Cookie Policy for Needle Gem AI

Last Updated: November 9, 2025

1. What Are Cookies?

A cookie is a small text file stored on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

This Cookie Policy explains how Needle Gem AI (“we,” “us,” or “our”) uses cookies and similar technologies on our website and in connection with our Service. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.

2. Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies Only

Needle Gem AI currently uses only essential cookies that are strictly necessary for the website to function. Under EU law (ePrivacy Directive Article 5(3)), these cookies do not require your consent because they are technically necessary to provide the service you requested.

Essential cookies we use:

Cookie Name	Purpose	Duration	Legal Basis
`sb-access-token`	Keeps you logged in after authenticating with Twitch	1 hour	Essential - Authentication
`sb-refresh-token`	Securely refreshes your session without requiring re-login	7 days	Essential - Authentication
`needle_gem_consent`	Stores your cookie notice acknowledgment	1 year	Essential - Transparency

Why these don’t require consent:

They are technically necessary for the website to function
Without them, you cannot log in or use the service
EU ePrivacy Directive explicitly exempts essential cookies from consent requirements

3. Web Analytics (Cookieless)

Vercel Analytics - No Cookies, No Consent Required

We use Vercel Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. This is important to clarify:

Vercel Analytics is completely cookieless

Does NOT store any cookies on your device
Does NOT track individual users
Does NOT collect personal identifying information
Only counts anonymous page views and basic browser information

What it collects (all anonymous):

Page URLs visited
Referrer (where you came from, e.g., Google, email link)
Browser type (e.g., Chrome, Firefox)
Device type (e.g., mobile, desktop)
Country-level geographic location (not precise location)

Why no consent is needed: Since Vercel Analytics doesn’t use cookies and doesn’t process personal data, it falls outside the scope of the ePrivacy Directive’s consent requirement. It’s similar to server logs that every website keeps.

Learn more: Vercel Analytics Privacy Policy

4. Third-Party Cookies

Some features used on our Service may involve cookies set by third parties:

Twitch (OAuth Authentication): When you connect your Twitch account, Twitch may set cookies according to their own cookie policy. We do not control these cookies. Please see Twitch’s Cookie Policy for details.

Stripe (Payment Processing): If you subscribe to a paid plan, Stripe may set cookies to securely process your payment. We do not control these cookies. Please see Stripe’s Cookie Policy for details.

5. Cookie Notice Banner

You may see a small cookie notice banner when you first visit our site. This is for transparency only - not for consent:

Why we show it:

To inform you about essential cookies (transparency requirement)
To explain our cookieless analytics approach
To provide links to this detailed policy

Why it’s not a consent banner:

We only use essential cookies (exempt from consent)
We use cookieless analytics (no consent required)
We do NOT use advertising, marketing, or tracking cookies

When would we need consent?

We will implement a proper consent banner only if we add any of the following in the future:

Google Analytics (the version that uses cookies)
Meta Pixel (Facebook/Instagram advertising)
TikTok Pixel or other advertising trackers
Any other non-essential tracking technologies

Our Commitment: If we ever decide to add non-essential cookies or tracking, we will:

Add a clear consent banner before implementing them
Give you full control over which cookies to accept
Update this policy to reflect the changes
Never use non-essential cookies without your explicit consent

6. Your Rights and Choices

Browser Controls

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings:

Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
Edge: Settings → Privacy, Search, and Services → Cookies

Important Note: If you block or delete essential cookies, you will not be able to log in or use Needle Gem AI’s services.

Opt-Out from Analytics

While Vercel Analytics doesn’t use cookies, if you prefer to opt out completely, you can:

Use browser extensions like “uBlock Origin” or “Privacy Badger”
Enable “Do Not Track” in your browser settings (though this is not legally binding)

7. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time, for example:

When we add new cookies or tracking technologies
To comply with changes in cookie laws
To improve clarity and transparency

Last significant update: November 9, 2025 - Clarified that only essential cookies are used and Vercel Analytics is cookieless.

We will notify you of any material changes by updating the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies, please contact us at:

Email: needlegem@proton.me

Summary (TL;DR)

Essential cookies only - Required for login and security (no consent needed)
Cookieless analytics - Vercel Analytics doesn’t use cookies (no consent needed)
No advertising cookies - We don’t use Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or tracking cookies
Transparency banner - Informational only, not for consent
Full transparency - We’ll ask for consent if we ever add non-essential cookies

You can use Needle Gem AI with confidence knowing we only use the minimum necessary cookies to make the service work.