Cookies
Last reviewed on 28 April 2026.
This page explains which cookies and similar storage technologies bestbackgrounds.com uses, what each one does, and how you can opt out. It complements the privacy policy, which sets out the wider data-handling picture.
What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store on your device. The next time you visit the site, the browser sends the cookie back so the site can remember something about you — for example, that an analytics session is already in progress, or that you have set a preference about advertising. Some technologies behave like cookies but use different storage (local storage, IndexedDB, or device identifiers); for the purposes of this page, "cookie" covers all of them.
Categories of cookies in use
Strictly necessary
Cookies that are required for the site to function — for example, a session token if you ever sign in. The current site is read-only and does not require strictly necessary cookies beyond what your browser sets by default for any HTTPS site.
Analytics
Google Analytics 4 sets cookies to count distinct visits, record page views, and aggregate session metrics. The data is pseudonymous: IPs are truncated and the platform does not link visits to a real-world identity. The main cookie names you may see are _ga, _ga_*, and _gid. Their purpose is purely measurement.
Advertising
If a page on the site shows display advertising, Google AdSense and its certified ad partners may set cookies and use similar technologies to deliver and measure ads. These can include __gads, __gpi, IDE, and the historical DoubleClick DART cookie. Their purpose includes:
- delivering an ad and measuring whether it was viewable;
- frequency capping, so you don't see the same ad repeatedly;
- fraud and abuse detection;
- personalising ads based on your visits to this site and other sites, when personalised advertising is enabled.
Where required by law, an ad partner may rely on a consent banner before personalised advertising is enabled. In jurisdictions without that requirement, ads default to a non-personalised mode where required.
Cookie summary
| Provider | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | Aggregate site-usage measurement | _ga, _ga_*, _gid |
| Google AdSense and ad partners | Ad delivery, frequency capping, ad personalisation where enabled, fraud detection | __gads, __gpi, IDE, DART |
| Bing Webmaster Tools verification | Confirming site ownership for search indexing | No persistent cookie set in the browser; verification is via a static file |
How to control cookies
You have several options for controlling cookies, ranging from coarse to fine-grained:
- In your browser. Modern browsers let you block third-party cookies, clear cookies on exit, or use a private-browsing mode that limits cookie persistence. The settings vary by browser; consult your browser's help pages.
- Google Ad Settings. Visit google.com/settings/ads to control whether Google personalises ads for you across its services and partner sites.
- Industry opt-out tools. In Europe, YourOnlineChoices lets you opt out of personalised advertising from many ad-tech vendors. In the United States, aboutads.info offers a similar tool.
- Do Not Track / Global Privacy Control. Where the GPC signal is supported by an ad partner, the site honours it as an opt-out of "sale" or "sharing" of personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising.
What happens if you block cookies
The site will continue to load and remain readable. You may see fewer or less-relevant ads on pages that carry advertising, and analytics will stop counting your visit, which is fine — analytics here is for editorial planning, not a feature you depend on.
Changes to this cookies page
This page is updated when the cookies in use change, when ad partners are added or removed, or when applicable law changes. The "Last reviewed" date at the top reflects the most recent update.
Questions
If you would like more detail about any cookie listed here, or want to exercise a privacy right described in the privacy policy, write to the address on the contact page.