Cookie Notice — HearthReel Studios
Effective 2026-09-10. Approved by Alex (HUMAN GATE H7). Operational policy — not a substitute for legal advice.
Effective date: 2026-09-10
Working brand: HearthReel Studios / HearthReel
Site: https://hearthreel.com
Short version
We use essential cookies so checkout and login work, and optional privacy-friendly analytics so we can see what helps families find stories. We do not use third-party ad trackers. We do not sell cookie or personal data. Soft-launch payments are handled by PayPal — we never store full card or bank numbers in cookies or anywhere else.
1. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file stored on your device. Similar tech (local storage, pixels) may be used for the same purposes. We treat them the same way in this notice.
2. Categories we use
Essential (always on when you use the site)
Needed for the service to function. Without these, auth and checkout may break.
Examples of purposes:
- Keep you signed in / session security
- Remember checkout progress and cart/order state
- Fraud prevention and load balancing with our payment provider (PayPal at soft-launch)
- Remember cookie preference choices
These are not used for advertising.
Analytics (optional)
Privacy-friendly analytics only — to understand aggregate traffic (e.g. which pages are popular, whether checkout completes). We choose tools that minimize personal data and avoid ad-tech profiles.
- No third-party ad trackers
- No sale of analytics data
- You can decline analytics and still buy and watch
If you decline, we won’t set optional analytics cookies (essential cookies may still be required for the pages you use).
3. What we don’t do
- No cross-site ad retargeting pixels from ad networks
- No selling personal information or cookie identifiers
- No dark-pattern cookie walls that block content unless you accept ads (we don’t run those ads)
- No collection of data on anyone under 13 via cookies for marketing profiles
4. How to control cookies
- On-site preference — when available on https://hearthreel.com, use the cookie banner or settings to accept or decline optional analytics.
- Browser controls — block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may break login or checkout.
- Email us — support@hearthreel.com if you need help clearing preference state tied to your account.
5. PayPal & payments
During checkout, PayPal may set its own cookies/storage as needed to process payment securely. PayPal’s practices are described in PayPal’s own privacy/cookie documentation. We never store your full card or bank number. If Stripe or Mercury checkout is later enabled, those processors may set their own cookies under their policies.
6. Third-party platforms
Free previews on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube use those platforms’ cookies and policies when you watch there. This Cookie Notice covers our site (https://hearthreel.com).
7. Related policies
- Privacy Policy — what personal data we collect (email, first name, country, purchase history, marketing consent)
- Terms of Service
- Refund Policy
8. Contact
support@hearthreel.com
Legal escalations: alex@michaeltenable.com
https://hearthreel.com