UKTech.news, a leading technology news platform based in London, has updated its Cookie Policy to reflect the latest regulatory requirements and changes in how the website collects and processes user data. The new policy, effective as of June 4, 2025, applies to all citizens and legal permanent residents of the United Kingdom. This update aligns with the evolving data protection landscape under UK law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

What Are Cookies and Why Are They Used?

Cookies are small text files stored on a user's device when visiting a website. They help the website remember user preferences, track usage patterns, and deliver personalized content. UKTech.news uses various types of cookies, including functional, statistical, advertising, and marketing/tracking cookies. Additionally, the website employs scripts and web beacons to enhance interactivity and monitor traffic.

Categories of Cookies on UKTech.news

Technical or Functional Cookies

These cookies are essential for the proper functioning of the website. They enable core features such as user login, session management, and remembering items in a shopping cart. UKTech.news places these cookies without requiring user consent, as they are strictly necessary.

Statistics Cookies

Statistical cookies help the website understand how users interact with content, allowing for optimizations. For instance, Google Analytics collects anonymized data on page views and user behavior. Consent is required for these cookies.

Advertising Cookies

These cookies allow UKTech.news and third parties to display relevant ads based on user interests. They create profiles from browsing behaviour both on and off the site. Examples include Google Ads Optimization and Criteo. Users must grant permission for these tracking cookies.

Marketing/Tracking Cookies

Marketing cookies track users across websites for targeted advertising and similar marketing purposes. This category includes third-party services like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter (now X) that place cookies for social sharing and ad retargeting.

Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

UKTech.news integrates with numerous third-party services, each with its own cookie usage and data handling practices. Below is an overview of the major services mentioned in the policy.

Google Services

Google provides a range of services including analytics, advertising, reCAPTCHA (spam protection), and fonts. Cookies set by Google include _ga, _gid, __gpi, and _grecaptcha. Data may be shared with Google for processing; users are encouraged to review Google's privacy statement.

Cloudflare

Cloudflare is used for content delivery network (CDN) services, improving site speed and security. Its cookies, such as __cf_bm, help filter bot requests and manage caching.

Criteo

Criteo specializes in retargeting and personalized advertising. The cookie cto_bundle stores information for cross-page functionality. Criteo also sets several other cookies pending investigation.

HubSpot

HubSpot provides marketing automation and CRM tools. Its cookies, like __hstc and hubspotutk, store time of visit and visitor identity for marketing purposes. HubSpot also uses functional and statistical cookies.

Hotjar

Hotjar is used for heatmaps and session recordings to analyze user behavior. Functional cookies like _hjSession_ ensure page functionality, while _hjSessionUser_ stores a unique user ID for statistical analysis.

Social Media Integration

Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter) embed content on UKTech.news, such as share buttons and feeds. These services place cookies for authentication, analytics, and advertising. For example, Facebook uses _fbp (3 months) for tracking visits across websites, and LinkedIn uses UserMatchHistory for ad retargeting.

Consent Management

Upon first visit, UKTech.news displays a pop-up explaining cookie usage. Users can choose which categories to accept via the “Save preferences” button. Consent can be withdrawn at any time through browser settings or by clearing cookies. The policy notes that disabling all cookies may affect website functionality.

User Rights Under UK Law

Users have specific rights regarding their personal data, including:

• Right to be informed about data collection and processing.
• Right of access to personal data held by UKTech.news.
• Right to rectification: correct or delete inaccurate data.
• Right to withdraw consent at any time.
• Right to data portability: request data transfer to another controller.
• Right to object to processing, unless legitimate grounds override.

To exercise these rights, users can contact the publisher via email at mydata@ex.comwearemvi.com or by phone at 0208 150 8286. Complaints can also be directed to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Cookie Details and Expiration

The policy provides extensive lists of individual cookies, their purposes, and expiration times. For instance, the Complianz plugin stores consent preferences in cookies like cmplz_consented_services for 365 days. Snowplow analytics uses _sp_id for 2 years to store a unique user ID. The policy also includes a section for miscellaneous cookies whose purposes are pending investigation.

Technical Details and Updates

The Cookie Policy was synchronized with cookiedatabase.org on July 8, 2026 (future date; likely a placeholder). This ensures transparency and alignment with industry standards. The policy emphasizes that cookies are not used to directly identify users, but rather to improve the browsing experience and deliver relevant content.

Impact on Users

For regular visitors, the updated policy means more control over personal data. Users can now granularly accept or reject specific cookie categories. However, marketing and advertising cookies require explicit opt-in. The use of multiple third-party services also means that data may be processed outside the UK, particularly in the United States, which has different data protection laws.

Practical Recommendations

Users concerned about privacy can clear cookies regularly or adjust browser settings to block third-party cookies entirely. The policy suggests that without all cookies enabled, some features like login or payment processing may not work. It is advisable to review the policy periodically as it may change.

UKTech.news continues to serve the technology community with up-to-date news, and this cookie policy update reflects its commitment to transparency and regulatory compliance.

Source:UKTN News