Cookie Policy
At 16Trait, we treat "Data Sovereignty" as our core commitment. Our business model does not rely on advertising or commodifying your cognitive data. Therefore, our Cookie Policy relies on edge-level consent: we deploy strictly necessary technologies by default to maintain platform security, and give you absolute control over optional analytics via Cloudflare Zaraz.
Policy Summary
This policy explains how we use cookies and similar technologies, demonstrating how our architecture translates international standards and psychological ethics into concrete privacy protections. We implement Privacy by Design through edge-level blocking, ensuring no tracking occurs without your explicit consent.
Trust Center Compliance Metrics
2. Our Use of Cookies & Technologies
Adhering to the principles of "Zero-Knowledge Trust", we deploy cookies in strict alignment with legal frameworks. We categorize our technologies as follows:
A. Strictly Necessary Cookies (Always Active)
These cookies are the foundation of the 16Trait platform and cannot be switched off. According to the European ePrivacy Directive, the use of such cookies does not require prior consent.
- PAAP Engine State & Anti-Cheating: To run matrix variant combinations of questionnaires, we track your response progress through temporary Session Cookies. This structurally minimizes risks of question exposure and maintains measurement validity. These are destroyed once your session ends.
- Secure Payment Infrastructure (Stripe): We utilize Stripe to process transactions and prevent fraudulent activities securely. These cookies are essential for maintaining the integrity of our payment gateway.
- Zero-Knowledge Encryption & Security: Used to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks, ensuring the absolute security of psychometric data during transmission.
B. Functional Cookies (Always Active)
To promote digital inclusion and reduce Differential Item Functioning (DIF), we use functional cookies to provide an accessible experience:
- Accessibility & Language Routing: We remember your neurodiversity-friendly visual preferences and language selections (across our 11 global environments) to ensure your experience remains consistent. These are never tied to your personal identity.
C. Performance & Analytics Cookies (Requires Explicit Consent)
To understand how users interact with our research platform and to improve the user interface, we utilize selected analytics tools. These will never load without your permission.
- Google Analytics & Microsoft Clarity: These tools help us analyze aggregate traffic and user behavioral patterns (such as heatmaps) to optimize the platform experience.
- Edge-Blocked by Default: Governed by Cloudflare Zaraz, these scripts are completely blocked at our server's edge. They will not execute or store any cookies on your device unless you actively click "Accept" on our Cookie Banner.
3. Rejecting Commercial Tracking: Our Commitment to "⚖️ APA Ethical Guidelines"
Authentic psychological research should not serve as a data source for advertisers. To comply with the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical Principles regarding subject confidentiality, we draw impassable red lines:
- Zero Ad Targeting: We do not use Meta Pixel, Google Ads remarketing tags, or any technologies that transmit data back to advertising networks for profiling.
- Purpose Limitation: Even when you consent to analytics (like GA or Clarity), the data is used strictly to improve the 16Trait platform's usability, never for external marketing.
- No Data Selling: The technologies we implement will never sell your cookie data or behavioral trajectories to data brokers.
4. Edge Computing Architecture Ensuring "🌐 GDPR and Data Sovereignty"
We place extreme importance on the privacy rights and data sovereignty of global users, embedding compliance within our geographically distributed infrastructure:
- Regional Data Processing: Through a Serverless Edge architecture, we ensure your transiently processed data remains within your respective legal jurisdiction, aligning with GDPR and CCPA.
- Compliant Consent via Cloudflare Zaraz: Instead of relying on vulnerable client-side scripts, we use Cloudflare Zaraz to handle consent management at the edge. This guarantees that third-party analytics are intercepted at the server level, ensuring 100% legal compliance before a single byte of tracking code reaches your browser.
5. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
You retain complete control over your data. You can adjust your consent for Analytics Cookies at any time by accessing the Cookie Preferences link located at the footer of our website, powered by Cloudflare Zaraz.
Additionally, you can manually block or delete cookies through the built-in settings of your browser.
6. Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding our Cookie Policy, Edge-Level Privacy Architecture, or regulatory compliance, our Data Governance Team is available to assist you.
- Dedicated Privacy Email:
- privacy@16trait.com
- Data Governance Center:
- 16Trait Zero-Knowledge Trust Center