Cookie Policy
Date of Last Revision: January 1, 2026
Ideaform Inc. (“Format,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. Format owns, licenses, and operates certain websites, applications, and platforms (each a “Site”) that are primarily designed to provide photographers with websites to host and share content (collectively, the “Services”). This Cookie Policy explains our use of “cookies” and other tracking technologies, including, but not limited to, web beacons, pixels, clear gifs, and other similar technologies (collectively, “Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies”) that are employed on our Sites.
PLEASE READ THIS COOKIE POLICY CAREFULLY AS IT DESCRIBES YOUR RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND LIABILITIES. BY ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE, YOU ARE CONSENTING TO THE TERMS OF THIS COOKIE POLICY AND FORMAT’S TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY.
Please be aware that we use Cookies and other Tracking Technologies on each Site to monitor and record any and all activities and communications to, from, and on the Site in order to safeguard, improve, and analyze usage of the Site, and for the other purposes listed in our Privacy Policy. For the avoidance of doubt, you hereby acknowledge, agree, and consent to, the monitoring and recording of all such activities and communications.
TO PREVENT FORMAT FROM USING CERTAIN COOKIES AND OTHER ONLINE TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR BROWSER SETTINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW OR BY USING OUR COOKIE MANAGEMENT TOOL, WHEN AVAILABLE, ON THE FOOTER OF OUR SITE.
- WHAT ARE COOKIES AND OTHER ONLINE TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES?
Cookies are small files that are downloaded to your device when you visit a website. The cookie then sends information back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognizes that cookie. Other types of tracking technologies work similarly to cookies and place small data files on your devices or monitor your website activity to enable us to collect information about how you use our Sites. Accordingly, Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies allow our Sites to recognize your device and track your activities and preferences, thereby allowing you to navigate between pages efficiently and to generally improve the user experience. The information provided below about cookies also applies to the other tracking technologies referenced above (i.e., web beacons, pixels, clear gifs, and other similar technologies). You can find more information about cookies at https://www.allaboutcookies.org/.
Cookies are often categorized by function. We use four types of cookies by function on our Sites:
| Name | Description |
| Essential Cookies | These are cookies that are strictly necessary for the functioning of a website or for performing services that an individual user has requested. For instance, these cookies are necessary to allow us to operate our Sites so you may access them as you have requested. These cookies let us recognize that you have created an account and have logged into that account to access the Sites. They also include cookies that enable us to remember your previous actions within the same browsing session. |
| Analytical/Performance Cookies | These cookies collect information and statistics about how individuals use the Sites (e.g., which webpages or other portions of the Sites visitors go to most often). These cookies are used to improve how the Sites function. |
| Functional Cookies | These cookies allow the Sites to remember choices users make and to provide enhanced, personalized features. For example, within our Sites, these cookies remember users’ language preferences. |
| Targeting/Advertising Cookies | These cookies are used to deliver advertisements relevant to a specific user of the Sites. They remember that a user has visited a website and share this information with other organizations such as advertising vendors. |
Cookies can also be categorized by how long they remain on your device and by who puts the cookie there. There are four broad categories of duration and placement cookies that we use on the Sites:
| Name | Description |
| Persistent Cookies | Persistent cookies remain on your device until deleted manually or automatically. |
| Session Cookies | Session cookies remain on your device until you close your browser, at which time they are automatically deleted. |
| First-Party Cookies | These cookies are placed by the party operating the website or service. For example, any cookies we place on your computer from our Sites are first-party cookies. |
| Third-Party Cookies | These cookies are placed on a website or service by a party that does not own or operate the website or service. |
- HOW DO OUR SITES USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES?
