Cookie and Privacy Technologies Policy
Effective date: July 18, 2026
This Policy explains the cookies, local storage, and comparable technologies used by 4Internet, LLC on 4humanities.com and the 4Search network. Google-hosted search results are part of the essential search service when configured. AI-assisted answers and advertising are optional and disabled by default unless you authorize them.
1. Technologies currently used
| Technology | Purpose | Duration | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy-choice local storage | Records whether the optional AI-assisted answers and Advertising categories are enabled, along with the always-active Necessary and Google search categories. | Until changed or browser storage is cleared. | Necessary to remember your direction. |
| PHP session cookie | Protects forms against cross-site request forgery, preserves CAPTCHA state, and records a bounded search allowance after a bot-classified visitor completes the human press-and-hold check. It is issued only when a protected form or that human check is used. | Browser session, subject to server session expiration. The human allowance also expires at the configured server deadline. | Necessary for protected forms and abuse prevention. |
| Google search technologies | Google-hosted search results and related technical processing. Google advertising is controlled separately. | Governed by Google when a search is requested. | Essential search service when configured. |
| AI-assisted processing | Transmits the query and selected context to the configured AI provider. | Application caching is disabled by default; provider handling is described in the AI notice and provider terms. | Optional; disabled by default. |
| Advertising technologies | Ad delivery, measurement, or personalization if such technology is deployed. | Depends on the authorized provider. | Optional; disabled by default. |
2. No browser fingerprinting
The current application does not generate canvas or WebGL fingerprints, request STUN-based public-IP discovery, collect ICE candidates, or combine device characteristics to create a persistent browser identifier.
If an ordinary request is classified as automated, the site may offer a server-timed press-and-hold check before Google-hosted or AI results are served. A successful check stores only the remaining allowance, an expiration time, and a one-way user-agent digest in the server session. The default allowance is 100 top-level searches and is configurable by the operator.
3. Managing choices
You may use Allow All, reject all non-essential categories, or select AI-assisted answers and Advertising individually. Rejecting non-essential categories does not disable Google-hosted search results. Withdrawal operates prospectively. If an optional third-party script has already loaded, changing the choice may reload the page to prevent further use.
You may also clear cookies and local storage through browser settings. Doing so removes the saved choice and causes the banner to be presented again.
4. Global Privacy Control
When the browser sends an enabled Global Privacy Control signal, we treat it as an opt-out of sale, sharing, targeted advertising, and other optional processing to the extent required by law. That signal overrides a conflicting saved Advertising choice in the affected browser. It does not disable essential Google-hosted search results.
5. Third-party terms
Google receives the query and technical connection data needed to return Google-hosted results under its privacy disclosures. An authorized AI or advertising provider may use its own cookies or technologies under its privacy notice. Refusing an optional category does not prevent first-party 4Search results or essential Google-hosted search results.
6. Contact
Questions or requests may be submitted through our Privacy Request Form.