Cookie Policy
Cookie Policy – School 404 (EU Compliance, 2025)
1. Introduction
At School 404, we use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, personalise content, improve site performance, and comply with legal obligations. This policy explains what cookies are, how we use them, and your rights regarding their usage.
2. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small data files stored on your device (computer, mobile, tablet) when you visit our website. They serve various functions - some are strictly necessary for the site to operate, while others help us remember your preferences, gather statistics, or deliver marketing tailored to your interests.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
We categorise cookies into four groups:
Strictly necessary cookies: Required for core functions such as logging in, secure browsing, or shopping cart retention. These do not require your consent but you must be informed of their use.
Preference cookies: Remember your choices, like language or display settings. Consent is required.
Statistics (analytics) cookies: Collect anonymised data on how you use the site (pages visited, time spent, etc.). Consent is required.
Marketing cookies: Track your browsing across sites to show relevant advertisements. Consent is required.
Additionally, evolving EU guidance has made clear that technologies akin to cookies - such as tracking pixels, local storage, and fingerprinting - also fall under the same rules and require consent unless strictly necessary.
4. Legal Basis and Consent
We follow EU law, including:
The ePrivacy Directive, which mandates prior consent for non-essential storage or access on your device.
The GDPR, requiring consent to be freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous, and as easy to withdraw as it is to give.
We do not use pre-ticked boxes, hidden opt-outs, cookie walls, or dark patterns that favour "Accept". Rejecting non-essential cookies is as easy as accepting them.
5. How to Manage Your Cookie Preferences
Upon your first visit, a cookie banner will ask for your selection in plain, accessible language.
You can choose to:
Accept all cookies,
Reject all non-essential cookies, or
Customise settings by category (e.g., analytics, marketing).
You can change your preferences at any time via the cookie settings link, which remains easily accessible on our site.
6. Your Rights
Under the GDPR, you have the right to:
Withdraw consent at any time, with the same ease as granting it.
Access, correct, or request deletion of personal data collected via cookies.
Lodge a complaint with your national Data Protection Authority.
7. Cookie Duration and Data Retention
We list each cookie type (strictly necessary, preference, statistics, marketing), its purpose, provider (first- or third-party), and retention period. We regularly audit our cookies to keep this information up to date and document any changes.
8. Enforcement & Compliance
As enforcement tightens in 2025, regulators across the EU have penalised non-compliant websites - particularly those with manipulative cookie banners. Consent must reflect real user autonomy, not just technical compliance.
9. Policy Updates
This Cookie Policy may be updated as legislation or best practice evolves. We will compare changes against guidance from the European Data Protection Board and EU enforcement trends to maintain compliance.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our Cookie Policy or how we use cookies, please contact us at hello@school404.com.