Cookie policy
In short: THE BUSINESS TIME uses only cookies that are essential for the site to work, for login, secure payments and protecting forms from bots. We do not currently use advertising or statistics cookies and we do not sell your data. If this changes, we will ask for your consent first.
What are cookies?
They are small files saved in your browser. They let a site remember, for example, that you are logged in. Browser storage (localStorage) works in a similar way – we describe it here too.
1. Essential – always on
Without them the site cannot work securely. The law (UK PECR and Polish electronic communications law) does not require consent for them, but we tell you about them.
| Name | Who | What for | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
tbt_consent | THE BUSINESS TIME | remembers your cookie choice | 12 months |
wordpress_logged_in_*, wordpress_sec_*, wordpress_test_cookie | THE BUSINESS TIME | login to your account and subscription | until the browser is closed or 14 days (“Remember me”) |
subscription plugin cookies | THE BUSINESS TIME | handling registration and payments | for the duration of registration |
__stripe_mid, __stripe_sid | Stripe (payments) | payment security and card fraud detection | 1 year / 30 minutes |
Cloudflare Turnstile, __cf_bm | Cloudflare | protecting forms and the site from bots | up to 30 minutes |
comment_author_* | THE BUSINESS TIME | remembering your name in comments – only if you tick this option | 1 year |
tbt_a11y (browser storage) | THE BUSINESS TIME | your accessibility settings (e.g. larger font) | until you delete it |
2. Statistics – only with your consent
If you agree to statistics, we use Google Analytics 4 (Google) to count visits and see which sections are read. Without your consent Google Analytics does not run. You can change your consent at any time in “Cookie settings” in the footer.
| Name | Who | What for | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google (Google Analytics 4) | distinguishes separate visits, without your name | up to 2 years |
_ga_3GH4STPZX7 | Google (Google Analytics 4) | groups page views into a single visit to our site | up to 2 years |
3. Advertising and marketing – not currently used
We have no tracking ads or advertising pixels (Facebook, Google Ads, TikTok). The social media buttons in the footer are plain links – they send nothing until you click them. The “marketing” consent in cookie settings also immediately enables the external videos described in section 4.
4. External videos – after your click or consent
TikTok (videos of the President of Poland): the TikTok player loads only when you click “Turn on videos” or agree to marketing. Once enabled, TikTok may store its own cookies and data in your browser (e.g. msToken). We remember your “Turn on videos” choice in your browser (tbt_ttp_ok).
YouTube (BBC News): the video loads only after you click the play button, in privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com). Once the video starts, YouTube (Google) may store its own data.
External providers
| Provider | What for | When it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | site security and speed | always (essential) |
| Stripe | subscription payments | only when paying |
| Google (Google Analytics 4) | visit statistics | only after consent to statistics |
| TikTok | video player | after clicking “Turn on videos” or consenting to marketing |
| YouTube (Google) | BBC News video player | after clicking “play” |
How do I change or withdraw consent?
At any time: the button above or the “Cookie settings” link at the bottom of every page. You can also delete cookies in your browser settings.
Who is responsible for your data?
ARGONAUTS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED (company no. 17391608), 4th Floor, 18 St. Cross Street, London EC1N 8UN. Contact: [email protected]. More: Privacy policy. You have the right to complain to the ICO (UK) or UODO (Poland).
Last updated: 26 October 2026
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