1. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file placed on your browser by a website you visit. They're commonly used to maintain sessions, show advertisements, or track user behavior. They split into first-party (site-owned) and third-party (advertising, analytics) categories.
2. Which cookies do we use?
Two kinds: a single strictly necessary (functional) cookie that remembers your language, and analytics cookies that only activate with your consent.
| Cookie | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT_LOCALE | Strictly necessary / functional | Remembers your language (TR/EN) | 1 year |
| _ga, _ga_* | Analytics (consent-based) | Google Analytics — visitor counting | ~2 years |
2.1 Google Analytics — consent-based analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 to measure site traffic. How it works:
- It runs with Google Consent Mode v2: before you consent, analytics storage is "denied" — in this mode GA sets no cookies and only sends anonymous aggregated pings.
- When you click "Accept" on the cookie banner, the
_gacookies are set and normal measurement begins. If you click "Decline", no analytics cookie is set. - Aggregated data such as page views, approximate location (from IP, IP not stored), device, and browser is collected.
- The data processor is Google LLC; data may be transferred outside the EU (to the US). You can withdraw consent anytime by clearing your browser data.
2.2 LocalStorage — local browser preferences
The browser's local storage area (localStorage) is a different technology from cookies. Data stays only in your browser and is never sent to our server. What we use:
| Key | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| vpnadvisor-theme | Your light/dark theme preference | Until you delete it |
| ip-security-banner-dismissed | That you dismissed the IP security banner | Until you delete it |
| vpnadvisor:consent | Your cookie consent choice (accept / decline) | Until you delete it |
This data falls under strictly necessary (preference storage) — per GDPR and KVKK, user consent is not required.
2.3 Advertising cookies (Google AdSense)
Our pages display Google AdSense ads. Google and its partners may use cookies and similar technologies to serve, personalise and measure ads. These are not ours, they are third-party (Google) cookies.
- For visitors in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, personalised advertising and measurement cookies are enabled only with explicit consent (Google Consent Mode v2)
- Without consent, Google may serve limited or non-personalised ads
- When you click a VPN provider link you go directly to the provider's official site; we set no tracking cookie of our own, and the destination site's own cookies apply
3. Cookie consent (banner)
Under Turkey (KVKK), EU (GDPR/ePrivacy), and UK (PECR) regulations, non-essential cookies require explicit consent. That is why we show a cookie consent bannerfor analytics (Google Analytics) and advertising (Google AdSense) cookies; they are not set until you click "Accept". The NEXT_LOCALElanguage cookie is "strictly necessary" and needs no consent. Your choice is stored in your browser; clear your browser data to see the banner again and change your preference.
4. How to delete the data
What we place in your browser: a language cookie (NEXT_LOCALE), Google Analytics and Google AdSense ad cookies if you consented, and a few localStorage preferences. To delete all of them:
- Chrome/Edge: Site info → vpnadvisor.net → Clear stored data
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy → Cookies and site data → Manage data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage website data
- Mobile (Android/iOS): Browser settings → Site data
5. Third-party services
External links exception
When you visit a VPN provider's site, that site's cookie policy applies. Read NordVPN's, Surfshark's, ExpressVPN's and other providers' policies on their respective sites.
6. Policy changes
If this page changes, the "Last updated" date at the top will be refreshed. If we add a new tracking technology we will notify you and ask for consent via the cookie banner.
7. Contact
If you have questions about our cookie policy, reach us via our contact page.