Cookie policy

Last updated: February 25, 2024

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies (collectively referred to as “cookies” in this Cookie Policy) to help provide, protect, and improve our services and Websites. This Cookie Policy applies to www.cicadavpn.com.

This Cookie Policy supplements our Privacy Policy and explains what cookies are, how and why we use them, the types of cookies we use, and how you can manage your cookie preferences.

The capitalized words used in this Cookie Policy are defined here or in our Privacy Policy, and/or our General Terms.

What are cookies?

In this Cookie Policy, we use the term “cookies” to collectively refer to cookies, pixels, beacons, and related technologies. These small text files are discreetly placed on your device (computer, smartphone, or any other) when you visit Websites. Their functionality is diverse, for example, serving to enhance Websites performance, measure marketing effectiveness, provide unique identification to your web browser, and store settings within it. Also, cookies ensure the delivery of essential communications.

You can learn more about the types of cookies and their functions on various independent information websites, for example, knowcookies.com or allaboutcookies.org.

What types of cookies do we use and why?

Cookies can be classified in different ways. For example, according to the company that manages them (cookie origin), the time they remain active (cookie duration), or their purpose.

Understanding these categories is important for managing your preferences regarding the use of cookies and enhancing your user experience. Please find descriptions of cookie categories used on our Websites below.

By cookie origin:

• First-party cookies: These are cookies set directly by us (i.e., our Websites) on users' devices.

• Third-party cookies: These cookies are set on users' devices by third-party services integrated into our Websites, such as analytics or advertising platforms. For example, if you access our Websites through a partner's link or interact with embedded content on our Websites, specific cookies help gather data about these interactions. This data can be necessary for enhancing your user experience or providing partner-specific offers.

By cookie duration:

• Session cookies: Temporary cookies that expire at the end of a browser session; they are erased when users close their browsers.

• Persistent cookies: These cookies remain on users' devices for a set duration (from some days to several years), unless they are manually deleted by the user. You can find a detailed description of how to delete cookies in the Cookie Policy section “How can you manage your cookie preferences?”

By cookie purpose:

• Essential (strictly necessary) cookies
• Functionality cookies
• Analytics cookies
• Advertising cookies

We enable users of our Websites to express their preferences for the use of certain cookies based on cookie purposes. Find the detailed description of cookie purposes below.

Essential (strictly necessary) cookies

These cookies are indispensable for maintaining the fundamental functionality of our Websites, so they are set to users’ devices without users’ explicit consent. Essential cookies are necessary to provide our Services and ensure Websites’ features (including the ability to remember your cookie consent preferences) and security. They help us:

• enable you to move around our Websites and use their features
• enable you to access and use the Services
• detect and prevent fraud, as well as enhance trust and safety measures of our Websites

For example, we use essential cookies to maintain a record of your cookie preferences and to safeguard the security of our Websites and your sessions (cookies such as _cfruid, rc::c, cf_bm). Some of these cookies are created by our service providers (e.g., Cloudflare).

Functionality cookies

These cookies are used to enhance user experience by remembering information you have entered or choices you made on the Websites, so the next time you visit, you won't have to set them again. They also enable Websites’ functionalities.

Please be aware that if you disable functionality cookies, you will not be able to access some functionalities of our Websites. For example, you won't be able to see the chat widget, which provides real-time assistance and support on our Websites.

When considering consent to functionality cookies, note that this category includes third-party cookies. You can find the list of our third-party service providers in the Cookie Policy section “Third-Party Service Providers.”

Analytics cookies

These cookies collect information about how you use our Websites, for instance, which pages you go to most often, and if you receive error messages from those pages. They allow us to make improvements to our Websites and analyze their performance. These cookies provide us with aggregated statistical information such as the number of page visits, page load speeds, and how long a user spends on a particular page. Analytics cookies help us to gain a better understanding of how you navigate through and interact with the Websites and Services, and to improve their operational features.

This category includes third-party cookies when considering consent to analytics cookies. You can find the list of our third-party service providers in the Cookie Policy section “Third-Party Service Providers.”

Advertising cookies

These cookies record your visit to our Websites, other pages you have visited, and the links you have clicked. These cookies are placed by us or third-party advertising platforms or networks to make our Websites more relevant to your interests, deliver ads, and track ad performance. We use advertising cookies to:

• provide you with customized advertisements (on our Services, in emails, on third-party Websites, etc.)
• display content, such as advertisements, that is more relevant to your interests
• measure and manage our marketing efforts

Advertising cookies include social media cookies. These cookies enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on our Websites through third-party social networking and other Websites.

When considering consent to advertising cookies, note that this category includes third-party cookies. You can find the list of our third-party service providers in the Cookie Policy section “Third-Party Service Providers.”

Third-party service providers

We use third-party cookies that assist us in various ways. Some of them are essential, meanwhile, others serve other purposes. For example, they help us with load balancing, defend against bots, and identify potential security and performance issues. They also optimize product features, gain insights into product usage to enhance functionality and overall user experience and evaluate and refine our campaigns and communications with you.

The specific tools we use may vary depending on the Websites you visit, the features you access and/or the operating system of your device. Please note that third-party service providers we engage may change over time and may vary by specific website. Third-party service providers we currently use include:

How can you manage your cookie preferences?

Cookie controls on Websites

You have the option to modify or revoke non-essential cookies at any time. To view or manage your cookie preferences, refer to the “Cookie Preferences” link located in the black footer of our Websites.

If you have changed your consent status, previously stored cookies may remain in your browser, but we will not receive any information from them. You can also delete these cookies by using your browser settings (as described below).

Cookie control through your browser settings

You can control what cookies are set on your devices. Most types of cookies can be disabled or deleted by using your browser settings. Please note that if you set your browser to refuse cookies, you may not be able to use all features of our Websites. The following links provide information on how to modify the cookie settings on some popular browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox
• Opera

Cookie control on mobile devices

If you use an iPhone, iPad, or Android device, you can control whether you see online interest-based ads. Here’s how.

For iOS devices (iPhone and iPad):

1. Open your device's “Settings.”
2. Scroll down and tap “Privacy.”
3. In the “Privacy” settings, scroll further and select “Advertising.”
4. Within the “Advertising” section, you'll find an option called “Limit Ad Tracking.” Enable this option.

You will need to opt-out separately on each iOS device you use to ensure your preferences are applied accordingly.

For Android devices:

To control interest-based ads on Android devices, follow the instructions provided at: Google Ads Settings.

If you use multiple Android devices, you should opt-out separately on each one to manage your ad preferences effectively.

Other cookie control methods

If you would like to disable advertising cookies, please learn more at Network Advertising Initiative’s opt-out page, the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out page, or http://youronlinechoices.eu. To opt-out of Google Analytics for display advertising or customize Google display network ads, please visit the Google Ads Settings page.

Please note that if you disable all cookies, our Websites may not function properly or at all, or your access to our Websites and their features may be affected or restricted.

Do-not-track signals and similar mechanisms

“Do not track” (DNT) is a privacy preference that web users can set in certain web browsers. We are committed to providing you with meaningful choices about the information collected on our Services through cookies and similar technologies, and that is why we provide the variety of opt-out mechanisms listed above. However, we do not currently recognize or respond to browser-initiated DNT signals.

Joint controllers

Please note that our Website www.cicadavpn.com is dedicated to both our B2C and B2B Services that may be provided by different companies within our group of companies. Therefore our companies cicadavpn Limited and Cicada Security Inc. act as joint data controllers in respect to the aforementioned Websites. For further information about data processing or the joint controller arrangement, you may contact either of these companies using the contact details found in their respective Privacy Policies.

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