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Cookie Policy

The information presented below is meant to inform you about the placement, use, and management of the cookies used on the website www.genuineadv.ro. Also, you will find some useful links related to this subject. If you need more information that is not found below, you can contact us at office@genuineadv.ro.

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Please read the following information carefully.

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This website uses cookies to provide visitors with a much better browsing experience and services tailored to the needs and interests of each individual. In what we call "Web 2.0," cookies play an important role in facilitating access and delivering the many services that users enjoy on the internet, such as:

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  • personalizing certain settings, such as the language in which a site is viewed

  • providing website owners with valuable feedback on how their sites are used by users, so they can make them more efficient and accessible for users

  • allowing multimedia applications or other types from other websites to be included in a specific website to create a more valuable, useful, and enjoyable browsing experience

  • improving the efficiency of online advertising.

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What is a “cookie”?

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

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The cookie is installed through a request issued by a web-server to a browser (e.g., Chrome, etc.) and is completely "passive" (it does not contain software programs, viruses, or spyware, and cannot access information from the user's hard drive).

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A cookie consists of two parts: the name and the content or value of the cookie. Furthermore, the lifespan of a cookie is determined technically, and only the web server that sent the cookie can access it again when the 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 identify individual internet users.

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There are two main categories of cookies:

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• Session Cookies – these are temporarily stored in the browser's cookie folder so that they can be remembered until the user leaves the website or closes the browser window (e.g., when logging in/out of a webmail account or on social networks).

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• Persistent Cookies – these are stored on the hard drive of a computer or device (and generally depend on the pre-established lifespan of the cookie). Persistent cookies also include those placed by a website other than the one the user is currently visiting – known as "third-party cookies" – which can be used anonymously to remember a user's interests, allowing for more relevant advertising to be delivered.

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What are the advantages of cookies?

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

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What is the lifespan of a cookie?

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Cookies are managed by web servers. The lifespan of a cookie can vary significantly, depending on its purpose. Some cookies are used exclusively for a single session (session cookies) and are not retained once the user leaves the website, while others are retained and reused every time the user returns to that website ("persistent cookies"). However, cookies can be deleted by a user at any time through the browser's settings.

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What are third-party cookies?

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Certain sections of content on some websites may be provided by third-party providers (e.g., news box, a video, or an advertisement). These third parties may also place cookies through the website, and these are called "third-party cookies" because they are not placed by the website owner. Third-party providers must also comply with the applicable law and the privacy policies of the website owner.

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How are cookies used on this site?

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A visit to this site may place cookies:

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  • performance cookies for the website

  • visitor analytics cookies

  • geotargeting cookies

  • registration cookies

  • advertising cookies

  • advertising provider cookies

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These cookies may come from the following third parties:

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1. Performance Cookies
This type of cookie remembers the user's preferences on this site, so they do not need to be set again during each visit.
Examples: – volume settings for the video player – video streaming speed compatible with the browser.

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2. Visitor Analytics Cookies
Every time a user visits this site, the analytics software provided by a third party generates a user analytics 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. This allows us to monitor unique users who visit us and how often. As long as you are not registered on this site, this cookie cannot be used to identify individuals; it is used only for statistical purposes. If you are registered, we can also know the details you provided, such as your email address and username – these are subject to confidentiality and the terms outlined in the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, as well as the provisions of applicable data protection laws.

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3. Geotargeting Cookies
These cookies are used by software that determines the country of origin. It is completely anonymous and used only for targeting content: even when you are on our page in Romanian or another language, you may receive the same advertisement.

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4. Registration Cookies
When you register on this site, we generate a cookie that informs us whether you are registered or not. Our servers use these cookies to show us the account with which you are registered and whether you have permission for a specific service. It also allows us to associate any comments you post on our site with your username. If you have not selected "keep me logged in," this cookie will be deleted automatically when you close the browser or computer.

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5. Advertising Cookies
These cookies allow us to know whether you have viewed an online advertisement, what type it was, and how long ago you saw the ad. These cookies are also used to target online advertising. We may also use third-party cookies to better target advertising, to show ads about a subject, for example, if the user has recently visited an article on the site. These cookies are anonymous and store information about the viewed content, not about users. We also set anonymous cookies through other sites where we have advertisements. Receiving them allows us to use them to recognize you as a visitor of that site, and if you later visit our site, we will be able to deliver advertising based on that information.

 

6. Advertising Provider Cookies
Some of the advertising you see on this site may belong to third parties. Some of these parties use their own anonymous cookies to analyze how many people have been exposed to an advertisement or to see how many people have been exposed to the same ad multiple times. 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, based on your browsing on this site.

 

7. Other Third-Party Cookies
On some pages, third parties may set their own anonymous cookies to track the success of an application or to personalize an application. Due to the way they are used, this site cannot access these cookies, just as third parties cannot access cookies owned by this site. For example, when you share an article using the social media button on this site, that social network will record your activity.

