1. The short version
This site uses two storage keys, both essential, both first-party, and neither capable of identifying you or recording what you read. There are no analytics cookies, no advertising cookies, no third-party cookies and no tracking technologies of any other kind, because no third-party script runs on any page.
That is unusual enough to be worth stating plainly rather than burying: the reason this page is short on categories is that there are only two things to describe. Everything else on the page explains why the consent mechanism exists at all when there is so little to consent to.
2. The storage keys in full
Both values are written to local storage and, as a fallback for browsers where local storage is unavailable, to a first-party cookie with the SameSite=Lax attribute and a maximum age of one year. Neither is read by any third party, because no third party has any code on this site.
| Key | Storage type | Purpose | Lifetime | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| newsroom_horizon_notice_accepted | Local storage and first-party cookie | Records that the entry notice was acknowledged so it is not shown again | Until cleared (cookie: 12 months) | Essential |
| newsroom_horizon_consent_v2 | Local storage and first-party cookie | Records your choice on the consent bar so the bar does not reappear | Until cleared (cookie: 12 months) | Essential |
If you clear either value, the corresponding element reappears: the entry notice on your next page view, or the consent bar. Nothing else changes, and no functionality is lost.
3. The entry notice
The first-entry notice is a dialog shown once, before the site is used, setting out what this knowledge base is and what it is not: free, independent, carrying no accreditation, awarding no qualification, and not a source of legal advice. It exists because a reference site about journalism practice can easily be mistaken for a training provider or an advisory service, and the clearest moment to correct that impression is before anyone reads.
Acknowledging it stores the first key. The notice locks page scrolling while it is open, keeps keyboard focus inside itself, and returns focus to where it was when dismissed. Its full text is reproduced on the content limits page for anyone who wants to read it again after acknowledging it.
4. The consent bar
After the entry notice is acknowledged, a bar appears offering two choices: “Essential only” and “Allow measurement”. Both record a decision in the second storage key, and both dismiss the bar. Selecting “Allow measurement” updates the analytics consent signal to granted; selecting “Essential only” records it as denied.
Because no measurement tag is installed, the practical effect of the two buttons is currently identical: nothing is collected either way. The bar exists so that the declared consent state is honest and so that, if measurement were ever introduced, it would apply only to readers who had already chosen it. Any such change would be described on this page before it took effect.
5. Consent Mode v2 as configured
Consent Mode is declared inline in the head of every page, before any other script, so that the state is set from the first moment of the first page view rather than after a delay. The table below is the exact configuration in use.
| Signal | Default state | Can it change? | Effect on this site |
|---|---|---|---|
| ad_storage | denied | No — denied permanently | No advertising tag is installed |
| ad_user_data | denied | No — denied permanently | No advertising tag is installed |
| ad_personalization | denied | No — denied permanently | No advertising tag is installed |
| analytics_storage | denied | Yes, if you select “Allow measurement” | Nothing is collected: no measurement tag is installed |
| functionality_storage | granted | No — required for the site to work | Remembers your notice and consent choices |
| security_storage | granted | No — required for the site to work | Supports basic delivery and abuse protection |
| wait_for_update | 500 ms | Fixed | Ensures an update is applied before other behaviour |
The three advertising signals are denied by default and are never updated to granted. That is a fixed property of this site rather than a current setting, and it would require a change to this page and to the script to alter.
6. Changing or withdrawing your choice
You can reopen the bar at any time using the “Cookie settings” control in the footer of every page. You can clear the stored consent choice entirely using the control below, which removes the value from local storage and expires the cookie, then reopens the bar so you can choose again. Withdrawal is exactly as easy as giving consent, which is a requirement rather than a courtesy.
You can also remove both values through your browser’s own privacy settings. Doing so has no effect beyond causing the entry notice and the consent bar to appear again on your next visit.
7. Why there are no third-party cookies
Third-party cookies arrive with third-party code: an embedded video player, a hosted font, a map, a social button, a comment widget, a content delivery network, an analytics script. This site loads none of these. The stylesheet, the script and the three vector graphics are served from this domain, and system font stacks are used instead of hosted typefaces.
That decision has costs — the typography is more constrained and some conveniences are unavailable — and they are accepted deliberately. A static site with no external requests is faster, is private by construction rather than by policy, and can be archived in full by anyone who wants to keep a copy.
8. Legal position and review
Under the ePrivacy rules as implemented in Ireland and the GDPR, storing or accessing information on a user’s device generally requires consent unless it is strictly necessary for a service the user has requested. Both keys used here fall within that exemption: one remembers an acknowledgement the reader made, the other remembers a choice the reader expressed. The consent bar is nevertheless provided so that any future measurement would be opt-in from the outset.
This page is reviewed at least once every twelve months and whenever the technical arrangement changes. If a storage key were added, it would appear in the table above before it was set. The supervisory authority in Ireland is the Data Protection Commission, and the privacy notice sets out how to exercise your rights.
Questions about cookies and storage
Does this site use tracking cookies?
No. There are two essential first-party keys and nothing else. No third-party script runs on any page, so no third-party cookie can be set.
What happens if I choose “Essential only”?
Your choice is recorded and the bar closes. Since no measurement tag is installed, nothing is collected either way; the choice is recorded so that it would apply if measurement were ever introduced.
How do I withdraw consent?
Use the control in section 6 of this page, or the “Cookie settings” button in the footer of any page. You can also clear the values in your browser settings.
Are advertising signals ever granted?
No. All three advertising signals are denied by default and are never updated to granted. No advertising tag exists on this site.