What are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files generated by the websites which have been visited by the user, which retain the session’s data that may be used later on the website. The data enables the website to keep the user’s information between the pages as well as to analyse the way in which the latter interacts with the site.
Cookies are secure – they may only keep information which is entered by the browser, related to the access in the browser itself, or which is included in the page requested.
These cannot be converted into codes and cannot be used to gain access to the user’s computer. If a website encrypts the information contained in the cookie, only the website may read the information.
What are the main types of Cookies?
Below you shall find a brief description of the main types of cookies:
Session and Persistent Cookies
Session Cookies, which contain the information that is used during your current browser session. These cookies are automatically deleted when you close the browser. Nothing is kept on your computer except for the usage time of the website (ASP.NET_SessionId and language)
Persistent Cookies (type ASPXANONYMOUS) are used to keep the information which is used during the period between one access to the website and another, or which are used for technical purposes and to improve the browsing on the website. This data allows the websites to identify you as a user or as an already known visitor, and is adapted accordingly. The duration of “persistent” cookies is established by the website and may vary from a few minutes to several years.
First-party and third-party cookies
First-party cookies belong to the website that has created them.
Third-party cookies are created by domains that are external to the website and whose data is kept by the third party.
Technical and profile cookies
Technical cookies are those used solely for the transmission of a communication on an electronic communication network, or to the extent strictly necessary for the supplier of an IT company’s service who has been explicitly requested by the subscriber or by the user to carry out such a service (see Article 122(1) of the Privacy Code). These are not used for other purposes and are normally installed directly by the website’s controller or manager. Amongst them, one may find, for example, functionality cookies, which enable the user to browse according to a series of preselected criteria (for example, the language, the products chosen for purchase), in order to improve the service rendered. The Cookie Analytics are assimilated to the technical cookies where they are used directly by the website manager to gather information, in aggregate form, on the number of users and on the way they visit the same site.
Profile cookies are aimed at creating profiles related to the user and which are used in order to send advertising messages according to the preferences indicated by the user while browsing on the web. Due to the particular invasive nature which such systems may have within the users’ private life, European and Italian legislation provide that the user should be adequately informed on the use of such cookies and in this way, grant his valid consent.
Which cookies does this website make use of, what are their key features and how may one refuse to consent to each profile cookie?
This website can send the cookies indicated and briefly described below to the user, for the purposes specified below.
TECHNICAL COOKIES:
| Name of technical Cookie | Brief description | First or third-party | Duration | Purposes of the technical Cookie |
| agree_cookie_terms | acceptance of the use of cookies by the website | first-party cookies | 365 days | hide the information on cookies in case the user accepts |
| _icl_current_language | choices made by the user with regards to the website language and the user’s geographical region | first-party cookies | 24 minutes without user interaction | inserting the automatic systems related to the choices requested by certain pages of the website |
PROFILE COOKIES:
| Name of the Cookie | Brief description | First or third-party | Duration | Purposes of the Cookie |
| _gat,_ga,__utma, __utmb, __utmc, __utmv, __utmz | Google Analytics is a web analysis service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”), in order to help us determine how our website is being used. In this way, the information on the use of our website, including your IP address, may be sent to Google and memorized on servers in the United States. | third-party cookies, proprietor: google.com | The cookie with a long duration expires 2 years after the last website visit. Others are deleted after 6 months, some after 30 minutes and once the browser has been closed. | Creating a unique random number or a string of letters and numbers to identify the browser, the times and the dates when you have recently interacted with the site and the marketing material or the reference pages which have led to the site. |
| SID, LOGIN_INFO, use_hotbox, PREF, SSID, HSID, watched_video_id_list, __utma, __utmz, demographics, VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE, dkv, GEUD, APISID, SPISID, YSC | Google has established a certain number of cookies on any page that includes a Youtube video to measure the number of YouTube users and their behaviour, including information which links your visits to the site with your Google account. | third-party cookies, proprietor: google.com | Most cookies expire 10 years after your last visit to a page containing a Youtube video, even if some expire before this period. | Creating various unique identifiers, possibly relating the access information which may refer to a Google account. |
| Google Adwords | Cookie related to the segment | Third-party: Google | 60 days | Adds the user to a segment for re-targeting |
To refuse consent to the use of one or more profile cookies, the user may:
click on the Link to refuse the consent shown in the table above, if present;
alternatively, one may follow the disabling procedure provided by the main browsers:
Microsoft Windows Explorer
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/block-or-allow-cookies
Google Chrome
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/61416?hl=en
Mozilla Firefox
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Enabling%20and%20disabling%20cookies
Apple Safari
http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/
Cookie Flash
http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager02.html#118539