Introduction and Overview

This Cookie Policy explains how Cheater Finder ("we", "us", "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit our website, use our mobile applications, or interact with our services. It explains what these technologies are, why we use them, and your rights to control our use of them.

This policy should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, which provide additional information about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

By continuing to use our website or services, you consent to our use of cookies and similar technologies as described in this policy. If you do not agree with our use of cookies, you should adjust your browser settings or discontinue use of our services.

We are committed to transparency about our data practices and want you to understand exactly how cookies enhance your experience on our platform while respecting your privacy preferences.

Understanding Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet, or other internet-connected device) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to website owners about user behavior and preferences.

Types of Cookies by Duration

Cookies can be classified based on how long they remain on your device:

• Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that are automatically deleted when you close your browser or end your session. These are essential for basic website functionality.
• Persistent Cookies: Cookies that remain on your device for a predetermined period or until you manually delete them. These remember your preferences across multiple visits.
• Secure Cookies: Cookies that are only transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections, providing additional security for sensitive information.

Types of Cookies by Origin

• First-Party Cookies: Cookies set directly by our website (cheaterfinder.com) that we use to provide core functionality and improve your experience.
• Third-Party Cookies: Cookies set by external services we use, such as analytics providers, payment processors, or customer support tools.

Similar Technologies

In addition to cookies, we may use other similar technologies:

• Web Beacons: Small transparent images that help us understand how you interact with our emails and website content.
• Local Storage: Browser storage that allows us to store information locally on your device for improved performance.
• Pixel Tags: Tiny graphics that help us track user behavior and measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns.
• Software Development Kits (SDKs): Code libraries in our mobile apps that provide functionality and collect usage data.

How We Use Cookies and Why

We use cookies and similar technologies for several important purposes to enhance your experience and improve our services:

Essential and Functional Cookies

These cookies are necessary for our website and services to function properly and cannot be disabled without significantly impacting your experience:

• Authentication Cookies: Keep you logged in securely and maintain your session across different pages
• Security Cookies: Protect against fraud, unauthorized access, and other security threats
• Load Balancing: Ensure optimal performance by distributing traffic across our servers
• Session Management: Maintain your preferences and settings during your visit
• Form Data: Remember information you've entered in forms to prevent data loss
• Shopping Cart: Keep track of items in your cart and maintain your purchase session
• Error Handling: Help us identify and resolve technical issues quickly

Performance and Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website and services:

• Usage Analytics: Track page views, user journeys, and feature usage to improve our platform
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor loading times, error rates, and system performance
• A/B Testing: Test different versions of features to optimize user experience
• Conversion Tracking: Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns and user acquisition
• Heat Mapping: Understand how users interact with different parts of our website
• User Flow Analysis: Analyze how users navigate through our platform to identify improvement opportunities

Personalization and Preference Cookies

These cookies enhance your experience by remembering your preferences and personalizing content:

• Language Settings: Remember your preferred language and regional settings
• Theme Preferences: Store your chosen display preferences and accessibility settings
• Content Customization: Personalize the content and recommendations shown to you
• Progress Tracking: Remember your progress through relationship discovery experiences
• Notification Preferences: Store your communication and notification preferences
• Feature Settings: Remember your preferences for optional features and tools

Marketing and Advertising Cookies

These cookies are used to deliver relevant advertising and measure campaign effectiveness:

• Campaign Attribution: Track which marketing campaigns led to your visit or purchase
• Retargeting: Show relevant ads to users who have previously visited our website
• Audience Segmentation: Group users based on interests and behavior for targeted marketing
• Conversion Measurement: Measure the success of our advertising campaigns
• Cross-Device Tracking: Recognize you across different devices for consistent experience
• Frequency Capping: Limit how often you see the same advertisement

Specific Cookies and Technologies We Use

Our First-Party Cookies

These cookies are set directly by our website and are essential for providing our services:

• cf_session: Essential session cookie for user authentication and security (expires when browser closes)
• cf_preferences: Stores your user preferences, settings, and customization choices (expires after 1 year)
• cf_progress: Tracks your progress through relationship discovery experiences and challenges (expires after 1 year)
• cf_analytics: Collects anonymous usage analytics to help us improve our platform (expires after 2 years)
• cf_security: Helps protect against fraud and unauthorized access attempts (expires after 24 hours)
• cf_cart: Maintains your shopping cart contents and purchase session (expires after 7 days)
• cf_language: Remembers your preferred language and regional settings (expires after 6 months)
• cf_theme: Stores your display preferences and accessibility settings (expires after 1 year)

Third-Party Services and Their Cookies

We work with trusted third-party services that may set their own cookies:

• Google Analytics: Provides detailed website analytics and user behavior insights to help us improve our platform
• Payment Processors (Stripe, PayPal): Enable secure payment processing and fraud prevention for purchases
• Customer Support (Intercom, Zendesk): Power our live chat and support ticket systems
• Content Delivery Network (CloudFlare): Optimizes website performance and provides security protection
• Email Services (Mailchimp, SendGrid): Manage email communications and track engagement
• Social Media Platforms: Enable social sharing features and track referrals from social media
• Advertising Networks: Deliver targeted advertisements and measure campaign performance
• Video Hosting (Vimeo, YouTube): Embed educational videos and track viewing analytics

Mobile App Technologies

Our mobile applications use similar technologies to cookies:

