Cookie Policy
Last Updated: February 10, 2026
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device (computer, smartphone, or tablet) when you visit them. They allow the website to recognize your device and remember information about your visit, such as your preferences, login status, and browsing behavior. Cookies are widely used across the internet to make websites work more efficiently and to provide a better user experience.
At Balkan Women Dating, we use cookies to ensure our platform operates smoothly, to understand how you interact with our site, and to deliver content and features tailored to your interests. This policy explains what types of cookies we use, why we use them, and how you can manage your cookie preferences.
Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary for the operation of our website. Without them, core features like account login, secure browsing, and page navigation would not function. Essential cookies cannot be disabled without significantly impacting your experience.
- Session management and user authentication
- Security tokens to protect against cross-site request forgery
- Load balancing to ensure stable page delivery
- Cookie consent preference storage
Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use our website by collecting anonymized data about page views, traffic sources, and user behavior. This information allows us to improve site performance and content relevance.
- Page visit counts and session duration tracking
- Traffic source and referral identification
- Bounce rate and navigation path analysis
- Device type and browser version statistics
Functionality Cookies
Functionality cookies remember choices you make on our site, such as your preferred language, display theme (light or dark mode), and regional settings. They provide enhanced, personalized features without requiring you to re-enter preferences on each visit.
- Theme preference (light/dark mode) persistence
- Language and locale settings
- Previously viewed profiles and search filters
- Form auto-fill preferences
Advertising Cookies
Advertising cookies are used to deliver relevant advertisements and to measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. These cookies may track your browsing activity across different websites to build a profile of your interests.
- Ad impression and click-through tracking
- Campaign performance measurement
- Retargeting for returning visitor engagement
- Conversion tracking for registration events
How We Use Cookies
The table below provides a detailed overview of the specific cookies used on our platform, their type, purpose, and how long they remain on your device.
| Cookie Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| bwd-session | Essential | Maintains your authenticated session across pages | Session |
| bwd-csrf | Essential | Protects forms against cross-site request forgery attacks | Session |
| bwd-consent | Essential | Stores your cookie consent preferences | 12 months |
| bwd-theme | Functionality | Remembers your light or dark mode display preference | 12 months |
| bwd-lang | Functionality | Stores your language and locale selection | 12 months |
| bwd-recent | Functionality | Tracks recently viewed profiles for quick access | 30 days |
| _ga / _gid | Analytics | Google Analytics - distinguishes unique visitors and sessions | 2 years / 24 hours |
| _gat | Analytics | Google Analytics - throttles request rate to manage data collection | 1 minute |
| bwd-ab | Analytics | Internal A/B testing to improve site features and layouts | 90 days |
| _fbp | Advertising | Facebook Pixel - measures ad performance and retargeting | 90 days |
| bwd-utm | Advertising | Tracks marketing campaign source and conversion attribution | 30 days |
| bwd-ref | Advertising | Records referral source for partnership commission tracking | 60 days |
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
You have the right to control which cookies are placed on your device. Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings. Below are instructions for the most common browsers.
Google Chrome
Open Chrome and navigate to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data. From there you can block third-party cookies, clear existing cookies, or add specific sites to your allow or block list.
Mozilla Firefox
In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security. Under the "Cookies and Site Data" section, you can clear data, manage exceptions, and choose your preferred tracking protection level (Standard, Strict, or Custom).
Apple Safari
On Safari, navigate to Preferences > Privacy. You can block all cookies, prevent cross-site tracking, or manage website data to remove cookies from specific sites. On iOS, go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security.
Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and go to Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Manage and delete cookies and site data. You can block third-party cookies, see all stored cookies, and add exceptions for trusted sites.
Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. Essential cookies cannot be turned off without losing access to core features such as account login and secure browsing.
Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies on our platform are set by third-party services that we use to enhance your experience and measure our marketing effectiveness. We do not control these cookies directly, and their use is governed by the respective third party's privacy policy.
- Analytics providers - Google Analytics for site traffic analysis and user behavior insights
- Advertising networks - Facebook Pixel and similar platforms for campaign measurement and retargeting
- Content delivery networks - Services that optimize image and page load speeds globally
- Security services - Bot detection and fraud prevention tools that protect your account
We regularly review our third-party partnerships to ensure they meet our privacy and security standards. For details on how these services handle your data, we encourage you to review their respective privacy policies.
Cookie Duration & Expiration
Cookies are classified by their lifespan into two categories. Understanding the distinction helps you make informed decisions about your privacy preferences.
| Cookie Type | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Session Cookies | Deleted when you close your browser | Temporary cookies that maintain your session while you actively browse the site. They are automatically removed once you close your browser window. |
| Persistent Cookies | 1 minute to 2 years (varies) | Remain on your device for a set period or until you manually delete them. Used for remembering preferences, analytics tracking, and advertising purposes. |
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you through a prominent notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our privacy team is here to help.
Email: [email protected]
You can also visit our Privacy Policy for more comprehensive information about how we protect your personal data, or review our Terms & Conditions for the full platform usage agreement.