1. About Us

Pentacept Reporters is an independent digital media platform operated by:

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that websites place on your computer, smartphone, tablet or other device.

Cookies may allow a website to:

• Operate securely.
• Remember your preferences.
• Keep you signed in.
• Understand how visitors use the website.
• Measure website performance.
• Display or measure advertising.
• Provide embedded videos and social-media features.

Cookies may be:

• Session cookies, which expire when you close your browser.
• Persistent cookies, which remain on your device for a specified period or until you delete them.
• First-party cookies, which are placed by Pentacept Reporters.
• Third-party cookies, which are placed by another organisation whose services appear on our website.

3. Similar Technologies

This policy also applies to other technologies that store information on, or access information from, your device.

These may include:

• Tracking pixels.
• Web beacons.
• Local storage.
• Software development kits.
• Scripts and tags.
• Device identifiers.
• Link-tracking technologies.
• Embedded media technologies.
• Device fingerprinting, where applicable.

We refer to all these technologies collectively as "cookies" in this policy.

4. How We Use Cookies

We may use cookies for the following purposes.

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are required for the website to operate properly or securely.

They may be used to:

• Deliver website pages.
• Balance website traffic.
• Protect the website against attacks and fraud.
• Remember your cookie choices.
• Support forms and user-requested features.
• Maintain an authenticated session, where login facilities are available.
• Detect technical errors.

These cookies cannot normally be switched off through our cookie-consent tool because the website may not function correctly without them.

Analytics and statistical cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors use our website.

They may collect information such as:

• Pages visited.
• Time spent on pages.
• Links selected.
• The website or search engine that referred you.
• Browser and device type.
• General geographic region.
• Page-loading and performance information.
• Errors encountered.

We use this information to understand audience interests, improve website performance and decide what content and features are most useful.

Where our analytics use meets the applicable statistical-purpose exception, we may use it without prior consent. This will only apply where the information is used solely to produce aggregate statistics for improving the website, is not used to track or profile individual visitors, and you are given a simple and free way to object.

Where analytics do not meet the requirements of an applicable exception, they will only be activated with your consent.

Preference and functionality cookies

These cookies allow the website to remember choices such as:

• Language.
• Display preferences.
• Text size.
• Dark or light mode.
• Video or audio settings.
• Accessibility preferences.

Where an applicable appearance or functionality exception applies, we may use these technologies without prior consent, provided that you receive clear information and a simple, free way to object. Otherwise, we will request your consent before using them.

Advertising cookies

We may use advertising cookies to:

• Display advertising.
• Select or personalise advertisements.
• Limit how often an advertisement is shown.
• Measure advertising performance.
• Understand whether an advertisement was viewed or selected.
• Support affiliate marketing.
• Build or use advertising profiles.

Advertising and cross-site tracking cookies will only be activated after you have given valid consent.

Rejecting advertising cookies will not necessarily remove all advertisements. You may instead receive advertising that is not personalised using information stored on or accessed from your device.

Embedded media cookies

Our articles may include content from third-party platforms, such as:

• YouTube.
• Vimeo.
• Facebook.
• Instagram.
• X.
• LinkedIn.
• Podcast or audio-hosting platforms.

These providers may place cookies or collect information about your interaction with their content.

Where possible, we will use privacy-enhanced settings or prevent third-party content from loading until you choose to view it or provide the required consent.

If you select "play," "view," "load content" or a similar option, the relevant third party may collect information according to its own privacy and cookie policies.

Social-media cookies

Social-media sharing buttons, plugins or embedded posts may allow social-media platforms to recognise users and collect information about their interactions.

Tracking technologies associated with these features will only be activated where we have obtained the required consent, unless an applicable legal exception applies to a specific user-requested function.

5. Consent and Your Choices

When you first visit our website, you may be shown a cookie banner or preference centre.

Where consent is required, you will be given clear options to:

• Accept optional cookies.
• Reject optional cookies.
• Choose individual categories.
• Save your preferences.

Optional cookies will be switched off by default unless and until you give permission.

You can withdraw or change your consent at any time by selecting the "Cookie Settings" link available in the website footer or cookie banner.

Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of cookie use that occurred before your preferences were changed.

6. Cookies That Do Not Require Consent

UK law allows certain storage and access technologies to be used without consent where the relevant legal requirements are satisfied.

These may include technologies used:

• Solely to transmit communications over a network.
• Where strictly necessary to provide a service requested by the user.
• Solely to produce qualifying statistical information used to improve the website.
• To adapt the website's appearance or functionality to a user's preferences.
• For emergency-assistance purposes, where relevant.

The exceptions are limited. If a technology is used for another purpose, such as personalised advertising, cross-site tracking or profiling, we will obtain consent where required.

For statistical and appearance-related exceptions, we will provide a simple and free method for you to object.

7. Cookies Used on Our Website

The precise cookies used may change as we update our website, hosting, analytics, advertising and embedded-media services.

A current and detailed list of cookies should be available through our Cookie Settings panel. The cookie register should identify:

This table must be completed using the results of a website cookie scan before the website launches.

8. Third-Party Services

Third parties may set or access cookies when their services are used on our website.

Depending on the tools installed, these providers may include:

• Website-hosting providers.
• Content-delivery and security services.
• Analytics providers.
• Advertising networks.
• Email and newsletter platforms.
• Video and podcast platforms.
• Social-media networks.
• Consent-management providers.

These organisations may process information according to their own privacy and cookie policies.

Where consent is required for a third-party service, it will not be activated until you provide the appropriate permission.

9. Managing Cookies Through Your Browser

Most browsers allow you to:

• View stored cookies.
• Delete individual or all cookies.
• Block cookies from particular websites.
• Block third-party cookies.
• Prevent cookies from being stored.
• Receive a warning before cookies are placed.

The method varies between browsers. Please consult the help or privacy section of your browser.

Blocking all cookies may cause some parts of our website to stop working properly. Browser settings should not be treated as a replacement for the choices offered through our cookie-consent tool.

10. Do Not Track and Similar Signals

Some browsers and devices provide "Do Not Track," Global Privacy Control or similar preference signals.

Where we are legally required or technically able to recognise such signals, we will take them into account. These signals may not operate consistently across all browsers, devices and third-party services.

You can always manage your choices through our Cookie Settings panel.

11. Personal Information Collected Through Cookies

Some cookie information may constitute personal data, particularly where it relates to:

• An IP address.
• A device identifier.
• An account or user profile.
• Browsing behaviour.
• Advertising interests.
• Approximate location.

Where cookies involve personal data, we will handle that information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection law.

12. How Long Cookies Remain on Your Device

The duration of a cookie depends on its purpose and configuration.

Session cookies normally expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies may remain for a defined period unless you delete them earlier.

The specific lifespan of each cookie should be shown in the cookie register or Cookie Settings panel.

We will not retain cookie-derived personal information for longer than reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

13. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy when:

• Our website technology changes.
• We introduce new analytics or advertising services.
• We add new embedded-media features.
• Our legal or regulatory obligations change.
• A service provider changes how its cookies operate.

The latest version will be published on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.

Where appropriate, we may ask you to renew your cookie choices following a significant change.

14. Contact Us

For questions about our cookies or privacy practices, contact:

Please direct all correspondence to the appropriate email address above.