Cookie Policy
Cookie Policy
Effective Date: March 25, 2026 Last Updated: March 25, 2026
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how Discover Riyadh (“we,” “us,” or “our”) uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on discoverriyadh.ai (the “Site”), what types of cookies we use, and how you can manage your cookie preferences. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, provide information to site owners, and enhance user experience.
Cookies can be “session” cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or “persistent” cookies, which remain on your device for a set period of time or until you delete them manually.
Cookies can be set by the website you are visiting (“first-party cookies”) or by third parties whose services are integrated into the website (“third-party cookies”).
2. How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for the following purposes:
2.1 Essential Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary for the Site to function and cannot be switched off. They are typically set in response to actions you take, such as setting your cookie consent preferences. Without these cookies, the Site cannot function properly.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cc_consent | discoverriyadh.ai | Stores your cookie consent preferences (analytics and advertising choices) | 12 months | First-party |
2.2 Analytics Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of the Site. They help us understand which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the Site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous.
These cookies are set only after you provide consent through our cookie consent banner.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier. Included in each page request and used to calculate visitor, session, and campaign data. | 2 years | Third-party |
| ga[ID] | Google Analytics 4 | Used to persist session state. Contains a unique identifier for the GA4 property. | 2 years | Third-party |
| _gid | Google Analytics | Stores and updates a unique value for each page visited. Used to distinguish users. | 24 hours | Third-party |
| _gat | Google Analytics | Used to throttle the request rate to Google Analytics, limiting data collection on high-traffic sites. | 1 minute | Third-party |
2.3 Advertising Cookies
These cookies are used by Google AdSense and Google’s advertising network to serve advertisements that are relevant to your interests. They may track your browsing behavior across websites to build an interest profile and show relevant ads on other sites.
These cookies are set only after you provide consent through our cookie consent banner.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| __gads | Google AdSense | Measures interactions with ads displayed on the Site, preventing the same ads from being shown repeatedly. | 13 months | Third-party |
| __gpi | Google Publisher Ads | Used to serve ads on publisher websites within Google’s ad network. | 13 months | Third-party |
| _gcl_au | Google AdSense | Used to store and track conversions. Helps attribute ad interactions to subsequent actions. | 90 days | Third-party |
| IDE | Google DoubleClick | Used to serve targeted advertisements across Google’s ad network based on browsing behavior. | 13 months | Third-party |
| NID | Stores visitor preferences and information to customize ads on Google properties. | 6 months | Third-party | |
| DSID | Used to identify a signed-in user on non-Google sites to respect ad personalization preferences. | 2 weeks | Third-party | |
| 1P_JAR | Gathers website statistics and tracks conversion rates for Google ads. | 1 month | Third-party | |
| CONSENT | Tracks the user’s consent to Google services. | 20 years | Third-party | |
| DV | Used for advertising purposes and to provide relevance through ad tracking. | Session | Third-party |
3. Google Consent Mode v2
The Site implements Google Consent Mode v2 to manage cookies in compliance with privacy regulations, including the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. This system works as follows:
3.1 Default State
When you first visit the Site, all non-essential cookies are blocked by default. The following consent signals are set to “denied”:
- ad_storage: Controls whether advertising cookies can be set.
- ad_user_data: Controls whether user data can be sent to Google for advertising purposes.
- ad_personalization: Controls whether data can be used for ad personalization.
- analytics_storage: Controls whether analytics cookies can be set.
3.2 Consent Banner
A cookie consent banner appears at the bottom of the page, offering three options:
- Accept All: Grants consent for all cookie categories. All Google tags function fully.
- Reject Non-Essential: Denies consent for analytics and advertising cookies. Only essential cookies are used.
- Manage Preferences: Opens a detailed panel where you can individually toggle analytics and advertising cookies.
3.3 Consent Persistence
Your consent preferences are stored in your browser’s localStorage under the key “cc_consent.” On subsequent visits, your preferences are automatically restored without showing the consent banner again.
3.4 Changing Preferences
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by:
- Clearing your browser’s localStorage for discoverriyadh.ai.
- Deleting all cookies from discoverriyadh.ai in your browser settings.
- Using your browser’s private/incognito mode for a fresh session.
4. Similar Technologies
In addition to cookies, we may use the following technologies:
4.1 Web Beacons (Pixel Tags)
Small transparent images embedded in web pages or emails that allow us to track whether content has been accessed. Google AdSense and Google Analytics may use web beacons in conjunction with cookies.
