A cookie is a harmless text file that is stored on your browser when you visit almost any website. Cookies enable websites to remember your visit when you return to that page. Although many people are not aware of it, cookies have been in use for 20 years, ever since the first browsers appeared for the World Wide Web.

It is not a virus, a Trojan horse, a worm, spam or spyware and it does not open pop-up windows.

Cookies do not normally store sensitive information about you, such as credit card or bank details, photographs, your ID or personal information, etc. The data stored in them is technical, regarding personal settings and personalisation of content, etc.

The web server does not associate the data with you as a person but with your browser. In fact, if you normally surf the web with Internet Explorer and try to visit the same website with Firefox or Chrome, you will see that the website does not realise that you are the same person, because it is actually making an association with the browser, not the person.

• Technical cookies: These are the most fundamental cookies and, among other things, they allow the website to know if it is being browsed by a human or an automated application and when an anonymous or registered user is on the website. They are also used for the performance of basic tasks in the operation of any dynamic website.

• Analytical cookies: These collect information about the type of browsing being carried out, the sections that are most used, the products browsed, the time zone used, language, etc.

• Advertising cookies: These show adverts based on your browsing, your country of origin, language, etc.

First-party cookies are those generated by the page that you are visiting and third-party cookies are those generated by external services or providers such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.

We have provided the following examples so that you may understand the possible effects of disabling cookies:

• You will not be able to share content from that website on Facebook, Twitter or any other social network.

• The website will not be able to adapt its content to your personal preferences, such as those often used on online stores.

• You will not be able to access the personal areas on that website, for example My account, My profile or My orders.

• Online stores: It will be impossible to make online purchases, instead they will have to be made by telephone or by visiting the physical store, if there is one.

• It will not be possible to personalise your geographical preferences, such as time zone, currency or language.

• The website will not be able to carry out web analytics on visitors and traffic on the website, thereby making it difficult for the website to be competitive.

• You will not be able to add to blogs, upload photos, post comments, review or rate content and the website will not be able to know if you are a human or an automated application that publishes spam.

• It will not be possible to show targeted advertising, which will reduce the website advertising revenue.

• All social networks use cookies, if you disable them you will not be able to use any social networks.

Yes. Not only can they be deleted, they can also be blocked, in general or for a specific domain.

In order to delete cookies from a website you have to go to your browser’s settings, where you will be able to find the cookies associated with the domain in question and delete them.

Below we explain how to access a specific cookie on the Chrome browser. Note: these steps may vary according to browser version:

• Go to Settings or Preferences in the File menu or through the customisation icon in the top right.

• You will see various sections, click onShow advanced settings.

• Go to Privacy, Content settings.

• Select All cookies and site data.

• A list of all cookies, sorted by domain, will appear. To make it easier to find the cookies for a specific domain, enter part of or the complete address in the Search cookies box.

• After applying this filter, one or several lines will appear with the cookies for the requested website. Now all you have to do is select a cookie and click on the X to delete it.

In order to access the cookie settings on the Internet Explorer browser, follow these steps (may vary according to browser version):

• Go to Tools, Internet Options

• Click on Privacy.

• Move the slider to select the desired level of privacy.

To access the cookie settings on Firefox follow these steps (may vary according to browser version):

• Go to Options or Preferences, depending on your operating system.

• Click on Privacy.

• Under History select Use custom settings for history.

• You will now see the Accept cookies option, you may enable or disable it according to your preferences.

To access the cookie settings on Safari for OSX follow these steps (may vary according to browser version):

• Go to Preferences, then Privacy.

• Here you will see theBlock cookies option that allows you to choose the kind of block you want.

To access the cookie settings on Safari for iOS follow these steps (may vary according to browser version):

• Go to Settings, then Safari.

• Go to Privacy and Security, you will see the Block cookies option, which allows you to change the type of blocking you want to carry out.

To access the cookie settings on Android follow these steps (may vary according to browser version):

• Open the browser and click on Menu, then Settings.

• Go to Privacy and Security, you will see theAccept cookies option, where you can check or uncheck the box.

To access the cookie settings on Windows Phone follow these steps (may vary according to browser version):

• Open Internet Explorer, then More, then Settings

• Now you can check or uncheck the Allow cookies box.