What is a cookie?

A cookie is a harmless text file that is stored in your browser when you visit almost any website. The purpose of the cookie is for the website to be able to remember your visit when you return to that page. Although many people do not know it, cookies have been used for 20 years, when the first web browsers appeared.

 

What IS NOT a cookie?

It is not a virus, a Trojan, a worm, spam, spyware, nor does it open pop-up windows.

 

What information does a cookie store?

Cookies do not usually store sensitive information about you, such as credit card or bank details, photographs, your ID or personal information, etc. The data they do store is of a technical nature, personal preferences, personalisation of content, etc.

The web server does not associate you as a person but instead with your web browser. In fact, if you regularly browse with Internet Explorer and try browsing the same website with Firefox or Chrome you will see that the website does not realize that you are the same person because it is actually associating the browser, not the person.

 

What kinds of cookies are there?

  • Technical Cookies: These are the most elementary and allow, among other things, to know when a human or an automated application is browsing, when an anonymous user and a registered user are browsing, basic tasks for the operation of any dynamic website.
  • Analysis cookies: They collect information about the type of navigation you are doing, the sections you use most, products consulted, time of use, language, etc..
  • Cookiespublicitarias: Muestran publicidad en función de su navegación, su país de procedencia, idioma, etc.

 

What are own and third-party cookies?

Own cookies are those generated by the page you are visiting and third party cookies are those generated by external services or providers such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.

 

Can cookies be deleted?

Yes, not only delete, but also block, generally or specifically for a specific domain.

To delete the cookies of a website you must go to your browser settings and there you can find the ones associated with the domain in question and proceed to its deletion.

 

Cookie settings for the most popular browsers

Here’s how to access a particular Chrome browser cookie. Note: these steps may vary depending on your browser version:

  1. Go to Settings or Preferences via the File menu or by clicking on the customization icon at the top right.
  2. You will see different sections, click on the option Show advanced options.
  3. Go to Privacy, Content Settings.
  4. Seleccione Todas las cookies y los datos de sitios.
  5. A list of all cookies will be displayed, sorted by domain. To make it easier for you to find the cookies for a given domain, enter part or all of the address in the Search for Cookies
  6. After performing this filter, one or more lines with the cookies of the requested website will appear on the screen. Now you only have to select it and press the X to proceed to its delection.

To access the Firefox browser’s cookie settings follow these steps (they may vary depending on the browser version):

  1. Go to Options or Preferences according to your operating system.
  2. Click on Privacy.
  3. Under History choose Use a custom history setting.
  4. Now you will see the option Accept cookies, you can activate or deactivate it according to your preferences.

To access the cookie settings of the Safari for OSX browser follow these steps (they may vary depending on the browser version):

  1. Go to Preferences, then Privacy.
  2. Here you will see the Block Cookies option to set the type of blocking you want to carry out.

To access the cookies settings in the Safari for iOS browser follow these steps (they may vary depending on the browser version):

  1. Go to Settings, then Safari.
  2. Go to Privacy and Security, you’ll see the Block Cookies option to set the type of blocking you want to carry out.