What are cookies?
A web cookie (also called HTTP, cookie, Internet cookie, browser cookie, or simply cookie) is a small piece of data sent from a website and stored on the user’s computer by the user’s web browser while the user is browsing.
Cookies were designed to be a reliable mechanism for websites to remember particular information (such as items added in the shopping cart in an online store) or to record the user’s browsing activity (including clicking particular buttons, logging in, or recording which pages were visited in the past).
What are cookies used for?
According to Indiana University, cookies are most commonly used to track website activity. When you visit some sites, the server gives you a cookie that acts as your identification card. Upon each return visit to that site, your browser passes that cookie back to the server. In this way, a web server can gather information about which web pages are used the most, and which pages are gathering the most repeat hits.
Cookies are also used for online shopping. Online stores often use cookies that record any personal information you enter, as well as any items in your electronic shopping cart, so that you don’t need to re-enter this information each time you visit the site.
Servers can use cookies to provide personalised web pages. When you select preferences at a site that uses this option, the server places the information in a cookie. When you return, the server uses the information in the cookie to create a customised page for you.
Are cookies good or bad?
Cookies are neither good or bad, says Robert Siciliano of CIO.com. “They are just a mechanism to how the web works. The bigger question is, are the uses thereof good or bad,” he says.
Microsoft, Google, and Firefox are implementing do-not-track features into their browsers, giving consumers the option to block cookies that may track their surfing for advertising purposes.
Most major websites now install cookies on your computer, which, over time, help develop a profile that serves as your digital fingerprint. This is why, after searching for a specific product, you may notice advertisements for that particular product or brand appearing on various other websites.
Are cookies safe?
According to Norton.com, under normal circumstances, cookies cannot transfer viruses or malware to your computer. Because the data in a cookie doesn’t change when it travels back and forth, it has no way to affect how your computer runs.
However, some viruses and malware may be disguised as cookies. For instance, “supercookies” can be a potential security concern, and many browsers offer a way to block them. A “zombie cookie” is a cookie that re-creates itself after being deleted, making zombie cookies tough to manage. Third-party tracking cookies can also cause security and privacy concerns since they make it easier for parties you can’t identify to watch where you are going and what you are doing online. Therefore managing cookies in order to protect your privacy online is key.
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 876 3179
The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
