1. INTRODUCTION

This Cookies Policy applies to any website (collectively "Website") supported by the SHORTESTDOMAIN.COM, which for the purposes of this policy includes its affiliated organization Public Technical Identifiers (PTI) (collectively "we", "our" or "us"), that links to this policy or incorporates it by reference.

2. WHAT IS A COOKIE?

2.1 We use cookies and other technologies to enable features on the Website. A cookie is a small text file that stores Internet settings. The next time you visit this Website with the same terminal device, the cookie and the information in it are either sent back to the originating website (first-party cookie) or to another website to which it belongs (third-party cookie). By that, the Website can detect that it has already been opened using this browser, and in some cases, it will then vary the content it shows.

2.2 Almost every website uses cookie technology. Some cookies are useful as they are able to improve the user experience. Cookies, among other things, speed navigation through our Website, keep track of information so that you do not have to re-enter it each time you visit our Website, help us provide you with customized content and allow us to learn about your visit.

2.3 Some cookies we use require your consent, while others are exempt.

* Cookies exempt from consent: Strictly necessary cookies guarantee functions without which you would not be able to use the Website as intended. They are stored on your computer during the current browser session. Strictly necessary cookies ensure that, when you call up the functionalities of a website, you are shown a version that has a broad-band-related data quantity corresponding to that of the Internet connection you are using. Such cookies also guarantee that, when you change pages, the function of changing from http to https takes place. Cookies of this type also store your decision regarding the use of cookies on our Website. Your consent is not required for strictly necessary cookies.

* Cookies subject to consent: All other cookies that are not strictly necessary to use the Website still fulfill important tasks. Without these cookies, functions intended for your convenience on our Website, such as your personal settings or automatic filling in form functions could not be retained and would therefore have to be re-entered on every page.

3. TYPES OF COOKIES SHORTESTDOMAIN.COM USES

3.1 Our Website may use three types of cookies: strictly necessary cookies, performance cookies, or functional cookies.

* Strictly necessary cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the Website and use its features. These temporary cookies only last only as long as your web browser is open, and are used for technical purposes such as enabling better navigation on our Website. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided – for example, remembering previous actions (e.g. entered text) when navigating back to a page in the same session. Once you close your browser, the cookie disappears.

* Performance cookies are stored on your computer for longer periods and are used for purposes including tracking the number of unique visitors to our Website and information such as the number of views a page gets, how much time a user spends on a page, and other pertinent web statistics. These cookies do not save information that would allow the user to be identified. The collected information is aggregated, and therefore made anonymous. These cookies are used exclusively to improve the performance of the Website, and with it the user experience.

* Functional cookies enable the Website to save information which has already been entered (such as user names, languages choices, and your location), so that it can offer you improved and more personalized functions. Functional cookies are also used to enable features you request such as playing videos. These cookies collect anonymous information and cannot track your movements on other websites.

The following chart sets out the reasons for which we may use cookies on the Website.

Categories of Use Description

Session and Subscriptions We may use these cookies to meet basic security requirements and to ensure the site functions correctly. These cookies are also used to save preferences including subscription for users who are logged in to help us provide you with a better user experience and provide email notifications.

Notifications These cookies provide a banner welcome message, other site-wide message, and cookie dismiss notifications. A cookie is stored to know when to show the notification based on the user preference.

Testing and Surveys These cookies are collect responses to surveys. A cookie might be saved to track progress and sometimes different version of pages are tested to see which work better (A/B testing).

Technical and Browser Information These cookies are used to detect browser, operating, of plug in versions to notify users of out-of-date software.

Validation These cookies are used to validate that the domain and subdomain cookies that are sent from the web server to the user are not altered.

3.2 Third-Party Cookies: We may use third-party service providers to assist us by providing certain statistical and analytics information. For example, third-party cookies are used to measure site performance, events, and visitor activity to make sure the Website is meeting the needs of users and help us make improvements for navigation, search, and content. We primarily use Google Analytics for this. See Section 4 below for more details.

4. GOOGLE ANALYTICS

4.1 We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google"). Google Analytics uses cookies, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the Website analyze how users use the Website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the Website will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information on behalf of us as the operator of the Website for the purpose of evaluating your use of the Website, compiling reports on Website activity for Website operators and providing them other services relating to Website activity and internet usage.

In case IP anonymization is activated on the Website, your IP address will be truncated within the area of Member States of the European Union ("EU") or other parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area ("EEA"). Only in exceptional cases will the whole IP address be first transferred to a Google server in the United States and truncated there. The IP anonymization is active on the Website. The IP address that your browser conveys within the scope of Google Analytics will not be associated with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however, please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of the Website.

4.2 You also can opt-out from being tracked by Google Analytics with effect for the future by downloading and installing Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on for your current web browser: (click here)

5. HOW TO CONTROL AND DISABLE COOKIES

5.1 You can control and/or delete or disable cookies at any time by adjusting your browser settings. Browsers are different, so refer to instructions related to your browser to learn about cookie-related and other privacy and security settings that may be available.

5.2 Please be aware, however, that if you turn off cookies, you may not be able to take full advantage of all of the features of our Website.

6. SOCIAL MEDIA PLUG-INS

6.1 Our Website may use what are called social plugins ("plugins") from the social networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumbler. These plugins are indicated by the respective logo of the social network. When you access our Website, your browser establishes a direct connection with the servers of these social networks. The content of the plugin is transferred by the social network directly to your browser, which then integrates it into the Website.

6.2 Integration of the plugin causes Facebook, for example, to receive the information that you have loaded the corresponding page of the Website. If you are logged in with Facebook, it will be able to assign your visit to your Facebook account. Please note that an exchange of this information already takes place when you visit our Website, regardless of whether you interact with the plugin or not. If you interact with the plugins, such as by pressing the "Like" button, the corresponding information is sent directly to Facebook by your browser and saved there. You can find information on the purpose and extent of data acquisition as well as how the data is processed further and used by the social networks, together with your rights and optional settings to protect your private sphere, in the data protection notes of the social networks.

6.3 If you do not want incorporated social networks to gather data about you via our Website, you must log out on the respective domain of the social network before visiting the Website. If you wish to prevent information being exchanged with the above-mentioned social networks during your visit to our Website, you can opt out of cookies through your browser settings and other tools.

7. WEB BEACONS

7.1 We may use web beacons (also called web bugs, pixel tags, or clear GIFs) primarily to collect and maintain aggregated data (such as the number of visitors) to help us see which areas are most popular with our users and improve and update the content on our Website.

8. ADOBE TECHNOLOGIES

8.1 We may use Adobe Flash and other technologies to collect, store, and track information about your use of the Website. If you do not have Adobe Flash stored on your computer or devices, you can adjust the settings of your Flash player using the tools contained in the Website Storage Settings Panel. We use this information to ensure that the Website creates value added for users.

8.2 The deployment of Adobe involves capturing data by means of Adobe Analytics and Adobe Dynamic Tag Management, which are then anonymized, processed and stored in Adobe computing centers in Europe. If you wish to fully reject data capture by Adobe, you can do this by completing the opt-out process on the Adobe website.

8.3 To disable "flash cookies," you can adjust the setting of your Flash player to block Flash cookies using the tools contained in your website storage settings panel. More information can be found on Adobe website.

Last Updated: 6 March 2024