Cookie & Similar Technologies Policy

Effective date: August 12, 2026
Last reviewed: August 12, 2026
Supersedes: version effective July 29, 2026

1. Introduction

This Cookie & Similar Technologies Policy ("Policy") explains how Wanderdriven Inc. ("wanderdriven", "we", "us", or "our") uses cookies and related technologies on wanderdriven.com and the wanderdriven mobile application (collectively, the "Service").

We explain what these technologies are, why we use them, and how you can control them. This Policy forms part of our Privacy Policy, and takes the same position in the order of precedence set out in section 1.2 of our Terms of Service.

2. What Are Cookies and Similar Technologies?

Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They allow the site to recognize your browser across requests and sessions.

Local Storage and Session Storage

Like cookies, local storage and session storage hold data in your browser. Unlike cookies, they are not sent automatically with every HTTP request. wanderdriven does not store authentication tokens in local storage. Your signed-in session is identified by an HTTP-only session cookie, described in section 4.1.

Third-Party Technologies

Some cookies and similar trackers are placed by third-party services we use for infrastructure and payments (such as AWS and Stripe). Those parties' own privacy and cookie policies govern how they use the data collected. We do not use third-party advertising networks or ad servers, and no advertising cookies are set on the Service.

3. Why We Use Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use these technologies to:

authenticate you securely and maintain your session;
protect against fraud and unauthorized access;
operate payment and checkout flows;
remember your preferences and settings.

We do not use advertising cookies, third-party ad networks, or cross-site tracking technologies. We do not currently use analytics or measurement cookies.

We do collect usage and interaction data server-side, as described in section 4.3 of our Privacy Policy. That collection does not rely on cookies or similar client-side technologies, and it is not used for advertising or cross-site tracking.

If we introduce any non-essential technology, we will update this Policy and obtain consent where required before it is set.

4. Categories of Cookies We Use

4.1 Strictly Necessary

These cookies and tokens are essential for the Service to function. They cannot be switched off and are set without consent, as permitted by applicable law.

Authentication (AWS Cognito / Hosted UI). When you sign in via the wanderdriven sign-in page (hosted by Amazon Cognito), AWS sets session cookies on our sign-in subdomain to manage your authorization code flow. After the exchange, wanderdriven stores an opaque session identifier in an HTTP-only cookie on the Service. Access and refresh tokens are held in a server-side session store and are not written to your browser's local storage.
AWS Application Load Balancer (ALB). AWS may set AWSALB, AWSALBCORS, or AWSELBAuthSessionCookie to route your requests to the correct server.
Stripe.js (payments). When you purchase Premium content or a subscription, Stripe sets cookies and uses browser storage for fraud prevention and payment security. Stripe's cookies are governed by Stripe's own cookie policy.
Content management system session. If you access the wanderdriven content management system as an administrator, a session cookie maintains your admin login. This applies to administrator accounts only, and is strictly necessary for the administrative function it supports.
Logout cookies. On logout, wanderdriven writes expired cookies across multiple domains and paths to clear any residual session data. These contain no personal data.
wanderdriven session cookie (wd_auth_session). An HTTP-only, Secure, SameSite=Lax cookie that holds an opaque session identifier. It is required to authenticate API calls and is cleared on logout.

4.2 Advertising

We do not use advertising cookies. wanderdriven does not load third-party ad scripts, does not use ad networks or ad servers, and does not set or permit cookies or identifiers used to profile you for advertising or to track you across other sites and services.

wanderdriven promotes stories, storytellers, and story organizations from within the Service, including paid placements which are labeled as promoted. This promotion is delivered from our own systems using your in-product activity and does not involve third-party advertising technology. See section 3.5 of our Terms of Service.

