HELPFUL VOICES — COOKIES POLICY
Last updated: November 4, 2025

This Cookies Policy explains how Helpful Voices (“we,” “us,” or “our”) uses cookies and similar technologies on our website and member areas (“Services”). Read this together with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

  1. What are cookies?
    Cookies are small text files stored by your browser. They help websites function, remember preferences, and understand usage. We also use similar technologies such as local storage, pixels, and SDKs.
  2. How we use cookies
    • Strictly necessary: sign-in, session security, paywall access, CSRF protection, load balancing.
    • Preferences (functional): remember choices like language, volume, and playback settings.
    • Performance & analytics: measure traffic, diagnose issues, improve features and content.
    • Advertising/marketing (optional): measure campaigns and show relevant messages (only if enabled).
  3. Examples of cookies/storage we may set
    Note: The exact cookies depend on the features and integrations you enable.

Category: Strictly necessary
Examples: session_id, wp_session, csrftoken
Purpose: authenticate users, maintain sessions, prevent CSRF
Retention: session / up to 1 year
Provider: Helpful Voices / WordPress / membership plugin

Category: Strictly necessary (payments)
Examples: __stripe_sid, __stripe_mid (if Stripe is enabled)
Purpose: payment processing and fraud prevention
Retention: ~30 minutes to 1 year
Provider: Stripe

Category: Functional (video preferences – local storage)
Examples: player_volume, playback_speed
Purpose: remember video settings
Retention: until cleared
Provider: Helpful Voices / video player plugin

Category: Performance & analytics
Examples: _ga*, _gid, _gat (if Google Analytics or similar is enabled)
Purpose: traffic and usage analytics
Retention: ~24 hours to 2 years
Provider: Google Analytics (or chosen analytics provider)

Category: Content delivery / streaming
Examples: signed token, cdn_session (names vary by provider)
Purpose: secure video delivery, token-based access, CDN performance
Retention: session / short-lived
Provider: your video/CDN provider (e.g., Bunny.net, VdoCipher)

Category: Marketing (optional)
Examples: _fbp, _ttcid, _gcl_au (if enabled)
Purpose: campaign measurement and attribution
Retention: ~90 days to 2 years
Provider: Meta, TikTok, Google Ads, etc.

We may also use server-side tokens and signed URLs to control access to secure content. These are required to provide the service and are considered strictly necessary.

  1. Third-party cookies
    Some cookies are set by third parties that provide functionality on our Services (e.g., streaming, analytics, payments, fraud prevention, chat, or social media embeds). These providers may collect information directly from your browser according to their own policies.
  2. Your choices
    • Consent banner: On your first visit (and periodically), you can accept, reject, or customize non-essential cookies. You can update choices anytime via the “Manage Cookies” option (if available on our site).
    • Browser controls: Most browsers let you block or delete cookies. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may break sign-in, playback, and paywall features.
    • Do Not Track: Because there is no industry standard, we do not currently respond to DNT signals.
  3. Legal bases (EEA/UK visitors)
    Where required, we rely on consent for non-essential cookies (e.g., analytics/marketing) and on legitimate interests or contractual necessity for strictly necessary cookies that enable the Services.
  4. Data retention
    Cookie retention varies by type and provider (see examples above). You can delete cookies anytime via your browser. Where we process data collected via cookies, we keep it only as long as needed for the purposes described in our Privacy Policy or as required by law.
  5. Updates to this policy
    We may update this Cookies Policy to reflect changes to our practices or for legal, technical, or operational reasons. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date and, where appropriate, provide additional notice.
  6. Contact us
    Questions about this Cookies Policy or your choices: support@helpfulvoices.com