Cookies Policy
Last updated: July 2026
This policy explains, clearly and without jargon, what cookies and similar technologies Media Events Radar uses, what each of them is for, and how you stay in control of them. Our approach is deliberately restrained: we use only what is needed to make the Service work and to remember your preferences, plus — and only if you agree to it — a simple analytics tool to help us understand how the Service is used. We do not use cookies for advertising, behavioural profiling or cross-site tracking.
1. What cookies are
Cookies are small text files that a website stores in your browser. They allow a site to remember things between pages and visits — for example that you are signed in, or which country you were last looking at. Some cookies are set by us (“first-party”); others may be set by trusted providers whose services we use (“third-party”). Alongside cookies, your browser may also keep a little information in its local storage to remember interface choices; for simplicity we refer to all of this together as “cookies” in this policy.
2. Your choices and consent
The first time you visit, a banner lets you choose how we may use cookies:
- Essential only — we set just the cookies that are strictly necessary for the Service to function. No analytics cookies are used.
- Accept all — in addition to the strictly necessary cookies, you allow us to use analytics cookies to understand, in aggregate, how the Service is used so we can improve it.
Your choice is remembered so we do not ask again on every visit. You can change your mind at any time by clearing the cookie that records your preference (see “Managing cookies” below), which will bring the banner back. Until you choose “Accept all”, no analytics cookies are set.
3. Cookies we use
The table below lists the cookies you may encounter, grouped by purpose. “Strictly necessary” cookies are always present because the Service cannot work without them; “functional” cookies simply remember your preferences; and “analytics” cookies are set only if you have chosen “Accept all”.
| Name | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
session |
Keeps you signed in to your account. | Strictly necessary | ~30 days (or until sign-out) |
mer_consent |
Remembers your cookie choice so we do not ask again. | Strictly necessary | ~1 year |
g_oauth_state |
Security token that protects the Google Calendar connection flow (anti-CSRF). Set only if you connect Google Calendar. | Strictly necessary | ~10 minutes (during connect) |
mer_country |
Remembers the last country you viewed. | Functional | ~1 year |
mer_cats |
Remembers your selected event-type filters. | Functional | ~1 year |
mer_view |
Remembers your preferred calendar view. | Functional | ~1 year |
mer_sidebar |
Remembers whether the side panel is open or collapsed. | Functional | ~1 year |
mer_intro |
Remembers that you dismissed the introductory banner. | Functional | ~1 year |
_ga, _ga_* |
Google Analytics — helps us understand, in aggregate, how the Service is used (for example which pages are visited), so we can improve it. Set only if you choose “Accept all”. | Analytics (third-party) | up to ~2 years |
The session cookie is http-only (not accessible to JavaScript) and is strictly necessary: without it
you cannot sign in. The functional cookies simply save your preferences and are not required to browse the public
calendar. If you choose “Essential only”, the analytics cookies are never set.
4. Third-party cookies
A few cookies are set by trusted providers rather than by us directly:
- Google Analytics — a web-analytics service provided by Google. If (and only if) you accept analytics, it sets its own cookies to measure usage in aggregate. It is governed by Google's own privacy and cookie policies, and we have configured it to gather usage statistics rather than to identify you personally.
- Payment provider (Stripe) — when you start a subscription you are taken to our payment provider, which sets its own cookies governed by its policies, in order to process the payment securely.
- Google (Calendar sign-in) — if you connect Google Calendar, you are taken to Google to sign in and grant permission, and Google sets its own cookies under its policies.
- Delivery infrastructure and fonts — resources loaded to render the interface may set technical cookies as an ordinary part of serving web pages.
We do not control third-party cookies; please refer to the respective providers' policies for details.
5. Managing cookies
You are always in control. Every browser lets you view, delete or block cookies through its settings, and you can
remove those already stored at any time. Clearing the mer_consent cookie will make the consent banner
appear again so you can change your choice. Please note that blocking the session cookie will prevent
you from signing in, and clearing the functional cookies will simply reset your interface preferences.
6. More information
For how we handle personal data in general — including the legal bases, your rights and how to reach us — please see our Privacy Policy. For any question about cookies, contact [email protected].