How We Use Cookies and Similar Technologies
This page explains the cookies we use on appraisaldistrict.org/, what each one does, the controls you have, and how we honor opt-out signals including the Global Privacy Control under CCPA/CPRA and Texas TDPSA.
What’s on this page
1. What Cookies Are
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website. Cookies let a site remember things — your settings, whether you’ve dismissed a banner, or your session as you click around — so the site behaves consistently between page loads.
Beyond classic cookies, websites use related technologies that do similar work: local storage (a small browser database), session storage (cleared when you close the tab), pixel tags / web beacons (tiny invisible images used for measurement), and SDKs (small code modules from analytics or advertising vendors). On this page, “cookies” means all of these unless we say otherwise.
2. Why We Use Cookies
- To make the site work. Pages need to load, sessions need to stay consistent, and the cookie banner needs to remember your answer.
- To remember your preferences. Once you’ve set a cookie choice, we remember it so we don’t ask you again on every page.
- To measure how the site is used. Anonymous analytics tells us which content is useful, which pages have problems, and where readers are dropping off.
- To support advertising. Display advertising funds the site. Advertising cookies help limit how often the same ad shows and measure whether it worked.
3. The Four Categories
| Category | What it does | Opt-out available? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Lets the site load, serves the right page, protects against abuse, remembers your cookie choice | No (required for the service you have requested) |
| Functional | Remembers preferences (text size, dismissed notices) | Yes — manage in cookie settings |
| Analytics / performance | Counts visits, measures speed, identifies broken links | Yes — manage in cookie settings or browser |
| Advertising / targeting | Limits ad frequency, measures ad performance, supports relevant ads | Yes — manage in cookie settings, send GPC, or use industry opt-outs |
4. First-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set by appraisaldistrict.org/ directly. We use a small number for site operation:
| Name | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| adp_consent | Stores your cookie consent choice | Strictly necessary | 12 months |
| adp_pref | Remembers display preferences and dismissed banners | Functional | 6 months |
| adp_session | Maintains your session across pages so the site loads consistently | Strictly necessary | Session (deleted when you close the browser) |
| adp_csrf | Security token used to protect against cross-site request forgery on contact forms | Strictly necessary | Session |
5. Third-Party Cookies
Third-party cookies are set by other companies whose services we use:
| Vendor | Purpose | Category | Privacy policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | Aggregate, anonymized site analytics | Analytics | policies.google.com/privacy · Opt-out add-on |
| Google AdSense | Display advertising, frequency capping, ad measurement | Advertising | policies.google.com/technologies/ads |
| Cloudflare | Security, bot mitigation, content delivery | Strictly necessary | cloudflare.com/privacypolicy |
| Google Maps (when embedded) | Map display for CAD office locations | Functional | policies.google.com/privacy |
We do not use cookies that fingerprint your device, sell your data to data brokers, or build cross-site behavioral profiles for resale beyond the standard advertising frequency-capping and measurement described above.
6. Session vs Persistent Cookies
- Session cookies are temporary. They are deleted automatically when you close your browser. Most security and “remember which page you’re on” cookies are session cookies.
- Persistent cookies stay on your device for a set period — anywhere from a day to a year or more. Cookies that remember your consent choice or analytics identifiers are persistent.
7. Consent and Opt-Out
The applicable rules depend on where you are:
- California — under CCPA/CPRA, you have the right to opt out of “sale” and “sharing” of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. Use the cookie banner, the “Cookie settings” link in the footer, or send the Global Privacy Control signal (see below).
- Texas — under the TDPSA, you have the right to opt out of targeted advertising. Use the cookie banner or send the GPC signal.
- Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Oregon, Montana, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws — similar rights to opt out of targeted advertising and (where defined) sale of personal data.
- EU and UK visitors — under GDPR/UK GDPR and ePrivacy/PECR rules, we ask for opt-in consent before placing any non-essential cookie. Our banner appears on first visit before any non-essential cookie is set.
8. Global Privacy Control
The site honors the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal. If your browser is configured to send GPC, we treat that as a valid opt-out under CCPA/CPRA, the Colorado Privacy Act, and other state laws that recognize universal opt-out mechanisms. You don’t need to confirm anything; the signal is enough.
To learn more about GPC and how to enable it, visit globalprivacycontrol.org.
9. Changing Your Cookie Choices
You can re-open the cookie preference panel at any time by clicking the “Cookie settings” link in the site footer. Changes apply immediately. You can also clear cookies entirely using your browser’s privacy settings (see Section 10).
Withdrawing consent stops new processing under that consent. It does not undo processing that lawfully took place beforehand. Analytics already collected anonymously will be retained on the standard schedule set out in our Privacy Policy.
10. Browser-Level Controls
Every modern browser gives you tools to view, block, and delete cookies — including ones we don’t control. These settings work across every site you visit:
- Google Chrome: Manage cookies in Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox: Cookies in Firefox
- Apple Safari (Mac): Manage cookies in Safari
- Microsoft Edge: Cookies in Edge
- Brave Browser: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
- Opera: Settings → Advanced → Privacy and security → Cookies
The site will still load, but some functions may break — your consent choice won’t save, you may see the cookie banner on every visit, and certain interactive features may not work properly. Blocking strictly necessary cookies is not recommended.
11. Mobile Device Controls
- iPhone / iPad (iOS): Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → toggle off “Allow Apps to Request to Track.” Also: Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising → toggle off “Personalized Ads.”
- Android: Settings → Google → Ads → toggle on “Opt out of Ads Personalization” (or, in newer Android versions, “Delete advertising ID”).
- Browser apps on mobile (Safari, Chrome, Firefox mobile) have their own cookie controls inside the app’s Settings menu.
12. Industry Opt-Outs
Industry-wide opt-out tools let you reject personalized advertising across many sites at once:
- Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): optout.networkadvertising.org
- Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA): optout.aboutads.info
- DAA AppChoices (mobile apps): youradchoices.com/appchoices
- Google Ad Settings: adssettings.google.com
- Your Online Choices (EU/UK): youronlinechoices.com
These tools work by setting opt-out cookies in your browser, so you’ll need to re-apply them on each device and browser you use.
13. Changes to This Policy
If we add a new vendor, change cookie durations, or update our consent tools, we will revise this page and update the “Last reviewed” date at the top. Substantive changes — for example, adding a new advertising vendor or new tracking category — will trigger a refreshed cookie banner so you can review and re-confirm your choices.
For broader detail on how cookie data sits within our overall privacy practice, see our Privacy Policy.
14. Questions About Cookies
If you have questions about a specific cookie, want help opting out, or believe a cookie is being set that this policy doesn’t cover, email us — we’ll investigate and respond within seven business days.
- Email: info@appraisaldistrict.org
- Subject line: “Cookies”
Adjust Your Cookie Settings Anytime
Use the “Cookie settings” link in the site footer to change your choices, or send the Global Privacy Control signal from your browser for site-wide opt-out.
📧 info@appraisaldistrict.org