Cookies (or markers) are small text files created by the web server on the user’s device when the latter accesses a particular site for the purpose of storing and transporting information.
These markers are sent from the web server to the user’s device (usually to the browser) and stored in order to be able to recognize this device at each subsequent visit. In fact, on each subsequent visit, cookies are sent back from the user’s device to the site.

First-party and third-party cookies

Cookies can be installed, however, not only by the operator of the site visited by the user (first-party cookies), but also by a different site that installs them through the first site (third-party cookies) and is in able to recognize them. This happens because on the visited site there may be elements (images, maps, sounds, links to web pages of other domains, etc) that reside on servers other than that of the visited site.
Pursuant to what is indicated in the Provision of the Privacy Guarantor of 8 May 2014 “Identification of simplified procedures for the information and the acquisition of consent for the use of cookies” (hereinafter, “Provision”), for installed cookies from third parties, the disclosure obligations and, if the conditions are met, of consent burden the third parties; the owner of the site, as a technical intermediary between third parties and users, is required to include in the extended information the updated links to the information and the consent forms of the third parties.

Technical, analytical and profiling cookies

Based on the 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 as strictly necessary for the provider of an information society service explicitly requested by the contractor or user to provide this service. “(See art. 122, co. 1, of Legislative Decree 196/2003, hereinafter,” Privacy Code “).
They are usually used to allow efficient navigation between pages, store user preferences, store information on specific user configurations, authenticate users, etc.
Technical cookies can be divided into navigation cookies, used in order to record data useful for normal navigation and use of the website on the user’s computer (allowing, for example, to remember the preferred page size in a list) and cookies functional, which allow the website to remember the choices made by the user in order to optimize its functionality (for example, functional cookies allow the site to remember the specific settings of a user, such as country selection and, if set, permanent access status).
Some of these cookies (called essential or strictly necessary) enable functions without which it would not be possible to perform some operations.
Pursuant to the aforementioned art. 122, co. 1, Privacy Code, the use of technical cookies does not require the consent of users, but only requires the obligation to inform users.
Technical cookies are assimilated – and, therefore, as specified in the Provision, for their installation, the consent of users is not required – so-called cookies. analytical if created and used directly by the first party site operator (without, therefore, the intervention of third parties) for the purpose of optimizing the site to collect aggregate information on the number of users and how they visit the site, as well as created and made available by third parties and used by the first party site for mere statistical purposes, if suitable tools are adopted to reduce their identification power (for example, by masking significant portions of the IP address) and if their use is subject to contractual obligations between the first party site operator and third parties, in which express reference is made to the commitment of the third party or to use them exclusively for the provision of the service, to keep them separately and not to “enrich” them or not to “cross” them with others information available to them.

Profiling cookies are used to track user browsing, analyze your behavior for marketing purposes and create profiles on your tastes, habits, choices, etc. in order to transmit targeted advertising messages in relation to the user’s interests and in line with the preferences expressed by them while browsing online.
These cookies can be installed on the user’s terminal only if they have given their consent in the manner indicated in the Measure.

Persistent and session cookies

Based on their duration, cookies are divided into persistent, which remain stored, until their expiration, on the user’s device, unless removed by the latter, and session, which are not stored permanently on the device. of the user and disappear when the browser is closed.