Cookie Terms

WaterlooMountain uses a small number of cookies and browser localStorage entries to operate correctly and, where you have consented, to collect aggregated analytics. This document is the complete inventory of every storage item set on your device when you visit this platform. We do not set any storage items not listed here.

If you have questions about our broader data practices, please read our Privacy Statement. If you have questions about how data is used in the context of these terms, please contact us at [email protected].

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1. What Cookies and localStorage Are

Cookies are small text files stored on your device by a website. They allow a website to remember information between page loads and across browser sessions. Cookies are set by the web server via the Set-Cookie HTTP header, or by JavaScript running in the browser.

localStorage is a browser API that allows web pages to store key-value pairs locally on your device. Unlike cookies, localStorage data is not sent to the server with each request — it stays on your device and is accessible only to JavaScript running on the same domain. localStorage items do not have a built-in expiry mechanism; we implement our own expiry logic by storing a companion timestamp key.

WaterlooMountain uses both technologies together for the age gate and cookie consent preference. We use this hybrid approach (cookie + localStorage) because it improves cross-context reliability: some browsers or browser modes (including private browsing) may restrict one mechanism but not the other. We use the same logic for both reads and writes, and both stores are cleared when the relevant expiry period has passed.

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2. Cookie Categories We Use

We use two categories of storage:

• Strictly Necessary: These are essential for the Platform to function as described. They store your age gate confirmation and your cookie consent preference. Without them, you would be prompted to re-confirm your age and cookie choice on every single page. These cannot be disabled without breaking the Platform's consent mechanism. Under PIPEDA and BC PIPA, strictly necessary storage does not require opt-in consent because it is genuinely required for the service to operate.
• Analytics (optional): These are set by Google Analytics 4 only if you explicitly selected "Accept All" on the cookie consent banner. They are not set if you selected "Essential Only." They enable us to see aggregated (not individual) session statistics — pages visited, device types, approximate region — which we use to improve the Platform. You can withdraw this consent at any time.

We do not use advertising cookies, social media cookies, personalisation cookies, or any other category of storage. If a future version of this document introduces a new category, we will request fresh consent.

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3. Full Cookie and Storage Inventory

The table below lists every storage item we set. "Set by" indicates who writes the storage: "WaterlooMountain" means our own PHP/JavaScript code; "Google" means the GA4 SDK.

Note on IP anonymisation: Google Analytics 4 is configured with IP anonymisation enabled. The full IP address of your device is never stored or processed by Google Analytics in connection with these cookies.

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4. localStorage Mirrors

As described in the inventory above, wm_age_ok and wm_consent_v2 are stored in both the browser cookie store and in localStorage. The two stores mirror each other. When our JavaScript reads your preference, it checks localStorage first (for speed and private-browsing compatibility), then falls back to the cookie. When it writes your preference, it writes to both stores simultaneously.

The localStorage keys present on your device after using WaterlooMountain are:

• wm_age_ok — string "1" if age confirmed
• wm_age_ok_exp — numeric expiry timestamp in milliseconds
• wm_consent_v2 — JSON string with consent preference
• wm_consent_v2_exp — numeric expiry timestamp in milliseconds

No other localStorage keys are written by our code. We do not write to sessionStorage. We do not use IndexedDB. We do not use the Cache API.

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5. Browser Controls — How to Delete Cookies and localStorage

You can view, delete, or block cookies and localStorage data at any time using your browser's built-in developer tools or settings. Instructions for the most commonly used browsers are below.

Google Chrome

1. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select Settings.
2. Go to Privacy and security > Delete browsing data.
3. Select Cookies and other site data and click Delete data.
4. To delete only WaterlooMountain's data: go to Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data > See all site data and permissions, search for your domain, and click the bin icon.
5. To block all cookies from a site: go to Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data > Add under "Sites that can never use cookies" and enter the domain.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Click the hamburger menu and select Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security and scroll to Cookies and Site Data.
3. Click Manage Data, search for the domain, and click Remove Selected.
4. To clear all site data: click Clear Data.

Apple Safari (macOS)

1. Click Safari > Settings > Privacy.
2. Click Manage Website Data, search for the domain, and click Remove.

Apple Safari (iOS)

1. Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.
2. Swipe left on the relevant domain entry and tap Delete, or tap Remove All Website Data.

Microsoft Edge

1. Click the three-dot menu and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
2. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
3. Select Cookies and other site data and click Clear now.

Note: Deleting cookies or localStorage will reset your age gate and cookie consent preferences. The next time you visit WaterlooMountain, you will be asked to confirm your age and cookie preference again.

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6. How to Reopen Your Cookie Preferences

You can change your cookie preference at any time without clearing your browser data. On every page of WaterlooMountain, there is a small cookie icon button in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Clicking this button reopens the cookie consent banner, allowing you to switch between "Accept All" (analytics cookies enabled) and "Essential Only" (analytics cookies disabled).

When you change your preference:

• Your new choice is written to both the cookie store and localStorage immediately.
• If you switch from "Accept All" to "Essential Only," Google Analytics will no longer receive data from your browser on subsequent page loads. Note that this does not delete data already collected by Google Analytics before your change.
• If you switch from "Essential Only" to "Accept All," Google Analytics will begin receiving aggregated session data from your next page load onward.

The cookie settings button is always visible on every page — you do not need to navigate to this Cookie Terms page to manage your preferences.

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7. Google Consent Mode

WaterlooMountain implements Google Consent Mode v2. This means that before any consent choice is made, all Google tag categories — ad_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization, analytics_storage, functionality_storage, and personalization_storage — are set to denied by default. Only security_storage is granted by default, as it is required for basic platform security functions.

This default-denied posture means that even if you visit the site and do not interact with the cookie banner at all, no advertising or analytics data is transmitted to Google. The banner is displayed to invite your explicit choice; it does not "gate" any core Platform functionality (the game works with or without analytics consent).

If you select "Accept All," the consent signal for analytics_storage is updated to granted, enabling Google Analytics 4 to operate. The signals for all advertising-related categories (ad_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization) remain denied because WaterlooMountain does not use advertising products.

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8. Changes to These Cookie Terms

We may update these Cookie Terms when we add, remove, or change how we use browser storage. When we do, we will update the version number and effective date at the top of this page. If a change introduces a new category of cookies, we will request fresh consent before setting those cookies.

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9. Contact

If you have a question about this Cookie Terms document or about how we handle browser storage, please contact us:

WaterlooMountain

847 Pacific Boulevard
Vancouver, BC V6Z 2E4, Canada

Email: [email protected]

Privacy Officer: [email protected]

Phone: +1 (604) 555-0183