What are 'cookies' for?
Cookies are set of data that a server places in the User browser to store the Internet standard registration information and the behavior information of a website visitor.That is, little text files that are store in the computer hardware used to identify the user connects back to the website. It's objective is to register the user visit and store some information. It's frequently used in the web as it allows websites to work more efficiently and to provide a better adaptation and analysis to the user behavior.
What kind of cookies are there?
There are different types of cookies
Based in their duration, cookies can be classified as:
Session cookies: These kind of cookies disappear from the User's computer when he leaves the website or closes his browser. They are usually stored in the cache memory.
Permanent cookies: They are stored in the user hardware permanently and for a long time so the website can read them when the user visit it back. This cookies expiry date is determined by the website that launches them, __utma, __utmc, __utmz, _ga
Based on their functionality, cookies can be classified as:
Technical and functional cookies: These are strictly necessary to enable the user navigation on a website and to obtain a certain contracted service. For example, the cookies that store an online order details.
Customization cookies: It allows to custom the website functions and contents according to the data obtained from the browser. For example, it displays a website in the same language than the one in the browser.
Analysis cookies: They collect information about the use of a website for statistical purpose. An example are Google Analytics cookies. PREF, __utma, __utmc, __utmz, _ga
Advertising and behavioral cookies: They are aimed to improve the advertising effectiveness collecting information about the user preferences and personal choices. For example, Google Adwords cookies (retargeting).NID
Affiliation cookies: They can track the visits from other websites with whom the website has established an affiliation contract (affiliation companies).
They are essentially classified in two kinds of cookies:
Google Analytics cookies. These cookies are provided by Google as a consequence of the use of the "Google Analytics" service by a member. This service collects information about the navigation, for example, the visitor location and other details (time, visited pages, etc.) The user can block the cookies and also can use this supplement provided by Google to disable the Google Analytics service during his visit.
Technical cookies. They are used by the website to allow and manage the visit.
Cookies block and removal
Normally browsers have different setting options related to cookies allowing to adjust the privacy levels. For example, it is possible to block all cookies sent from a particular website or remove all the cookies that have been saved. To modify these options, you can check the browser instructions or ask for help to the supplier.
Find below links to most popular web and cell phones browsers instructions.
- Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer y Safari.
Some features or services supplied by the website may not be available in case of cookies block or limitation.