A cookie is a file or device that is downloaded to a user’s terminal equipment for the purpose of storing data that may be updated and retrieved by the entity responsible for its installation. In other words, it is a file that is downloaded to your computer when accessing certain websites. Cookies allow a website, among other things, to store and retrieve information about a user’s browsing habits or those of their device, and depending on the information they contain and how the device is used, they may be used to recognize the user.

There are different types of cookies, mainly depending on their nature. They can be classified, for guidance purposes, as follows:

According to duration:

– Session cookies: These are designed to collect and store data while the user accesses a website. They are typically used to store information only needed to provide a service requested by the user on a single occasion (e.g., a list of purchased products) and are deleted when the session ends.

– Persistent cookies: These store data on the terminal and can be accessed and processed for a period defined by the cookie’s controller, ranging from a few minutes to several years.

According to purpose:

– Technical cookies: These allow the user to navigate through a website, platform, or application and use the various options or services available, including those used by the publisher to manage and operate the site and enable its functions and services (such as controlling data traffic and communication, identifying the session, accessing restricted areas, and other technical purposes).

– Personalization cookies: These store information so that the user can access the service with certain characteristics that may differentiate their experience from that of other users, such as language, the number of search results displayed, the appearance or content of the service depending on the type of browser used, or the region from which the service is accessed, etc.

– Analytics cookies: These allow the controller to monitor and analyze the behavior of users on websites to which they are linked, including quantifying ad impact. The information collected through these cookies is used to measure website, app, or platform activity in order to make improvements based on the analysis of usage data by users.

– Behavioral advertising cookies: These store information on user behavior obtained through continuous observation of their browsing habits, allowing for the creation of a specific profile to display advertising based on it.

According to the managing entity:

– First-party cookies: These are sent to the user’s device from a computer or domain managed by the publisher itself and from which the requested service is provided.

– Third-party cookies: These are sent to the user’s device from a computer or domain that is not managed by the publisher, but by another entity that processes the data obtained through the cookies.