Cookie Policy

1. What this policy covers

This policy explains what the Synapser website (synapser.app) and the Google Drive file-selection page used by some earlier versions of the App (api.synapser.app) store in your browser and why. How Synapser handles your personal data is described in the Privacy Policy.

2. Necessary browser storage

The website at synapser.app stores two small values in your browser’s local storage. They are used only to remember choices you make on the site and are not used to track you. They are not sent to Synapser or third parties, so no consent is required:

• synapser-theme — your light / dark / system theme choice.
• synapser-consent — the answer you gave on the cookie banner, so we don't ask again.

Google Drive file selection. Google Drive file selection uses Google Picker in the system authorization browser. Some earlier versions of the App instead open Google Picker through a Synapser file-selection page in your device's browser. That page uses the strictly necessary __Secure-SynapserDrivePicker cookie to securely return your selection to the App. The cookie expires after five minutes and is restricted to /drive/picker on the API host. It contains a random session identifier, not file contents or Google access or refresh tokens. Synapser does not use this session for analytics or advertising.

Google Picker may also use Google's own cookies and browser session for sign-in and file selection, under Google's Privacy Policy and cookie information. Temporary Synapser file-selection records expire five minutes after creation and are removed by the next successful scheduled cleanup, which runs every minute. See the Privacy Policy for the data held in these records.

3. Analytics cookies (only with your consent)

With your consent — and only then — the website at synapser.app uses Google Analytics 4 to understand, in aggregate, how the site is used: which pages are visited, from what kind of device, and roughly from where. If you decline website analytics, Google Analytics is not loaded and no analytics cookie is set. There is no hidden fallback measurement.

When you accept, Google Analytics sets first-party cookies:

• _ga — distinguishes your browser from others. Expires after up to 2 years.
• _ga_* — keeps session state for our specific property. Expires after up to 2 years.

The data is processed for us by Google Ireland Limited and Google LLC. Google Analytics 4 may temporarily process your IP address to derive approximate location information, but it does not log or store individual visitor IP addresses. We do not use Google Analytics for advertising, targeted advertising, or ad personalization. You can read more in Google – How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services.

4. Your choice, and changing it

When no choice is stored—typically on your first visit—the cookie banner asks whether to allow analytics. “Decline” and “Allow analytics” carry equal weight, and the website’s core functionality remains available either way. You can change your choice at any time using the Cookie Settings button in the footer of every page. If you withdraw your consent, any analytics cookies already set will be removed. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing carried out before you withdrew it.

These Cookie Settings control analytics on synapser.app. They do not control the necessary file-selection cookie or Google's own browser cookies. You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings; blocking cookies needed by Google Picker may prevent file selection.

5. Forms

Submitting the newsletter form sends us the email address you typed, along with your consent to receive occasional Synapser product updates by email; it is processed by Loops, our email service provider, and sets no cookies. Details are in the Privacy Policy.

6. Contact

Questions about this Cookie Policy: [email protected].