A cookie is data that a website puts on your computer so that it can recognise it at a later time.
The types of data stored depend on the sites you visit, but generally include:
- the name of the web server from which the cookie originated
- the lifetime of the cookie (ie whether it will be deleted as soon as you leave the site, or if it may stay on your hard drive for longer)
- a unique number which allows the website that set your cookie to remember your browser
- other data a site may have about your browsing may be stored in a cookie for future use
There are two types of cookies: session and persistent. Session cookies exist only during a user’s online session and they disappear from the user’s computer when the user closes his/her browser. Persistent cookies stay on your computer after the browser has been closed. The cookies used on the AOL Web Services do not identify you personally. They merely recognise your browser, unless you choose to identify yourself voluntarily. You may choose to identify yourself for any one of the following reasons: by asking the browser to remember your username and password (for example, when you register for an AOL Screen Name), by responding to a promotional offer or by personalising a web page.
Web beacons are small pieces of code placed on web pages that can be used, among other things, to count the users who visit that web page, or to deliver a cookie to the browser of a user viewing that page. You can learn more about web beacons at http://www.networkadvertising.org.
Web site providers use cookies, web beacons and similar technologies for a number of purposes, for instance, to: store your preferences for a particular website so that the site can be customised based on these preferences when you return; help ensure the safety and security of registered users, learn more about users’ online behaviour; and to measure advert effectiveness. To learn more about how AOL uses cookies visit here
You can control cookies by adjusting the settings on your browser. You can configure your browser to accept all cookies, reject all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set. If you reject all cookies, however, you will not be able to take full advantage of the AOL Web Services. If you want to know how to change your cookies settings please click here
