Please read carefully the following information:

To comply with the requirements set out in the EU Directive of May 26, 2012, and the provisions of Law No. 506 of November 17, 2004, regarding the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector, all website visitors are required to provide consent before cookies are transmitted to their computers.

This website uses its own cookies and third-party cookies to provide visitors with a better browsing experience and services tailored to their needs and interests.

Cookies play an important role in facilitating access to and delivery of the various services users enjoy online, such as:

  • Customizing certain settings such as: the language in which a site is viewed, accessing old preferences via the “forward” and “back” buttons.
  • Cookies provide website owners with valuable feedback on how their sites are used by visitors, so they can make them more efficient and accessible to users.
  • Allow multimedia applications or other types from other websites to be embedded in a given site to create a more valuable, useful, and pleasant browsing experience.

What is a “cookie”?

An “Internet Cookie” (also known as a “browser cookie,” “HTTP cookie,” or simply “cookie”) is a small file consisting of letters and numbers, which will be stored on the computer, mobile device, or other equipment of a user accessing the Internet.

The cookie is installed by a request from a web server to a browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Chrome) and is completely “passive” (it does not contain software programs, viruses, or spyware and cannot access the information on the user’s hard drive).

A cookie is made up of 2 parts: the name and the content or value of the cookie. Additionally, the lifespan 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 request personal information for use and, in most cases, do not identify individual internet users.

There are 2 main categories of cookies:

  • Session cookies – these are stored temporarily in the browser’s cookie folder so that it remembers them until the user exits the website or closes the browser window (e.g., when logging in/out of a webmail account or social networks).

  • Persistent cookies – these are stored on the hard drive of a computer or device (and generally depend on the preset lifespan of the cookie). Persistent cookies also include those placed by another website than the one the user is currently visiting, known as ‘third-party cookies,’ which can be used anonymously to remember a user’s interests to deliver more relevant advertising.

What are the benefits of cookies?

A cookie contains information that links a web browser (user) to a specific web server (website). If a browser accesses that web server again, it can read the stored information and react accordingly. Cookies ensure users have a pleasant browsing experience and help many websites provide comfortable services to users: e.g., preferences regarding online privacy, language settings, shopping carts, or relevant advertising.

How long do cookies last?

Cookies are managed by web servers. The lifespan of a cookie can vary significantly depending on the purpose for which it was placed. Some cookies are used for a single session (session cookies) and are not retained once the user has left the website, while others are retained and reused each time the user returns to the website (persistent cookies). However, cookies can be deleted by a user at any time through the browser settings.

What are third-party cookies?

Certain sections of content on some sites may be provided by third parties/providers (e.g., news boxes, videos, or advertisements). These third parties may also place cookies through the site, and they are called “third-party cookies” because they are not placed by the owner of the website. Third-party providers must also comply with the law and privacy policies of the site owner.

How are cookies used by a site?

A visit to a website can place cookies for:

  • Improving website performance;
  • Visitor analysis;
  • Geotargeting;
  • User registration.

Performance cookies

This type of cookie remembers the user’s preferences on this site, so they do not have to be set every time the site is visited.

Examples: volume settings for the video player, video streaming speed compatible with the browser.

Visitor analysis cookies

Each time a user visits a site, analytics software provided by a third party generates an analysis cookie. This cookie indicates if you have visited this site before. The browser will notify if you have this cookie, and if not, one will be generated. This allows monitoring of unique users visiting the site and how often they do so.

As long as the visitor is not registered on the site, this cookie cannot be used to identify individuals; they are only used for statistical purposes. If the visitor is registered, their details such as email address and username may be known—subject to confidentiality, according to the relevant data protection legislation.

Geotargeting cookies

These cookies are used by software to determine the country you are from. It is completely anonymous and used only to target content—so even when the visitor is on a page in Romanian or another language, the same advertisement will be displayed.

Registration cookies

When you register on a site, a cookie is generated that indicates whether you are registered or not. Servers use these cookies to display the account with which you are registered and whether you are authorized for a specific service. It also allows associating any comment posted on the site with your username. If you did not select “keep me logged in,” this cookie will be automatically deleted when you close the browser or computer.

Other third-party cookies

On some pages, third parties may set their own anonymous cookies to track the success of an application or to customize an application.

For example, when you share an article using the social media button on a 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 web server will recognize the browser until the cookie expires or is deleted.

The cookie stores important information that improves the Internet browsing experience (e.g., language settings for accessing a site; keeping a user logged in to webmail; online banking security; keeping products in the shopping cart).

Why are cookies important for the Internet?

Cookies are at the heart of the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to generate a user-friendly browsing experience tailored to the preferences and interests of each user. Refusing or disabling cookies may make some websites impractical or difficult to use.

Examples of important uses of cookies (which do not require user authentication through an account):

  • Content and services adapted to the user’s preferences – categories of news, weather, sports, maps, public services, entertainment websites, and travel services.
  • Offers tailored to user interests – remembering passwords, language preferences (e.g., displaying search results in Romanian).
  • Remembering child protection filters regarding online content (family mode options, safe search functions).
  • 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 (e.g., via search engines, direct access, from other websites).

Security and privacy issues

Cookies ARE NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not made up of code pieces, so they cannot be executed or auto-executed. As such, they cannot duplicate or replicate across other networks to run or replicate again. Since they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses.

However, cookies can be used for negative purposes. Because they store information about the preferences and browsing history of users, both on a specific site and across multiple other sites, cookies can be used as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this and constantly mark cookies for deletion during antivirus/anti-spyware cleaning procedures.

In general, browsers have built-in privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, validity period, and automatic deletion after a user visits a specific site.

Tips for safe and responsible browsing based on cookies

  • Customize your browser settings regarding cookies to reflect a comfort level of security for cookie use.
  • If you share access to the computer, consider setting your browser to delete individual browsing data every time you close the browser. This is a way to access sites that place cookies while deleting any visit information when the browsing session ends.
  • Install and update antispyware applications regularly.

Many anti-spyware applications are aware of website attacks. They prevent the browser from accessing websites that might exploit browser vulnerabilities or download dangerous software.

How can I stop cookies?

Deactivating and refusing to accept cookies can make certain sites impractical or difficult to visit and use.

It is possible to set your browser to stop accepting cookies or to set the browser to accept cookies from a specific site. However, for example, if a visitor is not logged in using cookies, they will not be able to leave comments.

All modern browsers offer the possibility to change cookie settings. These settings are generally found in the Options/Settings or Preferences/Favorites menu of the browser.