Cookie Policy

Effective date: July 17, 2026

This Cookie Policy explains how Robots.txt Lab uses cookies and similar browser storage when you visit the public site, use its tools, change privacy preferences, or sign in to the private administration area.

What cookies are

Cookies are small pieces of data that a website asks a browser to store and return with later requests. They can keep a session active, protect forms, remember a choice, measure usage, or support advertising. Some cookies are set directly by Robots.txt Lab, while optional third-party services may set their own cookies only when those services are configured and permitted.

Essential cookies used by the site

Robots.txt Lab uses an essential session cookie to maintain secure interactions with the server. It supports administrator sign-in, form protection, and actions that must remain connected across more than one request. The configured cookie name may change without changing its strictly necessary purpose.

The site may also use a CSRF protection token or related browser value when a form is submitted. This helps the server distinguish a legitimate form request from an unauthorized cross-site request. Essential cookies are required for security and core operation; disabling them may prevent sign-in, form submission, or other interactive features from working correctly.

Public Generator and Checker activity

The public robots.txt Generator and Checker can use the site's normal session and security mechanisms when processing a request. The Checker may also record operational information described in the Privacy Policy, such as the submitted domain, result summary, response status, and a protected hash derived from the request IP address. These records are application data, not advertising cookies.

First-party analytics storage

Robots.txt Lab has its own analytics system. When analytics permission is granted, it may use the random rtl_analytics_visitor identifier and the short-lived rtl_analytics_session identifier to distinguish visits and sessions. These identifiers do not contain a name, email address, submitted domain, or raw IP address. Without permission, persistent analytics cookies are not created; limited aggregate measurement may use short-lived one-way identifiers on the server.

Approximate country, region, and city analytics does not require an additional browser cookie. When enabled, the server may use the public IP address transiently for a server-side lookup through FreeIPAPI, store only the approximate result and a one-way cache hash, and never write the raw IP address to the analytics database.

Google Analytics cookies

Google Analytics is supported by the application but is loaded only when a measurement ID is configured and the visitor grants analytics permission through the privacy center. When enabled, Google may set or read cookies and process information about visits, pages viewed, device or browser characteristics, approximate location, and interactions.

Advertising cookies

Advertising storage is disabled unless advertising technology is configured and the required permission has been granted. When enabled, an advertising provider may use cookies or similar technologies for ad delivery, frequency control, fraud prevention, measurement, personalization, or cross-context advertising. This policy will identify active providers and applicable privacy controls when advertising is enabled.

Current storage and consent controls

Optional analytics and advertising are denied by default. “Accept all” and “Reject non-essential” are available on the first consent layer with equal prominence, and individual categories can be changed later in the privacy center.

How to manage cookies

You can reopen the privacy center from the footer to accept, reject, or withdraw optional categories. Withdrawing permission updates the site's consent signals, stops future optional loading through the built-in integration, and removes known first-party Google Analytics cookies where the browser allows it.

You can also inspect, delete, or block cookies through your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may break administrator access and interactive forms. Rejecting optional analytics or advertising cookies does not prevent access to public content.

Global Privacy Control

When the browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, Robots.txt Lab treats it as an opt-out from advertising-related sale, sharing, and cross-context behavioral advertising. That choice overrides an earlier advertising permission while the signal remains active.

Google advertising consent

The built-in privacy center controls optional scripts used directly by Robots.txt Lab. Google AdSense is not currently activated through this integration. If AdSense is enabled for visitors in the EEA, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, Robots.txt Lab will use Google Privacy & Messaging or another Google-certified consent management platform where required.

Changes and contact

This policy may be updated when the site's storage, analytics, advertising, privacy controls, or legal requirements change. The effective date at the top identifies the current version. Questions can be sent to contact@robotstxtlab.net.