Cookie Policy
Last updated: August 2, 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how Sayspoke uses cookies, local storage, session storage, and similar technologies.
Cookies are small files placed on your browser or device. Local storage and similar technologies can also retain information on your device.
These technologies help Sayspoke work, keep accounts secure, remember preferences, and understand how the service is operating and used.
1. Technologies and measurement systems we use
Sayspoke may use:
- Cookies
- Local storage
- Session storage
- Authentication-session cookies
- Security and signup-flow cookies
- Preference storage
- Writer Lab draft and recovery storage on your device
- First-party service-measurement requests when that preference is enabled
- Operational presence requests while a Sayspoke page is visible
- Google Analytics cookies and identifiers only after analytics consent
Sayspoke operates three distinct measurement systems:
- Google Analytics is optional, off by default, operated by Google, and controlled through Cookie Settings.
- First-party service measurement is operated by Sayspoke, enabled by default, limited to aggregate route and referrer-category counts, and controlled separately through App Settings.
- Operational presence tracking is operated by Sayspoke for short-lived live-presence and reliability counts. It runs independently of the two optional measurement choices and does not record the page being viewed.
Some cookies and storage are required for Sayspoke to function. Google Analytics is optional. First-party service measurement can also be disabled, but through a separate preference rather than Google Analytics consent.
2. Why we use cookies and similar technologies
Required functionality
Required technologies help Sayspoke:
- Keep you signed in
- Maintain secure authentication sessions
- Support email and Google login
- Support signup, OAuth, age-eligibility, account-recovery, and confirmation flows
- Maintain secure redirect and session state
- Protect against unauthorized access
- Prevent spam and abuse
- Remember required cookie choices
- Keep core application features working
Without these technologies, some parts of Sayspoke may not work.
Preferences
Sayspoke may store preferences such as:
- Feed video settings
- Message sound settings
- Desktop layout settings
- Recent search or navigation state
- Return paths inside the app
- Interface choices
- Cookie and analytics preferences
These preferences help Sayspoke behave consistently between visits.
Some preferences may be stored locally on your device rather than connected to your account.
Writer Lab device storage
The public Writer Lab test may use local storage to keep draft documents, document identifiers, timestamps, and recovery state in the browser on the device. These device-only drafts are not cloud-synced. Clearing Sayspoke site data, using private browsing, changing browsers or devices, or losing access to the device may remove them.
The account-connected Writer Lab may also use browser storage for temporary recovery and interface state while account-connected drafts are stored and synchronized through Sayspoke.
First-party service measurement
When enabled, Sayspoke's first-party service measurement records daily aggregate counts for broad route sections and broad referrer categories. It does not send these events to Google.
These aggregate records do not contain a profile or account ID, device ID, IP address, full URL, raw referrer, content, individual timestamp, or visitor-level browsing history. First-party service measurement is enabled by default and can be turned off in App Settings.
Operational presence tracking
While a Sayspoke page is visible, a first-party presence request is sent approximately once per minute. It supports live active-browser counts, signed-in versus anonymous counts, country-level distribution, daily average presence, and daily peak presence.
To avoid repeatedly counting the same active browser, Sayspoke temporarily stores a keyed hash derived from an account ID for signed-in use or from IP address and browser user-agent information for anonymous use. The raw account ID, IP address, and user-agent value are not stored in the presence tables. The active hash expires after about two minutes without another heartbeat. Daily aggregate presence counts are retained for up to 400 days.
Operational presence does not record the page being viewed, a full URL, content, private-message text, or a browsing history. It runs independently of Google Analytics consent and the first-party service-measurement preference.
Optional Google Analytics
Sayspoke uses Google Analytics only after you grant analytics consent.
Google Analytics may use cookies or similar identifiers to collect usage information such as:
- Pages visited
- Referring pages
- Browser type
- Device type
- Approximate location
- Time and navigation patterns
- Interaction events
- Signup and feature-usage events
We use this information to:
- Improve Sayspoke
- Identify confusing or underused features
- Measure open-beta usage
- Diagnose drop-offs and product issues
- Improve onboarding and navigation
Google Analytics may use cookies such as _ga and related cookies such as _ga_<container-id>.
