Cookie Policy
This page explains the cookies and similar technologies used on Diwali.info, why they're used and how you can control them. Use it alongside our privacy policy. Last updated 23 September 2026.
What cookies are
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. They are widely used to make sites work, remember choices and provide information to site operators about how the site is used. Similar technologies — pixels, local storage and so on — can do the same job and are covered by this policy together.
Categories of cookies on this site
1. Strictly necessary
These are minimal cookies needed for basic operation of the site. Diwali.info is a static content site and doesn't use sign-in or shopping-cart cookies, so this category is small.
2. Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand which pages are useful and where readers come from. The cookies set by Google Analytics include identifiers that distinguish unique visitors and track session activity. The data is processed in aggregate; we don't combine it with personally identifying information.
To opt out of Google Analytics across all sites, install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
3. Advertising
Advertising on Diwali.info is managed by Mediavine, which serves ads on behalf of its advertising partners. Mediavine and its partners may set first-party and third-party cookies, and use tags, pixels and similar technologies, that allow them to:
- Recognise your browser as it visits other sites in their network.
- Limit the number of times you see the same ad.
- Measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
- Show ads based on your interests where you have not opted out of personalised advertising.
Third-party vendors may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites. If you reject advertising cookies you will still see ads, but they will not be personalised. The data collected and how each partner uses it are described in the advertising section of our privacy policy and in Mediavine's list of advertising partners.
Specific cookies you may encounter
The exact list of cookies set on your device depends on which pages you visit, whether ads have loaded, and which advertising partners serve ads on the day. The table below covers the most common ones.
| Cookie name | Provider | Purpose | Typical lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors over time. | Up to 2 years |
| _ga_<ID> | Google Analytics 4 | Persists session state for GA4. | Up to 2 years |
| _gid | Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors within a 24-hour window. | 24 hours |
| _gat | Google Analytics | Throttles request rate to limit data collection on heavy sites. | 1 minute |
| NID | Google (ad partner) | Stores user preferences for Google services and is used in personalised advertising. | Up to 6 months |
| IDE | Google DoubleClick (ad partner) | Used to register and report user interactions with ads. | Up to 13 months |
| __Secure-* / __Host-* | Various security and session cookies set by Google's domains. | Varies | |
| test_cookie | Google DoubleClick (ad partner) | Checks whether the user's browser supports cookies. | 15 minutes |
This list is not exhaustive — Mediavine works with many advertising partners, each of which may set its own cookies, and providers may add, rename or retire cookies at any time. See Mediavine's list of advertising partners and Google's cookies policy for their authoritative details. Diwali.info's own code does not set tracking cookies, but the Mediavine ad script runs on our domain and may set first-party cookies for advertising.
How to control cookies
You have several options for controlling cookies:
- Browser settings. Every modern browser lets you block, delete or restrict cookies. Open your browser's settings and search for "cookies" for the relevant controls. Blocking all cookies may break parts of some websites; Diwali.info itself remains readable without cookies, but analytics and advertising will behave differently.
- Google's controls. For Google Analytics, use the opt-out add-on linked above; for ads served by Google as one of Mediavine's partners, use Google Ads Settings.
- Industry opt-outs. The Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page covers many advertising partners, and the Digital Advertising Alliance maintains a consumer-choice tool at aboutads.info/choices. In Europe, similar controls are available at youronlinechoices.eu.
- Do Not Track. Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" signal. Industry standards for handling this signal are not consistent, and Diwali.info's third-party services respond according to their own policies.
If you are in the EEA, UK or California
Where your local law requires consent for non-essential cookies, you have the right to grant or refuse that consent and to change your mind at any time. You can do so via your browser settings and via the opt-out tools above. Refusing analytics or advertising cookies will not stop you from reading the site.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as cookies and tracking practices change. The current version is always at this URL, with the date at the top reflecting the latest revision.
Contact
Questions about cookies on the site can go to contact@diwali.info. For broader privacy questions, see our privacy policy.