How uswaterparkguide.org/ Uses Cookies — CCPA/CPRA & State Privacy Laws
What cookies and similar technologies we use, what each does, how long it lasts, and the choices you have under U.S. state privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA, CTDPA, CPA, UCPA, TDPSA, OCPA) plus federal frameworks. Read alongside our Privacy Policy.
What is on this page
1. What Cookies Are
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. Similar technologies include local storage, pixels, and SDKs. They allow a website to remember your preferences, keep your visit working smoothly, measure usage, and (when you consent) support personalized advertising.
In the U.S., cookie use is governed by a patchwork of state privacy laws — CCPA/CPRA in California, VCDPA in Virginia, CPA in Colorado, CTDPA in Connecticut, UCPA in Utah, TDPSA in Texas, OCPA in Oregon, and a growing list — plus federal frameworks such as Section 5 of the FTC Act and COPPA for users under 13.
2. Why We Use Cookies
- To make the site work — load pages, remember cookie preferences, protect against abuse
- To remember your preferences — state preference, font-size choice, accessibility preferences
- To understand what is useful — aggregated, anonymous analytics on which park guides are read most
- To support display advertising — frequency capping and measurement, with personalized advertising only where you have not opted out
3. The Four Categories of Cookie
1. Strictly necessary
Essential for the site to function. Used without consent under most state laws.
2. Functional
Remember preferences. On unless you opt out.
3. Analytics
Aggregated usage measurement. Subject to state opt-out signals (GPC).
4. Advertising
Frequency capping, measurement, and (where state law permits) personalized advertising. Subject to “Do Not Sell or Share” / opt-out.
4. First-Party Cookies (Set by uswaterparkguide.org/)
| Name | Purpose | Category | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| uwg_consent | Records your cookie-consent choice | Strictly necessary | 12 months |
| uwg_session | Maintains page-load state during your visit | Strictly necessary | Session |
| uwg_csrf | Cross-site request forgery protection | Strictly necessary | Session |
| uwg_state | Stores your state/region preference | Functional | 6 months |
| uwg_gpc | Records that we received a Global Privacy Control signal | Strictly necessary | 12 months |
5. Third-Party Cookies
| Provider | Purpose | Category | Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 (GA4) | Aggregated site analytics | Analytics | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Google AdSense | Display advertising; frequency capping; measurement | Advertising | policies.google.com/technologies/ads |
| Cloudflare | Site security, bot mitigation, CDN performance | Strictly necessary | cloudflare.com/privacypolicy |
6. “Sale” and “Share” Under CCPA/CPRA
We do not “sell” personal information for money. However, the broad definitions of “sale” under California’s CCPA/CPRA and “sharing” under the CPRA (for cross-context behavioral advertising) can cover the disclosure of cookie-based identifiers to third-party advertising partners (e.g., Google AdSense) when you have not opted out. To the extent any of our cookie-based advertising falls within those definitions, you can opt out via:
- The Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal — we honor it as a “Do Not Sell or Share” request
- The “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link in our footer (where displayed for your state)
- The cookie banner — reject advertising cookies
- Google’s own opt-out: adssettings.google.com
7. How to Manage Cookies
- Cookie banner — accept, reject, or customize on first visit
- “Cookie settings” link in the footer — change your choice at any time
- Browser controls — block or delete cookies (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave)
- Private / Incognito browsing
- GPC-enabled browser — Brave, Firefox (with extension), DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser; we honor the Global Privacy Control as a “Do Not Sell or Share” opt-out
8. Industry Opt-Out Tools
- Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) WebChoices — optout.aboutads.info
- Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) — optout.networkadvertising.org
- Google Ads settings — adssettings.google.com
- Browser-level controls — your browser’s “Settings” → “Privacy” → “Cookies”
9. Global Privacy Control (GPC) and Do Not Track
The original browser-level Do Not Track (DNT) signal is no longer widely supported and the original DNT specification was never finalized. We honor the more current Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal as a “Do Not Sell or Share” opt-out under the CCPA/CPRA and as an opt-out signal under the CPA, CTDPA, and other state laws that recognize universal opt-out mechanisms.
10. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We update this policy when our practices or U.S. law change. The “Last reviewed” date at the top reflects the current version.
11. Contact
For any cookie or privacy query, email info@uswaterparkguide.org with the subject “Cookie query” — see our Privacy Policy for the full state-privacy-rights framework.
Manage Your Cookie Preferences Any Time
Use the “Cookie settings” link in the site footer to change your choice. Your decision is remembered for 12 months from when you set it.
📧 info@uswaterparkguide.org