WHAT ARE COOKIES?
Cookies are tiny text files sent from the web site to the client (usually a web browser). Cookies are stored in the web-server in order to be transmitted in the next communication with the same user. A cookie can’t reach any information in the hard drive of the user, can’t transmit virus and can’t memorize email addresses. The couple web-browser/user is unique. Some of the cookie’s functions can be demanded to other technologies. In this document, the term “cookies” refers to both cookies and all the similar technologies.
Cookies can be used to store information about preferences, such as visited pages, downloaded files or other similar actions in our web site.
FIRST PARTY OR THIRD PARTY COOKIE
First party cookies are developed from the web site itself; third party cookies are developed by third parties for a web site.
KINDS OF COOKIE
There are different types of cookies:
Technical Cookies Technical cookies are only used to ensure the correct functioning of the web site and to provide the service offered and requested by a user.
Technical cookies are not used in other ways e are usually installed by the developer of the web site himself. They can be divided in:
- Navigation or session cookies, that guarantee usual navigation and usability of the web site (in order to let the user to purchase products or to authenticate in a personal area); these cookies are necessary for the correct functioning of the web site;
- Analytics cookies, considered technical cookies when used directly from the developer of the web site to collect informations about the number of user and how they visit the web site, in order to improve the site performance;
- Functional cookies, which are used to improve the quality of the service by letting the user select preferences (like, language, selected products to purchase). To install this kind of cookie, the previous consent of the user is not required to install this kind of cookie (more information below).
User profiling cookies Profiling cookies are needed to create user profiles and mainly used to show ads which are relative to the user preferences. To use them, it is necessary to obtain the consent from the user. According to the n. 229 measure of May 8th 2014, the user must be able to choose whether to deny or consent the installation of profiling cookies. You can manage this kind of cookie with the browser settings. The user is invited to verify the cookie on the third party web site as shown below.
Cookies have an expiration date set during its installation. Cookies can be:
COOKIE DURATION
- Temporary or session cookies: used to store temporary information, this kind of cookie consent to connect each action to a specific session and are removed from the computer once the browser is closed;
- Persistent cookies: used to store information, such as access name and password, so hat the user does not have to type them each time a web site is visited. This kind of cookie stays in the computer even after the browser is closed.
Session cookies, once the connection with this web site is over, are lost. This web site’s system use both session cookies and persistent cookies.
COOKIES MANAGEMENT
You can disable cookies by downloading specific software for your browser, such as Ghostery (https://www.ghostery.com), and disabling cookies. Another way is to use “anonymous navigation” – function that lets you navigate the Internet without leaving navigation data. The last method does not save navigation data in the browser.
Alternatively, you can disable/delete cookies by accessing you browser settings.
COOKIES ACCEPTANCE AND WITHDRAWAL
By proceeding the web site navigation, by closing the informative window, by clicking any part of the web site or by scrolling the page, you accept the Cookie Policy and cookies will be installed and collected. In case the user does not accept the cookie by closing the page, eventual cookies already registered in the user’s browser won’t be thrown away but instead used in the next connection to this web site, in case the policy will be accepted. You will always have the chance to remove those cookies anytime, by the method listed before.