Cookie Policy

1. Introduction

This Cookie Policy explains how Vettly Inc. ("Vettly," "we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit our website (vettly.dev), use our dashboard, or interact with our services (collectively, the "Services").

This policy explains what cookies are, why we use them, how you can manage your cookie preferences, and provides details about the specific cookies we use. This Cookie Policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, smartphone) when you visit a website. Cookies allow the website to recognize your device and remember information about your visit, such as your preferences, login status, and browsing behavior.

Cookies serve various purposes:

Enable website functionality and features
Remember your preferences and settings
Keep you logged in to your account
Analyze how you use our Services to improve performance
Understand user behavior and trends
Provide relevant content and recommendations

2.1 Similar Technologies

In addition to cookies, we may use similar technologies such as:

Local Storage: Browser storage that persists even after you close your browser
Session Storage: Temporary storage that is cleared when you close your browser
Web Beacons (Pixels): Tiny transparent images used to track page views and email opens
Device Fingerprinting: Techniques to identify your device based on its unique characteristics

For simplicity, we refer to all these technologies as "cookies" in this policy.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

3.1 Essential Cookies (Strictly Necessary)

Purpose: These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly. They enable core functionality such as security, authentication, and accessibility.

Can be disabled: No - the website will not function properly without these cookies.

Examples:

Session cookies to keep you logged in
Security cookies to prevent fraud and abuse
Load balancing cookies to distribute traffic
CSRF tokens to protect against cross-site request forgery
Cookie consent preferences

3.2 Authentication Cookies

Purpose: These cookies authenticate you and maintain your login session across pages.

Provider: Clerk (our authentication service provider)

Duration: Session or persistent (based on "Remember me" selection)

Specific cookies:

__session - Clerk session cookie
__client_uat - Clerk authentication token

Learn more: Clerk Cookie Policy

3.3 Functionality Cookies

Purpose: These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization, such as remembering your preferences, language selection, and customization settings.

Can be disabled: Yes - but some features may not work correctly

Examples:

Dashboard preferences (theme, layout, display settings)
Timezone and localization settings
Notification preferences
Recently viewed items or searches
Tutorial and onboarding completion status

3.4 Analytics and Performance Cookies

Purpose: These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This helps us improve our Services.

Can be disabled: Yes

What we track:

Pages visited and time spent on each page
Click paths and navigation patterns
Referring websites and search terms
Browser type, device type, and screen resolution
Geographic location (country/region level only)
Performance metrics (page load times, errors)

Note: We use anonymized or aggregated data for analytics. IP addresses are anonymized before storage.

3.5 Marketing and Advertising Cookies

Current status: We do not currently use marketing or advertising cookies.

If we implement marketing cookies in the future, we will update this policy and obtain your consent where required by law. These cookies would be used to:

Show relevant advertisements on third-party websites
Track ad campaign effectiveness
Measure conversion rates
Personalize marketing content

4. First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies

4.1 First-Party Cookies

First-party cookies are set directly by Vettly when you visit our website. These cookies are used to provide core functionality, remember your preferences, and analyze how you use our Services.

4.2 Third-Party Cookies

Third-party cookies are set by external services we use to provide certain features. We use the following third-party services that may set cookies:

Clerk (Authentication)

Purpose: User authentication and session management

Data collected: Login credentials, session tokens, device information

Privacy policy: https://clerk.com/legal/privacy

Cloudflare (CDN and Security)

Purpose: Content delivery, DDoS protection, bot detection

Data collected: IP address, security challenges, performance metrics

Privacy policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/

Stripe/Polar (Payment Processing)

Purpose: Secure payment processing and fraud prevention

Data collected: Payment information, billing address, transaction details

Privacy policies: Stripe | Polar

Sentry (Error Tracking)

Purpose: Application monitoring and error tracking (anonymized)

Data collected: Error messages, stack traces, browser information (personally identifiable information is scrubbed)

Privacy policy: https://sentry.io/privacy/

5. Cookie Duration

Cookies may be stored for different periods of time:

5.1 Session Cookies

These are temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser. They are used to maintain your session as you navigate between pages.

5.2 Persistent Cookies

These cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you manually delete them. Duration varies by cookie:

Short-term: Up to 7 days (e.g., temporary preferences)
Medium-term: Up to 90 days (e.g., analytics data)
Long-term: Up to 1 year (e.g., authentication "remember me")

6. How to Manage Cookies

You have several options to manage and control cookies:

6.1 Browser Settings

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can:

Block all cookies
Block third-party cookies only
Clear existing cookies
Set cookies to expire when you close your browser
Receive notifications when cookies are set

Browser-specific instructions:

6.2 Mobile Devices

Mobile devices have their own privacy settings:

iOS: Settings → Safari → Block All Cookies
Android: Settings → Privacy → Clear Browsing Data

6.3 Dashboard Preferences

When logged into your Vettly dashboard, you can manage certain cookie preferences:

Navigate to Settings → Privacy
Toggle analytics and functionality cookies on/off
Clear your browser data and session history

6.4 Third-Party Opt-Outs

For third-party cookies, you may need to opt out directly with those providers using the links in Section 4.2.

6.5 Important Notes

Please note:

Blocking or deleting cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our Services
You may need to log in again after clearing cookies
Your preferences and customizations will be lost
Essential cookies cannot be disabled without breaking core functionality

7. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals websites you visit that you do not want to be tracked. Currently, there is no universal standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals.

While we respect your privacy choices, we do not currently respond to DNT signals because:

There is no industry consensus on how to interpret DNT signals
Some cookies are necessary for the Services to function
You can manage cookies directly through browser settings (see Section 6)

We will reassess this policy if DNT standards become universally adopted.

8. Cookies and Personal Data

Some cookies may contain or be associated with personal data, such as:

User ID or account identifier
Session tokens
Preferences and settings
IP addresses (anonymized for analytics)

The processing of personal data collected through cookies is governed by our Privacy Policy, which includes:

What personal data we collect
How we use and protect that data
Your rights under GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws
How to exercise your data rights (access, deletion, portability)

9. International Users

Our Services are operated from the United States. If you are accessing our Services from outside the United States, please be aware that:

Cookies and data may be transferred to and stored in the United States
We comply with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR for EU users
We use Standard Contractual Clauses for international data transfers
EU users have specific rights under GDPR (see our Privacy Policy)

10. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect information from children, including through cookies. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided information through cookies, please contact us at privacy@vettly.dev.

11. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in:

The cookies we use or how we use them
Applicable laws and regulations
Our Services, features, or technology
Industry best practices

When we make changes:

We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
For material changes, we will provide notice via email or dashboard notification
Your continued use of the Services after changes indicates acceptance
We encourage you to review this policy periodically

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Cookie Policy or how we use cookies, please contact us:

Privacy inquiries:
Email: privacy@vettly.dev

Data Protection Officer:
Email: dpo@vettly.dev

General support:
Email: support@vettly.dev

Mailing Address:
Vettly Inc.
Privacy and Data Protection Department
[Address to be added by company]