"Cookies" are small data files that are stored on the hard drive of the computer you use to view a website. Every computer that accesses a WebMD Site is assigned a different cookie by WebMD. Different Cookies serve different purposes:
Session cookies are specific to a particular visit and carry information as you view different pages within a WebMD Site. Session cookies expire and delete themselves automatically in a short period of time, e.g., when you leave the website or when you close your browser.
Persistent cookies enable us to recognize you when you visit a WebMD Site and remember your preferences. Persistent cookies are stored on your browser or mobile device until you choose to delete them, and otherwise typically delete themselves at expiration.
Third-party cookies are placed by someone other than WebMD, and may gather browsing activity across multiple websites and sessions. They are usually persistent cookies and are stored until you delete them or they expire based on the time period set in each third-party cookie.
"Web Beacons" are graphic image files embedded in a page of a website typically used to monitor activity on the page and send back to its home server (which can belong to the host site, a network advertiser or some other third party) information from your browser, such as the IP address, the URL of the page on which the Web Beacon is located, the type of browser that is accessing the site and the ID number of any cookies on your computer previously placed by that server.
"Application SDKs" are mobile application third-party software development kits that are embedded in mobile applications. These app SDKs permit the collection of information about the app itself, activity in the app, and the device the application is running on.
Cookie on the WebMD Sites
The cookies on the WebMD Sites are generally used for one of the following purposes:
. These cookies are necessary for the WebMD Sites to function and are essential to access some areas of the WebMD Sites. For example, certain cookies enable us to identify registered members and ensure that they have access to content that is only available to registered members.
Important functionality. These cookies enable us to remember your preferences, such as your user name, language or the region you are in, and provide enhanced, more personalized features. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for, such as watching a video.
Performance and Analytics. These cookies enable us to analyze how visitors use the WebMD Sites and to monitor website performance. We use the information collected by these Cookies to improve the performance of the WebMD Sites and our Services.
Third Party Cookies
We work with third party ad networks to display advertising on the WebMD Sites and on third party sites. Our ad network vendors use technologies to collect information about your activities on the WebMD Sites and our flagship WebMD App to provide you cookie-based targeted advertising based upon your browsing activity and your interests. The specific providers we use are subject to change, however below is a list of some of our current ad network partners:
|Index Exchange||Live Intent||Media.Net||PubMatic|
Resellers Through Media.net
|Brealtime||Conversant Media||District M||Lijit|
Most browser software can be set to reject cookies, and offer instructions on how to reset the browser to reject cookies in the "Help" or "Settings" or "Preferences" section of your browser’s toolbar. If you reject our cookies, certain of the functions and conveniences of our websites may not work properly but you do not have to accept our cookies in order to productively use most features of our websites. It is important to note that in order to use the opt-out services described below, such as the Network Advertising Initiative and the TRUSTed Ads™ program, you must not reject all cookies because these opt-out procedures work by placing cookies on your browser that enable these opt-out procedures to function. The "opt-out cookies" are placed, for example, in order to help prevent the placement of Cookies used for the targeting of advertising..
In order to give you more control over your privacy choices WebMD has implemented a DAA (Digital Advertising Alliance) approved opt-out mechanism for interest-based advertising. At the bottom of every page of the WebMD Sites you will see an AdChoices logo (which looks like this: ). In our general WebMD App you can find the AdChoices option in the “Settings” screen. By clicking on that logo on the WebMD Sites or following the instructions in the general WebMD App, you will be presented with a window that will identify all of the companies that WebMD uses to direct tailored advertisements to you, both on the WebMD Sites and general WebMD App as well as on third-party sites. If you would like to stop this tailored advertising from WebMD, you can manage these advertisements through the choices in that window. Please note that even if you opt-out of interest-based advertising, you will continue to receive generic advertisements through the Services. Please note that your choice to stop tailored advertising is specific to the browser or mobile device that you are using so if you make a choice to opt out from one computer or mobile device and you want your opt-out to apply to a different computer or mobile device as well please opt out from that computer or mobile device too. By clicking the + symbol next to the name of a vendor in that window you will get information about how and where that vendor assists us with the delivery of advertisements. The WebMD Sites do not respond to web browser "do not track" signals. This opt-out mechanism is also available in the general WebMD App for iOS and Android, as well as on our mobile optimized sites, but is not currently available on our other Apps (WebMD Pregnancy, WebMD Baby and WebMD Allergy).
You may also control interest-based advertising on your mobile device by enabling the “Limit Ad Tracking” setting in your iOS device’s settings or “Opt out of Ads Personalization” in your Android device’s settings. This will not prevent you from seeing advertisements, but will limit the use of device advertising identifiers to personalize ads based on your interests. If you have questions about how to reject Cookies on your specific device please check with the device manufacturer.
Additional Information for WebMD’s Visitors from the European Economic Area (“EEA”)
If you are a WebMD user in the EEA, before cookies are placed on your computer or device, you will be shown a banner requesting that you either accept or decline the placement of cookies. By accepting the placement of cookies you are enabling us to provide the best possible experience and service to you. You may, if you wish, decline the placement of cookies unless those cookies are strictly necessary.