Please read the following information carefully:
To comply with the requirements set forth in the EU Directive of May 26, 2012, and the provisions of Law no. 506 of November 17, 2004, regarding the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector, all visitors to the website are asked for their consent before cookies are transmitted to their computers.
This website uses its own and third-party cookies to provide visitors with a much better browsing experience and services tailored to each person’s needs and interests.
Cookies play an important role in facilitating access and delivery of multiple services that the user enjoys on the Internet, such as:
- Personalizing certain settings like: the language in which a site is viewed, accessing old preferences by pressing the “forward” and “back” buttons.
- Cookies provide valuable feedback to site owners on how their sites are used by users, so they can make them even more efficient and accessible to users.
- Allowing multimedia or other applications from other sites to be included on a particular site to create a more valuable, useful, and pleasant browsing experience.
What is a “cookie”?
An “Internet Cookie” (also known as a “browser cookie” or “HTTP cookie” or simply “cookie”) is a small file, consisting of letters and numbers, which will be stored on the computer, mobile terminal, or other equipment of a user accessing the Internet.
The cookie is installed through a request issued by a web-server to a browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Chrome) and is completely “passive” (it does not contain software programs, viruses, or spyware and cannot access information on the user’s hard drive).
A cookie consists of 2 parts: the name and the content or value of the cookie. Moreover, the lifespan of a cookie is determined; technically, only the web-server that sent the cookie can access it again when a user returns to the website associated with that web-server.
Cookies themselves do not require personal information to be used and, in most cases, do not personally identify Internet users.
There are 2 large categories of cookies:
- Session cookies – these are stored temporarily in the cookie folder of the web browser so that it can remember them until the user exits the website or closes the browser window (e.g., when logging in/out of a webmail account or social networks).
- Persistent cookies – these are stored on the hard drive of a computer or equipment (and generally depends on the pre-set lifespan for the cookie). Persistent cookies also include those placed by a different website than the one the user is visiting at that moment – known as ‘third party cookies’ – which can be used anonymously to remember a user’s interests so that the most relevant advertising can be delivered to users.
What are the advantages of cookies?
A cookie contains information that links a web-browser (the user) and a specific web-server (the website). If a browser accesses that web-server again, the latter can read the information already stored and react accordingly. Cookies provide users with a pleasant browsing experience and support the efforts of many websites to offer user-friendly services: e.g., online privacy preferences, site language options, shopping carts, or relevant advertising.
What is the lifespan of a cookie?
Cookies are managed by web-servers. The lifespan of a cookie can vary significantly, depending on the purpose for which it is placed. Some cookies are used exclusively for a single session (session cookies) and are not retained once the user leaves the website, and some cookies are retained and reused every time the user returns to that website (permanent cookies). However, cookies can be deleted by a user at any time through the browser settings.
What are third-party cookies?
Certain sections of content on some sites can be provided through third parties/providers (e.g., news box, a video, or an advertisement). These third parties can also place cookies through the site, and they are called “third party cookies” because they are not placed by the owner of the respective website. Third-party providers must also comply with the applicable law and the privacy policies of the site owner.
How are cookies used by a site?
A visit to a website may place cookies for:
- Enhancing website performance;
- Analyzing visitors;
- Geo-targeting;
- User registration.
Performance cookies
This type of cookie retains the user’s preferences on this site, so there is no need to set them each time the site is visited.
Examples: volume settings for the video player, video streaming speed with which the browser is compatible.
Visitor analysis cookies
Every time a user visits a site, the analytics software provided by a third party generates a user analysis cookie. This cookie tells if you have visited this site before. The browser will signal if you have this cookie, and if not, one will be generated. This allows the monitoring of unique users who visit the site and how often they do so.
As long as the visitor is not registered on the site, this cookie cannot be used to identify individuals; they are used only for statistical purposes. If registered, details provided, such as the email address and username, can also be known, being subject to confidentiality, in accordance with the legal provisions in force regarding the protection of personal data.
Geo-targeting cookies
These cookies are used by a software that determines which country you come from. It is completely anonymous and is used only to target content – even when the visitor is on the page in Romanian or another language, the same advertisement will be received.
Registration cookies
When you register on a site, a cookie is generated that notifies if you are registered or not. Servers use these cookies to show the account you are registered with and if you have permission for a particular service. It also allows associating any comments posted on the site with your username. If you did not select “keep me logged in,” this cookie will be automatically deleted when you close the browser or computer.
Other third-party cookies
On some pages, third parties can set their anonymous cookies, to track the success of an application or to customize an application.
For example, when you share (share) an article using the social network button on a site, that social network will record your activity.
What type of information is stored and accessed through cookies?
Cookies store information in a small text file that allows a website to recognize a browser. The web-server will recognize the browser until the cookie expires or is deleted.
The cookie stores important information that improves the Internet browsing experience (e.g., the language settings in which a site is desired to be accessed; keeping a user logged in the webmail account; online banking security; keeping products in the shopping cart).
Why are cookies important for the Internet?
Cookies are the central point of the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to generate a friendly browsing experience and adapted to the preferences and interests of each user. Refusing or disabling cookies can make some sites impossible to use.
Examples of important uses of cookies (which do not require user authentication through an account):
- Content and services tailored to user preferences – categories of news, weather, sports, maps, public and government services, entertainment sites, and travel services.
- Offers tailored to users’ interests – remembering passwords, language preferences (e.g., displaying search results in Romanian).
- Retaining child protection filters regarding Internet content (family mode options, safe search functions).
- Measurement, optimization, and analytics features – such as confirming a certain level of traffic on a website, what type of content is viewed, and how a user arrives at a website (e.g., through search engines, directly, from other websites). Websites run these analyses of their usage to improve the sites for the benefit of users.
Security and privacy issues
Cookies are NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not composed of code pieces, so they cannot be executed or auto-executed. Consequently, they cannot duplicate or replicate on other networks to run or replicate again. Since they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses.
Cookies can still be used for negative purposes. Since they store information about users’ preferences and browsing history, both on a specific site and across multiple other sites, cookies can be used as a form of Spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this and consistently mark cookies for deletion within the deletion/scan procedures of anti-virus/anti-spyware.
In general, browsers have integrated privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, validity period, and automatic deletion after the user has visited a certain site.
Tips for safe and responsible browsing, based on cookies:
- Customize your browser settings regarding cookies to reflect a comfortable level for you regarding the security of using cookies.
- If you share access to your computer, you may consider setting your browser to delete individual browsing data each time you close the browser. This is a way to access sites that place cookies and delete any visit information upon closing the browsing session.
- Install and constantly update antispyware applications.
- Many spyware detection and prevention applications include detecting attacks on websites. Thus, they prevent the browser from accessing websites that could exploit browser vulnerabilities or download dangerous software.
How can I stop cookies?
Disabling and refusing to receive cookies can make certain sites impractical or difficult to visit and use.
It is possible to set the browser to not accept cookies, or you can set the browser to accept cookies from a specific site. But, for example, if a visitor is not registered using cookies, they will not be able to leave comments.
All modern browsers offer the possibility to change cookie settings. These settings are usually found in the Options/Settings menu or in the Preferences/Favorites menu of the browser.
To understand these settings, the following links may be useful:
Cookie settings in Internet Explorer
Cookie settings in Firefox
Cookie settings in Chrome
Cookie settings in Safari