Cookies Policy

Last update: 24th April 2018

In view of the new EU directive on cookies, we have documented thesixthaxis’ use of cookies to give our valued visitors clear information on how we use them. You can read the ICO report on the new law here.

Please note: logging into thesixthaxis with your username and password gives your clear consent for us to store the below cookies on your computer, phone, tablet or otherwise and have the site function as intended.

First party (thesixthaxis) cookies:

thesixthaxis.com

We use WordPress for our CMS (content management) and thus thesixthaxis.com needs to write the same standard cookies as every other WordPress site to function properly. See here for details on those. If you’re not logged into the site we actively attempt to block and remove any and all WordPress cookies being written.

If you’re logged in, cookies are set as normal, and we use dailyvisit to assist with our database load (it checks to see if there’s a cookie stored before checking the database to see if you’ve visited in the last 24 hours), and there’s a forum cookie (we use Simple Press) that again just contains your username if you are logged into the site.

No WordPress cookies track the user, they are limited to thesixthaxis.

WordPress cookies used are listed below, although exact names may change:

  • wordpress_logged_in_
  • wordpress_sec_
  • wp-settings-2
  • wp-settings-time-2
We also store two additional, non-tracking cookies.
  • dailyvisit – used to check whether you’ve visited in the last 24 hours to assist with adding points to your TSA Points level – contains nothing but your username.
  • sforum_ – the Simple Press forum cookie.

Third party (external) cookies:

google.com

We use, like a huge number of the world’s websites (millions of UK sites alone), Google Analytics, to estimate traffic numbers. They are estimates, and you can read Google’s policy on cookies here.

Whilst we await Google’s comment on how to solve the current EU cookie law issue, you can, if you wish, opt out of Google Analytics here.

  • PREF – this is a standard Google ‘preferences’ cookie – see here.
  • __utma – Google Analytics – stores each user’s amount of visits, and the time of the first visit, the previous visit, and the current visit
  • __utmb and utmc – Google Analytics – are used to check approximately how long you stay on a site: when a visit starts, and approximately ends
  • __utmz – Google Analytics – stores where a visitor came from (search engine, search keyword, link)

twitter.com

We actively try to get visitors to socially share our content, via Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus links on each post. It seems Twitter posts an anonymous cookie when you visit a story page.

  • PID – v3:[numbers]

youtube.com

We use embedded YouTube videos on our site.

  • VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
  • PREF – your Flash version
  • use_hitbox

Adverts

Like most other sites like TheSixthAxis, we sometimes use third party advertising to show relevant adverts to our visitors. These are hosted externally and may use various cookies.

We are working with buying partners and advertisers on the types of cookies used, although we actively try to avoid any tracking cookies, and currently cookies are anonymous and do not carry personal information.

TheSixthAxis does not engage in behavioural advertising, but if you wish you can quickly opt out of the major advertising networks that we (and other sites) may use here:

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