4.2 Local Storage
We use localStorage (a browser feature) to store your cookie consent preferences. Unlike cookies, localStorage data is not sent to the server with each request and has no expiration date unless explicitly cleared.
4.3 JavaScript Tags
Google Analytics and Google AdSense use JavaScript tags to collect data. These tags execute in your browser and communicate with Google’s servers.
5. Managing Cookies in Your Browser
Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings. You can:
- View cookies: See what cookies are stored on your device.
- Delete cookies: Remove some or all stored cookies.
- Block cookies: Prevent websites from setting cookies.
- Allow exceptions: Allow cookies from specific sites while blocking others.
Browser-Specific Instructions:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Cookies and site data
Note that blocking all cookies may affect the functionality of the Site and other websites you visit. In particular, blocking essential cookies will prevent the Site from remembering your consent preferences, which means the consent banner will appear on every page load. Blocking third-party cookies in your browser settings will prevent Google Analytics and Google AdSense cookies from being set, regardless of the choices you make through our consent banner. This provides an additional layer of control beyond our built-in consent mechanism.
6. Impact of Cookie Choices
6.1 If You Accept All Cookies
All site features function normally. Analytics data helps us improve the Site. You may see personalized advertisements relevant to your interests.
6.2 If You Reject Non-Essential Cookies
The Site functions normally for content consumption. We cannot collect analytics data to improve the Site. Advertisements will be generic (not personalized to your interests) but will still appear. Google tags operate in limited mode, collecting only aggregated, non-identifying signals.
6.3 If You Block All Cookies
Essential site functionality may be affected. Your consent preferences cannot be saved, so you may see the consent banner on every visit.
7. Third-Party Cookie Policies
For more information about how third parties use cookies:
- Google Analytics: How Google Uses Information
- Google AdSense: Google Advertising Cookies
- Google Privacy: Google Privacy Policy
- Cloudflare: Cloudflare Cookie Policy
8. Cookie Retention and Data Minimization
We apply a data minimization principle to our cookie usage. Only the cookies listed in this policy are deployed on the Site. We do not use fingerprinting, canvas tracking, or other invasive identification techniques beyond standard cookies and the localStorage mechanism described above.
The retention periods for each cookie are determined by their function. Essential cookies (cc_consent) persist for 12 months to avoid showing the consent banner on every visit. Analytics cookies (_ga) persist for up to 2 years as set by Google Analytics, though we have configured our GA4 property to retain user-level data for only 14 months. Advertising cookies range from session-only (DV) to 13 months (__gads, IDE), with the longest being the CONSENT cookie at 20 years, which is set by Google to record your consent preferences across Google services.
We periodically audit our cookie implementation to ensure no unauthorized cookies are being set. If third-party services introduce new cookies through updates to their SDKs or tag implementations, we update this policy to disclose the new cookies and their purposes.
9. Cookies and International Data Transfers
When you consent to analytics and advertising cookies, data collected through these cookies may be transferred to Google servers located outside your country of residence, including servers in the United States. Google participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and maintains Standard Contractual Clauses for data transfers from the European Economic Area.
For visitors from Saudi Arabia, cookie-related data processing complies with the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL). For visitors from the European Union and European Economic Area, processing complies with the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. For California residents, processing complies with the CCPA and CPRA.
Our implementation of Google Consent Mode v2 ensures that consent signals are respected regardless of your jurisdiction. When consent is denied, Google tags operate in a limited, cookieless mode that collects only aggregated, non-identifying signals that cannot be used to track individual users.
10. Cookies Used by Cloudflare
The Site is hosted on Cloudflare Pages. Cloudflare may set the following cookies for security and performance purposes:
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| __cflb | Cloudflare | Load balancing — directs traffic to the same server for session consistency | Session | Third-party |
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare | Bot management — distinguishes between humans and automated traffic to protect the Site | 30 minutes | Third-party |
Cloudflare cookies are classified as essential for site security and are not subject to consent requirements. They do not track user behavior or build profiles. For more information, see the Cloudflare Cookie Policy.
11. Updates to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy indicates when it was last revised. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact us:
Discover Riyadh Operated by The Vanderbilt Portfolio AG Email: info@discoverriyadh.ai Website: https://discoverriyadh.ai/
For information about how we handle personal data generally, please see our Privacy Policy. For our terms governing site use, see our Terms of Service.