Legal Regulations
On May 8, 2014, the Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la Privacy) issued a regulation to
identify simplified procedures for cookie policy and consent; this document was turned into national law, the Cookie Law, on June 3, 2014 (see also
Data Protection Authority: no profiling cookies without user consent). According to this law, the website owner/manager must obtain informed and prior user consent before installing cookies for purposes other than purely technical ones.
What are cookies
Cookies are text files containing minimal information sent to the browser and stored on the user’s device (computer, mobile phone, etc.) each time a website is visited. With each subsequent visit, cookies send information back to the referring site. Cookies can be persistent if they remain on the user’s device until deleted, or session-based if they expire when the browser is closed. Cookies can also be
first-party if set by the visited site, or
third-party if set by a different site. According to the law, the Italian Authority distinguishes two types of cookies: “technical cookies” and “profiling cookies.”
Technical cookies
Technical cookies are used solely to “
carry out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network, or as strictly necessary to provide an information society service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user” (Art. 122, paragraph 1 of the Privacy Code). They are not used for any further purposes and are typically installed directly by the website owner or operator. These include browsing or session cookies, which ensure normal navigation and use of the website (e.g., purchases or log-ins to restricted areas); analytics cookies, considered technical cookies when used directly by the site manager to collect aggregated information on the number of users and how they visit the site; functionality cookies, which allow users to browse according to selected criteria (e.g., language or selected products) to enhance service quality. These cookies do not require prior user consent for installation.
Profiling cookies
Profiling cookies are aimed at creating user profiles to send targeted advertisements based on the user’s online behavior. Due to their potentially invasive nature, EU and Italian laws require that users be properly informed and give explicit consent before these cookies are used. This is addressed by Art. 122 of the Privacy Code, which states that “
storing information, or accessing information already stored, in the user’s device is permitted only if the user has given consent after being informed via simplified methods under Art. 13, paragraph 3 of the Privacy Code.”
Why we use cookies
We use cookies to improve our site’s functionality, allow smooth navigation, remember user preferences, and ensure the best possible browsing experience.
Cookies used and their purposes
The cookies used on our website can be categorized as follows:
Essential cookies
These cookies are crucial for users to navigate the site and use its services, such as accessing secure areas. Essential cookies are first-party and may be either permanent or session-based. Without these cookies, users would not be able to access the requested services and the website would not function properly.
Performance cookies
Performance cookies collect data on how users interact with the website, such as the most frequently visited pages. These cookies do not collect personally identifiable information—only aggregated and anonymous data. We use these cookies for statistical purposes to understand and improve website usage. These cookies can be permanent or session-based, first-party or third-party. In essence, they collect anonymous data on visited pages.
Functionality cookies
These cookies allow the site to remember user preferences (e.g., username, language, or region) and provide enhanced, more personalized features. They may also be used to provide services requested by users, such as playing a video or commenting on a blog. The data collected is anonymous and does not track user activity across other websites. We use these cookies to:
- remember if a specific service was already provided to the user
- enhance the overall experience by remembering user preferences
These cookies may be permanent or session-based, first-party or third-party. Essentially, they store user choices to improve browsing experience.
Google Analytics
Our website includes components provided by Google Analytics, a web traffic analysis service by Google. These third-party cookies are collected and managed anonymously to monitor and improve site performance (performance cookies). Google Analytics uses cookies to anonymously collect and analyze website usage behavior. Google processes this data to generate reports for us. This site does not use (and does not allow third parties to use) Google Analytics to collect personal identification information. The Authority states that Google Analytics cookies may be considered technical only if used directly by the site owner for optimization purposes, collecting data in an aggregated form. Under these conditions, the same rules for technical cookies apply to analytics cookies. We confirm that our Google Analytics setup anonymizes user IP addresses. For more information:
How Google uses data. Users can selectively disable Google Analytics by installing the opt-out browser add-on from Google:
Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on.
Other third-party cookies
While browsing a website, users may receive cookies from the site itself (“first-party”) or from external organizations (“third-party”). A common example is social plugins like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, etc. These plugins are parts of the visited page generated directly by those services and embedded in the site. The most common use is to share content on social networks. The presence of these plugins may result in cookie exchanges between all involved websites. The handling of third-party data is governed by their respective policies. For convenience, here are some relevant links:
How to manage and disable cookies
Users can choose whether to accept cookies through their browser settings.
Note: Disabling technical cookies may affect functionality for registered users. However, public content remains accessible even if all cookies are disabled. Disabling third-party cookies does not affect site navigation. Cookie settings can be customized per website or app. Each browser has different procedures for managing cookie preferences. Users can find instructions at the following links:
Disabling third-party cookies is also possible directly through the third-party providers, as described in the section
“Cookies used and their purposes > Other third-party cookies”. In the case of services provided by third parties, users may also exercise their right to object to tracking via the third-party’s privacy policy, opt-out link (if provided), or by contacting them directly. For information on cookies stored on your device and to disable them individually, visit:
YourOnlineChoices.com. To delete cookies from your smartphone/tablet browser, refer to your device’s user manual. By using the website without disabling cookies through the provided means, users consent to the use of such technologies for information collection and processing.
