Cookie Policy
Last updated: [PLACEHOLDER — insert before publication] — Effective date: [PLACEHOLDER — insert before publication] — Version 1.1-draft — English (this version prevails in case of any discrepancy between language versions) — Applicable law: German law (TDDDG § 25, DSGVO/GDPR)
1. What Are Cookies and Similar Technologies?
Cookies and similar technologies are small text files or local storage entries that a website saves on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit. They are widely used to make websites work properly, to remember your preferences, and — where you agree to this — to help website operators understand how visitors use their site.
Cookies are set either by the website you are visiting ("first-party cookies") or by third-party services embedded in that website ("third-party cookies").
How long do cookies last?
- Session cookies are temporary. They are deleted automatically when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies stay on your device for a set period (e.g., one year) or until you delete them manually.
Similar technologies: Some functionality on this platform uses related storage mechanisms, such as browser local storage or session storage. Where we refer to "cookies" in this policy, this includes these similar technologies unless we say otherwise.
2. How We Use Cookies
We use two categories of cookies and similar technologies on farmlovers.org:
| Category | Consent required? | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | No — always active | Make the platform work (login sessions, security, language preference) |
| Analytics | No — cookieless | Understand how visitors use the platform (Plausible Analytics — no cookies set) |
We do not use advertising cookies, marketing pixels, or social media tracking cookies.
3. Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are required for the platform to function. These cookies are always active on the platform because they are technically necessary for the requested service. Without them, you could not log in, use secure forms, or have your language preference remembered.
The legal basis for these cookies is TDDDG § 25 Abs. 2 Nr. 2 (access to or storage of information on a device is strictly necessary to provide a service explicitly requested by the user).
| Cookie name | Provider | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
farmlovers_session |
Farmlovers UG | Keeps you logged in during your session. Stores your session state so pages load with your account information. | Session | Deleted when you close your browser |
XSRF-TOKEN |
Farmlovers UG | Security token that protects against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks. Ensures that form submissions come from our platform, not from a malicious third party. | Session | 2 hours (refreshed on each page load) |
locale |
Farmlovers UG | Remembers the language or region preference you selected, so we can display content in your chosen language. This cookie reflects your own preference choice. | Persistent | 1 year |
farmlovers_cookie_consent |
Farmlovers UG | Stores your cookie consent choice (what you accepted or declined in the cookie banner). Without this, we would have to ask for consent on every page visit. | Persistent | 1 year |
These cookies are not offered for opt-in/opt-out in the cookie banner because they are used under the legal exception for strictly necessary storage/access. The session cookie and CSRF token are technically essential — the platform cannot securely operate without them. The locale cookie is functional and directly reflects your own preference choice. The consent cookie stores the result of the consent process itself and is required to comply with our legal obligation to respect your consent choice.
4. Web Analytics (Plausible — No Cookies)
We use Plausible Analytics to understand how visitors interact with farmlovers.co. Plausible is a privacy-friendly, open-source analytics service operated by Plausible Insights OÜ (Estonia, EU).
Plausible does not set any cookies. It does not use localStorage, fingerprinting, or any other method of storing or accessing information on your device. Because no information is stored on or accessed from your device, no consent is required under TDDDG § 25.
What data does Plausible collect?
- Page URL and referral source (how you arrived at the site)
- Browser type and operating system
- Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
- Country (derived from your IP address, which is discarded immediately and never stored)
What Plausible does NOT collect:
- Your IP address (discarded immediately after deriving country)
- Your name, email address, or any personally identifying information
- Cross-site tracking data or unique visitor identifiers
All data is processed and stored on EU servers. No data is transferred outside the EU. Plausible's data policy is available at https://plausible.io/data-policy.
Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) — legitimate interest in understanding aggregate traffic patterns to improve the platform. See our Privacy Policy, Section 23 for full details.
5. Third-Party Cookies
No third-party service sets cookies on farmlovers.co. Our analytics provider (Plausible) is cookieless. No advertising networks, social media platforms, or marketing trackers set cookies on this platform.
Plausible's data policy: https://plausible.io/data-policy
Plausible Insights OÜ is based in Estonia (EU). All data is processed and stored within the EU. No data transfers to third countries take place via our analytics.
6. Your Consent and How to Change It
How we collect consent
When you visit farmlovers.co for the first time, a cookie banner informs you about the strictly necessary cookies we use. Because our analytics tool (Plausible) does not set cookies or access any information on your device, no analytics consent is required.
