Cookie policy

Fireside Analytics Cookie Policy
We use cookies to improve your experience on firesideanalytics.academy. Some cookies are essential to site functionality (like login or payments), while others help us analyze site usage or personalize content and ads. You can accept all, decline all, or customize your preferences. This policy explains what cookies we use and why.

1. Definitions and Interpretation

In this Cookie Policy, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms have the meanings set out below:

  • Cookie: A small text file placed on your computer, smartphone, or other device when you visit a website or use an online service. Cookies enable a site to recognize your device and collect information about your visit to support functionality, preferences, analytics, or advertising.

  • Similar Technologies: Technologies that function like cookies, including but not limited to pixels, web beacons, tags, local storage (e.g., HTML5), fingerprinting techniques, session replay tools, and SDKs used in mobile or embedded systems.

  • Personal Data (or Personal Information): Any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. This includes identifiers such as name, email, IP address, cookie ID, behavioral data, or any inferences made about a person’s preferences, interests, or characteristics. Definitions align with applicable laws such as the EU GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, PIPEDA, and Canada’s proposed CPPA.

  • AI and Automated Decision-Making: Refers to the use of machine learning algorithms or other artificial intelligence systems that process personal data to make predictions, classifications, or decisions, with or without human intervention. Examples include personalization, targeting, risk scoring, or user profiling on Our Site.

  • AI Transparency: In accordance with emerging global regulations (e.g., the EU AI Act, Canada’s CPPA, and OECD AI Principles), where Our Site uses AI-driven features that impact user experience—such as personalized recommendations or risk assessments—we commit to disclosing their use and providing meaningful information about their logic, purpose, and impact.

  • Profiling: Any form of automated processing of personal data to evaluate personal aspects related to a natural person, particularly to analyze or predict preferences, interests, behavior, or location. This may occur through the use of analytics or marketing cookies combined with AI systems.

  • Data Protection Laws: Refers collectively to all applicable privacy, data protection, and AI-related laws and regulations, including but not limited to:

    • The General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR)

    • The UK Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR

    • The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)

    • Canada’s PIPEDA and proposed Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA)

    • The EU Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act) and associated regulatory frameworks

    • Global best practices such as the OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence

  • We/Us/Our: Refers to Fireside Analytics Inc., the organization that owns and operates this website, firesideanalytics.academy.

  • You/User: Any individual accessing or using Our Site, whether as a registered user, visitor, student, or customer.

  • First-Party Cookie: A cookie set by Our Site (firesideanalytics.academy), used exclusively by us to deliver and improve services.

  • Third-Party Cookie: A cookie set by a domain other than Our Site, typically by services integrated into our platform (e.g., video, analytics, payments, or advertising providers).

  • Session Cookie: A cookie that is temporarily stored and deleted when the user closes their browser.

  • Persistent Cookie: A cookie that remains on the user’s device for a specified duration or until manually deleted.


2. Information About Us

Our Site, firesideanalytics.academy, is owned and operated by Fireside Analytics Inc., a Canadian educational technology company.

Registered Address:
Fireside Analytics Inc.
11 Watkinson Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M6P 2E6
Canada

Email Address: info@firesideanalytics.com


3. How Does Our Site Use Cookies?

3.1 Our website, firesideanalytics.academy, uses first-party Cookies—those set and controlled directly by us—to support core site functionality and enhance your learning experience. These Cookies enable essential operations such as login management, course progress tracking, secure payment processing, and site preferences. We carefully select and use these Cookies in ways that prioritize your privacy and data security.

3.2 In addition to first-party Cookies, our site may also use third-party Cookies, which are set by trusted external providers. These Cookies support services such as video playback, analytics, social media integration, and marketing personalization. For example, they may help us understand how you navigate our platform, so we can improve its performance, or ensure relevant ads are shown on other platforms. See Section 4 for full details.

3.3 All Cookies used on this site comply with applicable Cookie Laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the UK GDPR, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), and Canada’s PIPEDA and proposed Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA).

We may use the following categories of Cookies:

3.3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These Cookies are essential for the basic operation of our Site and cannot be disabled. They allow for secure login, session management, enrollment, and payment processing. Without these Cookies, the site would not function properly.

