Last updated: 22 October 2026
Spectrum Tracker uses first-party cookies needed for account security and access allowances. Google Analytics runs automatically on approved public pages and selected member product screens in production to measure traffic and successful actions; the site does not ask for analytics consent before loading it.
Cookies used by the application
| Cookie | Purpose | Browser lifetime |
|---|---|---|
| STSESSID | Secure session, form protection and temporary interface state. | Browser session; server-side authentication has separate expiry and revocation rules. |
| st_guest_token | Recognizes a guest browser when applying weekly dashboard allowances. | Up to one year from issuance. The allowance resets weekly, not the identifier. |
| st_device_id | Recognizes a sign-in device and supports account-sharing safeguards. | Up to one year from issuance. |
| st_newsletter_visit | Links a newsletter-link visit to measured website use and later outcomes in our private campaign report. Not an account login or access credential; not sent to Google Analytics. | 30 days from the most recent newsletter-link visit. |
These identifiers do not contain your password. They may be associated with server-side activity records; they are not a claim of anonymous browsing. You can delete or block cookies in your browser, but this may prevent sign-in, form submissions or reliable access tracking. Signing out revokes your current authenticated session.
Traffic measurement
Google Analytics uses _ga and _ga_* cookies, configured with a lifetime of up to 180 days, to measure approved public pages and generic member product screens. Limited events describe successful registration, verification, sign-in, first useful activity and authorized file issuance, not proof a file was saved or read. Eligible signed-in use includes a stable, opaque account pseudonym through Google's User-ID feature, allowing activity to be associated across browsers and devices without sending your name, email or raw database account ID. This adds no account-identity cookie or persistent guest identifier. Foreground-time measurement excludes background and long idle periods. Advertising signals, advertising personalization and user-provided-data collection are disabled. Administration, account/profile and security pages, staging and local development are not tracked. See the privacy notice for details.
There is no site consent banner or analytics preference control. Previously saved site analytics choices no longer control collection. You can use your browser's cookie and tracking controls or Google's Analytics opt-out browser add-on where supported. Blocking or deleting cookies does not erase information already collected.
A temporary same-tab browser storage entry may carry up to 30 seconds of unsent foreground time and approved page context to the next eligible page. It is consumed once, expires after ten minutes and is discarded when the account context changes. It is not an additional persistent guest identifier.
External resources
Pages may load Google Fonts, jsDelivr map software and OpenStreetMap map tiles. These browser connections disclose technical request information to their providers, even where no advertising cookie is used. Social sharing links connect to the chosen platform when activated. See the privacy notice for more information.
Contact
For questions about cookies or associated records, email info@spectrum-tracker.com.