What Are Cookies Anyway?

Cookies are small text files that websites drop onto your device when you visit. They help the site remember things about you—like your preferences or whether you're logged in. Most sites use them, and they're generally harmless.

There are different types. Some stick around for years (persistent cookies), others disappear when you close your browser (session cookies). Some come from us directly (first-party), while others are set by third-party services we use for analytics or marketing.

How We Use Tracking on SparqWave

We track visitors for a few specific reasons. None of them involve selling your data to random companies or bombarding you with spam. Here's what actually happens:

Specific Ways We Track Activity

Website Analytics

We monitor how visitors move through the site. Things like page views, session duration, bounce rates, and navigation paths. This tells us what's working and what isn't. For example, if everyone leaves the pricing page immediately, we know something's wrong.

Form Interactions

When you fill out a contact form or request a demo, we track that interaction. This helps us respond faster and understand which types of inquiries are most common. We don't track every keystroke—just whether the form was submitted successfully.

Email Engagement

If you subscribe to our updates, we track whether you open emails and which links you click. This isn't about spying—it's about sending you stuff you actually want to read. If nobody opens emails about feature updates, we'll stop sending them.

Session Recording

Occasionally, we use session replay tools to watch how people interact with the site. It's like looking over someone's shoulder (in a non-creepy way). We see where they click, scroll, and get confused. Personal information in forms is masked, so we're not recording passwords or credit card numbers.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You have options. Most browsers let you control cookies through their settings. You can block all cookies, block just third-party ones, or delete cookies after each session. Just know that blocking everything might break parts of the site.

If you want more control over specific types of tracking, browser extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger can help. Just be aware that aggressive blocking might cause issues with site functionality.

Third-Party Services We Use

We don't handle everything ourselves. Some tracking comes from third-party tools we've integrated. Here's what they do:

• Analytics platforms that process visitor data and generate reports
• Email service providers that track message delivery and engagement
• Advertising networks that help us reach potential customers
• Customer support tools that let us respond to inquiries faster

These services have their own privacy policies. We've vetted them, but you should know they're collecting data too.

Data Retention and Storage

We don't keep data forever. Analytics information typically gets aggregated after 90 days, meaning we lose the ability to connect it back to individual visitors. Marketing cookies usually expire within 30 days unless you interact with our site again.

If you want us to delete your data earlier, just ask. We'll need to verify your identity first, but we can remove your information from our systems.

Your Rights and Control

You can request access to the data we've collected about you. You can also ask us to correct inaccuracies, delete your information, or stop processing it for marketing purposes. These requests usually take a few days to process.

Keep in mind that some data needs to stick around for legal or operational reasons. For instance, if you've signed a contract with us, we need to keep records of that. But anything purely for marketing or analytics can be removed.

Changes to This Policy

We update this policy when our tracking practices change or when regulations require it. The date at the top shows when it was last revised. Significant changes will be announced through email or a notice on the site.

If you disagree with changes, you can stop using the site or adjust your cookie settings. Continued use after an update means you're okay with the new terms.