Cookie Policy

Small files,
Big Consent
Rules.

This policy explains exactly which cookies we set, why we set them, and how to turn off everything that is not strictly required. No dark patterns - just a clear consent record.

No tracking by default
Granular consent panel
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YOURBROWSERYou decide🔒Necessary⚙️Preferences📊Analytics📣Marketing🍪OTFFirst-party🌐VendorsVetted partners✋YouFinal authority4 Transparent CategoriesEach togglable individuallyZero Third-Party TrackersWithout your explicit opt-in
4Cookie categories
0Trackers by default
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26moMax lifetime
At a glance

Six things
worth knowing first.

The full policy is below. This summary is the plain-English version of it - the principles that govern every cookie we set on openitfreelancers.com.

What cookies are

Small text files stored on your device that remember things like your login session, your language, and how you use the platform.

What you control

Everything except the strictly necessary cookies. You toggle Preferences, Analytics, and Marketing independently.

What we never do

We never set non-essential cookies before you consent, and we never sell cookie data to ad networks - ever.

How long they live

Session cookies disappear when you close the browser. Persistent cookies expire after 12 or 26 months at most.

Who sets them

Most cookies are first-party (set by openitfreelancers.com). A small set of vetted vendors set cookies only with your consent.

How to withdraw

One click on the cookie panel in the footer. The change takes effect immediately and is logged for compliance.

Section 01

What cookies
actually are.

A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website. It stores a little bit of data that can be read back on your next visit - things like whether you are logged in, what language you prefer, or which engagement you last opened.

Alongside cookies, this policy also covers similar technologies - localStorage, sessionStorage, web beacons, and pixel tags. For simplicity, we refer to all of them as "cookies" throughout this page.

🍪

Anatomy of a cookie

oif_session=eyJhbGciOiJI…

  • NameA unique identifier for the cookie (e.g. oif_session).
  • ValueThe data the cookie stores - usually encrypted or opaque.
  • DomainWhich site the cookie belongs to (e.g. openitfreelancers.com).
  • ExpirySession (until browser closes) or a fixed date in the future.
  • Secure flagWe only set cookies over HTTPS, never over plain HTTP.
  • SameSite flagRestricts cross-site use to prevent CSRF attacks.

Related to your rights

Cookie data can be personal data under GDPR. Everything in our Privacy Policy applies to cookie-derived data too.

Section 02

Four categories,
four independent toggles.

Every cookie on openitfreelancers.com belongs to exactly one of these four categories. You can accept, reject, or change any category at any time.

Always on

Strictly necessary

Authentication, session persistence, CSRF protection, load balancing, and consent preference storage. The platform cannot run without them.

Example identifiers

oif_sessionoif_csrfoif_consent
Consent-based

Preferences

Remember your language, region, interface density, and recently viewed engagements so you don't have to set them every time.

Example identifiers

oif_langoif_regionoif_theme
Consent-based

Analytics

First-party, IP-anonymised traffic analysis so we can measure load times, feature usage, and improve the platform experience.

Example identifiers

_oifa_oifa_session
Consent-based

Marketing

Measure the performance of inbound campaigns we run. Only set with explicit consent - never used for retargeting across the web.

Example identifiers

_oifm_campaign_oifm_source
Section 03

The full list,
cookie-by-cookie.

Here is every cookie currently in use on the platform. This table is updated whenever we add, remove, or change a cookie - historical changes are captured in the version log.

  • oif_session
    Necessary

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party)

    Keeps you signed in securely while using the platform.

    Session
  • oif_csrf
    Necessary

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party)

    Protects you from cross-site request forgery on sensitive actions.

    Session
  • oif_consent
    Necessary

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party)

    Stores your cookie consent choices so we don't ask again on every page.

    12 months
  • oif_lang
    Preferences

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party)

    Remembers your preferred interface language.

    12 months
  • oif_region
    Preferences

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party)

    Keeps your region and local currency in sync.

    12 months
  • _oifa
    Analytics

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party, IP-anonymised)

    Identifies a unique visitor in aggregated traffic analysis.

    26 months
  • _oifa_session
    Analytics

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party, IP-anonymised)

    Tracks a single visit for session-duration and bounce-rate metrics.

