Often times when I’m browsing the internet, I get messages like “the site uses cookies”, then I’m to either accept the cookies or ignore. Why do I have to accept?
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Often times when I’m browsing the internet, I get messages like “the site uses cookies”, then I’m to either accept the cookies or ignore. Why do I have to accept?
Cookies are little bits of data that allow a web browser to track information about you, such as your browsing activity, your name, search history, or login. By accepting cookies, you are giving that website permission to track that information. The sites then use this information to customize the page and track your browsing behavior.
While this may sound like an invasion of privacy, it is not because you are allowing the site to have only minor data that they can use to track you and customize the page for you. Other web pages cannot view cookies set by other sites, so rest assured there. Cookies are also not made to last. When you first sign on to a page and give it permission for cookies, the default time for them to be destroyed would be when the browser is closed, but it is possible to set them to last until they are deleted.
All in all, cookies are a tool used to enhance user experience, and take some of the work off from the server. The server gets relief from having to re-store information every time a user returns to a site and piling up massive amounts of data. It is convenient for users, because you can store login information to a frequently visited page, without having to remember it and re enter the password every time.
By accepting cookies on websites, you are allowing it to set a small file on your computer/device that that website can read again. Many are functional. If you are not logged in, a cookies will store something like your last search filter, or the list of items in your basket. Without it, you refresh the page and lose it.
You get cookies that store preferences, so if the site offers a language switch, the next time it comes back it looks for a cookie with a language setting, and uses that information. You get cookies that store logins or session information, so when you are on a site a long time (or come back the next day), you do not need to log in again. It’s the last class of cookies that cause all the controversy: tracking cookies. These track what you are doing, largely for reporting, so the site owners can see what users read or ignore. They are also used for showing ‘last products you viewed’ or calculating ‘you may also like’ based on your previous history. And what pages you have looked at, and potentially even what you have bought. This does open some privacy concerns. There are darker uses. Some of the recent political scandals is people using tracking to know political leanings, and sending highly target ads designed to push that persons buttons to make them vote a certain way and this can be dangerous.
y accepting cookies on websites, you are allowing it to set a small file on your computer/device that that website can read again. Many are functional. If you are not logged in, a cookies will store something like your last search filter, or the list of items in your basket. Without it, you refresh the page and lose it.
You get cookies that store preferences, so if the site offers a language switch, the next time it comes back it looks for a cookie with a language setting, and uses that information. You get cookies that store logins or session information, so when you are on a site a long time (or come back the next day), you do not need to log in again. It’s the last class of cookies that cause all the controversy: tracking cookies. These track what you are doing, largely for reporting, so the site owners can see what users read or ignore. They are also used for showing ‘last products you viewed’ or calculating ‘you may also like’ based on your previous history. And what pages you have looked at, and potentially even what you have bought. This does open some privacy concerns. There are darker uses. Some of the recent political scandals is people using tracking to know political leanings, and sending highly target ads designed to push that persons buttons to make them vote a certain way and this can be dangerous.