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Cookies InformationIntroductionDuring the course of any visit to gov.ns.ca or its associated websites, the pages you see are downloaded to your computer. At the same time, you may receive one or more short text files called a "cookie". This page provides general information about cookies, informs you about how they are used, and directs you to guidance on how to control the cookies on your computer. What is a cookie?A cookie is a short text file sent to your browser from the web server or web servers that host the files of the website you are viewing. You may encounter two types of cookies: session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies are only active as long as you're using your browser. Once you close your browser, the cookie is deleted. Persistent cookies remain on your hard drive until they reach their expiry date or you delete them. Many websites use cookies to enable features such as determining whether the computer (and probably its user) has visited the website before. This is done on future visits by checking for the unique identifier in a cookie left there on a previous visit. Some users object to this practice and choose to reject all or some cookies, but it can be a convenience for both website visitors and operators because it allows the collection of usage statistics that assist in improving the online experience for visitors. Other uses include keeping track of items in online shopping carts and reducing the amount of time to enter and process the same information each time a website is visited. Cookies, whether session or persistent, can also be described as first-party or third-party cookies. A web page's content may come from more than one server. Third-party cookies are related to content on a web page that does not come from the page's primary server. These third-party cookies are sometimes used to compile usage statistics on behalf of the site owner or, on commercial web sites, they may be associated with advertising and are used to track the effectiveness of the ad. To protect your privacy, your browser only permits a web server to access the cookies already sent to you from its domain, not the cookies sent to you by web servers from other domains. For instance, gov.ns.ca is one domain, and any cookies associated with it cannot be read when you are visiting unrelated websites. Controlling CookiesUsers typically have the opportunity to set their browser to accept all or some cookies, to notify them when a cookie is issued, or not to receive cookies at any time. The last of these, of course, means that personalized services cannot be provided and the user may not be able to take full advantage of all the website's features. Refer to your browser's Help section for specific guidance on how it allows you to manage cookies and how you may delete cookies you wish to remove from your computer. Related InformationNova Scotia Government Website Privacy Policy Statement |
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