Cookie Policy
Cookies and similar technologies we use, and how to control them.
- Company
- The Sporting Network Limited
- Version
- 1.1
- Effective date
- 24 August 2026
- Last updated
- 24 August 2026
- Applies to
- thesportingnetwork.com and "The Sporting Network" iOS and Android apps
2.1 About This Policy
This Cookie Policy explains how The Sporting Network LTD ("we", "our", "us") uses cookies and similar technologies on our website at thesportingnetwork.com and in our mobile applications (together, "the Platform"), and how you can control them.
It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains more fully how we handle personal data. This Policy is issued in compliance with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
2.2 What Cookies and Similar Technologies Are
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website. Local storage, session storage, cache storage and IndexedDB are similar mechanisms built into your browser that allow a website to store information on your device. Mobile apps do not use browser cookies, but they use device storage and device identifiers — including advertising identifiers such as the Android Advertising ID and Apple's identifier for advertisers — which serve comparable purposes.
SportNet uses very few traditional cookies. Almost everything we store on the website uses local storage or cache storage instead. Throughout this Policy we use "cookies" as shorthand for all of these technologies, and the tables below name the specific storage type in each case.
2.3 Your Choices
The website sets no analytics or advertising storage of any kind. We previously used PostHog for product analytics and a Google Ads tag for campaign measurement. Both have been removed. No third party receives information about your browsing on our website.
What remains falls into two groups. Strictly necessary items are set automatically, because the Platform cannot function without them — these do not require your consent under PECR. Functional items are set as you use the features that rely on them, such as saving a draft message or remembering an account you have signed into.
You can change your mind at any time:
- On the website — sign in and open Settings, where you can review and change your storage preferences. If you are signed out you will need to sign in first, because these settings belong to your account.
- In your browser — you can block or delete cookies and clear site storage through your browser settings. Blocking strictly necessary storage will prevent you from signing in and using the Platform, and clearing site storage will sign you out and remove any saved accounts.
- In the mobile apps — you can reset or limit your advertising identifier in your device settings (iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking; Android: Settings → Privacy → Ads). You can also turn off push notifications and revoke location permission at any time in your device settings.
Refusing non-essential storage will not restrict your use of the Platform.
2.4 Categories We Use
- Strictly necessary — required for the Platform to work, including keeping you signed in, delivering the service securely, enforcing our age requirements, and remembering your choices. These do not require consent.
- Functional — remember preferences and convenience details, such as your recent searches or the accounts you have signed into.
- Analytics — help us understand which screens and features are used. Used in the mobile apps only. Never used on accounts held by users under 18.
- Advertising — measure whether our own advertising campaigns are working. Used in the mobile apps only. We do not display third-party advertising anywhere on the Platform, and we do not sell your data to advertisers. Never used on accounts held by users under 18.
- Third-party content and services — content or functionality served by another organisation, such as map tiles or identity verification. Loading this content shares your IP address with that organisation.
2.5 Website — thesportingnetwork.com
Strictly necessary
| Item | Storage type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| sb-<project>-auth-token | Local storage (Supabase) | Keeps you signed in as you move around the site. Holds your session tokens and account identifier. | Until you sign out or clear browser storage |
| sportnet_cookie_consent | Local storage | Records the choice you made about storage so we do not ask again. | Until you change it or clear browser storage |
| sportnet-active-tab | Local storage | Detects when SportNet is open in more than one browser tab, so we can warn you about session conflicts. | Cleared when you close the tab |
| sportnet_language | Local storage | Remembers your chosen language. Written before you answer any storage prompt, because the interface has to render in a language the moment the page opens. | Until you clear browser storage |
| sportnet_early_access sportnet_early_access_exp | Local storage | Records that you entered the early-access password, and when that access expires. | 30 days, or until you sign out |
| sn_underage_rejected_v1 | Local storage | Records that a sign-up was refused because the date of birth entered was under 13, so the form cannot immediately be retried with a different date. A timestamp only — no other information is kept. | Retained, by design |
| sportnet_analytics_blocked_v1 | Local storage | Records that analytics must remain switched off for this device, because the account holder is under 18 or their age is not yet known. | Until the account is confirmed as belonging to an adult |
| sportnet:msg-drafts:<user> | Local storage | Keeps messages you have typed but not sent, so they are not lost if you navigate away or close the tab. | Removed when no drafts remain |
| chunk_reload chunk_reload_at | Session storage | Prevents a repeating reload loop if part of the site fails to download. | Until you close the tab |
| sportnet:feed-scroll | Session storage | Returns you to your place in the feed when you navigate back. | Until you close the tab |
| workbox-precache-v2-… | Cache storage | Stores the core application files so the site loads quickly and continues to work on a poor connection. | Replaced with each new release |
| app-assets | Cache storage | Stores our own JavaScript, stylesheets, fonts and bundled images as they are first requested. No personal data, no user-uploaded content. | 30 days, up to 300 files |
| workbox-expiration | IndexedDB | Housekeeping information that tells the browser when the caches above should expire. | Managed automatically |
Functional
| Item | Storage type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| sportnet_profile_cache_v1 | Local storage | Stores a copy of your own profile so that pages load without fetching it again. This includes your date of birth. | Until you sign out |
| sportnet_saved_accounts | Local storage | Remembers up to five accounts you have signed into — email address, display name and profile picture — so you can switch between them without signing in again. | Until you remove the account or clear browser storage |
| sportnet_remembered_email | Local storage | Stores your email address so it is filled in next time. Written only if you tick "Remember me". | Until you sign in with the box unticked |
| sportnet_recent_searches | Local storage | Your ten most recent searches, so they can be offered again. | Until you clear them |
