More Information
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file that is stored in your browser when you visit almost any website. It is useful in that the site can thereby recall your visit when you go back to the site. Cookies usually store technical information, personal preferences, personalized content, usage statistics, links to social networks, accesses to user accounts, etc. The purpose of the cookie is to adapt the content of the site to your profile and needs. Without any cookies, the services provided by any site would be significantly reduced.
What is NOT a cookie?
It is not a virus, nor a Trojan, nor a worm, nor spam, nor spyware. It does not open pop-up windows either.
What information does a cookie store?
Cookies do not usually store sensitive information about you, such as credit cards or bank data, photographs, ID or personal information, etc. The data registered are of a technical nature, personal preferences, personalization of contents, etc.
The web server does not identify you as a person but your web browser. In fact, if you regularly browse with Internet Explorer and try browsing the same site with Firefox or Chrome you will see that the site does not realize that you are the same person because it only identifies the browser, not the person.
What information do different types of cookies store?
- Technical Cookies: These cookies are the most basic ones and allow, among other things, to know whether a human being or an automated application is surfing, whether an anonymous user or a registered one is browsing, i.e. basic tasks for the operation of any dynamic site. Those tasks allow the user to surf through the website, platform or application and use the different options and services provided through it, such as traffic control or data communication, identification of the session and permission to access restricted areas, recalling of the data for a particular purchase order or performance of said order, application for registration or participation in any event, use of security elements while browsing, storage of content to show videos and sound, or sharing content through social networks.
- Personalization Cookies: These cookies allow the user to access the service with some predetermined general characteristics according to a series of criteria of the user’s device, such as language, type of browser through which the service is accessed, regional setting of the place from where the service is accessed, etc.
- Analysis Cookies: These cookies allow the person in charge of them to monitor and analyze the users’ behavior in the websites to which they are linked. The information collected through this type of cookies is used to measure the activity of said websites, applications or platforms and to elaborate the browsing profile of the users of said sites, applications and platforms, in order to make improvements according to the analysis of the usage data of the websites’ users.
- Advertising Cookies: These cookies allow the management of the advertising spaces that the publisher may have included in a website, application or platform from which the service is provided as efficiently as possible, based on different criteria such as the edited content on the site or the frequency at which any advertisement is displayed.
What are first-party cookies and third-party cookies?
First-party cookies are those generated by the site you are visiting; third-party cookies are those generated by external services or providers such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.
Can cookies be deleted?
Yes. Not only can they be deleted, but also blocked, in general or in particular for a specific domain. In order to eliminate cookies from a particular website, you should access the configuration of your browser where you can look for those associated to said particular domain and thereby eliminate them.
Cookie settings for most popular browsers
Please find below how to access a specific cookie on Chrome browser. Note: These steps may vary depending on the version of your browser:
- Go to Settings or Preferences using the File menu or clicking on the customization icon on the top right corner.
- You will see different sections, click on the option Show advanced options.
- Go to Privacy, Content Setting.
- Select All cookies and site data.
- A list with all the cookies will appear. They will be arranged according to the domain name. To make it easier for you to find the cookies related to a particular domain, please enter the whole or part of the address in the field “Look for cookies”.
- After this filter, one or more lines will appear on screen with the different cookies of the requested website. You just have to select the cookie you want to access and press X to remove it.
To access cookie settings on Internet Explorer browser please follow these steps (they may vary depending on the version of the browser):
- Go to Tools, Internet Options
- Click on Privacy.
- Move the slider to adjust the level of privacy you desire.
To access cookie settings on Firefox browser please follow these steps (they may vary depending on the version of the browser):
- Go to Options or Preferences depending on your operating system.
- Click on Privacy.
- Choose Use personalized settings for history on History.
- You will then see the option Accept cookies. You can activate or disable cookies according to your preferences.
To access cookie settings on Safari browser for OSX please follow these steps (they may vary depending on the version of the browser):
- Go to Preferences, then Privacy.
- You will see the option called “Block cookies” by which you can adjust the blocking type you wish to implement.
To access cookie settings on Safari browser for iOS, please follow these steps (they may vary depending on the version of the browser):
- Go to Settings, then Safari.
- Go to Privacy and Security. You will see the option called “Block Cookies” by which you can adjust the blocking type you want to implement.
To access cookie settings for Android devices’ browser please follow these steps (they may vary depending on the version of your browser):
- Run the browser and press the key “Menu”, then Settings.
- Go to Security and Privacy. You will see the option called “Accept cookies” by which you can enable or disable a check box in order to accept or disable cookies.
To access cookie settings for Windows Phone devices’ browser please follow these steps (they may vary depending on the version of your browser):
- Open Internet Explorer, then More, then Settings
- You can then enable or disable the check box called “Allow cookies” in order to accept or disable cookies.