Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide a better user experience.

Cookies contain information about your visits to our website, such as your preferences, login information, and browsing patterns. This information helps us improve our website functionality and provide you with personalized content.

Similar technologies include web beacons, pixels, and local storage, which serve similar purposes to cookies. When we refer to "cookies" in this policy, we include these related technologies unless otherwise specified.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

2.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly and cannot be disabled. They include:

Purpose and Examples:

• Authentication: Remember your login status
• Security: Protect against cross-site request forgery
• Form data: Remember information you've entered in forms
• Shopping cart: Maintain your selections during your visit
• Load balancing: Distribute traffic across our servers

Legal Basis:

These cookies are essential for providing our services and are processed based on our legitimate interest in operating our website.

2.2 Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously.

Purpose and Examples:

• Google Analytics: Track page views, session duration, and user behavior
• Heat mapping: Understand which areas of pages users interact with most
• Performance monitoring: Identify and fix technical issues
• Content optimization: Determine which content is most valuable to users

Data Collected:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Click patterns and scroll behavior
• Referral sources (how you found our website)
• Device and browser information
• General geographic location (country/city level)

2.3 Functional Cookies

These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalization features.

Purpose and Examples:

• Language preferences: Remember your preferred language
• Theme settings: Save your display preferences
• Region/location: Provide location-specific content
• Font size: Remember accessibility preferences
• Chat support: Enable customer service chat functionality

2.4 Marketing/Advertising Cookies

These cookies are used to deliver personalized advertisements and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Purpose and Examples:

• Retargeting: Show relevant ads on other websites
• Social media integration: Enable sharing on social platforms
• Campaign tracking: Measure effectiveness of marketing efforts
• Audience insights: Understand user interests and preferences
• Conversion tracking: Measure actions taken after viewing ads

Third-Party Services:

• Google Ads and Google Marketing Platform
• Facebook Pixel and Meta advertising tools
• LinkedIn Insight Tag
• Twitter advertising platform
• Other social media and advertising platforms

3. First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies

3.1 First-Party Cookies

These cookies are set directly by our website (smboincac.com) and can only be read by our website. We use first-party cookies for:

• Essential website functionality
• Your preferences and settings
• Basic analytics about your visit
• Security and authentication

3.2 Third-Party Cookies

These cookies are set by domains other than our own, typically by external services we use. Third-party cookies include:

• Google Analytics for website analysis
• Social media platforms for sharing functionality
• Advertising networks for targeted marketing
• Customer support chat services
• Video hosting platforms for embedded content

4. Cookie Duration

4.1 Session Cookies

These temporary cookies are deleted when you close your browser. They are used for:

• Maintaining your session while browsing
• Security during your visit
• Form data preservation
• Shopping cart functionality

4.2 Persistent Cookies

These cookies remain on your device for a specified period or until you delete them. Duration varies by purpose:

• Essential cookies: Up to 1 year
• Analytics cookies: Up to 2 years
• Functional cookies: Up to 1 year
• Marketing cookies: Up to 1 year (varies by service)

5. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

5.1 Cookie Consent Manager

When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie consent banner that allows you to:

• Accept all cookies
• Accept only necessary cookies
• Customize your preferences by cookie category
• Learn more about each type of cookie

You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in our website footer.

5.2 Browser Settings

You can also manage cookies through your browser settings. Here's how:

Google Chrome:

1. Click the three-dot menu → Settings
2. Go to Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
3. Choose your preferred cookie settings

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Click the menu button → Settings
2. Go to Privacy & Security
3. Adjust your cookie and tracking protection settings

Safari:

1. Go to Safari → Preferences
2. Click the Privacy tab
3. Adjust your cookie settings

Microsoft Edge:

1. Click the three-dot menu → Settings
2. Go to Cookies and site permissions
3. Manage your cookie preferences

5.3 Mobile Devices

For mobile browsers, cookie management options are typically found in the browser's settings menu under Privacy or Security sections.

6. Third-Party Cookie Opt-Outs

6.1 Google Services

To opt out of Google Analytics:

• Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
• Visit Google's Ads Settings to control personalized advertising
• Use Google's My Activity page to manage your data

6.2 Social Media Platforms

To manage cookies from social media platforms:

• Facebook: Visit Facebook's Ad Preferences
• Twitter: Adjust settings in Twitter's Privacy and Safety
• LinkedIn: Manage settings in LinkedIn's Privacy Settings
• Instagram: Use Facebook's Ad Preferences (Instagram is owned by Meta)

6.3 Industry Opt-Out Tools

You can also use industry-wide opt-out tools:

• Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) opt-out tool
• Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) opt-out tool
• European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) opt-out tool

7. Impact of Disabling Cookies

7.1 Essential Cookies

Disabling essential cookies may result in:

• Inability to complete forms or make purchases
• Loss of login status between pages
• Reduced security features
• Poor website performance

7.2 Analytics Cookies

Disabling analytics cookies will:

• Prevent us from understanding how you use our website
• Limit our ability to improve user experience
• Reduce our capacity to fix technical issues
• Not affect your browsing experience directly

7.3 Functional Cookies

Disabling functional cookies may result in:

• Loss of personalized settings
• Need to re-enter preferences on each visit
• Limited access to enhanced features
• Default settings being applied

7.4 Marketing Cookies

Disabling marketing cookies will:

• Reduce personalized advertising
• Make ads less relevant to your interests
• Limit social media integration features
• Not affect core website functionality

8. Cookie Security and Privacy

8.1 Data Protection

We implement appropriate security measures to protect cookie data:

• Secure transmission using HTTPS encryption
• Regular security audits and updates
• Limited access to cookie data by authorized personnel
• Compliance with privacy regulations

8.2 Data Retention

Cookie data is retained only as long as necessary for its intended purpose:

• Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser
• Persistent cookies have defined expiration dates
• You can delete cookies manually at any time
• We regularly review and clean up obsolete data

8.3 Third-Party Data Sharing

We do not sell or share cookie data with third parties except:

• With your explicit consent
• To trusted service providers under contract
• When required by law or legal process
• For legitimate business purposes (e.g., analytics)

9. International Considerations

9.1 GDPR Compliance (EU)

For visitors from the European Union:

• We obtain explicit consent for non-essential cookies
• You have the right to withdraw consent at any time
• We provide clear information about cookie purposes
• You can access and delete your data

9.2 CCPA Compliance (California)

For California residents:

• You have the right to know what personal information is collected
• You can request deletion of your personal information
• You can opt-out of the sale of personal information
• We do not discriminate based on privacy choices

9.3 PIPEDA Compliance (Canada)

As a Canadian company, we comply with PIPEDA:

• We collect personal information only for identified purposes
• We obtain consent for collection and use
• We protect personal information with appropriate safeguards
• We provide access to personal information upon request

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, legal requirements, or our practices. When we make significant changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Notify you through our website or email
• Highlight significant changes in the updated policy
• Obtain new consent if required by law

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days and work with you to address any concerns about our cookie practices.