Cookies and other Tracking Technologies
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file that a web site saves on your PC, mobile phone or other device, containing information about your browsing on that site. Cookies are necessary to facilitate browsing and make it more convenient; they do not harm your computer. Although this policy uses the general term “cookie” as this is the main method a website uses to store information, the term browser “local storage” space is also used for the same purposes as cookie. Therefore all the information in this section is equally applicable to “local storage”.
Why are cookies used on this website?
Cookies are an essential part of how our website operates. The main purpose of our cookies is to improve your browsing experience. For example, to remember your preferences (language, country, etc.) during browsing and on future visits. The information collected in cookies also enables us to improve our website, for example, by estimating user numbers and ways users use the site, adapting the site to individual user’s interests, speeding up searches, etc. Sometimes, if we have obtained your consent, we can use cookies, tags or other similar instruments to obtain information that enables us to show you advertising based on your navigation habits on our own web site, those of other suppliers or in other ways.
What are cookies NOT used for on this web site?
We do not store sensitive information regarding your personal identification such as your address, password, details of your credit or debit card, etc., in the cookies that we use. Who uses the information stored in cookies? The information stored in cookies by our web site is only used by us, with the exception of those cookies identified as “third party cookies”. These latter cookies are used and managed by external organisations to provide services to us and requested by us in order to improve our services and user experience when browsing our website. The main services for which we use “third party cookies” are collecting hit statistics and guaranteeing payment operations.
How can I avoid the use of cookies on this website?
Most browsers automatically accept cookies. You can set your browser option so that you will not receive cookies and you can also delete existing cookies from your browser. However, you may find that some parts of the site will not function properly if you have refused cookies or similar tracking technologies and you should be aware that disabling cookies or similar tracking technologies might prevent you from accessing some of our content. However, your viewing of editorial content may be hampered. If you wish to block cookies, go to http://www.allaboutcookies.org/ to find out how, or check your browser’s instructions.
Some of the tracking technologies we use include:
- Local Shared Objects: Local shared objects, such as .Flash cookies,. also may be stored on your computer or device. Local shared objects operate a lot like cookies, but cannot be managed in the same way. Depending on how local shared objects are enabled on your computer or device, you may be able to manage them using software settings. For information on managing Flash cookies, for example, see http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/disable-local-shared-objects-flash.html.
- HTML 5: HTML5, the language some Web sites are coded in, may be used to store information on your computer or device about your Service usage activities. This information may be retrieved by us to help us manage our Services, such as by giving us information about how our Services are being used by our visitors, how they can be improved, and to customize them for our users.
- Cache Cookies: Cache cookies, such as eTags, may be used to identify your computer or device as the same computer or device that visited a Service or Services in the past.
- Web Beacons: Our websites may also use small pieces of code called “web beacons” or “clear gifs” to collect anonymous and aggregate advertising metrics, such as counting page views, promotion views, or advertising responses. A web beacon is an electronic image called a single-pixel or clear GIF. Web beacons can recognize certain types of information, such as a user’s cookie number, time and date of a page view, and description of the page where the web beacon is placed. These web beacons may be used to deliver cookies that conform to our cookie policy above.
These tracking technologies may be deployed by us and/or by our service providers or partners on our behalf. These technologies enable us to assign a unique number to you, and relate your Service usage information to other information about you, including your personal information. We may match information collected from you through different means or at different times, including both personal information and Service usage information, and use such information along with offline and online information obtained from other sources (including third parties) such as demographic information and updated contact information (where that information has been lawfully disclosed to us) for the purposes of learning more about you so we can provide you with relevant content.
This information table will be updated as promptly as possible when there are changes in the services offered by this website. However, it may sometimes be the case that, during such an update, the information table may not include some cookie, tag or other similar instrument, although they will always be instruments with identical purposes to those described in this table.