If we introduce additional cookie categories in the future that require consent, both accept and decline options will be presented with equal visual prominence, in accordance with the BGH "Planet49" ruling (BGH, I ZR 7/16, October 28, 2019) and the EDPB Guidelines on consent.
What we record when you consent
When you make a choice in the cookie banner, we log your decision server-side. The consent log contains:
- Your consent choice (which categories you accepted)
- The version of this Cookie Policy that was presented to you
- A pseudonymized record derived from your IP address (your IP address is not stored in readable form)
- The date and time of the consent
This record allows us to demonstrate that consent was given, as required by GDPR Art. 7(1).
How to change your consent
Our web analytics (Plausible) do not require consent because they do not set cookies or access your device. If you wish to prevent the Plausible script from loading, you can use a browser-based content blocker or ad blocker.
For strictly necessary cookies, you can manage them through your browser settings (see Section 9), but this may prevent the platform from functioning correctly.
7. Consequences of Rejecting Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These are not managed via the consent choice because they are required for the requested service. If your browser is configured to block all cookies, the platform will not function correctly — you will not be able to log in or use the platform as a registered user. We recommend that you allow session cookies for farmlovers.org.
Analytics Cookies
Rejecting analytics cookies has no effect on your use of the platform. All features work identically whether or not you accept analytics. The only consequence is that we will not receive statistical data about your visit.
Summary:
| Cookie category | Can you reject them? | Effect of rejecting |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | These are not managed via the consent choice — they are required for the requested service | Site will not function without them |
| Analytics (Plausible) | No cookies to reject — Plausible is cookieless | Use a browser content blocker if you wish to prevent the analytics script from loading |
8. Cookie Retention Periods
| Cookie name | Duration | What happens when it expires |
|---|---|---|
farmlovers_session |
Session (browser close) | Session ends; you are logged out |
XSRF-TOKEN |
2 hours (refreshed automatically) | New token generated on next page load |
locale |
1 year | Language preference reverts to default |
farmlovers_cookie_consent |
1 year | We will ask for your consent choice again on your next visit |
Note on analytics: Plausible Analytics does not set any cookies, so there are no analytics cookies with retention periods to manage on your device.
9. Managing Cookies in Your Browser
You can control, block, or delete cookies directly in your browser settings at any time. The steps vary by browser:
Google Chrome:
Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Guide: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647
Mozilla Firefox:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data.
Guide: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox
Apple Safari (macOS):
Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.
Guide: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-sfri11471/mac
Apple Safari (iOS / iPadOS):
Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.
Guide: https://support.apple.com/en-us/105082
Microsoft Edge:
Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and site data.
Guide: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/delete-cookies-in-microsoft-edge-63947406-40ac-c3b8-57b9-2a946a29ae09
Analytics opt-out:
Our analytics tool (Plausible) does not set cookies, so there are no analytics cookies to delete. If you wish to block the Plausible script, you can use a browser-based content blocker such as uBlock Origin.
Warning: If you use your browser settings to block all cookies, including strictly necessary cookies, some parts of farmlovers.org may not work. In particular, you will not be able to stay logged in. We recommend blocking only third-party cookies or using the cookie settings on our platform instead.
10. More Information
Full Privacy Policy
This Cookie Policy covers cookie usage specifically. For full details about how we process your personal data — including what data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and your rights — please read our Privacy Policy.
Questions about cookies
If you have any questions about how we use cookies, please contact us:
Farmlovers UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Framheinstrasse 19
22083 Hamburg
Germany
Email: legal@farmlovers.org
Supervisory authority
If you believe we are not handling your data correctly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection supervisory authority responsible for Hamburg:
Hamburgischer Beauftragter für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit (HmbBfDI)
Ludwig-Erhard-Str. 22, 7. OG
20459 Hamburg
Website: https://datenschutz.hamburg.de
Changes to this Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy when we add new services, change our cookie setup, or when the law requires it. The version number and effective date at the top of this page always show the current version. For material changes, we will notify registered users by email or via a notice on the platform. When material changes affect which cookies are set or how consent is managed, the consent mechanism will also be updated, not just the policy text.
Farmlovers UG (haftungsbeschränkt) — Hamburg, Germany
Cookie Policy v1.1-draft — Revised per lawyer review