Like most news sites, OBOL uses cookies and similar local storage technologies to keep the site working, understand which stories readers actually finish, and - where you've agreed to it - measure the performance of any advertising or sponsored placements. This policy explains what we set and why, in plain terms, without the usual wall of legalese.
What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file a website stores on your device via your browser. It can't run code or reach into other files on your machine; it typically just holds an identifier or a preference so the site remembers you between page loads. Some cookies vanish when you close the browser (session cookies); others persist for weeks or months (persistent cookies) so your settings survive a return visit.
Strictly necessary cookies
These keep the site functional: remembering that you dismissed the cookie banner, keeping you logged into a newsletter or comment account, balancing load across our servers, and protecting the site against basic abuse. They're set automatically and can't be turned off through our consent tool, because the site won't work properly without them - the only way to block them is through your browser's own settings, which may break parts of the site.
Analytics cookies
We use privacy-conscious analytics to see which articles and sections get read, how long people stay, and which links get clicked, so we can decide what to cover more of and fix pages that clearly aren't working. Where possible we favour aggregated or anonymised analytics over individual tracking. These cookies only run if you accept them in our consent banner; declining them means we simply see less about how the site is used, nothing on your end changes.
Advertising and sponsorship cookies
OBOL is funded partly through advertising and disclosed sponsorships, and some ad partners set their own cookies to measure reach and frequency, or to avoid showing you the same banner fifty times in a row. We do not allow ad partners to use cookie data to influence what our newsroom covers, and any sponsored article is labelled clearly regardless of whether you accept these cookies. You can decline advertising cookies without losing access to any article.
Third-party embeds
Some articles embed charts, price widgets or social posts from third parties - block explorers, data providers, or platforms like X - to illustrate a point. Those embeds can set their own cookies under their own policies once loaded, independent of ours. Where practical we load embeds only after you interact with them, but we'd rather be upfront: we don't control third-party cookie behaviour and recommend checking those providers' own policies if you have concerns.
Managing your preferences
You can change your cookie choices at any time via the "Cookie settings" link in the site footer, which reopens the consent tool. Most browsers also let you block or delete cookies globally through their settings menu, and browser extensions can block third-party trackers specifically. Blocking necessary cookies may log you out of saved preferences or break comment functionality; blocking analytics or ad cookies has no effect on your ability to read the news.
Retention
Analytics and advertising cookies are generally retained for periods ranging from thirty days to thirteen months depending on the provider, after which they expire and, if still relevant, are reset on your next visit and consent. We periodically review our cookie inventory and remove ones we no longer need.
Questions
If you want to know exactly what's dropped on a given page, or have a concern about how a cookie is used, write to [email protected] and we'll get back to you.
Last updated 10 July 2026