About This Policy
This cookie policy explains how Infinity X Investments Ltd (trading as Digital Shields, company number 16998775, registered in England and Wales) uses cookies and similar browser storage technologies on digitalshields.co. It is written in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).
Contact: support@digitalshields.co
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device (computer, phone, or tablet) when you visit. They allow the site to recognise your browser, remember information about your visit, and keep you logged in between pages or sessions.
There are different types of cookies:
- HTTP-only cookies are set by the web server and cannot be read by JavaScript running in the page. They are used for security-sensitive data such as authentication tokens.
- JS-readable cookies can be read by JavaScript in the page. They are used for tasks that the front-end code needs to perform, such as attaching a CSRF token to form submissions.
- Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them.
2. What Is localStorage?
localStorage is a browser storage mechanism that lets a website save small amounts of data on your device. Unlike cookies, localStorage data is never sent to the server automatically: it stays in your browser and is read by the website's front-end code when needed (the one exception we make is the analytics id in section 5, sent with usage counts only if you accept analytics). It persists until you (or the website) explicitly remove it, or until you clear your browser data.
We use localStorage to save your preferences, progress, and feature state so that the Digital Shields portal works correctly and remembers where you left off.
3. Cookies and Storage We Use
Digital Shields uses essential cookies to keep you signed in and protect forms, localStorage to remember choices and some progress on your device, and optional analytics that only run if you accept them (Google Analytics on our public pages, and our own anonymous usage id; see section 5). The parent portal, the schools portal and the pupils' careers area never load Google Analytics. We do not use advertising cookies, ad networks, Facebook Pixel or any social media tracking.
3.1 Essential cookies
Strictly necessary: without them you can't sign in or use the service securely.
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ds_auth | HTTP-only cookie | Keeps you signed in to the parent portal (an encrypted session token). | 7 days |
| ds_school_auth | HTTP-only cookie | Keeps school staff signed in to the schools portal. | 7 days |
| ds_csrf | Cookie (readable by the page) | Protects forms against cross-site request forgery by checking that changes come from our own pages. | 7 days (30 days before you sign in) |
| ds_imp_auth | HTTP-only cookie | Support only: lets an authorised administrator view a member's portal. Every session is logged. | Session, at most 1 hour |
| ds_imp_info | Cookie (readable by the page) | Support only: shows the administrator whose account they are viewing. | Session, at most 1 hour |
3.2 Choices you make
Kept in your browser's localStorage so the site remembers what you chose. Signing out keeps these.
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| ds_cookie_consent | Whether you accepted or rejected analytics, so we don't ask on every page. | Until you change it |
| ds_theme | Light, dark or match-your-device appearance. | Until you change it |
| ds_text_size | Your text size setting in the portals. | Until you change it |
3.3 Portal features on this device
Kept in localStorage while you use the parent portal. Signing out removes all of these. Your children's profiles, safety audit, course progress and notification settings are stored on our servers with your account, not here.
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| ds_app_checks | Which app settings you have marked as checked for each child. | Until you sign out |
| ds_bookmarks, ds_ratings | Guides you saved, and whether you found them helpful. | Until you sign out |
| ds_ai_chat, ds_last_script | Your most recent Shield AI conversation and conversation script, so they are still there when you come back. | Until you sign out or start a new chat |
| ds_agreement, ds_setup_completed | Your family agreement, and which device setup guides you have finished. | Until you sign out |
| ds_score_history, ds_engagement | Your family safety score over time, and recent activity that counts towards it. | Until you sign out |
| ds_daily_done, ds_daily_last, ds_daily_streak, ds_calendar_* | Your daily habit, streak and safety calendar. | Until you sign out |
| ds_read_alerts, ds_verify_dismissed_at, ds_onboarding_done, ds_onboarding_skipped, ds_community_guidelines, ds_last_login | Alerts you have read, banners you dismissed and setup steps you have done, so we don't show them again. | Until you sign out |
4. Third-Party Cookies
The following third-party services may set their own cookies when you interact with certain parts of Digital Shields. These cookies are controlled by the respective third parties, not by us.
4.1 Stripe (Payment Processing)
When you make a payment or manage your subscription, Stripe may set cookies to process the transaction securely and prevent fraud. These are governed by Stripe's cookie policy.