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What type of information is stored and accessed through cookies?

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Cookies store information in a small text file that allows a website to recognize a browser. The web server recognizes your browser until the cookie expires or is deleted. The cookie stores important information that improves the browsing experience on the internet (e.g., the language settings in which you wish to access a site; keeping a user logged in to the webmail account; online banking security; keeping products in the shopping cart).

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Why are cookies important for the Internet?

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Cookies are central to the efficient functioning of the internet, helping generate a friendly browsing experience tailored to the preferences and interests of each user. Refusing or disabling cookies may make some websites impossible to use. Refusing or disabling cookies does not mean you will no longer receive online advertising, but rather that this advertising will no longer take into account your preferences and interests, evidenced by your browsing behavior. Examples of important uses of cookies (which do not require user authentication through an account):

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  • adapting content and services to the user's preferences: categories of news, weather, sports, maps, public services, entertainment sites, and travel services, offers tailored to users' interests

  • remembering passwords, language preferences (e.g., displaying search results in Romanian).

  • remembering filters for child protection regarding internet content (family mode options, safe search functions).

  • limiting the frequency of ad displays, limiting the number of times an ad is shown to a specific user on a site, delivering more relevant advertising to the user.

  • measuring, optimizing, and providing 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, directly, from other websites, etc.). Websites run these usage analyses to improve their sites for users' benefit.

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Security and Privacy Issues

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Cookies ARE NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not made up of pieces of code and therefore cannot be executed, nor can they auto-run. Consequently, they cannot duplicate or replicate on other networks to run or replicate again. Because they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses. However, cookies can still be used for negative purposes. Since they store information about user preferences and browsing history, both on a specific site and across multiple sites, cookies can be used as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this and constantly flag cookies for deletion during anti-virus/anti-spyware procedures. In general, browsers have integrated privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, validity periods, and automatic deletion after visiting a specific site.

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Other security aspects related to cookies

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Because identity protection is highly valuable and represents every internet user's right, it is important to know what potential issues cookies might create. Because they constantly transmit information back and forth between the browser and website, if an attacker or unauthorized person intervenes during the data transmission process, the information contained in the cookie could be intercepted. Although rare, this can happen if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (e.g., an unsecured Wi-Fi network).

Other cookie-based attacks involve incorrect cookie settings on servers. If a website does not request the browser to use only encrypted channels, attackers may exploit this vulnerability to trick browsers into sending information over unsecured channels. Attackers then use the information for unauthorized access to certain websites. It is very important to be cautious when choosing the most appropriate method for protecting personal information.

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Tips for safe and responsible browsing based on cookies

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Because of their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited and largest websites use cookies, they are almost inevitable. Disabling cookies will prevent you from accessing the most widespread websites and online channels, such as YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo, and others.

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Here are a few tips to ensure you browse safely with cookies:

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  • Customize your browser settings regarding cookies to reflect a comfortable security level for you

  • If you don't mind cookies and are the only person using the computer, you can set long expiration times for storing browsing history and personal access data

  • If you share access to the computer, consider setting your browser to delete individual browsing data every time you close the browser. This is an option to access websites that place cookies and delete any visitation information upon closing the browsing session.

  • Install and constantly update anti-spyware applications.

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Many spyware detection and prevention applications include detecting attacks on websites. This prevents the browser from accessing websites that could exploit browser vulnerabilities or download dangerous software. Make sure to keep your browser updated at all times. Many cookie-based attacks are carried out by exploiting vulnerabilities in older versions of browsers. Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided if you want to enjoy access to the best and largest websites on the internet, both local and 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 browse the internet with confidence.

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How can I disable cookies?

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Disabling and refusing to accept cookies can make certain websites impractical or difficult to visit and use. Also, refusing to accept cookies does not mean you will stop receiving or seeing online advertisements. It is possible to set your browser to prevent these cookies from being accepted, or you can configure your browser to accept cookies from a specific website. However, for example, if you are not registered using cookies, you will not be able to leave comments. All modern browsers provide the option to change cookie settings. These settings are typically found in the "options" or "preferences" menu of your browser. To understand these settings, the following links may be helpful, or you can use the browser's "help" option for more details:

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  • Cookie settings in Internet Explorer

  • Cookie settings in Firefox

  • Cookie settings in Chrome

  • Cookie settings in Safari

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For settings related to third-party cookies, you can also consult the site: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/.

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Useful Links

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If you want more information about cookies and their uses, we recommend the following:

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  • Microsoft Cookies guide All About Cookies​

  • IAB Romania offers the following site to provide more information regarding online advertising privacy: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/.

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For more details about privacy issues, you can also access:

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Thank you for choosing www.genuineadv.ro!

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