Surfshark uses the word cookies as a collective term covering cookies, pixels, web beacons and other similar technologies, so statements in this policy about cookies cover all of them. A cookie is described as a small string of data transferred to your device for identification purposes, and Surfshark says cookies help it provide, protect and improve its Services and Website.
Supporting quotations
Most sites on the internet, including Surfshark’s, use cookies, pixels, web beacons, and other similar technologies (collectively called “cookies”)
to help provide, protect, and improve our Services and Website
A cookie is a small string of data that transfers to your device for identification purposes.
Qualifications & exceptions
The collective definition is stated for this policy only.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Necessary cookies are placed without explicit consent
Necessary cookies are described as crucial for the Website's core operations. Surfshark says they are placed on your devices automatically, with no explicit consent needed.
Supporting quotations
These cookies are crucial for the core operations of our Website, and they're automatically placed on your devices to keep things running smoothly — no explicit consent needed.
Qualifications & exceptions
The no-consent statement is made for necessary cookies only; this table does not say whether the other categories need consent.
Not stated here
The cookie table in section 3 labels cookies Essential and Functional; section 2 names Necessary, Analytic, Marketing and Affiliate, so how Essential and Functional map to these categories is not stated.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Marketing cookies track activity and are set by third parties
Marketing cookies are used to track user activity and sessions so Surfshark can deliver a more personalized service. Surfshark says they are set by third parties with whom it executes marketing campaigns and allow it to provide marketing relevant to you.
Supporting quotations
These cookies are used to track user activity and sessions so that we can deliver a more personalized service. Marketing cookies are set by third parties with whom we execute marketing campaigns and allow us to provide marketing relevant to you.
Qualifications & exceptions
The definition says marketing cookies are set by third parties.
Not stated here
The first-party cookie table in section 3 also labels some cookies set by Surfshark itself as Marketing; this definition does not explain that.
Cross-references
contrast (model-proposed): Marketing and referral parameter cookies, 30 days — contrast: Section 2 says marketing cookies are set by third parties, while the first-party table lists cookies with provenance Surfshark that carry the Marketing category. The policy does not explain how first-party cookies fit that description.
Data Access & Collection · Context
First-party cookies are placed by the Website itself
First-party cookies are placed directly by the Surfshark Website on your device.
Supporting quotations
These are placed directly by our Website on your device.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Cookie tables list first-party cookies and new ones may be added
Surfshark says it may occasionally test new cookies on its Website and that any permanently adopted will be added to the tables below. The first table lists the first-party cookies the Website employs, giving each cookie's expiry, provenance, purpose and category.
Supporting quotations
We may occasionally test new cookies on our Website, and any that are permanently adopted will be added to the tables below.
Our Website employs the following first-party cookies:
Cookie Expiry Provenance Purpose Category
Qualifications & exceptions
New cookies may be tested before being listed; only those permanently adopted are said to be added to the tables.
Not stated here
Cookies being tested may not appear in the tables, so the lists may not show every cookie in use at a given moment.
The table uses Essential and Functional category labels that section 2 does not define (section 2 names Necessary, Analytic, Marketing and Affiliate); whether Functional cookies need consent is not stated.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Language, coupon and promotion cookies
Three first-party cookies store site choices: surfshark-locale (29 days, selected website language, Functional), surfshark-coupon (session, the applied coupon code, Essential) and surfshark-cancel-deal (session, session data regarding applicable promotions, Functional).
Supporting quotations
surfshark-locale 29 days Surfshark Stores selected website language Functional
surfshark-coupon Session Surfshark Stores the applied coupon code Essential
surfshark-cancel-deal Session Surfshark Maintains session data regarding applicable promotions Functional