Cookie policy
Last updated 20 August 2026
A cookie is a small file a website stores in your browser. Some are needed for the site to work. Most are not. This page lists every cookie this site can set and lets you change your mind.
How we handle consent
Non-essential cookies are blocked until you allow them. We do this using Google Consent Mode, which is set to deny analytics and advertising storage before the page finishes loading. Nothing is set retroactively if you decline, and closing the banner without choosing is treated as a decline for that visit.
Your choice is stored for 180 days. After that we ask again, so a decision you made half a year ago does not silently follow you forever.
Strictly necessary
These are always active. Without them the site cannot remember your cookie choice or protect itself.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
| gshq_consent | Stores which cookie categories you allowed | 180 days | This site |
| PHPSESSID | Keeps a form submission tied to your session | Session | This site |
Analytics — only with your consent
Used to count visits and see which guides are read. We look at totals, not individuals.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Distinguishes one browser from another | 2 years | Google Analytics |
| _ga_<id> | Maintains session state | 2 years | Google Analytics |
Advertising — only with your consent
Lets an advertising partner tell whether an ad led to a visit, and limit how often you see the same ad.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
| _gcl_au | Attributes a conversion to an ad click | 90 days | Google Ads |
| IDE / test_cookie | Ad delivery and measurement | Up to 13 months | Google (doubleclick.net) |
Keep this table accurate. If you add a tag, add its cookies here the same day — an out-of-date cookie table is a common and easily avoidable compliance failure.
Controlling cookies in your browser
Every major browser lets you block or delete cookies in its settings, independently of anything on this site. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may stop parts of the site working, including our ability to remember that you declined the others.
Related
- Privacy policy — the wider picture, including data we collect without cookies
- Terms of service