Privacy and cookies
Last updated 12 November 2026. This covers karankharode.com, its blog, and play.karankharode.com.
The short version
- Nothing that tracks you loads until you choose, on the banner, to allow it.
- If you allow Analytics, Google Analytics counts which pages you visit, what you click and how far you scroll.
- If you allow Advertising, Google AdSense shows ads on blog posts and arcade pages, and Meta, LinkedIn and X measure visits from my ads on their platforms.
- You can change your mind at any time with the Cookie settings link at the bottom of every page.
- I don't sell your data, and I never see your name or email from any of this.
Who is responsible
Karan Kharode, Nagpur, India, runs these sites and decides how this data is used (the "controller" under the GDPR, and the "data fiduciary" under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023). For anything about your data, contact me at a direct message on LinkedIn or X.I reply within 30 days.
What happens before you choose
Only what the site needs to work. Vercel, which hosts the sites, keeps standard server logs (IP address, page, browser) for security and to keep the service running. Once you choose, one cookie, kk_consent, remembers your choice so the banner doesn't come back on every page.
What the arcade remembers about your games
Play Arcade keeps a short list of the games you've played, how many times, and your daily streak, so it can show "Jump back in" and your play count. This is stored in your own browser (localStorage, under kk-arcade-v1) and is never sent to me or anyone else. Clearing your browser's site data removes it. Each game also saves its own progress the same way.
Analytics (only if you allow it)
I use Google Tag Manager to load Google Analytics 4. It records pages viewed, clicks on outbound and game links, scroll depth on blog posts, the site that sent you (including campaign tags like utm_source), and your device, browser and approximate location. Google Analytics doesn't store IP addresses. Analytics data is kept for 14 months, then deleted.
Advertising (only if you allow it)
Google AdSense shows ads on blog posts and on arcade pages (the game list, game pages and the play page). If you allow Advertising, ads can be based on your interests. If you decline, Google may still show ads there, but not ones based on your profile. The games themselves contain no ads. Meta (Facebook and Instagram), LinkedIn and X pixels record that you visited and whether you opened a game, so I can see whether my posts and ads on those platforms work, and show my posts to people like you.
Cookies
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Kept for |
|---|---|---|---|
kk_consent | This site | Essential: remembers your cookie choice | 6 months |
kk_ft, kk_lt | This site | Analytics: the campaign that first and last brought you here | 90 days / this browser session |
_ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics | Analytics: tells visits apart | Up to 2 years |
__gads, __gpi, _gcl_* | Google AdSense | Advertising: ad delivery and measurement | Up to 13 months |
_fbp, _fbc | Meta | Advertising: ad measurement | Up to 3 months |
li_*, lms_*, bcookie | Advertising: ad measurement | Up to 6 months | |
_twclid, muc_ads, personalization_id | X | Advertising: ad measurement | Up to 2 years |
If you withdraw consent, I delete the cookies set on this site and reload the page. Cookies that Google, Meta, LinkedIn or X set on their own domains can only be removed in your browser settings or in your accounts with them.
Why I'm allowed to do this
Analytics and advertising rely on your consent (GDPR Article 6(1)(a) and DPDP Act Section 6). The essential cookie and server logs rely on my legitimate interest in running a working, secure site.
Where the data goes
Google, Meta, LinkedIn, X and Vercel may process data outside India and the EU, including in the United States. They use standard contractual clauses or similar safeguards for these transfers. Each has its own privacy policy:Google, Meta,LinkedIn, X,Vercel.
Your rights
Wherever you live, you can ask me to:
- tell you what data relates to you, and give you a copy;
- correct it or delete it;
- stop using it, and withdraw consent (as easily as you gave it, from Cookie settings);
- under the DPDP Act, name someone to act for you, and have your complaint heard.
Most of this data is tied to a random cookie ID, not your name, so the quickest fix is usually to withdraw consent and clear your cookies. If you're not happy with my answer, you can complain to the Data Protection Board of India, or to the data protection authority where you live if you're in the EU or UK.
Children
These sites aren't aimed at children. If you're under 18, please choose "Reject all", or ask a parent or guardian to choose for you.
Changes
If I add a new tool or change what's collected, I'll update this page and ask for your choice again.