COOKIE POLICY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH DIRECTIVE 2009/136/EC (EU COOKIE LAW)

For the proper functioning of the site and to improve service, the site uses so-called “cookies” — small text files containing fragments of information about site visitors. These “cookies” are of two types: those generated by the site’s platform and those generated by external services used by the platform.

Upon first visiting the site, the user receives a notification about the use of “cookies” in the form of a message appearing beneath the browser’s address bar.

What Is a “Cookie”?

A cookie is a small file consisting of a text set of information that a given website transfers from your web browser to the hard drive of your computer, either temporarily while you are visiting, or sometimes for longer periods, depending on the type of cookie. Cookies perform certain functions (including distinguishing you from other users of the same website or remembering information related to you, such as your preferences) and are used by most sites to facilitate your browsing. Each cookie is unique to your web browser and contains some anonymous information. A cookie typically contains the domain name from which it originates, the cookie’s “lifetime,” and its value (usually in the form of a randomly generated number).

Types of Cookies

Session Cookies
These are temporary cookies that remain in your browser’s cookie file only for the duration of your visit, and are deleted when you close your browser.

Persistent Cookies
These remain in your browser’s cookie file after the browser is closed, sometimes for a period of one year or longer (the exact duration depends on the cookie’s lifetime). Persistent cookies are used when the website operator needs to know who you are across more than one browsing session (for example, to remember your username or site personalization preferences).

First-Party Cookies
These are cookies placed in your browser and/or on your hard drive by the actual website you are visiting. They include assigning you a unique identity to track your movement within the site. Website operators often use first-party cookies for session management and recognition purposes.

Third-Party Cookies
Advertisers sometimes use their own cookies to show you targeted ads. For example, advertisers may use a profile based on the sites you have previously visited to display more relevant ads to you.

We use, or allow third parties to use, cookies on our sites. For example, like many companies, we use Google Analytics to monitor our site traffic. Also, when you share an article/information using the social media buttons (e.g., Facebook) on our site, the social network that created that button will record that action. These are cookies used by third parties (e.g., social networks) to track your visits across different sites where they advertise. The website operator has no control over third-party cookies.

Do Cookies Contain Personal Data?

Cookies themselves do not require personal data to function and most often do not identify the personal identity of internet users.

Deleting Cookies

All modern browsers allow you to change your cookie settings. You can usually find these settings in the “Options” or “Preferences” menu of your browser. To learn more about these settings, the following links may help you, or you can use the “Help” button in your browser’s menus.

More Information

More information about how businesses use cookies is available at: www.allaboutcookies.org.