What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small piece of text that websites send to the browser, which is then stored on the user’s device, such as a personal computer, mobile phone, tablet, etc. These files allow the website to remember information about your visit, such as your language and preferred options, which can facilitate your next visit and make the site more useful by personalizing its content. Cookies play a very important role in improving the web user experience.
Types of cookies
According to the entity that manages them, cookies can be:
- Own cookies: These are sent to the user’s device from a device or domain managed by the editor themselves, from which the service requested by the user is provided.
- Third-party cookies: These are sent to the user’s device from a device or domain not managed by the editor, but by another entity that processes the data obtained through the cookies.
According to the time they remain active:
- Session cookies: These are designed to collect and store data while the user accesses a web page. They are typically used to store information that only needs to be retained for the duration of the service requested by the user on a single occasion.
- Persistent cookies: These cookies store data on the device and can be accessed and processed for a defined period by the cookie manager, which can range from a few minutes to several years.
According to the purpose for which the data obtained through the cookies is processed, the website may use: Technical cookies: These allow the user to navigate through the website or application and use the different options or services available. For example, controlling traffic and data communication, identifying the session, accessing restricted web parts, remembering the items in an order, making a registration request or participation in an event, using security elements during navigation, and storing content for video or sound broadcasting.
Personalization cookies: These allow the user to access the service with some general predefined characteristics in their device or defined by the user themselves. For example, language, browser type through which the service is accessed, selected content design, terminal geolocation, and regional settings from which the service is accessed. Advertising cookies: These allow the effective management of advertising spaces included on the website or application from which the service is provided. They enable the content of the advertising to be tailored to make it relevant to the user and to avoid showing ads that the user has already seen. Statistical analysis cookies: These allow for the tracking and analysis of user behavior on websites. The information collected through these types of cookies is used to measure website, application, or platform activity and to create user browsing profiles of these sites, in order to introduce improvements in the service based on user usage data.
How to manage cookies in the browser?
The user has the option to allow, block, or delete cookies installed on their device by configuring the options of the browser installed on their terminal:
Firefox:
http://support.mozilla.org/es/kb/habilitar-y-deshabilitar-cookies-que-los-sitios-we
Chrome:
http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=es&answer=95647
Internet Explorer:
https://support.microsoft.com/es-es/help/278835/how-to-delete-cookie-files-in-internet-explorer
Microsoft Edge:
https://support.microsoft.com/es-es/help/4468242/microsoft-edge-browsing-data-and-privacy-microsoft-privacy
Safari:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ph5042
Opera:
http://help.opera.com/Windows/11.50/es-ES/cookies.html
In some browsers, specific rules can be set to manage cookies for each website, providing more precise control over privacy. This means that cookies can be disabled for all sites except those that are trusted.