4.2 Cloudflare Turnstile (Bot Protection)
On our signup and login pages, we use Cloudflare Turnstile to verify that you are a real person and not an automated bot. Cloudflare may set cookies as part of this process. These are governed by Cloudflare's privacy policy.
4.3 YouTube / Vimeo (Embedded Videos)
If we embed video content from YouTube or Vimeo within our courses, those platforms may set their own cookies when you watch a video. These are governed by the respective platform's cookie policies (YouTube/Google, Vimeo).
We use Google Analytics, but only where you have accepted it — see section 5. We do not use cookies from Facebook, Meta, TikTok, or any advertising or social media tracking network.
5. Analytics and Your Consent
Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), Regulation 6, you must obtain consent before storing information on a user's device unless the storage is strictly necessary for a service explicitly requested by the user.
All of the cookies and localStorage items described in Section 3 fall within this exemption because they are:
- Essential for authentication and security: without ds_auth and ds_csrf, you cannot sign in or submit forms safely.
- Essential for delivering the service you requested: progress and feature state on your device are part of how the portal works.
- Your own choices: theme, text size and dismissed banners remember choices you have made.
Those items are strictly necessary for the service to function or to remember a choice you have actively made, so PECR does not require separate consent for them: they are set whether or not you accept analytics. The analytics items below are not, so they need your consent.
We use one category of non-essential storage: analytics, which tells us which pages parents and schools find useful so we can write more of what helps. Under PECR this needs your consent, so:
- Google Analytics runs only on our public pages (not in the portals or the careers area), and is not loaded at all until you press Accept on the cookie banner. If you reject, or simply ignore the banner, no analytics script is requested and no analytics cookie is set.
- Accepting sets
_gaand_ga_<id>cookies, which distinguish one visitor from another. They expire after two years. - Accepting also lets us create
ds_anonin localStorage: a random id for our own usage counts (which features help), sent with those counts to our servers and never shared with anyone. It is created only after you accept, and removed if you reject. When you're signed in to the parent portal, usage counts are linked to your account instead, and no id is created on your device. Our usage records are kept for 12 months; the IP address and browser type sent with them are removed after 30 days. - You can change your mind at any time using the buttons below, and withdrawing is as easy as giving it. Rejecting deletes the analytics cookies we can see.
6. How to Manage or Delete Cookies and localStorage
6.1 Managing HTTP Cookies
You can view, block, or delete cookies through your browser settings:
- Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions > Manage and delete cookies and site data
Please note: If you block or delete essential cookies (ds_auth, ds_csrf), you will be logged out and will need to sign in again. The site cannot function without these cookies.
6.2 Clearing localStorage
To clear Digital Shields localStorage data:
- Open your browser's Developer Tools (press F12 or right-click the page and select "Inspect").
- Go to the Application tab (Chrome/Edge) or Storage tab (Firefox).
- Select Local Storage in the left sidebar, then click on https://www.digitalshields.co.
- Delete any entries starting with ds_, or click "Clear All" to remove everything.
Alternatively, you can use the "Delete my account" option in your portal Settings page. This removes all server-side data associated with your account. Browser localStorage and cookies should then be cleared via your browser settings to remove local copies.
Please note: clearing localStorage resets the items in sections 3.2 and 3.3 on this device. Your account, children's profiles, audit and course progress are stored with your account and are not affected.
7. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time, for example if we add new features that require additional storage or if the law changes. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
If we add any other non-essential cookies, we will ask for your consent first and update this policy before doing so.
We encourage you to check this page periodically. Material changes that affect your rights will also be communicated via your notification preferences where appropriate.
8. Contact and Complaints
Data Controller
Infinity X Investments Ltd (trading as Digital Shields)
Company No: 16998775
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Floor 2, Lakeside Tower, Lakeside Business Park, Walkmill Way, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 0XE
ICO registration: ZC142619
Email: support@digitalshields.co
If you have any questions about this cookie policy, or about how we use cookies and localStorage, please contact us at support@digitalshields.co.
If you want to complain about how we use cookies or your data, tell us first: we acknowledge a complaint within 5 working days and answer within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
- Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
- Telephone: 0303 123 1113
- Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF