1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. They are widely used to make websites function efficiently, provide analytics to site owners, and serve personalised advertisements. Cookies are stored in your browser and can be managed or deleted through your browser settings.
This policy covers the use of cookies, Local Storage, IndexedDB, and Service Worker caches across the openApps ecosystem hosted at apps.godsway-sackey.org and the informational pages at godsway-sackey.org.
2. How openApps Store Data Locally
openApps are offline-first PWAs that rely primarily on browser-native storage technologies rather than traditional cookies. It is important to understand the distinction:
| Technology | What It Stores | Data Sent to Server? | User Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndexedDB | Primary app data: records, entries, profiles, history | No — never | Delete via app or browser settings |
| Local Storage | Preferences: theme, language, UI state | No — never | Delete via browser settings |
| Service Worker Cache | App code and static assets (HTML, CSS, JS, icons) | No — never | Unregister SW or clear site data |
| Cookies | openApps themselves set zero cookies | N/A | N/A |
Key point: The openApps applications themselves do not set any cookies. All application data lives in IndexedDB and Local Storage, which are never automatically transmitted to any server.
3. Cookies Set by Third-Party Services
While the openApps do not set cookies, the website hosting them uses third-party services that may place cookies on your device:
3.1 Google AdSense
Google, as a third-party advertising vendor, uses cookies to serve advertisements on godsway-sackey.org and apps.godsway-sackey.org. These cookies enable Google and its advertising partners to serve ads based on your visits to this and other websites across the internet.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| __gads | Ad serving and frequency capping | 13 months | Advertising |
| __gpi | Ad personalisation identifier | 13 months | Advertising |
| DSID | DoubleClick ad targeting | 2 weeks | Advertising |
| IDE | DoubleClick ad personalisation and measurement | 13 months (EU: 6 months) | Advertising |
3.2 Cloudflare
Cloudflare provides hosting, content delivery, and security for the openApps infrastructure.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| __cf_bm | Bot management and DDoS protection | 30 minutes | Essential / Security |
| cf_clearance | Records that a visitor passed a security challenge | Up to 1 year | Essential / Security |
Cloudflare security cookies are classified as strictly necessary and cannot be disabled without potentially blocking access to the site.
3.3 Google Fonts
Google Fonts delivers the Inter typeface used across the site. Google may log font download requests, including your IP address and browser user agent. Google Fonts does not set persistent cookies, but the request itself constitutes a data transfer to Google servers. See Google Fonts Privacy FAQ.
4. Google AdSense & Ad Personalisation
Google’s use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this site and other sites on the Internet. You can control ad personalisation through the following options:
- Google Ad Settings — Visit adssettings.google.com to opt out of personalised advertising or manage your ad preferences.
- DAA Opt-Out — Visit aboutads.info/choices to opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies.
- NAI Opt-Out — Visit optout.networkadvertising.org for the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out tool.
If you opt out of personalised ads, you will still see advertisements, but they will be generic rather than tailored to your browsing history.
5. Managing Cookies & Local Data
5.1 Managing Cookies
You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- View and delete individual cookies.
- Block all cookies or only third-party cookies.
- Set per-site cookie preferences.
- Configure automatic cookie deletion when the browser closes.
Blocking essential cookies (Cloudflare) may prevent access to the site. Blocking advertising cookies will disable personalised ads but will not affect app functionality.
5.2 Managing IndexedDB & Local Storage
To manage or delete data stored by openApps on your device:
- Within the app — Most openApps provide a Settings or Data Management section where you can export or delete your data.
- Browser Developer Tools — Open DevTools (F12) → Application tab → Storage section to inspect and clear IndexedDB databases and Local Storage entries per site.
- Browser “Clear site data” — In your browser’s privacy settings, select “Clear browsing data” and include “Cookies and site data” to remove all local storage for a site.
Warning: Clearing site data will permanently delete all application data stored in IndexedDB and Local Storage. Always use the in-app export/backup feature before clearing data.
5.3 Uninstalling a PWA
If you installed an openApp to your home screen or desktop, uninstalling the PWA will remove the Service Worker cache and app shortcut. Browser storage (IndexedDB, Local Storage) may or may not be removed depending on your browser and OS. To guarantee full data removal, clear the site data in your browser settings after uninstalling.
6. Consent & Legal Basis
- Essential cookies (Cloudflare security) — Set under legitimate interest. Required for the website to function securely. No consent required.
- Advertising cookies (Google AdSense/DoubleClick) — Set under consent. Where required by GDPR or ePrivacy Directive, a consent mechanism is presented before personalised ads are served.
- IndexedDB & Local Storage — These are not cookies under the ePrivacy Directive. They are user-initiated storage essential for application functionality. No consent is required, as they are strictly necessary for offline-first operation.
7. GDPR & Ghana Data Protection Compliance
Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), UK GDPR, and the Ghana Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843):
- Right to know — This policy discloses all cookies and local storage technologies used.
- Right to opt out — You may opt out of personalised advertising using the links in Section 4 above.
- Right to delete — You may delete cookies and local data as described in Section 5.
- No Sale of Data — We do not sell personal information. Google AdSense may use data for personalised advertising, which you can opt out of.
For data protection requests, contact hello@godsway-sackey.org.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy when our use of cookies changes or when new third-party services are introduced. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this page periodically.