| sportnet_recent_reaction_emojis | Local storage | The six emoji you last used to react to a message. | Until you clear browser storage |
| sportnet_profile_nudge_dismissed_at | Local storage | Records when you dismissed the prompt to finish your profile, so it is not shown again straight away. | Until you clear browser storage |
| sportnet:team-activity-viewed:<user> | Local storage | When you last opened each team's Activity tab, so new items can be marked as unread. | Until you clear browser storage |
| supabase-images | Cache storage | Stores profile pictures, cover images and post media you have already viewed, so they appear instantly next time. This holds images of other people, kept on your device. | 7 days, up to 200 images |
| sidebar:state | Cookie | Remembers whether the navigation sidebar is expanded or collapsed. Set only on pages that use the collapsible sidebar. | 7 days |
Third-party content and services
| Provider | Type | What happens | Storage set |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenStreetMap Foundation (map tiles and Nominatim) | Third-party content | Displays map tiles on event pages, and provides location search. When map images load, your IP address is sent to OpenStreetMap servers. When you type a venue, address or postcode into an event, or use "use my location", that text or your coordinates are sent to them as well. | None set by us |
| Persona Identities, Inc. | Third-party script | Runs identity verification. The script is loaded from cdn.withpersona.com when the verification section of your Settings page is displayed — that is, before you choose to start verifying. See Privacy Policy section 1.16. | Set by Persona during verification |
| Sign-in | Only if you choose "Sign in with Google". You are redirected to Google, which sets its own cookies on its own domains. | Set by Google, on Google domains | |
| Apple | Sign-in | Only if you choose "Sign in with Apple". You are redirected to Apple, which sets its own cookies on its own domains. | Set by Apple, on Apple domains |
On OpenStreetMap
The OpenStreetMap Foundation is an independent controller of the data it receives, not a processor acting on our instructions, and no data processing agreement is in place with them. This means they decide for themselves how they handle the IP addresses and search text they receive. Their privacy policy is at osmfoundation.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy.
2.6 Mobile Apps — iOS and Android
Our apps do not use browser cookies. The following software development kits (SDKs) use device storage or device identifiers.
| Technology | Provider | Category | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Supabase | Strictly necessary | Stores your authentication session and account data in device storage so you stay signed in. |
| Google Sign-In | Strictly necessary, when used | Enables "Sign in with Google" authentication. | |
| Apple Sign-In | Apple | Strictly necessary, when used (iOS) | Enables "Sign in with Apple" authentication. |
| Persona | Persona Identities, Inc. | Strictly necessary, optional feature | Runs the identity verification flow where you choose to verify your account, or where verification is required to access a feature. See Privacy Policy section 1.16. |
| Expo Notifications with FCM (Android) and APNs (iOS) | Expo, Google, Apple | Strictly necessary, if notifications enabled | Stores a push notification token for your device so we can deliver the notifications you have enabled. |
| Google Firebase Analytics | Analytics / Advertising | App usage analytics and measurement of our advertising campaigns. Advertising identifiers — the Android Advertising ID and equivalent iOS identifiers — are collected only on accounts held by users aged 18 and over, and only once a date of birth has been provided. See section 2.7. | |
| OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) | OpenStreetMap Foundation | Third-party content | Provides location search in the apps. What you type into a location field, and your coordinates if you use "use my location", are sent to OpenStreetMap servers along with your IP address. |
| Apple Maps (MapKit) | Apple | Third-party content | Displays maps within the iOS app. |
2.7 Users Under 18
The Platform is open to users aged 13 and over, and we give particular care to the data of users under 18.
Both the website and the mobile apps ask for your date of birth when you create an account. Until a date of birth has been provided, we treat the account as belonging to a child and no analytics or advertising storage is used. On accounts held by users under 18, analytics is switched off entirely — not reduced, and not limited to advertising identifiers. This applies on the website and in the mobile apps alike. Advertising identifiers, such as the Android Advertising ID and its iOS equivalent, are collected only where the account holder is aged 18 or over.
We do not display third-party advertising on the Platform, we do not use your data to target advertising at you, and we do not sell or share personal data with advertisers for their own purposes. This is true whatever your age.
If you are under 18 and are unsure about any of the choices described in this Policy, we would encourage you to talk to a parent or guardian. Parents and guardians are welcome to contact us at the address in section 2.9 with any questions.
2.8 International Transfers
Several of the providers listed above are based outside the United Kingdom, principally in the United States. Where personal data is transferred internationally we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, as described in section 1.11 of our Privacy Policy.
2.9 Changes and Contact
We may update this Policy as the Platform changes. The version number and date at the top show when it was last revised, and we will notify users of material changes as described in our Privacy Policy.
Questions about this Policy:
- The Sporting Network LTD
- 14 Hollywell Row, London, England, EC2A 4JB, United Kingdom
- Email: main@thesportingnetwork.com
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Version history
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | April 2026 | First version. |
| 1.1 | 24 August 2026 | PostHog removed from the website and mobile tables following its removal from the product. Google Ads tag removed from the website following its removal from the product. Vercel removed, as it sets no cookies. Website table rebuilt from a full audit of browser storage: seventeen previously undocumented items added, including the service-worker caches, message drafts, saved accounts, recent searches and the profile cache. Language preference reclassified as strictly necessary, as it is written before any storage prompt is answered. Persona, Google Sign-In and Apple Sign-In added to the website table. OpenStreetMap entry corrected to describe location search as well as map tiles, and OpenStreetMap Foundation identified as an independent controller. Mobile map and location entries corrected. Section 2.7 updated to reflect the date-of-birth gate on the website and the full analytics suppression on under-18 accounts. Withdrawal route corrected. Version history added. |
The Sporting Network Ltd · Company number 16989082 · Registered office: 14 Hollywell Row, London, EC2A 4JB · ICO registration ZC110454