This Cookie Policy explains how CASTD Europe ("we", "us", "our") uses cookies and similar technologies on our website and platform (the "Service"). It outlines what these technologies are, why we use them, and your rights to control our use of them. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy. Our Service is a premium European creative talent marketplace connecting brands with creative professionals. The use of cookies as described below is essential for the functioning of our platform.
What Are Cookies and Similar Technologies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site. Cookies make your interactions with our Service smoother and more secure. For example, they can remember your login status or language preference.
In this policy, the term "cookies" also refers to other similar technologies that store information on your device, such as:
- Local Storage: This technology allows websites to store data in your browser on your device. It is similar to cookies but can store larger amounts of data and the data is not automatically sent to the server with every request. We use local storage to remember your language preference.
- Session Storage: This is similar to local storage but the data is only stored for the duration of your browsing session and is deleted when you close your browser tab or window.
How We Use Cookies
We use a minimal set of first-party and third-party cookies for purposes that are essential to providing our Service to you. We do not currently use any cookies for advertising, tracking your browsing on other sites, or for non-essential analytics.
Our use of cookies falls into the following key categories:
Authentication and Security (Strictly Necessary): When you sign in to your CASTD Europe account, whether through email/password or Google Sign-in, we use cookies to authenticate your identity and keep you securely logged in as you navigate the platform. These cookies prevent unauthorised access to your account and protect your data. They are fundamental to using features like secure in-platform messaging, accessing your saved collections, managing campaigns, and viewing your subscription details. Without these cookies, you would have to log in on every single page.
Functionality and Preferences (Functional): We use cookies and local storage to remember the choices you make on our platform to enhance your experience. The primary example of this is remembering your language preference. Our site is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Dutch. When you select a language, we store this choice so that the platform is presented in your preferred language on subsequent visits.
Subscription and Payments (Strictly Necessary): We use Stripe, a third-party payment processor, to handle all subscription payments for both Brands (£40/month) and Talent (£10/month). When you proceed to the checkout page to subscribe, Stripe places cookies that are essential for processing your payment securely, preventing fraud, and remembering your session during the checkout process. These cookies are set by Stripe and are governed by their own policies. They are strictly necessary for the payment function to work. CASTD does not take a commission on projects; our business relies solely on these subscriptions, making these cookies essential to the service we provide.
Cookies and Storage Items We Use
The following table details the main cookies and local storage items we use on the CASTD Europe platform:
| Cookie / Storage Item | Provider | Purpose | Category | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
session_token (or similar) |
CASTD Europe | Securely authenticates and maintains your logged-in session, allowing you to access your account, dashboard, messaging, and other features. | Strictly Necessary | Session (expires when you close browser) |
csrf_token (or similar) |
CASTD Europe | Provides Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection to ensure that actions taken within your account are initiated by you. | Strictly Necessary | Session |
castd-lang |
CASTD Europe | Stored in local storage to remember your selected language preference for subsequent visits to the platform. | Functional | Persistent (until cleared by user) |
__stripe_mid |
Stripe, Inc. | Used by Stripe for fraud prevention and to identify the device used during a transaction. Essential for secure payment processing. | Strictly Necessary | 1 Year |
__stripe_sid |
Stripe, Inc. | Used by Stripe for fraud prevention and to identify the user's session during the checkout process. | Strictly Necessary | 30 Minutes |
m |
Stripe, Inc. | Used by Stripe as part of their advanced fraud detection services. | Strictly Necessary | 2 Years |
Please note that the names and duration of Stripe's cookies may change. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the Stripe Cookie Policy.
How to Control Cookies
Because we only use cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of our platform (like keeping you logged in and processing payments) or for core functionality (like remembering your language), we do not offer a granular consent management tool to disable them. Disabling these cookies would prevent the CASTD Europe platform from functioning correctly. For example, you would be unable to log in, send messages, or pay for your subscription.
Under the UK GDPR, EU GDPR, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), cookies that are "strictly necessary" to provide a service requested by the user do not require consent.
However, you can still control and manage cookies through your web browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- See what cookies you have and delete them on an individual basis.
- Block third-party cookies.
- Block cookies from particular sites.
- Block all cookies from being set.
- Delete all cookies when you close your browser.
If you choose to block all cookies (including our essential ones), you will not be able to use the CASTD Europe platform. Deleting cookies may mean that any preferences you have set, such as your language, will be lost.
Here are links to instructions for managing cookies in popular browsers:
Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on our site and, where appropriate, notifying you via email. Please re-visit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.
The date at the bottom of this policy indicates when it was last updated.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about our use of cookies or this policy, please contact us. You can report technical issues or make a complaint to our administrators.
Legal Entity: [Company legal name] Company Number: [Company number] Registered Address: [Registered address] Contact Email: [Contact email]
This policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.
Effective Date: [Effective date]