5. Cookie Register

Cookie / Identifier	Purpose	Provider	Duration	Personal Information
`wd_auth_session`	Opaque signed-in session identifier (HTTP-only)	wanderdriven	Session (idle and absolute expiry)	Yes (session identifier)
`CognitoIdentityServiceProvider.*`	Maintains your sign-in session on the hosted UI	AWS Cognito	Session	Yes (session identifier)
`AWSALB`, `AWSALBCORS`, `AWSELBAuthSessionCookie`	Routes requests to the correct server	AWS	Session	Possibly (sticky session ID)
Stripe cookies	Payment processing and fraud prevention	Stripe	Per Stripe policy	Possibly (device, fraud signals)
CMS admin session	Maintains admin login (administrators only)	wanderdriven	Session	Yes (admin session)
Logout cookies	Clears session data on logout	wanderdriven	Immediate expiry	No (empty value)

Mapbox. We use Mapbox to render maps for storytelling features. Mapbox is loaded without setting cookies or persistent identifiers on the Service, and it therefore does not appear in the register above. Mapbox's own privacy notice is linked in section 6.

6. Third-Party Cookies and Technologies

Some cookies and trackers are placed directly by third parties. wanderdriven does not control these cookies. They are subject to each third party's own privacy notices:

Amazon Web Services (AWS): https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/
Stripe: https://stripe.com/privacy
Mapbox: https://www.mapbox.com/legal/privacy

7. Your Choices and How to Control Cookies

7.1 Consent

Every cookie and identifier described in this Policy is strictly necessary. We do not set advertising cookies, analytics cookies, or any other non-essential tracking technology, so no consent mechanism is currently required.

If we introduce any non-essential cookie or identifier in future, we will update this Policy and, where required by applicable law, obtain your consent through a preference control before it is set.

7.2 Global Privacy Control

We honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal. Where your browser or extension transmits a GPC signal, we treat it as an objection to any sale or sharing of your personal information and apply it automatically without further action from you. We do not currently sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under applicable US state privacy law.

7.3 Do Not Track

The "Do Not Track" (DNT) browser signal is a separate and older mechanism with no agreed standard for compliance. The Service does not alter its behavior in response to DNT signals. This does not affect our treatment of GPC, described in section 7.2.

7.4 Browser Controls

Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies. See your browser's help documentation for instructions. Disabling strictly necessary cookies will prevent you from signing in and using the Service.

7.5 Promoted Content

wanderdriven surfaces promoted stories, storytellers, and organizations from within the Service, as described in section 3.5 of the Terms of Service. Paid placements are labeled. Because this promotion does not use third-party advertising technology, industry advertising opt-out tools do not apply to it. Promoted content shown to youth accounts is not personalized.

8. Ending Your Session

You can end your signed-in session at any time by logging out. Logging out clears the wd_auth_session cookie. You can also clear site cookies through your browser's site-data or developer tools.

9. Data Retention

The retention period for each cookie or token depends on its type:

Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser or when their idle or absolute expiry is reached.
Persistent cookies remain until their expiry date or until you delete them.
The wanderdriven session cookie is cleared on logout or when you clear your browser's site cookies.
Third-party retention periods are set by the relevant third party and are outside wanderdriven's control.

10. Jurisdiction-Specific Notices

10.1 Canada (PIPEDA and Provincial Laws)

We collect, use, and disclose personal information, including identifiers derived from cookies and tokens, in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial private-sector privacy legislation, including Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act and Quebec's Law 25. You have the right to access and correct your personal information by contacting us at the address in section 12.

10.2 European Economic Area and United Kingdom

Where the GDPR, UK GDPR, or the ePrivacy Directive applies, we set only strictly necessary cookies and identifiers, which are permitted without consent. We obtain your consent before setting any cookie or identifier that is not strictly necessary, and you may withdraw that consent at any time through the control described in section 7.1.

10.3 California (CCPA / CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you may have the right to know what personal information we collect, to request deletion, and to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your personal information.

wanderdriven does not sell personal information, and does not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not use third-party advertising networks. We nonetheless honor the Global Privacy Control signal as described in section 7.2. To exercise any privacy right, contact us at the address in section 12.

10.4 Other US States

wanderdriven will honor equivalent rights under applicable US state privacy laws as they come into force.

11. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the dates at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or through the Service. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Wanderdriven Inc.
5920 S. Hwy A1A, Suite #202
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
United States

Phone: 855-926-9263
Email: privacy@wanderdriven.com