Cookie Policy
Effective October 5, 2026. Written to be read — clear language, with a short summary first.
This Cookie Policy explains how the MerkleBot website uses cookies and similar browser technologies, what each item does, how long it lasts, and how you can control it. The short answer: our marketing website uses a very small number of first-party browser storage items that are needed for the site to work or to remember your choices, and it does not load any third-party analytics or advertising trackers by default.
The short version
- Today our website uses only three first-party browser storage items: one to remember your cookie choice, one to personalize the thank-you page after you submit a form, and one for interface preferences.
- We do not set third-party cookies, and we do not load analytics, advertising or social media trackers by default.
- Our fonts and scripts are self-hosted, so no font or script provider receives your IP address when you visit.
- If we ever add analytics or marketing tools, we will ask for your consent first where the law requires it.
- You can change your choice at any time using the Cookie settings link in the footer, or clear storage through your browser.
1. What cookies and similar technologies are
When you visit a website, it can store small pieces of information in your browser and read them back later. This lets the site remember things between pages or visits. There are several ways to do this:
- Cookies are small text files that a website asks your browser to store. They are sent back to the website's server with each request. "First-party" cookies are set by the site you are visiting; "third-party" cookies are set by another domain, such as an advertising network, and can be used to follow you across websites. Cookies can be "session" cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or "persistent" cookies, which remain until a set expiry date or until you delete them.
- Local storage (localStorage) is a browser feature that lets a website store information on your device with no automatic expiry. Unlike cookies, it is not sent to the server automatically; it stays in your browser and can be read only by scripts from the same website.
- Session storage (sessionStorage) works like local storage, but its contents are deleted when you close the browser tab or window.
- Pixels and web beacons are tiny, usually invisible images or snippets of code embedded in web pages or emails. They tell the sender when a page or message has been viewed and are commonly used by analytics and advertising services.
In this policy, we use "cookies" as a general term covering all of these technologies, unless we say otherwise. Many privacy laws, including the EU ePrivacy rules and UK PECR, apply equally to cookies and to these similar technologies.
2. What our website uses today
The table below lists every cookie or browser storage item that our marketing website at merklebot.com currently sets. All of them are first-party, meaning they are created by our own site and are not readable by any other website. None of them are used to track you across other websites or to build an advertising profile.
| Name / key | Type | Purpose | Duration | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mb_cookie_consent | localStorage (first-party) | Stores your cookie-consent choice and the date you made it, so we do not show the consent banner on every page and so we can respect your choice. | Until you clear it; we ask you again after 12 months | Strictly necessary |
| mb_form_name | sessionStorage (first-party) | Temporarily holds the first name you entered in our "Book a demo" or contact form so that the thank-you page can greet you by name after you submit it. | Ends when you close the tab or browser | Strictly necessary / functional |
| mb_ui | localStorage (first-party) | Remembers interface preferences, for example banners you have dismissed or whether you chose monthly or annual pricing on our pricing page. | Until you clear it | Functional |
We do not use these items to identify you across visits or to send information about your browsing to us or anyone else. The mb_form_name value stays in your browser only; the form submission itself is handled as described in our Privacy Policy.
2.1 No third-party cookies or trackers by default
Our website does not, by default, load:
- analytics tools, such as page-view counters or session recording scripts;
- advertising or retargeting pixels;
- social media "like" or "share" widgets that set their own cookies; or
- embedded third-party content that sets cookies when the page loads.
If a page ever needs to embed third-party content, such as a video, we will either load it only after you choose to play it or ask for your consent first where the law requires it, and we will update this policy.
2.2 Self-hosted fonts and scripts
Many websites load fonts and scripts from external providers, such as public font libraries and content delivery networks. Each time a page loads those files, the provider receives your IP address and other request data. Our website serves its fonts and scripts from our own hosting instead. This means no font provider or third-party script host receives your IP address simply because you visited our site.
2.3 Server logs
Like any website, our hosting infrastructure receives basic technical information with each request, such as your IP address, browser type and the page requested. This is not a cookie and is not stored on your device. We use it for security and troubleshooting and keep it only briefly, as described in our Privacy Policy.
3. Cookie categories and when we need your consent
We group cookies and similar technologies into four categories. Only the first two are in use on our website today.
3.1 Strictly necessary
These are essential for the website to work or to provide a service you have explicitly asked for, such as remembering your consent choice or completing a form submission. They do not require consent under EU and UK law, because the site cannot function properly without them. You can block them through your browser settings, but parts of the site may not then work as intended, and you may see the consent banner on every visit.
