Cookie Policy
Last updated: September 28, 2026
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This Cookie Policy explains how I, Ondrej Varoscak, use cookies and similar technologies on Selftrails. I use them to keep the website working, remember your choices, understand readership in aggregate, and improve content, usability, and technical performance. |
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I do not use cookies or analytics data to sell advertising, operate affiliate programmes, sell personal data, or build advertising profiles of individual visitors. |
Who I am
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The controller responsible for processing personal data through cookies and similar technologies is: |
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Ondrej Varoscak |
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Martin-Heyden-Str. 5 |
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52511 Geilenkirchen |
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Germany |
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Email: [email protected] |
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I am a private individual operating a personal blog. I have not appointed a data protection officer. The GDPR requires a DPO only in specific circumstances, including large-scale, regular and systematic monitoring as a core activity or large-scale processing of special-category data. |
What cookies are
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Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They can remember settings, recognise a browser during a session, support essential technical functions, and help measure how a website is used. |
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This policy also covers similar technologies, including local storage, session storage, and pixel tags. For simplicity, I refer to all of these as “cookies”. |
Why I use cookies
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Selftrails uses cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes: |
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Necessary functions: to store your cookie-consent choice and operate the cookie banner correctly. |
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Analytics: to understand, in aggregate, how readers find and use the website, which articles are useful, and where technical or usability problems occur. |
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Session and interaction analysis: to identify usability issues through Microsoft Clarity, including heatmaps and session recordings, where you have consented. |
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Third-party content: to load external content or services only when you have allowed the relevant category. |
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I use these insights to improve Selftrails for readers. I do not use them to identify you personally where this can be avoided. |
Legal basis
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I use strictly necessary cookies because they are required to provide the website and record your consent choice. The legal basis is my legitimate interest under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR and the relevant exemption for strictly necessary storage or access under Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive. |
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For analytics, interaction analysis, marketing-category technologies, and other non-essential cookies, I rely on your consent under Articles 6(1)(a) and 7 GDPR. I ask for this consent through the cookie banner before non-essential cookies are set or read. Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive generally requires consent before information is stored on, or accessed from, a visitor’s device unless a specific exemption applies. |
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You can change or withdraw your consent at any time through the Cookie settings link on this website. Withdrawal does not affect processing that took place before you withdrew consent. |
Cookie table
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The table below is generated automatically and lists the cookies and similar technologies currently detected on Selftrails, including their provider, purpose, category, and retention period. |
Services involved
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Where you give consent, Selftrails may use the following services: |
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Google Analytics 4 to understand aggregated website usage, such as page views, traffic sources, approximate location, device and browser information, and interactions with pages. |
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Plausible Analytics to obtain privacy-oriented, aggregated visitor statistics. |
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Microsoft Clarity to understand user interactions through behavioural metrics, heatmaps, and session recordings, and to identify usability issues. |
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Google Consent Mode to communicate your consent choices to Google tags and adjust their cookie behaviour accordingly. |
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Cloudflare to provide security, performance, and reliable delivery of the website. |
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FAZ Cookie Plugin to display the consent banner, save your choices, and maintain consent records. |
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Google Search Console and Ahrefs help me assess search visibility, indexing, technical website issues, and backlinks. They do not themselves place visitor-facing cookies through Selftrails unless a separately identified service is loaded. |
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Third-party providers may process data independently under their own privacy policies. Depending on the service, this can include technical information such as IP address, browser and device information, pages visited, referring source, and interaction data. |
Retention
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The specific lifetime of each cookie is shown in the automatically generated table above. |
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I retain consent records and analytics data for up to 12 months, unless a shorter or longer period is necessary for the relevant technical function, legal obligation, or provider configuration. Strictly necessary cookies are kept only for the duration needed to provide their function, which may be limited to your browser session. |
Your choices
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You can accept, reject, or customise non-essential cookies through the cookie banner. You can also change your decision later through Cookie settings. |
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You may delete cookies through your browser settings. Doing so can remove saved preferences, including your consent choice, and may cause the cookie banner to appear again on your next visit. |
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If you decline non-essential cookies, analytics and embedded third-party content may not load or may work only to a limited extent. Essential website functions should remain available. |
Your rights
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Under the GDPR, you may have the right to: |
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Request access to personal data I process about you |
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Request correction of inaccurate data |
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Request deletion of your data |
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Request restriction of processing |
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Request data portability where applicable |
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Object to processing based on legitimate interests |
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Withdraw consent at any time |
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Lodge a complaint with a data-protection supervisory authority |
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To exercise these rights, contact me at [email protected]. I will respond without undue delay and normally within one month of receiving your request; this period may be extended where legally permitted, for example for complex requests, and I will inform you within the initial month. |
Changes to this policy
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I may update this Cookie Policy when the website, its services, or the legal requirements change. The date at the top shows when it was last revised. |
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Where a change materially affects non-essential cookies or the way I process personal data, I will request your consent again where required. |
Contact
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If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or about your privacy on Selftrails, contact me at [email protected]. |