Cookie Policy
Last reviewed on April 24, 2026
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, which cookies Map United States uses, and the choices available to you. It supplements the site's Privacy Policy.
What cookies are
Cookies are small text files that a website asks your browser to store. When you return to the site, the browser sends those files back, which lets the site remember things like your preferences or that you have visited before. Some technologies used alongside cookies — such as local storage, session storage, and web beacons — work in similar ways and are covered by this policy too.
Categories of cookies used on this site
1. Strictly necessary
These are used to keep interactive features working. For example, the quiz uses local storage to keep your progress during a session, and the state comparison tool uses URL parameters (and optionally local storage) to remember which states you have selected. Disabling this category will break those interactive features but will not affect your ability to read pages.
2. Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site — which pages are popular, how people arrive at the site, and how they move between pages. Analytics cookies identify returning browsers pseudonymously (not by name). We use this information to improve content and navigation, not to build individual profiles.
3. Advertising
We participate in Google AdSense, which uses cookies to serve ads, measure their performance, and limit how often you see the same ad. Google and its partner networks may use their own cookies to personalize ads based on your visits to this and other sites. Google's overall approach is described in their advertising policies.
Specific cookies and similar identifiers
The table below lists the main cookies and similar identifiers we are aware of as of the "Last reviewed" date. Names and durations set by Google and other third parties can change — the table reflects the typical set used with Google Analytics 4 and Google AdSense.
| Name / Pattern | Provider | Purpose | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga |
Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors | 2 years |
_ga_G-9SES92580W |
Google Analytics | Session and campaign data for this specific property | 2 years |
_gid |
Google Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors (short-lived) | 24 hours |
NID, __Secure-*, IDE, ANID |
Google / DoubleClick | Ad serving, frequency capping, and ad measurement for Google AdSense | 1 month – 2 years |
mapunitedstates_* (localStorage) |
Map United States | Remembers quiz progress and selections in the comparison tool within your browser | Until cleared |
How to control cookies
You have several ways to control which cookies are active in your browser:
Browser controls
Every major browser lets you block or delete cookies. Look for a "Privacy" or "Cookies" section in your browser's settings. You can typically:
- Block third-party cookies entirely.
- Delete all cookies for a specific site.
- Set the browser to clear cookies each time you close it.
Blocking strictly-necessary cookies will break interactive features on this site. Blocking analytics or advertising cookies will not stop ads from appearing but may make them less relevant.
Google AdSense opt-out
You can control personalized advertising served by Google across sites by visiting Google Ad Settings. Turning personalization off means you will still see ads, but they will not be tailored to your browsing history.
Industry opt-out tools
You can opt out of personalized advertising from many third-party vendors at once through the Digital Advertising Alliance's YourAdChoices page, the Network Advertising Initiative's opt-out page, or — in Europe — YourOnlineChoices.
Google Analytics opt-out
If you want to opt out of Google Analytics on every site, Google offers a browser add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Do Not Track
Some browsers let you send a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal to websites. There is currently no universal standard for how sites should respond to DNT, and Google Analytics and Google AdSense do not change their behavior based on DNT. We honor the controls described above instead.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy when the services we use change, when new cookies appear, or when the law changes. The "Last reviewed" date at the top indicates when the policy was last updated.
Contact
Questions about this Cookie Policy can be sent to [email protected].