Cookies are an essential part of the online publishing and advertising industries. They are simple text files (not programs or spyware) used by web servers to differentiate users and to maintain data related to browsers during navigation, possibly across multiple visits.

Online publishers use cookies to improve Internet user experiences by simplifying and automating login processes, although in many cases they raise issues concerning cookies and privacy settings. Cookies may enhance user experiences with personalisation, by enabling shopping cart technologies and by providing statistics that help the publisher understand use of their sites.

The advertising industry uses cookies to understand browsing behaviour across multiple pages so that relevant advertising can be served to the user. Within each cookie is information relating to the user; often an ID number. Many publishing and advertising companies store the user's IP address and cross-reference this with the cookie in order to follow and understand user browsing.

Phorm's system also uses cookies but in a very different way. We do not store IP addresses - only a unique ID within the cookie that cannot be tied back to the user. The only data stored at the server side are categories of interest such as "Camera" or "Paris Holiday" and a time/date stamp. If the cookie is deleted, the categories of interest stored cannot be tied back to the unique ID. Phorm's terms of use, privacy and cookies policy also allows for a clear opt in or opt out.