Cookie policy

Cookies are small files a website stores in your browser. We also use your browser's local storage for some settings. This page lists what we use and why.

Strictly necessary

These are needed for the site to work and are always on.

• Sign-in session: keeps you signed in if you have an account.
• hn_consent: remembers your cookie choices (kept for 180 days).
• hn_vid: an anonymous identifier so that each visitor's reaction to a story is counted once.
• hn_ads: remembers the advertising preference of signed-in members.
• Local storage: settings such as your theme, chosen weather city, read-aloud voice and dismissed notices.

Personalisation (with your consent)

• hn_reads: the most recent stories you opened (up to 30), used for "For you" suggestions.
• Local storage: your reading position, so you can continue a story where you left off.

Visit statistics (with your consent, where enabled)

If Google Analytics is enabled, it uses cookies to measure which pages are read. We look at this data only in aggregate. Where enabled, we also use a cookie-free analytics service from our hosting provider that does not identify you.

Advertising (where enabled)

If Google AdSense is enabled, Google may use cookies to show and measure ads. Personalised ads based on your interests are shown only with your consent; without it, Google shows non-personalised ads. For more information see Google's explanation of how it uses data from partner sites.

Changing your choices

You can change your choices at any time with the "Cookie preferences" link at the bottom of every page. When you withdraw consent for personalisation, the data stored for it is deleted. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings; some features may then stop working.