Effective date: 30 September 2026
This policy explains the cookies and similar storage used on the public directory and its visitor and business enquiry forms, operated by Solway Web Consulting, trading as Pride Compass Australia, ABN 16 750 149 558. It should be read with our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. Questions can be sent to privacy@pridecompass.com.au.
1. Cookies and similar storage
Cookies are small values a website asks your browser to store and send back with relevant requests. They can support functions such as keeping a session active or protecting a form. First-party cookies are set for our own site rather than by a separate advertising or analytics provider.
Browser session storage is different: it stores a value for a page's origin and browser-tab session, and does not automatically send it with every request. Our own analytics script reads a session-storage value and includes it in analytics requests. This policy covers both technologies so that “no analytics cookies” is not mistaken for “no analytics”.
2. Our own first-party cookies
We use our own first-party session cookie to support public forms. You may receive it when using a listing request, claim, mailing-list or other enquiry form.
session — public forms and application sessions
- Purpose: supports form security, including cross-site request forgery protection, and temporary application messages such as submission confirmations.
- Information: signed application-session values, including form-security tokens and temporary session data. Signing helps detect tampering; it does not encrypt the cookie contents.
- Lifetime: a browser-session cookie, normally removed when the browser session ends. Browsers that restore sessions may retain it for longer.
- Scope and protection: first-party, site-wide. The production configuration uses Secure, HttpOnly and SameSite=Lax protections to limit transmission and script access. These safeguards do not eliminate every security risk.
3. Our analytics session storage
qc_analytics_session_id is a first-party session-storage entry, not a cookie. It contains a randomly generated identifier used to associate page views and selected clicks within a browser-tab session. The storage name retains a legacy prefix; the value is used by Pride Compass Australia's own application.
It normally lasts until the tab or window is closed. Browser restoration or tab-duplication features can affect this behaviour. It is not intended as a permanent cross-site advertising identifier. We do not use local storage for this analytics identifier.
The analytics script reads it and sends it to our own analytics endpoint with activity information. If storage is unavailable or blocked, the script can still send activity without this identifier. Clearing browser storage does not remove events already recorded on our server.
4. Activity records and server logs
Our application records page and listing views and selected interactions, such as website, social, telephone, email and directions clicks. Some outbound links are recorded on our server as they redirect to the chosen destination. Requests can also generate operational and security logs.
Records may include the requested page, destination, event time, referring domain, IP address and its hash, browser/device information and approximate location derived from a locally held IP-location database. We do not request precise device GPS location for analytics. IP addresses and identifiers can relate to an individual, so we do not describe these records as anonymous. The Privacy Policy explains their purpose and handling.
Our first-party analytics runs on pages where its script is included without an analytics consent banner or an in-site opt-out switch. We do not currently use browser Do Not Track signals to disable it. This policy describes the current behaviour; continuing to browse is not treated as express consent to every possible future tracking practice.
5. Advertising and third-party services
We do not currently use Google Analytics, Google Ads cookies, third-party cookie-based analytics, advertising tracking pixels, browser fingerprinting or email-open tracking. Our directory can display advertisements and paid placements without installing advertising cookies. Our own activity measurement is described above.
Following a business, social, map or ticket link takes you to another provider, which may use its own cookies and process information overseas under its policies. Those cookies are not controlled by us. The existence of an external link does not mean the destination's cookies are set merely by viewing the listing on our site.
6. Your controls
You can inspect and delete cookies and site storage, block them, or use private-browsing features through your browser's privacy settings. Controls vary by browser. Blocking first-party cookies may prevent forms or confirmation actions from working correctly.
Blocking cookies alone does not stop session-storage analytics. Blocking storage alone does not stop activity requests or server-side redirect and security logging. Browser controls that block scripts or requests may reduce client-side collection but can affect functionality. Clearing a cookie or storage entry does not delete information already held by us; contact us about access, correction or removal under the Privacy Policy.
7. Changes and contact
We will update this policy when relevant storage or tracking practices change and revise the effective date. Material changes will be brought to your attention where appropriate. New uses requiring consent will not be authorised merely by updating this page.
For privacy questions or concerns, email privacy@pridecompass.com.au. Our Privacy Policy describes complaints and external review options.