Last updated: January 3, 2026
🍪 The only cookies we really care about are the ones you eat during intermission! But we do use a few digital cookies to make Ref Geek work properly. Here's the straight-up honest breakdown of what we use and why.
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember things about you—like keeping you logged in or remembering your preferences. They're not programs and can't do anything harmful to your device.
These are required for Ref Geek to function. Without them, you wouldn't be able to log in or use core features.
Clerk (our authentication provider) sets several cookies to manage your login session. These cookies are set by Clerk and are essential for authentication to work:
| Cookie Pattern | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| __session | Keeps you logged in securely | Session/7 days |
| __client_uat | Tracks authentication state | 1 hour |
| __clerk_* | Various auth state management | Varies |
For complete details, see Clerk's Cookie Documentation.
| Storage Key | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| ref-geek-session-id | Tracks anonymous users (creates memorable IDs like "ANON-RED-WOLF") | Browser session only |
Session storage is automatically cleared when you close your browser. It's only used for spam prevention and cannot be tracked across browser sessions.
Unlike most websites, we keep things really simple:
Bottom line: We only use cookies that are absolutely necessary for login. Everything else uses browser session storage that's automatically cleared when you close your browser.
All modern browsers let you control cookies. You can:
⚠️ Important: Since we only use essential cookies for authentication, blocking cookies means you won't be able to create an account or log in. Anonymous browsing will still work (using session storage instead).
The only third-party service that sets cookies is:
Clerk manages all authentication cookies. They use industry-standard security practices and are SOC 2 Type II compliant.
Learn more: Clerk Privacy Policy | Clerk Cookie Documentation
Note: Our hosting provider (Replit) and database (PostgreSQL) do not set any cookies. Game data comes from the NHL's public API with no cookies involved.
We may update this cookie policy if we start using new cookies or change how we use existing ones. The "last updated" date at the top will always reflect the current version.
If you have any questions about how we use cookies, drop us a line at info@flaresoft.solutions. We're real people and happy to explain anything!