EU Cookie Policy

Last updated: July 14, 2026. Written to reflect GDPR and ePrivacy Directive (Article 5(3)) practice as commonly enforced in 2026: prior consent for non-essential cookies, equal Accept/Reject prominence, and easy withdrawal.

This EU Cookie Policy explains how allaboutfrench.net uses cookies and similar technologies for visitors in the European Union, European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and similarly regulated regions.

1. What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device. Similar technologies include localStorage, pixels, and scripts that read or store identifiers. Some are essential to remember your choices; others support advertising.

2. Legal framework we follow

Under the ePrivacy Directive as implemented by Member States, storing or accessing information on a user’s device requires consent unless the technology is strictly necessary to provide a service you requested. GDPR requires that consent be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous — shown by a clear affirmative action. Legitimate interest is not used here as a substitute for consent to set non-essential advertising cookies. Reject and Accept options appear with equal prominence on our first-layer banner. Closing without accepting does not count as consent. Scrolling or continued browsing is not treated as consent.

3. Categories we use

Strictly necessary / essential: stores your cookie preference (Accept or Reject) via localStorage so we can honor it and avoid re-prompting immediately. These do not require consent under the narrow necessity exemption for a service you requested (remembering a choice).

Advertising / personalization (non-essential): Google AdSense and third-party ad vendors may set cookies to deliver and measure ads, fight fraud, and — if allowed — personalize ads. These load only after you Accept non-essential cookies on the banner.

Analytics: We do not currently load a separate analytics suite by default. If we add one later, it will be categorized as non-essential and gated behind consent.

4. Google AdSense and vendors

When you Accept, Google and participating vendors may process device and browsing data as described in Google’s policies and our Privacy Policy. You can further manage personalized ads at Google Ads Settings. A Reject choice keeps AdSense personalized scripts from loading under our consent gate.

5. How to control cookies

Use Accept or Reject on the banner; reopen choices via “Cookie settings” in the footer. Clear site data in your browser to reset. Browser settings can block third-party cookies. Withdrawal must be as easy as giving consent — our footer link provides that path.

6. Retention

Preference localStorage remains until cleared. Advertising cookie durations are set by vendors (often from a session up to months). See vendor documentation for exact lifetimes.

7. International aspect

Ad infrastructure may process data outside the EEA. Where required, vendors rely on transfer mechanisms such as Standard Contractual Clauses.

8. Children

We do not knowingly direct non-essential tracking at children.

9. Changes

We will update this Policy when cookie uses change materially and refresh consent when legally required.

More detail: Privacy Policy. Contact: hello@allaboutfrench.net.

10. Granular purpose description

Advertising cookies support: (a) ad delivery on page layouts compatible with this Site; (b) frequency capping; (c) aggregated reporting; (d) fraud and invalid-traffic detection; and (e) personalization when permitted. We do not bundle unrelated purposes into a single silent pre-ticked control. The first layer offers Accept all non-essential cookies or Reject all non-essential cookies with equal visual weight, matching enforcement expectations from European data protection authorities regarding dark patterns.

11. What happens if you Reject

You can still read articles, browse categories, and use contact links. Essential preference storage still works. Ads that legally require consent for cookies will not initialize through our gated loader. Some ad slots may appear empty; that is intentional compliance behavior, not a broken layout.

12. Record of consent

Because this is a static site, consent is stored in your browser (localStorage key aaf_cookie_consent) rather than on our server. You control erasure by clearing site data. Server-side consent logs are not maintained unless a future hosted consent platform is added — in which case this Policy will be updated.