Swamp Club Cookie Policy
Last updated: August 3, 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how Elder Swamp Club, Inc. a/k/a Swamp Club ("Swamp Club," "we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar storage technologies on swamp.club (the "Service"), what each one is for, and how you control them. It supplements our Privacy Policy.
How consent works here
The first time you visit, a banner offers three equal choices: Decline, Customize, and Accept. Nothing beyond strictly necessary storage is set until you choose. Declining costs the same single click accepting does, and you can change or withdraw your answer at any time via the Cookie Settings link in the site footer — withdrawal takes effect immediately and removes the storage tied to the purposes you switch off.
We record your answer per purpose, together with the policy version it was given under. If we ever add a new purpose, your earlier answer does not stretch to cover it: the banner asks again. Consent is re-asked at least annually — the cookie that remembers your answer expires after 12 months.
Cookies we set
| Cookie | Purpose category | What it does | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
sc_consent |
Strictly necessary | Remembers your consent answer so we can honor it (including a refusal) without asking on every page. | 12 months |
BetterAuth session cookies (better-auth.*) |
Strictly necessary | Keep you signed in and protect your session. Set only when you sign in. | Session-scoped |
sc_news |
Strictly necessary (functional) | An opaque token proving you unlocked the podcast rundown by subscribing — it is what lets you back in without re-entering your email. | 12 months |
sc_vid |
Analytics | A random first-party id that lets us understand how you found Swamp and what you do next (campaign attribution). Set only if you grant the Analytics purpose; removed when you withdraw it. | 12 months |
Cookies set by Google (only with your consent)
If you grant the Advertising purpose, Google's gtag.js library loads and may set its own cookies. We never load it before consent, and we do not use Google Analytics.
| Cookie | Purpose category | Set by | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
_gcl_aw, _gcl_* |
Advertising | Google Ads — connects a conversion (like signing up) back to the ad you clicked, and supports ad personalisation. | Up to 3 months |
Details on Google's cookies are in Google's cookie documentation.
Browser storage (localStorage)
| Key | Purpose category | What it does |
|---|---|---|
swamp_visitor_id |
Analytics | The client-side counterpart of sc_vid. Written only if you grant the Analytics purpose; deleted when you withdraw it. |
swamp-quest-banner-dismissed |
Strictly necessary (functional) | Remembers that you dismissed the quest banner so it stays dismissed. |
lab-* (sidebar, filters, layout) |
Strictly necessary (functional) | Remember your Lab view preferences on your own device. |
Functional keys store interface preferences you set yourself, never identify you, and never leave your browser.
What happens without consent
The Service works fully without any non-essential storage. If you decline:
- no analytics or advertising cookie is set and Google is never contacted;
- our own measurement sees your visits without any persistent identifier — each page load stands alone;
- your choice itself is remembered (that is what
sc_consentis for), so you are not re-asked on every page.
Changing your mind
Open Cookie Settings in the footer of any page to review or change your
answer per purpose. Switching a purpose off removes our storage for it
immediately (sc_vid and swamp_visitor_id for Analytics). Google's own
cookies stop being used when consent is withdrawn; you can also remove them in
your browser settings at any time.
Contact
Questions about this policy: support@swamp-club.com.