Cookies & other storage technologies
Cookies are small pieces of text used to store information on web browsers. Cookies are used to store and receive identifiers and other information on computers, phones and other devices. Other technologies, including data that we store on your web browser or device, identifiers associated with your device and other software, are used for similar purposes. In this policy, we refer to all of these technologies as “cookies”.
We use cookies if you have a The Covenant account, use The Covenant Products, including our website and apps, or visit other websites and apps that use The Covenant Products (including the Like button or other The Covenant Technologies). Cookies enable The Covenant to offer The Covenant Products to you and to understand the information that we receive about you, including information about your use of other websites and apps, whether or not you are registered or logged in.
This policy explains how we use cookies and the choices you have. Except as otherwise stated in this policy, the Data Policy will apply to our processing of the data that we collect via cookies.
Why do we use cookies?
Cookies help us provide, protect and improve The Covenant Products, such as by personalizing content, tailoring and measuring ads, and providing a safer experience. The cookies that we use include session cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, and persistent cookies, which stay in your browser until they expire, or you delete them. While the cookies that we use may change from time to time as we improve and update The Covenant Products, we use them for the following purposes:
Authentication
We use cookies to verify your account and determine when you’re logged in so that we can make it easier for you to access The Covenant Products and show you the appropriate experience and features. For example: We use cookies to keep you logged in as you navigate between The Covenant Pages. Cookies also help us remember your browser so you don’t have to keep logging in to The Covenant and so you can more easily log in to The Covenant via third-party apps and websites. For example, we use the “c_user” and “xs” cookies, including for this purpose, which have a lifespan of 365 days.
Security, site and product integrity
We use cookies to help us keep your account, data and The Covenant Products safe and secure.
For example: Cookies can help us identify and impose additional security measures when someone may be attempting to access a The Covenant account without authorization, for instance, by rapidly guessing different passwords. We also use cookies to store information that allows us to recover your account if you forget your password or to require additional authentication if you tell us that your account has been hacked. This includes, for example, our “sb” and “dbln” cookies, which enable us to identify your browser securely.
We also use cookies to combat activity that violates our policies or otherwise degrades our ability to provide the The Covenant Products. For example: Cookies help us fight spam and phishing attacks by enabling us to identify computers that are used to create large numbers of fake The Covenant accounts. We also use cookies to detect computers infected with malware and to take steps to prevent them from causing further harm. Our “csrf” cookie, for example, helps us prevent cross-site request forgery attacks. Cookies also help us prevent underage people from registering for The Covenant accounts.
Advertising, recommendations, insights and measurement
We use cookies to help us show ads and to make recommendations for businesses and other organizations to people who may be interested in the products, services or causes they promote.
For example: Cookies allow us to help deliver ads to people who have previously visited a business’s website, purchased its products or used its apps and to recommend products and services based on that activity. Cookies also allow us to limit the number of times that you see an ad so you don’t see the same ad over and over again. For example, the “fr” cookie is used to deliver, measure and improve the relevancy of ads, with a lifespan of 90 days.
We also use cookies to help measure the performance of ad campaigns for businesses that use the The Covenant Products. For example: We use cookies to count the number of times that an ad is shown and to calculate the cost of those ads. We also use cookies to measure how often people do things, such as make a purchase following an ad impression. For example, the “_fbp” cookie identifies browsers for the purposes of providing advertising and site analytics services and has a lifespan of 90 days. Cookies help us serve and measure ads across different browsers and devices used by the same person. For example: We can use cookies to prevent you from seeing the same ad repeatedly across the different devices that you use. Cookies also allow us to provide insights about the people who use The Covenant Products, as well as the people who interact with the ads, websites and apps of our advertisers and the businesses that use The Covenant Products.
For example: We use cookies to help businesses understand the kinds of people who like their The Covenant Page or use their apps so that they can provide more relevant content and develop features that are likely to be interesting to their customers. We also use cookies, such as our “oo” cookie, which has a lifespan of five years, to help you opt out of seeing ads from The Covenant based on your activity on third-party websites. Learn more about the information we receive, how we decide which ads to show you on and off The Covenant Products and the controls that are available to you.
Site features and services
We use cookies to enable the functionality that helps us provide The Covenant Products.
For example: Cookies help us store preferences, know when you’ve seen or interacted with The Covenant Products’ content and provide you with customized content and experiences. For instance, cookies allow us to make suggestions to you and others, and to customize content on third-party sites that integrate our social plugins. If you are a Page administrator, cookies allow you to switch between posting from your personal The Covenant account and the Page. We use cookies such as the session-based “presence” cookie to support your use of Messenger chat windows.
We also use cookies to help provide you with content relevant to your locale. For example: We store information in a cookie that is placed on your browser or device so that you will see the site in your preferred language.
Performance
We use cookies to provide you with the best experience possible. For example: Cookies help us route traffic between servers and understand how quickly The Covenant Products load for different people. Cookies also help us record the ratio and dimensions of your screen and windows and know whether you’ve enabled high-contrast mode, so that we can render our sites and apps correctly. For example, we set the “dpr” and “wd” cookies, each with a lifespan of 7 days, for purposes including to deliver an optimal experience for your device’s screen.
Analytics and Research
We use cookies to better understand how people use The Covenant Products so that we can improve them. For example: Cookies can help us understand how people use The Covenant service, analyze which parts of The Covenant Products people find most useful and engaging, and identify features that could be improved.
Third-party websites and apps
Our business partners may also choose to share information with The Covenant from cookies set in their own websites’ domains, whether or not you have a The Covenant account or are logged in. Specifically, cookies named _fbc or _fbp may be set on the domain of The Covenant business partner whose site you’re visiting. Unlike cookies that are set on The Covenant’s own domains, these cookies aren’t accessible by The Covenant when you’re on a site other than the one on which they were set, including when you are on one of our domains. They serve the same purposes as cookies set in The Covenant’s own domain, which are to personalize content (including ads), measure ads, produce analytics and provide a safer experience, as set out in this Cookies Policy.
Where do we use cookies?
We may place cookies on your computer or device and receive information stored in cookies when you use or visit:
- The Covenant Products;
- Products provided by other members of The Covenant Companies; and
- Websites and apps provided by other companies that use the The Covenant Products, including companies that incorporate The Covenant Whisper Technologies into their websites and apps. The Covenant uses cookies and receives information when you visit those sites and apps, including device information and information about your activity, without any further action from you. This occurs whether you have a The Covenant account or are logged in.
