Cookie Policy

1. Introduction, Definitions, and Scope

This Ultimate Comprehensive Cookie Policy governs the use of cookies and similar tracking technologies by The Stack Manual (the “Site,” accessible at thestackmanual.com). This policy is an integral and supplementary part of our main Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. By continuing to use the Site, you confirm your acceptance of the practices detailed herein.

Definitions: For the purpose of this Policy, a Cookie is defined as a small file, typically containing letters and numbers, downloaded onto a device when the user accesses a website.² A Tracking Technology includes web beacons, pixels, and similar technologies used to track user activity.³
Our Commitment: We reiterate our firm policy that The Stack Manual does not earn commissions on purchases through external links. Cookies used on our Site are solely for the purposes described in Sections 4 and 5.

2. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR Compliance)

If you are accessing the Site from the European Economic Area (EEA), we process data obtained via cookies under specific lawful bases as defined by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679):

Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)): For non-essential cookies (Analytics, Advertising), we process data only after receiving your explicit, informed consent via our cookie consent mechanism.⁴ You have the right to withdraw this consent at any time.
Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f)): For strictly necessary/essential cookies, processing is based on our legitimate interest in providing a secure, functional, and well-performing website. This is considered necessary for the operation of the Site and is not overridden by your fundamental rights.

3. How We Use Cookies: The Four Functional Categories

Cookies on The Stack Manual fall into the following detailed categories:

Category	Primary Purpose and Necessity	Data Examples (Used for)
A. Strictly Necessary (Essential)	To enable core security and navigation. Without these, the Site cannot function correctly or securely.	Session tokens, remembering cookie consent preference, anti-forgery tokens.
B. Performance/Analytics	To track and analyze visitor usage patterns to measure and improve site performance and content value.	Anonymous metrics on bounce rate, time spent on specific software reviews, popular Comparisons pages, and traffic sources (Google Analytics).
C. Functionality	To remember your choices and provide enhanced features (e.g., remembering login details, if applicable, or saving preferences).	Language settings, region (inferred from IP), preferred viewing settings.
D. Advertising/Targeting	Used by Google AdSense and other advertising partners to create a profile of your interests to show you relevant advertisements across the internet.	DART cookie information, frequency capping data, ad impressions. We confirm these are not used for affiliate tracking on our end.

4. Detailed Description of Third-Party Cookies and Disclosure

The majority of cookies used for categories B, C, and D are set by third-party providers.

Google AdSense (Advertising): This service places cookies on your device to facilitate personalized or non-personalized ad delivery.⁵ This is a fundamental part of our monetization model. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to our Site and/or other sites.⁶ Users must refer to Google’s own Privacy Policy for specific details on data handling.
Google Analytics (Analytics): This tool uses persistent cookies to generate detailed statistics about website traffic and traffic sources.⁷ We use anonymized data from Google Analytics to improve the E-E-A-T value of our How-To Guides and VPN Reviews.

5. Managing Your Cookie Preferences and Withdrawal of Consent (The Process)

You retain absolute control over your cookie preferences. The process for managing and withdrawing consent varies by cookie type and jurisdiction:

5.1 Withdrawal via Consent Mechanism

Initial Banner: When you first visit the Site, a banner will appear allowing you to select which categories of non-essential cookies (B, C, and D) you accept.
Revisiting Consent: You may update or withdraw your consent at any time by clearing your browser’s cookies or by utilizing the “Manage Preferences” link, which will trigger the consent banner to reappear.⁸

5.2 Browser Controls (Universal Method)

You can use the settings within your web browser to delete cookies or block the setting of cookies:

Chrome/Firefox/Edge/Safari: Each major browser provides controls to manage cookie storage, including the ability to block third-party cookies or delete all cookies upon closing the browser.⁹ This action is irreversible until cookies are re-enabled.

5.3 Opting Out of Targeted Advertising

To specifically opt out of targeted advertising from Google and other network members, you can visit the following industry-standard opt-out platforms:

The Google Ads Settings
The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) opt-out page.¹⁰
The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) opt-out page.

6. Changes to This Cookie Policy and Contact Information

We may update this Cookie Policy periodically to reflect changes in the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will note the date of the latest update at the top of this page.

For any questions regarding this detailed Cookie Policy or to exercise your rights, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]
Contact Form: thestackmanual.com/contact-us/