Cookies

A cookie is a small text file that is sent by a visited website to your browser. It allows the website to record information about your visit, such as the preferred language and other settings, so that the next visit to the site can be easier and more productive. Cookie files are important. Without them, surfing the web would be much more complicated.

Cookies are used for a wide variety of purposes. We use them, for example, to store your SafeSearch setting, to select relevant ads, to track the number of visitors to the site, to facilitate the registration of new services and to protect your data.

Types of used cookies

Setting-based

This type of cookies is used to remember a current website setting or preference. If a website supports personalisation, such as the colour or the size of text on a page, this information will be stored in these cookies. 
 

Security-based

If a website supports user authentication, this type of cookies is used to authenticate users, assist in identifying possible fraudulent activities, such as fraudulent use of login credentials, and to protect user data from being accessed by unauthorized parties.

Process-based

Process cookies allow websites to provide services that are expected by visitors, such as navigation on the websites or access to secure areas of the site. Without these cookies, your website will not function properly.

Session-based

It is a collection of data on visitor behaviour. This may include information about what pages users visit most often, or whether errors occur on some of the visited pages. These cookies help us to improve services and user interface on the web.
 

Analytical cookies

Google Analytics is Google's analytical tool that helps website and applications owners understand how visitors use the sites and applications. It can use a set of cookies in order to collect information and report on the use of the website without the Google company learning any personally identifiable information of individual visitors. The main cookie used by Google Analytics is  __ga. In addition to helping us to determine usage statistics of websites, Google Analytics can be used along with advertising cookies to display relevant ads on Google services (e.g. Google Search) and on the web.

Extensions, social plugins, third-party systems

The web presentation may use an extension called social plugins (e.g. a Facebook "Like" or a Twitter "Tweet") or third-party systems, e.g. Google Analytics described above. For the specific form, amount and purpose of cookies stored in your browser from third-party providers, the service/s provider is solely responsible.

Further information, links

How Google Uses Data