Cookie Policy

Effective Date: October 4, 2026 | Last Updated: October 4, 2026

This Cookie Policy explains the cookies and browser storage that Vehicle Social Inc. uses on vehiclesocial.com, and how you can control them. It is part of our Privacy Policy.

1. What cookies and browser storage are

A cookie is a small text file a website stores in your browser. "Local storage" is a similar browser feature that keeps small pieces of data on your device. We use both, and treat them the same way in this policy.

2. Strictly necessary (always on)

These make the site work and cannot be switched off. They are not used to track you across other sites.

  • vs_rt (cookie, 7 days) — keeps you signed in. It is HTTP-only (scripts cannot read it) and sent only to our sign-in service.
  • vs_oauth_state (cookie, 10 minutes) — protects "Sign in with Google/Facebook" against forgery; set only while you are signing in.
  • NEXT_LOCALE (cookie, 1 year) — remembers the language you picked.
  • vehiclesocial-auth (local storage) — your basic profile (name, email, role) so the page shows you as signed in; cleared when you sign out.
  • vs-cookie-consent (local storage) — remembers your cookie choices and when you made them.

3. Preferences (always on, stored only on your device)

  • theme (local storage) — light or dark mode.
  • preferredPostalCode (local storage) — the postal code you entered, so searches start near you.
  • vs-wholesale-quickview-hint-seen and vs-wholesale-quickview-hint-shows (local storage, dealers only) — whether you have already seen the "tap a car for all photos" tip on the wholesale marketplace, so it isn't shown again.

4. Analytics (off unless you accept)

If you are signed in and accept analytics, we record which pages of our site you visit (without search filters) to understand how the Services are used. This history is kept for 30 days and is never shared for advertising. Nothing is recorded while analytics is off.

5. Advertising

We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

6. Third parties

When you choose to sign in with Google or Facebook, or a dealer pays a subscription through Stripe, you visit those companies' own pages, which set their own cookies under their own policies. If you enable browser notifications, Google Firebase stores a notification token on your device.

7. Your choices

You can accept or reject analytics in the cookie banner, and change your choice any time from the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer. You can also delete cookies and site data in your browser settings; if you delete the strictly necessary ones, you will be signed out.

8. Changes

If we add a new kind of cookie, we will update this policy and, where consent is needed, ask you again.

9. Contact

Privacy Officer, Vehicle Social Inc. — Toronto, Ontario, Canada — privacy@vehiclesocial.com