You can learn more here:
How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services
Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
Security and abuse prevention
We may use cookies, browser storage, and similar technologies to:
- Detect suspicious activity
- Prevent spam, scraping, fraud, or abuse
- Protect accounts
- Maintain session integrity
- Apply security throttles
- Diagnose technical issues
- Support trust and safety tools
- Prevent repeated policy evasion
3. Types of cookies, storage, and requests
| Type | Purpose | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | Keeps you signed in and supports login, confirmation, and recovery flows | Required for those features |
| Security | Protects accounts, sessions, OAuth state, and service integrity | Required |
| Signup and account flow | Supports signup, Google OAuth, age eligibility, confirmation, and recovery state | Required for those flows |
| Preferences | Remembers interface, privacy, measurement, and cookie choices | Optional, but choices may reset if cleared |
| Writer Lab device storage | Stores device-only test drafts and temporary recovery state in browser storage | Clearing site data can remove device-only drafts and recovery data |
| First-party service measurement | Stores daily aggregate broad-route and referrer-category counts | Enabled by default; can be disabled in App Settings |
| Operational presence | Maintains short-lived active-browser hashes and aggregate presence counts without page paths | Runs independently for operations and reliability |
| Google Analytics | Measures traffic, navigation, and product usage through Google | Off by default; used only after analytics consent |
4. Google Analytics
Sayspoke uses Google Analytics for optional product measurement.
Google Analytics does not load until you grant analytics consent through Sayspoke’s cookie controls.
When enabled, Google Analytics helps us understand:
- Whether users complete signup
- Which public and authenticated pages are used
- Which features are confusing or underused
- Where errors or drop-offs may occur
- How open-beta usage changes over time
Google may collect and process information according to Google’s own terms and policies.
Sayspoke does not use Google Analytics to read:
- Private-message text
- Personal Moment text for advertising purposes
- Account passwords
- Encryption keys
You can withdraw analytics consent through Sayspoke’s cookie controls. Withdrawal applies to future optional analytics collection and does not necessarily delete information already processed by Google.
5. Advertising technologies
Sayspoke may display sponsored placements on eligible public Find surfaces.
Moments do not display advertising.
Sayspoke does not currently use third-party behavioral advertising networks or third-party advertising cookies to track people across unrelated websites.
Sponsored Find placements may use first-party information necessary to:
- Select contextually relevant placements
- Record delivery or completion
- Prevent duplicate or invalid impressions
- Measure performance
- Calculate eligible creator monetization
If Sayspoke introduces third-party advertising cookies, cross-site behavioral advertising, or materially different advertising practices, we will update this policy and provide any controls required by law.
6. Your choices
You can control cookies and similar technologies in several ways.
Sayspoke cookie controls
Sayspoke provides cookie controls that let you grant or withdraw optional analytics consent.
Required authentication and security technologies continue to operate. Operational presence also continues independently as described in this policy. Turning Google Analytics off does not turn first-party service measurement off; that separate preference is available in App Settings.
Browser controls
Most browsers let you:
- Block cookies
- Delete cookies
- Clear local storage
- Clear session storage
- Limit third-party cookies
- Use private-browsing modes
- Set site-specific cookie preferences
Blocking or deleting required technologies may cause parts of Sayspoke to stop working, particularly:
- Login
- Account sessions
- Google OAuth
- Signup and email confirmation
- Password recovery
- Security features
- Saved interface preferences
- Device-only Writer Lab test drafts and local recovery data
Google Analytics opt-out
You may use Google’s browser add-on to opt out of Google Analytics in supported browsers:
Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
Device and account settings
Your browser, device, operating system, or Google account may provide additional controls related to cookies, analytics, advertising personalization, or identifiers.
7. Consent
Where required by law, Sayspoke seeks consent before storing or accessing nonessential cookies or similar technologies.
Google Analytics remains disabled until you grant analytics consent through Sayspoke’s cookie controls.
Required technologies may still be used without optional analytics consent where they are necessary to:
- Provide a service you request
- Authenticate your account
- Protect security
- Remember your privacy choices
- Maintain service reliability
- Prevent fraud or abuse
8. Retention
Different cookies and storage items remain for different periods.
Some may last only for the current browser session. Device-only Writer Lab drafts may remain until you delete them, clear site data, or the browser removes them. Other items may remain until:
- Their configured expiration date
- You sign out
- You clear browser data
- You change a preference
- Sayspoke removes or replaces them
Server-side records produced through operational or analytics activity may be retained separately under the Privacy Policy.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy as Sayspoke changes, including when we add or remove:
- Analytics tools
- Advertising technologies
- Authentication systems
- Security controls
- Preference features
- Operational measurement
The updated version will be posted with a revised “Last updated” date. We may provide additional notice when a change is material.
10. Contact
For questions about cookies or privacy, contact:
Email: [email protected]