🍪 Cookie Policy

Last Updated: January 8, 2026
Effective Date: January 8, 2026

Quick Overview

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how we use them on FreeParkingCity.com, and how you can control them. We use cookies to improve your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and display relevant advertisements.

Your Choice: You can accept, reject, or customize cookie settings at any time using our cookie consent banner or by clicking the button below.

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 and provide information to website owners.

Cookies typically contain:

Cookies do not contain personal information like your name or address, and they cannot access other data on your computer or smartphone. They cannot carry viruses or install malware.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

2.1 Session Cookies vs Persistent Cookies

Session Cookies: These are temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser. They help us remember what you're doing as you navigate between pages.

Persistent Cookies: These stay on your device for a set period (or until you delete them). They remember your preferences for future visits.

2.2 First-Party vs Third-Party Cookies

First-Party Cookies: Set by FreeParkingCity.com directly. We control these cookies.

Third-Party Cookies: Set by external services we use (like Google Analytics or AdSense). These are controlled by those third parties according to their own privacy policies.

3. Cookie Categories and Detailed List

Category 1: Essential Cookies (Always Active)

These cookies are strictly necessary for the website to function. Without them, services you've requested cannot be provided. These cannot be disabled.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration Type
cookieConsent Stores your cookie consent preferences to avoid showing the banner repeatedly 12 months First-party (localStorage)
session_id Maintains your session as you navigate the site Session First-party
security_token Protects against cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks Session First-party

Category 2: Analytics Cookies (Optional)

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This helps us improve the site.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration Provider
_ga Used to distinguish unique users and throttle request rate 2 years Google Analytics
_gid Used to distinguish users 24 hours Google Analytics
_gat Used to throttle request rate to Google Analytics 1 minute Google Analytics
_ga_[container-id] Used to persist session state 2 years Google Analytics 4

What data is collected: Pages visited, time spent on pages, how you arrived at the site, browser type, device type, general location (country/city level), interactions with content.

Privacy: IP addresses are anonymized. Google Analytics privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy

Category 3: Advertising Cookies (Optional)

These cookies are used to deliver advertisements that are relevant to you and your interests. They also limit the number of times you see an ad and help measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration Provider
__gads Used to register what ads have been displayed to the user 13 months Google AdSense
__gpi Collects information on user behavior for advertising purposes 13 months Google AdSense
IDE Used to measure ad performance and provide targeted ads 13 months Google DoubleClick
test_cookie Checks if the user's browser supports cookies 15 minutes Google DoubleClick
NID Stores user preferences and information for advertising 6 months Google

What data is collected: Your browsing behavior, interests (inferred from sites visited), ad clicks and impressions, device information.

Privacy: Google AdSense privacy policy: policies.google.com/technologies/ads

Opt-out: You can opt out of personalized advertising through Google Ad Settings: adssettings.google.com

Category 4: Functional Cookies (Optional)

These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization, such as videos, live chats, or social media features.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration Provider
theme_preference Remembers your theme/display preferences 1 year FreeParkingCity (First-party)
language_preference Remembers your language choice (if applicable in future) 1 year FreeParkingCity (First-party)
YSC / VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE Embedded YouTube videos (if we add them) Session / 179 days YouTube/Google

4. How We Use Cookies

4.1 To Improve Website Performance

4.2 To Understand User Behavior

4.3 To Display Relevant Advertisements

4.4 To Personalize Your Experience

5. How to Control Cookies

🎛️ Option 1: Use Our Cookie Consent Banner (Recommended)

When you first visit our site, a cookie banner appears at the bottom of your screen. You can:

You can change your preferences at any time by clicking this button:

Option 2: Browser Settings

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can:

How to manage cookies in popular browsers:

Option 3: Third-Party Opt-Out Tools

⚠️ Important Notice

If you disable all cookies: Some features of our website may not work correctly. Specifically:

We recommend allowing essential cookies at minimum.

6. Do Not Track (DNT)

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked.

Our approach: While we respect DNT signals, there is currently no industry standard for how websites should respond to them. We recommend using our cookie consent banner to control tracking, as this gives you more granular control.

7. Cookie Updates and Changes

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect:

Last Updated date at the top of this page shows when we last modified this policy.

Notification: Significant changes will be communicated through a notice on our homepage and via our cookie banner (if you have an active session).

8. Contact Us About Cookies

If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact us:

For general privacy questions, see our full Privacy Policy.

9. Related Policies

For more information about how we handle your data, please read:

✅ Our Cookie Commitment

At FreeParkingCity, we believe in transparency and user control. We commit to:

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