01 · Cookies

How I use cookies

I use two cookies on this site and no tracking scripts. That is the whole inventory. This page explains what each cookie does, how Google Maps fits in, and how you can change your mind after choosing.

Name	Purpose	Type	Value shape	Lifetime	Set by	Set when
ts_consent	Remembers your cookie choice	Strictly necessary	v1|p=<0|1>|e=<0|1>|d=<date>	180 days	This site	On Accept, Reject, or Save choices
ts_reading	Remembers text size step (1–3)	Preferences	size=<1|2|3>	180 days	This site	Only if preferences allowed and you use the control

There is no Google Analytics, no Tag Manager, no advertising or social pixel, no fingerprinting, and no cross-site tracking on Thought Swift. If a tool is not named on this page, it is not here.

Google Maps on every page

Each page shows a map of the Bukit Merah neighbourhood so you can orient yourself to the place I write about. When the map loads, Google may process technical data and set its own cookies under Google's policy. The map is intentionally centred on the neighbourhood, not on a home address pin. If you turn embedded maps off in the banner, every map becomes a placeholder with the neighbourhood name, my postal address for context, and a button labelled "Show the map for this visit". That button loads the map once without storing a new cookie.

Changing your choice

Use the "Cookie choices" button in the footer on any page. The banner reopens with your current settings visible. You may Accept all, Reject all, or Customise. Customise shows three rows: strictly necessary (always on — this records your decision), reading preferences (optional checkbox), and embedded maps (optional checkbox). Save choices writes ts_consent immediately. Reject all also writes ts_consent so the question does not return every visit — that record is necessary even when you say no to optional items.

Clearing cookies in the browser

You may delete ts_consent and ts_reading in your browser settings. After deletion, the banner appears again because the site no longer knows your previous answer. Clearing cookies does not remove server logs held by the host.

Rejecting optional cookies still writes ts_consent

Some people ask why a rejection creates a cookie. The answer is practical: without a record, the banner would treat every page load as a first visit and you would see the same question repeatedly. ts_consent with p=0 and e=0 is the site's way of remembering that you said no to optional items. It is not used to track you across other websites — there are no other websites in this system.

Reading comfort control

The header text-size control has three steps. If you allow reading preferences, your choice is stored in ts_reading as size=1, size=2, or size=3. If you do not allow preferences, the control still works for the page you are viewing and displays a line explaining that the choice is remembered only when preference cookies are allowed. Turning preferences off in the banner removes ts_reading immediately.

Contact without cookies

You can email or call me without accepting optional cookies. Strictly necessary ts_consent may still be written after you interact with the banner, because that interaction is the subject of the cookie. Email and telephone are outside the cookie system entirely — see the privacy notice for how I handle messages.

See also the privacy notice.