Cookies are files stored on your computer to allow a web site to keep track of certain information. It is the only way to store information that the web site can access once you go to another page or, in the case of persistant cookies, close your web browser.

Minnesota Academy of Audiology uses cookies only to identify you once you have logged in to a secure area of the web site. A cookie is stored on your computer that identifies you as having successfully logged in to the secure area. Each time you go to a page within that area, the new page checks for the cookie and makes sure that you have permission to view that content. Our cookie contains only one piece of information: a unique identifier that shows you belong in the secure area. Anyone attempting to access those pages without this cookie will be sent to the login page with an error message displayed (which you probably just read). Our cookie is not persistant - meaning it will be removed when you close your web browser.

Unfortunately, there is really no other good way to accomplish this task. Cookies are the de facto standard for identifying an individual accessing web pages. You should not generally worry that cookies from trusted sites will cause any harm or store information you would not want stored. If you will be visiting a web site of which you are not sure, you may want to become familiar with the procedures for changing security settings in your web browser (listed below).


Changing cookie settings in Internet Explorer

1. Click on Tools from the menu bar, then select Internet Options.
2. Click on the tab labeled Privacy at the top of the new window that appears.
3. Move the slider so that your Privacy Settings are Medium High or lower. A setting of High will not allow cookies from our site and you will not be able to access pages in a secure area.
4. Click OK to save these settings and exit the Internet Options window.

1. Click on Edit from the menu bar, then select Preferences.
2. From the list on the left, expand the Privacy & Security section by clicking on the arrow to the left of the label.
3. Select Cookies from the list of options that appears.
4. Ensure that Disable Cookies is NOT checked. Any other setting should allow you to view all pages on the MAA web site normally.
5. Click OK to save these settings and exit the Preferences window.

1. Click on File from the menu bar, the select Preferences.
2. From the list to the left, select Privacy (it is toward the bottom).
3. Make sure that the Enable cookies box is checked.
4. Make sure that either Automatically accept all cookies or Display received cookies is selected from the first drop-down list box (Accept cookies only from selected servers may also be used, but you will need to manually input the MAA server to your list).
5. Click OK to save these settings and exit the Preferences window.