Cookie Policy
Effective Date: October 10, 2025
Last Updated: October 10, 2025
Version: 1.0
Summary
We use cookies to make Vortex Files work properly and to improve your experience. We believe in giving you full control, so you can accept or reject non-essential cookies at any time. We don't use third-party tracking cookies, sell your data, or share your information with advertisers.
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device (computer, phone, or tablet) when you visit them. Think of them like sticky notes that help the website remember things about you—like your login status or your preferences.
Cookies can be "session cookies" (deleted when you close your browser) or "persistent cookies" (stored for a set period). They can also be "first-party" (set by us) or "third-party" (set by other companies through our site).
2. Why We Use Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Keep you logged in securely
- Remember your preferences (like dark mode or language)
- Understand how you use our platform to make improvements
- Protect you from security threats and fraud
- Measure the effectiveness of our marketing (with your permission)
We only use cookies that are necessary for the service or that you've explicitly agreed to. We don't use cookies to track you across other websites or to build advertising profiles.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
🔒 Essential Cookies (Always Active)
These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly. You cannot opt out of these cookies as they are essential for security, authentication, and basic site operations.
What they do:
- • Keep you logged in to your account
- • Remember your security settings
- • Protect against fraud and cyber attacks (CSRF protection)
- • Maintain your session across pages
Legal Basis: Strictly necessary for service delivery (ePrivacy Directive Article 5(3) exemption)
🎨 Functional Cookies (Optional)
These cookies enable personalized features and remember your choices. They enhance your experience but are not essential for the site to work.
What they do:
- • Remember your UI preferences (dark/light theme)
- • Save your language settings
- • Remember your dashboard layout customizations
- • Store your cookie consent preferences
Legal Basis: Your consent (opt-in via cookie banner)
📊 Analytics Cookies (Optional)
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website. All analytics are first-party only—we don't use Google Analytics or share data with third parties.
What they do:
- • Track which pages and features you use most
- • Measure performance (load times, errors)
- • Understand navigation patterns to improve UX
- • Identify bugs and usability issues
What they DON'T do:
- ✗ Track you across other websites
- ✗ Share data with Google, Facebook, or advertisers
- ✗ Build advertising profiles
- ✗ Identify you personally (data is pseudonymized)
Legal Basis: Your consent (opt-in via cookie banner)
📢 Marketing Cookies (Optional - Currently Not Used)
We do not currently use marketing cookies. If we introduce them in the future, we will update this policy 30 days in advance and request your explicit consent.
If used in the future, they would:
- • Track which marketing campaigns bring you to our site
- • Measure email campaign effectiveness
- • Attribute referrals to the right partners
What they will NEVER do:
- ✗ Retarget you with ads across the web
- ✗ Share data with advertising networks
- ✗ Build behavioral profiles for ad targeting
Legal Basis: Your consent (opt-in required if implemented)
4. Detailed Cookie List
Here's a complete list of all cookies we use, their purpose, and how long they last:
Essential Cookies
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| sb-access-token | Authentication token | 1 hour | HTTP-only |
| sb-refresh-token | Session persistence | 7 days | HTTP-only |
| csrf_token | CSRF protection | Session | Secure |
| session_id | Session management | 1 year | HTTP-only |
Functional Cookies (Requires Consent)
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ui_theme | Dark/light mode preference | 1 year | First-party |
| language_preference | Interface language | 1 year | First-party |
| sidebar_collapsed | UI layout preference | 1 year | First-party |
| cookieConsent | Cookie consent preferences | 1 year | First-party |
Analytics Cookies (Requires Consent)
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _analytics_session | Session tracking | 90 days | First-party |
| _analytics_user | User identification (pseudonymized) | 90 days | First-party |
Note: Marketing cookies are not currently used. If introduced, we will update this table and notify you 30 days in advance.