    30 minutes
  • _oifm_campaign
    Marketing

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party)

    Attributes inbound visits to the campaign that brought them.

    12 months
  • _oifm_source
    Marketing

    Open IT Freelancers (first-party)

    Records the referring source for campaign performance reporting.

    12 months
Section 04

Third-party cookies,
tightly controlled.

We rely on a short, vetted list of vendors to make the platform work. Every one of them is bound by a Data Processing Agreement and the same security posture we apply internally.

Vendors we allow

Vetted third-party cookies.

  • Stripe

    Payment processorNecessary

    Sets strictly necessary cookies only on billing pages to complete card transactions and prevent fraud.

    Vendor privacy policy ↗

  • Cloudflare

    Edge security and cachingNecessary

    Sets a security cookie to distinguish humans from bots and mitigate DDoS attacks.

    Vendor privacy policy ↗

  • Intercom

    Support chat (when enabled)Preferences

    Sets a session identifier so your support conversation persists across pages. Only active when you open the chat widget.

    Vendor privacy policy ↗
Vendors we block

What you will not find here.

  • No third-party ad networks. Ever.
  • No cross-site behavioural advertising trackers.
  • No social media 'like' pixels loaded without consent.
  • No vendor that refuses to sign a DPA with SCCs.

Vendor updates

If we add or remove a vendor, this section and the cookie table in Section 03 are updated. Material vendor changes are announced at least 30 days in advance.

Section 05

Your cookies,
your choice.

You decide which categories run on your visit. No non-essential cookie is ever set before you actively make that choice - and you can change it at any time.

Open preferences

Click "Cookie preferences" in the site footer to open the panel. Your choice is stored in the oif_consent cookie for 12 months.

01

Accept all

Turn on every non-essential category at once. Useful if you want the full experience including analytics and marketing.

02

Reject optional

Keep only strictly necessary cookies. Preferences, analytics, and marketing stay off.

03

Granular control

Toggle each category independently. Mix and match - for example, allow preferences but not marketing.

04

Change your mind

Re-open the cookie panel any time from the footer. New choices take effect immediately and are logged.

05

Withdraw consent

A one-click option to switch everything non-essential back off. No friction, no dark patterns.

06

Browser-level controls

Use your browser's cookie settings to block or delete cookies. We respect Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals.

Section 06

Manage cookies
at the browser level.

In addition to our cookie panel, every modern browser lets you view, block, or delete cookies globally. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may prevent parts of the platform from working correctly.

Google Chrome

Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data. Choose "Block third-party cookies" or manage per-site exceptions.

Official vendor instructions ↗

Safari

Safari → Settings → Privacy. Toggle "Prevent cross-site tracking" and manage "Manage Website Data".

Official vendor instructions ↗

Mozilla Firefox

Preferences → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection. Set to Standard, Strict, or Custom.

Official vendor instructions ↗

Microsoft Edge

Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data. Toggle tracking prevention.

Official vendor instructions ↗

Do Not Track & GPC: We treat Global Privacy Control signals as an opt-out of all non-essential cookies. The legacy DNT header is not widely standardised but we honour it where present.

FAQ

Questions about
cookies.

No. Strictly necessary cookies are the only ones required for the platform to work, and those cannot be turned off because they have no alternative. Every other category is optional.

🍪PECRGDPRCCPAGPC4 types1-click

4

Cookie categories

0

Ad trackers

12mo

Consent stored

GPC

Signal honoured

Prefer a conversation?

Our privacy team can walk you through any cookie we set and explain exactly what it does.

Talk to our team →
Cookie controls

Manage your cookies anytime.

Open the cookie panel to toggle categories independently. Your choice is stored for 12 months and can be withdrawn with a single click.

  • Accept all, reject optional, or mix and match
  • Change your preferences at any time
  • Your choice is logged for compliance
  • No dark patterns, no nudges, no tricks
Talk to us

Questions about a specific cookie?

Our privacy team can explain what any cookie does, when it is set, and how to remove it. Every email is acknowledged within 72 hours.

Open a structured request

Our commitment: Transparent cookies, granular controls, and a consent record you can revisit whenever you want.

🔒NecessaryAlways on⚙️PreferencesYou decide📊AnalyticsIP-anonymised📣MarketingOpt-in only✋Withdraw1-click