Cookies are tiny pieces of information stored on the computer of the web browser by the web server while visiting a site. They are used to store the history of the site and enable the browser to store and open pages that have been accessed before and those which are being visited after the user has left the current page. Cookies are also an important mechanism for web servers to record the visitor’s browsing activity and to ensure that the site is frequently visited. This is so important to a website’s success, that without cookies it would be impossible to make money online because no-one would know where you’ve been and what you’ve been looking at!
There are many different kinds of cookies, but the two most common are set-ups and cookie hijacks. A set-up is when a company will supply you with cookies that are needed for their business process; for instance, PayPal will ask you to subscribe to their services by providing an email address and some credit card information. The cookies will be stored in your browser and they will be uniquely assigned to you. Your computer will only see the specific details of the payment transaction, not the domain name or the IP address of the site that performed it. Some common uses of cookies are for keeping track of users who visit particular websites, the shopping cart in some online stores, the login information for social networking sites and applications, and the “remember me” feature in email accounts.
Some people are concerned that giving away information about their browsing habits could harm their computer security or privacy, but the reality is that the majority of websites use cookies. Most websites use cookies to serve up ads based on the visits to their websites and to keep track of various user behaviors. Without these cookies, it would be nearly impossible to navigate around the Internet!
In order for you to view sites without cookies, you will need to be able to change your browser settings so that cookies are not installed. This can often be done by clicking the “gear” icon that is found in the upper right hand corner of your browser, or at the bottom of your browser window. However, even then, some websites require explicit consent before you are allowed to use cookies. Therefore, you will have to make sure you are aware of what your options are before visiting any website without cookies.
Some argue that cookies are necessary for a site to accurately measure its effectiveness as a marketing tool. A company called Bright Side is behind a new privacy tracking technology that will allow you to browse the Internet without the use of cookies. This tracking system doesn’t work with cookies, but it works with IP and browser logs that have been accumulated over time for the purpose of ad tracking. While this particular technology may be useful to some Internet users who don’t want to share their browsing habits with advertising companies, it has caused controversy because of the privacy issues that are associated with it.
Some companies don’t want you to opt out of cookies, arguing that they provide necessary functionality for a website like shopping carts, the comment form processing, email services, and address verification. However, other companies strongly believe that consumers should have the choice to remove cookies from their browsers if they so choose. This way, the privacy concerns of advertisers can be addressed without having to sacrifice all of the functionality that is provided by an internet browser. Therefore, if you are concerned about the privacy of the information your children may be sharing while on the Internet, it may be best to encourage them to make sure their privacy is protected whenever online.
One reason that many people think that opting out of cookies is not a practical option is because they are afraid that opting out will cause the use of cookies to be discontinued on their computers. This is simply not true. Actually, some cookie file types will remain on your computer even after you have opted out. These cookie files provide the basic functionality to allow you to log onto a website, but your browser will store the cookie data on your hard drive, allowing you to visit the same websites again. This means that you can still have the same functionality that you had before you opted out; you just won’t have the annoying pop up ads anymore.
For example, some websites use small text files instead of cookies. If you do not see any ads on your screen when you visit these sites, but you receive a message saying that your personal information has been accessed or stored, this is an indication that a cookie was stored without your permission. Therefore, you will know right away that there was unauthorized access to your information, and you can take action to stop the unauthorized access. If you suspect that your child obtained a cookie from an unknown site or downloaded a text file that may have included cookies without your knowledge, you should advise your child’s school or preschool regarding the issue and discuss ways to prevent future access.