3.2 Functional
These remember choices you make to improve your experience, such as dismissed banners or your preferred pricing view. Our functional items are first-party, are stored only in your browser, and are used only to deliver features you actively use. Where the law requires consent for a functional item, we will ask for it.
3.3 Analytics
These help website owners understand how visitors use a site, for example which pages are popular. We do not currently use analytics cookies. If we introduce analytics in future, we will enable them only after you give consent where the law requires it, prefer privacy-friendly configurations, and list them in this policy before they go live.
3.4 Marketing
These track browsing across websites to show targeted advertising or measure ad campaigns. We do not use marketing cookies. We would only consider them with your prior consent, and we would never use them to sell personal information.
4. Managing your consent on our website
When you first visit our website, a cookie consent banner explains our use of browser storage and lets you make a choice. Your choice is saved in the mb_cookie_consent item described above.
You can change your mind at any time: use the Cookie settings link in the footer of any page to reopen the banner and update your choice. If you withdraw consent for an optional category, we will stop using the related technologies from that point on. Withdrawing consent does not affect any processing that took place before.
We will ask for your choice again after 12 months, or sooner if we make material changes to the technologies we use.
5. Controlling cookies through your browser
Most browsers let you view, block and delete cookies and other site data. Clearing "cookies and site data" for merklebot.com will also remove our localStorage and sessionStorage items. Menu names change from time to time, so the paths below are general guidance; your browser's help pages will have the latest instructions.
- Google Chrome: open the menu, go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Third-party cookies or Site settings. To remove data for one site, look for the option to view permissions and data stored across sites, search for merklebot.com, and delete it.
- Mozilla Firefox: open the menu, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data you can choose Manage Data to remove data for a specific site, or adjust Enhanced Tracking Protection to block cookies.
- Apple Safari (macOS): open Safari Settings (or Preferences), then the Privacy tab. Choose Manage Website Data to remove data for a specific site, or select the option to block all cookies.
- Microsoft Edge: open the menu, go to Settings, then Cookies and site permissions (or Privacy, search, and services). Choose Manage and delete cookies and site data to see all stored data and remove items for specific sites.
Blocking all cookies and site data may stop some websites, including parts of ours, from working properly. For example, if you block local storage, our site will not be able to remember your consent choice and may show the banner on every visit.
5.1 Mobile devices
On phones and tablets, browser settings are usually found in the browser app's own settings menu. On iOS, Safari settings are found in the device Settings app under Safari, where you can clear history and website data or block cookies. On Android, Chrome's settings are in the browser's menu under Settings, then Privacy and security, or Site settings. Other mobile browsers offer similar controls. Mobile operating systems may also provide settings to limit advertising identifiers, although our website does not use them.
6. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
"Do Not Track" (DNT) is a browser setting that asks websites not to track you. Because there is no agreed industry standard for responding to DNT, we do not change our website's behavior based on it. Our website does not track you across third-party sites in any case.
Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a browser signal that communicates a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We honor GPC as a valid opt-out request where applicable law requires it. If we introduce optional analytics or marketing technologies in future, a GPC signal will be treated as a refusal of those technologies for that browser, and the corresponding categories will remain off.
7. The MerkleBot platform application
This policy focuses on our public marketing website. The MerkleBot platform web application, used by customers who sign in to manage their robots, devices and data, may use additional first-party cookies or browser storage that are strictly necessary for the service, for example:
- authentication and session cookies that keep you securely signed in;
- security cookies that help protect against cross-site request forgery and other attacks; and
- load-balancing items that route your requests to the correct server.
These items are required to provide a service you have requested, so they do not require consent. Customer use of the platform is also governed by our Terms of Service and any agreement your organization has signed with us. If the platform ever uses optional cookies, we will describe them and ask for consent where required.
8. Emails
We do not currently embed tracking pixels in our marketing emails. If we introduce them in future to measure whether emails are opened, we will update this policy, and you will be able to avoid them by disabling automatic image loading in your email client or by unsubscribing.
9. Changes to this Cookie Policy
We will update this policy whenever we change the cookies or similar technologies we use, for example if we introduce consent-based analytics. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, if the change requires your consent, ask for it through the cookie banner before the new technology is enabled.
10. Contact us
If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of browser storage, please contact us at [email protected]. For general questions, write to [email protected] or use our contact page. For more information about how we handle personal data, see our Privacy Policy.
MerkleBot, San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA.