WHAT ARE COOKIES?

Cookies, as described by the relevant legislation, are small text files which sites visited by the user send to their terminal (usually to the browser), where they are stored to then be sent back to the same sites when they are subsequently visited again by the same user. When browsing a site, the user may also receive cookies on their terminal sent by other web servers or sites ( “third-party cookies”) which contain some of the elements (e.g. images, maps, audio, specific links to pages of other domains) displayed on the site they are currently visiting. Cookies are used for different purposes: authentication, monitoring of sessions, storing information on specific configurations concerning the users accessing the server etc. Please note that, in implementation of the requirements of 2009/136/EC Directive, there is a requirement to acquire prior informed consent from users before cookies used for purposes other than purely technical ones are stored on their terminal (see art. 1, para. 5 a) of Italian legislative decree of 28 May 2012, no. 69, which modified art. 122 of Italian legislative decree 196/2003 – the “Code” – and the legislative measure issued on 8 May 2014 by the Italian Data Protection Authority requiring information and consent for the use of cookies). There are therefore two broad categories of cookies: “technical” cookies and “profiling” cookies:

a. Technical cookies.
Technical cookies are those used only to “perform transmission of communications over an electronic communication network, or to the extent strictly necessary for the supplier of an information service explicitly requested by the subscriber or by the user to supply that service” (art. 122, para. 1 of the Code). They are not used for further purposes and are normally installed directly by the owner or manager of the website. They can be divided into navigation or session cookies, which permit normal navigation or use of the web site (allowing, for example, a purchase to be made or authentication for access to private areas to be performed); analytics cookies, similar to technical cookies when used directly by the site operator to gather aggregate data on the number of users and how they use the site; functionality cookies, which allow users to navigate the site on the basis of a series of selected criteria (for example language, products selected for purchase) in order to improve the service provided to the same. Storage of these cookies does not require prior consent from users, while the obligation to inform them pursuant to article 13 of the Code remains unchanged.

b. Profiling cookies.
The purpose of profiling cookies is to create profiles on the user, and they are used in order to send advertising messages in line with their web browsing preferences. Due to the particularly invasive nature of and the effects that these files can have on the user’s privacy, European and Italian legislation requires that users be appropriately informed on the use of these cookies and give their consent for the same. Article 122 of the Code refers to these cookies, requiring that “the storage of information on a contractor or user’s terminal, or access to information already stored there, is allowed only on condition that the contractor or user has provided their consent after being informed via the simplified methods per article 13, para. 3” (article 122, para. 1 of the Code).

HOW TO DISABLE COOKIES

The most popular browsers provide the possibility to block exclusively third-party cookies, accepting only those issued by the site itself. Moreover, some companies which generate cookies on third-party sites offer the possibility to simply and immediately disable their own cookies only, even when these are anonymous, in other words identifying personal data is not recorded (e.g. IP address).
Most web browsers are initially set to accept cookies automatically.

If the user does not wish their computer to receive and store cookies, they can modify the security settings of their browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari etc.).

Those who wish to modify the use of cookies through their browser settings will find some instructions below on how to perform this operation in the four most popular web browsers:

MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER
Click the ‘Tools’ icon in the top right corner of the window and select ‘Internet Options’. Select the ‘Privacy’ tab in the pop-up window. From here you can change the cookie settings.

GOOGLE CHROME
Click the wrench icon in the top right corner of the window and select ‘Settings’. Click Advanced, then make the desired changes to the Privacy settings.

MOZILLA FIREFOX
Click on the drop-down menu in the top left corner, then select ‘Options’. Select ‘Privacy’ in the pop-up window. From here you can change the cookie settings.

SAFARI
Click on the drop-down menu in the top right corner and choose ‘Preferences’. Click on ‘Security’, then change the cookie settings.

In order to learn more about cookies and how to manage or disable third-party or marketing/retargeting cookies, visit WWW.YOURONLINECHOICES.COM.

In order to disable analytics cookies and prevent Google Analytics from collecting information about your browsing, you can download a browser add-on to disable Google Analytics: HTTPS://TOOLS.GOOGLE.COM/DLPAGE/GAOPTOUT.