How We Use Storage Technologies

This catalogue uses cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to support its operation, remember your preferences, and understand how readers interact with the site. This policy explains what these technologies do, which ones are active, and how you can control them.

Essential Storage

Certain storage is strictly necessary for the site to function. This includes session cookies that keep you logged in if you have an account, and local storage that remembers your reading position or catalogue view settings. These technologies do not require your prior consent because they are essential to provide the service you request. They are typically first-party, meaning they are set by rvizi.com and not by external services. Without them, basic features such as navigating between pages or maintaining your session would not work reliably.

Preference Storage

Where you choose display options such as dark mode, font size, or a preferred category view, the site may store that choice in a persistent cookie or local storage. This allows us to present the catalogue as you prefer on return visits. These are first-party and do not track your activity elsewhere. For example, if you select the category A Guide to Speculative Futures as your default view, that preference is saved locally so you do not need to set it again. You can clear these preferences at any time by adjusting your browser settings.

Analytics Storage

We may use analytics services, including Google Analytics where enabled, to collect anonymous information about how visitors use the catalogue. This includes page views, time spent, and navigation paths. These technologies use first-party cookies and local storage to distinguish unique users and sessions. The data is aggregated and used to improve the catalogue. For instance, we can see which reading guides, such as The crystal planetoids — A Reader’s Guide or Secret of the Earth Star — Reading Notes, are most popular, and adjust our content accordingly. Where analytics are active, your consent is obtained before these cookies are placed, and you may withdraw consent at any time.

Advertising Storage

If the catalogue displays advertisements, Google AdSense or similar advertising technologies may place cookies and use local storage to serve relevant ads, limit the number of times you see an ad, and measure ad performance. These technologies may be first-party or third-party and may create a profile of your interests based on browsing across different sites. Such storage is only used where ads are shown and with your consent. You can opt out of personalized advertising via Google’s Ads Settings. Note that advertising storage is not currently active on all pages; it is used only in sections where ad placements are enabled.

Third-Party Storage

Some features, such as embedded videos or social sharing buttons, may be provided by third-party services that set their own cookies or use local storage. These are governed by the privacy policies of those services. We do not control these technologies and recommend reviewing the relevant third-party policies. For example, if you share a link to Strangers to Straba — Inside the Classic via a social media button, the platform may set cookies to track that action. We do not have access to those cookies or the data they collect.

Session and Persistent Storage

Cookies and local storage may be session-based (deleted when you close your browser) or persistent (remaining for a set period or until manually cleared). The duration varies depending on the purpose; for example, preference cookies may last up to one year, while analytics cookies may have shorter durations. Specific expiry times are set by the technology provider and may change. Session storage is typically used for temporary data such as a reading progress indicator on Office call — Story, Setting & Ideas, while persistent storage remembers your theme choice across visits.

Your Choices

When you first visit the site, a cookie banner or consent manager will inform you about the storage technologies in use. For non-essential categories (analytics, advertising), you can choose to accept or reject them. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in the site footer. You can also configure your browser to block or delete cookies and local storage, but this may affect site functionality. Most browsers provide instructions in their Help section. For instance, if you disable all cookies, you may not be able to use certain interactive features like saving your place in Jackie sees a star — Key Ideas to Explore.

Withdrawing Consent

If you previously accepted optional cookies and wish to withdraw consent, you can clear your cookies and local storage through your browser settings and then revisit the site to set new preferences. Alternatively, use the cookie settings tool to opt out of specific categories. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. Note that withdrawing consent for analytics cookies will stop data collection from that point forward, but data collected prior to withdrawal may still be used in aggregated reports.

Changes to This Policy

This policy may be updated to reflect changes in technology or legal requirements. Any material changes will be communicated via the site. We encourage you to review this page periodically. The current version always applies to your use of the catalogue.

Contact

If you have questions about our use of cookies or local storage, please contact the catalogue editor at editor@rvizi.com. We aim to respond to all inquiries promptly.