I am one person who is really careful with what I do on the internet. The places I visit, links that I click, commands I allow, what I read, and things I do generally on the internet. For someone who is overly careful, do you think I would accept cookies without having an in-depth knowledge of what it is? I must say, whatever cookies are, safe or unsafe, so long as it is not what I can eat, I have no business accepting them. There again, I found out just about all websites that I visit, pops that notification “This website accepts cookies blah blah blah … Accept or Reject” and some websites would kick me out when I do not accept their cookies. Imagine the information, insight and knowledge I must have missed because of that internet food - COOKIES – and that took me to ‘research’ so I could familiarize with that internet browsing friend of mine, Cookies.
Howbeit, if you are like me, I bet you, this article will clear the air for you!
Cookies are text files with small pieces of data that are used to identify your computer as you use a computer network. These text files are sent by the website you are visiting the computer or device you’re using. If accepted, these cookies are stored on the web browser of your device, Cookies can then track and collect data from your browser, sending that data back to the website owner.
The data are collected once a user connects to the website server, your personal data are tagged to your unique ID assigned to you and your device. Ideally, websites use these cookies to manage and improve your user experience by collecting and storing pieces of information.
Case in point; Perhaps, you once visited a website but for some reason, you could not complete an activity you started before rushing off. Peradventure, you stumble upon that website again on plan or as a result of random website checks, you will be surprised your information and activities are where you are there. That pleasant surprise was made possible through cookies. If websites do not use cookies, you will have to start afresh by having to fix your preferences like currency, language, choice, etc. You will always have to through the stress of being a new user all the time.
However, not all cookies are bad because, without cookies, you will have to log in again after you leave a site or fill in your online shopping cart if you accidentally close the page. Here’s not to tell you that cookies are some sort of malware or some cheap cyber fraud tool but cookies can aid your attack since they have certain information about you or your device. They could be to spy around your internet usage and this information can be resold or used to carry out malicious activities which are detrimental to you.
Not all cookies should be allowed. You will have to distinguish between good cookies and bad ones. How to secernate between the good and bad cookies is what I am going to bare in the coming paragraphs.
Different websites use different cookies for different purposes according to what they are into and the kind of information they choose to collect, manage and store. HTTP, web, internet, or browser cookies exchange of information allows a web page to identify your computer and serve them tailored information about your past, current and future sessions for a personalized experience.
Cookies allow web browsers to track, personalize, and save information about each user’s session or the time each user spends on a particular website. Cookies are stored locally in your web browser. When you visit a new site, the webserver sends your unique identity to your web browser, when you revisit the site in the future, your web browser returns the information it stored back to the web server, as COOKIES to enable continue from your former sessions.
First-party cookies are cookies created by the website you are visiting, except you do not like the function some of them do, first-party cookies are entirely innoxious. But you have to be circumspect about the kind of website you visit. Some of these websites even though they look veritable, are not really safe or spurious. And some of them that are genuine, may have been compromised. You do not know.
Third-party cookies are built by websites that are different from the web pages users are currently browsing, usually because they're linked to ads on that page. These third-party cookies let advertisers or analytics companies track an individual's browsing history across the web on any sites that contain their ads. These types of cookies are the ones you should watch out for.
Zombie cookies are from a third party and are permanently installed on users’ devices even though they did not accept the installation of cookies. zombie cookies can be used by web analytics companies to track unique individuals' browsing histories which can be resold to advertising companies or hackers.
Ways in which accepting cookies can help you:
• To some websites, not allowing cookies will not grant you access. Some may grant you access but may not uncover the entire content for you.
• Cookies Improved user experience by making the Website get your Unique user ID, keep your browsing habits and history, identify your personal preferences and interests, track the times you visited a website, and the time you spent on each session. Cookies save your account log-in information - username and password so you will not have to fill them in each time you visit a site.
• Cookies make it easy for you to log in. Cookies saved on your web browser also can remember your log-in credentials. This can come in handy when repeatedly logging in to your usual websites, especially if you sometimes forget your passwords.
When You Should Not Accept Cookies.
• When you visit a website where the lock icon beside the website address is not locked or encrypted, you shouldn’t accept cookies. If a website is not locked, it means that website is not secure and there is no security to protect your data. This unsecured access may allow third parties like hackers to steal cookies from your browser, bug on some data or information you would like to keep in seclusion, and possibly expose you to other online vulnerabilities like identity theft.
• When you see third-party cookies coming from adverts. Some websites can collect your interests and sell you’re your information to third parties or ad companies or other third parties that rely on such information for their own business growth.
This would help if you Want to Delete Already Stored Cookies from your Android and Computer.
Android (Chrome)
- Open the Chrome app
- At the top right, you will see 3 vertical dots, click on it
- Click history.
- Clear browsing data.
- At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
- Next to "Cookies and site data" and "Cached images and files," tick the boxes.
- Click on “Clear data”.
Computer (Chrome)
- On your computer, open Chrome. Open chrome
- At the top right, you will see 3 vertical dots, click on it
- Scroll down, and you will find “more tools”
- Click on “Clear Browsing Data”
- At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
- Next to "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files," tick all both boxes.
- Click on “Clear data”.