• Device Identifiers: Unique identifiers that help us recognize your device and provide personalized experiences
• App Analytics SDKs: Collect usage data to improve app performance and user experience
• Push Notification Tokens: Enable us to send you relevant notifications about your relationship journey
• Crash Reporting Tools: Help us identify and fix technical issues quickly

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You have several options for controlling how cookies are used on your device. We respect your choices and provide multiple ways to manage your cookie preferences:

Browser-Based Cookie Management

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Here's how to manage cookies in popular browsers:

• Google Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data. You can block all cookies, allow only first-party cookies, or manage site-specific permissions.
• Mozilla Firefox: Navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data. Firefox offers enhanced tracking protection and granular cookie controls.
• Safari: Open Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data. Safari includes intelligent tracking prevention features.
• Microsoft Edge: Go to Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and site data. Edge provides tracking prevention levels.
• Mobile Browsers: Cookie settings are typically found in the browser's privacy or security settings menu.

Our Cookie Preference Center

We provide a user-friendly cookie preference center where you can:

• View all cookies currently set on your device
• Enable or disable different categories of cookies
• Learn more about each cookie's purpose and duration
• Update your preferences at any time
• Export your cookie settings for your records

Third-Party Opt-Out Tools

You can also use these industry tools to manage tracking across multiple websites:

• Google Analytics Opt-out: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to prevent Google Analytics tracking
• Your Online Choices: European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out platform for behavioral advertising
• Network Advertising Initiative: Opt-out tool for participating advertising networks
• Digital Advertising Alliance: Consumer choice tools for interest-based advertising
• TrustArc Preference Manager: Comprehensive privacy preference management tool

Mobile App Privacy Controls

For our mobile applications, you can control data collection through:

• iOS: Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, and individual app settings
• Android: Settings > Privacy > Ads, and individual app permissions
• In-App Settings: Privacy controls within our mobile application

Impact of Disabling Cookies

While you have the right to disable cookies, doing so may significantly affect your experience on our website and limit the functionality available to you:

Essential Cookies - Critical Impact

Disabling essential cookies will result in:

• Login Issues: Inability to log in or maintain your authenticated session
• Security Vulnerabilities: Reduced protection against fraud and unauthorized access
• Functionality Loss: Core features may not work properly or at all
• Data Loss: Form information and progress may not be saved
• Performance Issues: Slower loading times and reduced website performance
• Payment Problems: Inability to complete purchases or manage subscriptions

Analytics and Performance Cookies - Moderate Impact

Disabling these cookies may result in:

• Reduced Personalization: Less tailored content and recommendations
• Slower Improvements: We may be slower to identify and fix issues
• Generic Experience: Less customized user interface and features
• Repeated Issues: You may encounter the same problems multiple times

Marketing and Advertising Cookies - Minimal Impact

Disabling marketing cookies will result in:

• Less Relevant Ads: You'll still see advertisements, but they may be less relevant to your interests
• Repeated Ads: You may see the same advertisements more frequently
• Generic Marketing: You'll receive general marketing communications rather than personalized content

Preference and Customization Cookies - User Experience Impact

Disabling these cookies means:

• Lost Preferences: You'll need to reset your preferences each visit
• Language Reset: The website may default to English each time you visit
• Progress Loss: Your progress through relationship challenges may not be saved
• Repeated Setup: You'll need to reconfigure settings frequently

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 operational factors. We are committed to keeping you informed about any changes that may affect your privacy.

Types of Changes

We may update this policy for various reasons:

• New Technologies: When we implement new tracking technologies or cookies
• Legal Requirements: To comply with new privacy laws or regulations
• Service Changes: When we add new features or services that require different cookies
• Third-Party Updates: When our service providers change their cookie practices
• User Feedback: Based on user questions or requests for clarification

Notification Process

When we make changes to this Cookie Policy, we will:

• Update the Date: Change the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
• Prominent Notice: Display a notice on our website highlighting the changes
• Email Notification: Send an email to registered users about significant changes
• In-App Alerts: Notify mobile app users through push notifications or in-app messages
• Grace Period: Provide time for you to review changes before they take effect

Your Response Options

After we notify you of changes, you can:

• Review the updated policy and continue using our services
• Update your cookie preferences to reflect your comfort level
• Contact us with questions or concerns about the changes
• Discontinue use of our services if you disagree with the changes

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about our cookie practices and your choices.

Legal Basis and Regulatory Compliance

Our use of cookies is based on various legal grounds and complies with applicable privacy regulations:

Legal Basis for Cookie Use

• Consent: For non-essential cookies, we obtain your explicit consent before setting them
• Legitimate Interest: For analytics and performance cookies that help us improve our services
• Contractual Necessity: For cookies essential to providing the services you've requested
• Legal Obligation: For cookies required to comply with legal or regulatory requirements

Regulatory Compliance

We comply with relevant privacy regulations including:

• Australian Privacy Principles (APPs): Under the Privacy Act 1988
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): For European users
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): For California residents
• ePrivacy Directive: For electronic communications privacy

Contact Us About Cookies

If you have any questions about our use of cookies, this Cookie Policy, or wish to exercise your rights regarding cookies and tracking technologies, please contact us through any of the following methods:

Response Time: We will respond to cookie-related inquiries within 30 days of receipt. For urgent privacy concerns, please call our phone number for immediate assistance.

Cookie Support: Our support team can help you understand your cookie options, update your preferences, or resolve any technical issues related to cookie management.

Feedback Welcome: We value your feedback about our cookie practices and are always looking for ways to improve transparency and user control.