Cookie Policy
This policy explains what cookies StockTalk SA sets on your device, why we use them, and how you can control them.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device when you visit. They are widely used to make websites work correctly, remember your preferences, and provide site owners with aggregate information about how the site is used.
Cookies can be session cookies (deleted when you close your browser) or persistent cookies (stored on your device until they expire or you delete them). They can be set by the site you're visiting (first-party) or by third-party services embedded in the page.
Essential cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary for the platform to function. They cannot be disabled without breaking core features like login and payments. No consent is required for these under South African law.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| st_session | StockTalk SA | Keeps you logged in between page loads (HTTP-only, secure) | Session |
| st_csrf | StockTalk SA | Prevents cross-site request forgery attacks | Session |
| __stripe_mid | Stripe | Fraud prevention for payment processing | 1 year |
| __stripe_sid | Stripe | Fraud prevention for payment processing | 30 min |
Analytics cookies
We use analytics tools to understand how visitors use StockTalk so we can improve the product. The data collected is aggregated and anonymised — we cannot identify you individually from analytics data.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes users for aggregate traffic reporting | 2 years |
| _ga_* | Google Analytics | Maintains session state for GA4 | 2 years |
| ph_* | PostHog | Product analytics — feature usage and funnel tracking (anonymised) | 1 year |
You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Marketing and advertising cookies
None currently set
StockTalk SA does not currently run targeted advertising and does not set advertising or tracking cookies for marketing purposes. If this changes in the future we will update this policy and notify you.
Third-party services
Some cookies are set by third-party services we rely on. These services have their own privacy and cookie policies which we encourage you to review:
How to control cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- View and delete cookies already stored on your device
- Block all cookies, or block cookies from specific websites
- Set preferences for different types of cookies
Browser cookie settings
Note: Disabling essential cookies will prevent you from logging in and using core platform features.
Local storage and similar technologies
In addition to cookies, we use browser local storage to remember your UI preferences (such as dark/light mode and chart settings) within the platform. This data stays on your device and is not transmitted to our servers. You can clear it at any time through your browser's developer tools or by clearing site data.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time, for example when we add new third-party services. We will update the “last updated” date above and, for material changes, notify you via a platform notice.
Questions
Questions about our use of cookies? privacy@stocktalk.co.za