Cookies and similar technologies
What this page is
When you use Afterlife, a small amount of information is kept in your browser so that the service works. This page says exactly what, why, and for how long. We use only what is needed to keep you signed in, to keep the service safe, and to remember a few display choices. We do not use advertising cookies, tracking cookies or analytics cookies, and we do not sell or share this information.
Because everything in the two tables below is strictly necessary for a service you asked for, the law does not require us to ask your permission for it, so we do not show a consent banner. The exceptions are described under Google Maps, which asks you first, and fonts.
Cookies we set
| Name | Who it is for | What it does | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
al_session | Readers | Keeps you signed in to your books after you click the link in your email. It holds a random code and nothing about you. | 30 days, or until you sign out |
al_gu | Readers | Keeps the Grown-ups area of The Beans garden open for a few minutes after you type your PIN. It holds a random code and nothing about you, and only exists where the garden does. | 15 minutes, or until you press Lock now |
al_admin | Authors | Keeps an author signed in to their workspace. Same idea: a random code only. | 30 days, or until you sign out |
al_claimer | Readers claiming a copy that already has a code | A random value that lets us count failed attempts per browser, so nobody can guess codes. It holds nothing about you. | 30 days |
al_ops | Afterlife staff only | Keeps a member of staff signed in to the operator console. Never set for readers or authors. | 12 hours |
All five are marked HttpOnly (page scripts cannot read them), Secure (sent only over an encrypted connection) and SameSite (not sent when another website makes a request on your behalf).
What your browser stores on your device
These stay on your device and are never sent to us.
| Name | What it remembers | How long |
|---|---|---|
af-theme | Whether you chose light or dark mode | Until you clear your browser data |
af-rail | Whether you folded the side menu (authors) | Until you clear your browser data |
af-settings-group | Which Settings group you last had open (authors) | Until you clear your browser data |
af-preview-device | Which device size an author last used in the preview | Until you clear your browser data |
af-onboard-seen:… | That an author has already seen the getting-started guide on this browser | Until you clear your browser data |
al.bootQuote.recent.v3 | Which short loading messages an author saw recently, so they do not repeat (authors) | Until you clear your browser data |
al.readerLoading.recent | Which short loading messages a reader saw recently, so they do not repeat | Until you clear your browser data |
al-revealed:… | That you have already seen the reveal animation for a code, so it does not replay | Until you close the tab |
af-maps-ok | That you pressed “Show on Google Maps” in this tab | Until you close the tab |
What loads from other companies
Google Maps
The map of where a book has travelled, the author’s map of where readers are, and Google’s place suggestions are provided by Google. Pages first show a map we draw ourselves. Google’s map shows only after you press the button that says so, and not before. Pressing it loads Google’s code, which sends your network address and browser details to Google, and Google may store its own cookies or similar data on your device under Google’s own privacy policy. If you never press the button, none of that happens. We remember that you pressed it for this tab only.
Fonts
Afterlife’s own pages, and reader pages whose author chose a typeface that is not a system font, load their fonts from Google Fonts. When such a page loads, your browser asks Google for the font files, which sends Google your network address and browser details. No cookie is needed for this. Pages set in a system font make no such request.
Our sign-in, certificate and reward emails are sent through Resend. We do not add tracking pixels to them. An email may show an author’s logo or picture, which your email program fetches from the address the author gave.
Choices you have
You can delete or block cookies in your browser settings. If you block the sign-in cookies, you will not be able to stay signed in, and sign-in links will not work. You can sign out at any time, which removes the sign-in cookie immediately. Clearing your browser data removes everything in the second table.
Inside an author’s own website
Afterlife’s registration pages can appear inside a frame on an author’s own website. The author is responsible for their own website, including any cookies it sets and its own cookie notice. The cookies above belong to Afterlife’s address, not to the author’s. Some browsers block cookies set from inside a frame; if yours does, registering still works, but to stay signed in you may need to open Afterlife’s own page.
If this changes
If we ever add analytics, advertising or any other optional cookie, we will ask for your consent before setting it, we will make refusing as easy as accepting, and we will update this page first.
Who to ask
Contact privacy@afterlifeapp.co. If you are unhappy you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).
For authors: a paragraph for your own site
This site’s registration pages are provided by Afterlife (afterlifeapp.co). To register a book and sign in, Afterlife sets a small number of strictly necessary cookies and browser-storage items, listed at afterlifeapp.co/cookies.html. They are used only to keep you signed in and to run the service. Afterlife sets no advertising or tracking cookies for this site.