Discover Botoșani
Cookie policy
Last updated: 26 July 2026.
About cookies
The Descoperă Botoșani platform uses cookies in order to work correctly and, if you choose to accept, for traffic statistics. These policies were drafted in accordance with Directive (EU) 2002/58/EC ("the E-Privacy Directive") and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data ("the GDPR").
The information below is intended to tell you in detail how cookies are placed, used and managed on this platform.
What is a "cookie"?
An "Internet Cookie" (also known as a "browser cookie" or "HTTP cookie") is a small file made up of letters and numbers, stored on the computer, mobile terminal or other device from which the internet is accessed. The cookie is installed at the request of a web server to a browser and is entirely passive: it contains no software, viruses or spyware and cannot access the information stored on your device.
Alongside cookies, the platform also uses the browser's local storage (localStorage), which serves a similar role and is subject to the same rules. We have included it in the tables below, for transparency.
⚠️ The principle this platform follows
Nothing that is not strictly necessary loads before you agree.
We do not load third-party scripts "with tracking switched off": we simply do not load them at all until you accept. If you decline or close the banner, no request is sent to statistics providers — not even an anonymous one.
And when consent is withdrawn we do not stop at ceasing to send data: cookies already written are actually deleted from your browser.
1. Strictly necessary cookies (cannot be declined)
These make the platform work. Without them, pages would not display correctly and your preferences could not be remembered. They track nothing and are sent to no one.
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
cookie-consent | local storage | Remembers your cookie choice itself, so we do not ask again on every page | until deleted |
a11y | local storage | Remembers your accessibility menu preferences: contrast, text size, spacing and the rest | until deleted |
descopera_session | cookie | The administration panel session (authorised staff only) | 2 hours |
XSRF-TOKEN | cookie | Cross-site request forgery protection when submitting forms | 2 hours |
Your language preference needs no cookie: it comes from the page address (/ro/ or /en/).
2. Statistics cookies (optional, only with your consent)
They help us understand which attractions and trails are sought out, so we can improve the tourism content. They are used only if the platform administrator has enabled this category and you have explicitly accepted it.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes visitors from one another | 2 years |
_ga_<ID> | Google Analytics | Maintains the analytics session state | 2 years |
_gid | Google Analytics | Distinguishes visitors (older versions) | 24 hours |
IP addresses are anonymised. ⚠️ Statistics are not used for advertising: the advertising and personalisation categories remain denied by design, even after you accept statistics.
This category involves processing by Google Ireland Limited and a possible transfer outside the European Economic Area — details in the Privacy policy.
3. What we do NOT use
- ❌ advertising or remarketing cookies;
- ❌ tracking of behaviour across different websites;
- ❌ social network buttons or embeds that place cookies (the footer links are plain links);
- ❌ sharing data with data brokers;
- ❌ public user accounts, and therefore no sign-in cookies for visitors.
4. Third-party services loaded in the page
Even though they place no tracking cookies, two external services take part in the platform's operation, and the moment you request them your IP address becomes visible to that provider. We list them for transparency:
| Service | When it loads | Why it is necessary |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare Turnstile | on the contact page only | Prevents automated message submission. It was chosen over reCAPTCHA precisely because it does not track users and places no profiling cookies |
| Map tiles (OpenStreetMap) | only when you open the map | Without them there is no map. The map data is open, under the ODbL licence |
In the mobile app, if you enable notifications, Google Firebase infrastructure is additionally involved — see the Privacy policy.
How long does a cookie live?
A cookie's lifetime can vary significantly depending on the purpose for which it is placed. Some are used for a single session only (session cookies) and are no longer kept once you leave the platform, while others are kept and reused each time you return (persistent cookies). The specific durations for our platform are in the tables above.
Do cookies contain personal data?
Cookies themselves do not require personal information in order to be used and, in most cases, do not personally identify internet users. The platform's strictly necessary cookies contain no personal data: they remember a preference ("I accepted", "I want larger text"), not an identity. Statistics cookies, if you accept them, contain a random identifier allowing distinct visitors to be counted.
Security and confidentiality concerns
Cookies are NOT viruses. They use plain text formats, are not made up of pieces of code, and therefore cannot be executed and cannot run automatically. Consequently they cannot duplicate or replicate themselves across other networks.
They can, however, be used for negative purposes: because they store information about preferences and browsing history, on one site or across others, cookies can be used as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products constantly flag cookies for deletion as part of their scanning procedures.
Since information travels in both directions between browser and server, if an unauthorised person intervenes along the transmission path, a cookie's contents may be intercepted. This can happen when the browser connects to the server over an unencrypted network (for example an unsecured public WiFi network). ⚠️ Our platform is served exclusively over HTTPS, so traffic — cookies included — is encrypted between your device and the server.
Tips for safe and responsible browsing
- adjust your browser's cookie settings to a level of security you are comfortable with;
- if you share a computer with others, consider configuring the browser to clear browsing data each time it closes;
- keep your browser up to date — many cookie-based attacks exploit weaknesses in older versions;
- install and keep anti-spyware software updated.
Changing your choice, at any time
Use the "Cookie settings" link in the footer of any page. It opens the same preferences panel, showing the current state of your choice.
⚠️ When consent is withdrawn, statistics cookies are actually deleted, not merely ignored, and the page reloads in order to remove the third-party script from it completely.
What to do if you want no cookies installed at all
You can block all cookies or only some of them, or remove cookies already installed, from your browser's privacy settings. Be aware, however, that you risk being unable to use certain features: blocking strictly necessary cookies makes the administration panel unusable, and clearing local storage means the cookie banner and your accessibility preferences will be forgotten.
Instructions for common browsers: Chrome · Firefox · Safari · Edge.
Useful links
For more information on data protection and cookies: the Romanian National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing.