ION Management Science Lab ("IMSL," "we," "us," or "our"), a research initiative of SDA Bocconi School of Management, is committed to transparency about how we use cookies and similar technologies on our website.

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, what cookies and similar storage mechanisms we use, and how you can manage your preferences. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which provides further details on how we handle your personal data.

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work efficiently and to provide information to website owners.

Cookies can be "first-party" (set directly by our website) or "third-party" (set by external services embedded in our pages). They can also be "session" cookies (deleted when you close your browser) or "persistent" cookies (remaining on your device for a set period).

In addition to cookies, websites may use similar technologies such as localStorage — a browser-based storage mechanism that allows websites to save preferences locally on your device. We disclose our use of these technologies alongside cookies for full transparency.

Our website uses a minimal set of cookies, limited to what is technically necessary for the site to function and to remember your preferences. We do not use any analytics, advertising, or marketing cookies.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the website to function. They enable core features such as user authentication and security. The site cannot operate properly without them, and they cannot be disabled.

Functionality (Local Storage)

We use browser localStorage to remember your display preferences. This is not a cookie but a similar client-side storage mechanism. It does not send data to our servers and remains entirely on your device.

Our website embeds YouTube videos to provide educational and research content. When you interact with an embedded YouTube video, Google LLC (the operator of YouTube) may set cookies on your device. These cookies are managed entirely by Google and are outside of our control.

Common YouTube cookies include:

• VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE — Estimates user bandwidth for optimal video delivery
• YSC — Registers a unique ID to keep statistics of viewed videos
• PREF — Stores user preferences and other information such as preferred language

For more information on how Google uses cookies, please see the Google Privacy Policy.

Note on Google Fonts: Our website uses Google Fonts (EB Garamond and DM Sans), but these are self-hosted through our framework's font optimization system. No requests are made to Google's servers at runtime, and no cookies are set as a result of font loading.

For full transparency, we want to make clear that our website does not use:

• Analytics cookies — We do not use Google Analytics, Hotjar, Mixpanel, or any other analytics or behavioral tracking platform
• Advertising cookies — We do not use Google Ads, Meta Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, or any advertising or remarketing cookies
• Social media tracking — We do not embed social media tracking pixels or widgets that monitor your activity. Our LinkedIn link in the footer is a standard hyperlink and does not set cookies
• Profiling or personalization cookies — We do not build user profiles for targeted content delivery or ad personalization

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that blocking strictly necessary cookies may prevent you from signing in or using authenticated features of our website.

Browser Settings

Most browsers allow you to view, block, or delete cookies. The steps vary by browser:

• Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data
• Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
• Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and site data

Clearing Local Storage

To clear the theme preference stored in localStorage, you can use your browser's developer tools (usually accessible via F12) or clear your browsing data including "site settings" or "site data."

Consequences of Blocking Cookies

If you block or delete the strictly necessary cookies listed above, you will not be able to sign in to your account or access authenticated features such as AI tools and learning content. The public areas of the website will continue to function normally.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable Italian and EU data protection laws, you have the right to:

• Be informed about the cookies we use (this policy)
• Withdraw consent for non-essential cookies at any time
• Access, correct, or delete the personal data we hold about you
• Object to or restrict the processing of your data

For more details on your data protection rights, please see our Privacy Policy. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at ionlab@sdabocconi.it.

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

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