Cookie Policy

Last updated: 10 April 2026

This page lists every cookie and browser-storage entry the Hatchery uses, what it's for, and how long it sticks around. For the bigger picture of what data gets collected and why, see the Privacy Policy.

Strictly necessary

These are required for the site to work at all. They're set whether or not you accept the cookie banner. None of them identify you.

Name	Type	Purpose	Lifetime
`.AspNetCore.Antiforgery.*`	HTTP cookie	Protects form submissions from cross-site request forgery. Set by the Blazor Server framework.	Session
`hatchery-visitor-id`	localStorage	A random UUID generated in your browser so that reactions you've given to articles (Love, Insightful, etc.) can be toggled off later. Never leaves your browser unless you react to an article, and is not linked to any identifying info.	Until you clear browser data
`analytics-consent`	localStorage	Remembers your accept/decline decision for analytics, so the cookie banner doesn't nag you on every page.	Until you clear browser data

Analytics (only if you click “Accept”)

These are only set if you accept the cookie banner. If you decline, the Application Insights JavaScript SDK is never loaded and none of these exist.

Name	Type	Purpose	Lifetime
`ai_user`	HTTP cookie	Anonymous user identifier used by Microsoft Application Insights to distinguish returning visitors.	~1 year
`ai_session`	HTTP cookie	Session identifier used by Microsoft Application Insights to group events from a single visit.	~30 minutes of inactivity

How to change your mind

There are two straightforward ways to opt out after accepting:

Clear the Hatchery's site data in your browser. This removes both the analytics cookies and the localStorage entries. The next time you visit, the consent banner will appear again and you can choose Decline.
Block third-party scripts for this site using your browser's site settings or a content blocker. The Application Insights SDK loads from js.monitor.azure.com; blocking that domain stops collection.

Questions?

If anything on this page is unclear or you spot something I've missed, email contact@zergstechhatchery.com.