What Cookies Are
A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your phone, tablet or computer. It lets the site remember something about your visit, such as a setting you chose or the page you were on. Cookies do not run programs and cannot read other files on your device.
Some similar tools work the same way. Local storage keeps small pieces of data in your browser. Pixels are tiny images that count when a page or message has been viewed. In this policy, the word “cookies” covers all of these.
Types of Cookies on Our Website
Cookies can be described in two ways: by how long they last and by who sets them. Understanding both makes the choices below easier to follow.
- Session cookies disappear when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies stay on your device for a set time, or until you delete them.
- First-party cookies are set by Widow Singles.
- Third-party cookies are set by another company whose service appears on our pages.
The table below sorts cookies by purpose. It shows what each group does and whether we ask for your consent first.
Cookie categories, their purpose and whether consent is needed
| Category |
What it does |
Consent needed? |
| Essential |
Keeps the site working, secure and easy to move around. |
No. These are required for the site to work. |
| Preferences |
Remembers choices you make, such as a setting or a cookie choice. |
Depends on the law where you live. |
| Analytics |
Gives us combined visit statistics so we can improve pages. |
Yes, where the law requires it. |
| Advertising |
Measures ads and limits how often you see the same one. |
Yes, where the law requires it. |
Essential Cookies
Essential cookies are the ones the website needs in order to work. They help keep the site secure, load pages correctly, support navigation and remember choices you make about cookies. Without them, parts of the site could stop working.
Because the site depends on them, you cannot switch essential cookies off in our site settings. You can block them in your browser, but some features may then fail. We do not use essential cookies to build a profile of your interests.
In short: essential cookies exist to keep Widow Singles running and safe. They are not used to track you for marketing.
Analytics Cookies
If we use analytics cookies, they help us see how visitors use the website. For example, they can show which pages are read most and where people get stuck. We use this combined information to fix problems and make pages clearer.
Analytics reports are meant to describe groups of visitors, not to identify you. Where the law requires consent for analytics cookies, we will use them only after you agree. If you decline, the website still works the same way.
Advertising Cookies
If we use advertising cookies, their job is to measure whether our ads work and to avoid showing you the same ad again and again. They may also help us understand which ad led someone to visit.
Where consent is required, we will ask before setting them. You can also opt out through your browser settings, your phone’s advertising settings or industry opt-out tools. Turning off advertising cookies does not remove ads. It only means they may be less relevant to you.
Third-Party Cookies
Some services we embed or link to may set their own cookies. This can include tools that load fonts, measure traffic or show ads. These companies control their own cookies, and their own policies explain how they use them.
We do not control cookies set by other companies. If you follow a link from our website to another site, that site’s cookie rules apply instead of ours. We suggest reading them before you share any information there.
How Do I Turn Off Cookies on a Website?
You turn off cookies in your web browser’s settings. Every browser lets you block cookies, allow only some, or delete the ones already saved. Menu names change between versions, so use the steps below as a guide.
Google Chrome
Select the three-dot menu, then Settings. Choose Privacy and security, then Third-party cookies. Pick the option you prefer. To delete saved cookies, go to Delete browsing data and tick Cookies and other site data.
Safari on a Mac
Open the Safari menu and choose Settings, then Privacy. Tick Block all cookies to stop them. Select Manage Website Data to see and remove cookies one site at a time.
Safari on iPhone
Open the Settings app, then Apps, then Safari. On older versions, Safari is listed directly in Settings. Scroll to Advanced and turn on Block All Cookies. To delete saved cookies, choose Clear History and Website Data.
Mozilla Firefox
Select the menu with three lines, then Settings. Choose Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, you can clear data or manage exceptions. Under Enhanced Tracking Protection, choose how strictly to block cookies.
Microsoft Edge
Select the three-dot menu, then Settings. Choose Cookies and site permissions, then Manage and delete cookies and site data. From there you can block cookies or remove the ones already saved.
Please note: if you block essential cookies, parts of Widow Singles may not work properly. You may not be able to stay signed in, or some pages may load incorrectly. Cookies in the mobile app are handled by your phone’s own settings.
Giving and Withdrawing Consent
Where the law requires your consent for a type of cookie, we will use it only if you agree. You do not have to agree to use the basic website. Essential cookies do not need consent, because the site cannot work without them.
You can change your mind at any time. To withdraw consent, clear the cookies saved by this site or change your browser settings using the steps above. Withdrawing consent does not undo anything we did with your information before you withdrew it.