The information presented below is intended to inform the user of more details about the placement, use and administration of "cookies" used by the giftexpress.ro website, owned by S.C. Fun Design S.R.L.. There are also some useful links related to this topic. If you need more information, and it is not found below, you can contact us through the contact form.
Please read the following information carefully: This website uses its own and third-party cookies to provide visitors with a better browsing experience and services adapted to everyone's needs and interests. These cookies may come from the following third parties: Google Analytics, Google Adsense, Facebook, Twitter, etc. The complete list of third-party cookies can be consulted below, in the Third-party Cookies section. Also, on this website there are links to third-party websites; once these links are accessed, users are subject to the policy of the respective website.
In what we call "web 2.0", "cookies" play an important role in facilitating the access and delivery of the multiple services that the user enjoys on the Internet, such as:
Customizing certain settings such as: the language in which a site is viewed, the currency in which certain prices or tariffs are expressed, keeping the options for various products (measures, other details, etc.).
Cookies provide site owners with valuable feedback on how their sites are used by users, so that they can make them more efficient and accessible to users.
They allow multimedia or other applications from other sites to be included in a certain site to create a more valuable, useful and pleasant browsing experience.
Improve the effectiveness of online advertising.
What is a "cookie"?
An "Internet Cookie" (term also known as "browser cookie" or "HTTP cookie" or simply "cookie") is a small file, consisting of letters and numbers, which is stored on the computer, mobile terminal or other a user's equipment from which the Internet is accessed. The cookie is installed by the request issued by a web server to a browser (eg: Internet Explorer, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox) and is completely "passive" (it does not contain software programs, viruses or spyware and cannot access the information on the hard drive the user's drive).
A cookie consists of 2 parts: the name and the content or value of the cookie. Moreover, the duration of existence of a cookie is determined; technically, only the web server that sent the cookie can access it again when a user returns to the website associated with that web server.
Cookies themselves do not require personal information to be used and, in most cases, do not personally identify Internet users. There are 2 large categories of cookies:
Session cookies - these are temporarily stored in the cookies folder of the web browser so that it remembers them until the user leaves the respective website or closes the browser window (eg: when logging in/out of an account webmail or on social networks).
Persistent Cookies - These are stored on the hard drive of a computer or equipment (and generally depends on the lifetime of the cookie). Persistent cookies also include those placed by a website other than the one the user is visiting at the time - known as "third party cookies" - which can be used anonymously to remember a user's interests, so that the most relevant advertising for users is delivered.
What are the advantages of cookies?
A cookie contains information that connects a web-browser (the user) and a specific web-server (the website). If a browser accesses that web-server again, it can read the information already stored and react accordingly. Cookies provide users with a pleasant browsing experience and support the efforts of many websites to offer comfortable services to users: eg - online privacy preferences, site language options, shopping baskets or relevant advertising.
What is the lifetime of a cookie?
Cookies are managed by web servers. The lifetime of a cookie can vary significantly, depending on the purpose for which it is placed. Some cookies are used exclusively for a single session (session cookies) and are no longer retained once the user has left the website and some cookies are retained and reused each time the user returns to that website ("cookie- permanent hours"). However, cookies can be deleted by a user at any time
ment through the browser settings.
What are cookies placed by third parties?
Certain sections of content on some sites may be provided through third parties/providers (eg: news box, a video or an advertisement). These third parties can also place cookies through the website and they are called "third party cookies" because they are not placed by the owner of the respective website. Third-party providers must also comply with the law in force and the privacy policies of the website owner.
How are cookies used by this site?
A visit to this website may place cookies for the purposes of:
Visitor analysis cookies
Registration cookies
Cookies for advertising
Cookies for visitor analysis
Every time a user visits this site, the analytics software provided by a third party generates a user analysis cookie. This cookie tells us if you have visited this site before. The browser will tell us if you have this cookie, and if not, we will generate one. It allows the monitoring of unique users who visit us and how often they do so. As long as you are not registered on this site, this cookie cannot be used to identify individuals, they are used only for statistical purposes. If you are registered, we can also know the details you have provided us, such as your e-mail address and username - these being subject to confidentiality and the provisions of the Terms and Conditions, the Privacy Policy as well as the provisions of the legislation in force regarding the protection of personal data.
Registration cookies
When you register on this site, we generate a cookie that tells us if you are registered or not. Our servers use these cookies to show us the account you are registered with and if you have permission for a specific service. It also allows us to associate any comment you post on our website with your username. If you have not selected the "Keep me registered" option, this cookie will be automatically deleted when you close your browser or computer.
Advertising provider cookies
A large part of the advertising you find on this site belongs to third parties. Some of these parties use their own anonymous cookies to analyze how many people have been exposed to an advertising message, or to see how many people have been exposed to the same advertisement several times. The companies that generate these cookies have their own privacy policies, and this site does not have access to read or write these cookies. Third-party cookies can be used to show you targeted advertising on other sites as well, based on your browsing on this site.
Other third-party cookies
On some pages, third parties can set their own anonymous cookies, in order to track the success of an application, or to customize an application. Due to the way of use, this site cannot access these cookies, just as third parties cannot access the cookies owned by this site. For example, when you share an article using the social network button on this site, that social network will record your activity.
What type of information is stored and accessed through cookies?
Cookies store information in a small text file that allows a website to recognize a browser. The webserver recognizes your browser until the cookie expires or is deleted. The cookie stores important information that improves the Internet browsing experience (for example: the language settings in which you want to access a site; keeping a user logged in to the webmail account; online banking security; keeping the products in the shopping cart).
Why are cookies important to the Internet?
Cookies represent the central point of the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to generate a friendly browsing experience adapted to the preferences and interests of each user. Refusing or disabling cookies may make some sites unusable. Rejecting or deactivating cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive online advertising - but only that it will no longer be able to take into account your preferences and interests, highlighted by your browsing behavior.
Examples of important uses of cookies (which do not require the authentication of a user through an account):
Content and services adapted to the user's preferences - categories of news, weather, sports, maps, public and government services, entertainment sites and travel services.
Offers tailored to user interests - password retention, language preferences (For example: displaying search results
in the Romanian language).
Retention of child protection filters regarding Internet content (family mode options, safe search functions).
Limiting the frequency of advertising - limiting the number of times an advertisement is displayed for a specific user on a site.
Providing more relevant advertising to the user.
Measurement, optimization and analytics features - such as confirming a certain level of traffic on a website, what type of content is viewed and how a user arrives at a website (for example: through search engines, directly, from other websites etc.). The websites carry out these analyzes of their use in order to improve the sites for the benefit of the users.
Security and privacy issues
Cookies are NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not made up of pieces of code, so they cannot be executed or auto-run. Consequently, they cannot be duplicated or replicated on other networks to run or replicate again. Since they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses. Cookies can still be used for negative purposes. Because they store information about the preferences and browsing history of users, both on a specific site and on several other sites, cookies can be used as a form of Spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this fact and constantly mark cookies to be deleted during anti-virus/anti-spyware deletion/scanning procedures.
In general, browsers have integrated privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, validity period and automatic deletion after the user has visited a certain site.
Other security aspects related to cookies
Since identity protection is very valuable and represents the right of every internet user, it is advisable to know what possible problems cookies can create. Because through them, information is constantly transmitted in both directions between the browser and the website, if an attacker or unauthorized person intervenes during data transmission, the information contained in the cookie can be intercepted. Although very rare, this can happen if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (ex: an unsecured WiFi network).
Other cookie-based attacks involve missetting cookies on servers. If a website does not require the browser to use only encrypted channels, attackers can use this vulnerability to trick browsers into sending information through unsecured channels. The attackers then use the information to gain unauthorized access to certain websites. It is very important to be careful in choosing the most suitable method of personal information protection.
Tips for safe and responsible browsing, based on cookies. Due to their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited sites and the largest use cookies, they are almost unavoidable. Deactivating cookies will not allow the user access to the most widespread and used sites, including YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo and others.
Here are some tips that can ensure that you do not sleep without worries, but with the help of cookies:
Customize your browser settings regarding cookies to reflect a comfortable level of cookie security for you.
If you don't mind cookies and you are the only person using the computer, you can set monthly expiration dates for storing browsing history and personal access data.
If you share access to the computer, you may consider setting your browser to delete individual browsing data each time you close the browser. This is an option to access the sites that place cookies and to delete any visit information when closing the browsing session.
Install and constantly update your antispyware applications.
Many of the spyware detection and prevention applications include detection of attacks on websites. Thus, it prevents the browser from accessing websites that could exploit the vulnerabilities of the browser or download dangerous software. Make sure your browser is always updated. Many of the attacks based on cookies are carried out by exploiting the weak points of the old versions of the browsers.
Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided if you want to enjoy access to the best and biggest sites on the Internet - local or international. With a clear understanding of how they operate and the benefits they bring, you can take the necessary security measures so that you can surf the Internet with confidence.
How can I stop cookies?
Deactivation and refusal to receive cookies can make certain websites impractical or difficult to visit and use. Also, refusing to accept cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive/see online advertising.
It is possible to set the browser so that these cookies are no longer accepted or you can set the browser to accept cookies from a specific site.
All modern browsers offer the possibility to change cookie settings. These settings are usually found in "options" or in the "preferences" menu of your browser.
To understand these settings, the following links may be useful, otherwise you can use the "help" option of the browser for more details.
Internet Explorer cookie settings
Mozilla Firefox cookie settings
Chrome cookie settings
Safari cookie settings
For the settings of cookies generated by third parties, you can also consult the website:
http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/
Useful Links
IAB Romania provides the following website to provide more information on privacy related to online advertising: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/
If you want to find out more information about cookies and their use, you can access the official website of the European Union regarding cookies at: http://ec.europa.eu/cookies/index_en.htm