changes, we'll ask for your consent first.
01Cookies we set
| Name | What it does | Lasts | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
ic_session | Keeps you signed in. Holds a random token; we store only its hash. | 30 days, or until you sign out | Essential |
ic_2fa | Remembers that your password was right while you enter your two-step code. | 10 minutes | Essential |
ic_palette | Your colour theme (blue, green, red or orange). Set only when you pick one. | 1 year | Preference |
ic_mode | Light or dark mode. Set only when you switch. | 1 year | Preference |
ic_rail | Whether the sidebar is collapsed. Set only when you collapse or expand it. | 1 year | Preference |
The sign-in cookies can't be read by scripts on the page and are only sent over HTTPS.
02Other storage in your browser
Some features keep data in your browser's own storage instead of cookies. It stays on your device and isn't sent to us.
| Name | What it does | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
ic-draft:… (local storage) | Unsent posts and replies, so a failed post, a reload or an update doesn't lose your text. Cleared when the post goes through and when you sign out. | Until posted or signed out |
ic.nav.open (local storage) | Which sidebar sections you've opened or closed. | Until you clear it |
ic-editor-mode (local storage) | Whether you prefer the visual or Markdown editor. | Until you clear it |
ic-entered (session storage) | Plays the opening animation only once per visit. | Until you close the tab |
ic-e2e (IndexedDB) | Your private-message keys on this device, so you can read and send end-to-end encrypted messages. Wiped when you sign out. | Until you sign out |
03Cloudflare
The site is protected by Cloudflare. If Cloudflare thinks traffic might be an automated attack, it can set a short-lived security cookie (such as __cf_bm or cf_clearance) to tell real visitors apart from bots. These are strictly necessary for security and aren't used to track you. See Cloudflare's cookie list.
04Controlling cookies
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. If you block the essential ones you won't be able to sign in; if you clear the preference ones the site goes back to its default look. More about how we handle your data is in the Privacy Policy.