This Cookie Policy explains how Angela Schellenberg ("Angela," "I," "me," and "my") uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit my website at angelaschellenberg.com. It explains what these technologies are, why I use them, and the choices you have. In some cases I may use cookies to collect personal information, or information that becomes personal if combined with other information. For more on how I handle that, see the Privacy Policy.
Manage cookie preferencesWhat are cookies?
Cookies are small data files placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work, to work more efficiently, and to provide reporting information. Similar technologies, like pixels and browser local storage, work in comparable ways.
Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, me) are called first-party cookies. Cookies set by anyone other than the website owner are called third-party cookies. Third-party cookies enable features like analytics and advertising to be provided through the website. The companies that set them can recognize your device when you visit this website and certain others.
Why do I use cookies?
I use first- and third-party cookies for a few reasons. Some are needed for technical reasons for the website to operate, which I call essential cookies. Others let me understand how the website is used and, where you allow it, share my work with people likely to find it helpful. I keep this to a small, intentional set. I do not use cookies to infer anything about your health, and I treat my audience with extra care.
How can I control cookies?
You decide whether to accept or reject non-essential cookies. Nothing optional runs until you choose. You can set your choices in the Cookie Preference Center, which appears in the banner on your first visit and can be reopened any time using the Cookie Preferences link in the footer of any page. It lets you accept all, accept only essentials, or choose category by category. Essential cookies cannot be rejected, because the site cannot work without them.
If you reject optional cookies, you can still use the website, though some measurement and personalization will not happen. If your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, I treat it as a request to keep analytics and marketing cookies turned off.
The cookies I use
The specific cookies and similar technologies used through my website, grouped by category, are described below. Exact names and durations can vary slightly as providers update their tools.
Essential cookies
Strictly necessary for the website and the assistant to work. These are always on.
| Name | Purpose | Provider | Type | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| asw_consent | Remembers your cookie choices so you are not asked again. | Angela (first-party) | Local storage | Until changed |
| __stripe_mid / __stripe_sid | Secure payment processing and fraud prevention on checkout pages. | Stripe | HTTP cookie | 1 year / 30 minutes |
Analytics and customization cookies
Help me understand how the website is used so I can improve it, and group subscribers by interest. Set only after you allow analytics.
| Name | Purpose | Provider | Type | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _ga, _ga_* | Distinguish visitors and measure visits and sessions. | Google Analytics | HTTP cookie | About 13 months |
| _gid | Distinguish visitors for short-term usage statistics. | Google Analytics | HTTP cookie | 24 hours |
| _gat | Limits the rate of requests to Google Analytics. | Google Analytics | HTTP cookie | Under 1 minute |
| asw_profile | Remembers, on your device, which topics interest you and how you arrived, so emails and content are relevant rather than generic. | Angela (first-party) | Local storage | Until cleared |
Advertising and marketing cookies
Let me share my work with people likely to find it helpful and measure how those efforts perform. Set only after you allow marketing.
| Name | Purpose | Provider | Type | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _fbp | Identifies browsers for advertising and measurement. | Meta (Facebook) | HTTP cookie | About 3 months |
| _fbc | Stores the ad click that brought you here, to measure results. | Meta (Facebook) | HTTP cookie | About 3 months |
The website assistant
The chat assistant does not set tracking cookies. The messages you send it are processed by Anthropic to generate a reply, as described in the Privacy Policy. Please do not share sensitive personal or medical details with it.
How can I control cookies in my browser?
You can also accept or refuse cookies through your browser settings. The way to do this varies by browser, so check your browser's help menu. Guidance is available for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. Blocking cookies may affect how parts of the site work.
Most advertising networks also let you opt out of targeted advertising. To learn more, visit the Digital Advertising Alliance (optout.aboutads.info), the Network Advertising Initiative (optout.networkadvertising.org), or, in Europe, the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (youronlinechoices.eu).
What about other tracking technologies, like web beacons?
Cookies are not the only way to recognize visitors. I may use similar technologies such as web beacons, sometimes called tracking pixels or clear gifs. These are tiny files that let me understand things like whether you reached the site from an advertisement, how pages are used, and whether a marketing email was opened. These technologies often rely on cookies to function, so declining cookies can impair them. The Meta Pixel above is one such technology, and it runs only with your marketing consent.
Targeted advertising
With your consent, a third party (currently Meta) may use information about your visit to show you relevant advertising on its platforms and to measure how those ads perform. This information does not, on its own, identify you by name or contact details unless you choose to provide them. Under California law, sharing data for cross-context behavioral advertising is treated as "sharing," and you can opt out at any time through the Cookie Preference Center or by sending a Global Privacy Control signal.
A note on sensitive topics
My work touches grief and loss, and my audience deserves extra care. I do not knowingly collect health information through this website and I do not use cookies to infer health conditions. If you are a Washington resident, the My Health My Data Act gives you specific rights, and I will honor requests related to it.
How often will this policy be updated?
I may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the cookies I use or for operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. The date at the top shows when it was last updated, so please revisit it now and then.
Where can I get more information?
If you have any questions about my use of cookies or other technologies, email me at angela@angelaschellenberg.com. I am based in Santa Monica, California, United States.