We use Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies to identify you and your interests, to remember your preferences, to facilitate our marketing, and to track your use of our Sites. We also use Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies to control access to certain content on our Sites, to protect the integrity and security of the Sites, to process any requests that you make of us, and as otherwise set forth herein and in Format’s Privacy Policy. To administer our Sites and for research purposes, Format may, from time to time, contract with third-party service providers to track and analyze statistical usage and volume information from our Sites. These third-party service providers use persistent cookies to help us improve the user experience, manage the content on our Sites, and analyze how users navigate and utilize the Sites. The Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies we use on the Sites are as follows:
| Cookie key | Cookie Type | Expiration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| cookieyes-consent | Necessary | 1 year | This cookie is used to remember the user’s consent to the use of cookies on the website. |
| __cf_bm | Necessary | 29 minutes 57 seconds | This cookie is used to distinguish between humans and bots. This is beneficial for the website to make valid reports on the use of their website. |
| optimizelyEndUserId | Performance | 5 months 4 weeks | Cookie set by the Optimizely website optimization platform. This cookie is a unique user identifier |
| _gid | Performance | 24 hours | This cookie is set by Google Analytics. It stores and updates a unique value for each page visited and is used to count and track pageviews. |
| _ga_RFBXLXLNPP | Performance | 1 year 1 month | This cookie is used by Google Analytics to persist session state. |
| _ga | Performance | 1 year 1 month | This cookie name is associated with Google Universal Analytics – which is a significant update to Google’s more commonly used analytics service. This cookie is used to distinguish unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier. It is included in each site’s request in a site and used to calculate visitor, session and campaign data for the site’s analytics reports. |
| _ga_F7FL75LEWJ | Performance | 1 year 1 month | This cookie is used by Google Analytics to persist session state. |
| _fbp | Targeting | 3 months | Used by Meta to deliver a series of advertisement products such as real-time bidding from third party advertisers |
| _gat_gtag_UA_11743039_1 | Targeting | 1 minute | This cookie is part of Google Analytics and is used to limit requests (throttle request rate). |
| ajs_anonymous_id | Functional | 1 year | These cookies are generally used for Analytics and help count how many people visit a certain site by tracking if you have visited before. This cookie has a lifespan of 1 year. |
| amplitude_idundefinedformat.com | Analytics | Session | Used by Amplitude to track unique user sessions for analytics purposes. |
| last_visit_channel_url | Analytics | 3 months | Records the URL of the last channel visited by the user for analytics purposes. |
| request_method | Necessary | Session | Stores the HTTP request method used during the session. |
| optimizelySession | Performance | 5 months4 weeks | Set by the Optimizely platform to track session data for A/B testing. |
| first_visit_channel_url | Analytics | 3 months | Records the URL of the channel on the user’s first visit for analytics purposes. |
| first_visit_channel_referrer | Analytics | 3 months | Records the referrer source on the user’s first visit for analytics purposes. |
| amplitude_id_4cea8af949ec5747dfffee5450e4b625format.com | Analytics | 1 year 1 month | Used by Amplitude to persist a unique user identifier for analytics purposes. |
| gtm_full_story | Analytics | Session | Set by Google Tag Manager in connection with FullStory session recording analytics. |
| last_visit_channel_referrer | Analytics | 3 months | Records the referrer source of the user’s last visit for analytics purposes. |
Google Ads and Analytics. We use “Google Analytics” to collect information about the use of our Sites. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the Sites, what pages they visit when they do so, and what other sites they used prior to coming to the Sites. We use the information we get from Google Analytics only to improve our Sites. Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to your device on the date you visit our Sites rather than your name or other personal information. We do not combine the information collected through the use of Google Analytics with other personal information. Although Google Analytics plants a cookie on your web browser to identify you as a unique user the next time you visit our Sites, the cookie cannot be used by anyone but Google. Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to our Sites is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Use and the Google Privacy Policy. You can prevent Google Analytics from recognizing you on return visits to the Sites by disabling cookies on your browser. Along with cookies, Google Analytics also uses electronic images known as web beacons (sometimes called single pixel gifs) to compile aggregated statistics to analyze how our Sites are used. You can find additional information on how to install a browser add-on to prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Facebook. We use cookies and pixels set by Facebook. With the support of the Facebook pixel, Facebook is able to determine you as a visitor to our Site in order to assist us display advertisements to you (e.g., “Facebook Ads”). We use the Facebook pixel to display the Facebook Ads placed by us only to those Facebook users who have also shown an interest in our online offerings or who exhibit certain characteristics (e.g. interests in certain topics or products determined on the basis of the websites visited) that we transmit to Facebook (i.e., “custom audiences”). With the help of the Facebook pixel, we also want to ensure that our Facebook Ads correspond to the potential interest of users. The Facebook pixel also enables us to track the effectiveness of Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes by seeing whether users are redirected to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad (known as a “conversion”). For more information, see Facebook’s privacy terms.
Bing Ads. Microsoft Bing Ads places a cookie on your device if you reach the Site by clicking on a Microsoft Bing advertisement. We also use Bing Ads to allow us to present our advertisements at the top of the results page for certain search engines. Read Microsoft’s Bing Ads’ privacy policy available at the following: https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement#maincookiessimilartechnologiesmodule.
- HOW DO WE USE AND SHARE INFORMATION?
The information and data we gather from our Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies will be used, retained, and shared in accordance with this Cookie Policy and Format’s Privacy Policy.
- REJECTING COOKIES AND YOUR OPTIONS
TO PREVENT FORMAT FROM USING CERTAIN COOKIES AND OTHER ONLINE TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR BROWSER SETTINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW OR BY USING OUR COOKIE MANAGEMENT TOOL AVAILABLE ON THE FOOTER OF OUR SITE.
