This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar technologies (local storage, pixels) are set on https://www.shinobikage.com, why, and how you can control them. It complements our Privacy Policy.
1. What cookies are
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work efficiently and to provide information to site owners. Local storage (the modern alternative) works similarly and is covered by this policy.
2. Our cookie categories
We split cookies into four categories, in line with EU guidance and the ePrivacy Directive (Article 5(3)):
| Category | What it does | Cookies (example) | Set without consent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Required for the site to function (login, security, cookie consent choice) | SESSxxxx (Drupal session),sk_cookie_consent (consent record),has_js |
Yes |
| Analytics | Anonymised or pseudonymised statistics on how readers use the site | First-party analytics cookie (no third-party tracker by default) |
No — only if you accept |
| Social / embedded content | YouTube videos and Instagram posts load after you click "Load video" / "Load post" | YouTube VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE,YSC,ig_did,mid |
No — only after you click the placeholder |
| Marketing | (Currently not used.) Reserved for future retargeting or ad activities | — | No — never without explicit opt-in |
3. The cookie banner
On your first visit, a banner appears at the bottom of the screen with three choices:
- Accept all — enables analytics and social embeds
- Essential only — keeps the site working but disables analytics and embeds (placeholders remain clickable)
- Manage — choose categories individually
Your choice is stored in localStorage under the key sk_cookie_consent as a JSON record: { timestamp, version, accepted_categories: [...] }. It stays on your device — no cookie is sent to us for this record. The choice is retained for 12 months; you can revise it from the "Manage cookies" link in the footer.
4. Embedded YouTube and Instagram content
We use click-to-load placeholders for all third-party embeds. When a page shows a YouTube thumbnail with a play button, no YouTube cookie is set until you click Load video. The same is true for Instagram posts — nothing is loaded from Instagram servers until you actively click. This is our default privacy-by-design protection per Article 25 GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.
5. Controlling cookies in your browser
You can also delete or block cookies through your browser settings. Note that blocking essential cookies will prevent login and comment posting.
6. Third-party cookies
Where third-party content is embedded (YouTube, Instagram), those services set their own cookies and may collect data independently of ShinobiKage. They have their own privacy policies:
7. Updates
If we add new cookies or change categories, we will update this page and re-show the cookie banner to give you a fresh choice.
Last updated: 27 July 2026