What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your computer or mobile device by the websites you visit. These text files can be read by the websites you visit and help identify you when you return to the website. Cookies can be “persistent” or “session” cookies. Persistent cookies remain on your computer even after you turn off the browser (go offline), while session cookies are deleted as soon as you close your internet browser. Cookies are used for various purposes, such as remembering your activities and preferences (e.g., logins, language preferences, font size, or how the page is displayed), providing personalized content on the website, and displaying navigation history.
Why do we use cookies?
We use cookies on this website for the following reasons:
- For the technical functioning of the website.
- To collect aggregate and anonymous statistical data.
- To remember your preferences for how the site is displayed (e.g., contrast settings, font size).
- To remember whether you agree to our use of cookies on this website.
- To manage content and other functionalities to improve the quality of the site and maintain transparency with its visitors.
When you visit our website, we may collect some browsing data passively and automatically, such as your IP address, the content you visited on our site, the time of visit, and the referring website.
Types of cookies we use:
- Necessary Cookies
These cookies remember your browsing sessions/settings when you turn off your browser to avoid reconfiguring them. They help our servers handle traffic changes and protect the website from attacks. - Functional Cookies
These are essential for the website’s functionality. They cannot be disabled as they respond to your specific actions, like privacy settings, filling out forms, or logout messages. These cookies do not use identifiable information and are necessary for navigating and using the site. - Analytical Cookies
Analytical cookies are used for anonymous analysis of website usage, helping improve its functionality. They track visits, traffic, and user behavior, providing cumulative and fully anonymous data. If you decline these cookies, we won’t know when or how you visited and cannot optimize the site.
Can you delete or control cookies?
Cookies-related information is not used for personal identification. Accepting cookies is not mandatory for the website’s operation but provides a better browsing experience. You can delete or block cookies if desired, but some features might not work properly if you do.
You can delete all cookies stored on your computer and configure most browsers to prevent cookies. However, doing so might require manually adjusting preferences each time you visit a website, and some services or functionalities might not work.
How to disable cookies in your browser?
Browser-level settings apply to all sessions/websites, not just the specific site in question. Use the “Help” menu in your browser to:
- Prevent accepting new cookies.
- Set the browser to notify you when a cookie is received.
- Disable cookies completely.
If cookies are not accepted, some website content may not be available, like user-specific offers or functionalities. To avoid this, we recommend accepting cookies. Many online resources explain cookies if you want to learn more, such as allaboutcookies.org.
For example, if you’re using Internet Explorer 11.0:
- Select “Settings,” then “Internet Options.”
- Click the “Privacy” tab.
- Use the slider menu to choose your preferred options.
Notes:
- Blocked cookies: Opt-out cookies might not work if your browser blocks third-party cookies.
- Deleting opt-out preferences: If you delete your cookies, you’ll need to opt out again.
- Browser-specific settings: Opt-out applies only to the browser profile where it’s set. For example, opting out in Firefox won’t apply to Chrome. Repeat the opt-out process for each browser.
- Limiting precise location data: Adjust mobile or browser settings to restrict collecting precise location data.
Summary:
You can manage cookies through your browser settings, but doing so might impact your experience, requiring manual adjustments each time you visit a site and potentially disabling some functionalities.