You can stop cookies from being downloaded on your device by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. Most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to be notified when you receive a new cookie, and how to disable existing cookies. You can find out how to do this for your particular browser by clicking “help” on your browser’s menu or by visiting http://www.allaboutcookies.org/. Please note, however, that without cookies you may not be able to access or take full advantage of the Sites. Most browsers allow users to use a “private mode” by which cookies are deleted after your website visit. Please read the help section of your browser to learn more about how to activate the “private mode.” You could still visit our Sites if your browser is in “private mode”; however, the user experience may not be optimal, and some features may not work.
- Click here to learn more about the “Private Browsing” setting and managing cookie settings in Firefox.
- Click here to learn more about “Incognito” and managing cookie settings in Chrome.
- Click here to learn more about “InPrivate” and managing cookie settings in Internet Explorer.
- Click here to learn more about “Private Browsing” and managing cookie settings in Safari.
If you want to remove previously stored cookies, you can manually delete the cookies at any time. However, this will not prevent the Sites from placing further cookies on your device unless and until you adjust your browser setting as described above.
More Information. You can find more information about cookies, behavioral advertising, and online privacy at http://www.allaboutcookies.org/. For some of our service providers that participate in the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), you can exercise your choice to opt out of interest-based advertising at http://optout.aboutads.info. You may also opt out of receiving interest-based ads from many third-party websites and applications through the Network Advertising Initiative’s (NAI) Opt Out Tool, which is available at http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices. Certain types of mobile devices have an identifier that provides organizations with the ability to serve targeted advertising directly to a specific mobile device, and you may (depending on the device) be able to limit advertising, reset the advertising identifier, and turn off your device’s tracking features within your device’s settings. For more information see http://youradchoices.com/appchoices.
- TARGETED ADVERTISING OPT-OUT RIGHTS/CALIFORNIA “DO NOT SHARE” RIGHT
Pursuant to certain U.S. state law you may have the right to opt out of having your personal information used for targeted advertising purposes. We use third-party analytical and targeted advertising features our Sites and similar web tools provided by our marketing partners.
California Opt-Out Rights / Do Not Share My Personal Information. Pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CCPA), California residents have the right to opt out of the “sharing” of your personal information. We use third-party analytical and targeted advertising features on our Sites and similar web tools provided by our marketing partners, and such features, tools and marketing relationships involve the disclosure of your personal information to third parties and may constitute the “sharing” of your personal information for CCPA purposes.
Managing Your Privacy Choices. To opt out of this sharing of your personal information in these circumstances, please click on the cookie consent preferences tool on the footer of the Site to set your cookie preferences. To learn more on how you can opt-out from the features and tools discussed in this Cookie Policy, please see above (Rejecting Cookies and Your Options).
- LEGAL BASIS: EUROPEAN UNION (EU), SWITZERLAND, AND UNITED KINGDOM
We process your personal information in accordance with the legal bases set forth in law. For example, our processing of personal information (as described herein) is justified based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent. You may consent to our use of non-essential cookies.
- Legitimate Interests. We process essential cookies to host, operate, maintain, and secure our Site.
Complaints. In the event you have concerns about our data processing, you have the right to file a complaint with your data protection authority. For data protection authorities in the EU, please see here: https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en. For the data protection authority in Switzerland, please contact the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html). For the data protection authority in the UK, please contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (www.ico.org.uk). We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to deal with your concerns before you approach a data protection authority with a complaint, and invite you to contact us in the first instance.
- COOKIE POLICY UPDATES
We reserve the right to amend this Cookie Policy at any time. We will notify you if this Cookie Policy is amended by updating the “Last Updated” section listed above. It is your responsibility to periodically review the Cookie Policy to determine whether any amendments have been made hereto. Your use of the Sites, and continued use of the Sites after any amendments are made to this Cookie Policy, signifies your consent to this Cookie Policy and any amendments hereto. We may, in our sole discretion, provide you communications, including via email or text messages, about changes to our Cookie Policy; however, such communications do not abrogate or otherwise limit your responsibility to periodically review this Cookie Policy to determine whether any amendments have been made hereto.
- CONTACT US
TO PREVENT FORMAT FROM USING CERTAIN COOKIES AND OTHER ONLINE TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR BROWSER SETTINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS IN SECTION 4 ABOVE OR BY USING OUR COOKIE MANAGEMENT TOOL, WHERE AVAILABLE, ON THE FOOTER OF OUR SITE.
If you have questions regarding this Cookie Policy or our handling of your personal information, would like to request more information from us, or would like to exercise a data privacy right, please contact us at the following: (email) privacy@format.com, (phone) 1.888.568.8276, or (mail) Ideaform, Inc., C/O Stikeman Elliott, 199 Bay St. Suite 5300, Commerce Court West, Toronto, Ontario M5L 1B9.