Date: 20/09/2017
Version: V.2.0
What are cookies?
A cookie is a text file that a server may store on its system’s hard disk to store some kind of information on you as a user. Cookies are used for diverse reasons, such as storing data for future visits, in order to recognize the user and avoid repeating a request for authentication; it may also be used to record pages visited or to save your personal preferences in given areas. Websites normally use cookies to obtain statistical information on on its web pages and to analyse the behaviour of clients/users.
Cookies can be classified according to the following criteria:
According to who installs them, cookies may be:
- Own cookies: those sent to the user’s terminal from a device or domain operated by the editor, from which the service requested by the user is provided.
- Third party cookies: those sent to the user’s terminal either from a device or domain operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias or by a third party, the information gathered by the cookies being managed by a party distinct from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias.
According to time period: cookies can be:
- Session cookies: those that last for the time that the user navigates the website and which are deleted at the end of the session.
- Permanent cookies: these are stored on the user’s terminal for a longer time, thereby facilitating control of the chosen preferences without the need to repeat certain parameters each time the site is visited.
According to their purpose, cookies may be:
- Technical cookies: those cookies that are strictly necessary for the correct functioning of a website, and for the the use of the various options and services offered; for example, session maintenance, use of security features, the sharing of content with social networks, etc.
- Personalization cookies: these permit the user to select or personalize features of the web page, such as language, regional configuration, and type of navigator.
- Analytical cookies: these are used by web portals in order to create navigation profiles and to learn the preferences of users with the aim of improving products and services. They monitor geographical areas of greater interest to users, provide web information most valued by users, etc.
- Publicity cookies: these manage advertising areas on the basis of specific criteria; for example, frequency of access, edited content, etc. Publicity cookies store behaviour information by observing user habits, and studying accesses and creating a profile of user preferences in order to offer users advertisements related to the interests inferred from their profiles.
Own cookies:
|
Generic name of the cookiesPurpose |
Purpose |
When are they installed? |
Time preserved |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session |
Temporary cookies that remain in your navigator until you leave our website. The information obtained is used to analyse web traffic in order for us to provide an adequate service. In the long run, this enables us to provide a better experience, improve content, and facilitate use of the website. |
When the website is accessed |
Third party cookies:
|
Generic name of the cookies |
Purpose |
When is it installed? |
More information |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Analytics |
Google tool to help website owners to analyse the way in which visitors to their sites interact with their properties: utma, utmb, utmc, utmz, utmv and utmx |
When the website is accessed |
|
|
Google maps |
The map service provided by Google. Google map cookies register user origin and allow the counting of the number of times a visitor accesses the site. |
When the Google map is used |
Our website does not control cookies used by third parties. For further information on cookies used on other websites, we recommend you consult the cookies policies of those sites.
At all times the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias strives to establish adequate mechanisms to obtain users’ permission to install cookies where necessary. When users access our website, a pop-up appears that informs them of the existence of cookies and invites them, if they wish to continue navigating through our pages, to give their consent for the installation of cookies.
Users may configure their navigators to accept or reject cookies, or to advise them when a server wants to store a cookie. If certain cookies are rejected, we cannot guarantee the correct functioning of some of the utilities of our website.
In the following, we give some examples of how to reject cookies depending on the type of navigator used:
-
Microsoft Internet Explorer: menu option Tools, selecting Internet Options, and accessing Privacy.
-
Firefox para Mac: menu option Preferences, selecting Privacy, and accessing the option Show Cookies.
-
Firefox para Windows: menu option Tools, selecting Options, accessing Privacy, and then using a personalized configuration for the profile.
-
Safari: menu option Preferences, selecting Privacy.
-
Google Chrome: menu option Tools, selecting Options (Preferences in Mac), accessing Advanced and then option Content Configuration in the section Privacy; finally, selecting Cookies in the section Content configuration.
For further information go to the following web page of the Spanish Agency for the Protection of Data, which assists in configuring privacy on social networks, navigators, and mobile operating systems. More information.
This policy is periodically revised to ensure its validity, for which reason it may be modified. We recommend that you visit the web page regularly, where we shall inform you of any changes.