Every cookie we set, every third-party tracker, what each one does, how long it lasts, and how to turn it off. No dark patterns, no walls of text — just the facts.
Only strictly necessary cookies run by default. Everything else (analytics, marketing, third-party trackers) requires your explicit consent — and you can change your mind any time via the cookie banner.
Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device. They let the site remember things between visits (so you don't have to log in every time), measure how the site is being used (analytics), and — in some cases — track you across the web for advertising purposes.
POPIA treats cookies as personal information when they identify you (directly or indirectly). That means non-essential cookies require your active, informed consent before being set.
When you first visit Sitect, you see a cookie banner offering three choices:
Your preference is saved in a cookie called sitect_consent for 12 months. To change it, click "Cookie settings" in the footer at any time, or clear the sitect_consent cookie to see the banner again.
We group cookies into four ICC/IAB-standard categories:
These are required for the site to operate (login, security, form submission). They cannot be disabled.
| Cookie | Purpose | Retention |
|---|---|---|
sitect_session | Session identifier (auth, cart, chat thread) | 2 hours |
XSRF-TOKEN | CSRF protection on form submissions | Session |
sitect_consent | Stores your cookie-banner preferences | 12 months |
laravel_session | Laravel framework session | 2 hours |
__cf_bm | Cloudflare bot management | 30 minutes |
cf_clearance | Cloudflare DDoS protection / CAPTCHA result | 30 minutes |
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with the site (pages visited, time on page, navigation paths). All data is aggregated and anonymised — we cannot identify individual visitors.
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics 4 | Distinguishes unique visitors | 13 months |
_ga_* | Google Analytics 4 | Session state per GA4 property | 13 months |
_gid | Google Analytics | Distinguishes users (24h aggregate) | 24 hours |
plausible_ignore | Plausible Analytics | Excludes admin visits from analytics | Local storage |
_clck | Microsoft Clarity | Persistent user identifier | 12 months |
_clsk | Microsoft Clarity | Session replay identifier | 24 hours |
CLID | Microsoft Clarity | Unique session id for replay | 12 months |
Microsoft Clarity records session replays of visits with PII automatically masked (form fields, addresses, etc.). Replays are retained for 30 days.
Remember your preferences so the site behaves the way you want.
| Cookie | Purpose | Retention |
|---|---|---|
sitect_theme | Stores light/dark mode preference | 12 months |
sitect_locale | Stores language preference | 12 months |
sitect_chat_id | Maintains chat-widget thread across pages | Session + 7 days |
sitect_dismissed_banner | Hides promotional banners you've dismissed | 30 days |
These cookies let us (and partners) reach you with relevant ads on other websites, and measure how those ads perform. They are off by default — only set if you've actively consented.
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
_fbp | Meta (Facebook) | Facebook Pixel tracking | 3 months |
fr | Meta | Ad delivery | 3 months |
_gcl_au | Google Ads | Conversion tracking | 3 months |
li_at | LinkedIn Insight Tag | 1 year | |
li_gc | Consent for non-essential cookies | 6 months | |
uetsid | Microsoft Ads | UET session | Session |
uetvid | Microsoft Ads | UET visitor | 1 year |
The cookies above may be set by third parties when we embed their services. Each third party has its own privacy and cookie policy that governs their use of your data. The main third parties:
"Cookies" is shorthand; we also use:
The easiest way: click "Cookie settings" in the footer of any Sitect page. The banner reopens and you can toggle each category.
All modern browsers let you view, delete and block cookies. Direct links:
Note: blocking strictly-necessary cookies may break parts of the site (login, forms, chat).
You can opt out of behavioural advertising from many networks at once:
Most browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal. The web industry has not agreed on a standard for honouring it, so its effect varies. Sitect treats a DNT signal as a signal that you prefer not to be tracked — we apply that to our own analytics. Third-party services may or may not honour DNT (most don't); the best protection remains the consent toggles in our cookie banner.
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time — usually because we've added, removed, or replaced a cookie. The "Effective" date at the top reflects the current version. When we add a new cookie category or a significant new third-party tracker, we re-prompt for consent.
Questions about cookies, your preferences, or third-party tracking:
Open the cookie banner any time to toggle categories on or off. Your preferences are stored for 12 months and respected across all Sitect pages.