Services and resources
A cookie is information saved by your web browser.
When you visit a website, the site may place a cookie on your web browser to recognize your device in the future. If you return to that site later, it can read that cookie from your last visit and keep track of your browsing history over time.
Uses
Cookies:
- Collect information about the pages you view and your activities on the site;
- Enable the site to recognize you by:
- Remembering your user ID
- Offering an online shopping cart
- Keeping track of your preferences if you visit the website again
- Customize your browsing experience; and
- Deliver ads targeted to you.
Cookies transmit this information back to the website’s computer (or server). You can adjust your web browser to warn you about attempts to place cookies on your computer or to limit the type of cookies you allow.
Two general types
Single-Session Cookies
- Help with website navigation,
- Only record information temporarily and are erased when the user quits the session or closes the browser,
- Are enabled by default to provide the smoothest navigation experience possible, and
- Are known as Tier 1 technologies under the Federal Websites: Cookie Policy.
Persistent or Multi-Session Cookies
- Remain on your computer and record information every time you visit some websites,
- Are stored on your computer’s hard drive until you manually delete them from a browser folder or until they expire which can be months or years after they were placed on your computer,
- Are used by the VA solely to provide site-use analysis and to maintain access quality for users,
- Capture only a unique, randomly assigned identifier for each user and do not send to or receive information on non-VA websites, and
- Are known as Tier 2 technologies under the Federal Websites: Cookie Policy.
Refer to VA Handbook 6502.3, Web page Privacy Policy, for more information on the use of persistent cookies on VA websites.