3.3.2 Functional Cookies

These Cookies remember choices you make—such as your language preferences, display settings, or customized views—so you have a consistent and personalized experience each time you return to our Site.

3.3.3 Analytics Cookies

These Cookies help us analyze how visitors use the Site. We use anonymized and aggregated data to assess site performance, identify areas for improvement, and monitor user journeys. Analytics Cookies do not directly identify you but may contribute to aggregated profiling, which is used to optimize content delivery.

3.3.4 Marketing and Targeting Cookies

These Cookies track your activity across our site and other websites. They help us deliver tailored content, ads, and messaging based on your interests and behavior. Some of these Cookies may involve profiling through automated decision-making systems, including those that use AI to determine ad delivery. You can opt out of these Cookies via our Cookie Preferences Center.

3.3.5 Third-Party Cookies

These are set by services we integrate with—such as video hosts (e.g., Vimeo), payment gateways (e.g., Stripe), and analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics). They may also set Cookies to enable social sharing or collect user engagement metrics. We only work with providers that adhere to recognized privacy frameworks and standards.

3.3.6 Persistent Cookies

These Cookies remain on your device for a specified period or until you manually delete them. They are used to remember you between sessions and improve the continuity of your experience.

3.3.7 Session Cookies

These Cookies are temporary and are deleted when you close your browser. They enable essential functions during a single browsing session, such as keeping you logged in as you navigate the site.

3.4 Cookies on Our Site expire according to their type and purpose. Specific expiration periods are outlined in the Cookie Tables in Section 4.

3.5 For information on how we collect, store, and use personal data—and to learn more about your legal rights—please refer to our Privacy Policy.

3.6 For a detailed list of all Cookies used on this Site, including their name, purpose, and expiration period, please refer to Section 4: What Cookies Does Our Site Use.


4. How We Use Cookies on This Site

We use a range of first-party and third-party cookies to operate and improve our website, support core functionality, personalize content, measure performance, and—when appropriate—support marketing and advertising efforts. Some of these may enable automated decision-making, profiling, or AI-driven recommendations, which we explain below.

All cookies used on firesideanalytics.academy comply with applicable laws including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/UK GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), Canada’s PIPEDA and proposed Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA), and the EU ePrivacy Directive.

You can manage your preferences at any time using our Cookie Settings.


4.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential to allow you to access secure areas of the site, use course features, and complete transactions. They do not store any personally identifiable information.

NameProviderPurposeExpires
XSRF-TOKENfiresideanalytics.academyProtects against cross-site request forgery attacksWhen browser closes
slim_sessionfiresideanalytics.academyMaintains user login and session state1 day
DPSettingsfiresideanalytics.academyStores your cookie consent preferences12 days


4.2 Functional Cookies

These cookies remember your preferences (e.g. login details, language settings) to enhance your user experience. Disabling them may impact usability but not core functionality.

NameProviderPurposeExpires
playerVimeoRemembers video playback preferences1 year
vuidVimeoCollects video performance and engagement data1 year


4.3 Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how you interact with our content. They collect anonymized or pseudonymized data and are used to assess and improve performance, design, and content delivery. Some aggregated data may be used to train or improve AI-based recommendation systems in the future.

NameProviderPurposeExpires
_gaGoogle AnalyticsDistinguishes users for tracking site usage2 years
_gidGoogle AnalyticsTracks user behavior across pages24 hours
_gatGoogle AnalyticsThrottles request rate to Google servers1 minute



4.4 Marketing and Targeting Cookies

These cookies track user behavior across sites to serve personalized content or advertising. In some cases, they support automated profiling or AI-driven content targeting based on behavior and inferred interests. Consent is required to enable these cookies.

NameProviderPurposeExpires
frFacebookDelivers personalized ads based on browsing behavior3 months
ads/ga-audiencesGoogle AdsRetargets users likely to convert based on on-site behaviorSession
__hstcfiresideanalytics.academy (HubSpot)Tracks visitor activity over time including timestamps and session count2 years
hubspotutkfiresideanalytics.academy (HubSpot)Identifies visitor for form tracking and contact de-duplication10 years
__hsscfiresideanalytics.academy (HubSpot)Tracks sessions and views to increment visit metadata30 minutes
__hssrcfiresideanalytics.academy (HubSpot)Detects browser restarts to manage session-based cookiesSession
messagesUtkfiresideanalytics.academy (HubSpot)Recognizes users who return for live chat and stores conversation historySession

⚠️ AI Safety Note: Some of the cookies listed above may feed data into AI-powered systems (e.g., marketing automation platforms or behavioral recommendation engines). These systems may perform automated decision-making or profiling, but Fireside Analytics does not use such systems to make legal or similarly significant decisions about you without human oversight.

4.5 Third-Party Cookies

These are set by trusted external service providers (e.g., payment processors, video platforms) for features such as secure transactions, media playback, or chat. These providers may set their own cookies and apply their own privacy policies.

NameProviderPurposeExpires
__stripe_sidStripeProcesses secure payment sessionsSession
__stripe_midStripeDetects and prevents fraudulent payment behavior1 year
cidStripeStores correlation ID for context trackingPersistent
checkout-test-sessionStripeEnables test checkout environments10 years

📌 Fireside Analytics only integrates third-party services that meet our data protection and AI transparency standards.


4.6 Cookie Duration and Storage

Each cookie has a defined lifespan based on its purpose. Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser. Persistent cookies remain for a specified period or until manually deleted.

You can review and adjust your cookie preferences at any time via the Cookie Settings link in the footer of our website.


4.7 Profiling, Automated Decision-Making & AI Use

We do not use cookies to make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects without human review. Where personalization or marketing automation is used (e.g., via HubSpot or Facebook), it is based on user behavior and explicit consent.

We comply with AI transparency and fairness principles by:

  • Explaining when cookies contribute to personalization or profiling

  • Respecting user opt-outs from AI-powered marketing or analytics

  • Avoiding high-risk uses of AI based on cookie-collected data


5. Consent and Control

5.1 Your Consent to Cookies
When you first visit our website, you are presented with a cookie banner that allows you to:

  • Accept all cookies

  • Reject all non-essential cookies

  • Customize your preferences for different categories (e.g., analytics, marketing, personalization)

Your selections are stored using a strictly necessary cookie. You can update or withdraw your consent at any time through our Cookie Settings.

By continuing to use our site after setting your preferences, you are consenting to the use of cookies as outlined in this policy and in accordance with applicable data protection laws. 

Note:
Consent is required for all cookies that are not strictly necessary, including those used for analytics, marketing, personalization, or profiling. Where cookies feed into AI-powered systems (e.g., automated content delivery), your informed, opt-in consent is also required.


5.2 Managing Cookies in Your Browser

You can also manage cookie settings directly in your browser. Most modern browsers allow you to:

  • View the cookies stored on your device

  • Block all or specific types of cookies

  • Automatically delete cookies when you close your browser

Browser-specific cookie controls are available through their help menus. Common browsers include:

  • Google Chrome

  • Microsoft Edge

  • Mozilla Firefox

  • Apple Safari (macOS and iOS)

  • Android browsers (refer to your device manufacturer


5.3 Withdrawing Consent

You may withdraw your consent for non-essential cookies at any time by:

  • Returning to our Cookie Settings

  • Clearing cookies from your browser, which resets all prior choices

Note: Withdrawing consent may limit some site functionality or personalized features.


5.4 AI-Related Data Use and Consent
Some cookies may collect behavioral data that is processed by AI-powered systems, including:

  • Personalized course or content recommendations

  • Marketing automation and segmentation

  • Behavioral engagement analysis

In these cases:

  • We require your explicit opt-in consent before any AI personalization is enabled

  • We disclose where AI systems are used

  • You can opt out of these features at any time

We do not use AI to make legally binding or significant decisions without human oversight. AI systems are reviewed for fairness, transparency, and relevance.

Your cookie data is never used to train third-party AI models. If used for internal AI, it is managed under strict security and governance controls.

5.5 Children’s Privacy
Our services are not intended for children under 13 years of age (or the equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly use cookies to collect personal data from minors.

If you believe a child has provided us with data via cookies, please contact us at:
info@firesideanalytics.com

5.6 Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

  • Access your personal data

  • Request data deletion ("right to be forgotten")

  • Object to or restrict profiling or automated decision-making

  • Withdraw consent at any time

  • File a complaint with your data protection authority

Refer to our Privacy Policy for more information on how to exercise your rights.

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