Cookie Policy
Last updated: March 2025
This page explains how merilothan.org uses tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience and understand how you interact with our financial education content. We believe in straightforward communication about what data we collect and why.
When you visit our site, small text files called cookies are placed on your device. These help us remember your preferences, understand which resources are most helpful, and ensure our platform works smoothly for everyone.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are tiny data files that websites store on your computer or mobile device. Think of them as bookmarks that remember where you left off or notes about how you prefer to use our site.
They don't contain personal information like your name or email address by themselves. Instead, they store things like language preferences, login status, or which pages you've visited. Some cookies last only while you're browsing (session cookies), while others stay on your device for weeks or months (persistent cookies).
Types of Cookies We Use
We've organized our tracking technologies into four categories. Each serves a different purpose in making your experience better or helping us understand how to improve our educational resources.
Essential Cookies
These are the basics that keep our site functioning. Without them, you wouldn't be able to navigate between pages, access secure areas, or submit forms. They're the foundation that makes everything else work.
Example: Remembering that you've logged in as you move through different sections of our learning materials.
Functional Cookies
These remember your choices and personalize your experience. They might recall your location preference for Australia-specific content or remember that you prefer video tutorials over written guides.
Example: Keeping your selected course bookmarks visible when you return to the site next week.
Analytical Cookies
We use these to understand which topics interest people most and where they might be getting stuck. This helps us create better content and fix confusing sections. The data is aggregated, so we see patterns rather than individual behavior.
Example: Noticing that many visitors spend extra time on our negotiation framework articles, which tells us to develop more content in that area.
Marketing Cookies
These track your journey across different websites to show you relevant content about our programs. They help us understand which promotional materials resonate with potential learners and avoid showing you the same message repeatedly.
Example: Showing you information about our upcoming autumn 2025 program if you've previously browsed our curriculum pages.
How We Use Tracking Data
The information we gather serves several practical purposes. Here's what we actually do with it:
- Track which educational resources get the most engagement so we can prioritize updates and improvements
- Identify technical issues like slow-loading pages or broken navigation elements
- Understand geographical patterns to offer location-relevant examples for Australian business contexts
- Measure how effective our communication is when announcing new courses or program updates
- Remember your progress through multi-part learning modules so you don't lose your place
- Detect unusual activity patterns that might indicate security issues or technical problems
Managing Your Cookie Preferences
You're in control of which cookies you accept. Most browsers let you block or delete cookies through their settings. Keep in mind that blocking essential cookies will make some features unusable.
Chrome
Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
Firefox
Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
Safari
Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
Edge
Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies
How Long We Keep Cookie Data
Different cookies have different lifespans depending on their purpose. Some expire immediately when you close your browser, while others stick around to remember your preferences for future visits.
-
Session Duration
Essential cookies that expire when you close your browser tab
-
30 Days
Short-term preferences and recent activity tracking
-
12 Months
Analytical data and longer-term preference settings
-
24 Months
Marketing cookies and extended user journey tracking
Third-Party Services
Some cookies on our site come from external services we use to operate the platform. For instance, we might use analytics tools from other companies to understand site performance. These third parties have their own privacy policies that govern how they handle data.
We carefully select partners who maintain strong data protection standards. However, once data reaches a third-party service, their policies apply. We recommend reviewing the privacy documentation of any service you're concerned about.
Updates to This Policy
As our platform evolves and privacy regulations change, we'll update this policy to reflect current practices. When we make significant changes, we'll update the date at the top of this page and may notify active users through email or a site notice.
We keep previous versions archived internally, so if you need to reference what our policy said at a specific time, reach out to our team and we can provide that information.
Questions About Our Cookie Use?
If you have specific concerns about how we're using cookies or want more details about our data practices, we're here to help. Our team can walk you through exactly what information we collect and why.
2 George Parade, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153, Australia
Phone: +61 2 9969 6499
Email: help@merilothan.org