Last reviewed on May 1, 2026.
What Cookies Are
A cookie is a small text file stored by your browser when you visit a website. Cookies allow a site (or a third-party service embedded in it) to remember information between requests — for example, that you have already seen a notice, that an analytics session is ongoing, or that an ad slot has been measured. Similar technologies include local storage, session storage, and pixels; we treat them together for the purposes of this policy.
How GermanStates.com Uses Cookies
GermanStates.com does not run user accounts, comments, or a shopping cart, so the cookies in use here are limited. They fall into the following categories:
1. Strictly necessary
These are required for the site to function — for example, basic security tokens or load-balancing identifiers set by our hosting provider. They cannot be turned off without breaking core functionality.
2. Analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 to understand which articles are read and how readers move through the site. Typical cookies in this category include _ga and _ga_<ID>, set by Google. They help us measure traffic in aggregate; they are not used to identify individual readers by name.
3. Advertising
We display ads served by Google AdSense. Google and its partners may set cookies (for example __gads, __gpi, IDE, NID, ANID, plus various third-party vendor cookies) to deliver, frequency-cap, and measure ads, and — where you have not opted out — to personalize them based on your interests.
4. Map tiles
The interactive maps on state pages load tiles and library files from third-party providers (OpenStreetMap tile servers and unpkg.com for the Leaflet library). These services may set technical cookies of their own when serving requests; we do not control them.
Google AdSense Cookies in Detail
Google's advertising cookies serve several purposes. Some are first-party (set on the googleadservices.com or doubleclick.net domains by Google when an ad loads), and some are set by third-party advertising vendors that participate in Google's ad auctions. Among other things, these cookies are used to:
- Remember which ads you have already seen, so the same ad is not shown too many times.
- Measure clicks and conversions, so advertisers and publishers know which ads worked.
- Detect invalid traffic and click fraud.
- Where personalization is enabled, tailor ads based on prior visits to this and other sites in Google's network.
For full, current technical detail of Google's advertising cookies, see policies.google.com/technologies/ads and policies.google.com/technologies/types.
How to Control Cookies
Opt out of personalized advertising
- Google Ad Settings — turn off personalized ads in Google's network.
- Digital Advertising Alliance (US) — opt out of multiple advertising vendors at once.
- Your Online Choices (EU) — equivalent multi-vendor opt-out for European users.
Opt out of Google Analytics
You can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, or block analytics cookies through your browser or a privacy extension.
Manage cookies in your browser
All major browsers let you view, accept, or block cookies, and clear stored cookies. Search your browser's settings for "cookies" or "site data". Blocking all cookies will affect the operation of most websites you visit, not just this one.
Do Not Track
Different browsers handle Do Not Track signals differently and there is no single industry standard for honouring them. We rely on the controls listed above rather than DNT alone.
If You Are in the EU, EEA, UK, or Switzerland
Where local law requires consent before non-essential cookies are set, that consent is requested or managed through the appropriate consent layer. You can withdraw consent at any time using the controls above. Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent.
Changes to This Policy
This Cookie Policy is updated when the cookies we set change, when third-party tools change, or when applicable law evolves. The "Last reviewed" date at the top reflects the most recent substantive update. For background on how we handle personal data more generally, please also read our Privacy Policy.
Contact
Questions about cookies on GermanStates.com can be sent to [email protected].