A cookie is a file or device that is downloaded onto the user’s device to store data that can be updated and recovered by the entity responsible for its installation. In other words, it is a file that is downloaded onto your computer when accessing certain websites. Cookies allow a web page to store and recover information on the browsing habits of a user or their device and, depending on the information they contain and the way the device is used, can be used to recognise the user. Their main uses are:
What are Cookies?
- Monitoring users: When a user enters their username and password, a cookie is stored so that the user does not have to re-enter them for every page visited on the server. A cookie does not simply identify a person, it identifies the combination of computer-browser-user.
- Collecting information on the user’s browser habits and Spyware attacks, on behalf of advertising agencies and others. This can cause privacy issues and it is for this reason that cookies have their opponents.
There are different kinds of cookies depending on their use, and these can be identified as follows: Analysis cookies: These cookies are used to carry out an analysis of the behaviour and actions of web site users as well as to prepare browser profiles to carry out technical improvements in terms of functioning and service. Advertising cookies: these permit the efficient management of advertising spaces based on a series of criteria, such as, for example, verifying that the user has already had access or not to a news item in order to update it with a new one. Behavioural advertising cookies: These cookies store information on users’ behaviour by focusing on their browsing habits. This allows user profiles to be established according to this behaviour and use them to personalise the presented advertising. If a user would like to obtain further information on cookies they can visit the following website: http://www.aboutcookies.org/.
What type of Cookies does this web page use?
This web page uses cookies that make the site easier for the user to use and browse, ensuring access to certain services, as well as improve the functional configuration of the website. This web page uses the following cookies:
| TYPE | DESCRIPTION/PURPOSE | OWN / THIRD PARTY |
|---|---|---|
| Session | These are necessary for the correct use of the web page, namely the user’s session, or to browse uninterruptedly by remembering the language and country options. They are used to identify the user, in the case it were necessary to access a restricted area. Without these cookies, many of the available services would not be operational. These cookies expire when the browser is closed or after one month. | OWN |
| Technical | These process generic and anonymous information, where no personal data is included, and only remember the page that the user came from. Their main objective is to improve the functioning of the website. | OWN |
| Advertising | These cookies remember the choices the user makes, the terms and conditions that the user has accepted and also offer better and more personalised characteristics, allowing adverts that are more relevant, useful and attuned to their interests to be shown, as well as preventing the user from constantly seeing the same advert. | Google AdWords Conversion |
| Social | Some services use connectors with various social media. When using the social register, you are authorising the social network to install cookies. These cookies add the social component to your browsing. | |
| Analytics | These cookies permit the analysis and measurement of the properties and functionalities of this website for improvement purposes. The cookies installed are third-party cookies. For example, Google Analytics is the analytics tool that helps web sites understand how their visitors interact with their properties. A series of cookies can be used to gather information and report on the usage statistics of the web sites without personally identifying the Google visitors. ComScore provides customised solutions for measuring online audiences, e-commerce, advertising, search engines, video and mobile. It measures visits and unique visitors. | Google Analytics |
How to configure cookies?
This section briefly explains how to consult and configure the cookies for the most common browsers or those most used by the users. Almost all browsers allow the user to obtain general information concerning the cookies installed by a web page, such as verifying their existence, duration or the method of elimination. In this regard, for informative purposes, a series of related links are provided:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Internet Explorer
The user will also be able to allow, block or delete the cookies installed on their device by changing their browser’s settings by following the instructions for that browser. Cookie settings are normally changed in the “Preferences” or “Tools” menu of each browser. In any event, you can always use the browser help to resolve any queries you might have. It should be remembered that preventing the installation of cookies could affect the content of the website and certain functionalities and services it provides.