5. Third-Party Cookies
✓ Good News: We Don't Use Third-Party Cookies
We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, advertising networks, or any third-party tracking cookies. All our analytics are first-party only, meaning your data stays with us and is never shared with advertisers or data brokers.
What We Don't Do
- ✗Track you across other websites
- ✗Share your data with Google, Facebook, or other tech companies
- ✗Build advertising profiles based on your behavior
- ✗Retarget you with ads after you leave our site
- ✗Sell your data to third parties
Future Changes: If we ever decide to use third-party cookies, we will:
- Update this policy and notify you 30 days in advance
- Request your explicit consent before setting any third-party cookies
- Provide detailed information about which third parties and why
- Give you granular control to accept or reject each third party
6. How to Manage Cookies
You have full control over which cookies we can use. Here are all the ways you can manage your cookie preferences:
1. Through Our Cookie Banner
When you first visit our site, you'll see a cookie consent banner with three options:
- • Accept All: Allow all cookies (essential, functional, and analytics)
- • Reject All: Only essential cookies (required for site to work)
- • Customize: Choose which categories to accept
2. Through Your Account Settings
Once logged in, go to Account Settings → Privacy & Data Management to:
- • View your current cookie preferences
- • Change cookie settings anytime
- • See when you last updated your consent
3. Through the Footer Link
Click the "Cookie Settings" link in our site footer to re-open the cookie consent banner and change your preferences.
4. Through Your Browser Settings
You can also manage cookies directly through your browser. Here's how:
Note: Disabling all cookies through your browser may affect how our site works. Essential cookies are necessary for login and security.
Need Help? If you have trouble managing your cookie preferences, contact us at compliance_vortexfiles@qvxx.ai and we'll guide you through it.
7. Cookie Consent Records
We keep a record of your cookie consent decisions for accountability and compliance purposes. Here's what we log:
- Your user ID (if logged in) or session ID (if anonymous)
- Timestamp of when you made your consent choice
- Which cookie categories you accepted or rejected
- Your IP address and browser type (for fraud prevention)
This consent log is stored for 2 years and is treated as personal data subject to your GDPR rights (access, rectification, erasure). You can request a copy of your consent history through your privacy dashboard or by emailing compliance_vortexfiles@qvxx.ai.
8. Updates to This Cookie Policy
We review this Cookie Policy annually and update it when our cookie usage changes. Here's how we'll notify you:
Material Changes
If we add new types of cookies (especially third-party cookies), we will:
- • Email you 30 days before the changes take effect
- • Show a notice in your dashboard
- • Request new consent for the additional cookies
- • Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
Minor Updates
For minor clarifications or non-material changes (like updating contact information):
- • Update the "Last Updated" date
- • Show an in-app notification
- • No re-consent required
Next Scheduled Review: October 10, 2026
You can always find the current version of this policy at vortexfiles.qvxx.ai/legal/cookies
9. Your Rights
Under GDPR and UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding cookies:
Right to Withdraw Consent
You can change your cookie preferences at any time through our cookie banner, account settings, or footer link. Withdrawing consent doesn't affect the lawfulness of processing before you withdrew it.
Right to Access
You can request a copy of your cookie consent records through your privacy dashboard or by emailing compliance_vortexfiles@qvxx.ai. We'll provide it within 30 days.
Right to Erasure
You can delete your cookies through your browser settings or request deletion of your consent records by deleting your account. Essential cookies will be recreated when you next log in (required for security).
Right to Object
You can object to analytics or marketing cookies by rejecting them in the cookie banner. Essential cookies cannot be rejected as they're necessary for the service to work.
To exercise any of these rights, visit your Account Settings or email compliance_vortexfiles@qvxx.ai.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:
Privacy Officer
Email: compliance_vortexfiles@qvxx.ai
Address: Flat 3 Misterton Court, Westbridge Road, London, SW11 3NL
Data Protection Authority (UK)
If you're unhappy with how we handle cookies, you can lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113