What is a cookie?
Cookies are small text files that are sent from the website you visit to your device (usually your browser), where they are stored so that they can recognise your device the next time you visit that website. On each subsequent visit, cookies are sent back from the user’s device to the website.
However, cookies can be installed not only by the same operator of the site visited by the user (first party cookies), but also by a different site that installs cookies through the first site (third party cookies) and is able to recognise them. This happens because on the site visited there may be elements (images, maps, sounds, links to web pages of other domains, etc.) that reside on servers other than that of the site visited.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Guarantor’s Measure of 8 May 2014 “Identification of simplified procedures for the provision of information and the acquisition of consent for the use of cookies” (hereinafter, the “Measure”), for cookies installed by third parties, the obligations of information and, if the conditions are met, consent are the responsibility of the third party; the site owner, as technical intermediary between the third parties and the users, is obliged to include in the extended information notice updated links to the third parties’ information and consent forms.
Depending on their purpose, cookies are divided into technical cookies and profiling cookies.
Technical cookies are installed for the sole purpose of “carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network, or to the extent strictly necessary for the provider of an information society service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user to provide such service” (see Legislative Decree 196/2003, art. 122, para. 1 – the so-called “Privacy Code” – as amended by Legislative Decree 69/2012). Privacy Code – as amended by Legislative Decree 69/2012).
Technical cookies are used to allow efficient navigation between pages, store preferences, information on specific configurations and authenticate users and so on.
Technical cookies can be divided into navigation cookies, which are used to record data useful for the normal navigation and use of the website on the user’s computer (allowing, for example, to remember the preferred size of the page in a list) and functional cookies, which allow the website to remember the choices made by the user in order to optimise its functionality (for example, functional cookies allow the website to remember a user’s specific settings, such as country selection and, if set, permanent login status).
Some of these cookies (so-called essential or strictly necessary) enable functions without which it would not be possible to carry out certain operations.
Pursuant to the art. 122, co. 1, Privacy Code, the use of technical cookies does not require the users’ consent.
Technical cookies are assimilated – and, therefore, as specified in the measure, for their installation, the users’ consent is not required, nor the further regulatory requirements – to the so-called analytics cookies. analytics cookies if created and used directly by the operator of the first party website (without, therefore, the intervention of third parties) for the purpose of optimising the site in order to collect aggregate information on the number of users and how they visit the site, as well as analytical cookies created and made available by third parties and used by the first party website for mere statistical purposes, if, among other things, appropriate tools are adopted to reduce the identification power of the analytical cookies they use (for example, by masking significant portions of the IP address).
Profiling cookies, on the other hand, are used to track the user’s navigation, analyse their behaviour for marketing purposes and create profiles on his/her tastes, habits, choices, etc. to send targeted advertising messages in relation to the user’s interests and in line with the preferences expressed by the user when navigating online.
These cookies may be installed on the user’s terminal only if the user has given their consent in the manner indicated in the provision.
A distinction is made between persistent cookies, which are stored on the user’s device until they expire, unless the user removes them, and session cookies, which are not stored persistently on the user’s device and disappear when the browser is closed.
There are technologies like cookies that also make use of the website’s local file storage, for example:
- Browser Local Storage, HTML Web Storage – Some websites use local storage objects called session Storage and local Storage to store information; the session Storage is automatically deleted when the browser is closed; to delete the local Storage, however, the user must delete the browsing history.
- Local Flash storage, Flash Local Shared Objects – Flash is a browser add-on that allows interactive and multimedia elements to be embedded in a website. Flash also allows the visited website to store files on the user’s device.
- Silverlight Local Storage, Isolated Objects – Silverlight is a browser add-on that allows interactive and multimedia elements to be embedded in a website. Silverlight also allows the visited website to store files on the user’s device.
- Web beacon or single-pixel GIF – This is a tracking technique that consists of inserting an image, usually transparent, into a website. When the browser connects to a web page and the web page contains a web beacon image, the browser sends a request to the web server to download that image and, with this request, the server records some browsing information.
What cookies are used on the site?
This site makes use of technical cookies to monitor the functioning of the site and allow efficient navigation on the site. These cookies are strictly necessary for the correct functioning of the site or to allow the use of the contents and services requested by the user. According to the Privacy Code, it is possible to install in the user’s browser the technical cookies that are essential for the proper functioning of a website, as well as third-party analytical cookies, which are assimilated to technical cookies when they are used directly by the site manager to collect information, including in aggregate form, on the number of users and how they visit the site, without prejudice to the obligation to provide information.
This site uses third party cookies like the technical ones called “analytics cookies”, to statistically analyse accesses or visits to the site and allow the owner to improve the structure, navigation logic and contents. These cookies, suitably anonymised (e.g., IP address masking), allow the collection of aggregate information on the number of users and how they visit the site without being able to identify the individual user.
The third parties involved, the type of cookie and the link to the specific cookie policy are listed below.
https://www.google.it/intl/it/policies/privacy/
https://www.google.it/intl/it/policies/technologies/cookies/
No first or third-party profiling cookies are used on this site.
Is it possible to disable cookies?
By default, almost all web browsers are set to automatically accept cookies. However, surfers can change the default configuration through the settings of their browser, which allow them to delete/remove all or some cookies or block the sending of cookies or limit them to certain sites.
Disabling/blocking cookies or deleting them may affect the optimal use of certain areas of the site or prevent certain functionalities, as well as affect the functioning of third-party services.
The configuration of cookie management depends on the browser used. Below are links to guides to cookie management for the main browsers:
Microsoft Internet Explorer – From “Tools” select “Internet Options”. In the pop-up window select ‘Privacy’ and adjust the cookie settings or via the links:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/block-or-allow-cookies
http://windows.microsoft.com/it-it/internet-explorer/delete-manage-cookies#ie=ie-9
Google Chrome – for Desktop: Select “Settings”, then “Show advanced settings”, then in the “Privacy” section select “Content settings” and adjust your cookie settings or access via the links:
Google Chrome for Mobile: Access via the link
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2392971?hl=it
Mozilla Firefox – Select “Options” and in the pop-up window select “Privacy” to adjust the cookie settings, or access via the links:
https://support.mozilla.org/it/kb/Attivare%20e%20disattivare%20i%20cookie
Apple Safari – Select “Preferences” and then “Security” where you can adjust your cookie settings, or access via the link: https://support.apple.com/it-it/HT201265
Opera – Select ‘Preferences’, ‘Advanced’ and then ‘Cookies’ where you can adjust your cookie settings, or access via the
link: http://www.opera.com/help/tutorials/security/cookies/
For browsers other than those listed above, you will need to consult the relevant guide to find out how to manage cookies.